Okay sorry I haven't updated in such a long time, but here you go, another fresh chapter! Get it while it's hot!

Sorry, I'm bored.

Anyway, I don't own warriors... blah blah -sleeps-

Chapter Six

Apprenticeship; Another Step Closer

Rainkit bounced along with her sister and friends. Froststar stood at the Highledge, looking proud and noble. It seemed so big from up close. Rainkit jumped up, taking a spot behind Cloverkit, Onekit, and Tigerkit. She stood ahead of Thistlekit.

"Attention, cats of ThunderClan! Gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Froststar yowled. Cats emerged from their dens, eager to see what she would be talking about. Some saw the kits with her and knew what was going on. Brackenheart looked up at Rainkit and Thistlekit with pride, Larkflight next to her.

"By having apprentices, we show that ThunderClan will survive and remain strong. Cloverkit, Onekit, Tigerkit, Thistlekit, and Rainkit have reached their sixth moon. Cloverkit, from now on you will be known as Cloverpaw. Splashstream, you are ready for an apprentice. You will be Cloverpaw's mentor." Splashstream came up to the Highledge and touched noses with Cloverpaw. The two stepped down. Onekit stepped forward.

"Onekit, from now on you will be known as Onepaw. Snowfeather, you are ready for an apprentice. You will be Onepaw's mentor." Snowfeather touched noses with Onepaw and they, too, stepped down.

"Tigerkit, from now on you will be known as Tigerpaw. Grasswater, you are ready for an apprentice. You will be Tigerpaw's mentor." The two touched noses and left.

"Thistlekit, from now on you will be known as Thistlepaw. Dawnbrook, you are ready for an apprentice. You will be Thistlekit's mentor." The two also touched noses. Rainkit noticed a proud, excited look in her sister's eyes. She looked glad to have the deputy as her mentor.

"And lastly, Rainkit. From now on, you will be known as Rainpaw. Scorchflower, you are ready for an apprentice. You will be Rainpaw's mentor." The dark orange she-cat stepped up to the Highledge and touched her nose to Rainpaw's. Rainpaw felt a surge of happiness and relief that she was becoming an apprentice. She was glad nothing happened to her at ShadowClan's camp.

She hopped down with her mentor, taking a seat with the other new apprentices. She expected the meeting to be over, but apparently, Froststar had more to say.

"Now, since all of the kits have become apprentices, that means that Moonleg and Brackenheart are once again ready to resume their position as warriors in ThunderClan. Thank you both for bringing such wonderful cats into our Clan." Froststar meowed, looking at the two queens.

The meeting ended, and Scorchflower led Rainpaw to the apprentice's den. "You can introduce yourself to all of the other apprentices. Tomorrow, I'll show you around to the borders. As for today, get to know the others, find a place to sleep, and get some rest. We're really going off with a bang tomorrow."

Rainpaw nodded and entered the apprentice's den sheepishly. She was nervous to meet all of her successors. In the den were only three of the five apprentices.

There was a sleek black she-cat who had blue eyes which looked like the sky. She looked at her with a smirk, her eyes looking up and down her tiny body. She looked at her steadily, noticing that Rainpaw could see the way she looked at her. She tried to act as if she was all innocent.

"Hi, I'm Rainpaw.... I'm new." She introduced herself-- awkwardly, at best.

"My name is Nightpaw." The snobby black she-cat meowed. She left the den, taking one final look at Rainpaw before she left.

One of the other apprentices, a newer one, rolled his eyes. He had brown fur with darker brown stripes. His green eyes looked like the color of grass in greenleaf. "Sorry about her. She thinks, just because she's the oldest in the den, she can judge every new apprentice. It happened to me. I'm Talonpaw."

There was another tom in the corner of the den. He was sitting there, in the darkness, looking at the ground. His fur, usually white like snow, was darkened to a deep gray color. His eyes, which were dark blue, showed sadness and grief.

"That's Breezepaw. He just lost his sister in the battle with ShadowClan. You missed it, since you were in ShadowClan the time of her burial." Talonpaw explained.

Rainpaw nodded, feeling sympathy. She could not, however, commiserate with him, because no one in her life was taken away from her. No one that was close to her, that is.

"Is there somewhere I can sleep?" She asked. Talonpaw nodded. "If you'd like, you can sleep next to me. It's better than sleeping next to that piece of crowfood Nightpaw. Plus, we can really make her mad by changing her spot." He answered with a jokingly-evil smile.

Rainpaw laughed. This tom was funny. She appreciated his kindness; it made her feel a little better to be a new apprentice in ThunderClan.

She took her spot and got comfortable. For most of the day, she talked to Talonpaw. They stayed up until a couple hours before moonhigh. She met the rest of the apprentices: A white tom named Loudpaw and a light brown tom named Beechpaw.

Rainpaw fell asleep, feeling Talonpaw's soft fur against hers. She fell asleep quickly, and dreamed about the Gathering and Icekit.