Windkit watched as Everleaf gave mysterious herbs to Flamesight. Windkit looked away. Having kits was gross. He’d learned when Echokit was born. Icekit went up and gave Flamesight a stick to bite. “Stay calm,” Everleaf repeated over and over to Flamesight, giving her herbs. “You're strong." “I’ll go get Songcloud! She’s given birth, she knows what to do,” Irismoon said, running out. “Windkit, if you’re not even going to help, get out of the den!” Icekit hissed. “But-” Windkit started. Then he saw Everleaf’s expression. He left right as Songcloud and Irismoon were entering. “Come on, you’re doing good…” he heard Everleaf mutter. “The first one’s out! A she-kit!” he heard Icekit squeal. “Keep going!” How come she gets to be in the nursery? Windkit thought, annoyed. He stuck his head in and wished he hadn’t. A small, white lump was near the base of Flamesight’s tail, covered in some substance, all slimy. Icekit nipped at it, and the cord broke. Eww. Newborn kits are gross, Windkit thought. “Another one’s coming!” This time Songcloud spoke. Flamesight grunted through the stick. “A tom!” Irismoon said excitedly. Everything was silent for a moment save Flamesight panting through the stick, then Irismoon spoke. “One more.” “Push, Flamesight!” Icekit urged. Flamesight gave another loud wail muffled by the stick. “And that’s it! The last one’s out!” Everleaf said happily. “A she-cat.” “If you want, I can give you some poppy seeds,” Irismoon said. “It will slow down the milk process, though…” “I’ll manage,” Flamesight said weakly. “Can I come in now?” Windkit asked. “Sure, fine,” Irismoon said. Windkit entered and saw that the kits were all snuggled up with their mother now. I guess they’re slightly cute, he admitted. “What are you naming them?” he asked. Flamesight shrugged. “I think the white she-kit will be Frostkit since Icekit helped me and encouraged me. Also, they look pretty much the same.” Icekit beamed with pride. Windkit glared at her, and Icekit gave him a shrug-and-look that said, it’s not my fault. Windkit shook his pelt and looked at Flamesight again. “What about the tom?” Name him after me! he hoped. “Well, Larchpelt should name the tom,” Flamesight said, looking at her mate. “I think… Skykit. He looks like he has clouds all over his pelt,” Larchpelt said. Humph, Windkit thought. “And the tortoiseshell will be Spanglekit,” Flamesight said. “They’re beautiful,” Songcloud whispered. “Honestly-” Windkit started, but Icekit kicked him with her hind leg. Icekit yawned. “Let’s just go to sleep and enjoy our last day as a kit.” She’s right, Windkit realized. Windkit woke up, ready to be apprenticed. But the place he woke up in wasn’t the nursery. “Where am I?” he wondered aloud. “This is the best forest ever! I’ll hunt here. I’m basically an apprentice, after all.” He heard a snort from behind him. “Icekit wasn’t as gullible as you.” He turned and saw a small black-and-white kit smirking at him with stars in his eyes. “Who are you?” Windkit asked. “If you think you can take over BlazeClan, you have to beat me in a fight-” He was cut off by the kit laughing. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to take over BlazeClan. And about the fight, I know all of your moves. I’m dead.” “What-” Windkit started. “Wait - Fangkit?” “What, it took you that long to figure it out?” Fangkit snickered. “Have you ever heard of a warm night?” Windkit looked up. The moon was bright and full, but it was as warm as a leafbloom day. “Icekit figured it out way faster. And I'll bet anything that Echokit will too when I visit her.” Windkit’s tail twitched. He remembered this annoying, sweet little kit from when he was 1 moon old. “I’ve got a message for you,” Fangkit announced. “I was going to visit you sooner, but I had to do Icekit first.” “So… message or no message?” “Message. About the cat whose wings will shade the forest. When you’re an adult, and actually, in your late apprenticeship, you will start to recruit cats vital to taking this cat down. Icekit will help make plans to help us through this madness. Echokit will make it all happen.” Maybe Windkit imagined it, but Fangkit’s face seemed to go dark as he said what Echokit would do. It was gone in a flash, and Windkit assumed it was a trick of the light. “Now go and become an apprentice,” Fangkit teased. “I’ll be watching.” “That’s just creepy,” Windkit said, but Fangkit was gone. The forest turned sideways, and Windkit woke up. Icekit was nudging him with her snout and poking him with her paw ferociously. Songcloud woke up and then started grooming Icekit and Windkit’s fur until it was smooth and shiny. Her tongue rasped painfully over Windkit’s ears. “Ow! Stop! That hurts!” he complained. “You will look nice if I need to make you!” “Fine,” Icekit whispered, smiling. “Let all cats old enough to get their own prey gather beneath the Bigrock for a clan meeting!” Crystalstar’s voice rang out. Cats from every den came out and sat.
“Windkit and Icekit, 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 shall be known as Windpaw and Icepaw. Three cats want to be your mentor, Windpaw. Bluedusk, Thistlestrike, and Curlgreen.” The three warriors came up and sat a couple of feet in front of him. “I choose Thistlestrike!” Windpaw declared. Crystalstar bowed her head. “Thistlestrike, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You received excellent training from Rosetuft and you have shown yourself to be courageous and vigilant. You will be the mentor of Windpaw and I expect you to pass on all you know to Windpaw.” Thistlestrike touched noses with Windpaw. “And Windpaw, in the case that, for whatever reason, Thistlestrike must stop being your mentor, who is your backup option?” Windpaw hesitated, then said, “Bluedusk.” “Bluedusk, Windpaw has chosen you as his backup mentor. Do you promise to take no apprentices until Windpaw becomes a warrior?” “I do,” Bluedusk said, smiling at Windpaw so happily that Windpaw almost wished he’d chosen her as his mentor. Windpaw was so excited! He was basically bouncing, but he had to wait for Icepaw to finish her ceremony. “Icepaw, three cats want to be your mentor. Redclay, Larchpelt, and Lilytree.” “I choose Redclay!” Icepaw meowed. “Redclay, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You received excellent training from Berryblossom and you have shown yourself to be loyal and fierce. You will be the mentor of Icepaw, and I expect you to pass all you know onto Icepaw.” Redclay touched noses with Icepaw. “Icepaw, in the case that, for whatever reason, Redclay must stop being your mentor, who is your backup mentor?” “Maybe… Larchpelt,” Icepaw decided. Windpaw was surprised. Larchpelt was the clan jerk. Maybe Icepaw thought if Larchpelt thought someone liked him, he'd be less jerky. “Larchpelt, Icepaw has chosen you as her backup mentor. Do you promise to take no apprentices until Icepaw is a warrior?” “I do, except for Icepaw in that possibility,” Larchpelt vowed. “Icepaw! Windpaw! Icepaw! Windpaw!” the crowd chanted. Echokit was cheering the loudest, louder than Songcloud even and Windpaw felt bad that she couldn’t be an apprentice with them. She will be soon, he thought, and Skykit, Frostkit, and Spanglekit need a playmate besides themselves. Previous: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/777612716 First: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/737784560/ Next: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/777615647
