Nettlestar's Atonement {BEING UPDATED}

Chapter Four

Nettlekit woke with a start, roused by a commotion outside of the den. The dawn patrol was returning, but they didn't seem happy.

Birchclaw, his apprentice Emberpaw, Turtlespots, and the new warriors Nightsong and Badgerfoot entered camp, pelts ruffled and tails twitching. Featherstar approached them, looking as confused as Nettlekit felt. "What is it?" She asked.

Birchclaw faced the leader, bristling. "We found AutumnClan scent all over the border."

Emberpaw chimed in. "And there was evidence they killed prey." Nettlekit held back a growl. How dare they!

Featherstar flicked her tail. "Are you sure it wasn't just blown over to our side? We don't want to provoke them if it is unnecessary."

Turtlespots narrowed his eyes. "Their scent was well on our side. It's clear they were hunting."

Liontooth hissed. "Arrogant furballs! How dare they hunt on our territory!"

"We should attack them now!" Scorchtail yowled. "They need to know SummerClan is strong!"

"Enough!" Featherstar called. "We will not attack without proof. We will question them at the next Gathering, but not anything further." A few murmurs of agreement were heard, but the yowls of protest were louder.

Liontooth thrust his muzzle to his leader's. "If we don't attack, then we'll look weak!" He stalked around his leader. "We can't just let them steal prey, can we?" He challenged.

"We can't attack without reason, either." Featherstar snapped.

"There is a reason!" Birchclaw shouted. "They're stealing prey!"

Featherstar silenced the protesting cats with a look. "I have made my decision." She said firmly. "We will alert AutumnClan at the Gathering. If it is best, we will attack. If not, we will leave this be." Before more cats could argue, she continued. "But we will remain strong. And there's something I can do now to make sure SummerClan is strong and ready for battle if necessary."

"Nettlekit, please step forward."

Nettlekit's heart skipped a beat. I'm becoming an apprentice? His paws tingled with joy as he took a shaky step forward, but not before taking a hesitant glance at his mother.

"Look at you. Becoming an apprentice and you look like you've been pulled backwards through a bramble thicket!" His mother exclaimed. After a few swift licks, she sighed and nudged him forward. "Go on. Your Clan is waiting." Nettlekit could see pride in her eyes and in Dustcloud's, who was next to his mate.

Featherstar looked down on him warmly from the branches of the Clantree. "Nettlekit, you have reached the age of six moons and are ready to be apprenticed. It is rare for me to perform this ceremony for only one kit, but I believe you'll only be a strength to our Clan." Nettlekit felt excitement wash over his pelt. I can't believe this is really happening!

"From this day forward, until you have received your warrior name, you will be known as Nettlepaw. Your mentor will be Applebreeze. I hope she will pass down all she knows to you." As the young tortoiseshell padded forward, disbelief in her green eyes, Nettlepaw realized how lucky he was. She's still young, and not old and strict like the senior warriors. I'm glad she's my mentor.

"Applebreeze." Featherstar mewed. "You are young, but no cat could doubt your strength and loyalty. You are ready to take on an apprentice. You will be the mentor of Nettlepaw, and I expect you to pass on everything you know to him."

Nettlepaw could hardly believe his ears as his Clan cheerfully cried his name. I'm an apprentice! He touched his nose to his new mentor's, feeling ready to explode with joy and pride. I'll be a warrior soon, and Thornpaw better watch his tail!

Nettlepaw bounded over to his mentor as soon as the cheers quieted. Featherstar dismissed the Clan, though pelts remained ruffled. She knows how to calm the Clan down, he observed. But I don't care! I'm an apprentice at last!

Applebreeze greeted him, eyes warm. "Hello, Nettlepaw."

"Can we explore the territory? Will we hunt or fight first? Ooh, will we be able to fight AutumnClan?" His new mentor twitched her whiskers. "We will do nothing of the sort. Leave fighting to the warriors. Besides, I was thinking we'd go collecting moss."

Nettlepaw groaned. "But that's the most boring thing!" He definitely didn't want to spend his first day as apprentice picking up moss for the elders.

Applebreeze flicked her tail over his muzzle. "We will do it and we will do it without complaining." She snapped. "Don't worry, we'll do something different tomorrow." Still frustrated, Nettlepaw padded out of the camp with his tail held low. I can't believe Thornpaw and Finchpaw got to see the territory on their first day, and I get stuck collecting moss!

The tortoiseshell led Nettlepaw to a large maple tree, even bigger than the tree Dustcloud had taken him climbing a few sunrises earlier. Moss and lichen grew thickly on its bark and roots, as well as lining the stones around it.

"This is the Blazing Maple." Applebreeze explained. "See how it's split in half there, and blackened?" Nettlepaw nodded. "It was struck by lightning many seasons ago. That's partly why it has its name, but during leaf-fall it turns a fiery red color before its leaves fall. It's a great place to collect moss, as it likes to grow all over the bark, and to train. But it's not entirely safe either, as the branches are weak from being struck all those moons ago, so no climbing."

Nettlepaw gazed up at the vast branches in awe, half-listening to Applebreeze speak. When she said his name, he snapped out of his thoughts. "Watch, Nettlepaw. This is how to remove moss, while leaving the earth behind. You'll want to use your claws."

He watched as Applebreeze unsheathed her claws on one paw, and dragged it across the moss. She picked up a clean, straight strip of bedding, free of earth and roots. "If you're not careful, you'll go too deep and cut the bark or go too shallow and tear up the moss. You can practice on this thinner stuff over here, but when you're ready you can move on to the thick, dry moss. Be sure to be careful, this is going to the elders."

A bit overwhelmed, Nettlepaw padded over to a patch of moss on one of the maple's roots, and followed Applebreeze's instructions. Unsheathing his claws all the way, he slowly dragged them under the moss, trying to cut off as clean a piece as possible. After he was done, he lifted it up. "This good?" He mewed, muffled by the plants in his mouth.

Applebreeze stifled a purr. "It's alright, a bit thin though. That won't keep out much cold. Try again, maybe go a bit deeper this time." Pelt pricking with frustration, Nettlepaw went back over to the root. It can't be that difficult to gather moss!

Trying to claw deeper, Nettlepaw sliced a second piece of moss, this time finding it easier to separate it from the wood. The moss he lifted was thicker this time, and he turned to Applebreeze. "Better?"

She nodded, purring. "You're doing great. Why don't we move over to here, and we'll try to gather some bedding."

Nettlepaw and Applebreeze worked side by side for a while, tearing off strips of moss, laughing and talking as they went. Maybe moss gathering isn't as bad as I thought, Nettlepaw mused. Though I'd much rather be hunting or fighting.

Applebreeze turned to face Nettlepaw, and he realized his claws were aching from being used so long. "Though you may not feel it now, this is actually going to help you with hunting and maybe fighting as well. You're gaining a lot of control. I can tell you're going to be a great warrior." Nettlepaw puffed out his chest in pride.

"It's getting late, we might as well head back to camp and get some prey off the fresh-kill pile." Nettlepaw felt his belly rumble and realized he'd been getting hungry. "Alright." He replied.

Nettlepaw carried the moss he'd collected back to camp, for the first time feeling pride in what he was bringing back to his camp. Applebreeze knows it. I'm going to be a great warrior!