Russetshine's Destiny

4 - Russetshine

"Who are you?! What are you doing on RiverClan territory?! Russet hissed at the stranger. Whoever it was, they looked like they had been living on their own for a while, their dark gray fur ungroomed, an unhealed scar on their throat. The newcomer looked terrified, but determined to stand their ground.

"R-RiverClan?? I have no idea what you're talking about! I live here, for goodness sake!" The loner's fur was fluffed up, and they looked ready to claw Russetshine's face off. Then they shrieked, losing their balance on the riverbank, and fell sideways into the river. Russet let out a hiss as a wet head popped up from beneath the water. He watched in surprise as the mysterious stranger began to swim, of all things, to the other side. Most cats hated getting their paws wet, aside from RiverClan.

"Don't follow me!" A voice snapped Russetshine out of his thoughts, drawing his attention to the opposite riverbank. Their fur dripping wet, the loner darted away into ThunderClan's part of the territories. Their problem, Russet thought. Dealing with intruders wasn't his job, and he hated using his claws. Sure, he might have overreacted a bit, but Russetshine wasn't going to deal with an external crisis. He should also be getting some herbs and back to camp before someone got injured without him.

Letting out a sigh, he padded away, but not before letting the loner's scent embed itself in his nose. Like light at dawn, he decided. Whenever he mentioned to his Clanmates that he could smell the world he saw, they never believed him. This didn't stop Russetshine from memorizing individuals by scent, though.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.───

"Juniper, borage, catmint..." Russetshine muttered, making sure he had collected all the necessary and ready herbs for leaf-bare. It was leaf-fall currently, but who knew if these precious herbs would make it through the first frost?

"Russetshine! Russetshine! Come quick!" A little gray scrap of fur popped into the medicine den. Yewkit mewled, her voice higher than normal. Quickly, Russet tried to think what might be wrong. Someone had greencough? A dislocated leg? Enemies invading? But no, it was none of these. "Garkit just told me he's having his apprentice ceremony soon! And it's the full moon tomorrow, so-"

"Oh, I see, Yewkit," Russetshine tried to be polite to the 3-moon old kit. Of course she would be excited and a little sad that her denmate would be moving away. Internally, he let out a sigh of relief. No sickness yet. It wouldn't be long until someone caught greencough though, with the cold season just around the riverbend. "Garkit is having his apprentice ceremony at sunhigh, right? And since it's the full moon tomorrow, he might be able to see the other Clans soon. Yes, I see what you were trying to say." Russetshine mewed. Yewkit nodded excitedly.

"When do I get to go see the other Clans?" 

"Silly Yewkit, you already know when you'll be an apprentice. In three moons, since you're only three moons old right now." As Russetshine finished his explanation, Rosewater poked her head through the bush's entrance. Before she could begin chastising her kit, a yowl came from outside the medicine den.

"All those old enough to swim through the shallows and catch their own fish gather beneath the Highrock!" (A/N: Can't remember RiverClan's form of the Highrock either, sorry. Wiki isn't being helpful right now.) It was Mountainstar, and Garkit's apprentice ceremony was starting. Russetshine, Rosewater, and Yewkit went to join their Clanmates. Mountainstar's cream-colored pelt was shining in the midday sun, and Russetshine couldn't help but notice how tired he looked.

"I call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this kit," Mountainstar began, "Garkit, do you promise to do your best to uphold the warrior code and be the best apprentice you can be?"

"Y-yes!" Garkit mewed, his tail sticking straight up.

Mountainstar looked down on the kit, his yellow eyes shining. "Then I grant you the name Garpaw, for the path your paws are on now. Your mentor will be Spiritbreeze." Garkit padded towards a pretty silver she-cat with gray tabby markings and touched his nose to hers respectfully.

"Garpaw! Garpaw! Garpaw!" The Clan chanted. Rosewater, Garpaw's aunt, looked especially proud of him.

"With that, this meeting is at an end."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.───

Grooming her dark gray fur, Light thought about her name. How ironic it was that she was gray, and her name was clearly intended for a she-cat with a silver or white pelt. Light's kits would be born in a moon or so, and she wasn't sure if her little swim in the river would help her kits. Her mate left her soon after he discovered she was expecting, and Light was unsure if she could survive.

That strange cat this morning... she thought. He mentioned something called "RiverClan" and its territory. Maybe it will be safe there...

A/N: AGH I know it's been a month since I updated... but this is 924 words long now so maybe that helped my creative process? I think it's important to note that in the span of 30 days I've changed my usernames three times, changed into a new name, and other various things such as failing a math quiz and stuff. I've already started on the next chapter (which was probably a bad idea, in hindsight) so it'll be done by next Wednesday, hopefully? This week we've got short days so I'll have a lot more time to write. 

See you in the next chapter! (I just realized I got awfully close to 1,000 words o_O)