1"So, Sleetfur, what should we do first?" Riversong asked her old friend as they lay in the den later that night.

"You mean with our apprentices?" Riversong nodded. "I dunno. What did Wingfoot do with you first?"

Riversong had to think about this. "He started with showing me the Clan territories," she meowed after a while, "What about you?" She instantly regretted this last question. Sleetfur's eyes widened. Foxpelt had been her mentor.

Riversong nuzzled her friend's pelt to try and calm her down. Sleetfur gave a low moan of grief and tried to curl herself into a ball of nonexistence. Other warriors looked on sympathetically. A sleek young tom who was called Blacktip approached Sleetfur. He patted her back gently. Sleetfur looked up into the white tom's golden eyes. Riversong backed away as Sleetfur got to her paws and padded outside with Blacktip.

"I was wondering when the two of them would pair up," a senior warrior murmured, "Sleetfur and Blacktip have had their eyes on each other since they were Sleetpaw and Blackpaw. Although, I always thought Sleetfur was more of a mate for Gracestep."

Firebelly sighed. "I know," she mewed softly, "But, still, you have to admit, they are a good match. Blacktip's perfectly content to listen to all of Sleetfur's chattering."

Riversong looked up at the two cats. She chuckled. "My, my, my," she chided, "You Firebelly, and you too, Trueheart. Gossiping, of all things!"

"We're allowed, young Riversong," the old tomcat, Trueheart, meowed. Trueheart was a large, dark-coated tabby with a white chest.

"A new queen in the nursery," Firebelly mewed, "The great Life-River continues its course. Rushing, flowing..."

Riversong was startled. "Sleetfur's way too young to be a queen yet!" she protested, "She hasn't gotten the sign from StarClan that she has their permission to kit!"

"Oh, did I say immediately?" Firebelly asked, "No. Of course she's not ready yet. But when she is, I have a feeling she'll take that offer right up. It's a great honor to mother kits."

"Yes, well, while you're extolling the virtues of motherhood, Firebelly, why not keep your voice down?" That was the voice of a warrior by the name of Nightwalker. "Some of us like to sleep at night!"

"Oh, go stalk a fox, Nightwalker," Firebelly hissed. Trueheart purred to himself. Riversong flopped down on her nest, exhausted, even though she had slept before the ceremony. Firebelly crouched beside her.

"I know," the bright-pelted queen murmured, "It's going to be hard. But, let me tell you something: a queen doesn't usually demand a certain warrior to mentor a certain kit. But that's what I did for Sunpaw. You see, Riversong, he's very smart. I haven't told anyone else this, but I like him better than I do Radiantpaw. I knew he could help you through this part in your life."

Riversong looked up at Firebelly. She said nothing, so the older she-cat continued, "Please, take Sunpaw and make him into a warrior that would make all the other apprentices jealous. I know you can. That's why I chose you to mentor him."

"Thanks, Firebelly," muttered Riversong, "I'll try."

"Not only will you try," Firebelly meowed, "But you will!"

The next morning, Riversong padded out of the den with Sleetfur at her side. The blue she-cat seemed to have recovered from her episode the night before. The two walked to the small apprentices' den hidden in a rocky cove. Riversong poked her head in. Snakepaw, the oldest apprentice, looked up at the newcomers. The dark tom nodded briefly and pointed to two mounds of soft, kitten fur in the corner.

"They were crying for a while last night," he meowed, "New apprentices always do. We tried to calm them down."

"Thanks, Snakepaw," Riversong murmured, "I'll make sure Mudslide hears about all you did for them. It's about time you became a warrior."

Snakepaw looked at his paws and mumbled something in an embarrassed tone. Sleetfur purred and tapped the white furball. It sprang awake instantly. Riversong purred with amusement and tapped its reddish counterpart. Radiantpaw flung herself at Riversong before Sunpaw could mew, "The other one, sis!" The force of the kit's excitement caught Riversong off her guard. She fell to the ground.

Radiantpaw began chitchatting about all she wanted to do and see today. "Snakepaw says there's three other Clans out there–all full of cats we've never seen before! Are we gonna see them all today! Are we, Sleetfur! Are we Slee-." She balked, then looked Riversong up and down critically. "Waitaminute," she mewed, "You're not Sleetfur!"

"No. I am," Sleetfur meowed. Radiantpaw gave a squeal and launched herself at her mentor. Sunpaw padded out of the den calmly.

"Sorry about that," he muttered, "She's always been over-excitable. It's who she is. But, Radiantpaw has a point. What are we going to do today, Riversong?"

"Oh! Um...Well, I thought...We... That is to say, uh..." Riversong looked over at Sleetfur expectantly. The silvery queen shrugged hopelessly. Riversong turned her gaze back to her apprentice, who was gazing patiently up at her. "We didn't really plan this," she muttered so only Sunpaw could hear.

Just then, Riversong noticed Wingfoot walk by. She knew the tawny he-cat was just looking for an excuse to have her apprentice reassigned, and Sleetfur's too. Sunpaw seemed to sense this. "Check out DuskClan territory?" he mewed loudly, "I've always wondered about the world outside the camp. Where do we start, Riversong?"

"Why not take them up to the lip of the Shaded Valley?" Wingfoot suggested, "And, take Racepaw, will you? I'm going to be busy today, and it's been quite a while since he's been on a good surrounding patrol."

"But Wingfoot, an apprentice can't go out without a warrior of their own," Sleetfur mewed. Riversong gave a muffled hiss. Sleetfur was practically asking Wingfoot to come with them.

"Yes, well, take Paleface with you. She's not doing anything at the moment."

Paleface was one of the oldest warriors. She was sweet, but very hard of hearing. Of course Paleface wasn't doing anything. She hadn't 'done' anything since Riversong had taken on her warrior name. Well, she did lay around and eat a lot. That could be considered 'doing' something. Riversong gave a low grumble and stalked off to fetch Paleface.

The soft pattering of paws behind her caused the gray she-cat to pause. She turned around. Sunpaw was trotting behind her. "May I come?" he asked. Riversong shrugged.

"If you want. You'd like Paleface. She'll probably try calling you 'Foxpaw.' Just nod a lot in her presence."

"You talk about her as if she's annoying."

"She's not. She practically raised me. It's just...she's not the warrior she used to be. It's about time she joined the elders."

Sunpaw nodded. He seemed satisfied with his mentor's answers. Riversong felt a rush of immense liking towards this young cat already. She stepped into the warriors' den. Sunpaw hesitated at the entrance. "It's okay," Riversong meowed, "You're allowed in here for right now." She prodded the sleeping mass of cream-colored fur. "Paleface," she mewed, "Paleface, Wingfoot wants you to come with me and Sleetfur."

Paleface opened one dark blue eye warily. "Oh, it's just you, Streamfoot," she murmured.

"Actually, it's Riversong, but Streamfoot is close enough."

Paleface looked over at Sunpaw. "And you too, young Foxpaw," she rasped, "So good to see you. Shiningstone's been working you good and hard, hasn't she?"

Sunpaw balked for a moment, then mewed, "Oh, yeah, all day and all night, too!" Paleface purred. She got up with much creaking and grunting. Riversong supported the old she-cat with her shoulder and helped her out of the den. Sunpaw followed.

"Look, Paleface," Riversong meowed when they had gotten farther from the camp, "Why don't you just lie down here? Sleetfur, change of plans. We can't possibly expect Paleface to make it all through DuskClan territory."

Racepaw shrugged. "Not like I haven't seen it all by now," he muttered. Sunpaw looked up at Riversong.

"So, what are we going to do instead?" he asked. Riversong was at a loss. Suddenly, the voice of Paleface broke into her thoughts and saved the day.

"The tales of our warrior ancestors are very important," the old cat said, "I haven't seen either of these two at the elders' den enough times to have them know any stories. Exception of you, of course, Rapidpaw."

"Racepaw," the young tom mewed under his breath. Radiantpaw gave an excited wiggle. She curled up beside Paleface.

"Tell me some of those stories," she mewed sweetly.

Paleface looked up at Sleetfur and Riversong for permission. The two new mentors nodded encouragingly. Paleface gave a rusty-sounding purr and motioned for Sunpaw and Racepaw to come closer. When all the apprentices had gathered and were comfortable, she began.