Pineshade's Loss

Chapter 3

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

I think it's time for Milkkit and Spikekit to become apprentices! Pinepaw thinks excitedly. He gathers with the rest of the Clan, sitting down beside his brother.

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

Yes! Knew it! Pinepaw thinks, even more excited for his friends.

Pinepaw watches as Milkkit and Spikekit quickly walk out of the nursery and over to where the clan is gathered. Goosecloud follows behind them, sitting down with the kits along with the other cats.

"Milkkit, 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 Milkpaw. Your mentor will be Volenose. I hope Volenose will pass down all he knows on to you." Cherrystar says, her gaze looking down at the cream-and-white apprentice, but then it shifts over to a brown-furred warrior. "Volenose, you are ready to take on your first apprentice. You have received excellent training, and you have shown yourself to be a skilled and loyal warrior. You will be the mentor of Milkpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her."

Pinepaw watches as Milkpaw bounces over to Volenose and touches noses with the warrior.

Then, Cherrystar's gaze changes. The old tortoiseshell-and-white leader's gaze looks directly at Spikekit, who is still standing beside his mother.

"Spikekit, 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 Spikepaw. Your mentor will be Snowpetal. I hope Snowpetal will pass down all she knows on to you." Cherrystar says, her gaze shifts over to the white she-cat. "Snowpetal, you are ready to take on your apprentice. You have received excellent training and you have shown yourself to be a brave and kind-hearted warrior. You will be the mentor of Spikepaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him."

Spikepaw dashes over to Snowpetal. He looks a bit flustered around the young warrior at first but then he touches noses with the she-cat.

"The clan meeting is now dismissed." Cherrystar meows, leaping down from the high branch. Pinepaw watches as the Clan begins to gather around the newly named apprentices, calling them by their new names. Pinepaw and Beetlepaw quickly join in, excited for their friends. The two brothers push through the crowd consisting of mostly warriors, willing to speak to Milkpaw and Spikepaw. When they finally make it through the crowd, Milkpaw and Spikepaw immediately turn their heads and bounce over to the two brothers excitedly.

"We're all apprentices now!" Milkpaw cheers.

"Yeah, we can train together! Don't go too easy on us, okay? We are stronger than you may think!" Spikepaw meows with confidence.

"Yeah, and hedgehogs can fly!" Beetlepaw immediately responds with a purr of amusement. "We always beat the two of you when we were kits, why would that change?"

"Because we have better mentors." Spikepaw replies. Pinepaw just watches his brother and the gray-and-white tom bicker.

"And how is any mentor better than the other? You don't even know your mentors well enough!" Beetlepaw retorts.

"Can the two of you please stop?!" Milkpaw meows, breaking the playful argument. "This is not a competition. Being the strongest doesn't matter in the end. What matters is that you are strong. We're all just trying to become warriors here," Milkpaw claims.

"Are you taking this seriously, Milkpaw? We were just messing around!" Spikepaw responds to his sister.

"I mean, she does have a point. Your argument seemed pretty serious," Pinepaw steps in.

"Well, it wasn't, and that's what matters. If it was real, then she would definitely have a point," Spikepaw continues. "She has always been too nice for her own good."

There's nothing wrong with being too nice. Although, that is somewhat true. It could get her in trouble one day or break her heart. Pinepaw thinks.

"She's going to find a SkyClan warrior on our territory and then invite them back to ShadowClan camp, feed it, and let it sleep with ShadowClan warriors," Beetlepaw meows with a purr of amusement. "She can't hurt a fly," he continues.

"Well, I'll show you! On my first day of training, we are battling!" Milkpaw meows. Pinepaw just watches the scene with concern.

What has gotten into them? Has becoming an apprentice suddenly got to their heads? They've never been like this with Milkpaw! Pinepaw thinks.

"Sounds like a plan," Beetlepaw responds. Pinepaw just lets out a sigh.

This is not going to be good.