Apprenticeship

Author's Note - HiddenSun =]
Most of cats have not been created by me. See The Character Page to see who is the original creator of the Cat is. Tell me what you think on the talk page. Also you can add your own ideas so they can be in the story in the The Ideas Page. I still don't know how many chapters there will be, so let's see how it turns out! (:

Enjoy!!!

Hiddensun♥

Prologue - From Young to Old
"Everyone at the main-camp gather all around the Tree Hill for ceremony!" Brackenstar's loud voice echoed all around the main-camp. One by one, the cats appeared from all the home-dens and farther from the clearing to gather around the Tree Hill that lay in the middle of the Gathering hill.

Murmurs of exitemenet were heard all aroudn the cats. Old. Young. Everyone. Cats all over the Valley had come to the very special ceremony that once a moon. An apprentice ceremony. The one step that changed your whole life direction. The moving from a helpless young kit to a new young apprentice - ready to make the choices that coudl affect their lifes forever.

When everyone finished gathering aroudn and had stopped gossiping, murmuring and meowing, the dark ginger tabby tom with amber eyes on teh top of the tree started meowing again, "We are gathered her today to celebrate one of our most special and exiting celebration; the apprentice ceremony." he started and everyone started cheering. "Please let the kits step forward so they may receive their apprentice name."

All of teh sudden, warriors and seasoned apprentices made way for the kits to pass to the front. Their faces full of exitedment and far behind, the queens' eyes were a pool of pride. When the kist finally made their way, everyoen could now see teh large amount there was. This class of future-apprentices was really going to turn out to be something.

"Welcome fellow kits. With this ceremony you will leave kithood and enter apprenticeship. You will become responsible for your actions and your future that awaits you." Brackenstar spoke wisely.

He climbed down the tree and stepped rigth in front of the first kit in the long line. "Leafkit. Aquakit. Sunnykit. Shadekit. Wildkit. Rushkit. Birdkit. Darkkit. Bramblekit. Brightkit. Maplekit. Honeykit. Applekit. Lilackit. Flashkit. Brookkit." he said each kit's name as he passes each one.

"From this day, until you fully finish your years in The Academy as an apprentice and become a warrior, you will be known as Leafpaw. Aquapaw. Sunnypaw. Shadepaw. Wildpaw. Rushpaw. Birdpaw. Darkpaw. Bramblepaw. Brightpaw. Maplepaw. Honeypaw. Applepaw. Lilacpaw. Flashpaw. Brookpaw. I ask SpiritClan to watch over you and guide you until you find in your paws the strength and courage of a warrior." he finished.

There was a very quiet silent and then everyoen started screaming, shouting and calling otu the apprentices' names. The newly made apprentices quickly joined their families and friends to celebrate.

They were very excited and overjoiced, not knowing that the Academy is nothing compared to what they expected it to be.

Chapter 1 - Academy
"C'mon! You'll be late for the Academy!" The black tom heard his father's meow from outside his home-den. It was so early in the mornign that the sun was just about to rise. Light hadn't even reached the Main-camp yet, and he had to get ready for the Academy!

"Wildpaw!!!" his father meowed louder, this time making the young tom jump from his nest. Too bad his mother, Grassblade, goes early to work. If she didn't his father wouldn't be too hard on him in the morning and might actually let him go a bit late. It didn't matter if he was a bit late, school wasn't going anywhere and it was only his first day.

"Coming!" Wildpaw meowed, trying to get up, still with his eyes deeply closed so he wouldn't see the light. He moved slowly trying to hold his head up and not fall asleep. Suddenly, he bumped into something, makign him jump and give a tiny yowl.

"What do you think you're doing? Sleep walking? This is no time for jokes! get going and don't forget to wash your face in the pool!" Wildpaw heard him meow as he rushed out of our home-den. This time the sun light did reach his eyes, almost blinding him completely. Almost every cat living in the main-camp was out, either getting ready for work or hanging out before getting busy with dutis. He looked aroudn really fast, but no apprentice came in sight. Now he really was late!

Hhe rushed ot the poll, located behind some of the home-dens, washign his face super fast. Great SpiritClan! How much he hated water, and getting wet even more! He finished and almost tripped as he rushed out of the Main-camp. The big spiky bushes crashed through his fur, hurting him, but he didn't let that stop him. He felt his paws run faster, and faster. He couldn't afford to be late or his father would kill him.

Suddenly, a black-furred shape came into view and he crashed into it. "Ouch!" he heard her say and felt himself starrign at a pair of blue eyes. It was a she-cat, about his same size. He quickly recognized her.

"Birdpaw! What are you doing here?" Wildpaw asked, looking at her. She was standing up and cleanig her fur that was with leaves and sand because Wildpaw had pushed her into a bush. "Uhh...Sorry about that. You're pelt looks great by the way!"

She looked up. "Going to the Academy obiously! And thanks for the comment, but I've known you for long and know you don't really mean it." she said, knowing that Wildpaw flirted with every she-cat and only those that didn't know him, fell for it. "Let's go!" She said as she started to run. He quickly followed, again having the feeling that his legs were on fire because of all the running, but it didn't stop him from catching up to Birdpaw and passing her.

Both apprentices quickly made their way out of the forest, and now the small island came into view. It was sourounded by trees and there were a few logs so you coudl cross.. The ''Academy! ''Both apprentices thought. They rushed faster, both of them knowing that they were super-uper late! They crossed teh log, almost falling off from the hurry.

"Well, well....Look what we've got here..." A shadows appeared from one of the tree and they could slightly see the shape of the cat coming. He was a muscular black tom, and now you could see that he had those amber eyes that gave you shivers. "Late perhaps? Why!?!"

Both apprentices looked at each other. "Well?" the mentor asked again, now his voice sounded annoyed. Both apprentices herad him and started meowing at teh same time, not letting Blackheart understand a single word they were saying. "Ok! Enough!" he meowed, making both of them stop. "I will see you in detention after classes. Now hurry! And believe me when I say this. This better be the last time I catch you!" The apprentices quickly nodded ran without even wanting to turn and look back.

"Ok! Everyone pay attention!" A black she-cat meowed to all the apprentices. She sat nice and tall with her serious aqua eyes. Nobody would dare to interrupt or disobey her; she was the high-mentor (principal) of the Academy. If you didn something that bothered her, you were just lookign for detention or another punishent. "From this day one, you are apprentices. You will take responsibility for your actions. Anyone who is not ready to do so, you're more than welcome to leave until you're ready." she smoke, now begining to stand up. "This is a new beginning. A new opportunity and a new path. The choices are yours. I don't say this to scare you, but I want you to make the-" she stopped and everyone turned around to see two apprentices coming. Both of the with black pelt; Wildpaw and Birdpaw.

Rushingriver, the high-mentor, just looked at them knowing that one of the other mentors had already spoken to them and continued. "I want you to make the best out of this Academy and work hard to become the best warrior you can be. Well, now I leave you to your mentors, so have a nice day and good luck everyone!" she meowed and headed back to her small den in the bushes. That's when all the murmuring and talking started. Nobody missed a chance where they could talk and gossip with their friends.

"Alright everyone! When a mentor calls out your name, you go to them." A black she-cat with white spots, long tail and green eyes meowed. Her name was Ripplepelt, also known as the mother of the Last-Junior apprentice, Blazepaw. All the First-Junior apprentices stopped and waited for their names to be called. A few minutes passed and now every First-Junior apprentice was in either Ruinstone's or Sweetmelody's class.

Ruinstone's class followed him as he signaled them. He lead his class of seventeen deeper into the wood part of the island. The cats followed him, all of them whispering and murmuring in a low voice so Ruinstone wouldn't get mad.

"Alright class. Welcome to the Apprentice Academy! I'll be your new teacher for the whole season, so better get used to me!" he joked. He seemed friendly and some apprentices laughed. "Ok, first..I know you hate this, but we're playing the introduce-yourself-game!" everyone sighted and complained. "Ok!! Let's see who's first up...." he looked around and now everyone tried to look away. "Ok! Umm...Aquapaw!" he meowed and everyone turned their gaze to the beautiful blue-gray she-cat looking surprised.

"What?!" she asked but Ruinstone just signaled her with his head to get infront of everyone and go on top of the rock. She looked uncertain but did as she was told. She climbed the rock and was now facing the whol class with a look of confidence.

"Hello! My name is Aquapaw and umm...I don't live in the Main-camp...Also umm...I'm training to become a hunter!" she meowed and climbed down gracefully before Ruinstone could say anything.

"Alright!! Nice to meet you Aquapaw! Hunter huh? Nice! Okay...next up...Bramblepaw!" he meowed and looked at a silver tabby she-cat with a rake of claws down her left side of her face. She looked at him but climbed up the rock.

"Hi...I'm Bramblepaw...I live in a small-camp and I'm training to be a mentor liek you Proffesor Ruinstone. I got this long rake of claws down her left side of face from a dog. And yeah..." she meowed and climbed down.

The rest of the morning passed on like that for both Proffs Ruinstone and Sweetmelody. The apprentices were bored but they at least go to know each other. Now they knew who is who and what they want to be...the easy part of the day had passed but now came the hardest one...Lunch...

"Hey Flowerpaw!" the tortoiseshell-furred she-cat turned to see who was calling her name to see a dark gray she-cat with amber eyes heading her way. Beside her was a blue-gray she-cat with flecks all over her body. Flowerpaw quickly recognize her two life-long friends and ran towards them, leaving her lunch.

"Hi Wetpaw! Hi Creekpaw!! Oh my SpiritClan I can't believe we're finally here!!" she meowed exitely.

"I know!! I've waited my whole life to be here and now..." Wetpaw ran out of words and her eyes burned amber. "Well, it seems good so far. Not teh classes but the cats. Some of them. There's some cute toms..." she meowed, her eyes searching through the crowd. Creekpaw laughed a bit on how her friend was already checking out the toms on their first day!

"Sorry I'm late! I couldn't find my keep-bush! You know how confushign they are!" Cinderpaw sighed, dropping her lunch and finnaly sitting to join the group. The three other she-cats greeted her. "So any news around camp?" she asked, taking a few pieces from her prey.

"Well, there's this really popular she-cat that I think-" Flowerpaw started but got cut off by Creekpaw.

"You shouldn't gossip. Or start a rumor. It could turn out badly. You know exactly what can happen, don't you?" she spoke wisely. They all looked at her but said nothing. It wa shard not to gossip, especially when Creekpaw was around. Fortunately, they all knew her advices were for the best, and listened to her most of the time.

"Well, this isn't gossiping. I'm just sharing what I know." Wetpaw meowed. "But, oh well nevermind then..."

"Oh I hear there's paw-ball try-outs after the Academy. Anyone trying out?" Flowerpaw asked.

"No. I'm not a sports cat but-" Cinderpaw got cut off from the large crowd of apprentices heading to the middle of the eating-clearing. The she-cats quickly stood up and followed the crowd. Everyoen wa snow meowing and they could hardly see where the source of the growd was.

"You're going to fight me?" the ligth gray tom at the center of the growd meowed to the brown furred tom infront of him and Wetpaw coudl see that he had his prey behind him.

"Coldpaw stop it!" Some cats were telline to the light gray tom while others were just telling them to fight.

"You better give me your prey, Darkpaw!" Coldpaw meowed again to the brown furred tom with amber eyes. Darkpaw looked like he was about to figth back at Coldpaw's rude comments but he was interrupted.

"What is going on here?! Clear the clearing! Everyone go back to your preys!" Blackheart meowed so loudly that most apprentices jumped at his voice. In less than a second everyone rushed back to their groups and prey. "All except you two." Both apprentices, who were areday sneaking back came to a halt and sighed turnign around. "I'll see you both in detention after the Academy. And this better not happen again! Understand?" he eyes both of them and tehy quickly nodded. "Good." he simply meowed.

"Darkpaw!" Birdpaw called from her group padding up to him. "Give him your prey - he's nto wotth fighting over it. But if you want, you can have some of mine..." she said while blushing in the same time. Darkpaw's face suddenly looked surprised but her agreed abit too quickly and tried changing the subject. "Good" she meowed.

"Coldpaw! That was soem fighting, huh dude?" Flashpaw meowed while passing by him with Lilacpaw, his best friend. Coldpaw nodded and grabbed the prey Darkpaw had left him to join them.

"I got no lunch. What you want me to do, starve? I had to get something." he meowed, lying down and taking a huge bite out of the vole.

"No excuse! It was Darkpaw's and not yours. You're even lucky he gave it to you1" Lilacpaw meowed in disgust as he ate huge pieces of prey. "Why do you eat like that?"

Coldpaw just shrugged. "Flashpaw would've doen teh same thing, right? he turned to Flashpaw who was just staring at somethgin else. Both Lilacpaw and Coldpaw turned to see Aquapaw and Sunnypaw, perfectly heading into the middle of teh clearing with their squirrels haging from their jaws.

"Flashpaw! Snap out of it!" Lilacpaw's meow made Flashpaw jump.

"Sorry. Just talked ot her today and she's great!" he meowed dreamy.

"Lot's of cats already like Aquapaw....good luck!" Lilacpaw told him, takign a few pieces from her mouse. Coldpaw started laughing.

"Aquapaw? No! Sunnypaw..." he said her name in the softest voice they had ever heard, makign Lilacpaw join Coldpaw's laughing.

"Even more luck! Heard she likes Wildpaw and something tells me he likes her back!"

"Dude! Your'e voice is craking!" Coldpaw meowed in-between laughs.

"Well, today was okay. At leats no parents to tell you what to do!" Brookpaw complained.

"Well I liked it! There's so many cats I've never seen before in my entire life! And, come one! We're in Sweetmelody's class! Best teacher in the Academy! And not in your dad's class. He doesn't even have prey-duty. So it's a parent-free day!" the golden she-cat with darker spots meowed happily.

"Guess you're rigth Cheetahpaw..." she agreeds.

"Can't belive that next season we migth be with Blackheart. He's just soo..." Blazepaw couldn't find teh words to describe teh teacher they all had heard about since they were kits. Everyoen gossiped about him, so he was probably the best known tecaher in ValleyClan!

"Focus on teh good things here!! We also have trips I heard!!! It's going to be so exiting!"

....