Moon Of Warning - Warrior Cat Fanfiction

Chapter Three

Moonkit and Shadekit exited the den. No one had heard of Shadekit's trip to the Medicine cat. Moonkit stopped, looking at the cats around her. Everyone was looking towards the nursery, where Sharpkit and Lichenkit were sitting, their pelts' unusually shiny and well-groomed. Shadekit mewed, "I never heard anything about a meeting!" And he took off running to where Crystalflower was searching under a fern. Moonkit followed him, trying to keep up on her shorter legs. "Wait for me!" She called. Shadekit looked behind him, trying to see if his sister needed any help- and instantly wished he had kept his gaze strait. He slammed into a fuzzy wall. Moonkit heard a 'whoof' of air as her brother was winded. She increased her pace, and then stepped back multiple times. Shadekit had just run into their mother. Crystalflower turned sharply, and seeing her son in front of her, she forgot what she was doing. "Where in Starclan's name have you been?" She cried, scooping him up in her jaws. Shadekit couldn't reply- he was still out of breath. Moonkit ran the last few paces to her mother's side, and explained how Shadekit had been super sick. "But Stonewhisker made him all better!" She proclaimed, shoving her muzzle in Crystalflower's fur. Her mother looked relieved. Moonkit glanced behind her, and saw the two neatly groomed kits were advancing towards rock in front of the Highledge. "Look! It's starting." Crystalflower mewed. Moonkit watched with wonder. That's going to happen to me soon. She thought. "Sharpkit, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Sharppaw. Citruspelt, you were taught well by Twigleaf, who has retired to the Elder's den for peace. I hope you pass your loyalty and courage to your new apprentice." Laurelstar meowed. Sharppaw licked his leader's shoulder, reaching up on the tips of his paws, and went to touch noses with his new mentor. Litchenkit went forward, receiving her apprentice name, and having Tulipheart named as her mentor. "Sharppaw! Litchenpaw!" The cats in the clearing chorused. When the clamor died down, Laurelstar went on. "I am not done yet. Moonkit. Shadekit. Come forward." Crystalflower jumped. "Laurelstar! They're not properly groomed!" She cried, and she reached down to lap the dust out of her kits' fur. They scampered away before their mother could get the protest finished. "I know it's a little early, but these new apprentices are only a few days older than you." Laurelstar began. "So I think you both deserve to be named apprentices." She beckoned Shadekit forward with her tail. "Shadekit, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Shadepaw. Your mentor will be Herontail. I hope he passes on his quick mind and humor to you." As Shadepaw licked Laurelstar's shoulder, he tripped. "So sorry, Laurelstar!" He apologized. She purred good-humoredly. Shadepaw stepped off the rock, and went to touch noses to the very-surprised Herontail. "Moonkit." Laurelstar nodded her creamy head. Moonkit felt a sudden prick of uncertainty. What if Laurelstar was going to tell her that she wasn't going to be made an apprentice? Moonkit tried to banish the thought, but it clung to her mind like a tick. She stepped forward. "Moonkit, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Moonpaw. Your mentor will be Starlingmist. I hope she transfers her determination and smart thinking to you." Starlingmist? It was an honor she never expected. Starlingmist was the clan deputy. As the cats around her shouted their names, Moonpaw licked her leader's shoulder and went to touch noses with Starlingmist. As her warm breath mingled with her new mentor's, she heard her say, "It's okay, little Moonpaw. I'm going to be here for you whenever you need me." Moonkit nodded. She was still stunned that she had been made apprentice to the deputy of Thunderclan. Some cats came to congratulate the new apprentices, and others just gave them warm looks and returned to their duties. All four new mentors and their apprentices exited the camp. The mentors each started to talk about the territory of Thunderclan, but Moonpaw stopped paying attention after the first few words. She looked to her father, and saw him look back quickly- and warmly- at Sharppaw. Does he love Sharppaw more than me? She wondered. He hadn't even come to congratulate her or her brother. Moonpaw glanced at Shadepaw. Seeing her own hurt reflecting in his fern-green eyes, she decided to look at the leaves under her paws. Starlingmist must have seen the whole thing, because she had stopped her description after Moonpaw had stopped listening. She wondered how her mentor new her so well after only a few moments together. "Perhaps we should break up. Tulipheart and Citruspelt, you should go to the right. Herontail and I will go to the left." Starlingmist said. "Alright." Tulipheart replied. She beckoned with her tail to Citruspelt, who went ahead, never looking back. Moonpaw started to feel suddenly lonely. How could her father not love her? He had played with her so much when she was younger. It seemed in the last few days of their kithood, he had just... Stopped looking at her. Stopped... loving her. Moonpaw continued to look at the crunchy leaves beneath her paws. Starlingmist whispered for Herontail to go ahead, and wait for them at the Ancient Oak. Herontail nodded and pushed Shadepaw forward with his nose. "What's the matter?" Starlingmist asked Moonpaw. She hesitated. Would she seem whiny or silly by telling her mentor of her feelings? I'm going to be here for you whenever you need me. Those words rang in Moonpaw's ears."Citruspelt... He loves stupid Sharppaw more than me and Shadepaw. " Moonpaw told Starlingmist about how he had stopped looking at them, and how he stopped coming to the nursery when they were still kits. All throughout her story, Starlingmist was silent. As Moonpaw finished her tale, Starlingmist looked thoughtful. "Why would he do that?" She asked. Moonpaw shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe Laurelstar had told him he was to be a mentor, and he wanted to bond with Sharppaw?" Moonpaw suggested. Starlingmist shook her grey-and-white head. "He never went into the nursery. I'll talk to him later. I don't want this intruding on your training- " She stopped. "Moonpaw, what do you smell?" She asked. Moonpaw opened her mouth, letting the scents of the forest bathe her tongue. She faintly recognized a musty smell; it smelled like something from the fresh-kill pile. "I think... It's mouse!" Moonpaw declared triumphantly. Slapping her tail over her mouth, she heard frantic rustling in the leaves. Her tail drooped. She had scared her first piece of live prey away. Looking back to the leaves beneath her, she mumbled, "Sorry." Starlingmist shook her head again. "It's alright. I remember when I first scented prey, I had run across the Skyclan border and went home with a very sorry-looking pelt. I think I fell in the lake." Her tail curled up with amusement at the fondness of the memory. Moonpaw brightened. If the deputy had fallen in the lake on her first try, Moonpaw was no worse than her. "Let's catch up with Herontail and your brother." Starlinmist meowed. Moonpaw nodded in agreement. She was eager to see the Ancient Oak. She padded after her mentor, her heart lighter than it had been in moons. I'm going to be a warrior!