Chapter One
"Otterkit... Wake up, Otterkit! Wake up!" Small paws battered the tiny brown shecat. She grunted and twisted over, trying to get more sleep. "Otterkit, today we're getting our mentors!"
That's right! Today she would be turning 6 moons, which meant she could become an apprentice. Otterkit's eyes snapped open and she jumped up, grinning at her two littermates, Rushingkit and Rainykit. Just the idea of becoming an apprentice made Otterkit's pelt warm with excitement. She mewed loudly, "That's right! I'm going to be the BEST apprentice this Clan has ever seen!" She yowled to the roof of the nursery.
Birdsong, the kits' mother, stirred from behind them. She awoke sleepily. "Would you three mind toning it down a little?" She yawned heavily, stretching her legs out in front of her.
Rushingkit pouted. "But today we'll be apprentices!" He complained.
"Yes, I know young one, but it's barely sunrise. The Clan is just waking up. You must be patient." Birdsong purred, drawing the tiny tom over to her with a paw, licking his ears, grooming him.
The kit squirmed away from his mother's grasp, bouncing back over to Otterkit and Rainykit.
Otterkit sat patiently, rolling her eyes and smiling at her litter mate's antics. Her ears were perked up with the excitement of becoming an apprentice. It would almost be time...
Once the Clan was awake and sharing tongues in the center of camp, enjoying fresh kill from the night before, the leader, Shockstar, leapt onto highrock and yowled for all cats to gather around. Slowly, the cats of RiverClan gathered around the rock, curious.
"Today," Began Shockstar, "Three young kits have reached the age of 6 moons. Therefore they shall become apprentices." The huge tom looked toward Birdsong. "Would Otterkit, Rainykit, and Rushingkit come forward?"
The three kits pushed their way towards the front of the crowd, hardly sitting still with excitement.
"Otterkit, do you promise to be a loyal Clancat and protect your Clan at all costs?"
This was the moment, Otterkit knew, the moment where her life began. She nodded solemnly, stepping forward to allow her leader to lick her shoulder. She bowed her head.
"Then, from this day forward, until you receive your Warrior name, you shall be known as Otterpaw!"
The chants of 'Otterpaw! Otterpaw!' echoed all around the new apprentice, but she barely heard the shouts, mainly focusing on who her mentor would be. Would it be Icefur? She was always so nice. Or maybe it would be Yewnose, the handsome grey tom. One thing was for sure; Otterpaw could NOT, under ANY circumstances have-
"Ferretclaw!"
Otterpaw's heart stopped. No.
"You're a brave, strong warrior. Hopefully you can pass your knowledge and bravery on to young Otterpaw here." Mewed Shockstar, smiling over at the crowd.
Otterpaw felt all her fantasies of having a fun, caring mentor fall apart around her as she watched the lithe, scarred cream tom slink forward. When Ferretclaw loomed over her menacingly, Otterpaw shakily dipped her head in a sign of respect before retreating quickly back to Birdsong to watch her siblings' ceremonies.
In the end, Rainykit got Icefur as her mentor and Rushingkit received Quickstep as his.
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