Post by *Dapplepool* on Mar 3, 2021 21:17:43 GMT -5
Chapter 6 Brightpaw was tired. All day she had to find new herbs to replace the old ones, soaked from the melted snow. Her brother, Nettlepaw, had slipped, skidded, and wrenched his paw in a hole when he tried to get up. It was silly of his mentor, Oakbranch to take him battle training in such dangerous conditions. Then again, he didn’t seem like his normal self. With Finchtail dying, he must feel bad. Brightpaw was lucky that she was a medicine cat and that she didn’t have to worry about such things. Just as she left the den, she saw her mother, Shinespot, and her father, Runningfoot. “Mom, Dad, do you need something?” She asked. “We have something to tell you.” Runningfoot said. “We are going to have another litter of kits. You will have little brothers or sisters. Or both.” Shinespot finished. Brightpaw was shocked. More kits? She already had the prophecy to figure out. Her mind was full of thoughts and worries, but all she could say was “When are you going to the nursery?” to Shinespot. “In about a moon.” Her mother replied. Then she seemed to notice the concern on Brightpaw’s face. “Don’t worry Brightpaw, we have already told your brother. We want you to know that we will not love you any less. We will just share our love with your little siblings once we have them.” Shinespot said calmly. “Now, you look exhausted. Come, let’s have that squirrel that I saw on the freshkill pile. As a family.” Said Runningfoot. “A prophecy? And you didn’t tell me this earlier because?” Shadowstar said impatiently. It had been a long day. The weather was gloomy, with the rain falling, the ground cold and muddy, and the smells hidden by a strong mist. The prey were in their holes, and all the herbs were too wet to be of use. And she was supposed to keep the cats together, in this miserable weather. But it had gone on for too long, and cats were getting grumpy. Being a leader was hard. Shadowstar missed being the deputy. She missed the old leader, Sandstar. Her mother. She missed her badly. Snowberry’s voice brought her back to reality. “We didn’t want you to worry. You are a new leader. You have your clan to support. You don’t need a prophecy to weigh you down too.” “Well, you need to tell me. Any idea of what it could mean?” Shadowstar said, trying not to yowl her frustration to the whole clan. “It could be referring to the cats of each clan that have a type of bird in their names, but there are to many to single out. I think we need a sign to see who they are. As for the mist, we have no idea.” Snowberry said calmly. “But we might see something at the half moon meeting tonight.” Said Fidgitpaw. “You better tell me if you do.” Shadowstar said sternly. “Yes, Shadowstar.” Snowberry said. Then they turned and left. As Shadowstar lay in her nest, trying to think, Foglily, her deputy and close friend came in. “Our patrols have managed to smell a badger through all of this thick mist. I think it may be the same one as the one Windclan chased off.” She said. “Foglily, how do you do it?” Shadowstar said softly. “How do I do what?” Foglily replied. “Be so bright when the world seems like a storm. Float even though you could sink under all your troubles.” Shadowstar said tiredly. Foglily thought for a moment, then said “It is hard, but I have to try to see all the good in life. I still feel pain and sadness like anyone else, but it isn’t as hard. I am alive, you are alive, we have our clan, our friends with us, we aren’t starving, we have plenty of water, and we are safe and healthy. And…” She added softly, “We can still have fun! Come on! Let’s go for a hunt! It will brighten your mood!” “But…” Shadowstar said. “It helps. It has always helped, and it always will.” Foglily said. “Alright. You have won.” Shadowstar said. “Foglily, you always have the best advice, my friend. I will let the clan know that we will try to catch something in this sea of mist.” “I bet we can!” Foglily said, her voice like the song of a bird, waking a part of Shadowstar long gone. The part of her that she had abandoned long ago. The part of her that longed for fun.
Post by *Dapplepool* on Mar 7, 2021 14:58:10 GMT -5
Chapter 7 Mistykit was looking at the dew. Finally, there had been a break in the clouds, and she could see the morning dew sparkle in the sun. It was nothing like the snow, that just seemed to shine a brighter white when hit with a light, nor was it like ice. It was something on it’s own, sparkling in faint colours as the sunlight grew. She looked for a moment more, then fliked her tail. The dew rose and formed into the shape of a cat. A cat of water and swirling colours. Some dew hung around like a faint mist, adding some extra colour. She watched the dew-cat leap, and run, then with another flick of her tail, it broke back into dewdrops, and fell to the ground. It would be another full moon tonight, and she hoped that the weather would stay like this so that she could see the stars again. Bouncekit was chatting with Starlingsong about the best way to use water, as a defence against non swimming cats, or as an attack to stun the opponent with the cold. Dawnkit was pretending to fight a badger, that she had heard might attack, but hadn’t yet come. Palemoon was staying in camp, waiting for the thing she had waited for for a long time. The apprentice ceremony. Today was exactly six moons since that clear night that Mistykit, Dawnkit, and Bouncekit were born. Mistykit didn’t have to wait any longer because there came Shadowstar’s call. “All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the waterstone for a clan meeting.” As the cats gathered, Mistykit felt her excitement grow. She was going to become an apprentice with her siblings! Shadowstar began “It has been a hard leafbare, as always, but we have gotten through it. And, as the trees are budding new leaves, our clan is making new apprentices. Mitykit, step forwards.” Mistykit did as she was told and tried to look as calm as possible. A nod from her mother told her she was succeeding. “Mistykit, you have reached the age of six 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 Mistypaw. Your mentor will be Featherheart. I hope Featherheart will pass down all she knows on to you.” The young silver tabby warrior stepped forwards. She had only been made a warrior three moons before Starlingsong and Darkclaw. “Featherheart, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Primrosepetal, and you have shown yourself to be skillful at hunting and resilient. You will be the mentor of Mistypaw, and I expect you to pass on those qualities to her.” Featherheart and Mistykit touched noses. “I am thankful to be your mentor, Mistykit.” Featherheart said softly. “Dawnkit, step forwards.” Shadowstar resumed. Dawnkit took some excited steps forwards. Her fur fluffed up a bit. Her eyes shone. “Dawnkit, you have reached the age of six 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 Dawnpaw. Your mentor will be Darkclaw. I hope Darkclaw will pass down all he knows on to you.” Shadowstar said. She turned to Darkclaw, his yellow eyes shining like the sun. “Darkclaw, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Bramblestripe, and you have shown yourself to be a strong fighter and a brave warrior. You will be the mentor of Dawnpaw, and I expect you to pass on those qualities to her.” “I will.” Darkclaw said before touching noses with Dawnpaw. “I will train you well.” He said. “Bouncekit, step forwards.” Shadowstar said. Bouncekit stepped forwards with the bounce in his step he was named for. “Bouncekit, you have reached the age of six 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 Bouncepaw. Your mentor will be Starlingsong. I hope Starlingsong will pass down all he knows on to you.” Shadowstar said. “Starlingsong, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Dovefeather, and you have shown yourself to be calm in stressful times, and a strong warrior. You will be the mentor of Bouncepaw, and I expect you to pass on those qualities to him.” “I promise I will train him to the best of my abilities.” Starlingsong said, then touched noses with Bouncepaw. “I will be the best mentor that I can be for you.” Starlingsong whispered just before Shadowstar began to speak again. “These new apprentices are the future of our clan. Train them well.” Shadowstar looked at the mentors and apprentices, then said “One more thing. Now that your kits are apprentices Palemoon, I trust that you will be returning to your warrior duties, correct?” “Yes, I will be happy to.” Palemoon said. Shadowstar nodded, then said “This meeting is at an end.” She turned to Foglily. “Foglily, you can send out the patrols.” Foglily nodded, then said. “Bramblestripe, Dovefeather, Palemoon and Rushstep, you can be our hunting patrol. Now that prey is beginning to come out of their burrows, we need cats to catch them.” As the cats began to leave, Featherheart turned to Mistypaw. “I think we should take you and your siblings on a tour of the territory. Then we can renew the borders. How does that sound?” “Perfect! I’ll go tell the others!” Mistypaw said. Now that she was an apprentice, a new adventure would start for her. And now was the time for it to begin.