Shattered Roots #1: The Last Leaf

Chapter 3

'Ugh, it's rising-sun already?' Leafkit thought. Her eyes scanned around the nursery and she spotted Blazekit who was still asleep. Next to them was Foxtuft who was sharing a mouse with Stormrunner.

"Already awake, youngster?" whispered Foxtuft.

Leafkit let out a huge yawn. "Yeah, but I'm still kind of sleepy."

"Oh, yer' friends are outside near the high rock. They're gonna watch Morningkit's apprentice ceremony. Ya' should come too!"

Stormrunner added, "He looks really excited. I can't believe my little kit is already an apprentice! It feels as if he was born yesterday. Are you gonna watch his ceremony?"

Leafkit thought for a moment. "Since I don't have anything else to do, I think I will!"


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Leafkit padded quickly to the high rock. 'The ceremony might start soon, I gotta hurry!' Her tiny paws moved fast as they could bring her.

"Slow down, Leafkit!" Stormrunner yelled. "Wow, you're fast for a little kit."

"I'm not a little kit, I'm five moons old," Leafkit muttered.

They finally arrived at the high rock. Pebblestar was standing on top of it. Her large body casted a shadow on the cats below. 'She looks so magnificent!' Leafkit thought. 'I wanna be like her one day.'

Leafkit spotted Silverkit and Morningkit near the high rock. They were in the middle of an fun conversation.

"Ahh! I'm so excited! I'm so excited! I'm so excited! After all this waiting, I'm finally an apprentice! It feels like a dream!" Morningkit squealed.

"Oh wait, today is a dream. Sorry, Morningkit! Time to wake up, I guess," Silverkit teasingly replied.

Morningkit scoffed. "You're no fun. Wait, is that... it's Leafkit and my mom! Hi!"

"Hello, my sweet little ray of sunshine!" Stormrunner told Morningkit. "My little kit is all grown up. I'm so proud of you!"

Morningkit grinned from ear to ear. "I'm can't believe I'm going to be an apprentice, mom!"

Stormrunner smiled and put her head under Morningkit's muzzle affectionately.

"For a cat named Stormrunner, you seem to be worn out from such a short walk," Silverkit joked. The black queen rolled her eyes.

Morningkit wished, "I hope Swiftstrike is my mentor! He's just so cool."

"Hah! You won't stand a chance with him," Silverkit remarked. "He trains his apprentices really hard. Quailpaw told me that he felt like his legs could collapse at any minute after his first day."

"Don't worry, I can stand a chance against him!"

"All cats who are old enough to hunt, gather around the high rock for a clan meeting," Pebblestar yelled.

Morningkit sprang from his spot to the high rock. He cried, "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! It's gonna start!"

"FrostClan will be having a new cat who will train with us to be a warrior. Morningkit, you have reached six moons and it is time for you to become an apprentice," Pebblestar announced. "From this day on, until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Morningpaw. Your mentor will be..."

Morningpaw's tail swayed rapidly from side to side. He could hardly hide his enthusiasm.

"...Swiftstrike. I hope he will pass down all he has learned to you," Pebblestar continued.