Poppykit wrestled her brother to the ground, her hind paws pummeling his soft underbelly gently as she grasped him around his neck with her forelegs. Briarkit growled in frustration, shifting the smaller she-cat from his stomach and jousting her from her position. Using his size to his advantage, he pinned her to the dusty floor of nursery, the tips of his claws digging into her shoulders.

The ginger and white molly wriggled beneath her brother's paws, her pale green eyes narrowed in irritation, "Get offa me! I wanna win this time! You promised."

Briarkit rolled his eyes, allowing his sister to leap at him and place her paws on his chest. He lay back in defeat as Poppykit stood over him, triumphant. She grinned and said, "Like Duneclan could beat Oakclan in a fight! Poppystar wins."

She neatly leaped over him, "Now get off my territory, fox-heart!"

Briarkit stood, shaking dirt from his fluffy ginger coat. He padded past her, toward the entrance of the nursery, glaring back at his sister, "Sometimes I think you take these games a little too seriously. We're almost apprentices now, you know."

Poppykit watched her brother disappear through the brambles. Shame heated her ear tips. She was only playing around. Besides, Briarkit always won at these games. He was bigger than she was. She preferred playing with Thistlepaw- at least she would let her win without asking sometimes.

It had been two moons since Thistlepaw and Juniperpaw had left the nursery. All Poppykit had left was her brother, Briarkit who wasn't much fun at all. Their mother would often remark that he was so serious, so unlike his father, Redwhisker, who was one of the most aloof cats in the clan. None of the other kits or 'paws wanted to play with him. He had no imagination, Poppykit scoffed to herself, and he used his claws too much.

With no one left in the nursery save the sleeping figure of Beetlenose, Poppykit ventured from the nursery. She blinked her eyes against the warm glow of the afternoon sun. The camp was abuzz with activity. Near the leaders den sat Lithestar, her tawny coat ripping over her muscles. Her intense blue eyes were locked onto those of her deputy, Hawkclaw who nodded seriously to whatever she was saying.

Juniperpaw was busy sorting herbs outside the medicine den with Sparrowfoot. He looked quite concentrated, so she didn't issue a hello. When Juniperpaw had first shown interest in becoming a medicine cat, Poppykit was surprised. He seemed off put by other cat's pain, but that was the reason he had decided to take the sacred route, he had explained. He hated seeing cats in pain, so what better way to avoid that then to treat the root of the problem?

Poppykit trotted toward the fresh-kill pile. There, sharing tongues with Wrenflight sat Redwhisker.

Poppykit bounded up to her father, pouncing at the tip of his tail and biting down. Redwhisker rolled over and yowling with fake agony said,"Yowch! You little monster! If you keep at it, I'll have nothing but a stump for a tail."

Poppykit purred loudly, dropping his tail, "Sorry, Redwhisker! Have you seen Thistlepaw around camp?"

Wrenflight shook her head at her daughter, "She's out with her mentor right now." She gulped down the remains of her mouse, eying Poppykit scrupulously, "Look at your coat. You're positively a mess, just like your brother."

She grasped Poppykit firmly in her jaws, laying her between her paws. She began to groom her daughter with rough strokes of her tongue, "Today is a big day and the state of your fur is just..." She trailed off, clearly having had said something that she wasn't meant to.

"Big day?" Poppykit wriggled free of her mother's paws, bouncing excitedly around Wrenflight and Redwhisker, "Briarkit and I are going to be apprentices, aren't we! Does he know?"

"No! And don't tell him. At least one of you will be surprised." Wrenflight said, crossing her forepaws and looking disappointed.

"I won't!" Poppykit said at once. She felt as if she would pop from excitement, energy fizzing from her very claw-tips, "I can't wait! I'm going to go wait for Thistlepaw."

As she raced off, Wrenflight called after her, "Don't get your fur dirty again!"

Redwhisker chuckled, falling back on his haunches, "She's got spirit, that one."

Wrenflight nodded her head in agreement, her eyes sparkling with the fondness she felt for her only daughter, "She certainly does. Enough for her and her brother."

By the time Thistlepaw had returned from her duties, it was nearing sun-down. The dusky reds and oranges bathed the camp in a dim light and many cats milled around the camp sleepily. The apprentice trotted into camp at the heels of her mentor, Badgerclaw. Clenched in her jaws were the two still-warm bodies of a mouse and a pigeon. She proudly pranced to the freshkill pile and deposited her contribution.

Poppykit could barely contain herself as she raced up to Thistlepaw, soil spraying from her back paws as she skidded to a halt before her best friend. A deep purr shook her small body as she skipped around her, "Guess what, guess what!"

Thistlepaw spat out a feather, looking bewildered at Poppykit's enthusiasm as she asked, "What?"

Thrusting her muzzle close to Thistlepaw's ear, Poppykit whispered, "I'm going to be an apprentice tonight! Briarkit too."

The pale brown apprentice's eyes widened, "No way! That's fantastic. You'll be sleeping in the apprentice den with me soon." She purred deeply, "It'll be nice to have someone else in there, at last. It was lonely without Juniperpaw. We really need more apprentices."

"The warriors will finally stop complaining about doing apprentice work, at least." Poppykit wrinkled her nose, "If I hear Halfear complain about his late lunch one more time…"

The pair dissolved into giggles. Halfear was known as the camp grump- though generally he was nice to Poppykit and Briarkit, as they were his grandkin.

Briarkit padded past the two she-cats, eyeing his sister suspiciously, "You're in a better mood now."

"No thanks to you," Poppykit snapped, her neck fur fluffing. Briarkit had woken on the wrong side of the den this morning, though it wasn't as if her littermate was ever chipper. He often acted as if he had a thorn in his side.

He shrugged, "Sorry. Just because you still act like a kit doesn't mean I have to."

"You think you're so grown up. You're not a warrior yet, you know." Poppykit hissed, eyes narrowed, "Stop being so grumpy!"

Briarkit gave another unceremonious shrug, pushed past his sister and Thistlepaw and trotted toward the elders den.

"You can't let him get to you," Thistlepaw mewed, giving Poppykit a sympathetic look, "He'll be better once you're both apprentices."

Poppykit nodded; tail drooping, "I hope. I just wish he'd stop treating me like he's so much older than me. You're lucky Juniperpaw is so nice."

"I know. He's so busy now-a-days that I never really get to see him anymore though," Thistlepaw sighed, "At least you'll get to share a den with your brother. I kind of miss the nursery." She paused then added, "Don't tell any cat that!"

Poppykit purred, "I won't, don't worry."

Suddenly, a yowl sounded from the center of the camp. Lithestar perched on a moss-covered log. Cats of the camp paused what they were doing and turned their attentions to Lithestar. The cream she-cat stood, head high as she called, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here!"

Cats began to flood from their dens. First the warriors, nimbly racing up to their leaders, followed by the queens. Beetlenose padded slowly, belly swollen with her unborn kits. Last, the elders shuffled forward, exchanging knowing looks.

Wrenflight appeared before Poppykit, Briarkit in tow. She nudged her daughter gently, "Come on, dear."

Poppykit felt her paws tingle in excitement as she followed her mother. Briarkit seemed to sense her exhilaration and pressed close to her side. Poppykit let out a surprised purr as her brother walked with her side by side.

Lithestar's pale blue eyes swept her clan, "Today two of our kits will join the clan as apprentices." Her gaze locked on Briarkit and his sister. Poppykit felt him swell with pride as their leader continued, "Their journey towards becoming warriors starts today. Briarkit, please come forward."

Poppykit thought her brother might burst as he rushed forward, stumbling on his still clumsy paws. His ears laid back in embarrassment as he neared this leader.

Lithestar blinked at him warmly, "Briarkit, from this day forward you will be known as Briarpaw. Stonestep?"

A pale brown tabby tom's ears pricked. He stepped forward, bowing his head respectfully to allow Lithestar to go on.

"You will become Briarpaw's mentor. Pass on to him your courage and steadfastness."

Briarpaw reached forward, licking Stonestep's shoulder as the older warrior rested his head on the apprentice's. The two fell back into the crowd.

"Poppykit, please come forward."

Poppykit slowly walked forward, catching her mother's eye. Wrenflight gave her a tiny nod of encouragement.

"From this day forward, you will be known as Poppypaw. Fawnheart will be your mentor."

A young golden she-cat jumped up, obviously startled. Poppypaw glowed. Fawnheart had been made a warrior shortly before Thistlepaw and Juniperpaw were born. She was kind and patient and would be a fantastic mentor.

Poppypaw licked her shoulder and Fawnheart gave her a gentle nuzzle.

"Pass on to Poppypaw your kindness, compassion and loyalty."

"Poppypaw! Briarpaw!" The hollow rang with the shouts of the clan. Poppypaw could hear Thistlepaw calling her name above the crowd and she felt her ears warm with affection. Soon they would once again share a den. When she had first left, she had felt her absence like a wound.

The clan began to disperse once more now that the excitement had faded. Poppypaw and Briarpaw stood close to their mentors, eyes shining. Fawnheart brushed her tail along Poppypaw's spine, "I would take you out now but it's growing dark. First thing in the morning we'll take a tour of our territory and maybe do some hunting."

Stonestep nodded in agreement, "We'll join you then." He gave a small twitch of his ear as farewell before he padded toward the warrior den.

Fawnheart meowed her goodbye before following him, the ferns covering the entrance swishing closed behind her.

Thistlepaw bounded up to Poppypaw, weaving around her, "Congratulations! I can't believe you're finally an apprentice. And Briarpaw! You've got my father as a mentor." Her eyes shone brightly, "Just don't get under his fur. He can be kind of grumpy."

Briarpaw bristled, "I won't. I'll be the best apprentice the clan has seen. And I'll be leader one day, you'll see. I don't have time to annoy my mentor!"

Thistlepaw blinked as Briarpaw stalked away, "Geeze…who put ants in his pelt? I was just trying to be nice."

"Told you. He's a badger in cat's fur." She rolled her eyes, "Better get used to sharing a den with him."

With a groan, Thistlepaw turned and made her way to the apprentice's nest, "Oh, good. This'll be a fun four moons."