Ivorykit growled as his mother's tongue ruffled up the spiky fur atop his head, smoothing it down for a second before it popped right back up.
"Oh, my poor little tom. This tuft here just wont stay down!" Nightpelt fretted, licking him so hastily that the broad shouldered tom fell over.
"Mom! Cut it out, I look fine." He shoved her away, leaping out of the den and racing to the fresh-kill pile. He looked around the camp, seeing the huge split boulder with its smooth silver top. Ivorykit had learned that it was the Leader's den and more than anything he wanted to take a look inside. As the dark brown tabby crept toward the massive cave, there was a tug on his tail.
"Where are you off to whirl-wind?"
Ivorykit froze, turning slowly to look at who had gripped his tail. "Oh, dad....I was just taking a peek."
Fallenshadow's gray eyes softened and he purred. "I don't think Weaselstar would like that. You might mess up his nest." Ivorykit growled, crouched and pounced on his father. He was smaller than the great silver tom, but one day they would match in size. "Whoa-whoa! Let's not wrestle now, your mother just groomed you."
"Aw, who cares how I look? What matters is that I'm going to be an Apprentice today! I wonder who my mentor will be...." Ivorykit looked around camp with narrowed eyes. He spotted Frogwhisker heading out with Beetlepaw. Obviously that couldn't be his mentor. Spiketail, who really did have quite a spiky tail, was talking with Owlwhisker. Both of which might be a possibility, but Ivorykit's eyes were locked on another cat.
Blackclaw was entering camp with Spottednight, Jayflight, and Ravenpelt. The lean muscled tawny tom was ordering the three to get some fresh-kill then rest. His distinct black toes were the only thing that stood out among his sleek tawny fur. "Blackclaw is the best Warrior in the clan! I hope he's my mentor."
Fallenshadow shuffled his paws. "Well, I'm a pretty good warrior too?" Ivorykit looked at his father, suddenly feeling guilty, but realized the silver Warrior was just kidding.
"Your not going to get the best mentor in the clan, I am." Whisperkit padded forward, her dark brown tabby pelt and emerald eyes almost exactly matching his own. Ivorykit snorted playfully.
"Yeah, right! Your to.....to much of a kitty-pet!" Just as Ivorykit said it the two siblings broke out in a scuffle. Fallenshadow frowned, his tail tip flicking nervously.
"Maybe one of you two will be my Apprentice?" Ivorykit and Whisperkit looked up from their mock battle to see a dark brown tabby tom approaching them. His green eyes flicked to Fallenshadow, as if taunting him to say something. The silver warrior stiffened.
"Over my dead body, Bramblestripe."
"Oh, that can be arranged."
Ivorykit felt the tension crackling in the air as Nightpelt walked up. Her amber eyes were filled with concern as she stepped between the two toms. "The ceremony is starting, so stop acting like rivals and be proud this clan has two strong new Apprentices."
Weaselstar's dark brown pelt was glowing silver in the half-light. His dark brown eyes barely stood out against his sleek fur, making them look like dark holes in his face. Ivorykit felt his fur bristling with excitement. He was actually going to talk to Weaselstar! Sure, he didn't really get to say anything but he would get the chance to show his leader what a great cat he was! Whisperkit was also fluffed up beside him.
"By naming Apprentices we show that Twilightclan is and always will be growing stronger. Ivorykit and Whisperkit, step forward." Ivorykit was surprised his paws moved as he gazed in awe at his leader, standing up tall on the Twilight Rock. The ledge glowed a brilliant silver in the starlight and Ivorykit could just imagine himself standing up there. Ivorystar....Thats a nice name.
"Whisperkit, until you complete your Warrior training you will be known as Whisperpaw." The brown tabby she-cat's green eyes lit up as she stood infront of her clan mates. She scanned the clearing and Ivorykit knew she was looking for who her mentor would be. Don't be Blackclaw! "Your mentor will be Casey. Teach her your compassion and bravery."
A chubby white spotted she-cat stepped forward, a bit clumsily. Her pale amber eyes were filled with pride as she touched noses with her Apprentice, but Ivorykit could see the horror and disappointment on his sister's face. "Ivorykit, until you complete your Warrior training you will be known as Ivorypaw." Ivorypaw felt his heart beat up in his throat as he could barely make out Weaselstar's narrowed eyes. After a pause, the brown tom continued. "Blackclaw will be your mentor. Teach this young tom your skill in battle and your loyalty."
Ivorypaw felt as though he was going to fly right up to the stars he was so happy. Blackclaw made his way through the crowd, blue eyes bright with curiosity. The Warrior touched noses to his Apprentice, who was holding back from cheering his own name, and then stepped back as his clan mates yowled Ivorypaw! Whisperpaw! Ivorypaw nuzzled his clan mates as they came up and congratulated him, each one bright with enthusiasm and pride. He waited for Weaselstar to give his congratulations, but the great brown tom just hopped down and entered his den with Blackclaw on his heels. Odd...
"Great. Casey. Casey of all the cats! She's just a stupid kitty-pet! And a fat one at that!"
Ivorypaw felt sympathy for his sister. "She's been a Warrior for a whole Leaf-Bare. If she survived it, then she must be qualified..."
"She survived it because she had so much blubber to keep her going! How can a clumsy kitty-pet teach me good fighting skills. Much less good hunting techniques." Whisperpaw's green eyes flared with irritation as she clawed up the moss in her new nest. Ivorypaw spun in a circle once then settled down in his own nest. Just as he was about to tune out his sister's ranting, Blackclaw stuck his head into the den.
"Don't be lazy Ivorypaw, up!" Ivorypaw felt startled.
"It's dark now, shouldn't I sleep so we can train early tomorrow?"
Blackclaw's fur bristled on his shoulders. "What are you, Sunclan?" He spat, "We are Twilightclan. We are the night hunters."
Ivorypaw was on his paws in a heart-beat. "Okay, sorry! Let's go." He glanced at Whisperpaw as he left the den, but she refused to look at him and he could tell by her bristling fur that she was burning with envy. He spotted Casey's tail as it disappeared into the Warriors den and realized his sister was going to miss out on training tonight. Why did Weaselstar have to give Whisperpaw a former kitty-pet to mentor her!? His sympathy for Whisperpaw quickly faded as he raced through the forest with Blackclaw.
The tawny tom was so quick and silent on his paws. Not even the bracken stirred as he passed it. Ivorypaw wanted to prove he could keep up, but his paws kept stepping on twigs and his fur kept getting snagged on thorns. This is my first time out of camp. Can't he slow down! Suddenly, the light tail tip Ivorypaw had been following disappeared. He slowed to a stop, looking around at the dark, tangled undergrowth that surrounded him. How can my own territory be so scary! "Blackclaw?"
Fear scent began to fill the air as Ivorypaw spun in circles, feeling like someone was always watching his back. "Blackclaw!?" There was no warning as Ivorypaw was slammed to the ground. Something heavy had landed on his back from the tree tops, and now claws were pricking his shoulders. "Reow!" Ivorypaw writhed around, but the weight upon him was so intense, all he could do was try to keep breathing as it crushed on his chest.
Green eyes searching for something, anything, anyone to help him, he spotted the attacker's hind paw. It was resting on a large, smooth stick laying across the ground. In a last attempt to free himself, feeling jaws clamp on his spine, Ivorypaw gripped the stick with his jaws and ripped it out from under the attackers paw. The weight was immediately lifted from his back as the cat fell off balance, hissing with pain, and he struggled to his paws ready to run away back to camp. Ivorypaw looked back to see his mentor licking his injured hind paw. "Blackclaw?"
"Gosh, kid. Your smarter than I thought." The tawny tom seemed to have lost all aggression, but he found himself unable to trust the shadow-like warrior. "I was testing your ambush counter attack skills. Thats the most important thing to know at night." He purred in amusement. "That, and ambushing."
Ivorypaw sat, turning his head to lick his shoulders. "Your claws were out!"
"Yeah, so?"
Ivorypaw turned to stare at his mentor in shock. "Isn't that wrong?"
"Only if your weak. Are you weak, Ivorypaw." Blackclaw narrowed his icy blue eyes. "If so, I can always tell Weaselstar you need a new mentor. Maybe Casey can be yours and I'll be Whisperpaw's."
Ivorypaw filled with panic. "No! I'm going to be the greatest Warrior! I need you to train me, so I can be leader one day..." Blackclaw pricked his ears, testing out his dark hind paw.
"Leader huh? Well that's some dream, but I can help you reach it. All you have to do is do exactly what I say when I say it."
"Sure, I'll do it!" Blackclaw purred, his eyes narrowing.
"Good. Let's try that ambush counter attack again."
No comments:
Post a Comment