Chapter 1

"Wake up Applepaw, wake up!" a voice called. It was Pumpkinpaw, who was

ready to have morning-kill then start their day as apprentices.

"Huh?" Applepaw woke up in a cold sweat.

"Applepaw, you don't look so good. Maybe you should lick yourself to wake up."

Pumpkinpaw suggested.

"I don't feel good either, I had a dream that a cat came to me," Applepaw said,

hoping that Pumpkinpaw would know what to do.

"Like I said, you should lick yourself then maybe you should go see Milkleaf."

"Okay. That's a good idea, thank you Pumpkinpaw," and she set out to wash

herself.

She licked herself for what seemed like a long time then realized that she was just

tired from not getting enough sleep and got a rather small foul-tasting rabbit for morning-kill and she realized she should just give up about the wash that she never finished and stop in to Milkleaf. She walked over to the Medicine cat den and walked into the den.

"Milkleaf?" she called, "I need to talk to you."

"Yes? I'm over here near the herb storage. Just right of you," she answered, "Can I help you with anything?"

"Yes. I had a dream," Applepaw replied, "About a cat named Velvetleaf, I woke up really early so even the sky was gray and Maplebrook wasn't there and I tried to wake up Shimmertail but she wouldn't wake up and then Velvetleaf appeared behind me and said she was from Starclan and that I should 'Take risks for friends even if they have a low chance of succeeding'."

"'Take risks . . . even if they have a low chance of succeeding . . ." Milkleaf echoed, "That is interesting indeed. I'll think about that and if I can interpret it I will tell you.

"Thank you, very much," Applepaw walked towards the door, "Do you have

dreams like mine all the time?"

"No. Not all the time, but every now and then, yes," she admitted.

Applepaw was about to leave again when another question leaped into her mind, "Who is Velvetleaf?"

"Velvetleaf was my mentor, she was a medicine cat and she taught me everything I know," Milkleaf answered.

"Thank you. See you later," Applepaw called as she walked out the door.

Applepaw walked over to the nursery where her siblings and friends were still not apprenticed. She loved the soft moss there and as she walked by she said hello to her mother not stopping until she got to Dewkit and Gingerkit who had been punished to stay in the nursery until they became apprentices.

"Hi Applekit, Foxdung! Applepaw, I still can't get used to your new name. It just doesn't stick like Applekit," Dewkit complained, "When will we be apprenticed? I can't wait any longer!"

"It's not fair that we all aren't apprenticed all at the same time!" Gingerkit thought for a moment, "We could have all had our first day together!"

"Yeah, I know, we would have had a great time together, if we were all apprenticed at the same time," Applepaw sat down next to them.

"Should I go get you some fresh-kill, I know it's just after morning-kill but my rabbit didn't taste so good so I didn't finish it and I'm really hungry," Applepaw suggested.

"I'm hungry too, that's a good idea, but we aren't allowed to leave the nursery so could you get me a vole?" Dewkit asked.

"Oh, get me a mouse please," Gingerkit added and as Applepaw left out the door, "Thank you."

"No problem," then she thought, "Where is Maplebrook? She would have taken me somewhere by this late in the morning." Then she realized she had seen Maplebrook in Milkleaf's den!