Pineshade's Loss

Chapter 1

Pinekit wakes up as he feels a soft shove against his side. He opens his green eyes and spots his mother, Nightbreeze.

"You can't sleep all day, Pinekit. Today is a big day for you and Beetlekit." She meows, looking down at her son lovingly.

"Oh, yeah! We are becoming apprentices today!" Pinekit meows. His face lights up, remembering about today.

"That's right. Don't get too excited just yet though. It's not time until Cherrystar calls for a clan meeting." Nightbreeze reminds her kit.

"Oh, right." Pinekit replies.

"I can't wait!" Beetlekit meows happily. "Will father be there?" He asks his mother.

"Of course he will. He is the clan's deputy after all." Nightbreeze meows.

"When will Milkkit and Spikekit become apprentices too?" Pinekit asks his mother. "It won't be any fun without them." He meows.

"Not very along after you two. The litters were only a few days apart." Nightbreeze answers.

"When will Rosedawn have her kits?" Beetlekit asks.

"Very soon, I expect." Rosedawn answers for herself. The pale brown she-cat's belly is swollen with kits.

"I can't wait to meet them!" Pinekit meows. Then, the cats hear Cherrystar's weak voice call out.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the high branch for a meeting!" Pinekit hears Cherrystar's voice call.

We're finally going to become apprentices! Pinekit thinks.

"Today, two young kits have reached the age of six moons, and are ready to become apprentices." Cherrystar announces.

"It's time. Walk out out of the den towards the crowd and I will follow you. Please behave." Nightbreeze meows. Then, the two kits nod and then quickly walk out of the nursery and over to where the clan is gathered. Nightbreeze follows behind them, sitting down with the kits along with the other cats.

"Beetlekit, 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 Beetlepaw.  Your mentor will be Russetblaze. I hope Russetblaze will pass down all he knows on to you." Cherrystar says, her gaze looking down at the black apprentice, but then it shifts over to a ginger-furred warrior. "Russetblaze, you are ready to take on your first apprentice. You have received excellent training, and you have shown yourself to be a skilled and brave warrior. You will be the mentor of Beetlepaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him."

Pinekit watches as Beetlepaw walks over to Russetblaze and touches noses with the warrior. The clan cheers. "Beetlepaw! Beetlepaw!"

Then, Cherrystar's gaze changes. The old tortoiseshell-and-white leader's gaze looks directly at Pinekit.

"Pinekit, you have also reached the age of six moons, and it is also time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Pinepaw.  Your mentor will be Leafshadow. I hope Leafshadow will pass down all she knows on to you." Cherrystar says, her gaze shifts over to Leafshadow. "Leafshadow, you are ready to take on another apprentice. You have received excellent training and you have shown yourself to be a loyal and courageous warrior. You will be the mentor of Pinepaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him."

Pinepaw slowly walks over to Leafshadow. He then touches noses with the she-cat. "Pinepaw! Pinepaw!" The clan cheers.

"The clan meeting is now dismissed." Cherrystar meows, leaping down from the high branch.

"Beetlepaw! Pinepaw!" Pinepaw hears two familiar voices call. Then, he sees them. Milkkit and Spikekit are dashing right over to the two of them.

"I can't believe that you're apprentices! Congratulations!" Milkkit meows happily.

"It won't be much longer until we join the two of you!" Spikekit adds.

"Thank you." Both Beetlekit and Pinekit meow in unison.

"It's going to be sad not being able to play with you anymore.." Milkkit meows, looking down at the ground sadly. "I'm going to miss it." She adds. Even though she was talking to the both of them, she is looking directly at Pinepaw.

"Yeah... but we'll join you in no time so that's good!" Spikekit adds.

The four kits have been very close ever since they could walk. They always spent most of their time together, making them very close friends. Pinepaw is specifically closest to Milkkit though and always has been.

"Pinepaw, Beetlepaw." Pinepaw hears. He turns around to see both Leafshadow and Russetblaze looking over at the two young apprentices.

"Come on, we're going to show you two around ShadowClan territory." Leafshadow meows.

"Okay!" Beetlepaw replies.

"Alright." Pinepaw meows.

"Goodbye Pinepaw! Goodbye Beetlepaw!" Milkkit meows.

"We'll see the two of you later!" Spikekit adds. Then, the two sets of littermates go their separate ways.