Chapter 1
In the ThunderClan Nursery, a large blue kit tumbled over her mother. "Calm down now," murmered Dappletail, the oldest nursery queen, this would be her last litter, and then she would leave her warrior duties to go join the elders in their den. "Yes mother" mewed the blue kit. The queen then bent down to gently lick her kit. This was a very special day for the small bundle of blue fur. Then a huge tabby-tom squeezed into the small nursery. "It is time," mewoed the tabby. "Coming, Runningstar," said Dappletail to the tabby. "Come Bluekit," murmered the pretty she-cat. The mother, kit, and clan leader stepped out of the nursery one after another. Runningstar then leaped onto the Highrock and yowled "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather under the Highrock for a clan meeting!" Insantly many cats crowded into the clearing and seated themselves under the rock. "It has come time for this kit to leave the nursery," He flicked his tail to motion at the blue kit sitting at the foot of the Highrock. "She will now join the clan as an apprentice," he mewowed clearly, so he could be heard by all the cats around him. Then he turned to the kit. "From this moment on," he mewed. "Untill she has earned her warrior name, this cat will be called Bluepaw," Then he turned to a large brown tabby tom sitting under the Highrock. "Browntail," mewed Runninstar. " Now that your last apprentice has become a warrior, you are ready to take on this cat as your apprentice. You have shown this clan much wisdom, and I hope you share it with this young cat," "Of course," replied the light brown tom steadily. "So this cat is to be my mentor," thought Bluepaw. "And, I'm Bluepaw!" she thought excitedly. "I can't wait to meet my fellow apprentices!' Then her new mentor stepped forward. Bluepaw remembered what her mother had told her, and she stepped forward also and touched noses with Browntail. Then she went to sit next to the other apprentices. "Bluepaw," called Runningstar, "Starting now, untill you become a warrior, you will sleep in the apprentice's den," After he said this he jumped down from the Highrock and went to his den, followed by his senior warriors. "Hey Bluepaw!" some called. Others said,"Welcome Bluepaw!" The young cat just pressed around everyone and let the praise sink in.
At the apprentice's den, BLuepaw looked around in wonder. Then a voice sounded behind her. "So Bluepaw, how does it feel to be an apprentice?" Bluepaw turned around to see Redpaw, who had been made an apprentice just 3 days before her. "Hi Redpaw!" she mewoed. For a time, she had shared the nursery with this cat, and she was glad to have a friend. Then she noticed another cat in the den, and recognized him as Lionpaw, who had been made an apprentice a few weeks before Redpaw."Hey Lionpaw," mewed Bluepaw. "Oh, hi Bluepaw!" mewed the orange tom. "Bluepaw!" called a voice from outside the den. She hurried over to see Browntail. "Bluepaw," he repeated when she appeared at the mouth of the den. "Tomorrow at sunrise we begin training. I'll meet you in the clearing at that time," "Yes Browntail," replied Bluepaw. As she examined her mentor, she realized he was already an older warrior. "I must show deep respect for this warrior," she thought as Browntail walked over to the fresh kill pile. "C'mon Bluepaw," Redpaw's voice interupped her thoughts. "Lets go get some fresh kill," "Okay!" she mewed. "Coming Lionpaw?" "Be right with you!" he called. Soon, he appeared and fell into step beside the other two cats, who had left the den just moments before. As they approached the pile, Bluepaw heard some of the older cats talking. " This leafbare is harder than ever" mewed Redpaw's mentor Twanyspots, who was a very young warrior, but that didn't stop him from becoming Runnningstar's deputy. The deputy is the leader's second hand cat. "Yes, well thank StarClan our apprentices are excellent hunters!" meowed Browntail. "StarClan is the band of heavenly warrior cats that watch over the clans. After a cat dies, his spirit goes to hunt joyesly with StarClan forever." redpaw said to bluepaw, reminding her. "yes I know!" she snapped."then you must know the warrior code-" redpaw started, only to be interrupted by bluepaw. "The warrior code is the set of sacred rules that all Clan cats are to follow if they plan to join StarClan after they die. According to the warrior code, the clan ALWAYS comes first." she said in a matter-of-factly way. Then the three apprentices chose a piece of fresh kill each. Then, with Redpaw in the lead, they trotted over to the old tree stump where the apprentices shared meals. Bluepaw looked around and thought, "This is my first meal as a ThunderClan apprentice!" The three young cats chattered about many different topics as they shared their meals. Then they all gathered around together and began to lick each other's fur. This was called "sharing tounges." Which is when the Clan cats groom each other and catch up on the news of the day. After this, the cats pushed pack into the apprentice's den, tired and full. "Goodnight Redpaw, Goodnight Lionpaw,"Bluepaw mewed as she settled in her nest of moss. "Night" mewed Redpaw and Lionpaw at the same time. Just as Bluepaw was falling into a deep sleep, she wondered what kind of a future she had in this clan.
"Bluepaw!" a voice called. "BLuepaw!" the voice repeated. "c'mon we've got to go to training!" As Bluepaw's eyes ajusted, she soon was able to recognize Lionpaw's voice as he called to her ugently. "Coming," she mewed groggily, as she stumbled out of the den. Then she remembered, "I begin training today!" her sleepiness evaporated instantly and she bounded to the clearing. She stretched her lazy muscles, seathing and unseathing her claws. Then she shivered. It was another cold day of leafbare. "Cold isn't it?" the sound startled Bluepaw. Then she turned her head to see Redpaw. "Yes! Bitter," she replied. Well, im off for training! See you later!" Redpaw called. "See you," mewed Bluepaw, and she watched Redpaw dash into the forest to meet his mentor. "Now it is time for YOU to go to training," Bluepaw whipped her head around in an instant to see Browntail standing a few tail lengths behind her. "Today I will show you the boundries you will be defending and hunting in," he finished. "Lets go!' mewed Bluepaw enthusiasticlly. Before the two cats could leave the camp, they were stopped by Runningstar. "Browntail!" he called. "I want you in the evwning patrol when the time comes," "Certainly," mewed Bluepaw's mentor. Bluepaw looked up in awe at the clan leader. She had a deep respect fpr him, and she hoped to be a warrior just like him someday. "Have a good training session Bluepaw!" said Runningstar. "I will Runningstar," she replied with a respectful dip of her head. She watched as Runningstar turned and trotted back to the camp. "Now, about those borders," said Browntail. They walked for a time. Then Browntail stopped Bluepaw. "This is the RiverClan border," he explained. Bluepaw listened on carefully, she didn't want to miss one word her mentor said. "You may never cross this border following prey. You will know when you have come too far, for their scent markers will be stronger than anywhere else. "I see," Bluepaw whispered. "Good" said her mentor. They walked again for a time, untill another strange scent filled Bluepaw's nostrils. She had to wrinkle her nose at the odor. It stunk of strange fumes. "What is that?" she asked. "That," mewoed Browntail, "Is the Thunderpath," As Bluepaw watched in silent awe,she heard a roaring sound,and a huge monster flew across the hard gray path. She jumped back, terrified. "Its okay," mewoed her mentor. "The mosters never leave the Thunderpath," Bluepaw couldn't stop shaking. Browntail noticed this, and he took a short break. "What is that smell beyond the Thunderpath?" asked Bluepaw. "That is ShadowClan. We have reached their border. Remember that smell," mewed Browntail after a short pause, and Bluepaw thought she heard a dark tone in his voice. "I will Browntail," mewed Bluepaw, and a shiver ran down her spine. She had heard stories of ShadowClan. They were fierce, and did not tolerate intruders. "Now, lets keep going,"said Browntail, and Bluepaw was relieved to put more and more distance between her and the foul stench of the Thunderpath. After walking for a while, they stopped once again. "This is the WindClan border," mewed Browntail. "When you make your trip to Highstones with Runningstar,you must pass through this teritory. It is very windy on the moorlands," "I hope I remember all of these borders when I have an assesment!" thought Blupaw with a bit of worry. "Now lets head deeper into our territory, then you can hunt for the elders," Browntail said. "As an apprentice, you must always hunt for the elders, then for yourself," "I understand, Browntail," Then she smelled another strange scent. "What's that?"she asked her mentor. Browntail inhaled deeply. "Rouge cats," he muttered darkly. Rouge cats are cats who dont belong to a clan, but have no twolegs to take care of them. They live on their own. "We'll have to watch out for them," said Browntail.
When they were deep into their territory, Bluepaw began to get tired, and she couldn't wait to hunt and then settle down on her den. "I want to see you hunt," meowed Browntail. "Alright, Browntail," replied Bluepaw, as she dropped into her hunting crouch. She opened her mouth to taste the air for prey then she smelled it. Pigon! She slowly stalked her prey. Soon she was in view of the pigon. She stepped as lightly as she could. The pigon detected her when she was only a few fox lengths away. But by then it was too late. A flutter of wings, a swish of blue fur, and it was all over. Bluepaw gripped the bird firmly in her mouth and trotted triumpantly back to her mentor. This was her first catch as an apprentice, but not her first catch ever. When she was just a young kit she had caught a few mice that had strayed too far into the camp. When she reached Browntail, he looked very pleased. "Excellent!' he mewed. "Great catch. Take that to the fresh kill pile and then take something for yourself; you've had a rough day. See you at training tomorrow," See you tomorrow, Browntail!" mewed Bluepaw as she trotted back to camp. She dropped her pigon, and then took a mouse for herself. "How was trainig today?" asked Redpaw as he reached the tree stump and settled next to Bluepaw. "Great!" mewed Bluepaw in reply. Then Lionpaw came to join them. "How are you guys," he asked as he arrived. Then they chatted on and shared tongues untill Silverpelt was high in the sky. Then they trotted back into the den and settled down into their nice warm nests.