The Dawn of Night | A Warriors Fanfiction ✔

Chapter 20

Maplestar leaped onto the Highrock and yowled the summons.

"I almost forgot," Falconwing remarked. "It's time for Littlerose's kits' apprentice ceremony."

He and Sunstorm took their seats together near where Littlerose's kits were. There were three toms - one grey tabby, one black, and one brown tabby - and a grey she-kit.

"Kits, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed," Maplestar began. Turning to the grey tabby, she meowed, "Forestfrost, you will be mentor to Scarpaw."

Forestfrost's eyes lit up as she touched noses with Scarpaw.

"Laceleaf," she continued, as she flicked her tail toward the grey she-kit, "you will be mentor to Duskpaw."

Laceleaf padded up to the apprentice and touched noses with her.

"Falconwing, you will be mentor to Beaverpaw." Falconwing touched noses with the brown tabby.

"Emberfur, you will be mentor to Darkpaw." The medicine cat touched noses with the black tom and soon the ceremony was over.

At sunup Sunstorm awoke to find Falconwing waking up his new apprentice.

"Oh, hi," he meowed in greeting as he saw her coming. "Want to come training with us?"

"Sure," Sunstorm purred.

"Wake up, you lazy lump," Falconwing yowled amusedly. Beaverpaw stirred and stretched, blinking his dark eyes open.

"Time to go? Already?"

"Yep. Now get up; the territory isn't going to tour itself."

Beaverpaw hauled himself to his paws and padded after the two warriors, the wind blowing through his tabby fur.

When they had rounded the borders and headed back to the sandy hollow Falconwing stopped. "Alright, Beaverpaw. What do you smell?"

Beaverpaw sniffed the air. "Vole," he meowed, running his tongue around his lips. "Oh, Falconwing, can I try and catch it? Please?"

"Alright, go ahead," Falconwing shrugged, and the apprentice dashed off through the bracken.

"He's going to be a great warrior," purred Sunstorm, "with you to teach him."

"Well... I guess so," he replied modestly. "I'll try."

Sunstorm bumped her head against his. "Don't be silly," she mewed.

Soon Beaverpaw came running over. "It ran off," he panted. "Why don't you show me how to do a hunter's crouch?"

Falconwing stretched. "In a bit," he answered.

"You guys are so cute together," Beaverpaw purred with laughter and padded off with his nose in the air, poised to smell.

Sunstorm was not sure how to respond to his remark, and she felt her whiskers twitch with embarrassment. "Let's go show him that crouch," she told him.

Falconwing grunted with amusement as he walked after Sunstorm. She noticed, as she walked, that he did not seem to care that Beaverpaw had suggested that they were mates.

At sunhigh Sunstorm headed toward the fresh-kill pile and picked out a quail, heading over towards Bluestripe, who was near the nursery. Her sister looked tired and rather pained.

"Everything alright?" Sunstorm asked her. "How are they coming along?"

"My kits?" she yawned, stretching. "Oh, it's hard. But I know it will be worth it."