The Call of the Tide

Chapter 1

(A/N) So, here's the first chapter that I was going to give you yesterday, but it was late and I'm not really allowed on my laptop that late, so I figured it would just be better and easier to post it today. Hope you enjoy!

Tidekit was bouncing on her paws, nervous but also excited about her apprentice ceremony. Her brother, Gravelkit, was standing stoically behind her. Tidekit gave an involuntary squeak, causing her mother, Moraytooth, to sigh.

"Tidekit, try to act presentable," she pleaded.

Tidekit gave a sigh of her own and sat down. She felt the sting of hurt needle its way into her heart but she brushed it aside. She was going to be an apprentice now; feeling hurt over petty things like that was for kits. All the same, she knew it was still there. She growled at it, causing her mother to sigh once again.

Finally, Sandstar leaped up onto the Callstone. Before he'd even gotten the words out of his mouth, the Clan began to gather. Tidekit dutifully restrained herself from skipping up to the base of boulder, but as she stood there next to Gravelkit, she found herself rocking on her paws. Oops, she thought. Moraytooth and Floodgaze aren't going to appreciate that. She glanced anxiously at her parents to them frowning at her. Tidekit's ears folded back in shame and her tail drooped as she put all her energy into staying still.

She almost missed Gravelkit's new name, but snapped back to attention at just the right time.

"Gravelpaw! Gravelpaw!"

Oh, mouse dung! I didn't hear who his mentor is!

She watched as Gravelpaw went to sit with Darkwater.

Oh, okay. That's great! A bit disappointing because she's so nice and I was hoping to get her, but Gravelpaw will work well with her personality.

She heard her name being called. She glanced up and realized that she was supposed to go and touch noses with her mentor. Ugh, I'm such a feather-brain!

She tiptoed forward, eyes searching Dunemist's face for any sign of annoyance. There was none. She heaved a silent sigh of relief. I must've snapped to it at the right time. They touched noses and when they stepped back, Dunemist looked warmly at her.

"You're doing great," she whispered.

Tidekit's tail perked up when she heard that.

"Tidepaw! Tidepaw!"

Yes! I'm an apprentice! I! Am! Tidepaw!

She woke up in the apprentice den and blinked the sleep away before nudging her brother awake.

"Leave me alone! Let me sleep!" he whined.

"We aren't kits anymore; we have actual duties now," Tidepaw reminded him.

"Well they can wait!" he snapped, shifting position in his nest.

"Even if we're planning on showing you the territory?" Darkwater's voice held great amusement as she poked her head into the den.

"Ugh, fine." Gravelpaw faked annoyance as he stood up and stretched, but Tidepaw could see the spark of excitement in her brother's mismatched eyes.

The two apprentices scurried out and hurried up to Darkwater and Dunemist.

"Do you want to eat before we head out? It's a long walk," Darkwater warned.

"That would be great, thanks Darkwater," Tidepaw said.

"What would be great?" Gravelpaw asked, tilting his head at his sister.

"Darkwater said we can eat before heading out."

"Oh. I didn't hear." He turned and headed for the fresh kill pile, Tdepaw right at his heels. She was used to Gravelpaw not hearing things that happened right next to him. Most cats found it unnerving, but she'd grown up with him and so she didn't give it a second thought.

As they crouched down to eat, she could hear their mentors talking quietly among themselves. She couldn't hear all of what they said, but she knew what they were saying anyways.

Why wasn't Gravelpaw training to be a medicine cat? Was StarClan speaking to him right then? Could he be a special cat? These questions were asked almost daily from the first moment that Gravelkit had turned and saw his mother trying to scold him and he politely said, "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you. What did you say?" He'd been deemed special from the time he first opened his eyes and one was blue and the other was green, but this polite statement and question led almost all the Clan to believe that StarClan must be speaking to him.

Tidepaw felt the familiar stab of panic at the thought of how much better her brother was, how much more mature. How was she ever going to reach that level of calm and self-assuredness? He already acted moons older than he was. Tidepaw felt herself falling behind, and their training was still to come.

Is it true what everyone says about me? Am I ready?