CHAPTER 1
Letting out a weary sigh, I padded to the rotting stump at the edge of the camp. Climbing on top of it, I kept my gaze firm on the three kits running around, playing hunter. The blackish-blue kit with an off-white heart on his left flank, Sorrelkit, pounced onto the brown tabby called Dustkit. Nightingalekit, a tom with a too complex pattern for me to describe, was running behind the two, shouting for Dustkit to get back up and fight Sorrelkit.
I shifted my paws, my gaze moving to the medicine cat, Salmondream, and the deputy, Ghosttail. The two of them moved a bunch of herbs I never learned the names of into the medicine den. I frowned when I saw a leaf full of red berries, ones I was warned against eating as a younger apprentice. I glared at the berries, shouldn't it be dangerous for us to keep those berries with so many kits and so few adults? Whatever, it's not like I'd suffer the consequences if one of the kits, like Dustkit, got a hold of them.
I suppose I was so caught up in my thoughts, that I didn't realize it when my leader and mentor, Tadpolestar, approached me and sat beside my rotten stump.
"Watching other's activities instead of engaging in your own again?" She turned to me, giving me a small smile. My whiskers twitched, and I turned my head away from her, flattening my ears. "I'm just making sure the kits are okay. Isn't it dangerous for yew berries to be transported whilst the kits are still up and about?"
Tadpolestar merely let out a chuckle at my worriedness. Meowing, she told me, "It's fine. Dustkit and Nightingalekit are soon to become apprentices, and Nightingalekit is constantly watching Sorrelkit, ensuring the small tom doesn't hurt himself. I don't think it'll be an issue." Her words didn't cause my worriedness to cease, yet they did ease it if only a bit.
Turning my head back to her, I decided to change the subject.
"When shall I become a warrior? I believe the clan could use somecat more than just a deputy to carry out patrols. Besides, I'm fourteen moons now anyways," I mewed, perking my ears towards the sky as I patiently awaited for her response.
She paused, furrowing her brows as she took a moment to think.
"You've been doing excellent with your training, and I suppose compared to the apprentices I mentored in the old clan you are older than one would be to still be considered an apprentice." She let out a small meow, chuckling lightly.
"Alright, when Nightingalekit and Dustkit become apprentices I'll make you into a warrior, and even assign you one of them. How does that sound?"
I blinked a couple of times. I hadn't actually expected Tadpolestar to listen to me. But I wasn't about to lose this chance. "Deal!"
