WINTERGAZE'S LIFE

Chapter 11

Sunrise was filtering through the apprentice den, Winterpaw heard the call of the grey Shadowclan leader; "Let all cats old enough to stalk through the darkest shadows, sit beneath the Shade Rock for a clan meeting!" Winterpaw knew what it was about, Swiftkit, Crimsonkit, and Spikekit, were finally being appointed apprentices. She could tell by the clean fur of Spikekit and Crimsonkit, along with Swiftkit who was talking to Blizzardshade after he brought his kit a lizard. Foxfire was finally let out of the Nursery now that Pumpkinkit was five moons, yet she still held Pumpkinkit in her tail as she sat beneath the clearing, Foxfire had began to treat Pumpkinkit as if her birth kit. Foxfire titled her head forward to listen and watch the ceremony of her kits finally becoming apprentices. Winterpaw sat down and curled her tail underneath her front paws, now that all cats were out in the clearing, Soulstar mewed again, bunching his muscles and projecting his demanding voice. "Today we have a ceremony that has been long overdue." Soulstar looked down into the crowd and nodded at Foxfire. "Crimsonkit, Spikekit, and Swiftkit are almost seven moons and are ready to be apprenticed." Soulstar took a breath for a couple heartbeats then spoke up again, "Spikekit, step forward." Soulstar sat patiently,  waiting for Spikekit to approach the Shade Rock. Spikekit looked back at her mother quickly, then forced herself forward, her fur prickled with nervousness. Soulstar gave a glance up at the sky, waiting for acceptance from his ancestors, he then turned his scorching blue gaze back down on the ginger she-kit. "You have reached the age of seven moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Spikepaw." Soulstar gazed out into the scatter of Shadowclan cats, picking out a grey tom with darker grey stripes out in the crowd. "Hallowedwisp, you have been proven ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Elmleaf, and you have shown yourself to be persistent and hardworking. You will be the mentor of Spikepaw, I expect you to pass on all you know to her." Hallowedwisp stood up, his long, lush tail brushing the ground as his eyes lit with confidence. He stepped from the gather of cats, reaching out his muzzle to touch Spikepaw's. Winterpaw turned her eyes to watch Spikepaw, who looked at Swiftkit for a second with buzzing jealousy and irritation, she then looked back at her mentor with gleaming pride in herself. The crowd of cats opened their mouths and chants rose. "Spikepaw! Spikepaw! Spikepaw! Spikepaw!" Crimsonkit was loudest for his den and littermate. Winterpaw too, had chanted for the ginger apprentice. The cheers of the warriors had died down and Soulstar spoke up again, flicking
his tail to signal Crimsonkit to come forth. Soulstar spoke with certainty. "You have reached the age of almost seven moons and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Crimsonpaw." Soulstar continued, "Mudsight, although you are father of this tom, I know you will be as persistent as you have been with any other apprentice with his training and ensuring it's fulfilled thoroughly." Soulstar went on to prove to his clan Mudsight will be a good warrior. "You have shown excellent courage and bravery in all these moons you have served your clan. I am confident that you will teach this apprentice well." Mudsight, with a proud strut, came over to the clearing, and touched noses with his son, and now apprentice, Crimsonpaw. Winterpaw saw his chest puff out in pride and his eyes were shining in determination, Winterpaw knew he would not let his son down. As a couple heartbeats went by, Swiftkit rose into a mount of chanting, all others following after her. "Crimsonpaw! Crimsonpaw! Crimsonpaw! Crimsonpaw!" Crimsonpaw gave a goofy smirk at Swiftkit and left to sit next to his father. The cheers died down and Soulstar mewed. "Swiftkit." Swiftkit, who looked like they just might be immobile. Stepped up in-front of Shaderock. "Swiftkit, you have reached the age of almost seven moons and it is time for you to start warrior training. We cannot delay any longer." Soulstar repeated the annual apprenticing line, "from this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Swiftpaw." Winterpaw watched as Swiftpaw turned her head to look at the crowd of cats, her eyes shining and wondering. Winterpaw's eyes widened, and she noticed Swiftpaw's had too, as Dappledcloud stepped out of the cluster of cats. "Dappledcloud will be your mentor." Soulstar finished quickly, preparing for what was about to happen, he bunched up his shoulders. Swiftpaw froze, and silence fell over the camp. This silence is too loud. Winterpaw thought to herself, then, Winterpaw clicked back to reality as a cat yowled. "What? Soulstar what are you thinking!" Winterpaw looked down to see Dappledcloud looking around, his muzzle was just about to touch noses with Swiftpaw. Winterpaw frowned, cats should be cheering, not protesting. Winterpaw heard another protesting mew, recognising it as Dahliaheart's. "Why Dappledcloud? He only recently became a warrior! Not to long ago he was an apprentice...." Dahliaheart cleared her throat, "himself!" Dahliaheart gave an apologetic look to Swiftpaw, who's fur was spiked in shock. "I don't mean this to be personal, Dappledcloud, but you do seem to be a bit inexperienced.....from a logical point of view." Dappledcloud protected his apprentice, Swiftpaw, but kept a normal, calm gaze. He towered over Swiftpaw in protection of her. Winterpaw saw Soulstar who was also looking calm, Dappledcloud was looking up at him. Winterpaw's ears cocked toward the sound of scraping rock, to see Owlfeather, his claws digging into the rock. The white deputy seemed to be losing his patience, till he got up and spat, his fur bushed up. "Silence! How dare any of you interrupt an apprentice ceremony like this? You are Shadowclan warriors! We do not behave like this! Do you have no faith in Soulstar's judgement?" Shadowclan immediately dropped into silence, their maws clamped shut and their bodies stiff. One cat that was brave enough to speak, piped up, Winterpaw recognised the body of Blizzardshade. Oh no. "Well? In all due respect, I do not wish to defy you, Soulstar, but why have you chosen Dappledcloud?" Winterpaw's eyes turned to the small, just waiting to be appointed, white she-cat. Staring at her father, fluffy with shock. Soulstar mewed up again, making Winterpaw turn her head to look back up at him. "I have spoken to Glazesight about this." He gave a nod to Glazesight who dipped her head respectfully. Winterpaw sighed. I want this ceremony to be over already. "Two quarter-moons ago, Soulstar came to me with a suggestion." Winterpaw saw Swiftpaw's ears perk up. "He asked me if it would be okay to trial with Swiftpaw about having a younger mentor, and I am sure we're all well aware of our shortage of warriors." Winterpaw grumbled to herself. If it wasn't for that fish eater Sandleap, we'd have Autumnpaw soon! Winterpaw had missed out on most of Glazesight's words. But she listened in again. "—but of course I agreed. Think of it this way, a recently made warrior may be assumed to be inexperienced, but we're Shadowclan, not mouse-brains like Thunderclan." Winterpaw heard a cat let out a soft snort. Glazesight mewed up again. "Dappledcloud will still have his apprenticeship fresh in his mind which could deem to be helpful. Has Dappledcloud ever let any of you down?" Glazesight had made sense. Winterpaw thought, she saw every other cat nodding thoughtfully. Dahliaheart and Blizzardshade shared a glance then shook their heads. The two dipped their heads, their fur lying flat. Winterpaw turned her gaze to Dappledcloud, who finally touched muzzles with Swiftpaw. Crimsonpaw shouted, all his fur bushing up and his voice projecting through the whole clearing. "Swiftpaw! Swiftpaw! Swiftpaw! Swiftpaw!" The rest of the cats followed after him, Mudsight, who was sitting next to the red apprentice, looked like some cat just took his ears. Winterpaw noticed she too was cheering as she felt her jaw ache with the cheers. "Spikepaw! Crimsonpaw! Swiftpaw!" All Shadowclan cats joined in with cheers. Time really went by, because Sundown had approached. Moonhigh would happen soon. Winterpaw waited for the words of Soulstar. "This meeting has gone on long enough, meeting dismissed." Winterpaw immediately got up to her paws, stretching her legs and then walking over to the Medicine shelf to get rid of rotten herbs. To find Coalpaw must've already done it. Winterpaw looked at the black and white she-cat and gave a grin. Coalpaw gave a soft smile back. Winterpaw turned to the apprentice den and found Spikepaw, Crimsonpaw, and Swiftpaw who were figuring out which nest to sleep in. Winterpaw mewed "Crimsonpaw, that nest is yours." Winterpaw outstretched her left hind-leg to where Tansysun's nest used to be, that was replaced with clean, fresh moss. Smokeleaf had told her to make three new, clean nests for them. Which she was quite proud of. Crimsonpaw nestled into his nest. Swiftpaw automatically went into the one next to his, placing her paws over her muzzle. Spikepaw went to the one that looked most just-made. Winterpaw settled down into her nest, closing her eyes and drowsing into sleep.

Winterpaw's eyes opened, she gazed into the opening of the den and saw light filtering through. Winterpaw stepped out as she saw a sleeping Crimsonpaw and Swiftpaw. Passing her was Mudsight and Dappledcloud. The two warriors gave her a nod and she gave a nod back. They must be going to wake up their apprentices. Winterpaw noticed Spikepaw and Hallowedwisp had already left