CHAPTER ONE

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Sky Tree for a clan meeting!" Yelled a Mottled-grey tom from atop a tall tree. Below him, cats gathered at the roots and stared up at him. Among them, there was a white molly with a flame-colored face, paws, ears, and tail. She grinned. 'it's finally happening!' she thought. 'My apprentice ceremony!'

"Firekit, step forward." The tom commanded. The white molly stepped closer, and saw cats clearing a pathway for her. "Firekit, from this day forward, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Firepaw!" The tom announced. "Your mentor will be Mousetail. Mousetail, you are brave and strong. Pass on these qualities to your apprentice."

As he said those words, a cream tabby molly stepped forward and smiled at Firepaw. Firepaw smiled back, and reached up to touch noses with her. The tom smiled at the two, before flicking his tail to dismiss the Clan.

Firepaw followed Mousetail back into the crowd, feeling proud to have the deputy of SkyClan as her mentor. "What're we gonna do first?" She asked, eager to begin her training. Mousetail chuckled. "Well.. first we must patrol the borders. I can't teach you anything else until you familiarize yourself with our territory." She responded, grinning. Firepaw's heart fell. 'Patrolling? But that's bo-oring!' she protested silently, following her mentor out of camp.

As the went through the entrance, a thought occurred to Firepaw. Her brother, Chesnutkit, hadn't had his ceremony. She knew he was sick, as he had been for a while, but she didn't think his ceremony would get postponed. She decided to ask Mousetail about it. "Mousetail, why did Chesnutkit not have his ceremony?" Mousetail's smile faded. "Well.. dearie.. I'm afraid he may not.. survive his illness.." she said softly, trying to approach the subject calmly and carefully.

Firepaw frowned. "But he has to! He's my brother! We have to train together!" She mewled, her eyes stinging with tears. Mousetail shook her head, leading her apprentice to the border with ShadowClan.

When they arrived, another patrol was already there. It consisted of three cats; a black tom, a grey tom with a furless face about the size of Firepaw, and a dark grey tom.

"Who are they, Mousetail?" Firepaw asked, looking up at her mentor. "Those are ShadowClan cats," the older molly whispered. "They are just patrolling, do not worry, but they are a cruel group." She explained, before approaching the border.

She smiled at the dark grey tom. "Greetings Flintdusk. How is the prey in ShadowClan?" Flintdusk bared his teeth. "What does it matter to you? Plan on stealing our prey?" He snarled, and while the two talked Firepaw padded near the furless faced tom.

"Hiya," she mewed shyly, smiling. "I'm Firepaw. And you are…?" "I'm Shadepaw," He mewed. "It's nice to meet you." He flashed his teeth charismatically, making Firepaw's face grow hot. Before she knew it, however, Mousetail touched her tail to Firepaw's shoulder. "Firepaw, it is time to go." She mewed sweetly, leading her apprentice back to camp.

Firepaw followed, all the while the image of the tom's smile was playing in her mind.