A/N: YAY! That was an exciting chapter! The adorable little kits are FREE!

Tearpaw didn't need to think twice. She turned to her brother and exploded into gleeful cheers. Then they were all on top of each other. They were all screaming and shouting their happiness, and calling taunts after the cruel RiverClan warriors who had been defeated by eight kits.

Leappaw, Firepaw, Timepaw, Honorpaw, Preypaw, Tornpaw, Tearpaw, and Snarlpaw. The names belonged together. Tearpaw turned. Her friends. They were all so happy. They were free. They had made it out of the camp with only a few scratches. Though the scratches were deep they were small, and now they could all celebrate with their Clans.

The kits settled into a warm pile, the way they'd slept in the puddle for so long, and fell into a deep sleep.

"Tearkit!" Brightstar called. Tearkit stepped forward. "From this moment until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Tearpaw. Your mentor will be Silverfawn."

A beautiful, sleek silver she-cat that Tearpaw recognized as a shy and young warrior stepped forward. She touched noses with Tearpaw.

"Snarlkit!" Brightstar called next. Her brother stepped forward and gave a small whimper of uncontainable excitement. Brightstar gave one of her rare grins. "From this day until you become a warrior you will be known as Snarlpaw. Your mentor will be Rainstep. Snarlpaw dashed forward and touched noses with Rainstep.

The ceremony was over. She was really an apprentice. With a real mentor.

She knew she would like Silverfawn. Her mentor was a young, nimble she-cat with dark blue eyes and quick instinct. They would get along just fine.

Silverfawn was staring at her expectantly. Tearpaw looked down in embarrassment. "Sorry," she said softly. Expecting to be hurt, she cowered to the ground. Silverfawn gave her a sympathetic smile.

"You've been through a lot. I won't hurt you, you just didn't hear me. Let's try some battle training first. I think you know the territory well enough," the silver she-cat purred. Tearpaw straightened herself up, and they walked to the training arena.

"Now," said Silverfawn, "let's start with a move that will confuse your enemy." Her mentor demonstrated the move. Tearpaw recognized it. She already knew it too.

She threw herself lightly into the air, pretended to land on a cats shoulders, and jumped forward again. Silverfawn's eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly recovered. "You're amazing. You'll nail the next move," she said encouragingly. Tearpaw smiled, and Silverfawn demonstrated the next move.

"No," Longstar growled irritably. "You let them get away. You will never make that mistake again."

She was staring down at the face of her deputy, Whitefoot, who was cowering away from her in fear. She wouldn't forgive him. It wouldn't be difficult to replace him. She'd gone through four already, and he was no better than the rest. Slowly, she circled him, enjoying his fear.

"Do you remember what happened to my last deputy?" she asked him. He nodded. "Come here. Now," she commanded. Without hesitating he stepped closer to her. She raked her claws down his back. This death wouldn't be quick, she decided. He squealed in pain and tried to flinch away, but she commanded him to fight her. He tried and found his tail in her mouth. "Don't move," she barked. He stayed frozen in place. Painfully slow, she twisted his tail around in her mouth. Blood oozed out. He yowled loudly and she laughed. Gripping his tail tight, she whipped her head to the side. There was a cry of pain as it ripped off. She laughed again.

Then she pinned him down again. "Don't try and escape," she yelled at him as he began to struggle. He stopped struggling. She felt around on his leg. It didn't take long for her to find the pulsing vain that meant life. She reached her teeth down and bit down, ripping the vain into a bloody mess. Her deputy screamed in such pain it must have woken half the camp. She took a deep breath as the smell of blood filled her nose. The smell she loved. Slowly, Whitefoot's breathing became shallow, then stopped completely.

If she couldn't have Tearpaw and the other seven, she would find more kits.