Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Thornclaw

 

  "Thornpaw!  Thornpaw!"  The clan cheers.  Thornpaw raises his head high, absorbing the glory of being an apprentice at last.
"You're going to be the best warrior ever!" Spotkit shouts.
"I wish I were Thornpaw's mentor!" Gorsetail sighs.  Thornpaw smiles.
"And Thornpaw, today you will pick your patrol!" Flamestar shouts.  The clan roars with shout.
"Oh, Thornpaw, let me come on your patrol!" Pebblekit shouts at him.
"No, me!" Robinsong shouts.
"I wanna be on his patrol!"
"No, me!"
"Thornpaw won't choose you!"  The clan argues over Thornpaw, who chuckles.
"You'll all get your turn on my patrol," Thornpaw says.  The clan cheers.  "But for today, I'm going to choose-" Thornpaw is interrupted by someone screaming.
"Thornkit!  Thornkit!  Thornkit!  Thornkit!"
"That's not my name anymore!" Thornpaw shouts at the cat.
"Thornkit!  Thornkit!  Thornkit!  Thornkit......."
     Thornkit groans and opens his eyes.  Spotkit is standing over him, her gaze fixed and angry.
"What?" Thornkit groans.  "I was having a good dream!"
"Yeah, and so was I!" Spotkit snorts.  "Until you rolled over into my nest sleep-talking!"  Thornkit grows red in embarrassment.  "Remember, you still have another moon to go until your apprenticeship."
"Spotkit, just because you're becoming an apprentice in a few sunrises doesn't mean you know everything!" Thornkit snorts.  She thinks she's so smart, being half a moon older than me!
"Spotkit!  Wanna play moss-ball with me?" Pebblekit and her sister Redkit come rushing over.
"No thanks.  Moss-ball is for kits.  I'm going to have my ceremony in a few sunrises." Spotkit glares at Pebblekit and Redkit as if they stuck thorns in her nest in the night like what had happened to Yellowspike, Thornkit's mother.  She had to give birth in a patch of thorns, where her single kit Thornkit earned his name.
 "Will you play with us, Thornkit?" Pebblekit looks up at Thornkit with her beautiful bright blue eyes.  Thornkit wails, "Pebblekit, don't give me the eyes!" Pebblekit looks up at Thornkit, knowing she has sold him.
"Fine." Thornkit snorts and follows Pebblekit and Redkit to a corner of the nursery.  Redkit picks up a wad of moss with her claw, then wrinkles her nose in disgust.  She tosses the moss to the side, then picks up another, sniffs it, and shrugs.  She tosses the ball to Pebblekit, and they begin the game.  Let's just hope no one sees me like this, or my apprenticeship may be delayed.