Warriors: Rainfeather's Honor

Chapter One

"They crept around the Adder Rocks, sneaking up on the SummerClan invaders. But, little did they know, another SummerClan patrol was waiting for them up on the Rocks. Luckily, Springstar heard them and they chased those flea-bags right off our territory!"

Rainkit jumped up. "Tell us another story, Bluegrass!"

Floodkit and Stormkit leaped to their paws as well. "Yes, tell us another!"

The old gray she-cat called Bluegrass yawned. "I don't think so, youngsters. I need my nap. Run along back to your mother." The elder got up and went back into her den.

Torrentkit hung his head in disappointment. He loved the stories more than the rest of his littermates, but he never begged for another. Now, the tom-kit got to his paws and started walking to the nursery.

Rainkit looked around camp, trying to find something to do. Just then, a patrol padded through the thorn tunnel. "The border patrol is back!" Rainkit squealed. She and her littermates stampeded towards the patrol, which was made up of two warriors, Bloomclaw and Swiftsprout, and their apprentices, Rushpaw and Stonepaw.

The kits launched themselves onto Swiftsprout; he was their father's brother. The light ginger warrior staggered and fell over exaggeratedly. "Ah," he moaned. "You've killed me."

"That's what you get, you WinterClan warrior!" Stormkit yelled.

"Do you see any more WinterClan warriors?" Floodkit asked as she peered around camp.

Rainkit's gaze swept over the glade that was SpringClan's camp. Small trees surrounded the clearing, forming a natural barrier between the camp and the forest. The roots of the trees came up from the ground, arching before re-entering the soil. These root caverns made perfect dens once they were covered with ferns leaves and brambles.

The she-kit's eyes landed on Beesting, the Clan deputy, beside the fresh-kill pile. "There!" She pointed with her tail. The horde of kits streaked across camp to the yellow tom. Rainkit pounced on his black-and-yellow striped tail.

"Do you need help?" A small yellow she-cat approached them.

"I think so, Wasppaw. These warriors are much too fierce for me." Beesting flattened himself to the ground so his daughter could take the kits off. Wasppaw opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, a strict voice called from the nursery.

"Kits! Come here right now!" Featherbreeze was standing in the entrance to the nursery with Torrentkit, her eyes stern. Rainkit, Stormkit, and Floodkit hung their heads and walked meekly back to their mother.

"I hope you weren't bothering Beesting. He's much too busy to play with you. Besides, you need to groom yourselves. It's an important day after all." Featherbreeze set herself upon her kits, licking all the dirt and burrs out of their fur.

Strikepelt entered the nursery. "It's time," he said. Right at that moment there was a yowl from outside.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around the Springtree!"

Featherbreeze finished grooming all four of her kits and ushered them out of the den. Rainkit walked beside her brother, Stormkit. Strikepelt was in front of them, with Torrentkit and Floodkit behind, and Featherbreeze bringing up the rear. They stopped just before they reached the Springtree, the lone tree that stood in the glade. Its low branches made it perfect for Clan meetings.

Blossomstar stood on one of those low branches now. She spoke as soon as the four kits and their parents sat in front of the tree.

"As you all know, the making of apprentices is one of the most important ceremony in a cat's life. Today, we are lucky, as four of our kits will be made apprentices. But first, let us remember Owlkit, lost to us by sickness. We still mourn him."

The whole Clan looked to the sky, as though searching for the kit who had died just a moon after Rainkit and her littermates were born. A sobbing yowl came from Willowbud, and Foxfang and Wolfpaw hung their heads.

Blossomstar continued. "But we shall celebrate new life. I'm pleased to announced that Streamheart is moving to the nursery to have her and Reedflow's kits." The mottled silver she-cat ducked her head as the Clan murmured its approval and Reedflow's chest puffed up with pride.

Will I ever have kits? Rainkit wondered. And if I do, who would I have them with? The Clan was young, and still very small. Most toms already had mates or were way older than her.

Blossomstar's voice broke into her thoughts. "Lets get on with the ceremony. Stormkit, Rainkit, Torrentkit, and Floodkit. You are ready to become SpringClan apprentices. Stormkit, come forward."

Stormkit moved confidently towards his leader. "From this day forward, you will be known as Stormpaw." She paused and glanced around at the Clan. Her gaze stopped at Foxfang.

"Foxfang will be your mentor." To Foxfang, she said, "I trust you to teach him well and pass on your cunning and fine hunting skills." Foxfang stepped forward and Stormpaw scampered to touch noses with him.

Poor Stormpaw. Foxfang is scary.

"Rainkit, step forward." Rainkit did as she was told and waited nervously for Blossomstar to pick her mentor.

"From this day forward, you shall be known as Rainpaw. Your mentor will be Beesting. I know that he will teach you how to use your intellect and courage wisely and channel your energy into hunting and fighting."

Rainpaw moved to touch noses with her new mentor.

The Clan deputy is my mentor! Deputies usually didn't have apprentices, unless they were the Clan leader's kits. The ceremony continued on, until Torrentpaw was apprenticed to Thrushswoop and Floodpaw's mentor was Doeleap. When the Clan began to disperse, Beesting turned to Rainpaw.

"You can go make your nest in the apprentice den. Then, get something to eat and we'll go tour the territory." Rainpaw froze, suddenly overwhelmed by all that came with being an apprentice. Beesting seemed to sense her apprehension. He placed his black-and-yellow tail on her shoulder.

"You'll do fine. I've seen you stalk leaves and play-fight with your brothers. You're very smart and I'm sure you will be a warrior before you know it." He nodded to her and swept off towards Blossomstar.

Rainpaw, feeling better now, turned to the apprentices den to pick out a place for her new nest.