Chapter 3! Finally. Disclaimer: We already know that I own nothing other than PhoenixClan and it's members.


"Alrighty, where to begin?" The elder Stonestream thought aloud. "Ah yes. I think I'll start from when I was only an apprentice. Now, let's see. Ah yes. When I first became an apprentice, I went by the name of 'Stonepaw'. Now my mentor, Ripplefang, was very concerned about me."

**Story Flashback, Stonestream's POV**

"Stonepaw!" Ripplefang called to me one day after we finished my training session. "Stonepaw, we have to return to camp!" I was hunting a mouse, so I paid no mind to my mentor. I slowly stalked the plump thing, pounced, ans killed it. A heartbeat later, Ripplefang found me.

"Stonepaw!" He said. "Don't wonder off without alerting me of where you are going."

"I'm sorry, Ripplefang." I said quietly. "I just saw this really yummy mouse so I thought I should bring it back for Lionpool."

"That's very kind of you, young one." My mentor praised me. "If you wanted to bring it back to her, you should have told me." I smiled at the blueish-grey warrior before me. He might have been tough on me, but he was the kindest cat I'd ever met. We went back to camp, the mouse still in my mouth. I went into the nursery to find my mother and give her the mouse. I was her only living son, as my brothers had all died. She had given birth to my only sister, Greykit.

**End of Flashback, Normal POV**

Stonestream stopped when a cat entered and was near him. "Hello, my son." The elder greeted. Frostwing kindly nodded his head to his father, and then turned and gently spoke to the kits. "Kits, young ones, future of PhoenixClan, it is time for you to sleep. Come along." The kits followed him out of the den and to the nursery. Firefeather was waiting with Treetail outside the nursey. "Uh oh. Phoenixkit, it looks like you're in trouble." Alppekit whispered to the other. Phoenixkit let out a small whimper,and walked towards her parents.

"Don't worry, Phoenixkt. You're not in trouble." Treetail said. When he said that, it felt like a large weight was taken off the small kit. "Now listen carefully. We want you to leave camp with the other kits." Her mother said. "What?" Phoenixkit asked. "Me and your mother spoke to Sunstar and he agreed to let you out of camp for a short while before sending us to get you." Treetail said. Phoenixkit had a smile on her face that shone brighter than the sun itself. "Oh, thank you!" She mewed. "Guys, did ya hear? We get to leave camp tommorrow!" She said to her friends. "Really?" Alppekit mewed.

"Yes, little one. Now, please get some sleep tonight." Redmouth said. The kits settled in with their mothers, and fell asleep. Well, execpt for Applekkit and Phoenixkit. "Hey, Applekit. I heard earlier today that Moonflight wanted to talk to Sunstar about something!" Phoenixkit whispered. "We should go and see!" Applekit looked a little afraid. "I don't want to, Phoenixkit. I mean, yeah I'll go with you whenever you wanna leave to visit the elders or you father, but Sunstar is my father. I don't want him to be angry with me." Phoenixkit nodded her head, and ran out of the nursery.

"Maybe I can know just what Moonflight really has to tell Sunstar." Phoenixkit thought to herself. She arrived at Moonflight's den and saw the medicine cat waiting for the yellow leader. Phoenixkit hid best she could. Thank StarClan that the shadows hid her. "Welcome, Sunstar." Moonflight greeted her leader. "Moonflight, what it is you needed to talk to me about?" Sunstar asked the silvery cat. "There is a prophecy, Sunstar. And it concerns you, Frostwing, and your littermate." Moonflight said. "What? How does it concern Firefeather?" Sunstar asked.

"Her kit, Phoenixkit, is part of the prophecy." Moonflight quietly said, lowering her head. "My sister's kit is part of a prophecy." Sunstar said. "What does the prophecy say, Moonflight?" Sunstar asked. "The sun will set, and frost shall reign over. The fiery phoenix will take over the frost and reign for many seasons." Moonflight recited the prophecy. Phoenixkit looked at her leader and medicine cat. She slowly left and went back to the nursery. She fell asleep thinking about what she heard Moonflight say.

Phoenixkit and the most of the other kits in the nursery were now six moons old, and were ready to become apprentices of PhoenixClan. Firefeather lead Phoenixkit out of the nusery and to Sunstar's den, where she and her friends were to become apprentices. "Let all cats old enough to cacth their own prey gather here beneath Highwood for a clan meeting." Sunstar said loudly over the entire clan. Every cat came out of their dens. "By naming apprentices, we show that PhoenixClan will survive and remain strong. Silverkit, please step forward." Sunstar kindly said.

Silverkit bravely took a step forward to Sunstar. " From this moment on, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice will be known as Silverpaw." Sunstar declared. He looked at Phoenixkit, Owlkit, Nightkit, and Applekit. "Owlkit, please step forward." Sunstar said. Just as Silverpaw did, Owlkit stepped up to the golden leader. " From this moment on, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice will be known as Owlpaw." Sunstar said.

"Nightkit, please step forward." Nightkit's mother had to gently nudge him to get him to move forward. " From this moment on, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice will be known as Nightpaw." Nightpaw bowed his head kindly and backed up to his mother and brother. "Applekit, please step forward." Sunstar said. Phoenixkit felt sad. She had hoped shw wouldn't be the last one to become an apprentice. " From this moment on, until she has earned her warrior name, this apprentice will be known as Applepaw." Apple, too, bowed her head to her father, and went back to sit with her friends.

"And finally, Phoenixkit, please step forward." Sunstar said. Phoenixkit felt like bounding up to her leader, but didn't. She instead walked up to him full of pride. " From this moment on, until she has earned her warrior name, this apprentice will be known as Phoenixpaw." Phoenixpaw proudly walked back to her friends. "Silverpaw, Owlpaw, Nightpaw, Applepaw, Phoenixpaw!" Their parents called out. "Silverpaw, Owlpaw, Nightpaw, Applepaw, Phoenixpaw!" Their entire clan cheered.

"Wait, who will our mentors be?" Nighpaw asked Phoenixpaw. She shrugged, unsure. "Silverpaw, you will be apprenticed to Treetail." Sunstar annouced. Silverpaw looked scared for a moment, seeing as how Treetail was a senior warrior and Phoenixpaw's father. "Treetail, you have shown yourself to be a warrior of courage and loyalty. I'm sure you will pass on all you know to this apprentice." Sunstar said. Silverpaw went over and touched noses with his best friend's father.

"Owlkit, you will be apprenticed to Firefeather." Sunstar said. Firefeather kindly looked at Owlpaw. "Firefeather, you have shown yourself to be a warrior of loyalty and kindness. I'm sure you will pass on all you know to this apprentice." Sunstar said. Owlpaw and Firefeather touched noses. Sunstar looked at Nightpaw, whom was slightly frightened. "Nightpaw, you will be apprenticed to Redmouth." Nightpaw glowed with pride. To him, it was an honor to be mentored by Redmouth. "Redmouth, you have shown yourself to be a warrior of strength and agility. I'm sure you will pass on all you know to this apprentice." Nightpaw touched noses with Sunstar's mate and sat back down next to his brother.

"Applepaw, you will apprenticed to Frostwing." Sunstar said said. "Frostwing, you have shown yourself to be a warrior of loyalty and agility. I'm sure you will pass on all you know to this apprentice." Applekit touched noses with the deputy and sat back down with her friends. "Hey, Phoenixpaw?" Nightpaw whispered over to her. "Yeah?" "Who do you think your mentor will be?" Nightpaw asked. "I have no clue. But I hope it's not Blacktalon." She replied.

"Phoenixpaw, you will be apprenticed to me." Sunstar happily said. Phoenixpaw proudly walked over to Sunstar and happily touched noses with him. Afterwards, the new apprentices went to go and get moss for their nests in the apprentice den. "So, are you guys happy to finally be apprentices?" Owlpaw asked. "I guess." Silverpaw said. "Of course I am!" Applepaw said. Phoenixpaw looked down. She was happy, too. But she remembered the prophecy she heard only last night.

"Phoenixpaw, if you ever become leader, who do you want to be your deputy out of all of us?" Nightpaw asked. Phoenixpaw looked at her friends. They were waiting for her answer. "Well, I think I'd pick either Nightpaw or Silverpaw, but then again I'd also pick Owlpaw because he would be a very helpful and powerful deputy and Applepaw because she has a good heart and wouldn't try to hide anything really important from me." Phoenixpaw finally said.

The other four looked at her in surprise. They didn't think she actually meant it, though. "Really?" Applepaw asked. Phoenixpaw nodded her head. "Really." She said. She collected her moss and walked back to camp by herself. This gave her time to think. 'Did Moonfeather really mean I was part of the prophecy? Maybe it's some loner or rouge named with that name. But, she also said that my mother was part of it because of me.' Phoenixpaw thought. She walked silently into camp without a single word or muffled word. She went to the apprentice's den and put her moss down.

"Phoenixpaw, may I talk to you?" It was Sunstar. Phoenixpaw nodded her head and followed Sunstar to his den. Sunstar sat in his nest, sighed, and looked at Phoenixpaw. "Phoenixpaw, I know you heard what I and Moonfeather were talking about last night." He calmly said. Phoenixpaw's breath caught in her throat. How did he know? "It wasn't hard, though. Any cat could see your fur in the middle of a storm." He joked. Phoenixpaw hung her head. "I'm sorry, Sunstar." She said.

"Don't be." Sunstar said. He kindly looked at her. "Sunstar, do you and Moonfeather truly think that I'm part of the prophecy? I mean, it could be a kittypet, or a rouge or loner." Phoenixpaw said. "Phoenixpaw, I'm positive about that. Don't worry, though." Sunstar said. He dismissed her and she went back to her den. She layed down in her nest and fell asleep. She woke up when she found Applepaw poking her belly with her paw. "What? Applepaw, I was trying to sleep."

"Phoenixpaw, listen. I... found something." Applepaw said. Her voice was firm and unwavering. It wasn't like her to act that way. "What did you find, Applepaw?" The orange green eyed apprentice asked. "I found, I found a cat." She said. "Well, we need to tell Sunstar!" Phoenixpaw said. She led Applepaw to the leaders den. "Sunstar, Applepaw found a cat!" Phoenixstar annouced when she entered the den. "You did?" He asked his daughter. She nodded. "Me, Owlpaw, Frostwing, and Firefeather were taking a quick tour of the boundries when we saw a cat walking to us. He fell down and Frostwing sent me here to tell you." Applepaw told her father.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Sunstar said, running out of his den. "Father, wait!" Applepaw cried. Sunstar stopped in his tracks and looked at his daughter. Her and Phoenixpaw were chasing after him. "Please wait. I know where everyone is." Applepaw said. Sunstar nodded his head and let Applepaw lead the way to the injured cat. When they arrived, Frostwing was trying to keep the blood from flowing. "Frostwing, that won't help. We need to take this cat to Moonfeather." Phoenixpaw said. Her tone sounded much like the one Sunstar used.

"She's right. Phoenixpaw, help Frostwing take this cat to Moonfeather." Sunstar said. Phoenixpaw nodded her head and had most of the weight put onto her shoulder. She didn't mind, though. She ran as fast as Frostwing would let her. Soon, they were in Moonfeather's den with Frostwing explaining everything to her. "I understand. Put him there." Moonfeather said. Phoenixpaw and Frostwing put the cat on a bed of moss near the entrance to the den.

"Will he be alright?" Phoenixpaw asked. Moonfeather nodded. "Yes, but he will need to stay here for a few days for recovery." The silver she-cat said. Phoenixpaw nodded her head and silently left. She thought about the tone she used on Frostwing. 'I sounded like a leader. But, maybe that was just something I remembered from watching Moonfeather. Or maybe the prophecy was right.' Phoenixpaw thought. She shook her head, and went to rest.


The next morning, Phoenixpaw woke up and went to the fresh-kill pile. She picked a mouse and sat next to the entrance to the apprentices den. Nightpaw came out afterwards and pick out a sparrow. He walked over to Phoenixpaw and sat next to her. "I heard about what you did yesterday." He said. Phoenixpaw sighed. "Applepaw said you sounded like you were a leader for a minute." He said. Phoenixpaw looked into his amber colored eyes. Thye were bright and happy, full of appreciation. "I didn't know what came over me, Nightpaw. I just really don't know." The orange apprentice said quietly.

Nightpaw looked at Phoenixpaw's bright green eyes. They had a type of hope in them, and the look of a leader's. "Phoenixpaw, your eyes. They look like a leader's." Nightpaw said. Phoenixpaw was stunned by his words, and as such didn't respond for a few heartbeats. "They do?" She timidly asked. Nightpaw nodded his head. "But, they still look like the eyes of the kit I met." Nightpaw said. That made Phoenixpaw feel a little better. Her and Nightpaw ate in silence, neither saying a word. 'I love the way me and Nightpaw are. We understand everything about each other and know just what's wrong with the other without needing words.' Phoenixpaw thought.

"Phoenixpaw, Nightpaw, I believe it's time for you both to learn how to hunt." Sunstar said. The two apprentices nodded and walked over to the golden leader. Redmouth was waiting for them near the entrance to the camp. "Hello, Sunstar." Redmouth said to her mate. "Hello Phoenixpaw, Nightpaw." She greeted the two apprentices. "Hello, Redmouth." Phoenixpaw said to her. "I heared about what you did yesterday, Phoenixpaw." Redmouth told her.

"All of PhoenixClan knows." Sunstar said. "You acted like a leader, Phoenixpaw. I hope that you will be able to use your skills soon." He licked her head lovingly, much to the confusion of Nightpaw. "Hey, why'd he do that?" Nightpaw asked Phoenixpaw. "Long story." She said. "Okay, we will be teaching you the hunter's crouch." Redmouth said. She got herself into position. "You put all of your weight into your hunches." Sunstar said, mimicking his mate. Phoenixpaw put herself into the position, putting all of her weight into her hunches.

"Very good, Phoenixpaw." Sunstar praised his neice. She smiled at him. "Now, you try Nightpaw." Redmouth said. He, too, put himself into position, shifting his weight into his hunches. "Very good, Nightpaw." Redmouth said. Nightpaw gave a weak nod. "Now, try to smell your prey." Sunstar said. Phoenixpaw sniffed the air, smelling a mouse not two far away. She quickly got into position, carefully stalked the mouse, and pounced. She killed the mouse with one swift blow of her paw.

"Execellent, Phoenixpaw!" Sunstar said. Phoenixpaw picked up the mouse and dropped it at Sunstar's paws. "Thank you, sir." She said to him. He gently lifted her head to meet his eyes. "You don't need to feel ashamed of anything. You are much like me; a leader." He said to her. Her eyes had clearly shown shame and sadness in them. "Thank you." She said again, a little bit of a happier tone in her voice.

"Well, now, Nightpaw, why don't you try it?" Redmouth said. Nightpaw nodded, and mimiced the moves he saw Phoenixpaw use. He was able to catch a scawny mouse. "Oh, don't worry Nightpaw." Redmouth said. "You don't always get the best, but you have to make do with what you have." Nightpaw sighed in relief. "Let's call it a day." Sunstar said. Phoenixpaw nodded and walked back to camp with the other three following. She put her fresh kill on the pile.

Applepaw came running up to her. "Wow, you caught a mouse?" She asked. Phoneixpaw nodded. "Wow! We only practiced fighting moves today." Applepaw bitterly said. "Well, at least you learned something useful for the future, right?" Phoenixpaw asked. Applepaw nodded, and sat next to her cousin. Many of the warriors that passed by them silently wondered to themselves what the apprentices were thinking, as they didn't speak nor move a mussle. Silverpaw and Oakpaw saw them and walked towards them.

"Phoenixpaw, Applepaw, what are you doing?" Silverpaw asked. Phoenixpaw shook her head slightly. "Oh, we were thinking." The orange furred apprentice said. "About?" Oakpaw asked. "We'll tell you later tonight." Applepaw said. Nightpaw walked up to the foursome quietly. "Hello." He said. "Hi, Nightpaw!" Applepaw said brightly. "Something is gonna happen tonight between the five of us." Phoenixpaw said.

"Oh, and what would it be then?" Nightpaw asked. "We'll tell you at the edge of our territory tonight." Phoenixpaw whispered. The three toms nodded and walked away. "Are you sure, Phoenixpaw?" Applepaw asked her cousin. Phoenixpaw nodded. "I want to see the Moonpool myself. I must have this one and only chance." She said. Her desire to see the Moonpool. She had heard stories of how it came to be so sacred to her clan, and the Ancient Clans, and she wanted to see the Moonpool herself.

"We will travel to the Moonpool." Phoenixpaw said. She walked into the apprentices' den and curled up in her nest, Applepaw close behind. "I have a bad feeling about this, Phoenixpaw." Applepaw said. "Don't worry, Applepaw." Phoenixpaw said. "We'll be just fine. I'm positive of it."


So next chapter, they'll be heading to the Moonpool. Oh, and they head to the Moonpool because it's where they talk with StarClan. They have the same beliefs as the clans in the forest. Review if you want.