Destiny~Chapter 21

Instructions

The sharp yowls cut through the air and many of the cats were clawing at there ears trying to deafen the crying queen. Creekfrost was clawing at the soft ground as pain pulled at her fur. Heronfeather was huffing sitting over the kitting queen. “Maybe if you didn’t try to going on a patrol while this late in your kitting this wouldn’t be happening,” he spat lowly. “Oh hush it you half dead fur bag and make the pain go away!” Nightshade and Honeypool had been running around trying to listen to what the exprenced queens and Heronfeather was telling them. Vineripple was being forced away by Heronfeather when she kept “getting in the way”. Sheepstep was holding the shaking tabby she-cat. Sedgedrop had a small kit at her paws licking the newborn kit. Nightshade stood next to Honeypool as they both stood back and tried helping Heronfeather as Creekfrost’s kits joined the clan. That was five moons ago, they had already settled back into camp. The nursery needed to have the mossy floor replaced before the kits could go in there and the rest of the camp needed cleaning too. Nightshade helped where she could, either it be with Thornpad finding moss or Honeypool and her in hunting patrols. As time went on life in the clans went back to normal Stagleap still the stand-in leader and the three kits; puddlekit, skykit, and bouncekit now stood in the shadows of high rock. They were almost shaking with excitement as they became apprentices. Looking over Nightshade could see Creekfrost sitting next to Vineripple, eyes shining s she watched them. Smiling she looked back at the three new apprentices when she started thinking. Would she have kits of her own? Maybe one day would she be looking at them with the same pride Creekfrost had? The idea of her kits looking at her with the same green eyes of Thornpad made her heart stop. Thornpad, as her mate? She looked down at her paws as the thought made her fur warm. That wouldn’t be too bad, she thought as she looked up with a small loving smile. "Skykit," Stagleap began. The fluffy pure white kit grinned, sky-blue eyes shining in excitement. "You have reached the age of six moons, and from this moment on will be known as Skypaw. Your mentor will be Nightshade. The sound of her name made her eyes widen, standing to her paws pride filled her chest as she walked over to her new apprentice, her black fur contrasting against the fluffy white of Skypaw. “Nightshade, you have shown yourself to be kind and determined, and I trust you to pass on all you know unto this kit." Smiling she leaned down and touched noses with the happily purring she-cat before moving back into the crowd, Skykit practically bursting with excitement next to her. As she sat next to her apprentice his hushed voice sounded next to her, “I wonder who’s going to become Bouncepaw and Puddlepaws mentor!” Purring quietly she rested a tail over her shoulders. “Quiet down now, Bouncepaw is getting her name now,” she whispered gently. As time went on Honeypool became Bouncepaw’s mentor and Thornpad became Puddlepaw’s. Just as Stagleap dismissed the meeting Lionheart padded up to her. “Nightshade I’d like you to take Skypaw with Vineripple, Honeypool, and her apprentice. Show them the territory and show them the border of Riverclan,I trust you teach well.” Nodding she gestured for the she-cat to follow her which wasn’t that hard to do because when she heard Vineripples name she immediately looked and saw her mother sitting next to the tabby and bounded over. Shaking her head with a smile Nightshade padded after her, eyes calm as she looked at the firey she-cat. When the other she-cat noticed her she was returned with a hatred filled glare. Vineripple opened her mouth but Nightshade beat her to it, “Lionheart wants up to go on patrol to show Bouncepaw and Skypaw around the territory.” “How unfortunate.” That was all that was said as the patroled was formed and they left. Even though they were only a few foxengths away from camp Skypaw’s eyes were already filled with amazment. Looking at every movement, new noise, and scent she was happily purring as she asked Nightshade quiestion after question. Nightshade chuckled when she answered the most recent one, thank starclan they were hunting yet because her excitement would make all the prey scurry off. Maybe that would be the first thing she’d teach her. Vineripple lead the group with Honeypool and her apprentice behind the pair. “Woah this place is huge!” Skypaw said as they walked, “It is isn’t it?” Vineripple said looking down at the smaller she-cat. “Yea! Do you guys really know everything? All the smells and noises?” She asked with a tilted head. “We do,” Nightshade responded before Vineripple could, “we learned it when we too were apprentices from our mentors.”