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It was a warm Leaf-bare morning when the long-legged reddish tabby feline emerged from the sanctuary of her den. Dawn light splashing onto her yellow-red pelt, Redstar savoured the heat for a moment, eyes closed in bliss.
With the rains having returned at last, the LightningClanner could relax. Prey was plentiful, water abundant and her clan, happy. What more could you want? With life in her clan so peaceful, the slender tabby couldn't help but feel a little wary about what lay ahead for LightningClan.
Everything seems so perfect, what if this is just the eye of the storm? What if there are more great troubles ahead of us? Redstar knew life in the clans was never perfect, there would always be trouble, stolen prey, lack of prey, battles and border skirmishes. It was all part of being a clan.
Redstar sighed, shaking her head dismissively as if trying to rid her mind of her dark thoughts and let a smile creep across her features. Honey amber orbs flickering around her to her clanmates, going about their duties.
The slender reddish tabby feline had already done a little hunting this morning, just after dawn, and it had been reasonably successful. She had managed to add a rabbit and a small mouse to the fresh-kill pile before retreating to her den for a little nap.
Spine arching in a stretch, the red-yellow tabby LightningClanner’s jaws parted in a wide yawn. Padding over to her favourite spot to watch her clan from, the hill top, Redstar let her amber gaze drift across the camp.

It was pretty quiet this morning, many of LightningClan’s warriors either out hunting or simply enjoying a bit of the sunshine. Redstar smiled to herself, tail tucking around her paws.
Normally, the red-yellow tabby she-cat would find something to do on a morning such as this, perhaps bring prey to the elders or the nursery. But not today, because today Redstar had a ceremony to attend to.
“May all cats swift enough to catch a rabbit gather below the Hill Top for a clan meeting!” The call came to Redstar as easily as breathing now as she stood tall, the wind ruffling her fur as she gaze down upon her clan.
Waiting for her fellow LightningClanners to gather, the reddish tabby let her honey-amber orbs wander down to the camp below. For one cat today, it would be the most exciting day of their life, so far at least.
Once satisfied that the majority of her clan was gathered, the long-legged feline cleared her throat and began to speak, “By naming apprentices, we continue to prove that LightningClan will remain strong.”
The slender red-yellow tabby grinned, amber orbs seeking out a certain darkly coloured tortoiseshell she-kit, “Gingerkit, please step forwards.”

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g i n g e r k i t

kit, lightningclan

Gingerkit bounced in the nursery excitedly. An apprentice! She was going to be an apprentice! She had been dreaming of this day for her whole life.

"Gingerkit! Come back!" Her mother's frantic meow reached the little kit's ears, but she didn't care.

"Mommy! I'm gonna be the best warrior ever! Can't you see that I'm gonna be awesome?" Bouncing around the nursery, she couldn't sit still. Finally, her mother gave up and laid a paw out, tripping her. Gingerkit went sprawling, and her mother picked her up by the scruff to groom her. Gingerkit hissed at the other kits who failed to hide their snickers.

"Shut up!" Her mom swatted her lightly on the head.

"Gingerkit! Be nice! That's not how a warrior would behave!" The she-kit immediately sat up and shot out of the den. Her mother, right behind her, followed with a small shake of her head.

“May all cats swift enough to catch a rabbit gather below the Hill Top for a clan meeting!”

Gingerkit gasped as Redstar mounted the Hill Top and made the traditional Clan meeting call. Her mother padded up behind her and continued to groom her lone kit.

“By naming apprentices, we continue to prove that LightningClan will remain strong. Gingerkit, please step forwards.”

The named kit met the gaze of her leader and padded forwardly slowly, all traces of the earlier eagerness gone. Nervousness clawed at her heart and she sat before Redstar, waiting.

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Seeing Gingerkit, absorbed by a mixture of excitement and nerves, just as Redstar had been so many moons ago filled the red tabby she-cat’s heart with pride. It was hard to imagine that she had ever been that young and naïve, completely oblivious to how harsh life could be.
As the named kit sat before her patiently, gazing up expectantly, Redstar smiled warmly, letting her amber gaze sweep over the gathered cats one last moment before focusing on Gingerkit.
“Gingerkit, from this day forth, you will be known as Gingerpaw,” her voice rang out loud and clear in the cool Leaf-fall air, her breaths billowing into soft clouds, drifting upwards for a few heartbeats before fading, “I could do with getting out a little more, I've had a lot of free time on my paws lately, I will be your mentor.”
Redstar watched for the newly named apprentice’s reaction. It was a great honour to be mentored by the clan leader, it would certainly come as a surprise to Gingerpaw.
The red tabby she-cat flicked a droplet of dew from ivory whiskers before gracefully leaping down to the Hill Top to stand before the tortoiseshell apprentice, “I hope to pass on all that I know and all that Pebblefrost taught me, to you,” she spoke the name of her mentor with a wistful smile as she leaned down to touch noses with her new apprentice.
Pebblefrost had been a wonderful mentor to a young Redpaw; turning a mischievous young kit into an honest, patient young cat, ready for the challenges life hurled at her.
Redstar intended to be as a good mentor as Pebblefrost had been to her. Right now, Gingerpaw was an untrained, young, naïve apprentice, with luck, the red tabby she-cat would help her realise her potential and shape her into the best warrior she could be.

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g i n g e r p a w

apprentice, lightningclan

If someone described the young apprentice sitting before her leader, they would probably use the words calm and very quiet. They certainly wouldn't associate Gingerki--paw. Gingerpaw. with those words. But, the young, bouncing ball of energy was quiet as she sat before her leader. Her tail flicked slightly as she received her new name, the only emotion she displayed.

"I could do with getting out a little more, I've had a lot of free time on my paws lately, I will be your mentor.”

Gingerpaw started and nearly fell over. Redstar? My mentor!? she squeaked involuntarily before clamping her jaws shut. Why was she getting the leader as a mentor? She must have done something wrong to get placed under constant supervision! Or maybe her mother had arranged this! Or maybe--

Or maybe the leader of her Clan wanted to get involved with her Clanmates and pass on some wisdom. She sobered, but only slightly. After the initial shock of the revelation, Gingerpaw realized that she was highly honored--and that made her happy once again.

Touching noses with the ginger she-cat in front of her, Gingerpaw practically vibrated as she returned to her normal self. She was an apprentice!