Spottedkit sat up in his nest and yawned. The small spotted tom wriggled round and jabbed Sweetkit in the flank. "Come on, Sweetkit. I want to go explore," the dark tortoiseshell grumbled in annoyance and wrapped her tail tighter over her nose. Spottedkit shook his head and scrambled from the nest and padded out into the hollow. He narrowed his gaze against the cold, leaf-bare sunshine and scanned the camp. Sparkpaw was showing the older kits; Larkkit, Leafkit, Honeykit, and Twigkit some battle moves outside the apprentice den. "What do you want, kittypet?" Larkkit curled his lip in a sneer as Spottedkit settled next to Twigkit.

"I'm not a kittypet," Spottedkit growled, ears flat against his head.

"Well you might not be, but what about your father?" the black tom meowed. Spottedkit felt hot under his pelt, what the black apprentice said was true. No one in Thunderclan knew who his father was. Leafkit gave her brother a good swat and a hiss of warning.

"You don't have room to talk," Twigkit meowed. The fur along her neck began to bristle.

"Don't forget Alderpaw and I have kittypet blood, too" Sparkpaw reminded Larkkit..

"But you're different," Larkkit objected, "You're Firestar's kin,"

Spottedkit got to his paws, tired of listening to Larkkit's teasing and padded back to the nursery. Why did it matter so much that no one knew who his father was? He sat down in front of the nursery, heaving a weary sigh.

"What's wrong with you?" Sweetkit blinked at him with her blue eyes.

"Larkkit," Spottedkit muttered.

"Don't let that annoying furball get to you," Sweetkit mewed good-naturedly. "We may not know who our father was, but Ivypool helped save all the Clans,"

Spottedkit looked at his littermate, the pride that shone for their mother warmed Spottedkit as well. His sister was right. He shouldn't let Larkpaw get under his fur.

"Besides we won't be sharing a den with him tonight,"

"Why not?" Spottedkit asked.

"Their apprentice ceremony is tonight at sunset," Sweetkit informed him.

"I wonder who their mentors will be," the spotted tom thought aloud.

"We'll find out tonight,"

The rest of the day passed quickly and while Twigkit gnawed on a mouse Spottedkit sat beside her, too excited to eat. "Who do you think their mentors will be, Twigkit?"

Twigkit looked at him with her golden gaze. "I know Honeykit wants Lionblaze and Leafkit wants Poppyfrost," she answered swallowing her bite of mouse.

"I hope Larkkit gets Cloudtail," Spottedkit muttered darkly.

"Larkkit isn't always that mean," Twigkit mewed gently.

Spottedkit rolled his eyes, "Maybe not to cats born into the Clan," he muttered.

Lilyheart soon padded over to inspect her kits; all three were perfectly groomed, except for a tuft of fur sticking up on Larkkit's head, which the queen licked flat."It's time," her blue eyes shone with love and pride.

"Are you three excited?" Ivypool asked as she slid out of the nursery with Sweetkit close behind.

"Of course," Larkkit answered smugly.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather for a Clan meeting," Bramblestar yowled from the Highledge," Sweetkit nodded to the older kits before padding over to where Dovewing sat with Bumblestripe. Twigkit and Spottedkit followed.

"Now you three behave or I'll send you back to the nursery," Ivypool warned.

Spottedkit watched as Sparkpaw trotted over to sit beside Cherryfall. Cloudtail settled next to Brightheart, licking his mate's ear. The Clan elders; Graystripe, Millie and Purdy grouped together by the half-rocks. Lionblaze, Cinderheart, Mousewhisker, Berrynose and Poppyfrost sat together by the fresh-kill pile. Once the Clan settled Bramblestar began to speak. "Three of our kits are ready to become apprentices," he beckoned Honeykit, Larkkit, and Leafkit forward. Honeykit seemed the calmest of the three, Larkkit kept shuffling his paws in anticipation and Leafkit's fur stood slightly on end. "From this moment, these three kits will be known as Leafpaw, Honeypaw and Larkpaw," Spottedkit fidgeted as he waited for the mentors to be announced. "Stormcloud you are ready for your first apprentice, so you will mentor Larkpaw," Spottedkit couldn't stop the purr rising from his chest when he saw annoyance flash across Larkpaw's gaze and his neck fur bristle. Twigkit flicked Spottedkit's ear with her tail tip in silent warning. "Stormcloud, you first came to us as a lost kittypet during the Great Flood and although you were not born in Thunderclan you have proven yourself loyal and faithful to your Clan. I trust you to pass on these qualities to Larkpaw," Larkpaw stepped stiffly forward to touch noses with his mentor and followed him to the edge of the circle.

"Serves him right," Spottedkit snorted.

Ivypool gave his ear a cuff. "Be quiet,"

Spottedkit turned his attention back to Leafpaw and Honeypaw. Leafpaw was paired with Fernsong and Honeypaw with Ambermoon.

"Leafpaw! Larkpaw! Honeypaw!" The Clan yowled as the sky turned from blood-red to a soft dark blue and the warriors of Starclan appeared in Silverpelt.

"Did you see Larkpaw's face when he received Stormcloud as his mentor," Spottedkit purred. "Maybe now he'll start respecting kittypets,"