Short, I know. I was just dying to write, and I knew that my three fans would appreciate it if I updated, so I decided to.

Daylight trickled into the nursery, chasing away the harsh cold from the night before. It warmed the pelt of a kit, who was small for six moons of age, and she sleepily snuggled closer to her mother's warm fur. The soft sounds of morning tugged lightly at her, nagging at her to get up, but she just slipped farther into the cocoon of warmth and safety that engulfed her.

"HAZELKIT! GET UP! " A loud, squeaky voice rang out, right in her ear. It was cracked with excitement, and she felt a sharp prodding in her side.

"Mmph…" She replied, sticking her face into the fluffy fur of her mother's belly and muffling her reply.

"Hazelkit! We're gonna be apprentices! Did you forget or something? Get up!"

Suddenly wide awake, Hazelkit jerked her head up. "Oh, yeah!" She brightened, smiling at the soft touch of sunlight on her face. "I can't wait! New den, new friends, new LIFE!" She stretched out, tearing up bedding and opening her jaws in a massive yawn.

"Beetlewing! Beetlewing, wake up!" She pawed the she-cat out of a sound sleep.

The black queen blinked, batting the sleep from her pale blue eyes. "hmm?" She half yawned, half said. "What's wrong?"

"We're gonna be apprentices! Hurry, tell the leader we're up!"

Beetlewing perked her ears. "Oh, dear StarClan! You ARE!" She bent her head, covering Hazelkit with frantic licking. "Oh dear, oh dear…"

Hazelkit jerked away. "Beetlewing, I'm fine! Lemme go!"

"Oh, Rainkit, your FUR!" Beetlewing mewed, voice high and distraught. "Rainkit! Get your fur into some sort of order before the ceremony!" she licked his head fur, admitting defeat as its fluffy style popped back into place. "ugh!"

"When is it? When's the ceremony?"

A loud voice boomed from outside. "Let all cats old enough to catch a fish assemble under the Highrock for a Clan meeting." Beetlewing panicked, shoving the two kits hastily out the nursery entrance. Rainkit fidgeted excitedly, but Beetlewing angrily flicked her tail over his ear and he stopped.

"Riverclan," Fallenstar mewed as cats slowly ambled from their dens, sleepiness heavy in their eyes. "I have assembled you today to celebrate one of the most precious moments to a Clan. After the second Great Drought, the Clans have suffered greatly, especially us. We have few warriors, and only four kits have been born in the past year," He paused, bowing his head his head. "and only three have lived. " He raised his head again, high and majestic.

"But, after all these seasons of suffering, prey once more fills the river, and we have plenty of water to go around. Let us welcome the summer with two new apprentices," Hazelkit squeaked, filled to the brim with excitement. "Rainkit, Hazelkit, step forward."

All the eyes in the Clan were turned on them. Hazelkit quivered, whiskers twitching. Her insides churned, and she gave a nervous glance to her father, Hawkclaw. He smiled, pride gleaming in his bright amber eyes. "Rainkit, come forward." Rainkit bounded up to highrock, practically shoving his head under Fallenstar's. "From this moment, until you earn your warrior name, you will be called Rainpaw. Redstripe, you have served your Clan faithfully for many, many seasons. I trust that you will pass on your skills to this young apprentice, and teach him what it means to be a great warrior." Rainkit rushed toward his mentor, jolting up to touch noses with him.

"Hazelkit," the leader called. Hazelkit froze, the world around her fading into a dull blur. Beetlewing gave her an encouraging shove, and she lurched forward, trembling as she greeted Fallenstar. "from this moment on, you will be known as Hazelpaw. Until you earn your warrior name, you will be under the mentoring of Silverbird. She is a fine warrior, and I'm sure that she will make you one, as well."

Slverbird stepped toward her new apprentice, touching noses with a friendly smile. "Hi," The silver she-cat mewed, warmth in her gaze as it rested on the small apprentice.

"Hazelpaw!" Yelled Ravenpaw, grinning. "Rainpaw!" The clan carried the cheer, and Hazelpaw grinned, any nervous feelings drifting away. She was an apprentice!

Later on, in the apprentice den, the pale moonlight shone through the gaps in the thistles, which were wound tightly together to form the den wall. It reminded Hazelpaw of that morning, when the daylight had just come out. It was nice to know that her first day as an apprentice was over, and she sighed, filled with relief that she had gotten a patient mentor and made a new friend. Ravenpaw was extremely friendly and talkative, a lot like Hazelpaw herself. She curled up tight beside Rainpaw, his familiar scent comforting her as she slipped into a dream.