Chapter 4 Shadekit had been giving her breakfast to Ivykit for four moons now. She overate at lunch and was starting to become as chubby as a kittypet. Today was their apprentice ceremony, and Cloudwing was grooming their fur for them. Ivykit squirmed, grumbling. "I can groom my own fur, Cloudwing! Leave me alone!" she squeaked. Cloudwing sighed, licking Ivykit behind the ears. "Your mother would have wanted you to look nice, Ivykit," she murmured. Shadekit stared up at Cloudwing, frowning. "What happened to Mistysky, Cloudwing?" "She's just gone. She went to a better place," Cloudwing snapped. She pushed Ivykit away and pulled Shadekit close to her. "Stop asking about matters which I know you won't be prepared to hear about," Cloudwing murmured, starting to groom Shadekit's tangled gray tortoiseshell pelt. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" Cloudwing released her grip on Shadekit, nudging her forward. "I don't have time to finish. Groom your fur by yourself. Hawkstar is waiting, so be quick about it," the silver medicine cat mewed. Ivykit was the first to get outside, and the sunlight gleamed off of her black and white fur. Shadekit could see the muscles forming under her sister's thick pelt. When Shadekit got outside, she caught Snowpaw and Bramblepaw staring at her. The two siblings were pressed against each other, whispering. Their pelts contrasted with each other, white against dark gray. "Shadekit!" Shadekit glanced up as she realized Hawkstar had been calling her several times. Anger glowed in his green eyes, and Shadekit's cheeks grew hot as she scrambled up to Ivykit's side. "Now that we are all paying attention, let's get on with the ceremony," Hawkstar hissed, glaring pointedly at Shadekit. "I call my warrior ancestors to look down on these three kits. They have chosen the ways of the warrior, and they are going to be trained to lead WindClan to greatness. Rabbitkit, do you promise to obey your mentor and your elders, and do your very best in training even at the cost of your life?" Rabbitkit nodded, ears twitching. "I do, Hawkstar," he meowed. Shadekit noticed that his voice was no longer as squeaky as it was several moons ago. He was the size and age of a full grown warrior, but he still knew nothing of fighting. "Rabbitkit, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Rabbitpaw. Petalmask, it is time for you to receive another apprentice. You trained Snowpaw until she gave up her warrior ways, and I trust that you will pass your charisma onto Rabbitpaw." Rabbitpaw touched noses with Petalmask, and Shadekit imagined that she was the mentor. Ivykit would be Ivystar, and and Shadekit would be a brave warrior named Shadefang. She could just imagine everyone calling her name now. "Shadefang! Shadefang! Shadefangit! Shadefit!" "Shadekit!" Shadekit snapped out of her reverie just as Ivykit, now Ivypaw, touched noses with Brightwing. Hawkstar bared his teeth at her, snarling. "Pay attention, Shadekit. Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and respect your elders or not?" he snapped. Shadekit nodded quickly. "I do, I do!" she mewed. Hawkstar sighed with exasperation. "Until you get your warrior name, you will be known as Shadepaw. Your mentor will be Ravenflight," he grumbled. "Meeting over." Shadepaw watched Hawkstar retreat into his den, and then turned around. Her eyes scanned the crowd for Ravenflight's familiar black pelt, but she was unable to locate him. Shadepaw looked over to where Ivypaw was standing, and found her gone. Rabbitpaw was standing with Petalmask, and they were deep in discussion. Shadepaw didn't want to be rude by interrupting, so she padded away. 'Guess I'll find Ravenflight myself,' Shadepaw thought, padding into the warrior den. Briarheart lay in her den, licking her scarred paws. She had miraculously healed over the moons, much to Cloudwing's surprise. At Shadepaw's entry, Briarheart looked up. "This isn't the apprentice den, you know," she joked. Shadepaw frowned. "I know, Briarheart. I was looking for your brother," Shadepaw meowed. Briarheart shrugged. "I don't know where Ravenflight is. I thought he was at the meeting." Shadepaw dipped her head to Briarheart, backing out of the den. "Thanks for your help anyways, Briarheart," Shadepaw murmured, hanging her head. She suddenly bumped into something, and she found herself pinned down. "Watch where you're going!" Pebblefall hissed, stalking into the den. Shadepaw picked herself up, shaking the dust and grass out of her gray fur. Her eyes landed on the rolling hills in the distance, and she padded out of camp. -linebreak- Shadepaw sniffed around, hoping to pick up a scent trail or even find a tuft of fur. But there was no trace of Ravenflight anywhere, and it was like he had disappeared into thin air. Then again, Shadepaw didn't really pay attention to cats or their scents. The tall grass suddenly rustled, and Shadepaw's ears perked. Could it be Ravenflight? Two long white ears poked out of the grass, and Shadepaw crouched down. She lunged, trying to crush the rabbit under her paws. The rabbit heard her though, and started hopping away. Shadepaw took off after the rabbit at breakneck speed, loving the feeling of the wind in her fur. She heard the gale's echo in her ears as she ran, and her paws thundered across the plains. Shadepaw was catching up to the rabbit now, and she prepared to leap again. When she was within a whisker's length of the rabbit, she reached out and slammed her paw down on the rabbit's long, floppy ear. "Got you!" she howled triumphantly. Shadepaw was about to deal the killing blow when dark paws dragged her back and blackness clouded her vision. "And I got you," a deep voice came. Author's Note; Ooh, what will happen to Shadepaw? Trust me, the outcome is different from what you think. Tell me in the reviews who you think is holding Shady! Shadepaw looks at you. "Don't you dare call me Shady when you review."