Jaggedstar's Choice {COMPLETE}

Chapter 4

  Jaggedkit sat in the sunlight, peering out into the Clan camp. The snow was slowly starting to melt, and newleaf was finally here. He breathed in the fresh air, thankful that it didn't burn and sting his nose. It had been a moon since Robinkit's death, and the three kits were only days away from becoming apprentices. He wasn't sure how he felt about it, he couldn't stop thinking of the fact that Robinkit would never receive her apprentice name.

He stared at his paws, unable to focus on anything else. Behind him, Jaggedkit heard pawsteps. He lifted his head and glanced behind him, it was Elmkit. "Hey." He mewed, his voice low.

"Hi." Jaggedkit sighed.

"Thinking about Robinkit?"

"Always." Jaggedkit looked out towards the sky.

"Me too." Elmkit's gaze was distant. "But we'll be apprentices in a few days, we will have a duty to our Clan."

"I know."

"We can't let this distract us from our duties," Elmkit mewed, sounding a lot more mature than he looked. Jaggedkit turned his head to look at his friend. "Robinkit would want us to become warriors, for her. Before she died, Robinkit and I had talked about becoming leader. I don't think she wanted to, but she wanted me to."

"I know you could become leader." Jaggedkit mewed. "You're incredible."

"What about you?" Elmkit questioned curiously. "Do you want to be leader?"

"Maybe." Jaggedkit shrugged.

"Well, how about this: If I become leader, I'll make you my deputy and you become leader you'll make me your deputy."

Jaggedkit purred at the thought of leading LichenClan with his best friend. "It's a deal."

****

"If you don't calm down then I can't smoothe down your fur!" Fawnsky complained as Maplekit squirmed under her.

"You didn't wash, Jaggedkit's fur!" She pointed with one paw towards Jaggedkit who sat beside a freshly groomed Elmkit beside Mosswing.

"That's not true!" Jaggedkit complained, puffing out his spiky fur.

"I tried to," Fawnsky replied with a hefty lick to Maplekit's head. "There's no smoothing down that fur, I just hope they'll go away." She purred with amusement and lightly pushed Maplekit towards Elmkit and Jaggedkit. "Now go out there! It's time!"

The three kits looked at each other, sharing looks of excitement and bounded out of the nursery into the LichenClan camp. Jaggedkit breathed in the fresh air of newleaf and walked side by side with his sister and best friends towards the High Stump in the middle of camp. Birdstar noticed them from her den and began walking there as well.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around the High Stump for a Clan meeting!" Her voice echoed throughout the camp, calling the cats of LichenClan to the center. Jaggedkit felt both nerves and excitement tingling in his paws with each step. Today was they day they would finally become apprentices! Deep inside him, however, there was a longing for Robinkit. He wanted so badly for her to experience this ceremony alongside her family, but he remembered his and his denmates' promise: to be happy for Robinkit, for she was watching them from StarClan.

Jaggedkit sat in between Elmkit and Maplekit before Birdstar. Elmkit held his head high and his amber eyes shimmered and Maplekit's eyes glittered with excitement. Jaggedkit held himself high beside them as Birdstar began to speak.

"Today is proud day for LichenClan, by naming apprentices we show that we remain strong for many moons to come. These kits have waited six long moons and it's time for them to receive their apprentice names." Birdstar's amber eyes glowed brightly. "Elmkit, from this day forward until you have earned you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Elmpaw." Elmpaw's eyes glowed brighter than the sun. "Skytail, you have proven to be a strong and resourceful warrior and I know you will be a wonderful mentor to Elmpaw."