‘So…’ Tiglon still wanted to ask, but was interrupt by Firestar.
‘You will know everything after you have become an apprentice,’ said Firestar, ‘Follow me and
let’s go to the Highledge now!’
Although Tiglon still had many questions, he kept them in his mind and followed Firestar to
the bottom of an enormous, tall stone which Tiglon recognized was where he had slept when he
was fainted. At the bottom of the stone there sat a small, plump male snow leopard cub with a long,
bushy, striped, sleek tail like Firestar’s tail, but the cub’s tail was even plumier than Firestar’s.
Tiglon sat beside the cub quietly. The cub turned his tiny head to Tiglon and squeaked
ardourly, ‘Hello there! I am Leafcub, Firestar’s son! Who are you?’
‘I am Tiglon Baryon,’ replied Tiglon. He liked this cub because he was cheerful and was the
generous kind leader, Firestar’s son.
‘Nice to meet you!’ said Leafcub and he put one of his paws in front of Tiglon.
‘Nice to meet you too!’ replied Tiglon and put his hand in front of Leafcub too.
They shook ‘paws’ together. Just then, Firestar leaped onto the Highledge and announced,
‘Let the snow leopards old enough to catch their prey, come and join this meeting!’
Immediately, snow leopard burst from stone caves and gathered around the Highledge.
Firestar began his speech, ‘Leafcub, you have been with us for three years, and it is the time
for you to start your warrior training.’
‘Leafcub, come here.’ said Firestar gently.
Leafcub climbed up to the Highledge bravely and settled himself beside Firestar.
‘Leafcub,’ Firestar said solemnly, ‘from now on, you will be trained as a warrior apprentice
and until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known Leafpaw. Brambleclaw will be
your mentor! Brambleclaw, you are a new warrior of ThunderTribe, I hope you can pass the skills
that I had taught you to your apprentice.’
A large, broad-shouldered snow leopard climbed onto the Highledge from another side and
pride gleamed in the young warrior’s amber eyes as he bent his head to touch noses with Leafcub.
As Leafcub had finished his apprentice ceremony and jumped down from the Highledge, he
whispered to Tiglon, ‘Good luck.’
After a while, Firestar said again, ‘A human cub has come to ThunderTribe and he have
already showed his bravery when he unsheathed his knife and his loyalty to his mother. StarTribe
has already shown its approval - this newcomer is proper to become a great warrior and is free to
join ThunderTribe as an apprentice.’
‘Come here,’ Firestar said gently to Tiglon.
Nervousness and excitement came to Tiglon when he climbed onto the Highledge and stood
beside Firestar.
‘Starting from today,’ Firestar declared seriously, ‘Until he has earned his warrior name, he
will be trained as an warrior apprentice and he will be renamed as Flamepaw in honour of his
blazing amber eyes while he unsheathed his knife. I, Firestar, the leader of ThunderTribe will be
his mentor! I swear by StarTribe that I will pass every experience I have gained through these
years to this young apprentice.’
After that, he bent down and touched noses with Tiglon. Yowls of surprise thundered around
the stone.
After the ceremony, Firestar said to Tiglon, ‘Tiglon, you will live in my den from now until
you have become a warrior.’
