A dark brown cat climbed her way out of the apprentices' den. Dustpelt, her mentor, was waiting. "Ratpaw, have a bit of fresh-kill and come to the training hollow. Spiderpaw and Mousefur are waiting." He said shortly, then turned and bounded off in the other direction.
Ratpaw groaned. She absolutely hated her name. And Spiderpaw. Out of all the apprentices, he teased her the most. Ratpaw was not Clan-born, and her rogue parents had named her "Rat". Ratpaw's parents had abandoned her near the Thunderpath, and ThunderClan took her in, though not everyone was happy about it.
Ratpaw chose a vole from the fresh-kill pile and poked at it half-heartedly.
"Well? are you going to eat that or not?" A joking voice said behind her. It was her best friend, Whitepaw.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Are you and Brackenfur training today?"
"Nah. Brackenfur ripped one of his pads on a sharp rock. Cinderpelt's taking care of it. The cut looks pretty nasty."
"Oh. Well, I gotta go. See you later."
As soon as Ratpaw entered the clearing, she heard, "Hello, Rat."
"Leave me alone, Spiderpaw." Ratpaw turned around, her dark gray gaze locking with Spiderpaw's yellow one.
"That's enough," Dustpelt scolded, as if she were the one who started the arguement. Ratpaw was using every ounce of control she possessed to keep from clawing Spiderpaw's eyes out.
"We're practicing battle techniques today," Mousefur announced.
The training session seemed to drag on forever. When it was finally over, Ratpaw lay down in the sun for a nap. But no sooner had she closed her eyes, Graystripe, the Clan's deputy, spotted her.
"Ratpaw!" He called, "Get up, you lazy furball! There's work to be done!"
Ratpaw winced. Another thing she hated was being called lazy.
"Yes Graystripe. I'll go join Cloudtail's hunting patrol." She meowed as she got up.
Hearing the apprentice's dejected tone, Graystripe turned back.
"Oh come on, Ratpaw. I didn't mean it."
Ratpaw looked more cheerful.
"Okay!"
"Good. Go on then."
"Cloudtail! Cloudtail!"
The white tom looked her way. Brightheart and Brambleclaw were with him.
"You wanna join the patrol? Come on then."
Ratpaw ran to Brightheart. "Hey, you," She greeted.
"We're going to Sunningrocks," Brambleclaw informed her.
Ratpaw nodded as the patrol set out.
When they reached Sunningrocks, Ratpaw wrinkled her nose. "RiverClan," She hissed.
"It's not fresh. They're not here right now," Brambleclaw pointed out.
Cloudtail perked his ears and dropped into a hunter's crouch. The tom kept silent and inched along. A second later, an unsuspecting mouse lay beneath his claws. A few minutes later, Brightheart caught a plump vole. Greenleaf is the best time for hunting.
Ratpaw heard a scrabbling noise under the brush. The muddy-brown she-cat lowered her body close to the ground and punced on a blackbird. It tried to fly away but Ratpaw grabbed its tail and pulled it down.
"Very good, Ratpaw," The apprentice smiled (if cats can smile) at Brambleclaw's praise.
Brambleclaw caught his own chipmunk, and Cloudtail another mouse after that. It wasa little past Sunhigh when the patrol returned.
"Hey, Rat," Spiderpaw called.
Ratpaw lowered her head and tried to ignore hhim, but Grasspaw, another appentice-- a very big, very fierce apprentice-- blocked her way to the fresh-kill pile.
"You answer when somone talks to you, Rat," Grasspaw growled.
Ratpaw hissed back at him.
"Grasspaw! Ratpaw!"
Both cats whirled around. This time, Firestar was the one scolding them. It was one thing to be scolded by a mentor or another warrior, but by the Clan leader? Uh-oh.
"I'm sorry, Firestar. It won't happen again."
"No, Grasspaw. I want to talk to you and Ratpaw."
Ratpaw hung her head. She and Grasspaw followed Firestar to under the Highrock.
"I'm very disappointed in both of you. You're in training to be warriors! But, I expect you had reasons. I'm willing to hear both sides of the story. Grasspaw, you first."
Grasspaw looked around uneasily. "Well... I... um... I was just getting a peice of fresh-kill, and I said hi to her and she hissed at me! You need to punish this rogue, Firestar. She doesn't belong in the Clan."
Ratpaw was shocked at Grasspaw's answer. She would never have lied to Clan leader!
"Ratpaw, let's hear you side."
"Spiderpaw called me Rat, and I ignored him, and Grasspaw said I should answer when someone speaks to me, so I hissed at him!" Ratpaw explained in one breath.
"That's not true! Firestar, we can't let this rat get away with lying!"
Firestar closed his eyes. "Stay away from each other. Graystripe, Sandstorm and I will figure out which one of you is lying. Grasspaw, I want you to go on patrol with Squirrelfur."
Grasspaw nodded. Ratpaw turned to leave when Firestar stopped her.
"Ratpaw, I want to talk to you."
Ratpaw cringed, hoping it wasn't more bad news. Considering her luck today, though, it probably was.
"You mentioned Spiderpaw. Spiderpaw and your friend Whitepaw, are going to be made warriors very soon. Ferncloud's kits, Birchkit and Hollykit, are going to be made apprentices. Please make those kits feel welcome." Firestar said, before heading up to his den.
Ratpaw sighed and curled up in her nest in the apprentices' den.
Ratpaw was woken by Firestar's voice.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here under the Highrock!"
When all the cats had ventured out of various places, Firestar began, Whitepaw and Spiderpaw at his side.
These to apprentices have trained hard to understand the ways of your warrior code. From now on, Spiderpaw shall be known as Spiderclaw, and Whitepaw shall be known as Whitepelt."
"Spiderclaw! Whitepelt!" The cats meowed.
"Hold on!" Firestar cried, "We have two new apprentices!"
The cats immediately calmed.
"Hollykit and Birchkit," Firestar mewed as the three kits bounded up to the Highrock.
"From now on, Hollykit and Birchkit shall be known as Hollypaw and Birchpaw."
"Hollypaw! Birchpaw!" The crowd chorused.
Ratpaw sighed and lay down, exhausted, in her nest.