Snowkit paced eagerly in the nursery ,Brindlepoppy sat near by in her nest watching her holding back an amused purr "I remember when I was made an apprentice, felt like i was going to jump out of my pelt from excitement." She purred fondly "Are you sure you want to be a medicine cat?"
"How many times are you going to ask me that?" Snowkit mewed "Its my destiny. I can feel it"
A loud yowl came from the clearing "May all cat old enough to catch their own prey join beneath high rock for a clan meeting!"
Snowkit let out a squeak of excitement as she turned to rush out the den but Brindlepoppy caught her with her paw and pull her kit closer "You cant go out there looking like you walked through a bramble bush backwards. You must look presentable" she scolded as she gave the brown kit a few quick licks to her scruff and ears.
Snowkit let out a grunt of protest as she wriggled her way out of her mothers grasp "Im going to be late!" She whined as she fluffed her fur again before leaping out of the nursery and into the clearing
Snowkits paws tingled as she looked up to Longstar who stood tall on the high rock as she watched her clanmates gathered below. She felt like her paws where stuck to the ground as she stared in disbelief
Brindlepoppy padded out of the den behind her "What are you doing? Go!" She said giving Snowkit a nudge. With that Snowkit padded to join her clanmate making sure the get her self a spot in the front. She settled down noticing Slate'eyes sitting at the bottom of high rock beside the deputy Raccoonflower.
After a the rest of the clan gathered Longstar nodded to Slate'eyes and the creamy brown tom stood up "Snowkit has reached 6 moons and I have decided to take her on as an apprentice" he announced before meeting Snowkits gaze.
"Snowkit step forward" Longstar ordered
Snowkit did as she was told and stepped forward. She could feel her clanmates eyes on her back as she looked up to the grey and white she cat looking above.
"Snowkit I give you your apprentice name. From here on you will be known as Snowpaw! May star clan light your path" The she cat finished
The clan erupted into yowls
"Snowpaw! Snowpaw! Snowpaw!"
Snowpaw dipped her head in embarrassment as she listened to her clanmates chants. Slate'eyes padded to her and pressed his muzzle into the uoung shecats forhead
"Clan dismissed " Longstar called out before jumping down from high rock
The cat slowed dispersed giving the last calls of congratulations before returning to what they where doing
Snowkit looked up to Slate'eyes with anticipation "So what will I be learning first? How to fix broken bones? What about how to cure whitecough?"
Slate'eyes gave a amused purr "A bit excited arnt we?" He mewed "But itll be moons before we get to that. Don't you wanna see the territory first?"
Snowpaws eyes gleamed at the toms suggestion. "Really?" She asked excited
"Of course" the creamy brown tom replied "I need a few herbs and it will be a good way to show you what they look like" he finished twitching his whiskers as he looked down to his apprentice, who couldnt sit still as she fidgeted with excitement. He flicked his tail for her to follow as he made his way to the camp's entrance.
As they walked together they where approached by Littlestripe. "Hey!" The light brown she cat called "Are you going out to collect herbs?" She asked
Slate'eyes turned and greeted her with a smile "Of course"
"Perfect " the warrior purred "If you'd let us, me and Silverpaw would like to join you"
As the warrior said the young cats name the young toms head peaked out from behind her. Silverpaw had moved out of the nursery only a couple days before she could talk and hadn't spoken to the speckled cat yet.
Slate'eyes gaze turned between Littlestripe and Silverpaw as he contemplated his answer before giving a kurt nod before turning and heading out of the camp ,Littlestripe on his tail followed the apprentices.
Snowpaw pushed her way through the tunnel as it lead up, coming up to the open moor lands of long rolling hills. The young she cat stopped in awe as she looked on in marvel at the long grass blowing mesmerized her.
Her trance was broken by Silverpaws voice "First time on the moor is always the best" he said enjoying the view with his new den mates.
"Come on you two" Slate'eyes called of his shoulder
Snowpaw quickly bounded after them Silverpaw at her side.
The four cat padded down a path where patches of grass was worn away by cats paws to revile the dirt underneath. Snowpaw watched as the camp disappeared over a crest. The trudged for what seemed like forever before stopping.
"Now Snowpaw" Slate'eyes began "We are looking for a strong-smelling plant with round yellow flowers. Can you see anything matching that description?" He asked looking back at Snowpaw
She took a moment to look around her trying her best to pick out a plant that looked like what Slate'eyes had described only to not noticing anything. She returned her gaze to Slate'eyes "Didnt see anything" she reported
Slate'eyes twitched his whiskers as he stopped "And your sure about that?"
Snowpaw began to rethink as the tom spoke. She took another moment to look around this time taking in the scents. She could taste the wetness of the moor mixed with unfamiliar ones until a sharp scent reached her. She followed the scent but only lead her to a plant with large fern like leaves and white flowers. She stopped to inspect it before leaning in to sniff it again
"Whats this?" She called back to the path where the other cats stopped to wait.
Slate'eyes turned his head from the conversation he was having with Littlestripe before leaping down the small slope. He joined the brown cat as he looked at the plant. "Not what we were looking for but this is Chervil." He explained "Leaves cure infection and roots help bellyaches. Now dig around it gently. You want to root intact"He began to dig gently around it on one side showing the apprentice how
Snowpaw began to do the same on the other side and eventually dug it out. Snowpaw picked it up gently bitting down as she carried it back to the others.
"We still need that other plant" Slate'eyes huffed motioning for Snowpaw to put the Chervil down "Go look again" he commanded
Snowpaw gave a small sigh and bounded off to continue looking. She sniffed the surrounding plants until a splash of yellow caught her eye. She looked over to see a small plant matching the description.
She excitedly began to pluck the stems and bounded back to Slate'eyes
"Look!" She called around the stalks as she approached them.
Slate'eyes gave an approving nod " That is tansy. It can be used to cure coughs and we will be needing plenty of that before leafbare" he gave his ear a flick before looking at the others "Shall we head back? Im sure Snowpaw is hungry" he said returning his gaze to his apprentice then padding down the path and back to the camp.
Snowpaw carried the tansy back feeling proud of herself and Silverpaw carrying the chervil beside her.
