WINTERGAZE'S LIFE

Chapter 5

It had been ten sunrises since she talked to Smokeleaf, she hadn't talked to Soulstar about it yet Smokeleaf told her, but she said she would today. Winterkit had guessed that she would be busy stocking up on a lot of catmint with leaf-bare on its way in a moon. She wasn't all that happy that her apprenticeship was on the worst season ever. But what was good was that Smokeleaf must've said something today because Soulstar was coming up to her now while she was taking a frog off the pile and eating it. "I'd like to talk to you, Winterkit, in my den, Smokeleaf is there too." Autumnkit smirked. "Oo, you're in trouble~" He giggled. Winterkit scoffed. "Shut up." She got up and followed the leader. Once she was among the nest, Smokeleaf was there and she walked out of the den, sitting just behind Winterkit. Winterkit felt stiff with worry. Soulstar mewed, "Winterkit." Winterkit turned to the leader, her ears perked. "Smokeleaf told me what you told her ten sunrises ago, that you wanted to be a medicine apprentice?" Winterkit nodded slowly. "We both think it's a great idea! You will be a medicine apprentice in training for a medicine cat." Winterkit felt frozen in shock, managing to get out the words. "Really!" Soulstar nodded. "Twenty sunrises, which is less than a moon, you will start your training." He mewed. Winterkit's ears perked up, she hadn't even realised how close she was to starting her apprentice training.

Winterkit was stretching and her ear flicked. Autumnkit lay beside her, being lapped by their mother's tongue repeatedly. "Mum I'm fine! Seriously!" Rippleleap was licking behind his ears now. "Nonsense, you're apprentice ceremony is today and I want you both looking sharp." She rumbled. "Winterkit, your turn." Autumnkit got up and sat still, wanting to keep his pelt clean otherwise Rippleleap would wash him all over again. Half-way through Winterkit's washing, she saw Owlfeather sitting on the deputy rock as Soulstar talked to him, Owlfeather nodded. "No patrols until after Sunrise!" He called out, his tail tapping as the warriors looked around in interest. Dappledpaw mewed. "Does that mean no apprentice training?" He grumbled. Owlfeather nodded.
"Oh dang it." He hissed, looking up at Mudsight as the tom's mentor looked right back at him. "You'll be fine." Tansypaw nodded. "Yea, it's not going to kill you to wait a bit."
Plumflower purred in agreement. By that time the conversation was over, Winterkit's pelt was clean and the words were called out, by Soulstar.
"All cats old enough to seek through the darkest shadows, gather under the Shade Rock for a clan meeting!" Rippleleap's pelt was itching with excitement, she got up to her paws and walked out, Winterkit and Autumnkit after her, the kits noticed Tempestcrow's pelt was well groomed too and she had her haunches raised, as if ready for something. Rippleleap rolled her eyes. "She's finally put effort into her pelt for once." She mewed, seating herself down among the other warriors, right next to the queens Glazesight and Foxfire, Rippleleap wouldn't be a queen anymore. Although she has been doing warrior duties for a moon now, but she still visited Autumnkit and Winterkit, now she wouldn't have to. "Shadowclan comes with great news today," Soulstar's mew was happy, excited to announce these things. "Autumnkit, for six moons you have learnt the ways of our clan, but now you will learn the ways of a warrior, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect this clan with your life?" He stared down at the tom-cat. "I do." Autumnkit responded, sure of himself. Soulstar nodded. "Your mentor will be Mudsight, Mudsight, I expect you to pass your skills onto this apprentice and teach them everything you know. You will now be known as Autumnpaw." The two tom's touched noses then sat beside each other as they walked back. "Winterkit, " he mewed, his eyes darting to the she-cat, "you have decided to walk a different path and become, a medicine-cat apprentice, Smokeleaf will be your mentor as she passes on all her knowledge to you." Soulstar dipped his head to the medicine-cat as she walked over to touch noses with Winterkit. "You will know be known as Winterpaw." Cats rose in cheer, excitement beamed from Smokeleaf and Mudsight. Though Rippleleap looked at Winterpaw with an unhappy gaze. "Autumnpaw! Winterpaw! Autumnpaw! Winterpaw! Autumnpaw! Winterpaw! Autumnpaw! Winterpaw!"
Once the cats were quiet, Soulstar meowed. "Clan dismissed! Talk to Owlfeather to figure out the patrols you are on." Warriors gathered around Owlfeather as Autumnpaw happily bounced over to Mudsight, his head raised. Winterpaw made her way over to Smokeleaf, she felt eyes staring at her, she turned her head to see her mother Rippleleap watching her in surprise now, she felt her tail droop in her realisation that she never said to her mother that she wanted to be a medicine cat. Though she continued to walk with Smokeleaf. Finally Smokeleaf mewed as they stopped infront of Dappledpaw. "Can you show Winterpaw where she sleeps? I need to help sick patients." She mewed softly, giving a nod to Winterpaw, perhaps the she-cat wanted her to make friends.

Winterpaw blinked and narrowed her eyes as the sun was just above the bushes now as it reached sundown. She stretched, her legs ached from Dappledcloud deciding Winterpaw was a one month old kit and showing her the whole camp. Now she noticed Rippleleap was walking towards her, the she-cat sat next to Winterpaw. "Winterpaw, my kit, you never told me you wanted to be a medicine cat!" She mewed, her eyes flickering with concern. "Don't you trust me?" Winterpaw nodded quickly. "I do! I just didn't know what you would say.." she mewled, her ears flicking back. Rippleleap responded, "I'm you mother, Winterpaw, don't keep these things from me." With that, she stood up and left with a flick of her tail. Calling out as an available position for moonhigh patrols. Winterpaw looked at the ground and shuffled her paws. Getting up and walking over to her den.