✰ shrewpaw's light | 1 ✰

Instructions

In the heart of ShadowClan . . . The small brown and white she-cat was bouncing excitedly on her toes, with her much more quieter twin sitting beside her. Shrewkit's fur was spiked up in every way, while round-eared Mousekit's fur was sleek looking after the entire afternoon that was spent grooming it. Their mother, Fallowheart, dragged her back by her tail. Shrewkit yelped as her mother thrust her cold nose onto her head and began to lick her fur back to normal. "M-Mom! I like my fur this way!" Shrewkit mewled as Fallowheart was now tugging on her daughter's fur with a bristly pinecone. Shrewkit wriggled away from her mother's grasp. "It makes me look cool!" Fallowheart snorted. "It makes you look like you just went through the brambles!" She growled gently to her kit as she gave her a playful shove. "I think it's almost time..." Mousekit murmured. "Okay!!" Shrewkit purred loudly as she squeezed into the moonlit furs of her clanmates and dissapeared into the crowd. Mousepaw quickly followed; they both ran up to a large half-tree in the clearing, and up to the large, bear-like cat perched upon it. "Clanmates." boomed his loud, clear voice that rang all throughout the pine trees. "We are gathered around the Half Pine today to celebrate the making of two apprentices." Bearstar looked down at the two kits proudly, with the snowy moonlight casting a glowing aura around his thick brown fur. "Shrewkit, Mousekit, come forward." The two kits walked forward to sit in front of the large trunk. "Shrewkit, come. Sit up here with me." commanded the majestic leader. Shrewkit's fur crackled with excitement as she scrambled up the trunk beside her leader. Bearstar looked down at her with his eyes gleaming youthfully. "Shrewkit, you have reached the age of six moons. Is it your wish to become an apprentice and learn the traditions of ShadowClan?" Shrewkit nodded nervously. Bearstar raised his head. "You have now officially become an apprentice of the powerful ShadowClan." The clan hissed with respect and excitement as Bearstar tilted his head and touched his nose to Shrewkit's forehead. "From this night forth, you will now be known as Shrewpaw until you have finished your training. I have chosen Cloudthroat as your mentor. Cloudthroat, you have shown an eagerness to protect ShadowClan and a determination to those who threaten the kits and queens of the clan of your kin. I hope you can pass these along to Shrewpaw." He looked out to the crowd of cats surrounding them. "May ShadowClan's ancestors run alongside her!" He practically roared this as the clan exploded into meows and yowls of triumph. He bent down to Mousekit as Shrewpaw leapt off the trunk to touch noses with Cloudthroat. "Now. Mousekit," he rumbled. "Is it your desire to help ShadowClan become the clan that it is meant to be?" Mousekit whispered gently. "Yes." "I've heard you've wanted to be a medicine cat ever since you've wandered into this world of pines and mosses. Is this true?" He asked, his voice like thunder on the horizon. "Y-Yes, Bearstar." Mousekit's voice quavered. "Then you will now be known as Mousepaw. Your mentor will be Mintbloom." Bearstar nodded to the dark corners of the camp; a sleek medicine cat stepped out of the dark shadows. "It will be an honor to train the next medicine cat of the great ShadowClan." The young dappled gray tom purred and touched noses with Mousepaw. "StarClan has blessed us with their excited spirits to learn the ways of ShadowClan. May our ancestors remember their names for generations!" Bearstar rumbled with delight as the clan echoed his words. "May our ancestors remember their names for generations!" The yowls of happiness died away as the apprentices went towards the nursery where Fallowheart and her mate Darkcloud was waiting with happiness in their eyes. "I'm so proud of you, my little kits." Shrewpaw purred loudly and Mousepaw's ears were erect as her amber eyes gleamed. A black tail swept across Shrewpaw's ears. She turned to see the wiry Cloudthroat with an excited gleam in his eyes that amusingly matched Mousepaw's. "Are you ready?" The tom asked, nodding to the pine forest beyond the nursery. Shrewpaw inhaled the leaf-fall air and, with her short tail flicking like a beetle wing, responded with a confident "yes please!" - - - - end chapter 1