A/N: I need names and appearances for Berrytooth's kits, they'll be born next Sagepaw chappie. I need them similar to their parents, genetic-wise. Mother is bright red with a gray-blue muzzle and blue eyes, and the father is a gray-dappled tom with gray eyes, so the eyes would be either gray or blue. Also, I have my uncle's bday party tomorrow, so today's'll be a double-update. This chappie, and then the next as soon as i finish them. =]

CH. 12: Choices

Sagekit looked up, nose twitching. For some reason, everything seemed, she wasn't sure, not as small? She shook her head and padded through the forest, comforted. It didn't matter so much at this point in time as to why she was in the forest, after all, she wasn't yet an apprentice. "Though, I have been in the forest enough to be an apprentice." She said with a slight chuckle. Her ears flicked as she smelled something delectable. She crouched, not exactly sure how to hunt, but somehow seeing that it was natural. She crept forward, seeing the dark ears twitch as the rodent nibbled on its seed. A snack for the fresh-kill pile would be good, right. She could hear Nightkit beside her, creeping around to the other side of the mouse.

Just as she was about to leap, however, she heard a loud shot, like thunder, and then a pained squawk, and she looked up in time to see a hawk spiraling through the air, something small, black and white screaming in its talons.

"Sagekit! Come on, you lazy furball! We're being apprenticed today!" Sagekit yawned, eyes opening a slit as she saw her brother's telltale black and yellow pelt. Palewing was licking his head to clean it as she stretched. Stingkit flicked his tail, bounding over to the other kits to wake them as their mother turned to Sagekit. She sat politely as her mother cleaned her, grinning at Nightkit. Nightkit was still somewhat weak, but was getting better every day. And now I'll be able to help her more, Sagekit thought with pride. She heard Darkstar's yowl, gathering the clan together, and her heart beat wildly. She couldn't wait!

She proudly walked out beside her mother to sit in the circle. Even though she knew who her own mentor would be, she was still excited to meet him 'officially' and to see who would mentor her stuck-up brother, who was sitting by their father, Stonewhisper, the same steely gaze he held in her brother's eyes.

Darkstar looked down as they all gathered, "Today we perform one of the most important ceremonies of Clan existence. In order for us to prevail, we must have warriors, and to make warriors, we must train apprentices. Sagekit, Stingkit, please step forward."

Sagekit's heart beat quickly as she stood on her three remaining legs. Her brother's eyes were confident as he looked at the deputy, Icestorm, convinced that he was good enough to have her as his mentor. Sagekit would have rolled her eyes if she wasn't so focused on Shadowblaze.

Darkstar looked down at the two of them, "Stingkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Stingpaw. Do you accept the responsibilities of becoming a warrior, to train and be loyal to your clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Stingpaw's tail flicked, "Yes." He said, voice ringing with a tinge of over-confidence.

Darkstar dipped his head "Then your mentor will be Stormflower." He turned toward the softspoken silver she-cat, whose face registered barely-concealed surprise, "Stormflower, you are ready to take on your first apprentice. You received excellent training from Mouseclaw, and you have shown yourself to be honest and loyal. You will be the mentor of Stingpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him."

Stormflower nodded respectfully and stood. Sagekit could see the disappointment on Stingpaw's face as he touched noses with his new mentor, before stepping back and sitting beside her.

Darkstar looked down, "Sagekit, you have also reached apprenticing age, and as such, you will also begin your training. Your new name, until you complete training, will be Sagepaw."

He nodded his head toward Shadowblaze, and the black tom stood to speak, "Cats of ShadowClan, as you know, I will not be around forever. So it's time I took an apprentice. I have chosen a cat who has shown love and compassion for all of her clanmates. Your next medicine cat will be Sagepaw."

Darkstar looked at her, "Do you accept the position and responsibilities of medicine cat life?"

Sagepaw swallowed; here it was, the moment of truth. She wanted badly to say no, no she wanted to be a warrior, like her brother, like her friends would be, but she knew, she knew she could not, and so she nodded, "Of course. I would be honored."

She reached forward and touched noses with her new mentor, as the clan began to chant their names. Pride swelled in her heart as she heard her new name, and she stood beside her mentor happily.

"At the half-moon we will travel to the MoonPool, to be given acceptance by StarClan." Shadowblaze told her. She smiled with a nod. No point letting him know she already heard and spoke to her ancestors, that the reason she accepted the medicine cat position was because she was told that's where she belonged. She just hoped that they were right.

As the meeting broke up, she followed her new mentor toward the medicine den. She could smell the strong scents of herbs before she even entered.

"Me next, huh?" She heard Nightkit ask, and she looked toward her friend, who gave her a soft smile before following her siblings into the Nursery. Sagepaw's heart ached as she realized that she would no longer be spending the night in the same den as her best friend, ever.

Shadowblaze flicked her ears with his tail, "Come on, Sagepaw. There is much for you to learn."

She smiled and followed him into the den.