Warriors: Water's Edge

Chapter Three

     It was long past Dawn when Nightpaw awoke. Ashpaw was snoring next to him and Goldenpaw was nowhere to be seen. The black tom stretched his back, welcoming the warm sunlight that beat down on him. In the clearing, Ivyflight and Rabbitwing were carrying Poppyfreckle out to be buried. Goldenpaw followed them out of camp, a bundle of lavender between her jaws.

     Mothstar was relaxing outside the nursery with Blazetalon, watching over her kits who were swatting at each other playfully. They looked old enough to apprentices, they would be joining him in the apprentice's den soon.

     Ashpaw strolled out of the apprentice's den looking bedraggled. Nightpaw jogged over and gave him a quick lick on the shoulder.

     "You should groom yourself before getting up, you look like a hairball!"

     Thistletooth and Briarsky were sharing tongues beneath the fallen trees, Frostfang, Ryebrook and Sedgestorm were settled around them, bathing in the warming sun. Sedgestorm flicked her tail in Nightpaw's direction and he scurried over to meet her.

     "Yes, Sedgestorm?"

     "Tell Ashpaw he's joining us on border patrol at sunhigh, so get something to eat." The pretty tabby mewed confidently.

     Nightpaw nodded and stalked off towards his brother. They shared a rabbit from the fresh-kill pile and shared tongues while they waited for sunhigh. Meanwhile, Goldenpaw had returned from burying Sandface's littermate, Poppyfreckle.

     "Hey Goldenpaw," Nightpaw licked his lips "Have you seen Sandface? How is she doing? I know Poppyfreckle was her littermate..."

     "I wouldn't know. Talk to her yourself." She retorted with a sniff.

     Nightpaw headed towards the tree stump that was the medicine cat den. Inside, hushed voices were speaking. He couldn't make out the words, but he could pick out the voices as Mothstar and Sandface.

    Nightpaw was nearly shoved out of the way as Mothstar stormed out of the den. She didn't seem to notice Nightpaw standing there. He rushes into Sandface's den, where the medicine cat was hunched over piles of herbs. Her face was clouded with an emotion he couldn't recognize, but it cleared instantly as she noticed the young tom.

     "Nightpaw? Are you hurt?" The she-cat mewed quietly.

     Nightpaw shuffled his feet nervously, "Uh, no." The she-cat looked at him puzzled. "Well actually I just came to see how you were doing." Sandface looked at him for a moment longer, expressionless.

     "Oh." She sighed. "I'm doing far better than most of you think." She motioned with her tail at the cats in the clearing.

     Nightpaw blinked warmly at her. He let his tail tip rest of the medicine cat's flank to show he cared. Then he heard a call from the Great Rock. Mothstar was calling a clan meeting, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the great rock for a clan meeting."

     Most of the clan were already in the clearing, but they inched closer to the leader's den. Nightpaw and Sandface joined them at the base of the rock.

     It was only when Blazetalon came out of the nursery corralling her four kits when Nightpaw realized what was going on. This must be their apprentice ceremony. How exciting this must be for them!  Nightpaw recalled his own apprentice ceremony, standing proudly next to his siblings. He wished times were like that again.

     The youngest of the queen's kits, Clawkit was kneading his paws in the sand, a look of fiery passion in his eyes. Next to him, Crowkit sat perfectly still, eyes up at the late day sky. The air was crisp yet warm. Cinderkit and Crabkit both had mischievous gleams to their eyes, and Nightpaw couldn't help but chuckle at their youth. Who would their mentors be?

     There weren't many cats left in camp without apprentices, but it was easy to spot Robintail and Reedwing sitting proudly at the front of the crowd, fur groomed nicely. The two littermates looked almost identical, save for Robintail's one white paw. If it weren't for that perhaps they'd get mixed up.

     Mothstar interrupted the apprentice's thoughts. "Today marks these kits as six moons old, meaning they are now ready to become apprentices of FireClan."

     The clan gathered below cheered loudly at her words.

     "Clawkit, please step forward," Blazetalon gently pushed the tom to his paws and he staggered closer to the Great Rock. He looked tiny in comparison. "From this day forward, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice will be called Clawpaw." She then turned toward the twins at the front of the crowd. "Robintail, may you pass down your enthusiasm and spirit to your apprentice."

     Reedwing recieved Crabpaw as an apprentice, and Thrushspots accepted Cinderpaw as his apprentice. The last of his littermates, Crowkit, still sat silently behind his mother. Mothstar leaped from the Great Rock and Nightpaw's mind went reeling. Did Mothstar just forget about Crowkit? 

     Then Sandface took Mothstar's place on the Great Rock.

     "Cats of FireClan, as you know, I will not be around forever." The clan grimaced as they were reminded of the events of the last gathering. "It is time I took on an apprentice. This cat has shown great determination and courage," She motioned to Crowkit beneath her. "Your next medicine cat will be Crowpaw. Do you accept the post of medicine cat apprentice?"

     Crowpaw spoke for the first time since the meeting started. "I do."

     Sandface jumped on the ground a mouse length in front of him. "Good. Then at the next half-moon you must travel to the moonpool to be accepted by StarClan before the other Medicine Cats." 

     The two cats briefly touched noses before the meeting broke up and all returned to how it was.

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I'm writing chapter four right now, hopefully it's up to your standards lol. Let me know what you think below!