Warriors: Shooting Star Book #1 A Star Is Born (#Wattys2015)

Chapter 8

"Wolfkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Wolfpaw!" Adderstar announced.

"Wolfpaw! Wolfpaw!" the Clan cheered the silver tom's name.

ThunderClan had returned to camp and rebuilt the nests. Halfmoon and Lightpelt retrieved enough herbs to store for leaf-fall. There was a vigil held for Hazelnose by Glaregaze and Dapplefeather. Wolfkit helped build the nursery back up with Bellowvoice and Poundkit. Lightpelt went to the Moonpool alone and retrieved her warrior name while Halfmoon tended to the medicine den.

A moon went by and Wolfpaw was finally becoming an apprentice. Bramblestripe and Berrybush had moved to the warrior's den, so Wolfpaw was the only tom in his den again.

When the cheering died down, Adderstar went on with the ceremony. "Your mentor will be Glaregaze. I hope Glaregaze will pass down all he knows on to you."

"What?" Both Wolfpaw and Glaregaze hissed. Wolfpaw would've liked to have any warrior be his mentor, except Glaregaze. The warrior never seemed to like Wolfpaw, especially with knowledge of Goosetail being his father.

"Glaregaze, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Earthfoot, and you have shown yourself to be loyal and a great role model." Wolfpaw almost thought he saw the leader's amber eyes flash to Goosetail. "You will be the mentor of Wolfpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Wolfpaw."

Glaregaze spat before walking up to Wolfpaw and touching his nose to the new apprentice's. Wolfpaw pulled away at the first contact, knowing full well his ceremony was over. Glaregaze flicked his tail and stormed off as Sparrowpaw and Hazelpaw ran over to greet Wolfpaw as an apprentice.

"Aren't you excited?" Sparrowpaw jumped. "You're an apprentice now!"

"Yeah, but I don't think Glaregaze likes me too much." Wolfpaw lowered his ears.

"Don't you worry," Hazelpaw mewed, "I heard that Glaregaze is a grump to every cat unless you get on his good side, go ask if he can show you around camp! You can look for some bedding for your new den!"

Wolfpaw took a breath that ended with a gulp before he made his way to his mentor. The grey warrior was finishing off a mouse as Wolfpaw neared.

"Don't bother asking," Glaregaze growled, "we're going to grab dome moss for all the dens."

"Is that it?" Wolfpaw tilted his head.

"Excuse me if if that fire made the Clan dry," Glaregaze hissed getting to his paws, "but the elder's, senior warriors, queens, and Adderstar need new bedding!" Wolfpaw lowered his ears. The fire was a bad time for every cat he knew, but just the mention of fire made Wolfpaw see the face of Hazelnose pleading for him to run. Then the shriek of her being consumed by the fire filled his ears. Wolfpaw was shaking and he must have been making a face, because Glaregaze's tail lowered and he had guilt in his amber eyes. "I'm sorry... Believe me, I miss Hazelnose too, but she would want us to move on and help the Clan survive... Now let's go."

Wolfpaw followed his mentor out the camp through the gorse tunnel. The air was warm as they headed to the stream separating ThunderClan and WindClan. Glaregaze showed his apprentice how to scrape moss off the rocks that were splashed by the water flowing down to SkyClan.

When they had finished, Wolfpaw had to carry his pile of moss in his mouth, under his chin, and in one paw. They headed down back to ThunderClan camp, passing Hazelpaw, Stripeclaw, and Poppystream. Hazelpaw put her tail over her mouth, trying hard not to laugh. Wolfpaw realized how dumb he looked with all this moss on him.

"Laugh it up," Wolfpaw tried his best not to lift his head proudly as he began walking by, "at least my first task is bringing water to the Cla-" the apprentice tripped over, squashing his moss. Hazelpaw then burst in to laughter while Poppystream and Stripeclaw snickered.

"Wolfpaw, you're more clumsier than a new born kit!" Poppystream joked. Wolfpaw could feel his pelt burn like fire as he got up and picked his moss back up. He and Glaregaze made their way through the gorse tunnel and went to the medicine den for Halfmoon to wet the clumps of moss.

"What's wrong, Wolfpaw?" Lightpelt asked as the silver tom set his ball of moss down before the medicine cat apprentice.

"He tripped and Hazelpaw, Poppystream, and Stripeclaw laughed at him." Glaregaze answered. Wolfpaw looked down with embarrassment. It felt like his whole body had been set on fire.

"Oh, you poor thing!" Lightpelt purred in amusement. "Maybe he'd feel better if his mentor took him out hunting training, or battle training?"

"I'm too tired and Twitchwhisker doesn't have any patrols he wants me on." Glaregaze growled, making Wolfpaw lower his ears. "But, I guess a moment of hunting training will tire him out as well." Glaregaze finished, pointing his tail at Wolfpaw. "Come on, we'll see if you can catch a mouse."

Wolfpaw crouched down low, his green eyes blazing on a mouse. It was washing its face, by nibbling its paws and drawing them over its head. Wolfpaw kept his tail high and still, careful not to make any sounds or sudden movements, just as Glaregaze instructed.

Finally, Wolfpaw readied himself to pounce. But just as he was about to leap, an unusual scent came over him and another cat pounced out and snagged the mouse.

"Sharpfang!" Glaregaze snarled from behind Wolfpaw. "What are you doing, this is ThunderClan territory!"

"This is ThunderClan border," the black tom pointed out, "I can hunt here if I want! Besides, he was too slow for me!" he lowered his head and picked the mouse up.

Glaregaze snarled as he bolted around to stand in front of the tom named Sharpfang. "That is ThunderClan prey!" Wolfpaw's mentor hissed, his claws unsheathing.

That's when Sparrowpaw pounced out, her breathing was heavy, as if she'd been running. "He stole from me too!" she gasped.

"ThunderClan is getting slow," Sharpfang purred, "two apprentices lost their prey to a ShadowClan warrior! No wonder you two are so pathetic!"

"Put the prey down and leave!" Glaregaze demanded.

"What if I don't?" Sharpfang rolled his eyes. Wolfpaw watched the ShadowClan cat's tail swish, he lowered himself down and pounced on the tom's flank, digging his claws deep through the skin. Sharpfang let out a painful yowl and tried kicking Wolfpaw off. He dropped the mouse and began bolting off to his Clan.

Wolfpaw, let go of Sharpfang and watched as the cat ran off in the distance. "And stay out!" The apprentice spat, before kicking up dirt and going back to his Clanmates.

"Well done, Wolfpaw!" Sparrowpaw praised as the silver tom neared. Glaregaze didn't speak, he just nodded as Wolfpaw picked up his mouse and the cats headed back to ThunderClan camp.