Kits of certain cats are listed after their mother, or father if the mother is absent. I agree that it can be confusing, especially since Bright/Swift/Cloud are all Whitepaw's parents, but Brightheart is the one who gave birth so Whitepaw is listed with her.

Chapter 1

Mistyfoot narrowed her eyes against the glare of the sun as it struck a puddle leftover from last night's bare sprinkle. The forest smelled fresh and full of new growth as she prowled through the undergrowth, her belly fur barely dragging the leaf litter. She made sure to keep her plumy tail off the ground – one of her first lessons as Tinystar's apprentice was that her tail would give her away if she didn't pay attention to it.

The forest was quiet but all around Mistyfoot's sensitive ears could pick up the sounds of prey scrabbling and fluttering in the trees. She narrowed her keen eyes, looking for the slightest rustle that would –

There!

A squirrel poked its head out from underneath a nearby juniper bush. Mistyfoot stopped in her tracks, whiskers twitching. There were plenty of nuts in this part of the forest, and the squirrel inched its way out to shuffle in the litter. Mistyfoot watched it pick up a nut and stuff it into its cheeks.

Patience…

The squirrel turned its back.

Mistyfoot bunched her haunches and sprang.

The squirrel squeaked in alarm, startled as Mistyfoot's forepaws landed just a whiskerlength too short. Cursing, Mistyfoot lashed her tail as she watched the squirrel flee. How could I have missed?

The annoyance did not last long. Greenleaf was a breath of warm wind away – ThunderClan was strong. Missing one squirrel in a forest teeming with prey wasn't the difference between a full belly and starvation.

"Oof," grunted Mousefur. The dusky-brown she-cat pushed through the clump of ferns where she'd been hiding, her pale eyes narrowed. "Bad luck."

Mistyfoot shrugged. "It faked me out, I think."

Mousefur flicked her tail. "Come on, no time to mope – Tinystar needs to see us."

Mistyfoot's ears pricked. "What for?"

"Don't know," Mousefur admitted, shrugging. "Dustpelt's patrol passed by on their way back to camp while you were stalking that squirrel and let me know. Best not keep Tinystar waiting – you know how his temper is."

Mistyfoot swallowed. ThunderClan's leader was small in stature, but his temper was known by every cat in the forest. She was sure queens told horror stories of it to their kits. It was not worth tempting fate – without another word Mistyfoot put a spring in her step and led the way through the forest.

Sunhigh had passed when Mistyfoot and Mousefur skidded down the ravine. Mistyfoot followed the smaller senior warrior along the well-worn trail, ThunderClan scent laid over it a hundred thousand times over countless generations. They walked along the thorns and gorse until they reached a small opening, only one cat wide. Mistyfoot entered, feeling the walls of the gorse tunnel drag along her pelt and her ears before emerging gratefully into the sunlit ThunderClan camp.

At this time of day, Mistyfoot saw more than a few warriors lying in the sunshine, grooming one another and sharing tongues outside of their dens. She spotted Frostfur and Dappletail, two elders, cleaning one another's ears in the shade of the Highrock, a great stone that loomed near the back of the clearing. Whitepaw was bringing them prey, and Mistyfoot saw Frostfur invite the apprentice to eat with them. Mistyfoot took a deep breath of the clean, familiar air, scented with all of the cats she had ever known, and felt at ease.

It's been so long since the battle with BloodClan, she thought. Mousefur began to lead the way to the Highrock – Tinystar's den was in a hollowed out cave in the stone, just out of sight and shaded with lichen. Mistyfoot followed, her pawsteps intentionally slow, worrying over what Tinystar could possibly want with her.

The forest had changed since Tinystar had arrived in it – it was hard not to be somewhat afraid of the ThunderClan leader because of that. The former kittypet had saved ThunderClan from within – not only that, he had aided every other Clan in the forest, too. At the battle with BloodClan nearly six seasons ago, Tinystar had saved the whole forest when he united the Clans and killed his half-brother Scorch, BloodClan's leader. Without him, the forest would be a much darker place.

Mistyfoot swallowed. Without him… my mother would be leader of ThunderClan… She did not want to think of such a thing.

She focused instead on how organized Clan life seemed. Oakheart is doing a great job as deputy, she thought, thinking fondly of her father as she looked around. Patrols were regular and efficient, and Oakheart was a popular cat around the Clan. Even if he never ended up a leader, Oakheart was doing a great job as deputy now.

A flash of fur in the ferns caught Mistyfoot's eye. Shadepaw, one of Tinystar's kits, emerged from the medicine cat's den, a leaf-wrap in her jaws. She was lean and slim, built far more like her mother Sandstorm than her father, and her white-tipped tail was flicking in thought as she headed for the elder's den.

Nightpaw met her there, coming out of the old hollow log and shaking a bit of old moss from his pelt. The littermates touched noses. Mistyfoot wondered how two cats could be so different, both physically and in personality – Nightpaw was almost a copy of his father, short in stature and almost entirely black but for his white-tipped tail and white paw. Even his eyes were a similar shade of icy blue.

The two had been apprenticed just a quarter moon ago – Shadepaw to Brackenfur, set to become the Clan's next medicine cat, and Nightpaw to Dustpelt, who Mistyfoot thought was a fitting cat to work out some of Nightpaw's more energetic aspects. Shadepaw was doing well as medicine cat apprentice, but many cats had known since her kithood that she had been the one to inherit their father's legendary temper.

Mistyfoot couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow. Her sister Mosspaw had been the medicine cat apprentice before Shadepaw – but she had died in the battle with BloodClan.

"Are you going to sit and stare all day?" Mousefur grunted. The dusky she-cat was standing before the lichen that screened Tinystar's den, her tail-tip flicking. "Tinystar's waiting."

Mistyfoot started. "Sorry!" she mewed, trying to keep her fur low. How embarrassing!

"You'd think you've never been in camp before!" Mousefur huffed. "Youngsters…"

Mistyfoot flicked an ear. Mousefur was never quiet about her criticisms. Shaking her head free of reminiscence, Mistyfoot passed Mousefur and ducked into the ThunderClan leader's den.

It was cool inside the Highrock, a welcome escape from the mounting heat of the day. Tinystar was sitting inside, his paws tucked beneath him. Mistyfoot sat down a pace away and dipped her head to her former mentor. Mousefur twitched her whiskers and remained standing.

Tinystar measured the two she-cats with eyes like claws made of ice. Mistyfoot felt that frosty gaze rest on her and she met it with her own, pleased to see that the coldness was only in the color of Tinystar's eye and not his voice.

"As I'm sure you're both aware, Cinderpelt and Dustpelt's kits are turning six moons today," he meowed. "I wish for you both to be their mentors."

Mistyfoot's head shot up, her eyes widening. Her heart beat in her ears. Me, a mentor? Already? "B-But I'm so inexperienced!" she blurted. Mouse-brain!

Tinystar purred in amusement. Mousefur twitched her whiskers. Mistyfoot swallowed, feeling embarrassed once again.

"Yes, you are inexperienced," Tinystar agreed, "but Mousefur is not – you've been a warrior a few seasons and, thinking of the kits themselves, I think you'd both be great mentors for them. Mousefur can help you out when you feel you're struggling, Mistyfoot."

"It's an honor," Mousefur meowed. It had been a long time since she'd had an apprentice – she'd lost her first, Thornpaw, many seasons ago to Bluestar's cruelty, along with her brother, Runningwind.

"I'm eager to see you with your own apprentice," Tinystar went on, smiling at Mistyfoot. "I think you'll do a great job. After all, what would it say about me if you didn't?"

Mistyfoot's ear twitched, her pelt warming at his praise. It wasn't so long ago that Tinystar had had difficulty even looking at her, after all. How far we've come since! "It would be a great honor, Tinystar," she meowed.

Tinystar flicked his tail. "Then we'll have the ceremony immediately – come on."

The small tom got to his paws and trotted out of the den. Mousefur and Mistyfoot followed, padding out into the clearing while Tinystar leaped onto the Highrock and delivered his summons:

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!"

His voice roused sleepy warriors from the shadows. Ears pricked and tails flicked as cats from all over the camp got to their paws and met below the Highrock. Mistyfoot was jostled, but her paws were buzzing from excitement. She forced herself to the front to stand beside Mousefur, hoping that was the right thing to do.

"Must be time for some new apprentices!" purred Graystripe. The gray warrior stretched each leg in turn.

Beside him his mate, Silverstream, nodded in agreement. "We've been at our wits' end trying to corral Spiderkit and Shrewkit these past few days!" The silvery queen curled her striped tail around her paws, leaning in to Graystripe's fluff. Silverstream had once been RiverClan, Mistyfoot reflected, but her love for Graystripe had brought her to ThunderClan, even if their kits were still across the river themselves.

Mistyfoot could hear Cinderpelt cursing behind the crowd. She couldn't help but look over her shoulder at the gray she-cat as she quickly and furiously groomed her children's fur straight. Spiderkit stretched away, using her long legs to her advantage, but poor Shrewkit had no such luck.

"I wonder who their mentors are?" wondered Sootfur, a newer warrior.

"Not me," Rainwhisker, his brother, promised. "I would've told you and Sorrelpaw for sure."

"Not me, either," Sootfur agreed.

Tinystar's voice silenced further speculation: "We've gathered here today for a very important task in any Clan," he meowed. "Spiderkit and Shrewkit have reached their sixth moon, and it is time for them to receive their apprentice names."

The entire Clan quieted, watching in reverent silence. Mistyfoot could hardly keep her paws from fidgeting with excitement, and wondered if the rest of the Clan could hear her heart beating in her ears.

"Spiderkit, come forward," Tinystar called.

The crowd parted to let the kits through. Spiderkit was smoky gray like her mother, with long, long legs and her father's sharp amber eyes. She padded through the crowd, her tail quivering with excitement, and stood beneath the Highrock.

Will I receive Spiderkit? Mistyfoot wondered.

"Until you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Spiderpaw," Tinystar announced. "Mousefur – you will be Spiderpaw's mentor. Teach her well the ways of the warrior."

"I shall," Mousefur promised.

That answers that, Mistyfoot thought, watching Mousefur touched her nose to Spiderpaw's. The leggy gray she-cat was already vibrating with excitement from ears to tail as she followed Mousefur back. She fidgeted even when Mousefur hissed for her to keep still.

"Shrewkit, come forward," Tinystar went on.

Mistyfoot swallowed. My turn, she thought. Eagerness gave way to nervousness. What if Shrewkit rejected her? She watched the young tabby tom pad through the crowd. He had excitement glittering in his eyes – blue, like his mother's – and his thin tail twitched when he stood looking up at Tinystar.

"From this day forward, until you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Shrewpaw," Tinystar announced. "Mistyfoot."

There were a few mews of surprise. Mistyfoot swallowed a lump in her throat, forcing herself to focus on Tinystar and not her Clanmate's worry. They think I'm too young! She thought, her head buzzing.

"You are a young warrior, this is true," Tinystar meowed on, "but I think you will be a great mentor for Shrewpaw."

Mistyfoot swallowed. She got to her paws and padded up to Shrewpaw's side. "I'll teach him everything I know," she promised, proud that her voice did not shake. "I'm honored to have this opportunity."

She and Shrewpaw touched noses. Mistyfoot marveled at how eager he seemed – just as eager as Spiderpaw, but more well contained. I don't think I could handle Spiderpaw's energy, Mistyfoot thought as she led Shrewpaw back to the crowd. Tinystar made the right call.

"Shrewpaw! Spiderpaw!" the Clan called – no voice was louder though than Cinderpelt or Dustpelt's. The two had their tails twined and their chests puffed, proud and unabashedly pleased with their kits. It was a strange look on Dustpelt, who was often so prickly, and Mistyfoot had to keep down a purr of amusement.

Soon enough the cheering died down. Tinystar leaped down from the Highrock and met with Graystripe and Silverstream. The Clan broke up, some heading back to their sunning spots and others heading out together on patrols. Mistyfoot watched Shrewpaw and Spiderpaw rub their muzzles against their parents with a sense of happiness blooming in her chest.

"So you receive an apprentice over me?"

The happiness in Mistyfoot's chest withered. Ashfur's eyes were narrowed bitterly at Mistyfoot, his shoulders hunched.

Mistyfoot swallowed. She and Ashfur had never gotten along, not even when they were apprentices together. Mistyfoot got on well with Ferncloud, Ashfur's sister, but nothing could ever endear her to Ashfur, it seemed. Mistyfoot's mother, Bluestar, had been responsible for Ashfur and Ferncloud's mother's death – and Ashfur did not seem to intend to let that go.

"It was Tinystar's choice," Mistyfoot defended.

"And of course he'd choose you," Ashfur hissed. "An apprentice for his apprentice, after all. Nevermind that I'm an older and more experienced warrior!"

Mistyfoot's hackles rose. How dare Ashfur think Tinystar favored her! Did he have any idea what it was like to be the kit of Bluestar and apprentice to her sworn enemy?

"Maybe Father chose her over you because you seem to have a habit of sitting on beehives," growled Nightpaw. Mistyfoot hadn't even noticed that the little black tom had lingered, let alone that he had been listening in. "Not to mention questioning his choices!"

Ashfur bristled. He ignored Nightpaw, though, and sneered to Mistyfoot, "So you need an apprentice to defend you?"

Mistyfoot wanted to growl. Why did you open your mouth, Nightpaw? You just made this worse!

Ashfur lashed his tail. Mistyfoot opened her mouth to tell him to go away when Shrewpaw bounded between them, his eyes bright and excited.

"Mousefur said we can go into the forest together!" he meowed. "Come on, Mistyfoot!"

Mistyfoot spotted Mousefur and Spiderpaw waiting by the gorse tunnel. She sent a silent thanks to StarClan that Mousefur had made Shrewpaw intervene – Ashfur was padding away now, his tail flicking to and fro.

"I'll meet you all in a moment," Mistyfoot promised Shrewpaw. "Go on."

Shrewpaw nodded and trotted back to Mousefur and Spiderpaw to deliver the news. Mistyfoot rounded on Nightpaw, her tail-tip flicking. She couldn't yell at the apprentice – not only was he Tinystar's son, he had only been doing what he thought was right – but he still shouldn't have interfered.

"Stay out of it," Mistyfoot told him.

"The way he treats you and others isn't fair," Nightpaw muttered. "He's such a grouch to everyone."

Mistyfoot sighed. "Didn't your mentor ever teach you not to poke a badger's nest? Leave Ashfur alone and he'll leave you alone." I'm the only one that rule doesn't work for.

"Mistyfoot!" Shrewpaw called across the clearing. "Mousefur says she'll leave without you!"

"I have to go," Mistyfoot sighed.

Nightpaw shrugged. "Go on; have fun," he said.

Mistyfoot raised her tail and bounded over to Mousefur and the apprentices. "Sorry about that," she mewed to them briskly. "Let's go."

Dusk cast Sunningrocks in a deep orange hue as Mousefur and Mistyfoot padded between the large, flat gray stones. Shrewpaw and Spiderpaw followed a pace behind, their paws clearly tired but their eyes still bright.

"We didn't get to see everything," Spiderpaw lamented.

"Patience," Mousefur told her. "You've got a whole life ahead of you to see every pawstep of this territory. Now – do either of you know where we are?"

"Sunningrocks, duh," Spiderpaw answered back. Beside her, Shrewpaw yawned.

"Yes," Mistyfoot agreed, "this is Sunningrocks."

"RiverClan's over there, then?" Shrewpaw guessed, looking out at the slow-moving river. It trickled by just down the slope, and its coolness was tempting in the heat. The fresh, fishy smell of RiverClan kept Mistyfoot from splashing her paws.

Mousefur nodded at Shrewpaw. "It smells like a patrol just went by, too," she stated. "Now – how much do you know about RiverClan?"

Spiderpaw yawned this time. "Leopardstar is their leader… Tawnypelt is their deputy," she recited, sitting on her haunches. "They eat lots of fish."

"Fish are gross," Shrewpaw admitted, screwing up his nose. "Silverstream had us try some once."

Mistyfoot shrugged. "It's not for every cat," she meowed. Personally she found the flavor appealing on occasion.

"RiverClan and ThunderClan have a long, storied history on these stones," Mousefur meowed, flicking her tail to the smooth gray boulders. "Legends say that these rocks were once on RiverClan's territory, but the river changed course and now they're on our land."

"And they keep fighting us for it!" Shrewpaw meowed. "Frostfur and Speckletail told me lots of stories about Sunningrocks battles."

Mousefur nodded. "RiverClan's been quiet about their claim to the rocks lately; but that doesn't mean ThunderClan isn't vigilant! Sunningrocks belongs to us now."

Spiderpaw's eyes grew round. "Do you think RiverClan might attack us for being here? You said a patrol just passed!"

Mistyfoot shook her head. "I doubt it," she meowed. "Things between the Clans have been okay for a while, like we said at Fourtrees. It's been peaceful."

"Father says peace never lasts," Shrewpaw mewed.

Mistyfoot frowned at her apprentice. Of course Dustpelt would say dour things like that. Why was ThunderClan so full of grumpy cats? She sighed, "Well… no; but we might as well enjoy it while it's here, right?"

"We'll teach you plenty of ways to defend yourselves for when battle comes," Mousefur promised. "Now, we should be heading back."

Both apprentices looked energized at the thought of battle with RiverClan. They sprang to their paws, eyes alight.

"I'll be the best fighter!" Spiderpaw declared.

"You're a better runner than a fighter!" Shrewpaw teased. "I'll be the best fighter! Tinystar is the best warrior in ThunderClan, and Mistyfoot was his apprentice! That means I'll be unstoppable!"

Spiderpaw stuck out her tongue. "Does not," she groaned.

"Does to!"

Mistyfoot purred, warmed by her apprentice's eagerness. She watched him take a playful swipe at Spiderpaw, already calculating how to help him deliver such a blow with a weight that would send an enemy warrior yowling home.

I'm proud to have you as my apprentice, Shrewpaw, Mistyfoot thought fondly. And I'm going to do everything I can to prove I'm a worthy mentor.