Chapter 1
Cranekit woke up to her sister, Coralkit, bouncing all over her.
"Wake up, wake up, WAKE UP!"
"Wha-?" Cranekit lifted her small, snowy white head. Her blue eyes flashed and she saw her mother, Moonpebble, purring. She looked at what she was purring at, and saw her father, Lionwhisper.
"Morning, Cranekit!" he mewed, licking her head. She purred as well. Most kits hate their parents grooming their fur, but Cranekit liked it.
"Come on, Cranekit!" her sister called. "Let's go outside! Can we mother?"
"Sure." Her blue eyes flashed with amusement. "Be back by mealtime!"
Cranekit nodded. She slipped from her father's licking, and licked between his ears. She ran out of the nursery, and followed Coralkit.
Cranekit swore she heard her Lionwhisper say, "She'll be a great mate for one lucky tom!"
Cranekit purred at what her father said. She did like someone, but she would never tell her sister. Cranekit liked Darkpaw, a handsome gray and white tom with black stripes apprentice. She day-dreamed at the thought of him.
"Cranekit! Come on!" Coralkit called.
"Sorry!" She scampered over to her sister, and saw Dreampaw, and Ashpaw teaching Coralkit battle moves. Darkpaw was washing his paw, but when he saw her, his icy blue eyes glittered.
Cranekit smiled.
"No, no, no! Coralkit," Dreampaw said, pawing Coralkit's back legs and tail. "You must keep your tail still, or the mice will hear it swiping the ground. And bring you back legs closer to your body. Then you'll push off higher, and you will get there quicker."
Coralkit nodded, and tried it out. She smiled as she leaped, and caught Darkpaw's tail. He playfully nipped her ear, and she ran away.
Cranekit ran over to her sister and, without thinking, crouched down into the hunter's crouch, and leaped for her sister.
Dreampaw nodded in amazement. "Nice one, Cranekit!"
Cranekit smiled, and Coralkit tussled her sister over and pinned her down. "Ha! I got you! Never be distracted!"
Cranekit laughed, and pawed Coralkit.
"All cats old enough to swim, gather here to hear my words!" Sandstar was standing on the Highledge, his fur neatly groomed.
"Mom!" Coralkit complained. "Stop it! I'm fine!"
Cranekit just purred at the feeling of her father grooming her fur.
"No you're not!" Moonpebble said. "It's your apprentice ceremony! Now let me get behind your ears."
Coralkit sighed, and looked at Airkit and Smallkit, two other kits in the nursery. It was also their apprentice ceremony, and their mother, Nightwind, were grooming their fur. But Sandstar, their father was calling the Clan.
The grooming stopped, and Coralkit zoomed out of the nursery. Cranekit sighed, and followed. Smallkit and Airkit soon scampered up next to her. They took their place beneath the Highledge, waiting for their turn. Dreampaw, Ashpaw, and Darkpaw were getting their warrior names. Dreampaw became Dreameyes, and Ashpaw became Ashstorm. Next was Darkpaw.
"Darkpaw, will you uphold the warrior code, and protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
"I do."
"Then by the powers of StarClan, from now on your warrior name shall be Darkcloud. StarClan honors your kindness and strength. We welcome you as a full warrior of SandClan."
"Dreameyes! Ashstorm! Darkcloud!"
Sandstar turned and said the usual words to Coralkit, and her mentor is Dreameyes. Airkit got Mothfeather, and Smallkit got Frozenflame. Next was Cranekit.
"Cranekit," Sandstar looked down at her. "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and listen to your mentor?"
"I do." Cranekit held her small snowy head high.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, from now on, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Cranepaw. Wavemist, you will mentor her."
Wavemist nodded, and bent down to touch noses. Cranepaw stretched up and touched her nose to her new mentor's.
"Coralpaw! Cranepaw! Airpaw! Smallpaw!"
Cranepaw smiled as she saw Darkcloud bow to her.