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“When can I be an apprentice?” Bristlekit looked up at Leopardfur with wide eyes.
She licked the top of her kit’s head. “Soon.” She purred softly, wrapping her tail around Bristlekit. “Only a few moons, now.”
“Larchpaw and Podpaw and Pinepaw are apprentices,” Bristlekit said, yawning. Leopardfur laughed. Bristlekit’s patches carried into her mouth in black and pink splotches.
“They’re a season older than you,” Leopardfur soothed. “You’ll have your turn soon.”
“When?”
“I told you. A few moons from now.”
“That’s a long time.” Bristlekit’s head finally laid back down, her tail tucked carefully under her chin. Leopardfur purred harder.
“You’ll be an apprentice before you know it.”
“Will you take me on a patrol tomorrow?” Bristlekit’s voice was fading off, her breath slowing.
“I’ll take you on a patrol when you’re an apprentice.”
Leopardfur closed her eyes. She knew in the morning, Bristlekit would wake her up, eager as the fish to see the sunrise, and that the kit would sit next to her when she assigned patrols.
She remembered following after Mudfur when she was a kit, asking him the same questions and longing for him to take her out to collect herbs.
“Just wait,” she whispered, not wanting to wake Bristlekit. “RiverClan will be lucky to have you.”