Morning Rays

Chapter 5

Alright, everyone, I'm back! If you are reading this, and wondering how I wrote 5 chapters in such a short period of time, it's because I like to write a few chapters before posting. It just makes me feel less rushed, and are you really going to click on a story that has 100 words? Exactly.

Moonpaw felt light. She felt like she could jump into the sky, run to the moon, and then pluck out the sun. She felt like she could fly. She felt-

Featherear interrupted her happy daydreaming. "Moonpaw, snap out of it. Today, we're going hunting." Moonpaw was glad that Featherear didn't butt in (hee hee) on her personal thoughts.

"Moonpaw, I'm sure as a kit you picked up on some basic hunting skills, yes?" asked Featherear. Moonpaw nodded. "Alright then, if you seem to have a grasp on it, show me what you can do."

Moonpaw remembered Cloudchaser, her father, teaching her how to do a hunting crouch, as they called it. She tried to remember what Cloudchaser told them to do.

"You look like a lopsided badger!"

"Try tucking in your haunches a bit more. There you go!"

Moonpaw crouched down, tucked in her paws, and flattened her tail.

"Not bad," murmured Featherear, examining Moonpaw. "Try flattening your tail a bit more, and tuck in your haunched a whisker-length."

Moonpaw did so, and almost toppled over. When she balanced out again, it took her a few moments to get used to the position.

"Good job. Once you master the crouch, you'll fall into it as easily as eating prey."

Moonpaw doubted that.

The duo practiced the basics of hunting for a little while; Featherear talked to Moonpaw about the difference between stalking different creatures, about the wind directing scent, and better places to hunt. After sunhigh, Featherear thought that Moonpaw was good enough to hunt on her own.

"Head for the stream," her mentor said. "Try to bring back one piece of prey, but it's okay if you can't."

Moonpaw nodded, heading for the stream. She sniffed around, trying to detect the scent of prey. She heard a rustling sound from the reeds up ahead.

She crouched, trying to remember all what Featherear had taught her, and pounced. She caught her paw on a tangle of reeds, and her heart sank as she realized that the reeds were what had made the sound. Ears red, she padded along the bank of the stream, trying to scent prey.

. . . . .

At sunset, Moonpaw had managed to catch a mouse and a scrawny water vole.

Featherear met her at the camp entrance. She had seemed happy for Moonpaw, but Moonpaw knew that Featherear wasn't impressed with her catches.

"Practice makes perfect." is all she said when Moonpaw had finished.

Lavenderpaw had congratulated her, but Moonpaw felt that her friend just wanted to make her feel better.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Burnt Tree for a Clan meeting!" Hawkstar called as he leaped up into the tree in the middle of the camp.

"I have an important ceremony to perform today. Lavenderpaw, Tumblepaw, and Yellowpaw are ready to become warriors."

Moonpaw felt a jolt. That's what the three older apprentices had been doing today. The had completed their warrior assessments!

"Do you promise to uphold the warrior code, even at the cost of your life?" asked Hawkstar, bringing Moonpaw back to reality.

"I do."

"I do."

"I do."

"Then I give you your warrior names. Lavenderpaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Lavenderfern. We honor your kindness and courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of BlazeClan."

The golden leader repeated this for the other two apprentices, renaming Yellowpaw and Tumblepaw Yellowthorn and Tumblefoot.

"Lavenderfern! Yellowthorn! Tumblefoot!" called the Clan. Moonpaw rushed up to her friend when the ceremony was over.

"Lavederfern! Great job!" Moonpaw meowed.

Lavenderfern blushed. "Thanks, Moonpaw. It's kind of embarrassing, though. I don't like being center of attention."

Moonpaw nodded, purring. Lavenderfern joined in.

"Thanks, Moonpaw. You're like a sister to me." Lavenderfern's eyes clouded, and she turned away. Moonpaw murmured her sympathies. She had heard Fawnspeckle and Lightstep talking about Lavenderfern's lost sister. Before Moonpaw was born, there had been another kit, Lavenderfern, Yellowthorn, and Tumblefoot's sister. She had been named Wavekit, and she had only lived for five moons before passing. Their mother, Fernwillow, had grieved for a long time. Their father was unknown, but he was suspected to be the MeadowClan deputy, Sageflight.

Moonpaw walked over to the fresh-kill pile, picked out a thrush, and headed over to where Turtlepaw and Briarberry were seated. She talked to the two of them for a while before heading to her den, content. She slipped into sleep, purring, as she dreamed about her secret, her deepest, most horrifying secret.

And about the shortness (is that a word?) of this chappie: I really wanted to reveal what Moonpaw felt about her secret. I bet you can guess what it is, but can you guess the second part :D

OCs are welcome, and if anyone has ideas for an upcoming chapter, feel free to jot it down in the comment section!

Also, I will be doing questions of the day starting now.

Question: How many kits did Ferncloud have, and what were their names? Honorable mention to anyone who gets this correct!