Chapter 1

Darkkit shivered. It was freezing in the nursery! He flicked open his eyes to see his brother, sister, and mother sleeping peacefully in the nest. Darkkit staggered to his paws and raced over to the entrance of the nursery. There, by the Shade Pool, stood Tawnyfur, organizing patrols in the dawn light. Darkkit listened intently.

Tawnyfur ordered, "Dustfur, take Velvetfur, Olivetail, and Birdpaw out on dawn patrol. I will lead a hunting patrol consisting of Foxpaw, Brackenwing, and Snakefall, to the far side of the territory near Moontrees. Deerpelt, take a patrol to the far side of the territory to mark for rogues with Robinpaw, Hissingshine, and Duskfoot."

"Apprentices are so lucky!" Darkkit whispered to himself. So many times had he wished he was an apprentice to leave camp and battle train and hunt. He licked his lips. Speaking of hunting, a nice, fat, juicy vole would be delicious right now.

Darkkit jumped with a squeak as a paw touched his shoulder. He turned and relaxed when he saw it was only Thornkit. "Oh, hey, Thornkit," Darkkit greeted his denmate.

Thornkit purred, "At least we don't have to search the elders for ticks! What a yucky task!"

Darkkit nodded in agreement. "Yeah!"

"Could you keep it down? I'm trying to sleep!" Applekit growled grumpily.

Darkkit snorted, "It's dawn, furball! Why don't you try getting up!"

Applekit sat up and growled, "Say that again?" He towered over Darkkit, being three moons older. Darkkit was three moons old and Applekit was soon going to be an apprentice, unlike Darkkit. Besides, Applekit was much stockier than Darkkit.

Thornkit pushed his brother away. "Lighten up!" he mewed. "It's beautiful out today!"

Dovekit stumbled over to the party of kits. "What's going on?" Dovekit asked groggily.

"Just wondering what's going on in the Clan," Darkkit explained.

"I wasn't!" Applekit huffed.

Thornkit trotted back to Nightclaw. "We should get back to bed. Nightclaw won't like it if we wake her."

Dovekit chuckled, "Applekit's so funny!"

Darkkit shook his head, "Funny!?"

Dovekit shrugged. "I think he's funny."

"He bullies me all the time, and you say he's funny!?" Darkkit bristled.

Dovekit shook her head, explaining, "He's real nice to me. I like him. He makes jokes all the time."

Darkkit snorted, "Jokes!"

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here by the Shade Pool for a Clan meeting!" Pinestar's voice reached the nursery. Darkkit squeaked and stumbled out, escaping Lightheart.

Applekit strode past him, mewing out of the corner of his mouth, "Time for me to become an apprentice!"

Darkkit huffed and barged past him. Darkkit settled down beside his father, Ratstorm. Nightclaw padded out of the nursery with Thornkit and Wingkit at her paws.

Darkkit glared at Applekit. He was such a mouse-heart! He always teased him and told him how bad a warrior he would make out of every tiny mistake he made. Now he was going to be apprenticed?! It was as if every cat in the Clan had no clue the treacheries Applekit did to him.

Pinestar's voice cut into his thoughts, "-now I shall do it. Thornkit, from this moment on you shall be known as Thornpaw. Your mentor shall be Poolshadow."

Thornpaw puffed out his chest, looking excited. Huh! He thinks he's awesome just cause he got the nicest mentor in the Clan!

"Wingkit, from this moment on you will be known as Wingpaw. Your mentor shall be Oaktail."

Wingpaw smiled nervously and shyly padded up to Oaktail.

"Applekit," Pinestar began. Darkkit leaned forward. He hoped Applekit would get Ivyfoot. She was the strictest and meanest mentor in the whole Clan! "from this day forward you shall be known as Applepaw. Your mentor shall be me."

Applepaw puffed out his chest and touched noses with Pinestar. He shot a snobby look at Darkkit and mewed, "I will serve my Clan the best I can."

How could Applepaw have gotten Pinestar?! The Clan leader!? That was such an amazing honor! But of course Applepaw got it, cause nobody ever understood what a bully he was! Oh, no, he was a beautiful StarClan cat ready to protect cats from joining his Clan!

Darkkit dug his claws into the ground in his anger. He stood, turned his back on Applepaw's smug look, and padded, chin high, into the nursery.

"There you are!" Lightheart hissed, pulling Darkkit close to where Dovekit and Pheasantkit crouched, playing moss ball. Darkkit sighed, but purred, pouncing after the moss ball as it rolled away from Dovekit and Pheasantkit.

I do not own, or claim to own, Warriors, Erin Hunter does.