Chapter One: Dealing With Life

"I am not afraid!" screeched a silver-tipped she-kit as she was laughed at by her fellow nursery-mates. A red ginger tom held back from the laughter, though. He was slouched in a corner while the she-kit began to whimper. Almost at once, a white tom with dark gray stripes ceased his laughter and went over next to the small kit.

"Songkit, we're just playing with you," he mewed seriously, helping her to her feet. Songkit sniffed and shrugged. The laugher from the other cats died down and the ginger tom started to stalk over towards them. "You've got a lot for other cats to be jealous of. You're very pretty and easy to respect-"

"Yeah right!" muttered Songkit, pulling away from her friend's comfort. "I'm blind, scarred in one eye. I'm ugly. And I'm not respectable; I'm teasable. Heronkit, I know you're just lying about it."

"I'm not lying, Songkit, you need to-"

"Heronkit!" shushed an identical white she-cat with more identible gray stripes. She walked over to her brother and touched his shoulder lightly. "You're not helping." She turned to face the rest of the kits including a red tortoiseshell tom. "Let's play over here."

The rest of the kits followed Hailkit and Heronkit... but the ginger tom stayed back after a few steps. He hesitated briefly before whispering hastily, "I'm sorry, Songkit." Songkit's face shot up, her mouth gaping. Emberkit gave her one last look before he turned with his tail down to join the other kits. Still she continued to stare after him. The most mysterious kit who's mother had died a few sunhighs after he was born, had actually talked to her let alone said sorry. The handsome tom was highly respected for his mother was popular and his father was unknown. Even though he left to sit and watch the other kits, Songkit still felt she had achieved something. Then a cold stone hit her. She had stooped low enough to achieve the pitty of Emberkit.

"Mother, where are you?" Songkit asked the stars, her one blind eye reflecting the light of the moon. In a few sunhighs, she would be an apprentice. But who would want to mentor her? She sighed; sometimes life just wasn't fair. The worst part was that she didn't even know of her past. Nothing. The only cat who helped her with some of the questions was a friendly cat of ThunderClan with a weird name... Delilah. She only told Songkit the most important information, though, and nothing that was asked directly.

There was a snap at the enterance and Songkit's eyes flitted to the she-cat coming in. She was now the only remaining queen since Emberkit's mother was dead, she didn't have a mother known, and since Redkit's mother, a fierce and valuble warrior, Mudwhisker, left the nursery just a few sunhighs ago to join back in the strong force of ThunderClan warriors. Not to stress much though as all the kits were about to be made apprentices and Brokenflower was just about to move into the nursery.

"Songkit, will you please come and play?" asked Heronkit as he effortlessly batted his sister Hailkit off him. Songkit considered the offer for a moment before smiling and nodding. Heronkit beckoned her over and she stood to watch for a moment.

"Oh, no you don't, Redstar!" cried Hailkit as she batted Redkit on the head.

"Noooo," cried Redkit. "The almightly Redstar shall not be defeated by Hailstar!" He bit down playfully on her ear and she pretended to squeal loudly. "WindClan rules over RiverClan!"

"Not so fast!" Heronkit yowled as he jumped into the battle as well.

"Oh no, it's ThunderClan's Heronstar!" screamed Hailkit as Heronkit bowled into his sister playfully.

"Why don't you play too?" Songkit bravely asked Emberkit. The ginger tom stared into her eyes, his expression unreadable as ever. Then he flicked his tail.

"I don't play kit games... especially if the only leader left is of ShadowClan." Emberkit nimbly lept across the nursery and disappeared outside. Songkit, simply hurt, turned back to Heronkit and Hailkit, shaking her head.

"I'll still be ShadowClan leader," she whispered.

"Not now," came the sharp voice of Rainbird, the queen caring for all the kits. "Time to sleep. Tomorrow you know you all get apprentice." Her voice softened when she saw all the kits gasp. "Yes, so soon, I know. Anyways, I know Redkit is a little overdue for apprenticeship, Emberkit is a little older as well, and that Heronkit and Hailkit are right on time... Songkit, you look a little young as well." Songkit shuffled her paws and Emberkit returned grouchily with a vole. "Ok, you all may get situated."

Songkit sighed as she climbed in her nest with Hailkit and Heronkit. Emberkit slept alone farthest from all the others while Redkit slept fairly close. She wondered if this was how it was going to be in the apprentices' den. Right now there were no more apprentice. The last, Whitepaw and Flamepaw, were just made warriors that sundown.

Off to be made a half-blind apprentice, thought Songkit as she settled down in the cotton feathers and entwined bracken.

---

"Today is it..." The red tortoiseshell tom mewed as he stepped infront of Songkit blocking the sun from her left eye. A little scared, Songkit jumped back into her friends Heronkit and Hailkit who were lined up beside her and Redkit. She nodded sorry to them and then cast a glance down the row of kits. Emberkit was at the front, proudly looking across the swarm of cats gathered for their ceremony. Their leader was already seated above them at the highrock where he nodded gently to the kits. And then Shootingstar began the ceremony.

"We gather here to welcome five new apprentices to ThunderClan and we felt it nessacery to announce their ceremonies altogether," called Shootingstar as he looked over at Brokenflower and Mudwhisker, the only mothers of the five kits. Songkit frowned a bit as she thought of her lost mother somewhere. She tried hard to concentrate on the ceremony before her. "First we have Redkit, son of Mudwhisker who left the nursery just a good bit before the battle we recently had. We thank her. So here Redkit will be named Redpaw until he reaches his warrior status. We look forward to your skill. Your mentor will be one highly reguarded by ThunderClan. Sandfur will be your mentor." Songkit nodded and cheered with the other cats as Redpaw, looking thrilled, joined his sandy-colored mentor proudly. After the cheering was over, Songkit nudged Hailkit.

"I know!" squealed her friend. "I want to go next!" And she did.

"Next we have both Hailkit and Heronkit, kits of dear Rainbird who will finally return to warrior status after looking after five kits," called Shootingstar as the twin white striped kits bounded forward. Flameclaw is one of our newest warriors but all can see he is highly skilled in almost every aspect of the Clan. He will be mentor to Hailpaw." Hailpaw's eyes flickered for a moment and Songkit smiled uneasily. Hailpaw had a small... crush... on Flameclaw as well as an even smaller one on Emberkit that would probably be outgrown. Mentoring her would not be a juicy, plump mouse caught in leaf-bare. But before long the two touched noses and Whiterose brushed her tail along Flameclaw's coat while looking apprenhansivly at Hailpaw. Uh-oh. That might not be good either.

"Now her brother's turn, Heronkit," Shootingstar continued, a faint look of amusement in his old eyes as he gazed upon the kit before him who was tremulous with excitment. "I have faith in him. He has proved an amazing friend to some in need." Songkit felt his gaze burn on her and she blinked, her sightless eye feeling shame that shouldn't be there. "Heronkit will be Heronpaw and his mentor... my very own deputy, Smallclaw."

The raspy old she-cat turned her head and smiled warmly. Heronpaw looked even more thrilled than Redpaw. His mentor was one of the most highly respected cats in the forest, and the deputy not to mention he would probably be her last apprentice!

"Welcome," Songkit could here Smallclaw mew gently to Heronpaw as they touched noses. In anticipation, Songkit ignored the rest of their talk and focused on Emberkit and Shootingstar. The ginger tom had wondered over beside her where Hailpaw had been sitting. His breath was just a little short of alright and he seemed not at all mad that the younger kits had been made apprentices first. After all, they are the ones with mothers, thought Songkit bitterly. But her emotions changed when Shootingstar called Emberkit forth. The handsome ginger kit turned to Songkit, smiled, and then left her alone.

"Emberkit, your mother passed away with you here mysteriously, your father unknown, but your spirit stronger," Shootingstar mewed quieter than normal. His voice rose. "Emberkit, you shall be known as Emberpaw. Your mentor will be Mudwhisker." The fierce brown she-cat nodded to Emberpaw just as warmly as small. All these cats were the best mentors! Songkit smiled as Mudwhisker was indeed known as one of the best fighters and fiercest tongues. She would teach mysterious Emberpaw a lot!

"And finallly... small Songkit, scarred Songkit..." Shootingstar called catching the attention of restless cats. "But a strong kit. Songkit, you will be known as Songpaw. You joined this Clan by the help of Delilah and some could say this cat is like your mother. But not quite. Your mentor will not be Delilah... but strong Smoketail."

Songpaw's insides fluttered. Smoketail was a warrior of high courage. Sure, he was younger, yes, but he was amazing and all cats looked up to a tom like that! She stumbled not one bit as she proudly made her way over to Smoketail. What a great few moons of apprenticeship this would be!