Clouded moon: A warrior cats OC story (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter 5

          Moonkit woke. It had been four moons since Snowleap had scratched her at the river. A moon ago, Dawnkit and her littermates had been made apprentices, with Dawnpaw becoming Ashleaf's apprentice like she had wanted as a kit. Fawnstep had gone back to the warrior den and Snowleap had, of course, left with Fawnstep, though Moonkit wasn't alone in the nursery. The young warrior Darkmist had moved into the nursery a moon prior expecting the young warrior Grassclaw's kits, and she was always kind to Moonkit. She shook out her fur. Switching her subject of thought, she realized something that made her fur tingle. I'm almost an apprentice! She wistfully imagined her mentor leading her into the forest, learning to hunt and fight. Someday. She thought. She began grooming her sleep ruffled pelt. 

          There had been two more attempts to retake Sunningrocks, but each had failed. To the clan, Lichenstar had announced that they would take a few moons to heal, and then they would for sure get Sunningrocks back. A yowl rang out from outside the nursery. "Let all cats old enough to swim gather to hear my words!" Moonkit padded out of the den and into the clearing. It was well past sunhigh. Darkmist followed, her belly swinging with the weight of unborn kits, which were due any day now. Moonkit sat down beside Rockpaw. "Any idea what's going on?" She asked him. "No." He meowed shaking his head. "I wonder if it has something to do with Sunningrocks?" Moonkit asked. He didn't have a chance to answer because Lichenstar started speaking. "Cats of Riverclan! As you know, we have had plentiful prey this Greenleaf, and with so much prey, comes a full nursery, and apprentice den." The older cats in the clearing shot each other knowing glances. "And that is why we are gathered here today. Moonkit, step forward." 

          Moonkit felt shock ripple through her veins. My apprentice ceremony! With that realization a ripple of excitement passed through her body. She stood up, and as calmly as she could, walked forward. "Moonkit, you have reached the age of six 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 Moonpaw. Your mentor will be Firefern. I hope she will pass down all she knows on to you. Firefern had a shocked but pleased look on her face. "Please step up." The orange she-cat stepped forward, her green eyes shining. "Firefern, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Nightshade, and you have shown yourself to be a patient and skilled warrior. You will be the mentor of Moonpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her. As Moonpaw touched noses with the orange pelted she-cat, she heard her murmur; "You'll do great!" Moonkit felt warm from the older warrior's encouragement. "I'll be the best apprentice ever!" She purred. "Moonpaw! Moonpaw!" The clan yowled. 

          Moonpaw was so happy that she felt like she would float past the clouds all the way to silverpelt! Fawnstep, Dawnpaw, and Rockpaw crowded around her. "Now we can train together." Purred Rockpaw. "I'm so proud of you dear." Purred Fawnstep. Dawnpaw licked her ear. "Now we can hunt together some time!" Firefern trotted up. "Would you like to go see the territory?" She asked. Moonpaw felt excitement bubble up inside her. "Yes! Oh yes please!" She exclaimed. Firefern's whiskers twitched. "Well come on then." She meowed, heading for the stepping stones. Moonpaw bounded after her. "Wow! I didn't know a place this big existed!" She exclaimed, looking out at the vast landscape in front of her. "It is something." Agreed Firefern. She gave a flick of her orange tail, and they began the tour at a steady pace, though it was a trot for Moonpaw. They came to two strange smooth rocks laid across the river, with flat tree trunks in between each rock. "What's that?" She asked Firefern. "That's the twoleg bridge. Twolegs use it to cross the river." At her apprentices baffled look, she added; "Don't ask me why they don't just use the stepping stones. Twolegs are weird." They continued walking. New and exciting scents filled Moonpaw's nose. They stopped at a huge cliff, dropping into a river. "Woah..." Moonpaw breathed. "This is the gorge." Meowed Firefern. "It's also our border with Windclan." When her mentor mentioned it, she noticed a strange smell wafting over from the other side. It smelled of rabbits and heather, She wrinkled her nose at the unfamiliar smell. "Yuck." She meowed. Firefern purred "Just wait till you smell Shadowclan! They're worse than Windclan and Thunderclan combined." The orange she cat countered. Moonpaw purred in amusement. Only my first day as an apprentice, and it's great! I have an amazing mentor, and I'm seeing the territory! How could this get any better? She thought happily as they moved on. 

          She began to pant, though she was too excited to feel tired. The two cats stopped at a beech corpse. "This is where most apprentices do battle training." Firefern meowed, flicking her tail at a small clearing beside it. Moonpaw yawned. Firefern glanced at her apprentice. "I think we should head back now." Not yet! "But I'm not tired!" Complained Moonpaw. I don't want to go back to camp already! "Can we at least see the border with Thunderclan?" Firefern shook her head. "The border with Thunderclan is very touchy right now, and you haven't had any battle training." "Aw okay." Sighed Moonpaw. Firefern turned away and motioned for Moonpaw to follow. With a twitch of her ear, she turned and followed. "We'll do some hunting practice tomorrow." Meowed Firefern as they walked. "Okay!" Answered Moonpaw, her annoyance dissapearing as she gave a little bounce of excitement. They entered the camp. By now it was almost sunset, and the clan had settled to share tongues and prey. Firefern flicked her tail at the fresh-kill pile. "Go get something to eat. Tomorrow the real training begins!" Moonpaw nodded her head and walked over to the fresh-kill pile. 

          "How was the tour?" Asked Rockpaw as she approached. "Great!" She purred in response. The gray tom was nosing through the remains of the fresh-kill pile. He lifted his head with a trout in his jaws. "Want to share?" He mumbled around the piece of prey. "Sure." She meowed. He walked over to where Dawnpaw and Juniperpaw were already sharing. "Hey Moonpaw!" Meowed Dawnpaw. "How was your tour?" Moonpaw bit into the fish. "Great!" She mumbled around her mouthful. "Did you see the gorge?" Asked Juniperpaw. "Yeah." Meowed Moonpaw, remembering the sheer cliff and the tumbling river below. "That was the coolest thing I saw on my first day." Purred Juniperpaw. "What did you do Dawnpaw?" Asked Moonpaw. Dawnpaw's eyes glowed. "Ashleaf taught me the cure for infected wounds!" "You mix marigold and horsetail into a poultice and bind it with cobwebs!" "Um, cool!" Meowed Rockpaw, trying to seem enthusiastic as his sister. Dawnpaw purred. "Don't worry about seeming excited. Ashleaf told me that the other apprentices wouldn't find herbs as interesting as I do." "Well, that's a relief." Sighed Rockpaw bluntly. Moonpaw and Juniperpaw looked at each other and burst into laughter. This is the best day of my life! Thought Moonpaw. She turned glanced at the sky. While the four apprentices had been talking, the moon had risen, taking its place among the stars of silverpelt. "We should head to the den." Meowed Juniperpaw. "Alright." Yawned Moonpaw, realizing how tired she was. She turned towards the nursery. "Moonpaw, you're an apprentice now! Remember?" Called Rockpaw. "Oh yeah!" Answered Moonpaw sheepishly. "I'll show you how to make a nest." He purred. 

          He darted into the medicine den and returned with a bundle of moss and reeds. He headed towards the apprentice den, which was made of reeds and willow branches, and sported a thick coating of moss. Moonpaw followed. They entered the warm den. Ivypaw, Troutpaw, and Mosspaw were already asleep. The other apprentices were just settling down. Rockpaw helped Moonpaw make a cozy nest next to his. He crawled into his, and Moonpaw did the same. Soon, Moonpaw could hear Rockpaw's snores. As the excitement of the day finally began to fade, she began to drift into sleep, and one thought filled her mind. Nothing could possibly go wrong now. 

*Definitely not foreshadowing*