The Apprentice's Quest (3 page)

Alderkit stood in front of the
nursery, nervously shifting his weight. He unsheathed his claws, digging them into the beaten earth of the stone hollow, then sheathed them again and shook dust from his paws.

Now what happens?
he asked himself, his belly churning as he thought about his apprentice ceremony, which was only moments away.
What if there's some sort of assessment before I can be an apprentice?

Alderkit thought he had heard something about an assessment once. Perhaps it had been a few moons ago when Hollytuft, Fernsong, and Sorrelstripe had been made warriors.
But I can't really remember. . . . I was so little then.

His heart started to pound faster and faster. He tried to convince himself that some cat would have told him if he was supposed to prove that he was ready.
Because I'm not sure that I
am
ready to become an apprentice. Not sure at all. What if I can't do it?

Deep in his own thoughts, Alderkit jumped in surprise as a cat nudged him hard from behind. Spinning around, he saw his sister Sparkkit, her orange tabby fur bushing out in all directions.

“Aren't you excited?” she asked with an enthusiastic bounce. “Don't you want to know who your mentor will be? I hope I get someone
fun
! Not a bossy cat like Berrynose, or one like Whitewing. She sticks so close to the rules I think she must recite the warrior code in her sleep!”

“That's enough.” The kits' mother, Squirrelflight, emerged from the nursery in time to hear Sparkkit's last words. “You're not supposed to
have fun
with your mentors,” she added, licking one paw and smoothing it over Sparkkit's pelt. “You're supposed to
learn
from them. Berrynose and Whitewing are both fine warriors. You'd be very lucky to have either of them as your mentor.”

Though Squirrelflight's voice was sharp, her green gaze shone with love for her kits. Alderkit knew how much his mother adored him and his sister. He was only a kit, but he understood that Squirrelflight was old to have her first litter, and he remembered their shared grief for his lost littermates: Juniperkit, who had barely taken a breath before he died, and Dandelionkit, who had never been strong, and who had slowly weakened until she also died two moons later.

Sparkkit and I have to be the best cats we can be for Squirrelflight and Bramblestar.

Sparkkit, meanwhile, wasn't at all cowed by her mother's scolding. She twitched her tail and cheerfully shook her pelt until her fur fluffed up again.

Alderkit wished he had her confidence. He hadn't wondered until now who his mentor would be, and he gazed around the clearing at the other cats with new and curious
eyes.
Ivypool would be an okay mentor,
he thought, spotting the silver-and-white tabby she-cat returning from a hunting patrol with Lionblaze and Blossomfall.
She's friendly and a good hunter. Lionblaze is a bit scary, though.
Alderkit suppressed a shiver at the sight of the muscles rippling beneath the golden warrior's pelt.
And it won't be Blossomfall, because she was just mentor for Hollytuft. Or Brackenfur or Rosepetal, because they mentored Sorrelstripe and Fernsong.

Lost in thought, Alderkit watched Thornclaw, who had paused in the middle of the clearing to give himself a good scratch behind one ear.
He'd probably be okay, though he's sort of short-tempered . . .

“Hey, wake up!” Sparkkit trod down hard on Alderkit's paw. “It's starting!”

Alderkit realized that Bramblestar had appeared on the Highledge outside his den, way above their heads on the wall of the stone hollow.

“Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!” Bramblestar yowled.

As the cats in the clearing turned their attention to Bramblestar and began to gather together, Alderpaw thought that his father seemed to stand taller and stronger than all of them—even brave warriors like Lionblaze and Dovewing.

He's so confident and strong. I'm lucky to be his son.

Bramblestar ran lightly down the tumbled rocks and took his place in the center of the ragged circle of cats that was forming at the foot of the rock wall. Graystripe, the Clan's previous deputy, purred as the kits passed him, and Sorrelstripe, one of
the youngest warriors, held her head high, as if proud to have finished her own apprenticeship. Squirrelflight gently nudged her two kits forward until they too stood in the circle.

Alderkit's belly began to churn even harder, and he tightened all his muscles to stop himself from trembling.
I can't do this!
he thought, struggling not to panic.

Then he caught sight of his father's gaze on him: such a warm, proud look that Alderkit instantly felt comforted. He took a few deep breaths, forcing himself to relax.

“Cats of ThunderClan,” Bramblestar began, “this is a good day for us, because it's time to make two new apprentices. Sparkkit, come here, please.”

Instantly Sparkkit bounced into the center of the circle, her tail standing straight up and her fur bristling with excitement. She gazed confidently at her leader.

“From this day forward,” Bramblestar meowed, touching Sparkkit on her shoulder with his tail-tip, “this apprentice will be known as Sparkpaw. Cherryfall, you will be her mentor. I trust that you will share with her your dedication to your Clan, your quick mind, and your excellent hunting skills.”

Sparkpaw dashed across the circle to Cherryfall, bouncing with happiness, and the ginger she-cat bent her head to touch noses with her.

“Sparkpaw! Sparkpaw!” the Clan began to yowl.

Sparkpaw gave a pleased little hop as her Clanmates chanted her new name, her eyes shining as she stood beside her mentor.

Alderkit joined in the acclamation, pleased to see how
happy his sister looked.
Thank StarClan! There wasn't any kind of test to prove that she was ready.

As the yowling died away, Bramblestar beckoned to Alderkit with his tail. “Your turn,” he meowed, his gaze encouraging Alderkit on.

Alderkit's legs were suddenly wobbly as he staggered into the center of the circle. His chest felt tight, as if he couldn't breathe properly. But as he halted in front of Bramblestar, his father gave him a slight nod to steady him, and he stood with his head raised as Bramblestar rested the tip of his tail on his shoulder.

“From this day forward, this apprentice will be known as Alderpaw,” Bramblestar announced. “Molewhisker, you will be his mentor. You are loyal, determined, and brave, and I know that you will do your best to pass on these qualities to your apprentice.”

As he padded across the clearing to join his mentor, Alderpaw wasn't sure how he felt. He knew that Molewhisker was Cherryfall's littermate, but the big cream-and-brown tom was much quieter than his sister, and had never shown much interest in the kits. His gaze was solemn as he bent to touch noses with Alderpaw.

I hope I can make you proud of me,
Alderpaw thought.
I'm going to try my hardest!

“Alderpaw! Alderpaw!”

Alderpaw ducked his head and gave his chest fur a few embarrassed licks as he heard his Clan caterwauling his name. At the same time, he thought he would burst with happiness.

At last the chanting died away and the crowd of cats began to disperse, heading toward their dens or the fresh-kill pile. Squirrelflight and Bramblestar padded over to join their kits.

“Well done,” Bramblestar meowed. “It wasn't so scary, was it?”

“It was great!” Sparkpaw responded, her tail waving in the air. “I can't wait to go hunting!”

“We're so proud of both of you,” Squirrelflight purred, giving Sparkpaw and then Alderpaw a lick around the ears. “I'm sure you'll be wonderful warriors one day.”

Bramblestar dipped his head in agreement. “I know you both have so much to give your Clan.” He stepped back as he finished speaking, and waved his tail to draw Molewhisker and Cherryfall closer. “Listen to your mentors,” he told the two new apprentices. “I'm looking forward to hearing good things about your progress.”

With an affectionate nuzzle he turned away and headed toward his den. Squirrelflight too gave her kits a quick cuddle, and then she followed him. Alderpaw and Sparkpaw were left alone with Molewhisker and Cherryfall.

Molewhisker faced Alderpaw, blinking solemnly. “It's a big responsibility, being an apprentice,” he meowed. “You must pay close attention to everything you're taught, because one day your Clan may depend on your fighting or hunting skills.”

Alderpaw nodded solemnly.

“You'll have to work hard to prove you have what it takes to be a warrior,” Molewhisker went on.

His head held high, Alderpaw tried to look worthy, but was
afraid he wasn't doing a very good job of it. Hearing Cherryfall talking to Sparkpaw just behind him didn't help at all.

“. . . and we'll have such fun exploring the territory!” the ginger she-cat mewed enthusiastically. “And now you'll get to go to Gatherings.”

Alderpaw couldn't help wishing that his own mentor were a little more enthusiastic, like his littermate's.

“Can we start learning to hunt now?” Sparkpaw asked eagerly.

It was Molewhisker who replied. “Not right now. In addition to learning how to be warriors, apprentices have special duties for the well-being of the whole Clan.”

“What do we have to do?” Alderpaw asked, hoping to impress on his mentor that he was ready for anything.

There was a guilty look on Cherryfall's face as she meowed, “Today you're going to make the elders more comfortable by getting rid of their ticks.”

Molewhisker waved his tail in the direction of the medicine cats' den. “Go and ask Leafpool or Jayfeather for some mouse bile. They'll tell you how to use it.”

“Mouse bile!” Sparkpaw wrinkled her nose in disgust. “Yuck!”

Alderpaw's heart sank further.
If this is being an apprentice, I'm not sure I'm going to like it.

Sunlight shone into the den beneath the hazel bushes where the elders lived. Alderpaw wished that he could curl up in the warmth and take a nap. Instead he combed his claws
painstakingly through Graystripe's long pelt, searching for ticks. Sparkpaw was doing the same for Purdy, while Sandstorm and Millie looked on, patiently waiting their turn.

“Wow, there's a massive tick here!” Sparkpaw exclaimed. “Hold still, Purdy, and I'll get it off.”

With clenched teeth she picked up the twig Jayfeather had given her, which had a ball of moss soaked in mouse bile stuck on one end, and awkwardly maneuvered it until she could dab the moss onto Purdy's tick.

The old tabby shook his pelt and sighed with relief as the tick fell off. “That's much better, young 'un,” he purred.

“But this stuff smells
horrible
!” Sparkpaw mumbled around the twig. “I don't know how you elders can stand it.” Suppressing a sigh, she began parting Purdy's clumped, untidy fur in search of more ticks.

“Now you listen to me, youngster,” Purdy meowed. “There's not a cat in ThunderClan who wasn't an apprentice once, takin' off ticks, just like you.”

“Even Bramblestar?” Alderpaw asked, pausing with one paw sunk deep in Graystripe's pelt.

“Even
Firestar
,” Graystripe responded. “He and I were apprentices together, and I've lost count of the number of ticks we pulled. Hey!” he added, giving Alderpaw a prod. “Watch what you're doing. Your claws are digging in my shoulder!”

“Sorry!” Alderpaw replied.

In spite of being scolded, he felt quite content. Cleaning off ticks was a messy job, but there were worse things than sitting in a shaft of sunlight and listening to the elders. He looked up
briefly to see Sandstorm's green gaze resting lovingly on him and his sister as she settled herself more comfortably in the bracken of her nest.

“I remember when your mother was first made an apprentice,” she mewed. “Dustpelt was her mentor. You never knew him—he died in the Great Storm—but he was one of our best warriors, and he didn't put up with any nonsense. Even so, Squirrelflight was a match for him!”