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Silverkit sat in the sun, looking around camp. She spotted Snowkit and remembered the dream all those moons ago. She wondered uneasily if they should tell someone, maybe Rosefang. Just as she was thinking that, Snowkit started walking towards her, her expression troubled. She reached Silverkit and opened her mouth to speak to her.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a clan meeting."
Silverkit looked up at Robinstar. "It must be our apprentice ceremony!" She exclaimed. Snowkit glanced at Silverkit before dashing away to join her mother and her adopted brothers. Silverkit ran up to her mother.
"Where were you?" She scolded, quickly cleaning Silverkit's fur.
Silverkit impatiently dodged her mother's tongue. "Mom! I'm fine! Just let me go!"
Dovetail sighed fondly and sat back to watch her daughter's apprentice ceremony.
Robinstar stood on top of the Highledge, surveying the cats below. "Today five kits have reached six moons. Silverkit, Poolkit, Snowkit, Nightkit, and Blackkit."
Silverkit kneaded the ground with her paws as she waited nervously. She noticed the black-furred deputy, Featherpelt, staring intently at her. I wonder what that's about, she thought. Her attention turned back to the ceremony as her name was called. She felt her pelt burn with the stares of all the cats on her. Silverkit glanced over at the other apprentices as she walked to the middle. Sunkit, Dawnkit, and Berrykit had already become apprentices. Berrypaw had Lionclaw as her mentor, Sunpaw had Spottedwing, and Dawnpaw had Firepelt.
Robinstar looked down at her. "Until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Silverpaw. I ask StarClan to watch over you and guide you until you find in your paws the strength and courage of a warrior."
Silverpaw trembled in excitement as she waited for her mentor to be called.
I wonder who it is! Maybe it's Featherpelt! Imagine being trained by the deputy!
"Brackenclaw."
Silverpaw froze.
Brackenclaw? She looked over at the brown tom, seeing that he was just as shocked as she was.
"You were a great mentor to Foxpelt and he has turned into a formidable warrior. I trust you to pass on those same skills to Silverpaw."
Brackenclaw forced himself to move. "Of course, Robinstar." He said smoothly, dipping his head.
Silverpaw reached up and touched her nose to Brackenclaw's, trying not to betray how shocked she was. The Clan cheered for her, Dovetail being the loudest.
Robinstar called Poolkit towards the Highledge.
Poolkit walked forward and sat beside her leader.
"Until you receive your warrior name you will be known as Poolpaw. Foxpelt will be your mentor." Robinstar looked at the young tom. "You may be young, but you are a patient hunter and a skilled fighter. Pass on these skills to Poolpaw."
Foxpelt dipped his head. "She will become a great warrior."
Poolpaw blinked as the large russet tom loomed over her. His amber eyes flashed as she flinched away from him. He gently murmured to her, "It's okay, I don't bite." Poolpaw blinked again and touched noses with him.
Silverpaw cheered for her sister, along with the other apprentices.
"Snowkit." Robinstar announced. "From this day until you receive your warrior name you will be known as Snowpaw. Rosefang will mentor you."
The Clan cheered again, Silverpaw cheering loudest, proud of her friend. Her best friend was a medicine cat! A purr welled up in Silverpaw's throat.
Rosefang padded forward until she was standing in front of Snowpaw. The ThunderClan leader continued. "I trust you to train her to be a medicine cat ThunderClan can be proud of."
Rosefang nodded. "She will, Robinstar." Snowpaw touched noses with her new mentor, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
Robinstar glanced at the cats around him. "Nightkit." The black kit walked forward on trembling legs. "Until you receive your warrior name you shall be known as Nightpaw."
Frostflight led the cheer this time, her eyes brimming with pride for her adopted kit.
"Mossflower!" Robinstar called the young warrior up. "You will mentor Nightpaw. Teach him as Featherpelt taught you."
The brown she-cat stalked over to Nightpaw. He trembled under her piercing green gaze, but bravely reached up to touch her muzzle with his own.
"And last, but not least, Blackkit. Come forward." Blackkit stalked confidently into the clearing of cats. Robinstar looked amused before continuing with the ceremony. "Until you receive your warrior name you shall be known as Blackpaw."
Robinstar's stare sweeped the cats before landing on a ginger she-cat. "Amberfall. You were my apprentice once. I taught you all I know. Now it is time to pass it to Blackpaw."
Amberfall dipped her head. "Yes, Robinstar." She touched noses with Blackpaw and the clan erupted into cheers.
Silverpaw jumped up and shook out her fur. I will not let having Brackenclaw as a mentor keep me from becoming a great warrior! She looked up at her new mentor. "Where should we go first?"
He stared at her a moment, taken aback by her cheerfulness. "Uh, let's go to the lake today."
He led her to the thorn tunnel, but just as they were about to head out, a voice called them back.
"Brackenclaw!"
Brackenclaw turned, faintly irritated that they were interrupted. Silverpaw peered around him to see Blackpaw hurrying towards them. "Hi, Silverpaw!" He said cheerfully.
Silverpaw sighed. "Hello, Blackpaw."
He jumped around her. "We're coming with you!"
Silverpaw sighed again. "Fantastic."
Brackenclaw looked at her and smirked. "I heard that. The best way for you to learn is to keep a lookout for mistakes."
Amberfall nodded in agreement. “And if you watch others’ mistakes, it’s much easier to point them out, therefore being careful not to do them yourself.”
Silverpaw rolled her eyes and followed her mentor, Amberfall, and Blackpaw out of camp. They trekked up the slope, Blackpaw sniffing everything he could find.
Suddenly, Brackenclaw stopped. "I smell mouse," he hissed to Silverpaw. He flicked his tail towards a bush. "Try to catch it."
Silverpaw nodded and dropped into a hunting crouch, just like in her dream. She quietly pulled herself forward, placing her paws softly on the ground. She could hear the mouse now, nosing around behind the bush. Silverpaw rounded the bush, and saw the mouse. She crouched low, preparing to pounce. She narrowed her eyes, measuring the distance between her and the mouse. Finally, she leaped, her claws extended, reaching for the soft body of the mouse. Silverpaw landed squarely on it and gave it the killing bite to the neck. Its bones crunched satisfyingly and she lifted her head, the small body hanging between her teeth.
Brackenclaw looked impressed. "That was a great bit of stalking you did there. Come on, let's continue the tour of the territory, and don't forget to bury your mouse so we can pick it up later."
Silverpaw buried her mouse and walked past a seemingly amazed Blackpaw, flicking her tail at him as she went past. She gave a little bounce.
A mouse on my first day! I can't wait to tell Poolpaw and Snowpaw!
Brackenclaw's voice pulled her back from her thoughts. "Silverpaw! Hurry up!"
Silverpaw shook her head. "Coming!" She called and she ran up the slope to catch up to her mentor.