Chapter 4

Wildkit wriggled out from underneath her mother's tongue. It had been a quarter of a moon since Fawnkit, Creamkit, and Wildkit were found missing from the camp. Once the three kits were found, Hazelstar had postponed Wildkit’s apprentice ceremony, which made her wail in dismay. She begged her not to, but Hazelstar said it was her punishment. Then she had turned to Fawnkit and Creamkit, her daughter’s kits. She decided they would be confined to the nursery for a quarter moon, only to go out if there was a ceremony or something. Wildkit had been dismayed, having to watch her sisters’ Lilykit and Sunkit complained they wanted to be apprentices, but she didn't complain. After all, she did deserve it, for making the Clan panicky once they found out three kits had been gone. And she didn't mind waiting another quarter moon; Tigerlily’s kits had just opened their eyes!Wildkit felt somebody paw at her, and she turned to see Shimmerkit, a silver tabby she-cat with bright blue eyes and lots of energy. Midnightkit, a dark blue-gray she-cat, almost blue-black, with white flecks and dark blue eyes, then bounded up to the two she-cats, followed by Brackenkit, a golden-brown tom with dark brown tinged fur and bright gold tinged feet. Secretly, Wildkit thought his warrior name would be Brackenfeet. "Play fight!" Brackenkit announced happily, and jumped onto Wildkit and batted her with his tiny paws. His two others sibling joined him. Wildkit was squashed under three kits. She heaved up and sent them flying a few tail-lengths away. Tigerlily, who was watching them, purred in amusement. Wildkit wasn’t tricked by her purrs; she could tell the creamy queen was still grieving for her lost kit. They had buried the pale ginger she-kit beneath Silverpelt the moment the sky had turned a dark blue. She was happier today since her mate, Liontail, had come to visit her and the kits. Milkfur was lecturing her three kits in the back corner of the nursery because they were playing too loudly. Suddenly a yowl came from outside. "Let all cats that can catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a meeting!" Wildkit felt a nudged from behind her, and looked around. Stargaze was pushing at her to go out. Wildkit unsheathed her claws and dug them into the ground so her mother couldn't move her.
"You need to go out and watch," meowed Stargaze. "I know a ceremony's about to happen."
"A ceremony? Whose?" Wildkit was mystified. Stargaze flicked her tail to Squirrelpaw and Featherpaw, who were conversing outside the nursery. Wildkit gazed at the two apprentices and Sapphirepaw chattering excitedly. Sapphirepaw and Redpaw were from an earlier litter of Stargaze and Fireblaze. Wildkit's green eyes widened in amazement.
"It's their warrior ceremonies?" she squealed. "That's great!" She pushed out of the nursery, followed by her mother, Milkpool, Tigerlily, and her three kits Shimmerkit, Midnightkit, and Brackenkit.Wildkit glanced at Squirrelpaw and Featherpaw. Their pelts shone in the sunlight from them grooming it thoroughly this morning. They looked older, somehow. Wildkit wondered whether they would still play with her once they became warriors. She hoped so.She settled down beside her mother and Tigerlily and her three kits, and watched as warriors, apprentices and the elders poured out of their dens to watch the ceremony. Then a ginger tom leaped up to the Highledge, his pelt blazing in the sunlight. Fireblaze. Then a flash of bright brown followed. Hazelstar.
"Today is a very special day," she announced loudly, her voice bouncing off the walls of the stone hollow. "It is time for two apprentices to be made warriors," she continued. She paused to stare down at Squirrelpaw and Featherpaw, who ducked their heads in embarrassment."Squirrelpaw and Featherpaw, come out in front," she meowed loudly, and jumped off the Highledge as the two apprentices went to the front of the camp, their embarrassment forgotten, their eyes shining with excitement and happiness. Squirrelpaw gave a little bounce halfway to the leader, and Wildkit purred. "By naming warriors, we show that ThunderClan will survive and remain strong." Hazelstar paused, and looked down at the apprentices.
"Tigerstripe,” the leader meowed, addressing the black-striped warrior, “are you satisfied this apprentice is ready to become a warrior?”
Tigerstripe looked up and answered, “Yes, she is ready.” Hazelstar nodded and continued the ritual.
“I, Hazelstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn.” Hazelstar looked at Squirrelpaw and beckoned with her tail.
“Squirrelpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?” Hazelstar looked gravely at Squirrelpaw and Wildkit felt her heart skip a beat. What was her warrior name going to be? Squirreltail? Squirrelfeet? She was so deep in thought; she missed the light brown apprentice say “I do.”
“Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Squirrelpaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Squirrelleap. StarClan honors your courage and spirit and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan,” Hazelstar stepped forward just as Squirrelleap did and they bonked muzzles. The entire Clan let out mrrows of laughter and low-pitched snorts as Squirrelleap scrambled backward, repeating apologizes to Hazelstar. Wildkit was too busy in thought of how perfect the name Squirrelleap was for the bouncy young apprentice---she meant warrior. The new warrior was begging her leader not to make her an apprentice again which only made the Clan leader and the entire Clan mrrow in laughter harder and twitch their whiskers.
Squirrelleap finally realized they were laughing at her and slunk down the rock slope in embarrassment.
“Squirrelleap! Squirrelleap! Squirrelleap1” cheered the Clan, amongst purrs of amusement. Hazelstar stopped shaking with laughter and raised her tail for silence, causing the cats to stop in mid-purr. Hazelstar waited till utter silence took hold of the air in the clearing and meowed, “Featherpaw you are to receive your warrior name today also.”
“Liontail, are you satisfied this apprentice is ready to become a warrior?” inquired the ThunderClan leader, gazing at the golden tom with blue eyes. Liontail returned the intimidating stare steadily and answered, “Yes, she is ready.”
“I, Hazelstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn,” the small she-cat beckoned the silver apprentice with her slim tail.
“Featherpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend your Clan even at the cost of your life?” Featherpaw nodded solemnly, forgetting she was supposed to speak. Liontail hissed, “I do!” as quietly as possible but of course the entire Clan heard and yowled in laughter all over again.
The light grey apprentice opened her jaws to speak, but she couldn’t be heard. Wildkit saw her leader’s hazel eyes narrow dangerously, causing a wave of fear to wash over her.
“SILENCE!” yowled Hazelstar, lashing her tail back and forth. “How dare you all greet a newly named warrior like this? What does StarClan think of a Clan that laughs during a warrior’s ceremony? I’m fairly disappointed!” she turned back to the stunned Featherpaw and said sweetly, “Say ‘I do’.”
Featherpaw trembled with fear and Wildkit could practically feel the waves of heat coming of the apprentice’s pelt that was probably hot with embarrassment.
“I do,” she squeaked, looking at Hazelstar.
“Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Featherpaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Featherdust. StarClan honors your honesty and thoughtfulness. We welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan.” Hazelstar finished the traditional speech and vanished into her den before anyone could say ‘mouse’. Then she reappeared for some reason and raised her tail for silence, and didn’t put it down until there was complete silence.
“I seem to have forgotten that we have three new apprentices to name,” she meowed solemnly. Why did she sound so sad? Wildkit wondered. She sneaked a glance at Cherrykit, Fawnkit, and Creamkit. They were busy chatting amongst themselves excitedly, dodging their mother’s rough tongue at the same time. Milkfur looked proud of her kits, but also sad that their fur wasn’t gleaming.
“Cherrykit, Fawnkit, and Creamkit, you have all reached your sixth moon, and it is time you were apprenticed. From this day, until you receive your warrior names, you will be known as Cherrypaw, Fawnpaw and Creampaw. I ask StarClan to watch over and guide you until you find in your paws the strength and courage of warriors,” as the kits were called upon, they all flattened their ears, but puffed up their gleaming chests.
Creampaw, unable to hold it in, squealed, “Thank you, Hazelstar! You’re the best leader ever!”
Hazelstar looked angry for a moment and said, “I couldn’t agree more!” which was followed by purrs of amusement and approval.
“Willowshade,” she said, looking at the pale gray she-cat, “You are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Blackwhisker, you have shown yourself to be honest and courageous, and I expect you to pass all you know to Cherrypaw.” Flowerpelt stepped forward and touched noses with the eager apprentice. “Can we see the lake, please, please?”
“Flowerpelt,” meowed the ThunderClan leader, speaking to the gentle tortoiseshell, “you are ready to take on another apprentice after Leafpaw”---sadness flashed in the new mentor’s eyes at the sound of the name and Hazelstar’s , her deep sorrow brimming in her eyes—“You had received excellent training from Scorchstone, you have shown yourself to be brave and independent and I expect you to pass all your know to Fawnpaw,” and even before she finished, Fawnpaw was rushing toward her new mentor to touch muzzles. Hazelstar went on to name Fireblaze, Wildkit’s father, as Creampaw’s mentor.
Wildkit didn't listen to Hazelstar as she called the ceremony to an end. She was wondering about when it would be her time to be an apprentice. Her punishment was over and she’d be free of the nursery. She saw her littermates, Lilykit and Sunkit, with Redpaw. She thought she had wanted to become Sagewhisker's apprentice, but now she wasn't sure. Being a medicine cat was such a lonely life. Sure, she'd have a respectable reputation in the Clan, and everyone would go to her if they were hurt, and they would sit vigil sadly for her if she died. But they would soon forget her, and they would get on with their lives.She didn't want that. Being a medicine cat meant never being loved and Wildkit wanted to be loved, not only have a respectful position in the Clan.What she wanted was to be loved as herself, not as a medicine cat. But she couldn't have that if she chose the ways of a medicine cat. Wildkit sighed unhappily. Why is life so hard, even as a kitten???