A Misty Path (A Warrior Cats Fanfiction)

Chapter 4

"WHAT?!" Minnowfall's cold blue-gray eyes blazed with fury but Speckledkit stood her ground.

"You heard me." Mistpaw was impressed by the small she-cat's bravery. "I don't want to be a warrior!"

"But why?" Tawnytail blinked, as if she couldn't understand why her daughter didn't want to follow her parents' paths.

Speckledkit twitched an ear. "That's my business," she retorted coolly.

"You will not become a medicine cat!" Minnowfall fumed.

Speckledkit whirled on her strict father. "Don't you dare tell me what to do!" she spat. "Where were you for six moons of my life??"

"I was upholding my noble family legacy. A legacy that you have to follow!"

Speckledkit laughed, although her eyes didn't seem humoured by the silver tom's statement. "I don't have to do anything you want me to do! You're not in charge of me, I'm not a kit anymore, I'll be an apprentice by the end of the day!"

Minnowfall opened his mouth to argue, but he was cut off by the beautiful medicine cat Mistlefrost. "I think it would be wonderful to have some company in the medicine den." Her meow was quiet and thoughtful.

Minnowfall curled his lip. "Of course you think that, you useless furball! What do you even do all day, I don't see you defending our Clan, I don't see you unsheathing your claws when you catch trespassers!"

"There is more than one way to defend a Clan," Mistlefrost reminded him. "Let us not forget that the medicine cats are the ones waging war against greencough, while you warriors simply groan in your nests and complain." A hint of impatience twinkled in her wise dark blue eyes.

Minnowfall scowled, but stalked away after hissing at Speckledkit: "You and I no longer share the same blood. Let me make that clear to you."

Speckledkit scowled. "Like I'd want his gross blood!" She sighed and padded away. Mistpaw watched her go, sympathy clouding her amber-and-blue gaze. She wouldn't know how she'd feel if her father disowned her like that. She looked around and saw Sandkit and Mudkit, eagerly watching Palestar.

"Hi Sandkit, hi Mudkit," Mistpaw meowed as she strolled over.

"Hi, Mistpaw," meowed Mudkit, his blue eyes still focused on the Clan leader.

"I'm so-so-so-so-so-so-so excited!" Sandkit's greeting contrasted his brother's greatly. "I've wanted to be an apprentice ever since you were made an apprentice - even before that! Oh, it's finally happening and I can't wait!"

Mistpaw smiled as Mudkit's eyes lit up. Palestar's familiar greeting rang through the camp, and Mistpaw escorted the two excited toms to the front of the gathered Clan. Speckledkit was waiting for them, her green eyes dark and stormy. "Let's just get this over with," she grumbled.

The ceremonies commenced, and throughout the entire day Sandkit and Mudkit were squealing like excitable mice. Even Speckledkit had brightened up, and she stared eagerly at Mistlefrost the entire time. Sandpaw received Dewspeck, a young pretty she-cat, as a mentor, and Mudpaw's mentor was the older tomcat Shellwing. Speckledpaw, the newest medicine cat apprentice, eagerly departed for the Moonstone with Mistlefrost that evening to be accepted by StarClan as a medicine cat.

Mistpaw sighed as she stretched out in her warm nest that night, her scent thick in its mossy depths. Beside her, Sandpaw and Mudpaw were curled up together. It was nice to have some company.