Chapter 3

"Whitekit."

It was Bluefur. Her pelt was ruffled, and her eyes were dull. She looked as though she had lived a thousand moons in a single day.

"You're back!" Whitekit hopped up, peering around Bluefur. "Is Snowfur with you?"

Bluefur flinched slightly. "Come outside, little one."

"Has Snowfur got a present for me?

Tigerkit looked up from batting around Brindlekit's tail. "Can I come too?" He mewed.

Bluefur shook her head. "Just Whitekit."

Rather put out, the kit opened his mouth to ask why, but then thought better of it. Bluefur looked as though she didn't need to annoyance. Instead, he turned back to the furry appendage, waiting for them to leave the den.

His mother was sleeping, no doubt exhausted from looked after her boisterous kit. Swiftbreeze, round with her own kits, was nestled in a corner whispering worriedly to Robinwing. They were not watching him closely.

With the coast clear, Tigerkit scampered quietly over to the entrance, and peered out. He could hear Bluefur meowing quietly to the kit, but the words were blurred.

A look of shock and fear passed over Whitekit's face, as though he didn't want to believe what he was hearing.

Robinwing appeared behind Tigerkit, and gave him a sharp look. She didn't say anything to him however. Instead, she padded through the tunnel and ran her tail along Whitekit's flank. "I'll feed you, and you'll share my nest with Frostkit and Brindlekit."

Whitekit shook his head emphatically. "I don't want your milk or your nest!" he growled. "I want Snowfur!" He backed away, and then ran across the clearing, to crouch beside his mother's motionless body.

A soft voice murmured from the depths of the nursery. "Come along, Tigerkit. Leave them be." Switfbreeze's eyes shone dimly in the light from the entrance. Reluctantly, Tigerkit padded back inside.

He lay down next to his no longer sleeping mother, resting his head on his paws. The memory of a limp, white body flashed through his mind. "Leopardfoot?" he mewed. "Why wasn't Snowfur moving?"

The black queen sighed, gazing down at the kit. Too young to fully understand death, but too old to be lied to. "She's dead," Leopardfoot murmured. "She's with StarClan now. She won't be coming back." Leaning down, she licked the kit between his small ears.

"What's StarClan? I know of ShadowClan and WindClan and RiverClan. Are StarClan another Clan?"

"In a way, yes. StarClan is out warrior ancestors. When you die, you join StarClan. You can see them at night, in the great bad of stars across the sky. That's Silverpelt." She looked down at Tigerkit, who was listening with wide eyes, and purred. "I'll take you out tonight, after it's dark, and show you. For now though, why don't you go play with Frostkit and Brindlekit in the nursery? I'm sure the elders can tell you more about StarClan."

The kit bounced up, eager to hear more stories. "Okay!" Tail high, he scampered over to the kits to tell them what he had learned.

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"Why can't I be an apprentice yet?" Tigerkit grumbled. "I'm almost six moons! I want to be Lionheart's apprentice!"

Leopardfoot thwacked his muzzle with her tail. "Shush, you'll get your turn. Now listen, Sunstar is about to speak."

Sure enough, the large golden top leaped deftly to the top of the Highrock, and lifted his tail for silence. "Cats of Thunderclan," he began. "Today, we witness one of the most important ceremonies. The making of new warriors." He looked down on the two golden apprentices. "I, Sunstar, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn."

Tigerkit squirmed with excitement. Leopardfoot nudged him with a paw, and he sat up straight.

"Lionpaw, Goldenpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," they meowed as one. Then glanced at each other and beamed.

Eyes sparkling with amusement, Sunstar continued. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names." He turned first to the tom. "Lionpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Lionheart. StarClan honors your strength and your loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior to ThunderClan." He stepped forward, resting his muzzle on the newly named warrior's head. With an expression of awe, Lionheart licked his shoulder, then turned and padded over to stand with the older warriors.

"Goldenpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Goldenflower. StarClan honors your intelligence and your warm heart, and we welcome you as a full warrior to ThunderClan." Again, he rested his muzzle on the new warrior's shoulder, and she gave it a respectful lick.

Goldenflower. It was such a pretty name. Just like it's owner. As the Clan began chating the names of the new warriors, Tigerkit joined in, high voice ringing out enthusiastically above the rest.

He just couldn't wait for his turn!