The sun had just risen over the camp when my siblings and I sprinted out of the nursery, free at last to have fun after a long night of slumber. My brother carried our favourite toy in his mouth, a ball of moss, that he dropped on the ground after he had gained enough distance from the nursery. The ball hit the ground and bounced, rolling towards me and stopping at my paws.

"Leafkit! Pass the moss-ball here!" My brother, Stormkit purred. I batted the ball over to him with my paw, watching satisfyingly as he travelled to him.

"Pass it here Stormkit!" My other brother, Stonekit mewed. His blue eyes twinkled as he awaited patiently.

"No! Don't pass to Stonekit! Pass it to me!" My third brother, Shadekit pleaded, his sleek brown pelt glimmering in the small amount of light.

"Here you go Streamkit!" Stormkit purred, passing it to my sister. I had three brothers, Stormkit, Stonekit, and Shadekit, and a sister, Streamkit. Streamkit hit the moss-ball over to me. I batted it as hard as I could, watching it roll in between Shadekit's paws and into the warriors den. Moments later, our father Blackfeather came out with the moss-ball in his jaws. He put it at Stonekit's paws and turned to me.

"You have to be careful!" He hissed angrily, glaring at me with his terrifyingly intimidating stare.

"Sorry." I muttered. Blackfeather scowled at me before padding over to the deputy. I could see Fernclaw, one of the senior warriors glaring at me but I ignored him as my eyes followed the moss-ball. I didn't care, I was used to the glares that almost all the warriors gave me. I wasn't quite sure why, but I didn't bother asking.

"Don't worry about it, Leafkit." Shadekit purred, giving my ear a quick lick. "Blackfeather is just always grumpy."

"Shadekit! Streamkit! Stonekit! Stormkit! Leafkit!" Our mother, Hazelmoss called. We all groaned in unison, knowing that our freedom was now gone.

"Do we have to come in already? I want to play more!" Streamkit protested.

"Skykit and Whitekit get to stay out!" Stonekit protested.

"It isn't fair! We're not even a moon younger than them!" Stormkit scoffed.

"Can we please stay out?" Shadekit pleaded.

"Please Hazelmoss?" I begged. Hazelmoss couldn't help but laugh.

"It'll be cold out soon. You don't have to go to sleep but I want you to at least come back into the den." Hazelmoss mewed. There was no use

"Fine." Stormkit grumbled as we stumbled into the den. I glanced over my shoulder, catching another warrior's hateful stare before following my littermates into the den.

"Hazelmoss?" I asked as we padded over to our nest.

"Yes, Leafkit?" she purred, her warm smile and kind eyes making me feel safe.

"Why does everyone hate me?" I blurted out before I could stop myself. Most days I didn't let it bother me, but I just couldn't shake the feeling of hate that always radiated off my Clanmates whenever I was around.

"No one hates you!" Hazelmoss gasped, licking the top of my head in reassurance.

"If no one hates me, then why does everyone always glare at me?" I scowled.

"They can see how special you are," Hazelmoss insisted. "And they don't like it. You have a kind heart, Leafkit. Don't let their bitterness taint that."


"It isn't fair!" My brother grumbled as we stumbled out of the nursery. "Why can't we be apprentices?" Stormkit complained.

"Because you aren't six moons old yet." Hazelmoss retorted, a hint of amusement in her voice. This was a conversation that we had almost every morning, and every time, Hazelmoss gave the same response.

"But we will be soon! It isn't fair that Skykit and Whitekit get to be apprentices before us." Shadekit hisses, his tiny tail swishing back and forth.

"They are older than us. Besides, they're Skypaw and Whitepaw now, mouse-brain." Streamkit scoffs. I can't help but smile.

"I want to go on patrol! I want to show those mangy ThunderClan cats that WindClan is better than they are!" Stonekit purrs, shredding a leaf to bits with his tiny claws.

"ThunderClan already knows we're better than them! I want to battle a ShadowClan warrior! I would make him go crying back to his camp like a kit!" Shadekit mews, puffing out the fluffy fur on his chest.

"Could we shadow Blackfeather's patrol?" Streamkit asked Jaystar as the leader padded over to us.

"You know you can't leave the camp." Jaystar scoffed. "It's against the Clan rules." he purred, wrapping his tail around his paws.

"Please? We'll show our father how great warriors we would be! He wouldn't even see us coming!" Stormkit purred, crouching down and slowly moving forward to demonstrate.

"Yeah! We'll be so sneaky, Blackfeather would be so proud of us!" Stonekit wriggled excitedly.

"You're father is already proud of you, you should know that!" Jaystar mewed, nudging Stonekit softly.

"I know, but he would be even more proud of us if we followed him without him knowing!" Stonekit scoffed, licking the tuft of fur that Jaystar had disturbed.

"I'm sorry kits, but you have to stay in the camp until you are apprentices." Jaystar shook his head before saying goodbye.

"It isn't fair." Shadekit grumbled.

"It won't be long until we're apprentices, you'll see." I purred.


"From this day forward, until you receive your warrior name you will be known as Shadepaw Your mentor will be Darksky!" Jaystar purred as my brother touched noses with his mentor.

"From this day forward until you receive your warrior name you will be known as Streampaw! Your mentor will be Ravenflight!" Jaystar mewed. I watched my sister greet her mentor.

"From this day forward until you receive your warrior name you will be known Stonepaw! Your mentor will be Fernclaw!" I smiled as Stonepaw touched noses with the senior warrior.

"From this day forward until you receive your warrior name you will be known as Stormpaw!" Your mentor will be Runningstream!" Our leader purred as he touched noses with Runningstream.

"From this day forward until you receive your warrior name you will be known as Leafpaw. I will be your mentor." Jaystar mewed, I touched noses with him and padding over to my littermates.

"Shadepaw! Streampaw! Stonepaw! Stormpaw! Leafpaw!" The Clan cheered. Finally! I'm a WindClan apprentice!

"Jaystar, I'd like to speak with you." My father, Blackfeather mewed. I watched Jaystar walk aside to speak with him. What are they talking about? Quietly, so no one would hear me, I padded and sat down, wrapping my tail around my paws. I was close enough to hear them, but not close enough that is was suspicious.

"What is on your mind, Blackfeather?" Jaystar asked.

"Is it smart to make it an apprentice?" he hissed. What's he talking about?

"Why wouldn't we make your daughter an apprentice?" Jaystar stared at him blankly.

"Don't treat me like I'm a kit, Jaystar. You and I both know very well what she are we going to do when the other Clans see her? They will see us as a threat." Blackfeather growled.

"Isn't that a good thing? If we're a threat than they won't risk attacking us." Jaystar scoffed.

"Surely you aren't letting her come to the gathering tonight?" Blackfeather stared at the WindClan leader.

"Why not? I won't treat her any different than the others, Blackfeather. You shouldn't either." Jaystar said, walking away from my father without another word. Who is he talking about?