Hope ✓

Chapter One

Yes!

Today, my littermates and I are finally going to become apprentices!

It feels like we've waited forever, but I know it's worth it. After all, what would be the point of life if it all just passed by in a blur?

"Lavenderkit!" A familiar voice called

I smiled and turned to see my sister, Cloverkit, racing towards me.

"Aren't you excited? Lionstar is going to make us apprentices any minute now!" Cloverkit said excitedly.

I nodded. "Of course! I can't believe we're finally becoming apprentices."

Brindlekit approached us with Mosskit right behind her. I knew Mosskit was the only tom in the litter, so I always made sure to include him well in their games. It would just be harder to spend time with him after he became a medicine cat apprentice.

"Hey guys, did Willowmist groom you yet? We just got finished." Brindlekit asked as she slowed to a stop.

Cloverkit nodded with a smile. "I was the first one to be groomed!"

I smiled. "I groomed myself. Now that we're becoming apprentices, we don't need to depend on our mother as much."

Mosskit laughed. "Lavenderkit, you've been doing stuff on your own ever since you could walk." He said.

I smiled. "Yeah, I guess."

Pinepaw padded over to the apprentices. "Looks like Splashpaw and I won't have to worry about freezing once leaf-bare comes."

I nodded, smiling.

"Yeah, and we won't have to be stuck in the nursery with Flykit and Barkkit. Don't get me wrong, they can be fun. It's just that I would rather spend time with older cats than with three moon old kits." Brindlekit said.

Mosskit nodded but Cloverkit shook her head. "Playing with the younger kits is fun. Flykit and Barkkit are probably going to get bored without us to show them the best way to play our games."

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Tallpine!" The leader's voice rang out across camp.

Cloverkit nearly jumped out of her fur in excitement. "It's time!"

I nodded with a slight laugh. "I'm excited too, but you might want to settle down. Willowmist is eyeing you like she wants to escort you to the Tallpine herself."

Cloverkit spun around to look at our mother and ducked her head in embarrassment. "Right, thanks Lavenderkit."

"Come on!" Mosskit called to us. Brindlekit was just ahead of him, making her way to the front of the cluster of cats.

Cloverkit bounded after Mosskit and I followed behind her. I looked up at Lionstar with a smile, imagining what it would be like to be leader. Everyone respecting you, getting to guide younger cats by making them apprentices, then warriors. It was a lot of responsibility, though. I most likely wasn't going to become one, but it was good to dream.

"I do!" Cloverkit said excitedly.

"Then by the powers of Starclan, you will now be known as Cloverpaw. Your mentor will be Nestbreeze, and I know she will pass on all she knows to you."

Cloverpaw touched noses with Nestbreeze and they stepped back to let the meeting continue.

"Brindlekit, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and train to defend Shadeclan, even at the cost of your life?" Lionstar asked.

Brindlekit nodded. "I do." She said.

"Then by the powers of Starclan, I name you Brindlepaw. Your mentor will be Ivyfrost, and I know she will teach you how to be the best warrior you can be."

Brindlepaw and Ivyfrost touched noses before joining Cloverpaw and Nestbreeze.

Mosskit stepped forward next.

Lionstar smiled and gave the kit a knowing look. "Mosskit, you have chosen to follow the path of a medicine cat. I know it will not be easy, but with Berrycloud to help and guide you I know you'll be a great medicine cat. From this moment until you receive your medicine cat name, you will be known as Mosspaw. You will travel to the Moonstone in two days, on the half moon."

Mosspaw touched noses with his new mentor and stepped aside.

Then it was my turn.

"Lavenderkit, do you promise to always remain loyal to the warrior code, and to defend the clan even at the cost of your life?" Lionstar asked me.

I nodded solemnly. "I do, Lionstar."

"Then by the powers of Starclan, you will now be known as Lavenderpaw. Your mentor will be Skybranch. Even if you are her first apprentice, I have no doubt you'll be a great one."

I touched noses with Skybranch and heard the voices of the whole clan ring around the camp.

"Cloverpaw! Brindlepaw! Mosspaw! Lavenderpaw!" They chanted.

"Clan meeting dismissed." Lionstar announced before heading away.

I tried to go find the older apprentices, Pinepaw and Splashpaw, when Skybranch stopped me.

"Don't you want a tour of the territory?"

I nodded, smiling. It would be nice to get out of the camp and just be alone with my mentor.

"Okay, let's go." Skybranch said and led me out of camp.

As soon as I exited camp, my senses were almost blown away. A chilly breeze blew down from the treetops and some golden leaves drifted to the ground. I could smell all different kinds of prey around me. The forest was open all around me. I was no longer trapped among the walls of camp.

I sighed and started forward, not even realizing my mistake until I heard Skybranch padding behind me. I slowed down to let her catch up.

"Oh, sorry," I apologized.

Skybranch purred. "That's okay. I know I was fascinated by the forest when I was first out of camp. I almost got lost, too."

I laughed. "I'll make sure to stay by you, then."

I was in awe at everything around me. When we got to the creek, I sniffed it. A small silver fish leaped out of the water and splashed me with chilly droplets. I shivered.

"I don't see how Lakeclan eats this stuff." I wrinkled my nose.

Skybranch shrugged. "Maybe they feel they same way about squirrels." She said.

Next, we arrived at the thunderpath. It seemed quiet, until a large monster roared past. I flinched at the sound and smell.

"Twolegs are so strange. Why would they let a monster eat them? I'm just glad the twolegplace is off clan territory."

Skybranch nodded. "Just don't come out here without someone with you. Twolegs are unpredictable."

The next place we visited was the Lakeclan border. It was another river, of course.

"How do they not drown? I wouldn't be able to stand living on an island surrounded by water. Doesn't the water soaking into their fur bother them?"

Skybranch shook her head. "Cloudclan and Rabbitclan think the same. But, we all have our differences."

The final place they saw was the Cloudclan border. The trees were thinner, I could see. And there weren't any pine trees. It didn't seem too different from my own territory, though. At least there were still trees unlike Rabbitclan and Lakeclan.

"And that concludes our tour of the territory. Why don't we head back to camp and you can meet your new denmates? You can also grab something from the freshkill pile too, just take something to the elders."

I nodded as we headed back to camp. I looked up to see an orange sky as the sun went down. Today, I had finally gotten to see beyond the walls of camp. Soon, I would get to battle train and train to hunt. Then I could prove to my clan the potential I have to become a great warrior, and maybe even leader someday.

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//Word count: 1271//