Chapter 4

Firestar sat at the entrance to camp, waiting for Graystripe's return. When he heard scuffling at the gorse tunnel, he rose, and saw Graystripe, Thornclaw and Mousefur dragging Smallear Back to camp.

"He was at the bottom of the ravine, he must have slipped and fallen…" Graystripe mewed. Firestar nodded and scrambled up to Highrock. He yowled the summons and the Clan padded out of their dens and sat below him. When the last cat appeared, Firestar spoke.

"Smallear left camp, StarClan knows why. He was climbing the ravine and it seems that he fell to his death. Our other elder, One-eye, is very old and peacefully died today of old age. Both cats served ThunderClan well and now they sit vigil with their denmates. Tomorrow we will hold the burial." He dropped from Highrock and subconsciously padded into the nursery.

Squirrelkit, Shrewkit and Spiderkit were scuffling on the ground. Leafkit looked on; ready to jump to the rescue in case any cat got 'injured'. Brightheart say with her tail wrapped protectively around Whitekit, for the tiny she-kit was not old enough to play yet.

Firestar touched noses with Sandstorm, and together they watched their kits tumbling about. What fine cats they will make. Thought Firestar. And he lay down with his mate for the night.

"We are gathered here to name four apprentices." Firestar called to his Clan, and he gazed down on his own two kits, pride swelling inside him. Beside them stood Ferncloud's kits. "From this day forward, until she has earned her warrior name, this apprentice will be known as Squirrelpaw. Dustpelt, you will mentor Squirrelpaw. I hope you pass all your warrior skills to your new apprentice. Cinderpelt tells me that she is ready to take on a medicine cat apprentice. So from this day forward, until she has earned her full medicine cat name, this apprentice will be known as Leafpaw. Cinderpelt, I hope you pass on everything Yellowfang taught you, to this new apprentice. From this day forward, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice shall be Spiderpaw. Mousefur, you will mentor Spiderpaw. I hope you pass on your warrior skills to this apprentice. From this day forth, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice will be called Shrewpaw. Thornclaw, you will mentor Shrewpaw. Mousefur was your mentor and I hope you pass on everything she taught you to your apprentice."

"Squirrelpaw! Leafpaw! Spiderpaw! Shrewpaw!" the Clan yowled out the names and Firestar had to call them back to order.

"I have one more announcement to make." Firestar called out to the ThunderClan cats. "Cinderpelt says that Sorrelpaw is healed, and she will continue her training with Sandstorm."

Firestar dropped to the ground when he heard a loud yowling outside camp.

"Let's give them one last taste of TigerClan" the voice belonged to Blackstar, and a heartbeat later, ShadowClan and RiverClan pounded into the camp.

Brightheart pushed Whitekit into the nursery but the little she-kit staggered back out again. Firestar caught sight of her scampering to the gorse tunnel. He had to follow her but Leopardstar leaped in front of him, slashing out with thorn-sharp claws. Firestar shot straight at her and slipped underneath the RiverClan leader. He twisted his paws around hers and tripped her into the dirt. Fast as lightning, he leaped onto her back and bit hard into her ear while sawing at her flank with his claws. He only stopped when she squealed for mercy, and she shot off out of camp.

They were losing. ThunderClan was no match for ShadowClan and RiverClan combined. He spotted Thornclaw pinned down by three warriors and he sprang to help but a warrior Firestar recognized as Blackclaw leaped onto Firestar's back. Before he could do anything, Wetfoot bit down on Firestar's leg. The ginger warrior hiwled with pain and both cats forced him down.

Suddenly, the weight was removed. Firestar looked up to see Onewhisker pulling Blackclaw off of him. Together they clawed Wetfoot until he ran off and Firestar turned to Onewhisker.

"How did you know we needed help?"

"Whitekit came to our camp and told us that cats were attacking your camp." Firestar was stunned. He and Onewhisker glanced at the battle raging around them and saw that the tables had turned. RiverClan and ShadowClan were beaten, and the WindClan and ThunderClan yowled in triumph as the last few warriors raced off.

Later that day, Firestar told the story of how Whitekit had pretty much saved them all. She was approaching her sixth moon and Firestar stood on Highrock for the apprentice ceremony.

"From this day forth, until she has earned her warrior name, this apprentice shall be known as Whitepaw. Brackenfur, you will mentor Whitepaw." As Firestar rested his muzzle on Whitepaw's head, he listened to the yowls of the Clan.

"Whitepaw! Whitepaw!"

Firestar felt happiness swelling inside him as he watched the Clan cluster around Whitepaw. He was leader of this Clan: ThunderClan, the strongest Clan of them all.

The End