Prologue: Ways of the Clan

In the icy cave of GlacierClan's nursery, three kits run around a tired looking tall she-cat with a black pelt with soft grey streaks running along her body and pale green eyes. A big kit of six moons old with solid black fur and amber eyes laughs as he jumps onto the smallest kit. The smallest kit is barely three moons with grey fur so light it's almost white complimented with bright blue eyes. He whines beneath his brother, "Get off, you're heavy, Shadowkit!"

Shadowkit laughs, jumping off the younger tom, "Don't be such a kitten, Frostkit."

From behind the older kit, a small six moon she-kit with light grey fur with black streaks and stormy silver eyes stalks over, preparing to pounce. She reels back, eyes narrowing, Almost.. She takes a breath and pounces. The force, knocks Shadowkit to the ground. The young tom yelps in surprise and the she-kit giggles, sitting on top of her brother, "Got you, you're dead!"

Shadowkit groans, "You cheated!"

"Nope," she smirks, "I simply caught you with your defenses down."

"Enough, you three." the she-cat, Flickerfate, flicks her fluffy tail, "Time to behave, Glacierstar will be here any moment."

As if on cue, two cats enter the nursery. The first is a large tom with dark blue eyes and pale blue-white fur, Glacierstar, the Clan's leader. The second is a slightly smaller tom with pale grey fur and hazel eyes, Snowcover, the father of the three kits.

The kits stand by their mother as Glacierstar looks them over. He sits neatly, "I believe today is the sixth moon of Shadowkit and Silverkit, am I correct?"

Flickerfate nods, "Yes, that's right."

Glacierstar nods, "Good, good. Shadowkit, step forth."

The young tom takes a few hesitant steps, "Good morning.."

The leader nods, "Indeed it is, young one. Now, do you promise to uphold the laws of the land? The laws in which this Clan functions?"

"I do," Shadowkit replies.

"Do you promise to protect your fellow warriors, and the Clan as a whole, even at the loss of your life?" Glacierstar asks.

"I do," Shadowkit repeats.

The leader stands and presses his nose to the young kit, "Then you are granted the title of apprentice, and with it comes a new name, and a mentor."

Glacierstar steps back and turns to leave, "Come, so I may entitle you an apprentice before the Clan."

Silverkit frowns and runs after the leader, "Wait! What about me? I'm the same age as Shadowkit!"

"Silverkit-" Flickerfate steps towards her daughter.

"I know of your age, young one. After Shadowkit's been named an apprentice and he's been given a mentor, I will announce you are of age. You will be given a name once a warrior has decided to mate with you."

Silverkit stops, "What? I don't get to be an apprentice?"

Glacierstar looks back at her, "Of course not. You are a mere girl. She-cats do not become warriors, nor medicine cats in this clan. She-cats are to be bred with so the clan continues. I'm sure your mother will tell you all about it."

Silverkit growls, "No, I can be just as good a warrior as my brother, better even!"

The leader's eyes narrow and he turns back to her, "Are you saying you'd go against the law of our Clan?"

Snowcover stands, eyes guarded, "Silverkit, back down."

"Yes," she replies, "It's not right to not let us be warriors, too just because we're girls! I can be a great warrior, if you'd just give me a chance!"

"Back down!" Snowcover demands, stepping towards her.

She shakes her head, keeping eye contact with Glacierstar, "I can be a great warrior. Just give me a chance."

The leader flicks his tail, "You want to be a warrior so badly? Very well. I will make you a warrior, on one condition."

Silverkit's eyes brighten, "Anything."

"I will train you myself, for one moon. Once that moon is up, I will be sending you out to find a missing warrior of ours; Icefell. He's been missing for three moons now." Glacierstar explains.

"If you find him and return him here alive, then I will gladly make you a warrior. I'll even allow all she-cats to be made warriors. But if you fail, you will be exiled for disobeying the Clan's laws. Do you understand? Do you accept this challenge?" he raises an eyebrow.

Silverkit looks away to hide the fear in her. She takes a breath, and then she accepts.