A/N: This series is based off of a roleplay, and due to that, it will be written in third person. Also, I advise you to read the Guidebook first, because though it is not completely finished (one chapter left), a lot of these things will make a lot more sense with a back story. The series WILL take place in DarkClan.
CH 1:
Rainstar looked down at her clan. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Hightree for a clan meeting!"
Hollykit bounded outside beside her sister Flashkit and their friend Stripekit, and the leader looked down on them fondly as they skidded on the moss covering of the DarkClan camp.
"We're gonna be apprentices!" the small black kit squealed excitedly, her calico sister trembling in excitement beside her as the little gray tabby tom padded quietly behind them.
Hollykit's tail waved excitedly as she watched Rainstar motion two warriors forward, and at the motion she frowned, "There's only two…?" she murmured.
Flashkit's eyes widened, "You don't think…" she trembled even more, but was cut off as the leader began.
""Stripekit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Stripepaw. Your mentor will be Nightshadow. I hope Nightshadow will pass down all he/she knows to you." She turned to Nightshadow, "Nightshadow, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from your own mentor, and you have shown yourself to be brave and excelling. You will be the mentor of Stripepaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him."
Nightshadow was obviously excited to have his own apprentice, and murmured to young Stripepaw what his mentor had told him, "You will respect me, and you will not disobey or question me."
Young Stripepaw gulped and nodded.
Rainstar waited as they touched noses before continuing, "Hollykit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Hollypaw. Your mentor will be Shadowblaze. I hope he will pass down all he knows to you." She turned to Shadowblaze, "Shadowblaze, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from your own mentor, and you have shown yourself to be strong and cunning. You will be the mentor of Hollypaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her." Hollypaw and Shadowblaze touched noses and stepped aside, Hollypaw giving a sorrowful look to her sister.
Hollypaw's eyes widened as her sister stood, anger flashing in their yellow depths, "Oh, no, Flashkit…" she murmured, just knowing nothing good could come from it.
Flashkit's dagger-filled eyes glared up at their leader, "Hey! What about me?!"
Rainstar looked down upon the last kit, "If you are going to have a mouth about it I will postpone your ceremony." She looked at the calico kit. "Your mentor is indeed ready for you, will you be civil?"
Flashkit frowned, "Yes, of course. Why wouldn't I be?"
Rainstar purred in amusement and turned to the kit. "That is good. Let us commence. Flashkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Flashpaw. I will be your mentor and will pass down all of my knowledge to you." She smiled and jumped down to meet her apprentice, the obstinate apprentice's eyes were wide.
Hollypaw smiled as the meeting broke up, "I'm glad you're my mentor, Shadowblaze, what do we get to do now?"
Shadowblaze laughed, "Well, how about we start by seeing how well you do with hunting?"
Hollypaw's eyes widened, excited, "Yeah!"
"We will be going too, Stripepaw." Shadowblaze murmured, and the silver apprentice smiled, looking at Hollypaw with a sidelong glance. Will she be impressed if I catch something for her! He thought.
Flashpaw frowned as her sister and Shadowblaze headed out of camp, "Hey, Rainstar, can we go with Hollypaw and Stripepaw, can we, can we?"
The spotted leader looked down at the young apprentice, eyebrow raised, and finally nodded, "It is good to go hunting in groups here." She decided, and the strong-willed calico jumped in excitement.
As Hollypaw, Stripepaw and their mentors left, Flashpaw leaped after them, tail streaming, "Come on, Rainstar! Let's go! This is the best day of my life!"
Rainstar purred, "Oh really?"
Flashpaw paused with a chuckle, "Well, duh! Until my first battle, of course!" and she bounded out of the camp.
Nightshadow led the way into the hunting clearing, and as the three apprentices waited, he demonstrated the crouch needed for small rodents, bent low, but not too low.
"Remember, there are sticks on the ground, but there are many more dangers above in the rainforest. The leaves can brush against you and scare your prey if ill-managed. The vines can trip you if not watched out for."
The apprentices nodded, and the black warrior nodded, backing up to the other mentors, "Try it, Hollypaw."
The black apprentice's eyes widened, but she nodded, stepping forward tentatively. She crouched.
"Head up, and stop moving your tail!" her mentor growled, and she felt a sharp nail-bite as he smacked her tail. She hissed slightly, but did as she was told.
"You next, Flashpaw." Rainstar said.
Flashpaw nodded, crouching, "Like this, right?"
Rainstar laughed. She nudged Flashpaw's tail so that it was flat and straight. "Try to keep your tail stiff, don't move it because the prey will catch the scent and feel and hear the movement it causes. Move your hind legs a little closer, and you got it!" She smiled.
"Ok, can we go out hunting now oh please! Or are we staying her to battle train? Maybe we are touring the territory." Flashpaw said, immediately slipping back out of her crouch and waving her tail as Hollypaw and Stripepaw continued to practice.
Rainstar laughed. "Not so fast, Flashpaw." she said. "A little more practice." She looked around, seeing a clump of lavender. "See that lavender?" She asked. "I want you to practice hunting on it. Move slowly and softly along the ground, flat. That way this Lavender mouse won't sense your movement."
"Ok" Flashpaw crept towards the lavender, Her tail stiff and straight and her belly just touching the ground. She leaped forwards and landed on the lavender with a large . A Vole shot out of a clump of brambles right beside her. "Vole!" She gasped racing after it and catching it in her paws, flinging it into the air she nipped the spinal cord killing it quickly, "Rainstar, look!"
Rainstar smiled, "Very good, Flashpaw!" She smiled at her apprentice. "Maybe be a little quieter with your landing, but that'll come in time, let's go get that to camp, you can get first pick of the pile."
On the other side of the clearing, Hollypaw looked at her mentor, "What are we going to do now, Shadowblaze?"
She was rolled over by her sister in a flash, "Hollypaw! Look! I caught a vole!"
Hollypaw looked up at her sister, "Good job, Flashpaw!" Hollypaw was happy for her sister, though she wished she could have caught something too, and she wished Flashpaw wasn't so cocky. "Shadowblaze is taking me hunting now..." She looked at her mentor, hope in her eyes.
He nodded, and they went their separate ways.