Softpaw's Silence

Chapter 1

aesthetic by bearforever27

It was an early greenleaf dawn, and most cats were already up and about, some sunning themselves in the light creeping through the trees and others bounding off into the forest. The kits in the nursery squealed and giggled as they annoyed their mother and leapt towards the front entrance.

"We're going to be apprentices! We're going to be apprentices!" they chanted. A sandy tabby tom and a light ginger tabby tom were leaping over each other, play-fighting and tackling the other into the ground. "Softkit, are you excited? Wait! You couldn't say! Sorry we forgot!" Birchkit giggled.

Flickeringkit leapt off him. "Hey, leave off her. It's been six moons already," he grumbled, losing his playful mood.

"Sorry..." Birchkit mumbled, looking away awkwardly. Softkit let out a silent sigh, ears drooping. Sometimes she wished she could squeal and laugh and act her age, but being unable to do those things had washed away her kithood spirit. She buried her small face into her mother's soft and safe blue-grey fur, wishing she could stay in the nursery forever. Her mother, who was staring blankly into space, bent her neck down to lick her head and nuzzle her before getting up.

The partially blind queen airily wandered over, flicking her tail to signal for her kits to come and stand beside her. "Now, now, be nice to each other. Oh, dear! You two have ruined your fur!"

The blue tabby began licking their foreheads frantically, the two toms below her groaning. Softkit tried to laugh but again nothing but air escaped her mouth, throat straining for nothing. Flickeringkit stopped his groaning and looked at her with sympathy, but before the little tom could say anything the leader cried out from the rock.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the high rock for a Clan meeting!" Rattlestar yowled. Softkit gulped as her mother nudged her forward with her head gently. The three young kits walked to the high rock for the first time, apprehensively studying how it loomed above them intimidatingly. Flickeringkit and Birchkit strutted over tails held high, whereas Softkit attempted to hide behind her mother, Rainpetal, who instead pushed her forward again next to them.

"Today these 3 kits have reached the age of 6 moons, and they are ready to become apprentices." the brown tabby leader smiled at them, but there was something in his eyes that seemed almost nervous, something Softkit had learned to observe as other cats began to discover her muteness.

Birchkit waltzed forward smugly, making some of the warriors chuckle fondly.

"Birchkit, you have reached the age of 6 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 Birchpaw. Your mentor will be Puddlespirit. A young, sleek blue-grey she-cat with bright blue eyes walked forward to greet him with excitement. "Puddlespirit, you are young but you've received excellent training from Hailpelt. You are brave and kind and I'm sure you'll pass on everything he taught you to young Birchpaw.

Birchpaw, suddenly a little more nervous walked forward slowly, and Puddlespirit smiled at him warmly, touching his nose. They moved out of the way for Flickeringkit.

Rattlestar gave Flickeringkit the same ceremony, naming him Flickeringpaw as his mother, Waveflower, smiled proudly. His mentor was Robinwind.

Finally, Softkit, for a third time having to be nudged forward by her mother walked forward, head slightly lowered as she trembled, too many eyes on her. The whispers frightened her. "How are they going to train someone who can't respond?" Another hiss answered. "Shut up!"

Rattlestar cleared his throat. "Right, Softkit, you have reached the age of six moons and it's time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Softpaw. Your mentor will be Blackfeather. I hope he'll pass on everything he knows to you.

Softpaw watched as a jet black, long furred tom with cold, icy blue, almost grey, eyes stepped forward, casting an envious look towards Birchpaw and Flickeringpaw before he turned to study her. The young she-cat continued to shake under his gaze, her mother looking on with concern.

"Blackfeather, you have taken on an apprentice before, and you are ready to do so again. You received excellent training from Oaktail, and you've shown yourself to be strong and loyal. I expect you to train Softpaw just as well as you did with Mouseflame." The black tom, who seemed almost bored, padded forward and lazily touched her nose, before dragging her off to the back of the crowd.

"Clan dismissed."