The muffled noise of many cats awoke Rubypaw from his dreams. He was curled up next to his brother, Wolfpaw, who was still sound asleep and twitching.
Rubypaw sighed. Just another day of being tormented by Patch and his followers.

He got up and stretched, his russet fur gleaming in the sunlight. He and his brother were always being teased by the other cats in the area because of their strange names. His mother cast him aside when he was only two moons old, but she had always loved Wolfpaw. Rubypaw did not know why Cloudnose didn't like him, but his father, Bramblefire, disapproved of this, and they were no longer mates.

"Well well, if it isn't Rubypaw." Leo mocked him as he passed the ginger tom. Rubypaw ignored him. At least Tabby likes me.
He spotted the she-cat talking to Feather, one of her littermates. Feather hissed when he approached them, and stalked away to talk to Leo.

He noticed that Tabby was getting a little plump, as it was Greenleaf, but he didn't say anything. Rubypaw sighed again.
"It seems no one here likes me."
Tabby looked at him with soft green eyes.
"Don't be silly. I like you." Rubypaw purred and shuffled his paws at her soft words. He had always secretly loved her, and they were old enough now to take each other as mates, but he could never tell her because he was too shy.
"It's a beautiful day." Her words spun like silk as she said them.
"I don't know what to do today though. If I go out, I'll just get tormented again."
Tabby sighed. "I'll come with you and tell the others to go away." Rubypaw purred again.

They walked out of their comfortable barn home, ignoring the jibes, and walked around the Twolegplace.
"So anyway, how are you?" Tabby asked gleefully. Rubypaw grunted.
"I've been better. How are you?"
The beautiful she-cat purred, "I'm great thanks!"

Rubypaw stopped and stared at the tabby cat he had loved since the moment he lay eyes on her. He knew he couldn't feel his feelings locked in his heart any longer.
"Tabby, there's something I must tell you."
Tabby stopped too, and they walked up to a massive lake they liked to call the Star-Moon-Lake.

"What is it then?" Tabby's fiery green eyes were filled with curiosity, concern, and love. Without even having to tell her, Rubypaw knew she felt the same way.
"Well...when I'm around you, I feel so content...I don't know how to explain it all." He shifted closer towards her until their pelts were brushing, and then whispered into her ear.
"I love you, Tabby." Tabby gasped and Rubypaw thought he saw her cheeks turn pink.
"I...I love you too, Rubypaw."

The two cats shared tongues for a while, with their tails twined, until the sun started sinking behind the trees.
"I was going to tell you the same thing today, you know. And something else..." Tabby mewed.
"What?"
"I'm expecting your kits. And they're yours."
Rubypaw jumped to his paws straight away. "Th-That's great!"
Tabby purred softly. "I know."

They were so lost in conversation about their unborn kits that they reached an unknown forest territory.

"That's the forest where the Clan used to live."

His father's voice sounded from behind the two young cats. Rubypaw tipped his head to one side. "Clans?" Bramblefire nodded.
"My great grandmother, Fallowbreeze, was from ThunderClan." Rubypaw listened in awe. ThunderClan was a cool name!

"One time, there was a bloody battle between the Clan cats and the Dark Forest cats. The Dark Forest cats were some warriors from all four Clans that were trained to kill their own kin."
Tabby flicked her ear. "Why would they want to do that?"

"Because the Dark Forest cats thought the Clans were weak, and they wanted to get rid of them so they could rise over every other cat."

"Only eight Clan cats survived, two from each Clan. From ThunderClan, Fallowbreeze and Treesong survived. The cats from RiverClan, WindClan, and ShadowClan are not known by name, apart from on ShadowClan she-cat, Sandshadow."

Shocked silence met his words, but Rubypaw just had to meow, "So I'm part ThunderClan cat?" Bramblefire nodded and purred.
"Your mother's great grandmother was Sandshadow, which makes you part ShadowClan and part ThunderClan."

Rubypaw purred happily, and then thought of something that had annoyed him all his life. "Is that why I have a strange name and the other cats make fun of me?"

"Yes. All of the Clan cats were given the first part of the name from their birth, which represents something about them. Because of your russet coloured fur, we named you Rubykit when you were born. The 'kit half of your name was there until you were six moons old, and then you became a 'paw when you were old enough to become an apprentice."

"What's an apprentice?" Tabby asked, her fur brushing Rubypaw's.

"An apprentice is a cat who is being mentored by a warrior of their Clan. Their mentors teach them to hunt and fight, and help them to recognise the customs of the Clan."

"When the apprentice is old enough and is filled with enough knowledge of Clan life to become a warrior, the Clan leader changed their name from 'paw to a different thing that symbolizes that cat. Some cats are named after their mentor or a family member who may have passed away."

Tabby's eyes glittered. "I wish I was alive when the Clans were around."

"Our kits will be part ThunderClan and ShadowClan. The Clans live on." Rubypaw purred as he wove around her. Bramblefire watched with wide eyes.

Tabby? You're expecting Rubypaw's kits?" Tabby nodded happily, and Bramblefire broke into a purr.
"This is wonderful. According to the old words of Fallowbreeze, now I have told you about the Clans, it is time for you to become a warrior, Rubypaw."

Rubypaw froze. I'm becoming a warrior! What will my name be?

The sun had set now, and the cats were mere outlines in the light of the moon. The moon's weak rays danced off the lake as Bramblefire led them up to it.

"Rubypaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Rubyfang!"

Rubyfang licked Bramblefire's shoulder after he spoke the ancient Clan words.

"Rubyfang! Rubyfang!" Tabby cheered, and Bramblefire joined in. Rubyfang's father turned to Tabby.

"Tabby? Would you like to know what it is to be a Clan cat, to truly feel the wind in your whiskers and to hear the call of the wild?"

Tabby looked taken aback by these words; she was not expecting to be getting this honour. She nodded, her eyes shining with a green fire.

"Tabby, from his moment you shall be known as Tabbytail!"

"Tabbytail! Tabbytail!" Rubyfang and Bramblefire yowled to the sky.

"You see that thick band of stars up there? That's Silverpelt," Bramblefire told them, pointing up to the sky with his tail. "When Clan cats died and they were known for doing good deeds, they were sent to StarClan. Each star represents a fallen warrior, once part of the Clans. StarClan sent wise words and omens to the living."

Rubyfang stared up to the stars, his heart soaring. I'm a Clan cat!