man my motivation is sobbing in the corner-

:')

TW: cave, excitement, rocks + dirt

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"How was your first training session?" Rippleheart asked the two new apprentices with a soft smile.

"It was GREAT!" Copperpaw meowed excitedly.

"We learned how to fight!" Featherpaw joined in.
Rippleheart laughed.

Azaleakit watched from afar, nose buried in a ball of moss. They lifted their head as Nightpool walked by. Nightpool swished her black tail back and forth. She stopped, looked back at Azaleakit, and beckoned them forwards with a flick of her tail.
Azaleakit bounced up and ran to Nightpool's side, trotting happily.

"What do you know about herbs?" Nightpool asked softly.

"Um... borage is for queens who need milk and... marigold is for wounds so they don't get infected?"

"Great, you know two of the basic herbs," Nightpool smiled, "But you seem eager to learn more."

"I am! I wanna be a medicine cat!" Azaleakit exclaimed excitedly. They paused and asked after a moment, "Where are we going?"

"To see Hermitstar. Aledpaw's already there, I believe." 

"Why are we-" Azaleakit cut themselves off, suddenly realizing why. They lifted their tail in excitement. 

Nightpool lead Azaleakit to the small cave under the leader's rock. Azaleakit gazed in wonder at the tunnel walls as they entered the space. They'd never been somewhere like this before. There was a single, shiny brown rock spotted with white and orange spots embedded into the left wall. Azaleakit looked at it and thought it resembled Hermitstar's pelt, almost exactly.

"Move along," Nightpool murmured in a friendly tone, "Hermitstar and Aledpaw are waiting."

Azaleakit crept forwards, setting down their paws softly on the smooth earth. They arrived in a wide, cave-like den.
There was a fluffy-looking nest full of moss and feathers in the back corner. Hermitstar sat, looking very majestic, beside their nest.
Aledpaw was standing beside Hermitstar, tail wrapped around their paws.

"Hello, Azaleakit." Hermitstar started, voice confident but gentle, "Are you ready?"

"CATS OF HERMITCLAN, GATHER ROUND FOR A CLAN MEETING!" Hermitstar's yowl rang out clearly throughout the camp.

Frogkit bounced up to Dawnpaw and sat down beside her happily. They saw Azaleakit sitting next to Aledpaw looking quite nervous.

"Today is another wonderful day to make some apprentices." Hermitstar meowed, chest puffed out proudly.
"Azaleakit." The small kit looked up in a mixture of excitement and fear. "Step forwards."

"Azaleakit, you have reached the age of six moons. Until you earn your medicine cat name, you shall be known as Azaleapaw. Nightpool, you have learned the ways of a medicine cat from Eagleshine..." There was a moment of silence, "And I trust you to teach Azaleapaw all you know."

Nightpool dipped her head, a gleam of happiness in her eyes. Azaleapaw bounded up to Nightpool and they touched noses.

Frogkit prodded the ground with their paws. They were six moons now.

"This meeting has come to an end!" Hermitstar called. Frogkit watched Hermitstar as they jumped off the rock and went to their den in confusion and disappointment. 

"Don't worry, Frogkit." Dawnpaw mumbled softly. "Your time will come."