Chapter 21

                                    

                                          
	The sun beat down on the cats of SunClan as they gathered below the SunTree. Greenleaf was in full swing and the days had become very hot. Flowerpelt sat beside Stormwind and Thornpelt as the Clan gathered for the ceremony. In the center of the cluster of cats sat Rustkit, Barkkit and Snakekit who were all about to become apprentices. SunClan was in dire need of apprentices, as these three would make fine warriors with some training. Marshpelt sat close to the SunTree, near her mate. Flowerpelt couldn't help but notice how thin Marshpelt looked. Her mottled brown pelt was dull, was she getting older?
                          
	Flowerpelt flicked her ears, hoping that Marshpelt didn't have some sort of sickness. She forced her attention away from Marshpelt and to the apprentices who eagerly awaited to receive their apprentice names. 
                          
	"Today is a proud day for SunClan," Foxstar began, the apprentices squirmed in place but remained still. "By naming apprentices we show that we will remain strong for many moons to come." Foxstar looked down at the three apprentice, two of them being his sons, his green eyes shimmered with pride. "Rustkit, Barkkit and Snakekit. You have reached the age of six moons and are ready to become apprentices. Rustkit, from this day forward until you have earned your warrior name you will be known as Rustpaw. Your mentor will be Tigertail, he may be a young warrior but I know that he will be a wonderful mentor to you." 
                          
	Flowerpelt watched as Tigertail stepped forward, touching noses with his new apprentices. Tigertail may be a moon younger than Flowerpelt, but he was always incredibly mature. He'll be a great mentor.
                          
	"Barkkit, from this day forward, until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Barkpaw. Your mentor will be Flintstripe. Flintstripe, you are a brave and courageous warrior and I trust you will teach all you known onto young Barkpaw." Flintstripe and Barkpaw touched noses and left Snakekit in the center by himself, looking ready to explode with excitement. "Snakekit, from this day forward, until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Snakepaw. Your mentor will be Moonfur who I trust will teach you everything you need to know." Eagerly, Snakepaw touched noses with Moonfur and the two stepped off to the side. 
                          
	"Rustpaw! Barkpaw! Snakepaw!" The cats of SunClan cheered for their three new apprentices. Flowerpelt felt a rush of joy, watching the three young cats with their mentors. Foxstar was right, naming apprentices was a proud day for SunClan. Greenleaf was here and Willowkit would be receiving her apprentice name in the next moon. Frostclaw had also moved to the nursery and would be having her kits in about a moon. In the two moons since Stonewhisker's death, SunClan was thriving.
                          
	Flowerpelt looked up towards the sky. I hope you're proud of us, father. She thought, letting out a happy sigh and enjoying the sunlight on her pelt.
                          
	"I hope we get apprentices soon." Stormwind pulled her attention away from the sky. "Maybe we'll be able to mentor Frostclaw's kits."
                          
	Flowerpelt shrugged. "That's still seven moons away." She stood up, stretching out. Still.  Flowerpelt couldn't help but want the same thing, if she finished mentoring an apprentice that meant that she would be able to become deputy. She looked at Thornpelt who had gotten up and was now talking to Bramblepelt. They had remaind friends since their talk and the promise remaind. 
                          
	"I'm bored." Stormwind nudged Flowerpelt. "Let's go hunting, we're wasting greenleaf." Flowerpelt nodded eagerly and followed her sister out of the camp. "Where should we go?"
                          
	Flowerpelt thought for a moment, she didn't want to go near AshClan territory, it was hard enough to patrols there. She may have accepted her father's death but it didn't mean that she was happy about going to the spot where he died. 
                          
	"How about near the MoonClan border." Flowerpelt suggested, Stormwind nodded in agreement and the two sisters headed towards the river. It was a beautiful day, the blue sky was clear of clouds and the sun was shining bright. Flowerpelt felt energy flowing through her veins, she loved this season.
                          
	It wasn't long before Flowerpelt spotted a plump squirrel nibbling on some seeds at the base of a tree. She dropped into a silent crouch and kept her green eyes focused on her prey. The squirrel was completely oblivious to the danger it was in. With a mighty leap, Flowerpelt's claws met the squirrel and she killed it cleanly.
                          
	After burying her catch, she continued where she found a mouse that she killed with ease. Flowerpelt had lost track of Stormwind, but she was sure her sister was just as focused on hunting as she was. Flowerpelt found and caught another squirrel but caught a strange scent. It smelled like cat, like SunClan even but it was kind of feint. 
                          
	With her nose in the air, Flowerpelt followed the trail. Through the trees, not far from the river border with MoonClan, she spotted the dark tabby pelt of Falconclaw. She couldn't help but tense slightly. Why is out here?
                          
	"I know you're there Flowerpelt." His voice was somewhat hostile and took her a little by surprise., Flowerpelt stood up from her crouch and stepped into view. Falconclaw's dark amber eyes looked her over with some sort of dangerous intent. Flowerpelt swallowed her nerves and approached her Clanmate. 
                          
	"Sorry." She dipped her head. "I caught a weird scent and followed it here, where I found you."
                          
	"I smelled it too." Falconclaw turned his head and gazed across the river, into MoonClan's territory. 
                          
	"What are you two doing out here?" Flowerpelt turned her head back to Stormwind who was looking at the two of them with a tilted head. 
                          
	"We smelled something strange so we followed it here." Flowerpelt explained, Falconclaw was looking at Stormwind with the same look her had given Flowerpelt. She stepped forward, not wanting to be alone with him any longer. "How much prey did you catch?" She questioned her sister.
                          
	Stormwind, looking somewhat off put, turned to Flowerpelt. I caught three squirrels and a mouse. Her blue gaze darted to Falconclaw. "How about you?"
                          
	"Two squirrels and a mouse." Flowerpelt stepped in between her sister and Falonclaw. "Why don't we take them back to camp, I'm sure the queens and Willowkit would love some prey."
                          
	"See you in camp, Falconclaw." Stormwind called politely as the two of them made their way away from the MoonClan border. The dark tabby gave a single wave of his tail to show he heard her but didn't respond.
                          
	Once the two sisters were out of his hearing range, Stormwind ducked her head down. "That was weird, right? How he was acting and looking at us?"
                          
	Flowerpelt nodded. "It was weird, he's always looked at me like though." She looked over her shoulder, making sure Falconclaw wasn't behind her. I shouldn't be this concerned about my own Clanmate. She let out a small sigh. It's probably just in my head. She wanted to enjoy greenleaf, not worry about what Falconclaw thought about her and Stormwind. "Let's just go home."
                          
	Once back in camp, Flowerpelt and Stormwind took two of their squirrels to Rowanfall and Frostclaw who were both very grateful. The sun was starting to set over the forest and SunClan was relaxing. Flowerpelt shared some prey with her sister and mother, enjoying the cool night after such a hot day. Dovewish had struggled, but she was slowly coping with the loss of Stonewhisker as were Flowerpelt and Stormwind. She knew that some cats though that after Stonewhisker's death Dovewish would return to her kittypet life, but Flowerpelt knew her mother better than that. She loves us, she would never leave her kits behind. And she loves behind a warrior, I know she does. 
                          
	As the night settled down, Flowerpelt looked over SunClan camp. The three apprentices were chatting eagerly outside the apprentice den about their first day over prey. Frostclaw and Rowanfall were playing with Willowkit outside the nursery. Flowerpelt wondered if Willowkit had any memories of Birchkit and Nutkit. They had been so young when they died that they never really had a life to live. 
                          
	Willowkit seemed happy and was very excited to become an apprentice and soon the Clan would have even more kits. Flowerpelt wondered what it was like having kits, having to live in the nursery for eight moons and be unable to hunt or go on patrols. She would hate being stuck in the nursery, but then again she might love having kits of her own. Rowanfall certainly looked happy, and both Frostclaw and Jayflight were incredibly happy to have their kits. 
                          
	That's not really something I can think about right now. Flowerpelt thought. I'm young and I have dreams to follow. She took a deep breath. I want to be leader.