When the Moon Rises

1

Kingpaw watched the kits tumble around the clearing, their playful squeaks filling the clearing. "Why don't you join them? Whitekit would be overjoyed to see you playing after he wakes up." His mother licked the top of his head, placing her tail over his shoulders, "But they don't like me. Only Whitekit does." Kingpaw responded, "I'm sure that's not true. Peachkit and Sandkit would love another cat to play with." She tried to convince, "Nope. They have each other, and I have Whitekit. I can wait for him." He explained.

"Hey, Kingpaw!" Sagetooth called from her den, waving him over with her tail, "Why don't you come to help me? I'm going to the other side of the thunderpath." The medicine cat offered, "Isn't that a little dangerous for a new apprentice, Sagetooth?" Oakwing fretted, "When have you known me to put a cat in danger?" Sagetooth asked the red and white she-cat she had known since Kingpaws age, "I suppose you're right, but what if something happens? What if his mentor comes looking for him?" She twitched her tail, "Oakwing, I was like a sister to you, cant you trust me?" Humour lay in Sagetooth's meow, "You're right."The queen sighed.

"So, you ready to come along, Kingpaw?" She turned to the tom, "But Whitekit-" she hushed him, "Whitekit won't wake up just yet.".

Kingpaw stood a few tail lengths back from the thunderpath, pressed tight to Sagetooth's side, how could some stone smell so bad? "You sure you can run? I can carry you if you'd like." She called over the roar of another monster, "I can do it!" He tried to sound confident in his shaky mew, "Follow my exact pawsteps and you'll be okay." She waited for a gap in the monsters, making sure there was none in sight, before sprinting across the smooth black stone, Kingpaw struggling to keep up. Kingpaw launched himself off the thunderpath, gripping onto Sagetooth just as another monster roared past. "You alright? No injuries?" Sagetooth asked, making sure the tom was steady on his paws, "I'm okay, but did I hurt you?" He asked, watching the medicine cat smooth her ruffled pelt, "I'm alright, despite those clunky paws of yours." She purred, giving him a gentle smile.

Striding back into camp, holding a large bundle of moss under his chin, Kingpaw confidentially dropped his bundle in front of the elder's den. Adderwing lay sunning herself with Mudheart, the only other elder at the moment. "Thank you for the bedding, Kingpaw. You've become such a good apprentice, Thornstar may need to make you a warrior earlier!" Mudheart loudly meowed, his failing hearing causing him to be louder than most. "And I'm even gonna help change your bed too!" He purred, fetching Whitekit from the nursery to help him.

"Why do you want to work so much? This can't be fun for you." Whitekit asked as they finished helping the elders, "No, but if we're lucky Thornstar might make me a warrior so I can mentor you when you're old enough." Kingpaw excitedly bounced on his paws, "You're right, it would be pretty nice to make Peachkit and Sandkit jealous." Whitekit grinned, bounding towards their father's den. Pushing their way through the vines, they met Thornstar chatting with Waspclaw. "The leader's den is no place for nosy cats!" Waspclaw snapped, angry at them for interrupting her, "He's not just the leader, he's our father too!" Whitekit retorted, not breaking eye contact with the deputy. "Whitekit, that is no way to talk to any cat." Thornstar stepped between the two, "She shouldn't have snapped at me!" He growled, "Whitekit. What do you need?" He firmly meowed, "I want to be an apprentice and Kingpaw my mentor now!" Whitekit grinned, his blue eyes shining in the low light, "You interrupted to ask that?" Waspclaw snorted, pushing her way out of the den, "No. You're only two moons old." He dismissed the kit with a wave of his tail, but he didn't move, "But we've been working so hard! Please!" Whitekit begged, "No. That's final." He nudged them out of the den. 

"Welp, your plan backfired, oh almighty warrior." Whitekit teased, "I said he might, not will." He playfully battered Whitekit's tail, "Why was Waspclaw so cranky though? She's usually so nice." Whitekit gazed at her from across the clearing, "Dunno, maybe cats just can't stand you." Kingpaw gently tackled him, "If anything they don't like you! You're more annoying!" Whitekit kicked him off with sheathed claws, playfully wrestling with his brother.

"Let all cats gather for a clan meeting." Thornstar yowled from the low hanging branch on the large oak in the back of the camp, Kingpaw and Whitepaw sat at the entrance to the nursery with Oakwing. "Waspclaw is unable to continue as deputy, she is moving to the nursery as she is expecting kits," He paused, waiting for the cheers and congratulations to die down, "Though there are no cats fit of taking over for her, let us pray nothing unfortunate happens at this time." He dismissed them with a wave of his tail, being called back by one cat, Oakwing. "Isn't Finnegan fit to become deputy? Just because Waspclaw is expecting kits doesn't mean her mate can't take over for her." She reasoned, "M-me? But-" Finnegan was cut off by Adderwing, his mother, "He would be perfect for the position, and if you're worried about what they'd call him, why not Jaystar after his father?", Finnegan tried to get another word in, but was cut off by Thornstar, "I suppose your right, and we all seem to agree here. Finnegan, our new deputy." He concluded.

"Kingpaw, you ready to go?" His mentor, Finnegan, woke him in the early dawn hours. "Huh? Why so early?" Kingpaw asked, "I want to get a head start today." Kingpaw could see the blue tom was still tired in the low light. Why is he so urgent today?  Kingpaw tried to act like he hadn't noticed, but it was difficult, Finnegan tried to look awake, but was nearly dragging his tail against the dirt.

"If you keep dragging your paws all the prey's gonna know we're here." Kingpaw lightheartedly joked, "Hm? Sorry. I've not slept all night." Finnegan yawned, leading his apprentice to the Flatrocks near the river. "Why not? You're the deputy now, you should be getting the best rest in the clan!" Kingpaw asked, "That's the problem. I'm deputy now. Every cat will be turned toward me in hope. What do I say? What do I do?" Finnegan sighed, "Well, every cat is looking up to you now. You can choose to lead them down an amazing path or lead them to destruction. Each choice you make will have a play in their fate." Kingpaw answered, "That.... is a really good point. Kingpaw, you are a smart cat. One of the smartest cats I've ever met, and I've met a lot of cats." Finnegan purred, "You think so? But I'm only an apprentice! I can't be that smart!" He protested, "I mean it."