"Guess what, Shimmerkit? Guess what?" Sweetkit bounced up and down in front of her sister.
"What…" Shimmerkit rubbed her eyes open.
"We're going to become apprentices today!" Sweetkit squealed. Shimmerkit was awake at once.
"Really? And we'll get to join Mintpaw, Dustpaw, and Poppypaw in the apprentices' den?" Sweetkit nodded. Just then, Skypaw, Specklepaw, Frogpaw, Graypaw, and Birchpaw squeezed in through the camp entrance. Skypaw winked at the two tortie kits. She had been friends with them for as long as Shimmerkit could remember.
"All cats old enough to catch prey, report to the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" Oakstar yowled. Cherryflower groomed Shimmerkit while Mothflight groomed the struggling Sweetkit.
"Today we will make two new apprentices. Shimmerkit, come forward." Shimmerkit stepped towards Oakstar. Who will my mentor be? Maybe Tallwhisker? Or Shrewflight? After all, he doesn't have an apprentice now…
"Petalfoot, you will be mentor to Shimmerpaw. Teach her your courage and bravery and she may follow in your pawsteps one day." Shimmerpaw touched noses with Petalfoot.
"I'll make you one of the best warriors in the Clan," Petalfoot breathed into Shimmerpaw's ear.
"Sweetkit, step forward. Swiftbrook, you have lost so much, yet you have so much to give. Teach Sweetpaw your compassion and empathy." Oakstar meowed.
"Shimmerpaw! Sweetpaw! Shimmerpaw! Sweetpaw!" the Clan called. Shimmerpaw looked towards them and saw Mothflight and Cherryflower standing together, yowling with their muzzles in the air.
"And now, there will be a ceremony for five apprentices who deserve their warrior names. I, Oakstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Skypaw, Specklepaw, Birchpaw, Graypaw and Frogpaw, do you promise to protect and defend our Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
"I do," all five apprentices chorused.
"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior names. Skypaw, from now on you will be known as Skyrunner. Specklepaw, you will be known as Specklebreeze. Birchpaw, you will be known as Birchheart. Graypaw, you will be known as Graypelt. And Frogpaw, you will be known as Frogstep. To honor your names and your new status, you will go to the Gathering tomorrow!"
"Skyrunner! Specklebreeze! Graypelt! Birchheart! Frogstep!" the Clan yowled.
Shimmerpaw couldn't believe it. Her best friend was now a warrior.