Warriors: Shattered Blossom

Chapter Four

 Cragkit trembled with excitement.

Strikefeather swept forward and grabbed him by the scruff. She dragged the squirming tom backwards and began to briskly groom his fur.

"Strikefeather!" Cragkit wailed, battering at his mother's belly in a desperate attempt to pry himself away. "I washed my fur already! Clean Nightkit instead, he's rolling in the dirt with Cardinalkit again."

Strikefeather thrummed with amusement as she finished smoothing a tuft of fur on Cragkit's rump. She freed him, and he indignantly shook out his fur, lapping rebelliously at a spot on his shoulder that she'd messed up.

"You need to present yourself to the Clan at your best. Your mother is only helping," a deep voice mewed proudly.

Cragkit turned around, and his amber eyes grew wide. "Larkbite!" He purred.

The black tom blinked his amber eyes happily at the dark gray kit. Cragkit scrambled forward and buried his nose in the warrior's—no, the new deputy's—chest. The little tom could barely hear Nightkit's squeals of protest and Strikefeather's amused purring as he embraced his father.

"You're not going to miss our ceremony!" Cragkit trilled happily, wearing the world's biggest grin as he stared up at his father, a cat often so busy with his warrior duties that he couldn't visit his kin.

"I wouldn't miss it even if the forest was on fire." Larkbite's eyes glowed with pride as he leaned down. Cragkit happily nuzzled his chin.

"Great StarClan, I'm free!" Nightkit puffed, scampering to Cragkit's side with a light glare cast in Strikefeather's direction. Strikefeather chuckled, and as Nightkit's gaze shifted to the black tom before him, his eyes brightened. "Larkbite, you're here!"

"That's right. Look at you two, all nice and groomed. I'm proud to say that you're ready for your apprentice ceremony!" Larkbite smiled warmly at the two kits, who squirmed with excitement.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!"

"It's time!" Nightkit squealed as Ripestar's voice resonated throughout the camp.

Cragkit shot a glance back towards the nursery where Hollykit, Cardinalkit, and Fleckkit all watched patiently. Beside them were Sedgeflight's kits; Flowerkit, Dawnkit, and Slightkit. In contrast, those three were fighting each other for the best view with shrill squeals of excitement. Sedgeflight gently scolded the trio and swept them close with a grand whisk of her tail. The kits struggled feebly until finally, they calmed down and watched the ceremony with wide, eager eyes.

Hollykit tore her eyes away from the younger kits and caught Cragkit's attention. She sent him an excited smile.

Larkbite gave Cragkit and Nightkit a prompting nudge.

Cragkit gave his pelt a firm shake and puffed out his chest, setting his broad shoulders. The dark gray tom padded forward. A slight tremble entered his whiskers, and he felt Nightkit's fur brush against his. He shot a look in his brother's direction. The black tom was a mirror of his nervous excitement.

Ripestar stood, noble and proud atop the Highrock. Her peach-colored fur stood in a bright contrast to her deep, icy blue eyes, and she searched the Clan with her sharp gaze. At last, she found the two kits, and the cold fringes of her eyes softened into warm blossoms of pride.

Cragkit realized with a start that Ripestar wasn't the only one who watched the two toms. The entire Clan followed their movements with their eyes. The gray tom's spine prickled beneath the watchful gazes of his Clanmates.