Chapter 1: Dovepaw
While the wind blew throughout the forest, the inside of the camp remains sheltered. Black-kit, Pinekit, and Moonkit are playing with me just outside of the nursery. Leafstar is sitting on top of the Highrock. Whitefur, her deputy and my father, is talking with her. Our medicine cat, Curltail, is standing by her den. I leave Black-kit, Pinekit, and Moonkit to their games. I ran off to the fresh kill pile, picked a pump rabbit, and took it to Curltail. “Thanks, Dovekit!” She told me before taking the rabbit. That’s my name. Dovekit. Now, though, I’m six moons old. I’m to be made an apprentice today. Black-kit and Moonkit can’t wait. I worry about Pinekit, though. He told me only yesterday that he is nervous about his apprenticeship. He told me that he overheard Leafstar saying that she would take him as her apprentice. He’s worried that he won’t be good enough. I’ve been trying to calm his fears, but nothing I say is helping. I see Pinekit walk off by himself again. I follow him.
“Pinekit!” I squeal. “Come here! I just want to talk!” Pinekit paused and turned to look at me. “I know that you are nervous. I am, too. You are lucky! Our leader will be your mentor!” I told him. Pinekit looked at me before walking back to the nursery. I followed him. There, we were to wait to be apprenticed.
“All those old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting!” Leafstar yowled from the top. Black-kit, Moonkit, Pinekit, and I rushed towards the Highrock. When the clan had gathered close by, Leafstar started speaking. “We have four kits who are to be apprenticed. Dovekit, Black-kit, Moonkit, and Pinekit, step forward please.” We did as we were told. “Dovekit, from this moment on, you will be known as Dovepaw. Redfoot will be your mentor.” I touched noses with my mentor. “Black-kit, from this moment on, you will be known as Blackpaw. Your father, Whitefur, will be your mentor.” Blackpaw touched noses with dad. “Moonkit, from this moment on, you will be known as Moonpaw. Your mentor will be Birchtree.” Moonpaw touched noses with Birchtree. “Pinekit, from this moment on, you will be known as Pinepaw. I will be your mentor,” Leafstar left the Highrock and touched noses with Pinepaw. I noticed Pinepaw quivering. He looked green at the whiskers. “Are you alright?” Leafstar whispered into his ears.
I stepped forward. “Pinepaw is afraid that he won’t be good enough to be your apprentice,” I explained. Pinepaw turned around and ran off into the bushes. I ran after him. Not far from the entrance to the bushes, I found Pinepaw. He’s getting sick in the grass. I went back through the bushes. He doesn’t need me embarrassing him. I told Leafstar where he was. Then, I went into the apprentice den and fell asleep.
