Cougarstripe's Shock (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter 4

[ Art by FoxyEverdeen  ]

Shadowpaw. That was Cougarkit's new enemy. The mysterious apprentice had killed his own mother. He wanted to tell someone - but he was just a kit. He didn't want to get in trouble or be ignored by his Clanmates. I must keep this a secret, Cougarkit thought. I can't even tell Silverkit.

He had begun to notice Dewpaw, the medicine cat apprentice, begin to sulk around. Cougarkit hadn't known Ottertail had been the orange tom's mother. My mother died too! He growled in his head, and I'm not sulking around. He needs to get his head together!

Cougarkit felt a pang of sympathy for the tom - he didn't have a cat to watch all the time, or a mystery to solve. Unlike Cougarkit.

The tan tom had heard of what had happened at the gathering last night. Apparently Crocodilestar, leader of RiverClan, had lost a life from Sharkstar. Cougarkit remembered a gathering was a time of peace, and he wondered why Sharkstar had taken a life from Crocodilestar.

"Cougarkit! Snap out of it!"

The tom turned his head to Silverkit, who purred. He batted at her playfully. Since the death of Fawnfur, Cougarkit had been staying in Kinkfur and Silverkit's nest so he wouldn't have to be alone. Kinkfur groomed his pelt when she finished Silverkit's.

"Today is your apprentice ceremony," Kinkfur pointed out. "Shouldn't you be excited?"

"Oh yeah! That's why you're grooming us!" He broke free from Kinkfur's rasping tongue and jumped around. "I'm going to be an apprentice! I'm going to be an apprentice!"

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" Greenstar called out.

"Oh, look at you," Kinkfur sighed. "Your pelt is a mess. Whatever - embarrass yourself all you want." The brown queen purred, exiting the den with the two kits. Silverkit walked forward slowly and constructively, while Cougarkit bounded to the middle of his Clanmates. Kinkfur joined Driftflurry and Rockhide, watching the kits.

"Today is a very special day! We are going to have new apprentices." Greenstar looked down at Silverkit. "Silverkit, 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 Silverpaw. Your mentor will be Slateleaf. I hope he will pass down all he knows on to you." Greenstar watched as the black tom made his way to where Silverpaw was.

"Slateleaf, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Ottertail, and you have shown yourself to be intelligent and calm. You will be the mentor of Silverpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her." Slateleaf bent his head down and touched noses with Silverpaw. The silver she-cat winked at Cougarkit as she went to join the crowd. Cougarkit felt his ears become hot. When was Greenstar going to make him an apprentice?

"Cougarkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed," the brown tabby leader finally began. "From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Cougarpaw. Your mentor will be Clawflank. I hope he passes down all he knows to you." Cougarpaw watched in awe as the large tom made his way from the crowd to him. He had a sturdy build and a chocolate brown pelt, his green eyes filled with pride. "Clawflank, you have trained your past apprentices well, and I expect you to pass down all you know to Cougarpaw." The tan tom stood on his toes to reach Clawflank's nose.

"Welcome to ThunderClan as an apprentice," Clawflank meowed, pulling away and leading Cougarpaw away from the crowd. Cougarpaw noticed Blazefur padding up to him.