Disclaimer: I do not own the Warriors in any way, shape, or form.
Amberpaw: The day before apprenticeship(prologue)
"Stick and stones may break my bones, but the glares will always hurt the most."
"You are the chosen one," A sweet melodic voice resonated through my dreams as I saw a vision of vines covered in blood and flames almost touching the vines. The bloody vines were trapping everything. My eyes pried open, cold sweat was dripping from my forehead. The other kits were by their mothers, huddled from the chill of leaf-bare. The sun was shining, but the wind still froze the RiveClan camp. I woke up alone and shivering as usual. I have no mother and no one wants to take care of me, not even one of the queens.
"Amberkit," A deep voiced called out to me from outside the Queens' Den.
A charcoal colored cat with light brown eyes came in. This was one of the few cats in my clan who actually cared for me. My brother, Tangleclaw was one of my most precious and trusted person in my life. Along with him was Cloudstar and Snowheart. Cloudstar was the leader of RiverClan who has always treated me with kindness and Snowheart who has always looked at my scratched after a run-in with some other cats in the clan.
"Amberkit, hello, hello, are you in there," Tangleclaw said worriedly.
"I'm fine, sorry I got dazed," I answered back.
"You're thinking of tomorrow, aren't you," he smirked.
I smiled. Even though that was not what I was thinking of, I was still excited for it. Tonight was the day that I would finally become an apprentice. Luckily Cloudstar treated my equally so I would get my apprenticeship like everyone else. Unfortunately not everyone in my clan was not happy about it. I was worried that I would be with a cat that hates me like everyone else. What had I ever done to them. I was born without parents and with only a brother. And then showered in glares and insults. Even the other kits who are younger than I am insult me. It hurts, the glares hurt so much. Each one pierces me so hard. They hurt so much more that any other things that they do. Their full hate poured onto me. Come on, Amberkit, do not get like that. Remember that tonight I would become Amberpaw!
"Amberkit, Amberkit, I lost you again," Tangleclaw's voice called again.
"Oops, Sorry," I said apologetically.
Tangleclaw smiled and suddenly frowned. "I have something to tell you later so meet me at the river later, we'll catch some fish, too," Tangleclaw told me.
"Ok," I replied.
"Tangleclaw, where are you," Ashpaw called out.
"Sorry, I gotta go. That ball of energy won't go away until I do train him," Tangleclaw said.
Ashpaw was a couple moons older than I was. He was Tangleclaw's apprentice and was really hyper. he used to be like the others; hateful and rude. But he changed after meeting us, he's actually become nice.
I wonder what Tangleclaw wants to tell me. It can't be too bad, we rarely keep secrets to each other. Unless, does he have a mate! No Way! Uh Un, impossible. How did this idea ever pop in my head. He can't have a mate, it-it-it's not possible. Hmmm, who could it be? I walked out of the den and wandered of again. Not that anyone cared or noticed. Cloudstar and were too busy to notice. Tangleclaw is training Ashpaw. The other cats don't care that much.
"Ummm, Amberkit," a shy voice called out behind me.
I turned around and there in front of me was Skykit. Not that Skyjit was bad at all, no it was the opposite. He was always in the background. I couldn't tell if he hated me or wants to be my friend. Skykit was becoming an apprentice today to so I would be sure he'd be more excited.
"-you going," Skykit finished.
"I'm sorry, could you repeat that again," I asked,
"Where are you going," Skkit asked, his voice getting louder, "You know that kits are not allowed to travel on their own."
"Aw, come on Skykit," I gave him the super cute kitty cat look I always gave Tangleclaw.
A tinge of red appeared on his face and for a moment he didn't speak.
"Skykit, are you okay," I said worriedly, "Are you sick?"
"I'm fine," Skykit replied after a few minutes shaking his head.
"Okay, then you can come explore with me," I responded.
"What!" Skykit said a little loud.
"Shh, do you want everyone to hear,' I scolded him.
"But-but, we might get in trouble," Skykit said nervously.
"That's whats so fun about it," I smirked.
Skykit sighed, "Fine, but I'm only coming to keep you outta trouble."
I smiled, I had gotten him out of his shell from earlier. I guess Skkit wasn't like the others. He could be really sweet. We continued down the path into the dark forest.
"Don't you think we've done enough exploring, we should go back," Skykit suggested.
"Nah, it's getting really fun. Don't be a spoils sport," I replied.
We continued and suddenly I heard these big long steps behind us.
"AHHHH! IT"S A MONSTER!" I screamed.
Skypaw shook in fear and he turned around. Right before us was...
Dusktail, Skypaw's mother.
"Skykit, Amberkit," her voice shook in burning fury.
She pulled me harshly by my ear while Skykit followed not knowing what to do. My ear hurt so bad, but that was imaginable. Dusktail, like the others hated me. We finally reached camp, I could feel my ear burn on pain.
"Amberkit, you insolent brat," Dusktail voice shook, "How dare you force Skykit into going with you into the woods. I don't care if you died, but my poor little Skykit,"
"Mom, I wasn't forced," Skykit reasoned.
"Don't lie for this thing," Dusktail said, her voice sickly sweet.
"I really didn-" I tried to finish.
"Shut up, you don't deserve to talk," Dusktail screamed.
My ear started to fall in sadness. I could almost feel the tears starting to fall, but I didn't let the. Not now, I can't show weakness. I saw Skykit apologetic eyes and the Dusktail's raised claw ready to strike me. I closed my eyes, I guess I'll need to go see Snowheart today, too.
Smack!
I heard a loud smack, but I felt no pain.
"Stop," A voice called out.
I opened my eyes to see Skykit covering me, who protected me sporting a red scratch on his cheek. Dusktail had shocked eyes at where her son was. By us was Cloudstar with a cold gaze on Dusktail.
"Dusktail, leave," Cloudstar said as Dusktail slunk to the Queens' Den, "Amberkit, take Skykit to Snowheart."
I took his to the Medicine Cat Den quickily and gave him a quick lick of comfort. He turned bright red, I wonder if he was sick. Snowheart murmured something about "lovebirds." I wonder what that is. I saw Tangleclaw motion for me to come with him, my apprenticeship would be soon. I followed him to the river, luckily he had not seen what had happened before.
"Amberkit," he started, "I think you outta know the truth now."
"What truth, is it as I thought. You have a mate," I responded slyly.
He gave me a look of how off topic I was so I just dropped it.
"It's about our parents," he said.
"Parents, why should we care. They abandoned us, died, whatever," I said.
"No, what I'm telling is the truth. At the time, you were barely a moon old. I was 6 moons old," he told me, "Our mother, Honeyfur betrayed the clan."
He continued, "She fell in love with a WindClan cat called Leaftail. They secretly had me and you without the clan knowing. At first they thought I was an abandoned RiverClan kit and you, too. When there was a battle between WindClan and RiverClan, our mother left to fight with WindClan. She betrayed and fought against her own clan. So now all the cats still hold the grudge on us. You look like Honeyfur the most so they use you as the scapegoat. I'm sorry, but you had to know."
I stood there in shock for a while and Tangleclaw had a sad look on his face. I can not believe that my own mother left her own clan, everyone. How could she, a love between clans is not allowed. Now I finally understood. I finally knew what the glares were for, the hits, everything. And I thought, what a stupid idiot the cats are. Don't they know that kits are not the exact thing as their mothers. Okay, I have a renewed determination to show them wrong.
"Okay, let's go become an apprentice," I said motivated.
"S-So you're okay," Tangleclaw stuttered.
"I'm fine," I replied.
"I hope you'll be okay after tonight," Tangleclaw whispered.
I wondered what he was talking about, was he talking about the ceremony. But it looked like that he never said anything.
""Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Riverrock(?) for a Clan meeting!" Cloudstar yowled. "Today we meet for the apprenticeship of the kits. Skykit, Amberkit, and Sunkit.
Me and Tangleclaw scrambled to Riverrock for a meeting. The time had finally come, my apprenticeship. I saw Sunkit and Skykit, whose wound was already looking better. I ran up to stand in the front with them, and the multiple tries to stop me from other cats.
"Sunkit, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Sunpaw.," Cloudstar spoke, "Sunpaw has a special place in this clan. She shall be Medicine Cat Apprentice. Snowheart, teach her well."
The two stepped forward and slightly touched noses, I even saw Sunpaw's hidden excitement.
"Skykit, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Skypaw," Cloudstar mewed, "Willowheart, you shall be Skypaw's mentor. You have been a wonderful deputy, pass this all to Skypaw."
They touched noses, but I saw how nervous Skypaw was. I smiled in his direction, but I didn't think he saw. My turn was soon, I was so nervous. Would my mentor shun me as well.
"Amberkit, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Amberpaw," Cloudstar smiled, "I will be your mentor, and I will pass on all my skill onto you."
What! Wow! Cloudstar was my mentor. I gazed in shock as I padded up to him. We slowly touched noses. Then I heard shouts...
"What, no, not that thing, she can not be mentored by Cloudstar," one cat spoke.
"Does she even have the right to be an apprentice," another spoke.
"I think that we should cast her out," another spoke.
"SILENCE!" Cloudstar yowled.
Everyone stopped talking and looked onto Cloudstar. "Do you defy my judgment, Amberpaw is like any apprentice so she shall be an apprentice to a mentor who can treat her fairly."
No one defied or spoke any more.
Everyone shouted, "Skypaw, Sunpaw, Skypaw, Sunpaw, Skypaw, Sunpaw!"
Not one of them spoke my name except me own brother who was desperately trying others to say it, and Snowheart. Ashpaw was also saying it, equally embarrassed by his own mentor.
Cloudstar gave a sad glance in my direction. It would be fine, its always like this. I'll be okay. I brushed a tear that no one saw. Well I thought no one saw, until Skypaw gave a lick to me ear. He smiled. I knew Skypaw would be there for me.
I padded to the new apprentice den that I would be sleeping in.
When I walked in there with Skypaw by my side. Sunpaw ignored me completely, not even glancing at me as she left to go to the Medicine Cat den. Tinpaw gave my a curt nod because his mother did not hate me like the others. He also wasn't like the others. Tinpaw headed to the edge of the Apprentice den to sleep, Ashpaw was jumping all the place, really excited I had come. I was starting to get really sleepy, I learned way to much. I nodded of to sleep, last thing I knew was Skypaw coming to sleep by me.
A/N: Hi everybody. Thanks for reading Amberpaw, I hoped you liked you. If your a nice person review review REVIEW!! Have a good day!