New Apprentice

Shistar's ears were perked, her dark brown eyes wide in alert, refusing to blink. The ShiClan leader decided to lead a hunting patrol with her warriors Milkmouth, Auburntail and Nettletooth, feeling she was cooped up in the camp too much. The small, brown and white she-cats body was lowered to the ground and carefully placed each paw-step into the swampy water.
Ahead of her was a raccoon kit, splashing among the water with its fur soaked. The water was shallow enough for her to stalk through it but she needed to be careful not to splash, she'd lose her prey and potentially put herself in danger if her timing wasn't right.
The water was murky, she couldn't even see her pawsteps beneath its surface and long stalks of grass and weeds peeked and peered over the swamp water. There wasn't much camouflage here in the water, the most there was was the plantlife that grew from the shallows. The raccoon kit started heading into deeper waters, up to its belly and chest but what was deep for the kit was no problem for Shistar. If the raccoon kit were to head into deeper water, it'd be slowed down and more vulnerable for Shistar to attack as she could move quicker, being larger and not as weighed down.
Shistar could hear the raccoon kit chittering, she could see it began to feel uncertain of the depths, she froze when the kit started to turn around.
It'll see me! She thought, though luckily it didn't turn too far around to see her.
Quicker now, she began to wade through the water, she had to get the kit before it was easier for it to escape. Shistar's muscles tensed with excitement and anticipation. Her haunches bunched as she prepared to leap across the water and kill her prey, killing prey in the water was harder than on land, the water weighed her body down more and tested her strength.
Shistar leaped out of the water and across the wavering surface, her claws unsheathed and outstretched to snatch the kit. The kit snarled in alarm as Shistar tackled it into the water, its head dunked under the swamp water, the raccoon thrashed furiously, raccoon kits were fiercer than they seemed and the adults were even deadlier. Shistar mustered her strength together as she delivered a powerful blow on the shoulders and pinned it beneath the water. Shistar dunked her head into the water, trying to locate a killing blow onto the throat but its thrashing made it more difficult. Shistar lifted a paw, quickly screwing her claws deeply between the shoulder blades as she quickly moved her other paw to the head and held it firmly down against the bottom of the shallows. Shistar's lungs at this point were screaming for oxygen but she wouldn't dare take a breather until the raccoon kit was finished.
With her mouth open and teeth bared, she enclosed her jaws around the throat and pierced her teeth through the skin and flesh.
Shistar triumphantly pulled her head from out of the water, her chest heaving and her kill held between her teeth.


"Whoa, you looked as if you've been wrestling with a bear!" A dark ginger tom, Auburntail remarked as Shistar rejoined the rest of the patrol, his amber eyes glittering with amusement as he watched the small she-cat drag the raccoon kit.
"Hey, leave her be. You know how difficult it is to hunt raccoons." Milkmouth dipped his head in respect towards his leader, the tom was grey with a white muzzle and green eyes. "Kiss ass." Auburntail muttered his retort but didn't try to cover it. Milkmouth playfully swatted Auburntail's ear with a paw.
Shistar gently set down the limp body. "Where's Nettletooth?" She asked.
"Still out hunting, he should be--" Auburntail was cut off by rustling plants and soon a black smoke tabby tom with ice-blue eyes appeared from the growth. "Speak of the badger."
Nettletooth held a large catfish in his jaws, Shistar noticed a bit of blood from a cut on the side of the warriors mouth, she guessed the sharp spines of the catfish had caught his mouth. "Nice catch, Nettletooth." Shistar praised the tabby. The catfish was large and good enough to feed a couple of mouths.
"Stupid catch is what it is." He hissed as he swiped his tongue over his wound. "Darn thing cut my mouth open with its spikes."
"You do know you're not supposed to bite where the spines are, right?" Of course, another remark by Auburntail, although the ginger tom never intended harm in his sarcasm and it was all jokes. "Of course I know that, mouse-brain!"
"Okay, okay. Lets head back to camp. Go to the medicine cats den to have your wound treated once we get back." Shistar bent her head down to grip the raccoon kit by the throat and took the lead back to camp.


The camp was surrounded by water besides the little grassy trail they could follow up to the roots of a weeping willow which stretched over the camp and clung to the island. Weeping willows gave shelter to the camp and made it's entrance while cattails gave a barrier around the island. The patrol made their way along the grassy trail, mud oozing over her paws as she came closer to the roots of the weeping willow, the ground was damp here and soon gave way to the swamp water.
She climbed onto the roots, confidently making her way along the narrow passage it created, passing onto other roots it connected with until she was at the island that she made ShiClan camp.
She padded down from the roots and onto the damp land at the rim of the island and quickly leaped out of the mud.
The leaves of a weeping willow tickled along her head as she walked through the entrance to the camp. Two apprentices were playfighting not far from their burrow-den, a queen peeked her head out of the nursery burrow-den to check out what the patrol had brought back and warriors and elders were sharing tongues.
Shistar sauntered over to the fresh-kill pile and dropped the raccoon kit, although a little bit away from the prey so it's still sodden fur didn't soak the rest of the prey. As she turned away from the pile, she noticed a small, fluffy kit. Her fur was a dark russet, her tail and face were an even darker russet, like a point-cat would be and her green eyes glowed with determination, making her way across the clearing with moss hanging from her mouth.
"What are you doing, Beechkit?" The russet kit halted and looked at her leader, dropping the moss, she replied. "Taking moss to the warriors den."
"For what?"
"For nests."
A smile grew along Shistar's face. "But your apprentice ceremony isn't for a few sunrises." the she-kit sighed "I know, but I want to help around anyway. If that's okay?" Beechkit's green eyes were wide as she waited for her leader to respond.
It wasn't the end of the world if Beechkit wanted to help, being a kit doesn't mean she was absolutely useless and wasn't allowed to do anything, plus it was a nice gesture of respect to those that are putting their clan above their own lives. "Of course you can." Shistar purred. "It's very nice and respectful of you."
Beechkit's eyes shined at the praise. "Thank you, Shistar!" the kit grabbed the moss in her mouth and bounded away, Shistar watching as she disappeared into the warriors burrow.


Night had fallen onto the camp, the stars glittered in the sky and the sound of frogs croaking echoed around the swamp. The ShiClan leader sat on the stone from where she'd make announcements and ceremonies. She stared aimlessly across the clearing, troubled feelings stirred within her and her mind was foggy.
The brown and white she-cat sighed, it was best she head to her nest for a good nights sleep. Just as she rose to her paws to turn around, she heard a high-pitched but soft voice. "Shistar?"
To her surprise, the small russet she-kit, Beechkit was staring up at her through the darkness of the night. "What are you doing up? You should be asleep."
Beechkit's paw shuffled and her eyes turned down to stare awkwardly at her paws. "I know but... I couldn't sleep and I thought I'd give you some company since you're out here all alone." A moment of silence hung between them before Shistar sighed again and leaped down in front of the kit. "So how come you're still up?" Beechkit asked, staring up at the petite she-cat. "To think." Shistar brushed her tail along Beechkit's shoulder. "Come." she beckoned as she walked away from the kit.
She led her behind the rock where there was a burrow leading down into the leaders burrow-den. Shistar slinked into the burrow, Beechkit tumbling after her. "Are you okay?" Shistar purred, immediately the kit sat up and licked the dust from her fur. "I'm fine!" Inside the den, the floor was covered in soft moss.
Shistar scurried over to a nest and laid down in it, folding her paws underneath of her body. The kit followed, making herself at home in a nest in front of Shistar.
"Shistar?" The kit spoke.
"Yes?"
"Do you like anyone?" Beechkit's tone was cheeky, this was she-cat time, she guessed. Her mouth opened to speak but the words seemed caught in her throat with hesitation. A subtle grief gripped at her heart.
"I do." She admitted. Curiosity and surprise lit up in her big green eyes. "Who?" Beechkit pressed on. Shistar leaned forward until her muzzle nearly touched against the russet kits ear. "It's a secret." She whispered humorously with a grin, trying to shake away the anxiety that seemed to weigh like a stone in her belly.
The she-kit smiled. "Do you like anyone?" Shistar turned the question around on her, hoping it would distract her from her curiosity of Shistar's own love life. The kit shook her head. "No... but what's it like? Loving someone?" The plan to distract the kit seemed to backfire as the attention only got turned back onto her. She should just answer, it didn't have to be that personal anyway.
"It can be amazing. You feel like you're on top of the world and could conquer anything with them at your side. That overwhelming feeling you get as your hearts grow and souls become one with each other, just overwhelming with love and feeling like you've found the part of yourself that you were missing." Beechkit's eyes were wide, concentrating on Shistar and what she had to say. For a heartbeat, Shistar felt her anxiety and worries disappear but only for them to quickly crawl back. "But..." Beechkit's mouth formed a subtle frown as Shistar continued. "Sometimes, it isn't always meant to be. Sometimes cats lose their love but are too afraid to leave what they had behind or maybe they really do love each other but it wasn't the right lifetime." Shistar's eyes clouded and she found herself staring down at the den floor.
"Well, whoever this cat is. I hope they were meant for you." Beechkit smiled, knowing the kit had noticed the sudden change in Shistar's mood. If only. She echoed in her mind. "I hope so too." She gave an affectionate lick on the ear. "But it's time for some shut eye."
"Okay." The kit yawned, the tiredness that didn't come before seemed to seep into the kits body, as well as Shistar's, both of them curling into the nests and drifting into a slumber.


The last few days, Shistar observed Beechkit. The kit was helpful to her warriors, queens and other kits and doing apprentice duties she wasn't even assigned with yet. She seemed eager and curious to learn more about the world, Shistar admired the kits adventurous attitude.
Shistar and Beechkit had been spending time at night together talking in her den, not long enough to tire the kit out. It was nice to have some company but unfortunately Beechkit's queen, Redriver, was given a scare after the first night when she didn't know where her kit was.
Today was Beechkit's apprentice ceremony and she had a surprise in store for the dark russet she-kit.
The small she-cat was standing behind the rock in which she had her burrow-den behind and where she'd do the ceremony. Taking a deep breath to calm her excitement, Shistar bunched her haunches and leaped onto the stone. A few eyes casted on her before she could announce and obviously these few knew what was happening, as they padded over to the rock.
She sat with her back straightened and her head high in a confident posture.
"May all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath Swamp-rock for a clan meeting!"
Cats climbed out of their burrow-dens as Shistar's yowl rang across the camp. Her dark brown eyes drifted over to see Beechkit hurrying out of the nursery to join her Clanmates, her already fluffy pelt puffed up in excitement while a red-furred she-cat with a bobbed tail hurried after her, trying to slow her kit down to give her a thorough washing.
Shistar turned her attention back to her Clanmates. "Today is a special day. Today we celebrate the growth of a kit becoming an apprentice, where she'll train to become a warrior and fend for her clan." She peered down into the crowd to notice Beechkit waiting anxiously for Shistar to call her name while her mother's green eyes shone with pride.
"Beechkit." Eyes turned from Shistar and onto Beechkit, the crowd slightly shuffling to make a space for the nearly made apprentice. "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and fight for your clan even at the cost of your life? To give and sacrifice to those who need more than you, even when your bones can be seen through your pelt?" The kit shuffled her paws nervously, stopping when she realized what she was doing. Beechkit turned her head up to look at her leader in the eyes. "Yes." She responded with determination and seriousness but it didn't hide the kits easily noticed excitement.
"Then from this moment on, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Beechpaw." Shistar could feel the burst of excitement from the clan and she could feel the tension as the warriors stared at her, wondering who'll be picked. A sudden guilt and anxiety stirred in her belly, she wasn't choosing any of them. "and..." A pang of regret stirred with the rest of her mixed emotions, was she wrong for what she was about to do? No. She made up her mind. "I will take the responsibility of being your mentor."
Surprise murmurs broke among her Clanmates, whispering if Shistar could handle the responsibility of being a leader and a mentor all at once but she couldn't help but feel confident when looking into Beechpaw's eyes, shining with excitement that only grew.
The she-cat leaped down from the Swamp-rock and toward her apprentice, the crowd pulling away to let Shistar stride to her new apprentice.
Shistar stood in front of Beechpaw, a proud smile on her face as she leaned to touch noses with her apprentice and the murmurs turned into chanting.
"Beechpaw! Beechpaw! Beechpaw!"