Chapter Three:

"Hey Tigerpaw!"

"Howdy Tigerpaw!"

"What's up Tigerpaw?"

Tigerpaw glanced around the clearing, his heart burning with pride. After waiting many moons, he was now an apprentice. The first thing to do, however, was meet the other apprentices.

"Follow me," he told Mousepaw and Grasspaw. Reluctantly, the two smaller cats trudged after their brother. Rolling his eyes, Tigerpaw stopped and glanced at them. "Guys, we're apprentices now. That means we can finally explore the forest. Aren't you even a little bit excited?"

Grasspaw shook his head. "Not one bit."

"What about you Mousepaw? Feeling anything?"

Mousepaw shrugged. "I don't know, its only our first hour, but we'll come with you to see where we are sleeping."

Tigerpaw started up and began walking again toward the apprentice den. Peeking his head in there, he could see 4 other apprentices. One was a golden tom with thick lion like fur, another was a black and gold stripped she cat, the third apprentice was a gray and brown tom, and the fourth one was a beautiful she cat with orange and white stripped fur and(she opened her eyes for a second)green eyes.

"Good night guys," Tigerpaw said as he stretched out in the den.

The next day as soon as the sun rose, Bluestar came to greet them. "Your mentors will be here soon to tell you what to do." With that, Bluestar turned and walked back to her den.

Excited, Tigerpaw jumped up and looked around for the new apprentices. He could see the orange and white stripped she cat playing outside the den with the golden tom. The other two apprentices, however, were not in sight.

"You must be the new apprentices," the she cat said, her green eyes sparkling. "I'm Waterpaw and this tom over here is Lionpaw." Tigerpaw smiled and introduced himself and his siblings.

"How long have you guys been apprentices?" Grasspaw asked.

"Two moons," said Lionpaw getting up on his feet. "The other two have been apprentices for about three months. They think they own the apprentice den because of this factor."

Grasspaw shivered and drew closer to Mousepaw. Suddenly, the cats heard a yelp of victory. As they turned to see what it was, the two other apprentices jumped down from the top of the den in front of them.

"So," the gray and brown tom mewed. "We finally meet the new apprentices."

The black and gold she cat turned her cold eyes onto the new apprentices and examined them closely. "An easy lot Maplepaw," the black and gold she cat said to the gray and brown one.

Maplepaw turned his eyes onto the apprentices. "While we are here, let's get something straight. Lightpaw and I are the oldest. Therefore, we run this joint around here so you better listen to whatever we say." With that, Maplepaw and Lightpaw strutted off.

"Don't listen to them," Waterpaw said. "Lightpaw and Maplepaw are all talk and no action."

Just then, Redtail, Whitestorm, and Halftail came up to the apprentice den. "Come on guys," Halftail mewed. "Its time to begin your training."

With a sigh, Grasspaw, Mousepaw, and Tigerpaw got up and followed their mentors.