Starlightlynxes: Stars in the Sky #1: Twilight

~Chapter 1~

It was peaceful in the forest as a young rabbit - no more than two months old- hopped out of the bushes towards some old, frost covered berries. Its ears were pricked for any signs of danger. Even though it had good hearing, it failed to hear one thing. Lynx.

    The lynx's big paws made it completely silent as it crouched on the snow, ready to pounce. The lynx's name was Hawk, and, as he crouched down, he thought, I'd better not miss. Last time was so embarrassing. The lynxes were always tested to see if they were ready to become full members of the group, to become a Starlightlynx. Hawk was training to be a hunter.

    There are two main kinds of Starlightlynxes, one, there were hunters - the lynxes who have a thinner, smaller, shape and who could be very silent- and two, there were guards - those who have a more muscular shape, and rely mostly on strength. Hawk had failed his first test, he stepped on a twig, which scared away the bird he was trying to catch. This time I will pass. He thought. I will pass!

A gray flash and he pounced.

"Good job!"Another lynx came out of the bushes.

"Did I pass?" Hawk asked the newcomer, Dusk, hopefully.

"You did." Dusk nodded. "Let's go pick up the mouse that I smelled back there."

Hawk picked up his rabbit. "I think that Ice would like this."

"I'm sure she would. Common, let's go back to camp so Moonsight can make you into a Starlightlynx."

"Did you pass?" Hawk's sister, Owl, asked him when he and Dusk got back.

"What does it look like?" He lifted his paw and pointed to the dead rabbit and the mouse.

"Yes?" Owl guessed. Owl was training to be a guard. She had passed her test two months earlier than he had.

"Correct" Dusk padded past them both and towards Moonsight's den.

"He's going to tell Moonsight that you're ready, Isn't he?" His mother, Snow, meowed.

"I think so." Hawk told her.

"Your father would be so proud of you right now." She sighed. "If only he were here to see you."

"I wish he-"

A voice interrupted him. It was Moonsight.

    "Congratulations, Hawk." Moonsight meowed. He had just emerged from the elder's den and now was standing on the rock before them. He looked around at the gathering lynxes. The other elders climbed out and stood on the rocks below him. "Dusk," He looked at Dusk. "While you and Hawk were out, me and the other elders spoke, and when we saw his prey, we decided that Hawk is ready to become a Starlightlynx. What do you think?"

"I think he is." Dusk replied.

"Hawk, do you feel ready to become a Starlightlynx?"

    Hawk trembled a little bit. He had been waiting his entire life for this moment. "Yes." He breathed. "I really do." He could feel it everywhere. He really was ready this time. Not like last time. He rolled his eyes at the thought.

"Then, Hawk, you must swear the oath."

Hawk closed his eyes and took a deep breath and began. "I do solemnly swear by all the stars:

That I will be loyal to the profession of hunting for those who can not, and I promise to always let the youngest and the oldest eat the prey, that I have caught, first; That I will lead my life and practice my art in righteousness and honor; Holding myself aloof from wrong, from corruption, and from temptation. As for the seven rules, I will keep them safe in my heart. I will make sure that everyone else is fed before I myself eat anything, and I will not mate with a guard. These things I promise, and in proportion as I am faithful to this oath may happiness be ever mine."

I am a Starlightlynx now! I am a full member of this group!

"Hawk," Moonsight purred. "You are now a Starlightlynx!"

    "I'm proud of you." Snow padded over to stand beside him. "I knew you could do it." She only stayed for a moment before she went up to the big rock to speak with Moonsight and the other elders.

Hawk looked at the camp. The elder's den- where the leading elder and the other elders slept, spoke, ate, and more- was in a hole in the rock that Moonsight was standing on, and below it to the right was the healer's den. Just another hole in the big rock. Across from that was the entrance. Or exit.

    Closer to the middle of the camp was the kit's den, where the kits and their mothers sleep. The kit's den was made out of a fallen tree. The trainee's den- for the lynxes who were still training, was at the far side of the camp, made out of a few bushes surrounding a little clearing in the center where all the nests were. It was cozy except when it rained because there was hardly any cover. Most of the time when it rained all the trainees huddled together to keep warm.

    I won't be sleeping there anymore. Hawk thought. A little bit farther to the left of the trainee's den was the den for Starlightlynxes.

That's where I'll be sleeping. The den for Starlight's was made in a rock pile. There was a space in between two of the rocks that the lynxes squeezed through to get to the inside, which was a bigger area for the nests.

I should go make my nest.

"Wait!" Moonsight yowled as the lynxes started to break up."Before every lynx leaves, we, the elders, have one more announcement."

Hawk stopped and turned.

"Snow has reached ten years in age." Moonsight looked at her.

Hawk blinked. He knew what that meant.

"Snow, we welcome you as an elder." Moonsight purred.

Hawk knew that he should be happy, but this meant that there would be very little time that he could spend with his mother.

"Welcome." Ice meowed.

"Welcome." The other elders echoed.

"Thank you." Snow walked towards the group of elders and sat down.

"Congratulations." Some of the others said.

There were three elders not including Snow. There was the oldest and wisest lynx, Twig, and the others were Ice and Birch. Hawk liked Ice. She was fun. And also his auntie, His father's sister.

"Come make your nest, Hawk." Bramble, another Starlightlynx, brushed past him.

"That's what I was about to do." Hawk shook his pelt and raced after Bramble.

"I'm in shock!" Owl burst into the den.

"What are you in shock about?" Hawk saw a twinkle in his sister's eyes.

"In shock that you decided not to sleep beside Lily!"

"I've told you a million times already, I don't like her!"

"But you used to."

"Okay, maybe I used to, but not anymore."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm as sure as I can be that you like Pine!" If his sister wanted to tease him, she was going to have to deal with it in return.

"Do not!"

"Oh, sorry, you don't like him, you love him!"

She swatted at him playfully. He ducked just in time. He heard her stomach growl.

"I may not be good at fighting -because I'm not a guard- but I am faster than you!" He ducked out of the den and raced to the food pile, running effortlessly through the snow. I'm hungry too. His stomach was rumbling.

"Thats not fair!" Owl came racing up to the pile.

He chose two mice and started eating. Owl chose a rabbit and dragged it over to where Hawk was sitting.

Owl blinked warmly into his eyes. "I'm glad you're my brother." She meowed.

"I'm glad you're my sister, Owl." He licked her ears. "Very glad."