River's Children
"Hurry up Briar, you're gonna make us late!" She called out, causing the brown tabby to speed up, stumbling over his paws. Soon, the three of them joined Rust in the growing crowd of cats in the clearing. In the center was a large rock, the meeting rock where their leader would announce important details and other things to the whole clowder. Speaking of whom, Spruce of Marsh, her aunt, leapt up onto the rock in one swift movement, the chattering of the crowd quickly coming to a stop.
Spruce of Marsh cleared her throat as she looked over the crowd. Her gaze came to a stop at the four kits, and she smiled.
"As I'm sure you're all aware, when a kit reached six moons of age, they become a student. Well, we happen to have four kits here who recently reached that age, and they stand before us now." The crowd mumbled in growing excitement, attention being drawn to the group of four.
"I have discussed with them about the roles they would like to take, as well as their guardians and I have come to decide their teachers. Rust Iron, please step forwards."
Rust nervously stepped forwards, tail flicking as she did. Speckle felt a pang of pity as Rust's parents wouldn't get to see their kit become a student.
"Rust, are you ready to become a student and learn all you can from your teacher and those around you?"
"I… I am."
"Then I ask Copper Leaf to step forwards." Spruce of Marsh turned to face the scarred molly, who seemed shocked to have been called up. She quickly stepped forwards, ear perked as the crowd murmured. "Copper, I know I didn't discuss this with you properly, and I apologize, but I couldn't think of a better cat to train your niece than you. I know it's traditional to avoid having family train family but…" Spruce of Marsh hesitated, glancing at Rust, "I believe Rust will thrive under familiarity."
Copper simply nodded, and stepped towards Rust, leaning down a bit to touch her nose to her niece's, and now student's, nose. Rust seemed startled as well, but quickly pressed her nose back. The duo then walked to the edge of the circle, sitting pressed together.
"Leap Stream, please step forwards." Spruce of Marsh continued the ceremony as Leap bounded forwards. She called forth Red Coal as his new teacher.
"I hope you will pass on all you know to him, and teach him well in the ways of hunting." Red simply nodded at her words, and walked forwards to press his nose to Leap's, when Leap practically jammed their noses together, startling them both. There was a moment of silence before Red burst into laughter and guided his new student to the edge of the circle.
"Speckle…" Spruce of Marsh hesitated for a moment, clearly thinking about something. Speckle's last name hadn't been used since she was born, and with the incident… Speckle shuffled awkwardly, suddenly feeling the pressure of all the eyes on her. "Speckle Shimmer-Stream. Yes, that will do. Speckle Shimmer-Stream, please step forwards."
Taking a deep breath, Speckle stepped forwards, looking up at her aunt nervously.
"Are you ready to become a student and learn all you can from your teacher and those around you?" Spruce of Marsh's voice was comforting, making the stress of being watched practically melt away.
"I am." Speckle spoke clearly, trying her best to keep her tail upright and not tucked beneath her. Her heart pounded in her chest as she wondered who her teacher would be. She could only hope they were kind about her… issue.
"Then I call Bright Sunflower to step forwards." Speckle's ears perked as the pale white molly stepped in front of her. The head of trading? Really?
"Bright, I discussed the responsibilities of being both head of trading And a teacher with you, but I want to confirm again, you are willing to take on the additional responsibility of teaching Speckle the way of trading as well as your own duties?"
Bright smiled and nodded. "I am." Spruce of Marsh smiled back.
"Good. I hope you will teach her all that you know in the ways of trading."
Bright didn't have to lean down to meet Speckle, as the two gently touched noses. Speckle got the feeling of being watched again but brushed it off. Of course she was being watched, it was her ceremony. As the duo walked over to the edge of the circle, she gave a reassuring nod to Briar, who looked like he'd quiver out of his own fur.
As they sat, Speckle turned her attention back to her aunt.
"Briar Stream, please step forwards." Spruce of Marsh usually sounded gentle, but to her nephew, she was extra gentle. As the tabby stepped forwards, still shaking ever so slightly, Speckle noticed Elder's Bark approaching the meeting stone from behind, and fought back a smile.
"Are you ready to become a student and learn all you can from your teacher and those around you?" Spruce of Marsh asked, and Briar nodded, his only other response being a squeak.
"Then I ask Elder's Bark to join me on the meeting rock." She turned to help the ancient molly up onto the rock, as the older cat's footing was uneven in her age. Once up there, Elder's Bark looked around at everyone with a cold stare, hesitating only a split second on Speckle, before turning to face Briar.
"I understand you want to follow the path of a healer, yes?" Spruce of Marsh asked, to which Briar nodded vigorously and managed to get out a yes. Spruce of Marsh then looked to Elder's Bark, who closed her eyes for a second, then nodded.
"I spoke with the ancestors on your potential studenthood moons ago, and they were accepting. I will train you as a healer." She croaked, voice blunt.
Briar looked like he'd jump out of his skin in joy, waiting patiently as Elder's Bark was assisted down the stone, and approached. They touched noses, and then started towards the healer's den as Spruce of Marsh dismissed everyone. Speckle looked at her new teacher excitedly.
"What are we doing first?" She asked, holding her tail still in an attempt to seem more mature. Bright looked over at her and smiled knowingly.
"Well, until it gets dark, you're free to celebrate with whoever you feel like. When it starts getting dark we'll head out with the others to Mother Root." She stood, stretching her lithe form. Speckle scrambled to copy her, earning a chuckle. "Now go on, have some fun."
With a nudge from Bright, Speckle hurried off into the crowd, looking for her family. She was so distracted looking she ran right into a firm chest with a startled "oomph".
"Im so sorry! I wasn't looking and-"
"Its ok sweetheart." She looked up ever so slightly and blinked. It was her uncle Snail. He simply chuckled and patted her head with a paw. "I assumed you were gonna be looking for us so I went to get you."
He gestured for her to follow as he started off in the direction he had come from, and Speckle followed close behind. It took a moment to weave through the slowly dispersing crowd, but they joined up with the rest of the family, minus Briar. Well, not quite the Whole family, only her mother's side. She was never close to her father's side of the family, he had died just before she was born in a horrible storm, one that also took her aunt's mate. She felt bad about it but didn't care much for how her aunt always looked at her with a mix of pity and resentment.
She settled down next to Leap as Snail settled next to Stream. Spruce of Marsh gently cleared her throat before speaking.
"I just want to say I'm proud of all of you, I know it doesn't seem like much, but you're on your ways to becoming great members of the clowder." Her eyes clouded for a moment wistfully, "I just wish Shimmer was here to see you growing up Speckle. She'd be so proud of you too, I'm sure of it."
Stream gave her sister a gentle nudge and a compassionate look. Speckle bit back a retort. If her mother cared so much then why did she Vanish the way she did? Especially without her? Instead she just listened as her aunts chattered between themselves. She looked around after a moment, before finally speaking.
"Where's grandpa?" Everyone stopped talking and looked over at her. Snail glanced around quickly, seemingly searching for the old tom himself.
"I think he's still in the healer's den." Spruce of Marsh hummed, "Elder's Bark didn't tell me if she sent him back to the elder's den or not yet."
"How about we go check?" Snail offered, standing before anyone could respond. Speckle followed suit, and after a quick nod from Stream, the two excused themselves and headed over to the log. As they got closer, both of them began to slow, suddenly nervous about getting on the bad side of the oldest cat in the clowder.
"What do you two want, it better not be sniffles." Elder's Bark, seemingly knowing they were there, poked her head out of the vine curtain, "or did the young one get a splinter in her paw already."
"No, no, we uh…" Snail started, gulping slightly before Speckle spoke.
"We wanted to know if Grandpa was better yet or not!" She blurted out, earning a chuckle from the ancient healer.
"I'm not deaf yet kit, but yes, he's fine. Sent him back to the elder's den this morning. Need anything else or can I get back to teaching my students?"
"No, no that's all, thank you ma'am" Snail managed to get out, nodding respectfully as the healer slid back into the den. He then gestured for Speckle to follow as he turned towards the elder's den. The two of them hurried away, still a little nervous as they approached the old stump that held the den. Snail sighed wistfully as they approached, seemingly suddenly overcome with emotion.
"I remember when you all were born… Briar was small enough to fit in my paw… and now look at the bunch of you! All grown up and already students!" He shook his head slightly, before giving Speckle a swift lick on the forehead. "You go ahead and chat with your grandfather, I'll let the others know he's back in the den."
Speckle nodded slightly, waiting until her uncle was a good distance away before starting to make sure she looked like a proper student for her grandpa. As soon as she felt ready, she poked her head through the vine curtain. Squinting for a moment in the dim lighting, she spotted her grandfather chatting with Mud Flower, the other elder of the clowder. She waited for a lull in their conversation before speaking up.
"Grandpa?" She called, earning the attention of both toms. Wooly grinned as he saw her and beckoned her in with his one front paw.
"Speckle dear! Come in, come in! Come for a story?" He patted the mossy floor next to him as the student stepped down into the den proper. She remembered when the dip felt too steep for her and her cousins to climb up, now it was nothing…
"Oh! I just wanted to come check on you and say I'm a student now!" She chirped, still taking a seat by her grandfather, who immediately wrapped his tail around her.
"What? But you're just three moons old! Has my daughter really started training students so young?" He played up the dramatics.
"Grandpa no, I really am six moons old! You know that!" She giggled, nudging him with one paw.
"Goodness me has it really been that long? Oh how time flies!" Wooly carefully balanced himself on his hindquarters as he put a paw on his forehead dramatically. "Next thing I know, you'll have a mate and kits! The same thing happened with my own daughters!"
"Ew grandpa no! I don't want a mate, boys are stinky! I wanna be like Auntie Spruce of Marsh! She doesn't have a mate!" She gently shoved her grandfather once he was stable, causing him to give her a look and chuckle like he knew something she didn't.
"Well your aunt said the same thing as a kit too. In fact, you remind me quite a lot of her when she was younger…"
"Really?" Speckle looked at her grandfather with wide eyes. He simply nodded, glancing at Mud.
"I could tell you some stories about her if you want, I've got all the time in the world, and it looks like you've got plenty of time to kill until you go." He hummed in thought, looking back at his granddaughter, "unless you're too old for stories now?"
Speckle shot up in offense. Too old for stories? Never!
"No grandpa! Never! I Always wanna hear your stories!"
"Well then settle back down, and I'll start one. Goodness I didn't think that would rile you up like that!" Speckle slowly settled back down, suddenly embarrassed by her outburst.
"Sorry Grandpa, sorry Mister Mud." Wooly simply patted her on the head and began his stories.
"Let's see, where to begin…"