Dawn's New Path

Chapter 13, Names and Such Things of the Pride

"Dawn, how were names chosen in the Pride?" Willow asked between mouthfuls of rat meat.

   "Well kits were named for something similar to whatever their parents were named for," replied Dawn. "she-kits after the mother, tom kits after the father, does that make sense?"

   "I guess so. How does your name relate to your mother's exactly?"

   "Well her mother chose names relating to the sun, moon, and stars. They were very important to the Pride. So that sort of name was past on to Moon, then Dusk and I."

   "Oh okay, reasonable I guess."

   "Moon's father was called Shimmering lake, which explains River's name. Moon also had another kit before, but he didn't live very long. He would have been called Murky stream."

   "So you never actually met him?" asked Willow.

   "No I didn't, but at least I can't be attached to someone I never knew."

   "Yeah I guess, though still it's a shame you never knew your brother."

   "He would have been trained as a healer anyway. I wouldn't have been allowed to speak with him very often."

   "Why would he have been trained as a healer?"

   "He was in the direct line of the first family of the pride. In fact Eclipse was the kit of Star's light, Moon's mother. Eclipse was shunned by Star, and became the first healer in the pride to earn her mother's respect. Still Star cared more for River than the two she-cats."

   "Why would Murky stream have been trained as a healer though?"

   "Because he was the only tom kit Moon had. Star wanted a tom kit in her direct line ascending to leadership of the pride. Eclipse however got Lake to agree that the first kit in the direct line of the first family must train as a healer. When a cat becomes a healer they change in a similar way to kittypets that are taken to the cutter. So there would have been no tom kit to lead after."

   "Eclipse was a clever she-cat wasn't she?"

   "Yes she was. It was a shame when she and Dove died, but I was planning to talk about some of the legends today wasn't I?"