Lost Stars/Chapter 2

==Chapter description==
:Leafstar calls a meeting underneath Tallrock, making Rootkit poke his head out from the nursery and then scramble into the camp clearing. Leafstar is shown to be standing on the tallest boulder in the camp that is covered in lichen and has an opening at the bottom for her own den. Rootkit hurries towards the Tallrock, only to be knocked over by his sister, Needlekit. The two playfight, ending with Rootkit telling his sister that he wants to hear what Leafstar is going to announce. She tells him she knows what their leader is going to say, and he replies that he does too.
:The tom watches as his Clanmates leave their dens to gather around the Tallrock. He sees Turtlepaw and Kitepaw exiting the apprentice's den to join their mentors, Blossomheart and Sagenose. Rootkit notices Plumwillow, Hawkwing, the Clan's deputy, and SkyClan's two medicine cats, Frecklewish and Fidgetflake, all assemble to hear Leafstar. A voice asks him if he knew what day it was, and Rootkit turns to see his mother, Violetshine, standing a few paces away from them. The tom tells her that he does, saying that he and Needlekit are six moons old and are going to be made apprentices. Violetshine says he is right and then fusses over him, telling him he looks as though he was dragged through a thorn thicket.
:Leafstar then calls to the cats gathered below her and holds apprentice ceremonies for the two kits, naming them Rootpaw and Needlepaw with Dewspring and Reedclaw as their mentors, respectively. He touches noses with Dewspring and promises the older cat that he would work hard. The Clan cheers his name, and Rootpaw thinks it's the beginning of his Clan life. He cheers for his sister Needlepaw and he looks around seeing the excitement in his Clanmate's eyes. However, his mood drops when he sees his father, Tree, sitting at the edge of their Clanmates with an expression of detached curiosity. Rootpaw wonders if his father is proud of him, but reflects that his father was always seemingly detached from Clan life, despite the many moons he had lived alongside them.
:Rootpaw is congratulated by Kitepaw and Turtlepaw, the latter adding that their mother looks proud whilst Tree doesn't. Rootpaw picks up on Turtlepaw's easing tone and reacts, insisting that Tree is proud of them in his own way. Needlepaw also reacts before Kitepaw cuts in saying that Turtlepaw was only joking, adding that he also thought Tree was weird. Needlepaw jumps to the defense, saying weird is good and that her father is the best cat in forest at settling arguments. Kitepaw states that he hasn't done that recently, making Rootpaw point out that there hasn't been any need for him to settle matters and that thanks to Tree there was peace between the Clans.
:The two older apprentices invite the newly made apprentices to make their nests, but before Rootpaw follows, he goes to ask Dewspring first. The gray tom agrees and tells him to eat something and find him afterward so they can tour the territory. Reedclaw agrees with this, and Rootpaw and Needlepaw bound off. Rootpaw spots Wrenkit and Tree nearby. When the tiny kit spots Tree, she shivers and cuddles up with her mother. He rolls his eyes, knowing that Tree frightens the kit by telling her that her dead siblings were watching over her.
:Tree walks over to his offspring, remarking that they are apprentices now. Needlepaw responds that it's great and they are going to tour the territory. Tree laughs and tells them to remember to not fight the foxes. He notices Rootpaw's moodiness and asks what's wrong, which the young tom replies nothing is wrong. Tree presses on, and he mutters that he shouldn't have told Wrenkit about her dead siblings.
:Tree backs himself up but Rootpaw snaps at him, saying cats don't say weird stuff like that. He glances up to see Tree's hurt look as he responds that the Clan ways aren't the answer to everything. Rootpaw ignores this, eating the last scraps of his mouse and thinking about how he will be a committed warrior and prove his Clan wrong.
:Two days after Rootpaw becomes an apprentice, he practices a battle move with Dewspring, Reedclaw, and Needlepaw. The tom struggles to perfect it and gets distracted by Turtlepaw and Kitepaw's more advanced fighting skills. Needlepaw is already very good at the move, while Rootpaw always fails. Dewspring tiredly says that they will try again the next day when Rootpaw can pay attention. The gray tom then goes with Blossomheart to go hunting.
:Needlepaw offers to help Rootpaw, but Turtlepaw and Kitepaw break in, saying that he is waiting too long. Turtlepaw gives him more advice, but Kitepaw teases him, saying he should just follow a different path. Rootpaw gets furious over this and attempts to attack Turtlepaw, who was also starting to mock him but fails. The two apprentices taunt him, saying if he wants to prove himself, he should go to the lake with them to collect herbs. Needlepaw protests this, but Rootpaw snaps at her, saying he can take care of himself.
:The siblings have a brief argument before she stalks away and Rootpaw follows Turtlepaw and Kitepaw. When they arrive, Rootpaw instantly starts to look for herbs. Kitepaw mocks him, asking how he knew what herb they were looking for. Rootpaw pulls himself together and tries to walk back to camp, but Kitepaw calls to him saying that he is better off talking with dead cats like his father. Rootpaw is so infuriated, he whips around and charges toward them, but both of them sidestep and Rootpaw skids onto the ice, eventually falling into the icy water.
==Characters==
===Major===
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Important events==
===Ceremonies===
==Notes and references==
Category:Lost Stars
Category:The Broken Code arc
Category:Chapter subpages