Assignment 15 -- A New Season

Patchstar stepped out of her den. It was a chilly day, chillier than most. Leaf-Fall was practically here, and the wind ruffled through her fur. She shivered slightly, and twitched her whiskers curiously; she must be getting old, the cold never bothered her this much before.

Nonetheless, she jumped up onto the Moss Rock and let out a familiar call, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey come meet here beneath the Moss Rock for a Clan meeting!"

Waiting patiently for her Clan to gather, Patchstar fluffed up her coat, climbing back down to the bottom of the Moss Rock. Five cats sat in front of her, looking pristine and well-groomed: Spiderpaw, Burningpaw, Waterpaw, Smokepaw and her brother Boulderpaw.

"I have talked to each of your mentors. You have trained well, and we all agree that each of you are ready to receive your warrior names and be welcomed as full warriors of MoonClan."

The apprentices looked at each other excitedly, Boulderpaw smiled at Runningbreeze, Spiderpaw grinned at Jadepaw, and Smokepaw nudged her brother.

The MoonClan leader spoke again, reciting the words she'd spoken so many times now. "I, Patchstar, leader of MoonClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn." The tortoiseshell she-cat looked at each apprentice before continuing, "Burningpaw, Smokepaw, Waterpaw, Spiderpaw, Boulderpaw -- do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your lives?"

Almost simultaneously, the five young cats answered with a resounding "I do."

The older she-cat nodded acceptingly, "Then by the powers of StarClan," she announced, "I give you your warrior names. Smokepaw, from this moment you will be known as Smokeshine. StarClan honors your honesty and intelligence, and we welcome you as a full warrior of MoonClan."

The black warrior stepped forward, turning momentarily to smile at Swiftleap, who grinned back. She moved closer, and Patchstar laid her muzzle on the young cat's head ceremoniously. Smokeshine licked the leader's shoulder in return. Her clanmates hailed her by chanting her new name, "Smokeshine! Smokeshine! Smokeshine!"

Stepping back and taking her place among the warriors, Smokeshine sat next to Swiftleap, who licked her cheek lovingly. Patchstar couldn't help but purr. She then turned to look at Smokeshine's brother, Boulderpaw.

"Boulderpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Boulderstrike. StarClan honors your warmth and independence, and we welcome you as a full warrior of MoonClan."

"Boulderstrike! Boulderstrike! Boulderstrike!" the MoonClan cats chanted as Boulderstrike licked Patchstar's shoulder. He sat near his sister and Runningbreeze, purring loudly. Sorrelfox nudged the newest warrior affectionately, congratulating him.

"Burningpaw," Patchstar summoned the next apprentice. The white-and-orange she-cat stepped forward almost hesitantly, as if she couldn't believe what was happening. Patchstar continued regardless, "from this moment on you will be known as Burningleaf. StarClan honors your patience and spirit, and we welcome you as a full warrior of MoonClan." She turned to look at Waterpaw next, "Waterpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Waterfall." The silver tabby's deep blue eyes shone with excitement as Patchstar gave her her new name, "StarClan honors your kindness and enterprise, and we welcome you as a full warrior of MoonClan."

The Clan cats chanted as the two warriors sat with the rest of the Clan, "Burningleaf! Burningleaf! Burningleaf! Waterfall! Waterfall! Waterfall!"

Finally, Patchstar turned her head to the last apprentice, Spiderpaw. He was younger than the others, but his eyes burned just as brightly. Patchstar remembered how small he once was, and realized how much each of these apprentices have grown. She began reciting the familiar words, "Spiderpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Spiderstep. StarClan honors your forethought and devotion, and we welcome you as a full warrior of MoonClan."

The Clan cats cheered and gathered around the young warrior, congratulating him. Patchstar cleared her throat to indicate that she still had more to say. The cats quieted themselves, waiting for their leader to speak.

"Daykit, Timidkit and Fuzzykit," she summoned the three kits. Barleyleap, Softclaw and Swanstep had groomed the three she-kits for this momentous occasion, and each seemed to glow with a certain kind of excitement...except Timidkit, who looked slightly frightened. Patchstar smiled at the three tiny she-kits, and continued. "You have all reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior names, you will be known as Daypaw, Timidpaw and Fuzzypaw, respectively."

Patchstar scanned the Clan cats, looking for the cats she had picked to mentor these new apprentices. "Barleyleap," she called the folded she-cat first, who looked up expectantly. Patchstar was certain that this would be the best choice, despite the warrior's injuries and expectant belly full of kits. "You are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Deathsong, and you have shown yourself to be caring and thoughtful. You will be the mentor of Timidpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her, until your kitting. Teach her the ways of the queens, how to care for kits. Remind her everyday that every cat is important to the Clan."

Barleyleap nodded, understanding her task. A relieved Timidpaw padded to touch noses with her new mentor, and Patchstar sighed a breath of relief as well. She was glad to make the small kit comfortable with her apprenticeship.

"Twigtail," Patchstar called next, "You will mentor Daypaw." the new mentor and apprentice touched noses. "And Pondfish, you will mentor Fuzzypaw."

With that, Patchstar nodded, having completed the ceremony. "Daypaw! Timidpaw! Fuzzypaw!" MoonClan chanted the new apprentices.

"Joltflash," she mewed quietly to her deputy. "Will you organize some patrols, please?"