Twilightclan: Dark Uprising Pg. 6

        Ivorypaw blinked in surprise. "Expecting me?" The old tom didn't speak, just pulled some yellow flowers out of his herb store and began sorting them carefully. Ivorypaw glanced over his shoulder nervously, then quickly looked back. "Expecting me?"
       
      Mitetail looked up, his mouth oozing with a yellow pulp as he chewed up the herbs. "Yeah." Was all the old cat said.
      Again, the young tom was confused and it was obvious by the peculiar expression on his face. Rough paws gripped him and began to rub the spit and herbs into his wounds. Ivorypaw couldn't help but pull away; the stinging of his wounds was half of it, but mostly he was apprehensive by what Mitetail meant. Why would he expect me? 
      "Would you stop squirming? Do you want to be healed or not?" Mitetail picked up another acrid plant. "The next test will be harder." Ivorypaw pricked his ears, forcing himself to stay still as the herbs were applied.
      "How do you know about the tests? Why were you expecting me?!" The young Apprentice lost his patience. Mitetail gave a long sigh, sat back, licked a paw, and eyed Ivorypaw quizzically.
      "So you really are clueless?" When Ivorypaw didn't answer, the Medicine cat continued. "Weaselstar chose Blackclaw to be your mentor for a reason-"
      "What, what reason!?" Ivorypaw felt his heart thud in his chest. Was he special? Stronger, faster, smarter than the other Apprentices? Mitetail's bright blue eyes darkened.
      "Don't interrupt. Some Apprentices are chosen to be mentored by certain Warriors. Weaselstar mentors many Apprentices, along with Blackclaw, Bramblestripe and Rosenight." Mitetail peered outside the den for a moment, almost nervously. His voice lowered as he continued. "These Apprentices become elite Warriors. " Ivorypaw need not hear anymore. He was elite! Weaselstar chose him especially, how could he not become leader? The young tom was on his paws, rushing around the den with thoughts of glory flying through his head.
      Mitetail hissed as the young cat stepped on his grizzled tail. "Ivorypaw! Ivorypaw, you don't understand. Being elite isn't a good thing-" The old tom's shoulders stooped and he gave up. Ivorypaw was saying something about Twilight Rock and looking over the clan. Both cats froze when a tawny Warrior walked into the dark stone den.
      "Mitetail." Blackclaw greeted the Medicine Cat with little interest. "Ivorypaw, are your...wounds tended to?" His deep voice was sonorous against the cave walls. Ivorypaw, with the new knowledge of his superiority, stood tall and spoke with certainty.
      "Mitetail was just tending to them for me." Ivorypaw flicked an ear. "Why?" His mentor narrowed dark eyes.
      "You need to rest for tonight. The next test wont be easy." With that the tom left, leaving Mitetail and Ivorypaw awkwardly silent. Mitetail finished treating the brown tabby tom's wounds, without a word, and then sent him away with the flick of a large paw. Outside, Ivorypaw saw Glowpaw and Whisperpaw chatting over a large vole.
      Ivorypaw walked over, his wounds forgotten, holding his head high. When he reached the two she-cats, he rolled his shoulders, flexing his muscles, and mewed smoothly, "I'm going to the Gathering tonight." His sister looked at him with a mocking glare. There's no way I wont pass the second test.
     "Right. Like Weaselstar would take you." The brown tabby she-cat gave him a shove, which he tried his best to stand against. Glowpaw's clear gray-blue eyes brightened.
     "You really are!? oh, I wish I could go...." The newly Apprenticed she-cat mewed pathetically. Ivorypaw purred, joy filling him. It didn't matter if his sister believed it or not; Glowpaw did. He was stronger than Whisperpaw, stronger than Glowpaw! Superior. Elite! The rest of the night slid by slowly, and Ivorypaw found sleep was the only way to pass the time. His dreams were filled with images of dark cats bowing before him, which he was partly frightened by; partly empowered.
      

      "Ivorypaw!" Out of habit, the young Apprentice was on his paws in a heart-beat. It wasn't Blackclaw this time, but his father. Or step father... Fallenshadow entered the den, having to crouch a little, and sat beside his son gingerly. Ivorypaw eyed his father. Should I even call him that? He was reminded of their encounter earlier, after the tabby tom had completed his first test. Somehow, the gray Warrior had known that the test had taken place, and that it was bloody. He had been alarmed by his wounds, but not surprised. Ivorypaw thought back to Mitetail's words. Are you really clueless? Some Apprentices are chosen to be mentored by certain Warriors. If the Medicine Cat said he was clueless, did that mean everybody else in the clan knew about his violent training? No one had seemed surprised by his wounds.
     "How are your wounds?" Fallenshadow's voice drew Ivorypaw out of his thoughts. He tested out his limbs, wincing at the sting of torn flesh. He tried to cover it up with a yawn.
     "Fine."
      "Ivorypaw." Fallenshadow narrowed his eyes and, even though Ivorypaw was older, it still had the effect of when he was a kit.
      "Okay, okay...It hurts a little." Ivorypaw gave in to licking the scratches and bites, yelping softly between strokes. He felt Fallenshadow press against him, his fear scent evident.
      "You don't need to do this. Just wait to go to the Gathering like every other young Apprentice does, Ivorypaw!" Ivorypaw pulled away from his father, green eyes flashing. How could he say something like that? He was elite! He needed to go to this Gathering! Fallenshadow could tell he had angered his son, for his eyes studied the ground as he searched for words. There was no time for that.
       "I'm going! I'm going to take that test and I will pass!" The young cat marched out of the den, again his wounds forgotten, and avoided all cats that he knew would ask him about his health. Again he wondered how they all knew about his tests when he had thought it was secret. No one ever talks about it; Fallenshadow only speaks of it in private. Mitetail did as well. If he were older, maybe he would have realized the umbrage situation, but instead he simply cast the thought aside.
        Whisperpaw padded into camp with Casey following her. The ginger Warrior looked angry, her fat body hidden by bristling fur. "How could you be training with Bramblestripe? I'm your mentor!" Ivorypaw's sister spun around to face the tabby, her green eyes flaring with irritation.
         "Because I'm not learning anything from you! Your nothing but a kitty-pet and I don't want to learn how to preen about two-legs and be fat and lazy!"  As soon as the words were said, it appeared the young she-cat looked guilty, but it was too late. Casey's pale eyes filled with hurt, her mouth opened, then closed; she walked away to no place in particular. Whisperpaw watched her helplessly. The brown tabby she-cat spotted her brother, but so did Blackclaw.
         "It's time for your second test." His mentor meowed. Ivorypaw looked at the darkening sky. Soon all light would be beyond the horizon and the stars would light the tangled undergrowth in an erie glow. He glanced at Whisperpaw, who had begun to approach him, glancing to where her mentor sat; shoulders slouched and ears flat. Blackclaw spoke again, seeing how the young tom wanted to help his sister through his green eyes.
         "Her problems aren't important! Weaselstar said the test will be now. If you miss it," His voice was a whisper now, ringing in the young tom's ears. "You'll miss the Gathering." Ivorypaw's eyes met his sister's, the she-cat looking pathetically guilty as she headed to her brother for support, but he turned and began walking out of camp. Whisperpaw stopped as he walked straight past her, Blackclaw at his side, and watched as he left without a word. She knew he had seen the fight and knew he had purposefully ignored her. The brown and tawny tail tips disapeared into the darkness.