Warriors: The Prophecy of Stream

Chapter 5: Apprentices

Thistlekit looked at her reflection in the small pool of water inside the medicine cats' den. She had been woken early as Echobreeze and Moonpaw had stumbled into the den after a trip to the Moonpool. Both she-cats had seemed ruffled, and Thistlekit hoped nothing serious had happened.

"You look great Thistlekit!" Moonpaw cheerfully mewed, the medicine cat apprentice had looked a lot better than her mentor after sleeping the last of the morning, and was preparing a poultice in the far side of the den.

"Thanks Moonpaw! But i'm still so nervous, will every cat in the clan be there?" Thistlekit licked her paw and ran it several times over her ears, wanting to smooth down her prickly fur. She had stayed in the medicine den for another moon after her accident, but returned to the nursery with Heatherfall, Tigerkit, and Saltfur. However, as leaf-bare ended, Thistlekit developed a cold that turned into whitecough, so she slept in the medicine den as she healed.

"Of course! It's your apprentice ceremony, every cat will be there to welcome you." Moonpaw looked up from her work, her creamy paws stained green. "I'll be the first, after your new mentor of course!" The two cats had developed a bond over the moons of Thistlekit's healing, and she was glad to have such a close friend before she would join the clan with it's day to day activities.

"I almost forgot! I'll be getting a mentor!" Thistlekit widened her eyes. "Who do you think it'll be?"

Moonpaw walked over to Thistlekit and plucked a small clot of dirt from her fur with her teeth, and spat it out onto the ground. "Claytuft is a senior warrior, and he hasn't had an apprentice since Leafshine received her warrior name." Moonpaw mewed thoughtfully. "But Fallowfern is Pricklepelt's littermate, and she doesn't have an apprentice while Prickepelt does."

Thistlekit's mind whirled. There's so many names! She had only gotten to know a few other cats in the clan besides Appledaisy, Saltfur, and the elders.

"But i'm sure whoever you get will teach you to become the best warrior Windclan has ever seen!" Moonpaw mewed encouragingly.

A call from outside the dim den caused Thistlekit's fur to stand on end.

"Let all cats old enough to run the moor gather beneath the moor peak for a clan meeting!"

Thistlekit ran outside, moons of practice allowing her to run easily on her twisted paw, and quickly found Heatherfall licking Tigerkit's head furiously. As she got closer she could hear what her mother was saying. "Honestly Tigerkit! You should know by now that running through a pile of sand means the sand will catch onto your fur!" Thistlekit stifled a purr of amusement and proudly lifted her head, for she had cleaned her own pelt.

The rest of the clan slowly settled around the sandy clearing, and looked up to Sunstar who stood on a boulder far beneath the moor peak. Once every cat was settled, Sunstar looked at Tigerkit and Thistlekit, and beckoned them forward with his large tail. As he started the ceremony, Thistlekit pressed herself into her brother's fur, both kits quivering with excitement.

"Tigerkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to begin your warrior training as an apprentice of Windclan. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Tigerpaw."

Sunstar looked over the clan, and his eyes settled on a curly white tom with black paws. "Sheepnose, though you are barely a warrior yourself, I trust you have the patience and youthfulness to train this young apprentice in the ways of Windclan, and I hope you will pass down some of the knowledge you learned from your mentor, Jumptoes." The leader nodded his head to the grey elder who blinked pridefully in acknowledgement, then to Tigerpaw and Sheepnose.

The two toms gently touched noses, Tigerpaw waving his tail in joy. Sheepnose is such a good warrior for being so young, Tigerpaw's lucky!

Thistlekit's heart skipped a beat as Sunstar turned his attention to her. She took a deep breath and stepped forward, holding her head high.

"Thistlekit, you also have reached the age of six moons, and the time has come for you to train as a Windclan warrior. From this day forward, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Thistlepaw."

Thistlepaw closed her eyes, joy spread through her body like a moor fire as she waited to hear her mentor's name.

"Lightningstrike." Thistlekit's eyes shot open with shock as she heard the deputy's name called. The rest of the clan broke out into excited mews. "You have served Windclan dutifully these past few moons as deputy, and I know you will pass on your bravery and loyalty down to Thistlepaw."

Thistlepaw tried not to flinch as the huge orange tom walked towards her, but she relaxed when she met his kind yellow eyes. She quickly pressed her cold nose to his, and the clan broke out into calls to welcome the new apprentices. She stepped back awkwardly, setting her twisted paw gently on the ground.

"Thistlepaw! Tigerpaw! Thistlepaw! Tigerpaw!" The clan's yowls shook the gorse bushes high above the sandy camp, and Thistlepaw felt a power deep within her, stirring at the sound of her clan welcoming her. She looked up to the morning sky, and with an energy that she felt could carry her forever, called out her brothers name.