Ch.7: Blood Promise
It was a beautiful day. Sandkit and her siblings were resting with their proud mother Goldenflower. They were about three moons old; still small. No matter what their size, they were frisky when awake. Goldenflower was always happy and relieved when they slept. It meant she had a break from them.
One-eye padded over to the queen.
"You should get some exercise while they sleep. I'll watch them."
The queen nodded to her and then padded out into the bright, morning sun as One-eye curled up in Goldenflower's nest by the kits to keep them warm, tail around them. It was a wonder they didn't get over exhausted like their mother. What with their energeticness and friskiness.
Sandkit, Spottedkit, and Sweetkit ran around the clearing playing moss ball. It was the day of their ceremony. Bluestar was going to give them their apprentice names. Three moons had passed already. It seemed to all the elders and queens that they had just been born yesterday.
Goldenflower sat at the entrance to the nursery watching them. She shook her head disapprovingly. Redtail, the kit's dad and Goldenflower's mate, sat beside her.
"You'd think they'd act properly on their ceremony day," she mewed.
"They'll learn. Right now, though, they're young. But now that they'll become apprentices, they'll soon learn what work and hardship is."
Bluestar jumped onto the High rock and Retail went to join her. He was the deputy. Goldenflower watched as her kits came bounding towards her.
"We'll miss you," Sweetkit announced, as their mother cleaned them up. "Yeah. We will," Sandkit agreed with her sisters.
"Let every cat old enough to catch his prey be seated here for a clan meeting!" Bluestar yowled out.
Every cat came to sit below the rock.
Bluestar spoke. "Today is time for some kits to get their apprentice names; Sandkit, Sweetkit, Spottedkit, Ravenkit, Graykit, and Dustkit. Please come forward to receive your new names."
They all sat by the leader and deputy. One by one she started the ceremony.
"By naming apprentices we show that Thunderclan will survive and remain strong. From this moment on, until they receive their warrior name, these apprentices will be known as Sandpaw, Dustpaw, Spottedpaw, Graypaw, Ravenpaw, and Sweetpaw."
"Sandpaw! Dustpaw! Spottedpaw! Graypaw! Ravenpaw! Sweetpaw!" the clan yowled out approvingly; all except Tigerclaw.
"Sandpaw, your mentor will be Whitestorm. Whitestorm, you have shown yourself to be a warrior of wisdom and integrity. I'm sure you will pass on all you know to this apprentice," Bluestar started again.
The senior warrior padded up to Sandpaw and they touched noses.
The leader moved on to the old Medicine cat. "Spottedpaw, your mentor will be Goosefeather. Goosefeather, you have shown yourself to be a Medicine cat of wisdom and knowledge. Do well to pass all that you have learned down to this apprentice."
Goose Feather walked up to the apprentice and they touched noses.
"Tigerclaw will be your mentor, Ravenpaw. Tigerclaw, you have shown yourself to be a warrior of herculean and loyalty. I'm sure you will pass on all you know to this apprentice."
Tigerclaw and Ravenpaw touched noses. He was glad about one think. His aunt, Bluestar, had given him his very first apprentice. It was an honor to have one.
"Dustpaw, your mentor is Redtail. Redtail, you have shown yourself to be a deputy of loyalty, wisdom, and strength. I'm sure you will pass on all you know to this apprentice."
Redtail and Dustpaw touched noses.
"Sweetpaw, your mentor is Sorreltail. Sorreltail, you have shown yourself to be a warrior of compassion, loyalty, and strength. I'm sure you will pass on all you know to this apprentice."
Sorrel Tail padded up to Sweet Paw and they touched noses.
"Graypaw, your mentor is Lionheart. Lionheart, you have shown yourself to be a warrior of loyalty and bravery. I'm sure you will pass on all you know to this apprentice."
Lionheart came up to Graypaw and they touched noses.
The clan went about their daily lives, as Bluestar jumped off the high rock and disappeared into her den.
It was a damp night, as Sandpaw dreamt in her nest by her sisters.
She was in a forest hunting when there appeared a Dark forest cat, but she didn't know that. She only knew that this cat smelled of her own clan; Thunderclan.
"May I help you?" Sandpaw meowed, padding slowly up to the cat.
"I'm sorry. Let me introduce myself, young one. I once was Thunderclan; Tigerclaw's father; Thornclaw. I have a compromise to suggest to you. Actually, more like a promise. Starclan wants to help you. We know what you can achieve. But remember. With great power comes great responsibilities."
"What's the promise?"
"You must keep your friends and kin close."
"I promise."
"Good."
"How will you help me?"
"By mentoring you young' un."
"When do we start?"
"Tomorrow night."
"Great!"
Then the tabby tom faded away and she awoke to dawn.
It was a beautiful day as Sandpaw trained in the hollow with her mentor. They were working on battle moves.
"Try to unbalance me. Use your body weight, size, and speed. Get me off my paws," Whitestorm instructed. And so, that she did. She succeeded. She then let him up.
"How did I do?"
"Great. You'll be a warrior by no time at all."
"Thanks, Whitestorm!"
"You're welcome."
It was sundown when they got back to camp. It had been a long day. When they came back, they all curled up into their moss nests.
Thornclaw came to her again. They battle fought. She learned more from him in one session than a living cat.
Tawnyspots and Sparrowpelt arrived from the forest. That's when she knew the truth. She wasn't in Starclan territory being taught by Starclan. She was learning from a Dark Forest cat, instead. She backed away for a few minutes, stopping a foot away.
"You're not Starclan."
"That's what you thought?" Sparrowpelt said.
"Yeah."
"Why would you think that?" Tawnyspots asked.
"We're not shiny like they are," Thornclaw said.
"Maybe because I’ve never seen Starclan with my own eyes before; you trained me," she said.
"Of course," Thornclaw replied.
"This is over. I've learned a lot. I don't need any more help."
"Are you sure? Remember your promise, Sandpaw."
"I won't. Don't threaten me."
His eyes grew dark, scary, and evil-like. Then she awoke to dawn.
ns 15.158.61.40da2
