AN: Sorry for the wait! It isn't summer break for me unlike many so homework is my greatest obstacle. Review?

Chapter Four

"Father, I'm going to leave this place!"

The black tom glanced up from his meal, tell-tale signs of mouse on his whiskers. At first he looked puzzled but then understanding spread across his face. His answer was brief like always; he was never good at talking.

"Why?"

Now it was the black kit's turn to be confused. "Why?" he echoed, surprise in his voice. "I want to explore the world and tell everyone about it!" He gushed enthusiastically, his eyes twinkling brightly. Frowning, he added with a questioning tone, "Why would you want to stay here?"

The other tom shrugged. He never really questioned himself about that. If he was born here, so be it. He never asked why, just accepted his own life. He lived to serve.

"There's food here. Everything I need." In every sentence, he paused, ears flattened as he struggled to find his next words. "I'm happy enough."

It's wrong. This is wrong. We're the black cats. We don't live to serve anyone. We deserve better!

Shadow jolted out of his sleep, his eyes wild and his fur bristling. Realizing that he was no longer dreaming but safe in his nest, he forced his fur flat. He got to his paws and stretched lazily, the tension in his muscles easing. He let out a yawn, revealing his sharp teeth.

"Had a good rest I hoped?" A voice mewed. "You need all the energy you have today."

"What are we going to do today, Blaze?" He asked without glancing at the ginger she-cat.

"We aren't going to do anything today. You will be apprenticed and assigned a mentor." She corrected him briskly. Shadow widened his eyes, about to open his mouth but Blaze quickly cut in, "I can't be your mentor because I have my own apprentice." She made no comment when she eyed his ruffled coat but merely growled," Hurry up. We haven't got all day."

Ignoring the furious look in Shadow's eyes, she padded out of the den and into the main clearing. Grumbling under his breath, the black kit followed her, his eyes narrowed into slits. All of the ginger cats had already gathered by a large boulder outside Thunder's den and were murmuring to each other in hushed tones.

"Ginger cats!" The ginger leader yowled, stepping out of his den. Immediately, the camp fell silent, their eyes trained upon him curiously. Once he got everyone's attention, he continued, "Today, we have a special outsider who is here to join us."

"Where is this outsider? Show yourself!" The cats called out.

Shadow took a few pawsteps back, feeling terror rush through his blood.

"Look, he's there!" A much too familiar voice yowled above the rest. "A little black kitty coming to join us!" Shadow whipped his head around only to find himself staring into a pair of narrowed green eyes. At once, every pair of eyes fell upon him and he felt his pelt prickled uncomfortably. He clenched his jaws, his claws already unsheathed.

Blitz. How wonderful.

The previous indignant mutterings that erupted among the cats, followed by a deafening crescendo of caterwauling.

"First an outsider but one that is a black kit?"

"This is outrageous. What was Thunder thinking?"

Thunder raised his tail for silence and it took quite some time for the rest of the cats to settle back down. Blitz leapt onto the boulder, shouldering Thunder out of his way. Shadow longed to wipe off the arrogant smile on his face. The ginger leader made no move to stop him as he sneered," Black cats don't belong here. We are the ginger cats and this is our home. Why let outsiders come in and steal our glory?"

The cats roared their approval.

Blitz padded towards Shadow, well aware that he had the support of his audience. Lowering his voice so that only the black kit could hear, he smirked. "You're not welcomed here, kitty. I know your intentions and I won't let you steal our glory. Black cats will always be the lowest of the lowest."

Black cats will always be the lowest of the lowest. Blitz's words rang in his ears and Shadow stood there, dazed by the turn of events. He slowly felt the anger coming back, his heart burning with an undying hatred for the ginger tom. I'm going to make him pay. I'm going to make him scream. I'm going to-

He never finished his string of curses in his mind when he let out a battle-cry and sprang onto Blitz, hooking his claws into his thick fur. The ginger tom stumbled, caught by surprise. He recovered in a heartbeat and twisted his neck to bite the black kit. An ugly snarl escaped from his throat as his attempts failed to reach him. Shadow sank his fangs into Blitz's shoulder, satisfied when he tasted blood. All of a sudden, Blitz gave a mighty heave and flung him three tail-lengths away. Shadow let out a snarl of surprise and got up quickly.

"Both of you stop," Thunder mewed, stepping between both of them. "I think we have seen enough. Shadow, you have impressed me with your courage and willpower and you are now a member of the ginger cats."

"Shadow! Shadow!" The rest of the cats yowled.

"You have reached six months of age and qualify as an apprentice," Thunder continued after the yowling died down. He surveyed the sea of ginger cats thoughtfully until his gaze rested on a small tawny she-cat with dark spots. He looked at Shadow, then back at her and mewed," Flare, you have not had your first apprentice yet. I hope you will pass on your intelligence and speed to Shadow."

Flare twitched her ears in surprised but nevertheless, padded over towards Shadow. The black kit braced himself for a rejection but there were no discontent in her mysterious blue eyes as she touched noses with him. Thunder yowled that the ceremony was over and the cats all went back to their lives, leaving Flare and Shadow behind.

"Hello young one," She mewed gently and filled with warmth. "Why do you look so scared of me?"

"I was afraid that you would reject me," Shadow replied in a small voice.

"I am willing to train any apprentice, regardless of who they are. You are one of us now and you deserve a place."

Her eyes shone with wisdom. "You are destined for a great future."