The Rogue Traitor #1 - Beginning of the Curse

Chapter Two

The whole Clan was there, waiting in the LeafClan clearing, causing a rainbow of different pelt colours, from black, ginger and tabby to brown, cream and white. Birdkit saw her two brothers, Windkit and Emberkit, sitting over to one side of the crowd and she hurried of to join them, the whole Clan watching her.

"What took you so long?" hissed Emberkit, fluffing up his dark ginger in frustration, clearly taking no pride in his appearance, "The whole Clan has been waiting for you!" Birdkit muttered an apology, licking her white chest fur in embarrassment as Maplestar, the Clan leader, stood up from his spot on the Highrock, grabbing the attention of the whole Clan.

"Today we gather to celebrate the apprentice ceremony of Windkit, Emberkit and Birdkit." The dark ginger tom stood tall on the Highrock, and the tortoiseshell and white kit suppressed a burst of excitement as he said her name. She was finally becoming an apprentice! The kit looked over at her brothers and saw their fur also tingling with excitement, Emberkit's annoyance at his sister gone. She turned back to face Maplestar and listened intently as he continued to address the whole clan.

"These three kits have reached the age of six moons and have proved themselves worthy enough to become apprentices of this Clan. So, Emberkit, Windkit and Birdkit, please come forward." The tortoiseshell and white she-kit took a deep breath and walked forward to the leader, staying behind her brothers. The crowd of cats in front of them parted, some whispering to each other, but they were too quiet for her to make out what they were saying.

"What have I done wrong?" wondered the she-kit as she and her littermates walked towards the Highrock. She kept looking over her shoulder, but whenever she met someone's gaze, they quickly looked away. She hoped she didn't look bad, or she had done something wrong already. Their whispering was not helping her nerves, but she tried to shake it off. There was no time to ponder about it. Her brothers were already halfway to where Maplestar had jumped down from the Highrock and she quickly hurried after them.

"Windkit," continued Maplestar once the three kits reached him, "please step forward." Birdkit tingled with excitement as Maplestar swung his huge, fluffy ginger neck over to Windkit, whose black fur was fluffed up with enthusiasm. The kit ducked his head for a few heartbeats and quickly licked his white chest fur, squirming under the leader's gaze, before he stepped forward.

"Windkit," rumbled the ginger tom, "do you promise to learn the ways of the warrior code by training as an apprentice and being taught by a warrior?"

"I do," responded the kit, gazing up at Maplestar with big green eyes that were dancing with excitement and nervousness.

"Then, Windkit, from this moment on, you shall be known as Windpaw. Your mentor shall be Seedspot." All eyes turned onto the ginger she-cat with white spots as she stepped forward to touch noses with her new apprentice.

"At least he got a nice mentor," thought Birdkit as she watched her brother walk back into the crowd, flanking his mentor. Seedspot was only a young warrior, but she was a good hunter and really nice. The two were a good match.

"Emberkit," meowed Maplestar, grabbing the tortoiseshell and white kit's attention again as the leader moved onto the second kit, "do you promise to train as a warrior cat apprentice and learn the ways of the warrior code?"

"I do," replied the dark ginger kit, looking like a mini version of Maplestar as he stood determinedly.

"Then Emberkit, from this moment on, you shall be known as Emberpaw. Your mentor will be Sparkclaw."

"Oof, a bit harsh!" winced Birdkit, looking at the ginger warrior who was walking out of the crowd to his new apprentice. Sparkclaw was strict, bossy, and got angry easily, plus he hated young cats. The tortoiseshell and white kit hoped her brother would be okay with his new mentor, and that both wouldn't end up with shredded pelts by the end of the day.

"Birdkit," said Maplestar, looking down at her, his amber eyes steady as the kit looked up at him, "do you promise to learn the ways of warrior code by becoming an apprentice?" She took a deep breath and looked up at her leader.

"I do," she replied, excitement fizzing though her, the calming breaths not doing much.

"Then Birdkit, from this moment on you shall be known as Birdpaw. I will mentor you."

The kit suppressed a gasp, the leader mentoring her? She fluffed out her fur as the cats in the Clan started murmuring and whispering among themselves, clearly they thought that it was unusual for the leader to take an apprentice. Birdpaw shook her fur and touched noses with her new mentor, her heart still beating fast, but the butterflies were starting to die out, replaced with a surprised feeling. She could not process that the leader was going to be her mentor! She would have to be the luckiest apprentice in the whole clan!

Maplestar signaled the end of the meeting and walked away from the clearing, not even telling his apprentice to come. Birdpaw stood for a couple of heartbeats before she walked over to her parents and her littermates, purring and rubbing heads with them.

"You did so well!" meowed her mother, Moonflower, licking her daughter shoulder, "I am proud of you all." The three kits purred and crowded around their mother and father.

"I can't believe I got Sparkclaw!" complained Emberpaw, pulling away from his parents.

"Don't complain Emberpaw," Stagleap said, scolding his son, "would you rather a badger as your mentor?"

"No," mumbled the dark ginger apprentice, "but...."

Birdpaw tuned her head around as a flash of ginger caught her gaze and she saw her mentor emerge from the medicine cat den; his fur brushed up is an agitated way. He swung his head around until his amber eyes fell on his apprentice. He waved his tail, beckoning for her to come before walking back into the medicine cat den. 

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Edited: Tuesday 10th of November 2021

Hey there wonderful readers! Thank you so much for continuing to read this book, your comments mean so much. 

So, what was your favourite part in this chapter? Mine would probably have to be when Emberpaw complains about his mentor. What about you?

Please keep commenting, voting and reading! 

- SkyandStarlight