Well here's Chapter 1, like I promised!

"Hey! Get off me!" Darkkit ducked away from Mapledusk's tongue, but she grabbed his scruff and pulled him back with an amused purr. Crowkit rolled her eyes, sighing in exasperation. Despite being six moons, her littermate still acted like a tiny kit. He was so immature sometimes.

Finally, Mapledusk stepped back, satisfied with Darkkit's fur, even though it was just as unruly as always. Darkkit was a tall, scrawny tom, and the black fur both littermates shared stuck up in tufts, while Crowkit was short and slender. Her sleek fur was always neatly groomed so it shone in the sun, too. She just didn't understand why Darkkit couldn't stop acting like such a little kit. They were about to become apprentices, after all!

"Let all cats old enough to swim gather to hear my words!" Thistlestar emerged from the leader's den, as cats began to settle down in front of her.

"Well, off you go then!" Their father, Ashfeather, touched his muzzle to the tops of his kits' head with a loving nuzzle. He nudged them towards the clearing, and Darkkit bounded forward, stumbling over his paws. Darkkit still acted like a kit, but Crowkit was ready to become a real warrior! She glared at him; she didn't want him ruining her apprenticeship ceremony. She was just as excited as Darkkit after being stuck in the nursery for so long, but she couldn't understand why he was being so childish.

Crowkit walked forward, her head held high, and sat down to the right of her littermate. On her left, Streamkit, Spottedkit, and Sparrowkit sat. Streamkit was the oldest, by a few days, and Spottedkit and her littermate, Sparrowkit, had been born just a day before Crowkit and Darkkit. Despite often finding Darkkit quite annoying, Crowkit loved him, and the five kits were best friends.

"Streamkit, step forward," Streamkit stepped forward slowly, her blue eyes wide and shy. "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 Streampaw. Birchpelt asked for you to become a medicine cat apprentice and I know he will pass down all he knows to you," Spottedkit was apprenticed to Ferretclaw, Sparrowkit to Shadefang and Darkkit to Newtsplash.

"Crowkit, from this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Crowpaw. Your mentor will be Alderfrost. Alderfrost, you are a loyal and smart cat, and I know you will pass down all you know to Crowpaw," Crowpaw touched her nose to Alderfrost, who smiled at her. After the ceremony, Crowpaw and the other warrior apprentices took a tour of the territory.

They went along the river and past Sunningrocks, which Alderfrost explained had been the cause of many battles with ThunderClan, but that they had finally come to a truce and Sunningrocks was now a permanent part of RiverClan territory. She also said that they'd learn to swim later so they could actually cross the river.

Afterwards, they went past the Twoleg Bridge and the waterfall, and circled back to camp.

"Wow! RiverClan territory is so big! When are we going to learn how to fight?" Despite Crowpaw being exhausted by all that walking, Darkpaw was still full of energy. He hadn't stopped talking during the entire tour, and somehow Newtsplash was still patient. Alderfrost, however, had a bit of a short temper, and had become increasingly annoyed.

"Darkpaw, can you not hold your tongue?" She snapped. "No one will like you if you keep talking like that; I can't stand it!" Darkpaw shrunk under her fierce gaze, mumbling an apology. He was silent until they got back to camp and were dismissed to go and eat.

"I'm so glad we're apprentices, now, aren't you, Crowpaw?" Darkpaw meowed, as he chose a minnow from the fresh-kill pile.

"Really? You always acted like such a kit that I would've thought you'd be disappointed to leave the nursery," Crowpaw didn't usually make such snarky comments, but Darkpaw had got on her nerves way too many times that day. She chose a minnow and walked away, settling down next to Spottedpaw, Streampaw and Sparrowpaw.

"We just took a tour of the territory, what did you do, Streampaw?" Spottedpaw was asking, flicking her tail in acknowledgement as Crowpaw sat down.

"Oh, Birchpelt just showed me a few basic herbs. He said he'd show me the territory tomorrow so he could point out some good places to find herbs. He's such a good mentor, though. He's quiet and patient, and keeps complimenting my memorizing skills. He says I'm a natural!" Streampaw was a shy, gentle cat, and was often overlooked by other cats, so she swelled up with pride talking about how Birchpelt praised her. Crowpaw couldn't help but feel happy for her friend. She noticed Darkpaw eating by himself across the clearing, looking dejected, and felt a small pang of pity for him, but didn't call him over. She'd apologize later.

The conversation turned to their mentors, and what they were like. Sparrowpaw and Spottedpaw said their mentors, Shadefang and Ferretclaw were friendly and encouraging, and Crowpaw nodded in agreement. The two toms were good friends, and she assumed Sparrowpaw and Spottedpaw would get to do a lot of training together because of that.

"Alderfrost is a little snappy sometimes, but she's such a good warrior! Everyone respects her, and she might even become deputy someday!" Crowpaw added, as the other cats looked at her expectantly for her opinion on her mentor. She didn't mind Alderfrost's short temper because it just meant that whatever praise she earned would be even more meaningful.

"Yeah, she was pretty rude to Darkpaw, but she's definitely a good warrior," Sparrowpaw said, and the she-cats nodded in agreement.

"Speaking of Darkpaw, where is he?" Spottedpaw asked, glancing around the camp. Crowpaw gestured with her tail towards where Darkpaw was sitting, rolling her eyes. It was common knowledge Darkpaw liked Spottedpaw, but she didn't return his affection, despite not hating him. Whenever Spottedpaw even mentioned Darkpaw, he would swell up and somehow twist her words so it sounded like she liked him. Crowpaw would always have to talk some sense into him.

"Oh, he's all alone, poor thing. We should call him over," Streampaw said, sympathetically. In unison, the other three apprentices said "no!" No one really hated Darkpaw, but he had annoyed everyone to no end, and they didn't really want to spend anymore time with him. Crowpaw even had a small headache from all his endless blabbering.

"Let's just go and make some nests in the apprentice den," Sparrowpaw suggested. Crowpaw flicked her tail in goodbye, as Streampaw headed to the medicine cat den. The other three apprentices entered the apprentice den, where the five older apprentices were in their nests. They had already claimed the ones in the center, and the new apprentices were left with the edges of the den. Spottedpaw, Sparrowpaw and Crowpaw made their nests next to each other, with Sparrowpaw in the middle, but Crowpaw left a spot for her brother next to her. After the long day, she quickly fell asleep.

Well, there's the first chapter! A little boring and super short, I know, but I just wanted to set up the story and its characters. Make sure to review and comment because it'll definitely motivate me to update quicker!

~Crowpool