Chapter 1

Firekit woke up. She shook her sister, Pebblekit, awake. "Get off me!" Pebblekit moaned. "I wan to play!" Firekit shot back. "Fine," Pebblekit said. Firekit walk victoriously out of the nursery.

She dragged a mouse over to Pebblekit. "Let's eat!" Firekit said to Pebblekit They dug into the mouse, when the dawn patrol came back. They raced into Snowstar's den. Apparently they had important news. In a couple of moments, Snowstar, Leaffall, Duskfur, and Dawnpaw came out of Snowstar's den.

Dawnpaw. Firekit couldn't wait to become an apprentice. She was almost 6 moons old.

Snowstar called the Clan together "I have news," He said, "ShadowClan have been scented in our our territory!" Yowls of anger and disapproval rang out through the clearing. Snowstar raised his voice over the yowls. "I will double the patrols on the ShadowClan border." Stoneclaw, Firekit's father and the deputy, nodded.

It was late afternoon when Snowstar called the Clan together again. "Right now is a perfect time to train new warriors," He said. "It's green leaf and there ere two kits in this Clan ready to become apprentices." Firekit and Pebblekit looked at each other. They knew it was them.

"Firekit and Pebblekit, come forward." Snowstar said. "Firekit, from this day until you get your warrior name, you shall be know as Firepaw. Your mentor will be Bluefoot. I hope she passes down her courage and wisdom. Pebblekit, from this day forward, you shall be known as Pebblepaw. Your mentor will be Branchclaw. I hope he passes down his confidence and and strength."

The Clan called out their new names. "Firepaw, Pebblepaw!" They yowled. Firepaw couldn't be more happy if she tried.

The next day, Firepaw woke bright and early. "What are we doing today?" Firepaw asked Bluefoot. "We're exploring the borders." Bluefoot replied. Firepaw bounced out of the thorn tunnel after her mentor. She had never been outside the camp before. She had only scented the other Clans from warriors' pelts.

They went to the ShadowClan border first. Firepaw tried to memorize the scent. She thought it smelled like crowfood, not that she'd smelled any before.

They then went to the WindClan border. They smelled like heather and earth and mud and rabbits. Not the best thing Firepaw had scented.

When Firepaw got back to camp, it was dusk and she was exhausted. Bluefoot told her to get some prey and then go to sleep. Firepaw was grateful to curl up in a nest next to Pebblepaw. She could tell that no one was using it. Firepaw was so tired that she was hardly excited to be sleeping in the apprentice's den.

Firepaw woke up. For a moment, she was confused. We're was Streamsong? Then she realized that she was an apprentice. An apprentice! Firepaw leaped up. What are we doing today, I wonder, Firepaw thought. She padded out of the den to the clearing where Bluefoot was waiting. "What are we doing today?" Firepaw asked. "Hunting practice." Bluefoot replied as she walked out of the thorn barrier. Firepaw followed after, excited for her first training session.

Firepaw and Bluefoot stood in a clearing. Bluefoot demonstrated the hunting crouch. "Remember to keep your back legs tucked in." Bluefoot said. Firepaw could see that Bluefoot had used the hunting crouch many times. Firepaw tried it. "Stop waving your tail." Bluefoot said. "It will rustle leaves and alert prey that you are here." Firepaw set her tail on the ground. "You don't want to do that either." Bluefoot said, amused. "I'll drag on the ground creating noise." Firepaw lifted her tail just slightly off the ground. Bluefoot nodded.

They didn't leave the clearing until Firepaw had a great hunting crouch. When they got back to camp, Pebblepaw was waiting for Firepaw. "I learned a great move today!" Pebblepaw said. "Great!" Firepaw said. "So did I."

Snowstar walked over to them. "I'd like to see you two in my den." He said. "And you're not in trouble."