Hello to anyone and everyone crazy enough to be reading this! This story may seem familiar-and that's because you've read it before. This is a re-write of a story that I wrote my sophomore year in high school and happened to stumble upon recently. I'd always wanted to re-write it but never had the time. Now that I have a little bit of free time on my hands, I'm going to challenge myself to re-write this. I'm not sure if I'm going to re-write the sequel since I never finished it in the first place! I have all the plot notes, and I know exactly what's meant to happen, but I might just end Hope in such a way that there's no need for a sequel. But, I'm entitled to changing my mind, so we shall see! Enjoy the new version!

ALLEGIANCES

THUNDERCLAN

LEADER: LONGSTAR-black and white tom with a long tail

DEPUTY: TIGERHEART-small dark gray tabby she-cat; polydactyl

APPRENTICE, SKYPAW

MED CAT: LEOPARDCLAW-light brown tom with black spots

WARRIORS

OWLMOON-dark brown tabby tom with icy blue eyes

APPRENTICE, DAWNPAW

WHITEBLOSSOM-pretty white she-cat with green eyes

MOLEWHISKER-brown tabby tom

SABLECLAW-smoky gray she-cat

APPRENTICE, SANDPAW

LIONPELT-tawny tom with orange eyes

KESTRELWING-dappled gray tom

APPRENTICE, BLACKPAW

PINEFROST-dark brown tom

APPRENTICE, RAVENPAW

THISTLETAIL-ginger tom with green eyes

APPRENTICES

SKYPAW-blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes

DAWNPAW-blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes

SANDPAW-sandy ginger tom with black flecks along his spine

BLACKPAW-long-haired black tom

RAVENPAW-black tom with a white chest

QUEENS

PUDDLEFOOT-pretty silver tabby she-cat, Kestrelwing's mate

GRAYKIT-longhaired gray tom

ASHKIT-dark gray tabby tom

DAPPLEKIT-pretty silver she-cat with darker splotches

TAWNYFUR-tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes, Molewhisker's mate

PLUMKIT-dark brown tabby she-cat

ROBINPELT-dark brown tabby she-cat, Pinefrost's mate

BLUESTORM-long-haired glue-gray she-cat with one blind eye, oldest queen

ELDERS

STEMTAIL-ginger and white she-cat with a fluffy tail, oldest cat in ThunderClan

RUSTFUR-lithe red tom, blind

SHADECLAW-black tom with no ears

CLOUDPATCH-once-pretty black and white she-cat

WINDCLAN

LEADER: FEATHERSTAR-beautiful silver she-cat

DEPUTY: GALESTORM-light gray tom with curly fur

MED CAT: EMBERFUR-skinny ginger tom

WARRIORS

SLEETFUR-handsome white tom

BREEZERUNNER-swift calico she-cat

DUSTFUR-red-brown tom

ELDERS

WILDROSE-brown tabby she-cat

CRICKETSONG-tawny brown tom

RIVERCLAN

LEADER: CINDERSTAR-smoky gray tom

DEPUTY: STONEHEART-large black tom

MED CAT: MOUSEPELT-pretty light brown she-cat

WARRIORS

ROWANHEART-dark ginger tom with a white underside

APPRENTICE, MINNOWPAW

PEBBLECLAW-gray tom with blue eyes

APPRENTICE, KOIPAW

QUEENS

SPLASHFOOT-pretty gray she-cat

ELDERS

SUNSTRIPE-ginger tom with dark tabby stripes

MUDPELT-long-haired brown tom

SHADOWCLAN

LEADER: LIGHTNINGSTAR-bright ginger she-cat with orange eyes

DEPUTY: SOOTPELT-black tom

MED CAT: DOGNOSE-white tom with dark brown tabby splotches and a black nose, blind

WARRIORS

POPPYTHORN-light brown she-cat

FOXTAIL-ornery bright ginger tom

NIGHTSTORM-long-haired black she-cat

QUEENS

MINTWHISKER-pretty white she-cat

ELDERS

ICETALON-blue-gray she-cat with white paws

SKYCLAN

LEADER: COPPERSTAR-dark brown tabby tom

DEPUTY: YELLOWSTRIPE-yellow tabby she-cat

MEDICINE CAT: NETTLEWHISKER-brown tabby tom

WARRIORS

WOLFHEART-long-legged dark gray tabby tom

ELDERS

LEECHBITE-black tom

Chapter One

The bitter scent of mouse-bile sickened Skypaw, but her pride and starvation kept the tiny bit of food lodged in her belly. She gently kneaded the elder's skin, plucking off pesky ticks as she went. She took extra care not to stain the elder's snow-white fur in search of the ugly parasites. These days, the elders weren't the only ones suffering from ticks, and she felt her pelt begin to squirm.

You're next, she thought angrily.

"That's enough now, Dawnpaw," a raspy voice murmured. Skypaw glanced up at Stemtail, the eldest of ThunderClan's cats, and Dawnpaw, her sister. Stemtail ran her long, billowy tail across Dawnpaw's shoulders to dismiss her. Her white pelt was glossy, and the flame-colored patches along her flanks shone with health. "I'm clean now," she said. "Go tend to Rustfur."

Purring, Dawnpaw backed away and bowed her head. "Of course," she replied. "Let me know if you need my help for anything else."

With narrowed eyes, Skypaw watched her mirror image pad gracefully across the den. Her blue-gray pelt rippled like a pool of water, and her feather-soft fur seemed to dance along her flanks. She and Dawnpaw were identical twins with the same blue-gray coats and bright blue eyes. Few cats knew the differences between them. Dawnpaw, the prettier and softer sister, had a longer tail by nearly a mouse-length, which she loved to show off by touching the top of her head with the tip of her tail. Skypaw, the scruffier and leaner sister, had a scar above her right eye that hooked from the corner of her eye to her forehead. She'd scratched herself by accident in an escape attempt as a kit. She was trying to follow her father into the forest when she tripped and sliced her forehead open. Unfortunately for Skypaw, the wound was old, and while her closest friends could clearly see it, her fur often shielded it from the eyes of others.

"That's not Dawnpaw!" snapped Shadeclaw, the eldest tom and by far the most senile. He had a pelt as black as night and yellow eyes like bolts of lightning. He lost the majority of his ears and his sanity in a battle with WindClan. He let out a hiss and motioned to Dawnpaw with his bony tail. "That's Skypaw! You're always confusing them!"

"Oh, no, Shadeclaw," purred Cloudpatch, the youngest and prettiest of the elders whom Skypaw was groming. She touched Skypaw's shoulder with her tail. "This is Skypaw. Can't you see her scar?"

Skypaw gave a low purr. She loved the elderly she-cat dearly. She had black fur like Shadeclaw, but her paws, tail, and her left cheek were snow-white. She was the mother of their current leader, Longstar, and Skypaw's most loyal advocate. Whenever Skypaw needed a break from her sister, she sought out Cloudpatch, who always had an amusing story about Longstar or a piece of advice. She never once mistook her for her sister.

The black tom narrowed his eyes at Dawnpaw and then at Skypaw. "I see," he muttered darkly. "Sorry."

Dawnpaw let out a purr and trotted over to Rustfur, a skinny red-brown tom. "It's alright, Shadeclaw," she said sweetly. She winked at Skypaw, who shuddered just slightly. "I don't mind being mistaken for such a pretty she-cat."

Oh the flattery! Dawnpaw's most annoying trait was her manipulative streak. She knew every quirk and every purr she needed to get on the Clan's good side, and she used it for pure evil-namely shoving Skypaw out of the spotlight where she belonged. She always knew the right thing to say, which made her the most popular of the pair by far. Skypaw sneered at her when Dawnpaw turned her back. The Clan thought Dawnpaw was the sweet, lovable she-cat she pretended to be, but she couldn't fool Skypaw. She knew her sister's true nature, and a part of her feared it. Something in the tilt of her sister's head and the glint of her eyes told Skypaw that she had secrets—secrets that could destroy them both.

She remembered with a scowl the day of their last hunting assessment. Naturally, Skypaw was the more successful of the two, but she made the grave error of telling Dawnpaw where she'd hidden her prey when they ran into one another at the river. At sundown, when the assessment had ended, Skypaw went to fetch her prey only to find that it had all been dug up. She ran to camp, and her jaw dropped. Dawnpaw had stolen her prey and was taking all the credit! Skypaw explained to her mentor, Tigerheart, what had happened, and she even told Owlmoon, Dawnpaw's mentor. Owlmoon scolded Skypaw for lying about her sister, and Tigerheart reassured her that there would be other chances. Skypaw pictured the smirk on Dawnpaw's face as the Clan crowded around to congratulate her. From that day forward, Skypaw knew they were at war.

The blue-gray apprentice swallowed at the thought and refocused her attention on Cloudpatch's pelt.

"Aren't you darling," purred Rustfur. He was blind, but he recognized the scents of other cats around him, thus he almost never confused the sisters. The 'almost never' refers to the times when Dawnpaw and Skypaw emerge from the woods smelling almost identical. "I remember when I first met you two," he murmured softly. "You were less than a moon old. You've both grown so much. Your mother ought to proud of you."

"She is," Dawnpaw replied. "She loves us both very much."

At that, Skypaw allowed herself a mute smirk. No, Dawnpaw, their mother didn't love them both. She loved Skypaw, and Skypaw would never let her forget it. Their mother, Bluestorm, was perhaps the only other cat in the Clan that saw through Dawnpaw's façade.

"Rustfur," Stemtail chuckled, "why all the nostalgia?"

"I always mutter like this before warriors' ceremonies," he meowed. "It's such a pivotal moment in a young cat's life."

His response made a Skypaw tremble in anticipation. That's right; Longstar promised them yesterday that he'd make them warriors at the moonhigh, after the Selection. Skypaw clawed the ground in anticipation. The sooner she became a warrior, the sooner she could get as far away from her sister as possible.

"It's not just that, is it?" murmured Stemtail. "You're worried about the Selection, aren't you?"

Skypaw stiffened. She hated when the elders talked about the Selection, especially since none of them were eligible. Before each Selection, the apprentices were assigned the task of preening the elders to show them off to the other Clans. The more elders a Clan had, the luckier they were. Elders were cats that not only survived the forest and its dangers but also managed to avoid being chosen to die a cruel, bloody death.

Rustfur lowered his head. Dawnpaw went to work on his flank, a cloudy look in her eyes. Dawnpaw always fretted at the mention of the Selection like a coward, while Skypaw ran battle tactics through her head. If chosen, she knew she'd fight to the death.

"I hope no apprentices are chosen," he said quietly. "It doesn't seem fair."

"If the Dark Forest were fair, they'd stop the Selection altogether," replied Cloudpatch. "But StarClan lost. We pay this price for our freedom and for the peace to live out our lives, however short."

"Have you two heard of the great battle?" asked Shadeclaw. He loved to tell stories, but he forgot details, changed outcomes, and confused characters. He told terrible renditions of every story Skypaw heard as a kit, but his worst was the story of how the Selection came to be after the battle between StarClan and the Dark Forest. His stories became more and more confusing as time went on.

"Yes, we have," Skypaw said, shooting her sister a glare, lest she give the tom any indication he was to continue.

"Then tell it," Shadeclaw ordered.

Skypaw shot up. "Pardon?"

"Tell the story. I want to be sure that you young cats know it as well."

The sisters exchanged looks. Dawnpaw looked horrified—of course she didn't know the story. Skypaw rolled her eyes and began. "Long ago, during the early days of the warrior code, StarClan fought to rid the forest of evil. The Dark Forest, those cats that died with black hearts, stalked the shadows and tortured the innocent. For years, StarClan and the Dark Forest battled for control over the Clans, until the conflict converged in one massive battle. Cats living and dead met on the battlefield with huge casualties on both sides. The five great leaders of the Clans saw that the Clans were losing, and they surrendered. They begged the Dark Forest for peace, and they agreed with a few conditions. They stole the sacred Mothermouth and transformed it into a dizzying maze. At the center of the maze, they stowed away the son of their leader, who was said to be a dreadful beast that fed on the flesh of warriors. Each year, the Clans were forced to give up sacrifices to be fed to the monster. It is said that the cycle will continue until the day that a warrior with a strong heart and sound body will slay the beast and escape the maze to break the curse."

The elders purred their approval. "Very good, Skypaw!" purred Cloudpatch. "You were always so attentive during the stories as a kit."

Skypaw looked to Shadeclaw, who, surprisingly, smiled. "Yes, excellent," he said. "Now, can you tell me the story of Gorsewind?"

Purring, Skypaw nodded. "Of course." That story just so happened to be her favorite because it rhymed. She drew herself up and began. "There once was a warrior with a pelt of stone—"

"Can we be quiet for a little while?" quipped Dawnpaw. The elders whipped their heads around to look at her. Skypaw let out a tiny growl. Her sister was jealous of all the attention she was getting. When confronted with the elders' surprised looks, Dawnpaw pulled on her best 'innocent' expression and lowered her eyes. "I'm nervous," she fibbed. "About the Selection. I need some time to think."

The elders softened their gaze while Skypaw nearly gagged. Mouse-brains, she thought. "Oh Dawnpaw, it'll be alright," purred Rustfur. "Remember, a lot of our Clanmates are safe."

"And the chances are that you won't be chosen," Rustfur meowed. He lowered his head and touched her neck with his nose. "Don't fret, my dear."

"I hope so," muttered Dawnpaw. She took a few steps back and examined Rustfur's coat. "Is that alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine now," Rustfur said.

"And I'm done too," Cloudpatch purred. She licked Skypaw's ear. "Thank you for your help."

Skypaw smiled and rubbed her cheek against Cloudpatch's. "You're welcome."

The apprentice turned to collect her supplies, but Cloudpatch's tail-tip stopped her. The elder reeled her in and whispered, "Don't be scared. I've been through a lot of Selections, and here I am, still alive. StarClan will protect you."

Skypaw shrugged it off. "I'm not scared, unlike Dawnpaw," she teased. "Even if I'm chosen, I'll fight. I'll fight for all the Clans."

Cloudpatch's eyes glowed with admiration and love. "I know," she replied. "That's why I'm scared for you." She shut her eyes and sighed heavily. "Please come back to me," she murmured. "I love you too much to see you go."

Guilt gripped Skypaw's heart. She purred again and touched Cloudpatch's nose. "I will come back to you," she promised. "I swear it."

The leaves around the entrance to the elders' den rustled in announcement. A bright ginger tom wriggled in through the thick plants. He turned his amber gaze about until he caught sight of Stemtail. He let out a purr and padded over.

"Hello, Auntie," he purred, rubbing his head against her flank. "You look gorgeous."

"Thank you, sweet Thistletail," Stemtail replied. "What brings you here?"

Skypaw twitched her tail as Thistletail's eyes met hers. He was a handsome tom with a vibrant pelt and shining eyes. Though only slightly older than the two apprentices, he made sure they remembered their place, which was under him. He loved being a warrior more than anything. He was arrogant, rude, brazen, and loud. Despite all this, Skypaw tolerated him because he was a decent warrior and a good cat to those in ThunderClan. He nodded to her and to Dawnpaw.

"Let's go, kitties," he said. "The feast started. Chop chop."

"Keep your fur on," snarled Dawnpaw under her breath. She motioned for Skypaw to follow. "We'll catch up. We have to go wash our paws in the river before I keel over from the smell."

Thistletail snorted and glared at Dawnpaw as they passed, and she returned the gesture. Something passed between them like a flash of lightning and then faded away. Skypaw wondered what had happened, but she pushed it down once they entered the trees. They walked side by side through the forest until they reached a nearby stream. Skypaw leapt into the stream eagerly and splashed Dawnpaw.

"You kit!" she hissed. "Now look at me!"

Skypaw smirked. "You look the same."

Frowning, Dawnpaw leaned down and licked the droplets of water off of her coat. "That Thistletail annoys me," Dawnpaw grumbled. "He's no where near attractive enough to be that obnoxious."

Speak for yourself, Skypaw thought, rolling her eyes.

Once they had washed up, they re-entered the camp and noticed that indeed the feast had started. The warriors and apprentices were spread throughout the camp sharing meals with one another. The other apprentices were lying outside their den, eating. Skypaw's stomach growled at the thought of food.

"Oi, Skypaw, Dawnpaw!" a tawny tom named Sandpaw called. "Come join us!"

Skypaw let out a purr and gladly took a mouse from the pile. Though small, it made her mouth water all the same. Dawnpaw took a finch. They made their way over to their friends, but a voice stopped them. Skypaw spotted Owlmoon, that useless mentor of Dawnpaw's. Her sister's eyes lit up at the sight of him. It was no secret to Skypaw—or any cat, really—that the two of them were interested in one another. Relationships between apprentices and mentors were generally rare and frowned upon. This one was no exception.

"I'm going to go eat with him," Dawnpaw told her. "I'll be back later to share tongues, alright? That pelt is in need of some washing."

Don't hurry on my account, Skypaw thought as her twin ambled off. My pelt will be fine without you. The blue-gray apprentice joined her friends with a purr. Unlike Dawnpaw, who spent the majority of her time with warriors, Skypaw was good friends with their fellow apprentices. She settled between two black toms named Blackpaw and Ravenpaw, who were the sons of their current deputy and Skypaw's mentor, Tigerheart. Like Dawnpaw and Skypaw, the brothers were vastly different from one another. Blackpaw was longhaired and heavy-set while Ravenpaw was lithe and shorthaired. However, they both shared their deep brown eyes.

"How was grooming the elders?" purred her good friend, Sandpaw. He had liquid amber eyes and a pelt the color of freshly turned sand. A line of black spots followed the curve of his spine, and three rings circled the base of his tail. He was born to a she-cat named Robinpelt, and his two siblings had died soon after birth to an illness. His father was taken in the same battle that robbed Shadeclaw of his ears, however, his mother had recently moved back in the nursery, announcing that she was having kits with a tom named Pinefrost who was a few moons her elder. Sandpaw had resented his mother's new mate for about a half-moon before coming to terms with her decision. Sandpaw was the oldest of the apprentices but was forced to start his training late due to the same illness that killed his littermates.

Skypaw snorted at him. "I hated it. Shadeclaw mistook me for Dawnpaw, and he smelled horrible! Like crowfood!"

"At least they get crowfood," muttered Ravenpaw beside her. "I'd even eat kittypet food if it meant filling my stomach."

Blackpaw leaned over and whispered, "He snuck second helpings. Soon he'll be as fat as Puddlefoot!"

Ravenpaw swiped at his brother's head. "Who're you calling fat?" he hissed. "I'm half your size!"

With a mew of surprise, Skypaw rolled away in time to avoid Blackpaw's lunge for his brother. She hopped over to Sandpaw's side. Neither apprentice worried: the brothers fought with one another on a daily basis, and they never unsheathed their claws. Sandpaw shot Skypaw a look and rolled his eyes. They were about to break up the fight when a gray tabby padded over with a strange expression.

"Correct me if I'm wrong," purred Tigerheart, "but I'm pretty sure that Pinefrost and Kestrelwing aren't assessing you based on your ability to tear each other apart."

At the sound of their mother's voice, the two sprang apart. "Sorry, Mother," quipped Ravenpaw.

"Sorry," echoed Blackpaw.

Tigerheart laughed. She sat and curled her tail around her paws. "It's okay," she purred. "It was funny." The deputy turned her eyes on the other two apprentices. She nodded to both of them and winked at Skypaw. Tigerheart was by far the smallest warrior in ThunderClan, if not all the Clans. She was barely taller than her sons, who'd clearly inherited their height from their father. Tigerheart also had a strange pair of paws on her front legs. She had five toes instead of four like normal cats. They were white and sometimes looked like Twoleg paws. Regardless of her small size, Tigerheart was swift, strong, clever, and fiercely loyal. It's not wonder Longstar chose her as deputy. "Are you getting nervous yet, Skypaw?" she asked her apprentice. "It's a big day."

"I'm excited," Skypaw replied with a flick of her tail. "Has Longstar mentioned what my warrior name will be?"

"Not to me," purred Tigerheart. She turned back to her sons. "Now, you two behave yourselves. I'll not have you fighting at the Selection like you did at the last Gathering."

"Mother!" moaned Blackpaw. "I told you! That Minnowpaw started it! She said that Ravenpaw was a better warrior than me! I had to prove it to her!"

Tigerheart rolled her eyes. "I forget sometimes that you're actually apprentices," she scolded. She cuffed both sons over the head with her tail and got to her feet. "No more fighting, got it? Or I'll put you on extra elder duty for the rest of your lives."

The brothers straightened. Neither of them liked the elders very much as they never spoke well of them. In fact, not many cats in the Clans liked the brothers at all, due mostly to their suspicious conception. Though it was a queen's right to keep the father of her kits a secret, cats had started asking questions. Both of her sons had black pelts—the only other cat in the Clan with an all black pelt was Shadeclaw, Tigerheart's father. Regardless of the doubt surrounding her kits, Longstar's decision to name her as deputy was an obvious one, and she served her Clan well.

"Enjoy your meal, everyone," Tigerheart purred as she turned away. She suddenly stopped in her tracks, her tail going rigid. "Great StarClan…"

"What?" Sandpaw asked.

The deputy flicked her tail towards the corner of the camp, where Owlmoon and Dawnpaw were lying intertwined, grooming each other's pelts. Skypaw gagged and looked way. "That's disgusting," Tigerheart growled. "That Dawnpaw is a flirt enough as it is! Owlmoon should know better!"

Skypaw nodded in agreement, narrowing her eyes.

"Don't ever turn soft on me like that, Skypaw," purred Tigerheart. "I wouldn't be able to take it."

The apprentice nodded. "I promise I won't."

"Well, then, I'm off." She stretched before leaving. "Be ready at moonhigh!" she called over her shoulder.

The second she'd walked out of earshot, Blackpaw and Ravenpaw visibly relaxed. They slumped their shoulders and let out sighs of relief. "I swear I thought she'd take my ears off!" squeaked Ravenpaw.

"It's too bad she didn't," said a new voice, and Skypaw wondered how on earth all these warriors managed to sneak up on them! They looked up to see the dappled gray warrior Kestrelwing, who was Blackpaw's mentor. He padded over to his apprentice and playfully whacked him on the back of the head. "You were supposed to clean the elders' bedding today," he growled, though his tone was light. "What kept you so busy that you managed to forget?"

"I-I'm sorry," Blackpaw stammered. "I went hunting with Lionpelt and Longstar! I was trying to impress him, and I totally forgot!"

"Well, lucky you, there's plenty of time before we leave for the Selection," Kestrelwing purred. "Why don't you get to it?"

"Yes, Kestrelwing," Blackpaw muttered sadly. He got to his feet, and Ravenpaw let out a purr of amusement. Blackpaw sent his brother a death glare.

"Oh, you thought that was funny, huh?" Kestrelwing asked him. "Why don't you help out?"

Ravenpaw's purr died. "W-What?"

"You heard me." Kestrelwing flicked his tail towards the elders' den. "And hurry, why don't you? Shadeclaw is getting impatient." The gray warrior turned to Sandpaw and Skypaw and winked, purring. "You two get out of here before I enlist you!" he purred. "Hurry!"

"No need to tell us twice," Sandpaw chuckled. He got up and motioned for Skypaw to follow. "Come on. Let's go visit my mom in the nursery."

Skypaw brightened. She loved playing with the kits. She especially loved Tawnyfur's kit, Plumkit. The two of them once snuck into the forest and played Clan war before Tigerheart caught her and punished her by making her go on extra patrols for nearly a moon.

"We should take them something to eat," Skypaw suggested. "They may not know that the feast has started."

Sandpaw nodded and took a mouse from the pile. Skypaw found a blackbird she thought Tawnyfur and Plumkit would like and padded after him. She thought maybe they could play with the feathers when they were done. The entered the warm hollow of the nursery, and the first queen they met was Robinpelt. She was lying on her side, and she jolted awake at the sound of their approach.

"Oh, sorry to wake you," Sandpaw meowed. He gestured with the mouse. "I thought you might be hungry."

She purred and beckoned him with her tail. "Thank you, Sandpaw." Robinpelt turned and ran her tail along the silver-tabby pelt of Puddlefoot, the mother of Kestrelwing's kits. "Would you like to share?"

Puddlefoot nodded. "Yes, thank you." She moved over to sit next to her expectant friend. "It's so nice of you busy apprentices to visit us. Oh, I'm sorry." She purred and dipped her head to Skypaw. "That's right. Kestrelwing told me you won't be an apprentice for much longer. Congratulations."

Skypaw dipped her head in return. "Thank you!"

Out of the corner of her eye, Skypaw caught Sandpaw's ears flattening against his head at the mention of her warrior ceremony. He should be there with me, she thought, touching her tail-tip to his shoulder. It's not fair. The illness that nearly killed him kept Sandpaw out of full training for nearly a moon, restricting him to simple skills like hunting crouches and lessons on the Warrior Code. It had almost driven him mad with jealousy to see cats younger than him progressing in their training while he and his mentor, Sableclaw, reviewed the same moves over and over to fill the time.

"Sandpaw, Sandpaw!" a tiny voice squeaked, tearing Skypaw from her thoughts. A gray kit squealed excitedly as he clambered over Puddlefoot to barrel into the apprentice. "We missed you! How come you haven't come in a while?"

"Yeah, you haven't visited us in so long!" meowed a second gray kit, this one a bit lighter and thinner than his brother. He too hopped on Sandpaw, burying the poor apprentice in a wriggling mass of gray fur. He let out a huff at the weight on his belly.

"Pile on Sandpaw!" mewed the last of Puddlefoot's kits, a dappled gray she-cat, as she launched herself from Puddlefoot's flank into the air.

She landed on him harshly, and Sandpaw grunted in pain. "I give up, I give up!" he purred. "Let me go! It's too much!" He rolled through the soft moss to try and shake them. "Great StarClan, you're so powerful!"

The queens purred as they watched Sandpaw finally get to his feet. He dropped to a crouch and raised a paw. "Hah-hah! I'm Blizzardstar, the evil ShadowClan leader, and now that I'm back on my feet, I can take all three of you at once!"

"No you won't!" cried the thick, gray tom. "Attack!"

"Attack?!" Sandpaw purred as they rushed forward. "What are three puny ThunderClan warriors to a great fighter like me?"

The kits sprang at him at once and knocked him over a second time. The queens purred as he playfully swiped at the trio of kits. "He's so good with them," purred Puddlefoot. "I hope he takes on of them as his apprentice when he's a warrior."

Skypaw was about to agree when she felt a light poke at her side. She looked down to see Plumkit staring up at her with wide, blue eyes. "Can I share your bird?" she mewed shyly.

"Of course you can!" Skypaw set it down. "I brought it for you. Here. When you're done, we can play with the feathers!"

Plumkit purred and dug right in. Tawnyfur emerged from the back of the nursery where she'd been sleeping, judging by her half-open eyes and loud yawn. "Hello, Skypaw," she meowed. Tawnyfur saw her kit eating and smiled. "Did you bring that for her?" Skypaw nodded. "Thank you."

"You're welcome to it as well," Skypaw said. "Please."

The queen purred her thanks and joined her kit.

"Ah! I'm finished! You've taken my last life!"

Skypaw turned her attention back to Sandpaw, who now lay on his side, dramatically twitching his body as if he were in death throws. "Good-bye cruel world! I go to join StarClan…" With that, he shut his eyes, stuck out his tongue, and pretended to be dead.

"We got him!" cried the thick tom. "Slimy piece of no good fox-dung! That miserable heap of—"

"Graykit!" Puddlefoot scolded. "Where did you ever hear words like that?"

Graykit cowered beneath his mother's gaze. "Father."

"Is that so?" The silver queen flicked her tail in annoyance as the rest of the nursery began to purr. Every cat knew that Kestrelwing had a loose tongue and a huge vocabulary, which apparently ran in the family. Puddlefoot smiled weakly, though it was clear she was trying to keep in her anger at her mate. "I supposed I'll have to talk to that bad-mouthed tom."

"Is Father in trouble?" piped the she-cat.

"Oh yes, Dapplekit," Puddlefoot chuckled darkly. "I ought to take his ears off!"

"But then he'd look just as ugly as that awful Shadeclaw!" meowed the light gray tom.

"Ashkit!" snapped Puddlefoot, completely mortified by her kit's insult. "Shadeclaw is an honorable warrior who has served this Clan for many moons! Did you hear your Father say that too?"

Ashkit shuffled his feet. "Maybe…" Then he grinned. "But I agree!"

"What am I going to do with them?" Puddlefoot purred to Robinpelt, who was finishing off her mouse.

The brown tabby licked her lips and shrugged. "I'd say let it happen. We can't possibly expect Kestrelwing to be the only entertaining cat in ThunderClan!"

Puddlefoot sighed as they all purred. Skypaw felt prodding at her side again and looked down to see that Plumkit had finished and had feathers all over her chin. "I'm done!" she mewed.

"I can see that," Skypaw purred, wiping the feathers away with her paw. "There. Much better."

There was movement beside her, and Sandpaw opened an eye. "Is it safe to revive now?"

"No!" Graykit pounced on him again, right on his belly. Sandpaw grunted loudly. "You're still dead, Blizzardstar!"

"Be gentle with my poor son!" purred Robinpelt. "He's got to travel a long way to Fourtrees tonight."

Everyone stiffened at the mention of the Selection. All the queens were exemption from going in order to take care of their kits. They would be alone in the camp that night, praying that none of their older children would be chosen by the Dark Forest.

"I think your mother was looking for you, Skypaw," meowed Tawnyfur, hoping to change the subject. "I'm not sure where she went off to."

"She must've needed a break after looking after those menaces all day," purred Robinpelt, flicking her tail to where Puddlefoot's kits were still swarming around Sandpaw.

After the death of her mate, Skypaw's mother Bluestorm had chosen to stay in the nursery to help look after the other queens' kits. She often took warrior duties when necessary, but she told her daughters that she felt StarClan was calling her to protect the precious few kits ThunderClan had.

Skypaw opened her mouth to reply when the leaves around the entrance rustled, and Molewhisker, Tawnyfur's mate, ambled in. He was carrying a mouse. When he caught sight of the gathering in the nursery, he cocked his head and set the mouse down to speak. "I wasn't expecting company," he meowed as Plumkit bounded over to him. "Hello, you," he purred, licking her between the ears. "I brought this for you."

"Skypaw beat you to it," purred Tawnyfur as she came to greet her mate. She rubbed her cheek against his shoulder as he gave her ear a loving lick. "We've already eaten."

"I'm sure my three would appreciate the meal," Puddlefoot said, herding her kits back over to her side. "And I think poor Sandpaw would be happy to have them distracted."

Sandpaw, free at last, got to his feet and shook the moss out of his pelt. "Thanks," he purred, nodding to Puddlefoot. He playfully hissed at the kits. "And Blizzardstar will be back to fight another day!"

The kits cried out in protest, but Molewhisker silenced them with the prospect of food. "Tigerheart told me to spread the news that we're leaving soon," Molewhisker meowed as the kits dug in. "The sky's getting darker by the second."

Skypaw looked up through the gaps in the nursery roof and frowned. He was right. The Selection was quickly approaching.

"Let's get out of here before the kits skin me," Sandpaw whispered in her ear.

She nodded, and the two apprentices said their good-byes before padding back into the camp. The warriors had all gathered now and were sharing kills and grooming one another. Thistletail sat between Lionpelt and Sableclaw, and judging by the excitement in his voice and the reactions of his companions, he was telling a story of the Clan's recent battle with ShadowClan over a border near the Thunderpath. Thistletail caught her staring and paused his story for a moment, long enough for Lionpelt and Sableclaw to look over their shoulders to try and find what he was staring at. Neither of them spotted her as Skypaw and Thistletail stared each other down. Skypaw felt something crawling under her skin and looked away. When she glanced up again, Thistletail had continued the story as if nothing had happened.

Sandpaw touched his tail to her shoulder and scared her. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she mumbled. What in StarClan's name was that? she thought. "I…I was just thinking about the Selection."

Sandpaw snorted. They caught sight of Pinefrost as he came towards them carrying a shrew. "If you're going to the nursery, don't bother," Sandpaw told him. "I already brought Mom food. Molewhisker's in there now."

Pinefrost rolled his eyes and set the shrew down. "That's too bad," he purred. "I was hoping to see Robinpelt before the Selection. I've been so busy lately." He looked off towards the medicine cat's den. "Do you think Leopardclaw has had anything yet?"

"I haven't seen him," said Skypaw. "I think he's still tending to Whiteblossom's paw."

"I'll go see if either of them is hungry," Pinefrost meowed. "See ya. Oh, and congrats, Dawnpaw. Tigerheart just told me you and your sister would be receiving your warrior names soon. She's bragging about it to everyone!"

Skypaw winced. "I'm Skypaw."

Pinefrost frowned and cast his gaze to his paws. "I-I'm sorry," he mumbled. "My bad."

He trotted away, mouse in tow, and Sandpaw let out a hiss in his direction. "He really ticks me off," he hissed. "He's arrogant, foolish, annoying, clingy, loud-mouthed—"

Skypaw stopped him by tapping his nose with her tail-tip. "Stop. I think he likes you. He's just worried about what you think of him, seeing as he's your mother's new mate. He's trying his best to be nice."

Sandpaw shrugged. "He could stop trying. That may make me like him more."

They started walking towards the apprentices' den where, to Skypaw's astonishment, Dawnpaw was waiting. "What took you two so long?" she growled, her tail curling in annoyance. "Well, get over here. I have to wash you. No sister of mine will go to the Selection looking like that!"

Skypaw was about to retort when Sandpaw said, "I for one like the way Skypaw looks." He nodded at her, offering his support. "Her pelt may not be spotless, but it makes her look more like a warrior."

Dawnpaw snorted and stepped between them, narrowing her eyes. "Run along now, you oversized kit," she hissed.

A split second later, the tense moment ended with a loud yowl.

"To me, cats of ThunderClan."

It was Longstar, standing at his perch on the High Rock, his black fur shining in the moonlight. He was an old tom, the eldest of the four leaders, but he was relatively small like his deputy. His black-and-white pelt was littered with scars, and his muzzle was dappled with grey. The touches of age gave him a noble air, and every cat, even those in other Clans, gave him their full attention when he spoke.

Dawnpaw hissed in frustration and lashed her tail. "That's great!" she hissed. "Now we're out of time!" She stormed off towards the High Rock, leaving Sandpaw and Skypaw rooted in their place.

"I can't believe it's that late already," murmured Sandpaw. "It can't be."

Skypaw nodded slowly. There was no fighting it. In a few moments, she'd be marching to her first Selection.

She swallowed. StarClan help me.

So, is it better? No? Well, I don't care! :D Nah, just kidding. I hope (no pun intended) that you guys enjoy this version a hundred times more than you did the first. As you can already tell, there are going to be some changes around here, so don't be surprised if the plot changes in an unexpected way! Next chapter should be up in three days. Adios!