"From this moment on one will be know as Redfoot!" Lightningstar touched his son's shoulder with his tail. Redfoot held his head high, his ears flat. he looked so serious. But by the way with paws shaked and his tail twitched he was clearly trying his best to keep his excitement down.

His littermate, on the other hand, wasn't trying that much. moonpaw felt like screaming from her excitement. Rowanpaw stood back in the crowd. The small tom had actually failed his assignment. They were actually way harder than Poppyleaf had said. He had lost his footing while trying to catch a black bird. Poppyleaf stared at the apprentice apologetically. He would be spending another moon in the apprentice's den. So would the oldest apprentice, Cloudpaw. This was Cloudpaw's second time messing up. The gray tabby looked heartbroken as he watched his brother, Milkwhisker, from a distance.

Lightningstar looked down at his daughter, nodding for her turn. It took all her will power not to jump up onto the ledge. Instead she walked up smoothly to join her brother. "Moonpaw." Lightningstar addressed her. "You have completely your warrior training with expert results. You will make a fine warrior. From this moment on you will be known as Moonblaze!" Lightningstar touched her shoulder just as he had done with Redfoot. Moonblaze licked his shoulder in return.

The camp filled with the sounds of the two new warrior's names echoing off the rock walls. Redfoot still refused to smile of act excited. He sat still, his tail twitching, and looked down at his clanmates. probably get used to it for when he becomes deputy. Moonblaze thought sarcastically. He's gonna be so disappointed when he realizes being the leader's kin doesn't get you special privledges.

Moonblaze dismissed her brother and looked down at her clanmates. She looked at Rowanpaw. The apprentice was smiling up at both of them. She smiled back sympathically. Rowanpaw caught the hint in her smile and shook his head. His amber eyes like blood but with no emotion. Did he not want to be a warrior?

Once the ceremony was over most of the cats moved over to the fresh kill pile to eat. Redfoot stayed on the high ledge talking quietly to Lightningstar. Moonblaze padded over to Rowanpaw. "Are you okay?" She said. His eyes still held no emotion. "Of course. Did you think I'd be upset?"

"Well, duh! You were so worried about this. And now you blow it off like nothing?" Moonblaze tilted her head. her blue eyes searching for any sign of anger or sadness in her brother. Rowanpaw only shook his head. "I'm fine with staying in the apprentice den one more moon."

"hey, Roawnpaw!" Another voice came from behind them. Moonblaze turned around and say Maplepaw approaching. Roawnpaw smiled. "Hi, Maplepaw."

"Me and Birdclaw are gonna go find some catmint. The cold weather is coming soon. We-re gonna need as we can find. I was hoping to go over to the abandoned two-leg nest and get some from Jay garden." Maplepaw smiled at him. Her light eyes shone brightly in the afternoon sun. "Sure." Rowanpaw answered. "I'll ask Turtlefang." He began walking away. Moonblaze followed then stopped and looked at the sky. She wanted to go with them but her silent vigil would start in only a few hours. She needed to get some sleep. Moonblaze said good-bye to Rowanpaw and Maplepaw then went to the warriors den to pick a nest.

Rowanpaw found his mentor sharing a large vole with Loudmorning. She had a beautiful tortoiseshell pelt with green eyes. "Turtlefang? Can I go with Maplepaw to-"

"yeah, kit. Go ahead." She said, not really paying attention. Turtlefang was never the best parental figure. It was probably the reason she hadn't had kits yet. Any tom was lucky if she even talked to them. Her beautiful coat attracked many different toms of Thunderclan. Maplepaw purred with amusement when she remembered a story Lightfur had told her as a kit.

"You know, Every apprentice used to be after Turtlefang. Even Lightningstar wanted her before he hooked up with Dovefeather." The elder had said, winking at Moonpaw and Rowanpaw who were also listening to the story. "Eventually she settled with a tom named badgerspot. He died a few moons after becoming a warrior. Turtlefang hasn't hooked up with anyone since."

Maplepaw hopped around Rowanpaw. "Come on, let's find a warrior to go with us!" She bounded away. Rowanpaw quickly followed. Maplepaw stopped in the middle of the clearing, causing Rowanpaw to almost run into her. The medicine cat looked around, trying to find anyone who was free. She spotted a thin black tom on the other side of the clearing. "Nimblefoot!" She called, making her way over to him. Rowanpaw followed again, a little more cautiously this time.

Nimblefoot's darted up. "Oh, hey you two. What is it?"

"Me, Rowanpaw and Birdclaw are gonna go stock up on catmint. Can you escort us?" Maplepaw asked. Nimblefoot looked at maplepaw then at Rowanpaw. "Uh, not to be that cat but shouldn't Rowanpaw be training?"

Rowanpaw shook his head. "Turtlefang was fine with it." He assured. 'Well, okay then. Let's go."

"Great!" Maplepaw jumped up then turned to walk toward the entrance of the camp. "Birdclaw is outside waiting." She said, then pushed her way out. The two toms followed. A light brown tabby she-cat with long fur and hard hazel eyes glanced up at them. "There you are. I thought the great Firestar was going to come down and take me up to Starclan before you got here."

Maplepaw dipped her head. "Sorry, Birdclaw. We had to find a warrior." She said apologetically. Birdclaw sighed. "It's fine. Just hurry up next time. Is Rowanpaw coming with us?" She tilted her head at the apprentice. Maplepaw looked at Rowanpaw. It was clear that he was irritated by this constantly repeating. Maplepaw looked back up at her mentor. "Yeah. Turtlefang said he could." This earned another sigh from Birdclaw. "She's such a mousebrained pain in the tail. Honestly I think Rowanpaw would be a warrior now if she wasn't his mentor." She looked at Rowanpaw and smiled.

As they talked the group began their walk to the Jay Garden.

"yeah." Maplepaw agreed. "I bet you'd be the best warrior Thunderclan was ever seen if she wasn't your mentor. Redfoot would be so jealous." She nudged his shoulder. Rowanpaw smiled. "Really?"

"Of course!" maplepaw gave him a serious yet playful look. "Why, you'd be the best warrior this lake has ever seen."

Birdclaw's eyes softened with amusement. "I wouldn't say that. In my opinion the greatest warrior the lake has ever seen was Leafpool. The daughter of Firestar. She was so brave and caring. The perfect medicine cat."

maplepaw looked up at her mentor curiously. "Have you ever met Firstar?" Birdclaw nodded, delighted by the question. "I see him all the time in Starclan. He has the most handsome orange pelt. Like fire. That's how he got his name you know. And majestic green eyes. Such a wonderful cat."

The two apprentices glanced at each other a snickered. "I think Birdclaw wants a mate." Maplepaw leaned in a whispered. "I think Firestar has a mate, right?" Rowanpaw asked. Maplepaw nodded. Although she wasn't lucky enough to ever have seen Firestar, Birdclaw loved talking about him. That was how Birdclaw was. She adored past cats who had lived by the lake long ago.

"Leafpool wasn't a warrior. She was a medicine cat." Nimblefoot hissed. Birdclaw rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Then who do you think was the greatest?" She questioned, her ears layed back. Nimblefoot thought for a moment. "If you ask me, I'd Bramblestar. It's amazing that Tigerstar acutally helped make that kind of cat. I mean he was tigerstar's son."

Maplepaw thought this was a little unfair. She didn't understand why everyone expected Bramblestar to be like Tigerstar. Tawnypelt was Tigerstar's kit too. Maplepaw had never heard of anyone bad-mouthing her. She looked back at Rowanpaw. He looked absolutely puzzled and confused.

"Who is Bramblestar and Tigerstar?" He asked, his ears laid back in embarrassment.

They finally reached the Jay garden. Birdclaw was the first to answer. "So Turtlefang really hasn't told you anything about the ancients?" She growled then found her temper. "Come by my den when I'm free and I'll tell you as much as I can. Since Turtlefang is too busy doing nothing to do anything."

"It's kind of against tradition, but if you want I can show you the battle moves you need to know." Nimblefoot added, his green eyes full of pity. Rowanpaw smiled. "Okay." He nodded. "Great. Now you two go get the catmint. I'm going to go check on the other herbs." Birdclaw finished and disappeared on the other side of the twoleg nest. Nimblefoot skillfully leaped onto a part of the wooden walls around the twoleg nest that wasn't broken of torn up. He surveyed the area carefully, his ears pricked up. Maplepaw thought it was best not to disturb his consentration.

The two apprentices began tearing the catmint up out of the ground carefully. After a few moments of awkward silence, Rowanpaw finally spoke up. "Who do you think is the best warrior?" maplepaw looked startled by the question. She licked her paw. "If I had to choose I'd say Tallstar. He was the leader of Windclan when the ancients first traveled across the mountains and settled here." Her eyes glazed over as she pictured the old tom in her head. "Birdclaw said he was black and white with... amber eyes? I'm not sure. He was very wise and compassionate. I didn't say anything around the others because I thought they'd just laugh or scold me."

"I'm not laughing. Why would they do that?" Rowanpaw questioned ignorantly, tilting his head. Maplepaw sighed. "He was from Windclan. And well...with how things have been recently..."

Rowanpaw nodded. "I understand. Because of the war and stuff." he picked up the pile of catmint. "I think this is all of it." His words were muffled by the herbs. Maplepaw nodded in agreement then picked up her pile. "Let's find Birdclaw and get back to camp."

They walked around the twoleg nest. Birdclaw was sitting in a beam of sunlight. Her bushy pelt shined in the warm afternoon sun. She turned around when the apprentices padded over. "Is this it?" She said sharply, but was clearly pleased with how much they had. maplepaw nodded, her light blue eyes shined. She recognized Birdclaw's tone. The medicine cat used it when Maplepaw had done a good job. But she didn't like to show that she was impressed by something. It was just how Birdclaw was. She didn't like to show too much emotion. Maplepaw didn't mind.

"Great. Let's get back to camp." Birdclaw called for Nimblefoot to come down from his post. The dark warrior jumped down and bounded over to the others. They then began the walk back to camp in silence.

I'm going to take a little brake from this for a few days since I seriously need to work on my other stories.

Don't forget to review.