Chapter 1: A New Beginning

"Mom… Please stop I have to get outside for training!" I whined

My mother stopped grooming me and meowed, "Not all dirty you aren't, if you want to let Firestar know you are not like your father then I think you'd best look nice for your last day."

I growled knowing I couldn't argue with her and mewed, "Alright Mother…" She smiled in satisfaction and finished my grooming and purred. After that I went to say farewell to my sisters then padded out from the den into the bright sunlight and bounded to my mentor Greystripe who had currently moved with his mate from Riverclan into Thunderclan.

"Well you're looking rather excited today Darkpaw." He meowed smiling then took a little time to look at Firestar who was watching me very suspiciously.

I discerned Firestar for the moment and nodded happily, "I am! What are we learning today?"

"Well I was planning on teaching you to fish today; it took me a whole day and night to learn to fish. Let's go see if you can do any better." He purred and ran off and I bounded after him happily. We quickly made it to the riverside and Greystripe dipped his paw into the rushing water and quickly jabbed his other paw in snagging a fish in his claws, "Now it's your turn. Be careful when doing this. I don't want you getting swept down the river." He meowed almost like he meant it the exact opposite. I nodded and padded over to the water and carefully dabbed my paw into the water, the current was so fast Greypaw had to grab my scruff to stop me from getting dragged in! He set me down on the rock and said, "Maybe we should hold off from fishing until you're bigger, I know Frostfur wouldn't be happy if her kit's mentor let him get swept away into the river."

"I don't think anyone would mind." Firestar meowed; I had quickly turned to face Firestar and then backed up a little as he glared at me like my mother said he had done with my father before me, "I think the kit of Darkstripe deserves such punishment."

Greystripe meowed, "Firestar, why do you have to be so harsh to every kit born of Darkstripe?"

Firestar hissed harshly, "Don't you dare tell me what to do Greystripe! You are lucky I let you come back with that mate you have from Riverclan!"

Greystripe put his ears back as Firestar hissed at him and I said, "Firestar, I am not anything like my fath-…"

Firestar snapped his head towards me and hissed, "You dare speak to the leader of Thuderclan like that!" I backed up as far as I could to try to get away from the angry leader but couldn't go far having the river behind me as Firestar hissed and growled at me

Soon my mother intervened from Firestar getting any closer to me, "Firestar! What do you think you are doing treating my kit like that! You should be ashamed!" Firestar stopped and glared at my mother then growled and padded away as my mother turned to me and picked me up by the scruff and carried me to our den and set me down, her glare pierced right through me the same way Firestar's did, "What did you think you were doing!? You could have been hurt had I not heard the commotion out there you could have been thrown into the river!" I stepped back and put my ears against my head and looked down and she sighed and meowed, "I just don't want you hurt Darkpaw…" I nodded and she licked my head caringly.

Greystripe soon after padded into the den and meowed to me and my mother, "Elder Frostfur, Darkpaw. I am sorry about what transpired out there with Firestar. He just hasn't been the same since Bluestar passed into Starclan." My mother nodded then Greystripe continued "Darkpaw, I would like to continue our training today. Let's go." I nodded and followed as he padded from the den and led me to the river again and showed me how to catch a fish again. I padded to the edge as close as I could and slowly dabbed my paw into the rushing current but this time held my ground and as a fish went by I simply swiped my paw through the water quickly and the fish came up skewered by my claws and Greystripe nodded, "Good job Darkpaw." I smiled and Greystripe and I padded to the food pile and set our fish down.

Firestar's mate Sandstorm came over and greeted us and she meowed apologetically, "Hello Greystripe and Darkpaw, I wish to apologize for Firestar's actions earlier."

Greystripe shook his head and meowed, "It's not your fault Sandstorm, and how are the kits by the way?"

Sandstorm purred, "They have grown up so fast; right now they are on morning hunt. They shouldn't be gone much longer actually." She glanced at the forest as the morning hunt group returned and her two kits, of course not kits any more padded out holding giant rabbits almost as large I was.

Squirrelflight and Leafpool both bounded over and Squirrelflight purred as she rubbed against her mother, "Hi mom."

Sandstorm purred and returned the affection, "Hello Squirrelflight. I see both of you did quite good in your hunt!" Both warriors puffed up proudly and then they both looked at me and smiled.

"My, this must be the newest apprentice! Darkpaw was it?" Leafpool asked and I nodded slowly and she laughed, "Shy one, aren't you." I nodded again and she purred and then one of my lifelong friends since I had been born, her name is Bluepaw, her parent's named her after Bluestar because of her similar fur color and they said that me and her would probably end up being mates.

"Hey Darkpaw," She bounded over and tackled me and pinned me down and purred, "How's training going?"

I purred, "Great and you?"

She smiled and purred, "It's going great!" I heard Sandstorm and Greystripe murmuring about us being meant to be together. I blushed and Bluepaw purred, "You're blushing, what for?" I felt my face get hot as she purred and jumped off of me and she said, "Greystripe, sir is it ok if Darkpaw and I go play?" Greystripe nodded and Bluepaw smiled and tackled me to the ground again just as I was getting up and this time me and her rolled around play fighting and my mother was watching from a distance smiling as my sisters were doing the same thing. I jumped at Bluepaw playfully but then Firestar had not paid attention and I rammed right into him and he hissed and turned at me and I put my ears against my head.

"S-sorry Firestar, I wasn't paying attention." I managed to stammer out and he looked at Sandstorm and seemed to refrain from saying anything and walked away with Sandstorm in tow.

I looked at Bluepaw and meowed, "I guess I'd better head home, see you around Bluepaw." Bluepaw purred and rubbed against me for some reason as she walked past flicking her tail under my nose.

"See ya Darkpaw." She meowed and padded off and I padded over to the den I knew I was blushing because my mother just simply smiled as I padded inside and curled up to nap.

I woke up to Firestar yowling loudly, "All Apprentices please come to the meeting rock along with all warriors and mentors."

I stood up and stretched out my paws and yawned and mewed to myself, "Wonder what's wrong now." I padded out and sat next to Bluepaw and our tails touched and entwined each other and I smiled at her now understanding that she was to be my mate, me and her were both around the age to become warriors.

Firestar meowed, "Tonight will be the beginning of two warriors in this clan. Darkpaw, Bluepaw please step forwards."

We stood our tails still wrapped around each other and we walked forwards and Firestar seemed to have softened a little and he said, "Darkpaw I hereby name you Darkpelt."

"Darkpelt, Darkpelt!" yowled the rest of the clan and he said, "Step down." I stepped back and he said, "Bluepaw, I now name you Bluetail."

I purred and yowled with the clan, "Bluetail, Bluetail!"

Firestar then said, "Both of you will be going on your nightly watch, remember you must stay silent as you watch."

We both nodded and walked, our tails entwined as we sat to watch our first moon as warriors.