Chapter 1

Firestar staggered as he hobbled into camp. Cinderpelt and Sandstorm flanked him, Sandstorm's tail twined with his and he allowed them to herd him to Cinderpelt's den. He flopped down in a nest on the floor. Firestar raised his head as Graystripe, his new deputy walked in.

"I'll see to the patrols, Firestar. BloodClan may still be in the area." Firestar managed to nod before he gave in to the black sleep that was dragging him down.

"Firestar, wake up." Firestar opened his eyes to see Sandstorm prodding him with a paw. She looked at him with laughing eyes. "You've been its sunrise," she mewed. "There are things to do, you know." She turned and rushed out of the den. Firestar lifted himself from the nest and shook bracken from his fur as he strode into the clearing.

He had barely walked a mouselenghth before he was hailed by Longtail and Dustpelt.

"Well?" Firestar prompted. Longtail spoke up first.

"I've not been Fernpaw's mentor for long, but after seeing her in the BloodClan battle, I believe she is ready to become a warrior."

"Ashpaw too." Duspelt put in.

'I agree." Firestar meowed. "We will hold the ceremony at sunhigh." Dustpelt and Longtail nodded and bounded across the clearing to the apprentices den. They crouched beside the two young cats and mewed urgently to them. Firestar watched as the apprentices' gazes changed from curiosity to delight as their mentors spoke with them.

Sunhigh came and Firestar flexed his powerful muscles and leaped up onto Highrock.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Highrock for a Clan meeting." He lowered his gaze as his cats gathered together. "come forward, you two." He beckoned to Ashpaw and Fernpaw, who were standing with Longtail and Dustpelt. The two gray cats stepped forward and Firestar spoke again. "I, Firestar, leader of ThunderClan call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these two apprentices, they have worked hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn." The apprentices' eyes shone as Firestar turned to look down on them. "Ashpaw, Fernpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Ashpaw stated, trying to sound calm.

"I do" Fernpaw echoed her brother

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Ashpaw, from this moment you will be known as Ashfur, StarClan honors your courage and your strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan. Fernpaw, from this moment you will be known as Ferncloud, StarClan honors your patience and your understanding and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Firestar dropped from Highrock and rested his muzzle on Ashfur's head. The new warrior gave his shoulder a respectful lick and Firestar did the same to Ferncloud, and she copied her brother's movements.

"Ashfur! Ferncloud! Ashfur! Ferncloud!" the chorus of mews rose from the assembled cats and they stood to congratulate the new warriors.

Firestar leaped down from Highrock.

"Graystripe," Firestar called to his deputy. "I want a sunhigh patrol. Send them along the river to Sunningrocks, check for fresh RiverClan scent, I wouldn't put it past Leopardstar to make a move right after we are all tired from the BloodClan battle."

"Right you are, I'll get a patrol right now." Meowed Graystripe. Firestar purred as he watched his eager deputy.

"Firestar!" the new voice was Bramblepaw, Firestar's apprentice.

"What is it, Bramblepaw?"

Bramblepaw looked upset. "Speak," Firestar ordered. The young cat looked up at him.

"I'm the only apprentice in training, we might appear weak to the other Clans if we don't have many warriors. How are we expected to gain power if we have no warriors?" Firestar saw a flicker of Tigerstar's ambition in the young cat and he had to stop himself from flinching when Bramblepaw said the word 'power'.

"Don't worry." He mewed to Bramblepaw. "I'll ask Willowpelt when her kits are ready. It ought to be soon before the apprentice den is full again." His words seemed to soothe his apprentice and Bramblepaw bounded off to the fresh-kill pile.

Firestar padded over to the nursery. He poked his head inside. "Willowpelt," he meowed to announce his presence.

"Firestar, what can I do for you?" the gray she-cat mewed.

"I was just wondering when your kits can begin their apprenticeship." Firestar told her.

"Ah, yes, well, you can see that they are getting much too big for the nursery, I would say in three dawns."

"okay, we can arrange the exact time later, I must round up the cats for the Gathering." Willowpelt nodded and Firestar backed out of the nursery.

"Brackenfur," Firestar called to the ginger tom. At his name, the warrior pricked his ears.

"Yes, Firestar?"

"When Graystripe returns from patrol, send him to me." Brackenfur nodded and Firestar loped off to his den.

Firestar lay in his nest, he almost drifted off to sleep before Graystripe pushed through the slowly growing lichen into the den.

"Brakenfur said that you wanted to see me."

"Yes," Firestar mewed. "I need help choosing mentors for Willowpelt's kits. I know that Sandstorm will mentor Sorrelkit, but what about Sootkit and Rainkit?" the gray deputy looked thoughtful.

"Well, if it's okay with you," he mewed. "I'd like to mentor little Rainkit." Firestar looked at his friend. He was experienced, he'd had an apprentice before, and he would do a great job with Rainkit.

"Of course." Firestar meowed. "the Clan has accepted you as a true ThunderClan warrior, I see no reason why you can't mentor Rainkit. But what about Sootkit? I thought maybe Brackenfur, since he couldn't have Snowkit, Tawnypaw left for ShadowClan, so he could have Sootkit."

"I don't know…" Graystripe looked doubtful and he continued after Firestar shot him a questioning glance. "Sootkit is pretty, well, enthusiastic, bouncing around all the time. Do you really think Brackenfur could manage him? He'd be better off mentoring a quiet, serious cat like himself." Firestar realized that he was right.

"I suppose so. But which warrior could mentor him? Who has an enthusiastic personality?" the ginger warrior asked. Graystipe let out a mrrow of laughter.

"Cloudtail, you mouse-brain!"

"yes, of course! Send him to me, and you can choose the warriors for the Gathering." Graystripe padded out of the den and several heartbeats later, Cloudtail bounded in. The white warrior looked at Firestar.

"What?" he meowed. Firestar looked past the rude greeting and jumped right to the news.

"Would you like to mentor Sootkit?" Firestar asked. Cloudtail looked momentarily stunned.

"I guess you want me to teach him the warrior code, and about 'StarClan' and all the other stuff." Firestar was beginning to look regretful about his choice but Cloudtail spoke again.

"Don't worry, Firestar. I'll teach him your way. If you want him to suffer by the warrior code, then that is what I will teach him." Cloudtail dipped his head and padded out of the den. With a sigh of relief, he followed his nephew. There was a Gathering to attend, and an interesting Gathering it would be.