Outcast

To her annoyance, Squirrelflight’s tail curled up in amusement. “Don’t try to plan so far ahead!” her mother meowed.

“StarClan already has your path marked out, and there’ll be twists and turns in it that you can’t possibly expect.”

“But—”

“Look around you,” Squirrelflight went on. “Plenty of she-cats have kits and then return to the warriors’ den.”

But do they become Clan leader?

“Don’t worry about it,” Squirrelflight finished, resting her tail tip on her daughter’s shoulder. “Just concentrate on your training.”

That doesn’t help, Hollypaw thought frustratedly. That doesn’t help me at all.

Hollypaw returned from hunting to find the Clan beginning to gather in the middle of the clearing. Firestar was standing on the Highledge, his flame-colored pelt blazing in a ray of sunlight.

Hollypaw carried her prey across to the fresh-kill pile.

“What’s going on?” she asked Cloudtail, who was sharing a thrush with his mate, Brightheart.

“Icekit and Foxkit are going to be apprenticed,” Brightheart replied.

“And about time, too,” Cloudtail muttered. “They frightened my fur off the other day, yowling that ShadowClan was attacking us.”

His mate gave him a gentle prod with one forepaw. “Kits are kits, Cloudtail. You know they’ll be good warriors one day.”

His only reply was a snort.

Hollypaw looked around for the other apprentices.

Honeypaw was sitting close to Berrynose, who was ignoring her and talking to Birchfall instead. Jaypaw appeared from behind the bramble screen at the entrance to the medicine cats’ den, and a heartbeat later Leafpool joined him.

Hollypaw took a paw step toward them, but she felt awkward about joining them in case they were discussing medicine cat business.

Poppypaw and Cinderpaw were sitting near Sandstorm and Graystripe, and as Hollypaw glanced around she spotted Lionpaw emerging from the apprentices’ den to find a place next to them. Hollypaw bounded across.

Ferncloud emerged from the nursery with Foxkit and Icekit. Dustpelt followed; the brown tabby warrior looked ready to burst with pride.

The kits’ eyes were bright with excitement, and their glossy pelts shone in the sunlight. Both of them were trying hard to be dignified, but halfway across the clearing Icekit gave a little bounce; her father caught up to her and flicked her over the ear with his tail. After that she managed to walk calmly until she and her brother reached the front.

Firestar bounded down the tumbled rocks from the Highledge and called both kits to stand in front of him.

“Squirrelflight,” he began, “your time for an apprentice is long overdue. You will be mentor to Foxpaw.”

Squirrelflight stepped out of the crowd, her head and tail held high. As she padded toward Firestar, Foxkit ran up to meet her.

“Squirrelflight, the whole Clan knows your courage and loyalty,” Firestar continued. “Do your best to pass these qualities on to Foxpaw.”

Foxpaw reached up to touch noses with Squirrelflight, and the two cats withdrew to the side of the hollow.

Squirrelflight’s a mentor now, Hollypaw told herself. And she had kits. It is possible to do both.

Firestar’s gaze rested on a young white she-cat.

“Whitewing, you too are ready for your first apprentice. You will be mentor to Icepaw.”

Eyes glowing with happiness, Whitewing padded over to her apprentice. They touched noses and followed the other new apprentice and his mentor to the side of the clearing.

The rest of the Clan began to crowd around, congratulating them and calling the apprentices by their new names.

Hollypaw noticed that Berrynose and Birchfall stayed where they were.

“Huh!” Birchfall exclaimed, loud enough for the cats around him to hear. “I don’t know why Firestar picked Whitewing. I’d be just as good as her at mentoring.”

“Firestar picks the best cat for the job,” Sandstorm told him as she walked past. “Whitewing is older than you. And don’t forget she could have been made a warrior much sooner, but she asked to put it off so you wouldn’t be the only apprentice.”

Birchfall muttered something Hollypaw didn’t catch.

“You’ll have an apprentice soon,” Sandstorm assured him.

“For once the Clan has plenty of kits.”

Birchfall didn’t dare complain any more, but he still looked discontented. Berrynose whispered something in his ear, and the two young toms moved away with their heads close together.

Hollypaw sighed. She didn’t know what had gotten into Birchfall lately. He used to be good fun; he had been made a warrior so recently that he still remembered what it was like to be an apprentice. Now he’s being as much of a pain in the tail as Berrynose, she thought.

By the time Hollypaw got close enough to congratulate the apprentices, the cats were drifting away to get on with their duties. Hollypaw felt a touch on her shoulder and turned to see her mentor, Brackenfur.