Chapter 1

Contained

I am running for my life, through the forest with my sister, Lilackit and brother, Beetlekit. There it is, the big, tan, slithering beast. It has fangs and a slit tongue. It chases us through much of the forest. We finally run into a patrol of Eaglewing, Yellowstripe, and Brookepaw. "What are you doing?" asks Eaglewing, our deputy. The look on his face is priceless.

"They're just being a bunch of mouse brains," says Brookepaw, who thinks she's so great.

"Run! It's catching up!" screams Beetlekit.

"What's catching up?" Eaglewing asks.

"The slithering beast!" Lilackit meows.

"Go back to camp. We'll fight it off," commands Yellowstripe. Her golden eyes blaze with concern.

"Hurry up, Lakekit," she hisses. I dash off to camp.

We arrive at camp and Dawnstar looks very upset. She is our leader; the leader of Thunderclan. "Where have you three been?" she asks, harshly. An angry look flashes across her face.

"Pinepaw thought that we weren't tough enough to go into the forest,"

I replied, feeling sorry.

"Well, you shouldn't listen to everything Pinepaw says," Dawnstar warns, "In less than half a moon you'll be apprentices, and you have to learn to behave. Kits shouldn't be out in the forest."

"Sorry, Dawnstar," we say in a chorus.

"Now there will be a punishment," Dawnstar explains, "You have to help Roseysky stack medicines and bring water to the sick cats. You WILL do this until you become apprentices. You have your mother, Flowerpelt, quite worried. Now go back to the nursery and hurry!" Flowerpelt is Dawnstar's sister.

Later that night, I overhear Eaglewing report of something called a snake. I wonder if that could be the beast that was chasing us today. He says they didn't kill it, and there might be more of them. I hope no one gets hurt. "I don't now if Lakekit will ever learn the warrior code. She is too wild," Eaglewing says. I can't believe it! I want to be back out it the forest. It's so boring around camp.

Lilackit is still awake, but Beetlekit dosed off already. "Do you think it's fair that we can't go into the forest?" I ask my sister.

"You should respect the warrior code. I warned you not to do it, but you insisted," she meows.

"Then why did you go with us?" I wonder.

"Because I wanted to make sure you would be okay. Beetlekit is sometimes exaggerates, and I didn't want you to believe one of his stories," she replies.

"I wouldn't believe one of his stories," I challenge her.

"Really?"

"Yay."

"Fine, Lakekit, have it your way," she meows, and with that she curls up to sleep. I lie down on my soft, cool, mossy nest and close my eyes.

I wake up to the bright sun shinning through the leaf covering over head. Beetlekit and Lilackit are already gone. Sunkit and Grasskit are playing with a piece of prey. Their mother, Redbird, comes in and stops them. They are such rascals. I guess I should go to the medicine cat's den to help Roseysky.

After a terrible morning of taking out and put away herbs and other medicines, I finally realize that in seven moonhighs, I will be an apprentice. I can't wait to get out of the nursery. I'm getting sick of the smell of milk and moss.

Yellowstripe and Fallingpaw, her apprentice, just got back from training. "So how was training?" I ask them.

"Yellowstripe says that I'm getting so good, I'm going to become a warrior soon!" says Fallingpaw angelically.

"Yes, now run along and take a nap. You will be on a patrol at about moon high. Come on!" with that she nudges her towards the apprentice den.

I go get a mouse from the pile of prey, and sit down to share it with Beetlekit. "So, how was your morning?" I ask.

"It was great! I definitely want to be Roseysky's apprentice!" he exclaims.

"Good for you," I mumble.

"Why are you so cranky?" Beetlekit noses in.

"I heard Eaglewing talking to Dawnstar last night. He says I'm to wild to become a warrior. I don't even know why he's deputy; he's so mean," I emphasized the word so.

"Oh, don't listen to him. Eaglewing is to full of himself. I'm sure one day you will become a great warrior, and maybe even our leader!" Beetlekit says truthfully.

"You really think that?" I wonder.

"Of course I do, Lakekit," he meows with a smile.

I finish off the last bite of the mouse. "Time to get back to the contaminated hole," I joke.

"Yep," he answers, although, it wasn't really a question.

We walk to the medicine-cat den and meet Lilackit. Roseysky looks like she has been waiting for us. She has herbs out in piles. "I want you to store these in the den, stacking them from smallest to largest, and don't you dare try to eat any of them!" she warns.

We do as we were told, although, it's not that fun…OBVIOUSLY! What a drag. How can Beetlekit want to become a medicine-cat? You are so contained with in camp. I'm mean, seriously, you don't get to run freely, feeling the glorious wind on your whiskers. I would NEVER choose that kind of life.

"It's attacking! The snake is attacking! It brought two others with it!" screams Flametail, running into camp.

Dawnstar jumps into action. "All kits and elders to the nursery immediately! Everyone else, prepare for battle," she paused for a moment, "Crystalcloud, guard the nursery. You too, Riverpaw." Crystalcloud is Riverpaw's mentor. I rush to the nursery with Lilackit and Beetlekit. I hear what sounds like hissing and claws slashing outside.

"Now I need everyone to be quiet. It is important that we do not let the snakes hear us," whispers Redbird.

I wish I was out there, fling myself at the snakes, proving my loyalty to Thunderclan. Thunk! Suddenly, Hollowbranch crashed through the nursery wall and hit the tree in the center, ripping the wall.