"You're going to be okay." the anxious voice of Flowerpath, the FaithClan medicine cat, said. Bristlestar, leader of the Clan at the time, watched as his mate lay in her moss-lined nest. Her kits were due and she was having trouble. "Moondove, I know our kits will be perfect." the strong brown tom meowed. Moondove, the pretty silver tabby, turned her purple gaze onto Bristlestar. "I- oh, Bristlestar!" she whispered. "Concentrate!" snapped Flowerpath. "Do you want a disaster to happen?" The tortoiseshell she cat had a horned tongue, but a heart of gold. She would do everything in her power to help a cat in need. "That's right." she murmured as a ripple passed over Moondove's gray striped fur. A couple moments later, a tiny kit slid onto the mossy floor of the nursery. "Lick, do it, Bristlestar!" Flowerpathe said, keeping her eyes on Moondove. The FaithClan leader bent to lick his kit. It had tortoiseshell fur with darker stripes. A screech shook Bristlestar from his thoughts. Moondove panted as another kit made its way into the world. "Congratulations, one she cat and a tom!" Flowerpath meowed. The she kit had chestnut colored fur, like her father. In fact, she looked like a Bristlestar in miniature. Moondove licked the second kit's fur. "They're perfect; the one I'm keeping warm looks exactly like you." she said, with her eyes on her mate. "Yes..." Bristlestar replied. "But what'll we call them?" he wondered to Moondove. "You name one and I'll do the other," she suggested. The silver queen looked down at the kit at her belly. "This will be Krestelkit. She will be like the bird, gorgeous and clever." Bristlestar nodded. "I see what you mean." He pondered for a moment. "This kit is called Hawkkit. I can tell he will be as strong as the hawk, and smart, too. What do you think, Moondove?" "I love the names. These two kits will make us proud." Moondove purred.
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A few moons later...
"Noooooooo... Wake up, Moondove, please!" But Bristlestar's plea was useless. "We can do nothing about it now." said a grave Flowerpath. "I didn't imagine Moondove would die this way: of greencough. And Hawkkit and Krestelkit will become apprentices soon." Bristlestar pushed his nose into the silver striped queen's fur. His eyes filled with grief. "Goodbye, my Moondove. Wait for me in StarClan."
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Six moons since the birth of Hawkkit and Krestelkit...
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here!" Bristlestar's yowl rang throughout the clearing. "We have two new apprentices to make. FaithClan will get stronger; our Clan is full of terrific warriors. But now we will send two kits on their way to warriorship. Hawkkit, it is time for you to have an apprentice name. From now on, until your warrior ceremony, you will be known as Hawkpaw! Your mentor will be Faithheart. I trust you to pass on your courage and tactics to Hawkpaw, Faithheart." Faithheart padded forward and touched noses with her new apprentice. An apprentice! What an honor! "Krestelkit, you have been very patient," said Bristlestar. "And I know of your choice. From this moment on, till your medicine cat ceremony, you shall be known as Krestelpaw. And your mentor is Flowerpath. Pass your wisdom in healing and spirit to Krestelpaw, Flowerpath. I know you will do a good job." Flowerpath and the newly named Krestelpaw touched noses. "I helped your mother bring you into this world," mewed Flowerpath warmly. "Come, little one, I will show you your sleeping quarters and the basics of healing."
At the next meeting for medicine cats, the next half moon after Krestelpaw's apprentice ceremony, Flowerpath and her junior headed toward the Moonrock. The medicine cats of the other clans greeted her politely. "So, Krestelpaw, you have chosen the way of the healer?" asked a white tabby she cat with icy blue eyes. She had MidnightClan scent. "Yes, um, uh...." Krestelpaw stammered. "Whitefeather." said the MidnightClan medicine cat. "Flowerpath is a great medicine cat. You must be proud to learn under her." Krestelwing nodded. The group of cats had reached the Moonrock. "StarClan, I present to you Krestelpaw. She wishes to walk the path of a medicine cat. Please accept her as your own." A ringing silence fell. The other medicine cats began to rest beside the Moonrock, their noses pressed to the cold stone. Krestelpaw, feeling as she should do the same, copied her mentor.
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After many seasons of vigorous training with Faithheart.....
"All right, Hawkpaw! I think you're ready. Let's go tell Bristlestar." meowed Faithheart enthusiastically. "How do you feel?" she teased. "Great! I'm finally gonna be a warrior! But I am a little nervous." Hawkpaw admitted. "It's fine. I was the same way when I was about to become a full warrior of FaithClan.
Later that night...
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here!" Bristlestar called. Slowly, cats assembled in the clearing. "Hawkpaw has trained hard. It's time to make you a full warrior," he said to his son. "You are now Hawktail! StarClan honors your honesty and quick thinking." Bristlestar rested his muzzle on Hawktail's head amid calls of "Hawktail, Hawktail!" The new warrior licked the FaithClan leader's shoulder. "Make me proud," whispered Bristlestar. As Hawktail took his place at the camp entrance, Krestelpaw walked up to him. "Grats! Oh, this is wonderful, Hawktail." Pressing her pelt into his, briefly, Hawktail's sister went back to the medicine den where Flowerpath was waiting. A breeze ruffled Hawktail's fur. His mother was sitting beside him. "I'm so happy," she said into his ear, then disappeared. 'I'll be the best warrior this forest has ever seen, Moondove!' Hawktail thought.
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Bristlestar and Flowerpath lost their lives in the RiverClan attack. Faithstar and Krestelwing took their places as leader and medicine cat. "Krestelwing, how's Whitepaw?" Faithstar asked one day. "Oh, she's fine. Whitepaw's a hard worker, too." answered Krestelwing. "That's good," said a voice that wasn't Faithstar's. Both she cats turned around. Hawktail padded up to them and sat down beside his sister and former mentor. "It's good that your apprentice is doing well." he meowed. "Well, yes." replied Faithstar. Krestelwing beckoned to her apprentice, who was at the fresh kill pile. Whitepaw bounded over to her. "Is there anything you need, Krestelwing?" she asked. "No. I just want to tell you that I'm glad that I have the pleasure to mentor you, Whitepaw." The white apprentice beamed. "Thank you!"
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A few moons later...
"Noooooooo... Wake up, Moondove, please!" But Bristlestar's plea was useless. "We can do nothing about it now." said a grave Flowerpath. "I didn't imagine Moondove would die this way: of greencough. And Hawkkit and Krestelkit will become apprentices soon." Bristlestar pushed his nose into the silver striped queen's fur. His eyes filled with grief. "Goodbye, my Moondove. Wait for me in StarClan."
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Six moons since the birth of Hawkkit and Krestelkit...
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here!" Bristlestar's yowl rang throughout the clearing. "We have two new apprentices to make. FaithClan will get stronger; our Clan is full of terrific warriors. But now we will send two kits on their way to warriorship. Hawkkit, it is time for you to have an apprentice name. From now on, until your warrior ceremony, you will be known as Hawkpaw! Your mentor will be Faithheart. I trust you to pass on your courage and tactics to Hawkpaw, Faithheart." Faithheart padded forward and touched noses with her new apprentice. An apprentice! What an honor! "Krestelkit, you have been very patient," said Bristlestar. "And I know of your choice. From this moment on, till your medicine cat ceremony, you shall be known as Krestelpaw. And your mentor is Flowerpath. Pass your wisdom in healing and spirit to Krestelpaw, Flowerpath. I know you will do a good job." Flowerpath and the newly named Krestelpaw touched noses. "I helped your mother bring you into this world," mewed Flowerpath warmly. "Come, little one, I will show you your sleeping quarters and the basics of healing."
At the next meeting for medicine cats, the next half moon after Krestelpaw's apprentice ceremony, Flowerpath and her junior headed toward the Moonrock. The medicine cats of the other clans greeted her politely. "So, Krestelpaw, you have chosen the way of the healer?" asked a white tabby she cat with icy blue eyes. She had MidnightClan scent. "Yes, um, uh...." Krestelpaw stammered. "Whitefeather." said the MidnightClan medicine cat. "Flowerpath is a great medicine cat. You must be proud to learn under her." Krestelwing nodded. The group of cats had reached the Moonrock. "StarClan, I present to you Krestelpaw. She wishes to walk the path of a medicine cat. Please accept her as your own." A ringing silence fell. The other medicine cats began to rest beside the Moonrock, their noses pressed to the cold stone. Krestelpaw, feeling as she should do the same, copied her mentor.
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After many seasons of vigorous training with Faithheart.....
"All right, Hawkpaw! I think you're ready. Let's go tell Bristlestar." meowed Faithheart enthusiastically. "How do you feel?" she teased. "Great! I'm finally gonna be a warrior! But I am a little nervous." Hawkpaw admitted. "It's fine. I was the same way when I was about to become a full warrior of FaithClan.
Later that night...
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here!" Bristlestar called. Slowly, cats assembled in the clearing. "Hawkpaw has trained hard. It's time to make you a full warrior," he said to his son. "You are now Hawktail! StarClan honors your honesty and quick thinking." Bristlestar rested his muzzle on Hawktail's head amid calls of "Hawktail, Hawktail!" The new warrior licked the FaithClan leader's shoulder. "Make me proud," whispered Bristlestar. As Hawktail took his place at the camp entrance, Krestelpaw walked up to him. "Grats! Oh, this is wonderful, Hawktail." Pressing her pelt into his, briefly, Hawktail's sister went back to the medicine den where Flowerpath was waiting. A breeze ruffled Hawktail's fur. His mother was sitting beside him. "I'm so happy," she said into his ear, then disappeared. 'I'll be the best warrior this forest has ever seen, Moondove!' Hawktail thought.
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Bristlestar and Flowerpath lost their lives in the RiverClan attack. Faithstar and Krestelwing took their places as leader and medicine cat. "Krestelwing, how's Whitepaw?" Faithstar asked one day. "Oh, she's fine. Whitepaw's a hard worker, too." answered Krestelwing. "That's good," said a voice that wasn't Faithstar's. Both she cats turned around. Hawktail padded up to them and sat down beside his sister and former mentor. "It's good that your apprentice is doing well." he meowed. "Well, yes." replied Faithstar. Krestelwing beckoned to her apprentice, who was at the fresh kill pile. Whitepaw bounded over to her. "Is there anything you need, Krestelwing?" she asked. "No. I just want to tell you that I'm glad that I have the pleasure to mentor you, Whitepaw." The white apprentice beamed. "Thank you!"
