Brambledip turned around slowly to face his sister's stoic face. She was an older she-cat, strong, a little grizzled but experienced. It would be a few more seasons before she retired to the comfort of the elders den. Silentkit felt a weight lifted, this was out of their paws now and into Owlface's.

"Brambledip, they're just kits. Even if they were planning to do more with the spider, I doubt it was going to end up with the downfall of Duneclan. Lighten up" She told him bluntly. Brambledip's amber eyes seemed to flare at the comment.

"Maybe if mothers didn't coddle their kits so much, they'd become disciplined and polite. I mean look at her-" He gestured towards Gingerkit before turning back to Owlface "She's constantly in trouble because everyone's so soft on her. Someone's got to come down hard on them and I get it in the neck from cats like you" Gingerkit stuck her tongue out at him whilst his back was turned, Silentpaw smiled. Not being able to vocalise was handy in this type of situation.

Silentkit observed the dawn patrol entering the camp as they padded across the fresh morning sand. Lizardglare lead the rest of the patrol, Pineheart, Daisytail and Hedgefoot followed after. To Brambledip's dismay, Hedgefoot seemed to notice the tension and walked over. She was Hedgefoot's only kit and would defend him no matter what he did. In her eyes he was always trying to do good and just not quite getting it right. Silentkit felt sorry for her, he often wondered if it was because she was trying to win his approval.

Gingerkit was visibly annoyed as the fluffier carbon copy of Brambledip came over. "What's going on here?" Hedgefoot asked lightly, sitting down and tucking her long whispy tail around her dainty paws.

"Well, I was managing Gingerkit and Silentkit's behaviour and your aunt has decided that I was being harsh" He told her. Owlface rolled her eyes.

Hedgefoot sighed wistfully "What are we going to do with you two, eh?" She said referring to the kits. " Brambledip only wants you to be the best warriors and that means you have to behave." There was an emphasis on 'behave'.

"He called me a liar!" Gingerkit burst out in an accusatory tone.

"You know what? I have better things to do then argue." Brambledip hissed suddenly. He stalked away abruptly, tail lashing out behind him. There was a sad look in Hedgefoot's face as her father walked away.

Owlface sighed. "Please try to behave you two, don't give him a reason to tell you off." Hedgefoot said quietly in a kind voice. And with that she stood up and left.

"Get back to the nursery, get groomed and fed. You have to look your best for the apprenticeship ceremony." Owlface nudged the kits in the general direction of the nursery. Gingerkit's ears stood to attention and she suddenly seemed to be buzzing with energy again. Brambledip was the real liar- she was going to become an apprentice.

Gingerkit hurried off to the nursery, Silentkit trailing slightly behind her. Inside the nursery Willowheart was already grooming Tigerkit, Gingerkit's brother. The dark ginger tom appeared to be enjoying the deep clean he was getting, leaning into his mother's tongue as it lapped at his cheek. It appeared Smallscar had already cleaned Rabbitkit, Silentkit's brother. His brother was cleaning his own face again with his small black paws, swiping them over his face.

Gingerkit grimaced as it was her turn for grooming. Silentkit was sat watching her, having already gone through the process. "Keep still, can't have you going to the ceremony looking like you've been dragged this way that way through a bramble bush, can we?" Her mother chuckled at her daughter's visible disgust. Shadedit and Rabbitkit were chatting excitedly about how they'd be the best warriors.

"All cats old enough to swim like fish, gather beneath the high boulder for a clan meeting!" a loud voice ordered. All the kits ears pricked. Rabbitkit, Shadedkit and Tigerkit bolted immediately for the entrance.

Willowheart stood up and gently pushed her only daughter forward. "Be good Gingerkit, and remember to sit still and brush noses with your mentor. I'm proud of you" She smiled. The warmth from her mother's words and smile was enough to fill Gingerkit's heart with a warm fuzzy feeling that she couldn't quite grasp. Silentkit was waiting at the entrance for his fiery little friend. She ran ahead of him, weaving through the crowd to get to the centre of it all.

He'd miss the nursery. But every tom needs to become a warrior eventually. He followed after her. Once he broke through the crowd he joined the row of apprentices to be. Nightstar, their leader stood regally atop the boulder, sun shining behind her and making her inky black fur look like it had an auburn tint to it.

"Today, I am proud to say five young kits will become apprentices and begin their paths to warriors and medicine cats!" The she-cat boomed. " Tigerkit, step forward."

And so the ceremony began. Gingerkit waited with bated breath for her name to be called. But it felt like everyone else managed to get in before her. Her brother got Owlface (She was a little jealous), Rabbitpaw got Bluetail, Glowpaw got Ghostfalcon. She had hoped she would get her. When it was announced that Shadedpaw was to be mentored by Brambledip, she felt a wave of relief, at least she wasn't stuck with him.

She snapped back to the current situation at the mention of her name. She looked to the side at her mother, who was trying to use her eyes to signal that Gingerkit needed to look at the actual cat that was calling her name.

"Gingerkit, step forward" Gingerkit stood slightly alarmed and bolted forward. "You are 6 moons old and it's time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name you will be known as Gingerpaw! Your mentor will be Crabfang." Gingerkit watched a heavily built tom with a crooked teeth step out of the crowd and smile at her. As he mother had told her to, she leaned forward and touched noses with the tom, before seating herself once again.

Silentkit was the only cat there who was still seen as kit. He glanced around nervously, feeling very small inside. "Silentkit, step forward"

The young tom stepped tentatively forward. He felt like he was walking on thin ice as Cloudfang stepped up onto the boulder. "Cats of Duneclan, as we all know I won't be around forever and someday Starclan will call for me to join them. I have decided it is time for me to take an apprentice"

Silentkit felt his heart sink. What made them think he couldn't be a good warrior? He couldn't talk but that didn't mean he couldn't fight. How did they expect him to communicate with the ill? Is this what they did to all cats who weren't 'normal'. Slap them in with the medicine cat and call it a day?

"I have chosen a cat who is intelligent and observant. I have no doubt he will learn quickly and someday follow in my paw steps. The next medicine cat apprentice will be Silentpaw!" The tom smiled down at the distraught apprentice, seemingly unaware of his panic. He stared up at Cloudfang with wide eyes.

"Silentpaw, do you accept?" Nighstar asked. There was a certain tone in her voice, like she was going to tell him off if he refused. He looked at his friend. Gingerpaw was smiling hopefully at him, but there was a hint of sadness that their paths would split. She would go on to fight, hunt and maybe have a family. He would heal the sick, collect herbs and die alone. Rabbitpaw seemed surprised. Maybe a little disappointed. Shadedpaw was smiling for some reason.

He finally looked at his mother, pleading with his eyes that she did something. All she did was smile and nod.

So he did too.

"Then at half moon you will travel to the moon crystals to be accepted before Starclan and your fellow medicine cats" Cloudfang told him proudly. Silentpaw looked at his feet. "The good wishes of Duneclan go with you!" Nighstar announced. The ceremony had concluded.

"Gingerpaw! Tigerpaw! Silentpaw! Rabbitpaw! Glowpaw!" The whole clan greeted the new apprentices with gusto. Each one of them feeling very grown up and ready to take on anything. Everyone but Silentpaw.