Blood and Snow

Moss and Thorns

Image by JamSparks

      Snowkit thrust her way through the crowd. Large, sleek, and muscular cats blocked her path from Highstump. Ginger, black, and brown pelts squished her as she tried to duck underneath their legs. She accidentally then made one of the cats trip.

"Watch it, Snowkit!" the brown and white tom hissed. "Behave or you'll go back to the nursery with Thrushblaze's new litter!" he snarled, lashing his tail. Snowkit's ears flattened in annoyance and anger.

"Oh shut up, Otterclaw. You belong in the nursery," she muttered, just a bit too loud. He then battered her with his big paws. She flew back out of the crowd. A couple of apprentices snickered in front of her. Snowkit stood up and shook bits of reeds out of her gray-white fur. She bristled to make herself a little bigger. I'll show them one day.

She turned to watch the ceremony. Two apprentices, Volepaw and Shadepaw, were getting their warrior names. It had been the first ceremony she had ever seen. She had begged Thrushblaze to let her see it. And to not stay with Rookkit, Fernkit, and Smokekit. They would just jump on her pretending she was a scary ShadowClan cat or a big fox.

She wished she could toss them off, but of course, Thrushblaze would punish her and the whole Clan would know about it. They would give her strange looks for days until they stopped, but by then she would have done something else. And what she just did would do it. She sighed and then strained her ears to hear. Pikestar stood on Highstump. Her pale brown tabby pelt shined in the sunlight. Her brilliant green eyes were filled with pleasure and pride.

"I, Pikestar, leader of RiverClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turn." Pikestar looked to Volepaw and Shadepaw. Snowkit watched in excitement. She couldn't wait until those words were for her, and her Clan would cheer her name.

"Volepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan even if it cost your life?" Pikestar asked. Her head was high. Volepaw looked nervous. Her blue eyes filled with excitement and fear. Her black pelt smoothed as she spoke.

"I do." She gulped.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Volepaw, from this moment on you, will be known as Voleshine. StarClan honors your dignity and bright personality and we welcome you as a full member of RiverClan. Voleshine beamed Pikestar jumped down from Highstump and rested her head on the former apprentice.

"Voleshine! Voleshine! Voleshine!" the Clan cheered. Snowkit joined in loudly. A few nasty glares came her way, but she didn't care. Pikestar repeated the same words for Shadepaw.

"Shadepetal! Shadepetal! Shadepetal!" They cheered again. Snowkit curled her tail in happiness. Her heart then pulled to have the same praise. She would finally be accepted by her clan. As a full member of RiverClan. The feeling sang in her head like a humming bee.

"Snowkit!" A voice yowled. She turned to see her foster mother, Thrushblaze standing at the entrance of the nursery. She looked angry. Snowkit glowered. Otterclaw must have told her what I did. That bile-eating snoop! Snowkit stomped over. Her ears were flat and her pelt bristling. Thrushblaze's amber eyes bore down into her. Her kits watched curiously from behind.

"I told you to come back straight after the ceremony," she growled. "Did I not?" Snowkit looked down at her paws.

"Yes," she grumbled. Her tail lashed. She was never cross with her kits. But with her foster mother, she always had to be in sight.