Chapter Three- Part Three

“Can I join, can I join?” a kit’s voice inquired behind them. Thornpad spun around and Acornkit sighted Fastkit.

“Sure, Fastkit!” Acornkit replied.

Fastkit grinned and watched as Thornpad crouched down to allow the gray kit to hop onto his backside.

Once Fastkit arrived beside him, Acornkit flicked his tail at the apprentice’s den.

“First, we go bother the apprentices!” he mewed excitedly.

“Awesome!” Fastkit proclaimed, and he moved forward as the trio of toms approached the gorse bush that made the apprentices’ den.

But when Thornpad poked his head inside, he shook his head and he rose back up then glanced back at the two kits. “No one’s in there today,” he told them with fake sadness. Acornkit knew it was fake because of the amusement that flashed over the tabby’s gaze.

Four-moon-old Fastkit’s face fell. “Why? Is it because of me?”

“No! Not at all,” Thornpad responded. “It’s just that....”

“Let all cats old enough to run across the moor gather beneath the Tallrock to hear my words!” Hazelstar’s yowl rang across the clearing so loud that probably ShadowClan could hear.

Acornkit and Fastkit pounced off Thornpad and trotted over to sit next to him under the Tallrock.

“Sorry, kits sit in the back row with their parents,” apologized Thornpad. “But I’m just two lines ahead. No need to worry” -he nodded to Acornkit- “or pout.” he purred, looking at the frowning Fastkit.

Acornkit scrunched up his face and clumped over to where Dovecry and Moorfur were sitting. At least he had no annoying siblings to deal with like poor Fastkit did.

Perfect Morningkit sat proudly between Oakleaf and Webbedpelt, chest pushed out and thick muscles shining beneath her dark gray pelt. Now she was halfway to becoming an apprentice- three moons. Acornkit remembered how old he thought he was when he was that age- oh, but now!

Acornkit’s attention focused on the meeting, and he concentrated as the two of the four WindClan apprentices, Pebblepaw and Cherrypaw, stepped up to under the rock. Their mentors, Feathertickle and the warrior Runningfoot, were just behind them.

Their warrior ceremony! Acornkit thought in interest.

Hazelstar jumped right into the ceremony. “I, Hazelstar, leader of WindClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice,” he meowed, motioning to Pebblepaw, who stepped closer to the Tallrock. “He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn.

“Pebblepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?”

Vigorously Pebblepaw nodded and returned, “I do.”

Hazelstar’s gaze flashed down to the gray tabby’s mentor, his deputy Feathertickle. “Feathertickle, do you truly believe that now is the time for your apprentice to earn his full name?” the ginger tom questioned.

“I do believe so.” Feathertickle repeated Pebblepaw’s answer.

“Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Pebblepaw, from this moment you will be known as Pebblefur. StarClan honors your bravery, and we welcome you as a full warrior of WindClan.”

Acornkit felt fur brush against his, and he looked to see his father slumped lifelessly on the ground.