Warriors: Loyalty Dwindles (COMPLETE)

Chapter 3

 After the apprentice ceremony was finished, the clan disbanded to their dens and to the fresh kill pile that was located near the base of a pine tree. Adderpaw felt a twist in his stomach whenever a pair of eyes would lock onto him, or when cats would whisper to their nearby clanmates, not being subtle with who they were gossiping about.

He was so lost in his own paranoid thoughts, that he hardly heard Jaytuft's informative mews. His new mentor had taken the time to show him around the camp. Though Adderpaw was excited to learn about his new home, he still didn't feel welcome.

They'll get used to me in time I'm sure. I'll prove that I'm just as useful as a Clanborn cat...then they'll see.

Adderpaw raised his head  confidently and strode across to a large burrow on the side of the camp walls. His pale green eyes widened in amazement. 

"Wow! How can cats even sleep in here without worrying about it collapsing?" Adderpaw turned to his mentor. 

Jaytuft flicked his fluffy tail, his whiskers twitching in amusement. 

"The den looks like its all dirt on the outside. On the inside it's all stone walls with ground flooring. It's perfectly stable" the tortoiseshell tom gestured Adderpaw onwards to the apprentice den.

The apprentice den was much different than the warriors den, instead of a burrow it was under the shelter of a pine tree and a large jutting rock. A few heather bushes surrounded it, forming the walls of the den. 

"This is where you'll be staying until you become a warrior" Jaytuft looked down at Adderpaw, "We have two other apprentices in the Clan, Robinpaw and Hollypaw. You'll meet them tonight at the latest" 

Adderpaw glanced down at a pebble on the ground and pawed it around slightly, "Do you think they'll get used to me being around?" 

Jaytuft's green eyes softened at the young cat and he let out a sigh, "It's hard telling. Don't worry yourself over what other cats think of you Adderpaw. You were brave to even step a paw onto our territory, let alone join our clan. You need to focus on yourself " 

Focus on myself..

Adderpaw found that difficult to do. When his mother had come down with the sickness that eventually took her life, Adderpaw was right there beside her. Helping her even if it meant risking the chance of him becoming ill too. His mind reflected back on the times he would also help catch prey for starving rogues from time to time if they allowed him to do so.

Doesn't being in a Clan require me to be selfless? I need to take other cat's thoughts into consideration. I understand what Jaytuft is saying of course, but where do I draw the line in between what words I think about and which I ignore?

A small she-cat, not much bigger than Adderpaw walked over to him and Jaytuft. She had sleek silver fur and white patches, with piercing ice blue eyes. 

"Hello Silveroak. Adderpaw, this is Silveroak. Our medicine cat" Jaytuft greeted the she-cat and bowed his head in respect. Adderpaw quickly copied his mentor and a chuckle escaped Silveroak's throat. 

"No need to be so formal. So this is our brand new apprentice? It's nice to meet you Adderpaw. Has your mentor explained what a medicine cat is to you yet?" she tilted her head curiously. 

Adderpaw shook his head and pricked his ears up,  "Whatever it is, it sounds important" 

Silveroak gave a proud purr, "It is indeed, young one. A medicine cat works with different herbs to treat sick or injured cats. We also are the ones who receive guidance from StarClan" 

Jaytuft  immediately started giving his chest a few embarrassed licks, "I haven't told him about Starclan yet. Perhaps you're the best one to explain it to him, I need to go check on Starlingwing and the kits"

So those kits and that she-cat that were watching my apprentice ceremony are Jaytuft's family.

"Go on, no one is stopping you" Silveroak mewed and watched the tom pad off to the nursery. 

"Heronstar picked that furball as your mentor? Good luck with that. I don't know how he manages to do his patrols and still have all this time to play with those bouncing rabbits he calls his kits" she muttered in mock irritation. 

"Now, let me tell you about StarClan. StarClan are our ancestors, when a Clan cat dies their bodies stay with us, but their soul joins Silverpelt. The thick band of stars you can see at night" Silveroak turned her head up towards the darkening sky. 

"Every single one of those stars is a cat from any of the four Clans. We honor them even when they have left us" 

Adderpaw looked at the sky too. The stars wouldn't be visible tonight however, clouds were rolling in. Thankfully not storm clouds. 

I wonder if my mother is up there. Would she be proud of me? Proud that I found WindClan on my own?

"Do you have anyone you know that's in StarClan?" 

Silveroak went quiet and she solemnly lowered her gaze from the sky, "Oh yes, I know plenty" 

"I've seen many tragedies in my time as a medicine cat Adderpaw. It's a fulfilling duty to my Clan but I suppose it's, in the end, very lonely and strenuous"

The dusty brown tabby tom nodded in agreement. He couldn't imagine how Silveroak must feel. 

She's many seasons older than me. She hasn't mentioned that any cats help her out with her duties. Has she really done all of this by herself?  I think I'd go crazy with all that responsibility in my paws! 

"I think I'll leave you to rest now Adderpaw... welcome to WindClan" she purred happily to him and walked over to Heronstar who was sitting outside his den munching on a meadowlark.

Adderpaw took a deep breath and stepped into the apprentice den. He avoided the nests with a strong scent of the apprentices Jaytuft mentioned and settled down in one. The nests were lined with soft pieces of moss, grass, and some feathers most likely gathered from prey.

His tail curled up near his nose and he slowly drifted off into a warm and comforting sleep.