Chapter 1

Milliekit blinked and opened her eyes wide. There was some sort of movement going on by the fresh-kill pile. She got up and padded over, only to find her littermate Kestrelkit, and Mintkit playing.

"What are you doing?" she asked sleepily.

"We're training for when we become Apprentices!" Kestrelkit replied.

Milliekit stopped suddenly. From the day Kestrelkit could speak, she had been going on about how much she wanted to be a Warrior! Milliekit didn't want to be a warrior though. She wanted to be a Medicine cat! She had seen Darkstripe the day Hollyleaf's kits were born, and she had longed since that day to do the same sort of stuff he did.

"Fine, mess about in the grass. Don't blame me when Tawnypelt and Hollyleaf get angry at you for being dirty right before the ceremonies!" she teased.

"Well, then Tawnypelt will be angry with you, too!" Kestrelkit answered. She leapt towards Milliekit and knocked her over. Milliekit stood up with her fur fluffed out.

"That's it! Payback time…"

She ran into the cave and hid in between two jagged rocks to wait for her littermate. Soon Milliekit heard the soft plod of paws walking along the cave floor.

1… 2… she counted silently. At three she sprung out of her hiding place and slammed into Kestrelkit. Kestrelkit squealed with surprise and rolled over onto her back. Milliekit grinned at her littermate's reaction, and, satisfied, wandered towards the entrance of the cave.

"Kestrelkit! Milliekit! What are you doing in there?"

"Uh oh, it's Tawnypelt! Run!" Milliekit pelted out of the cave with her sister by her side. Kestrelkit eventually stopped when they had reached their nest, but Milliekit kept going. Soon she was by the Medicine cat nest, and she stopped. Panting, she curled up in the nest and went to sleep.

A few hours later, Milliekit woke up to find Tawnypelt gently nudging her.

"It's time to go up to the camp," she said "because it's time for your Apprentice Ceremony."

Milliekit got up and leaped over to the back entrance with joy. She followed her mother with her littermates as they set off up to the camp. When they arrived they saw the whole clan gathered in front of the High Rock. Their mothers released them, and they ran up to the base of the rock to sit down. Eventually Whitestar leapt up onto the High Rock.

"We are gathered here today for the naming of these apprentices." Whitestar called. He then turned to face Kestrelkit.

"I, Whitestar, leader of WindClan, call upon our ancestors Skyclan for a favour. SkyClan, I ask you to name Kestrelkit as an apprentice. She will accept the name of Kestrelpaw. Kestrelpaw will be mentored by Hollyleaf, until it is her time to become a warrior."

Then Tawnypelt took up a chant. "Kestrelpaw! Kestrelpaw! Kestrelpaw!" and soon everyone was chanting Kestrelpaw's new name. Then Whitestar turned to Milliekit.

"Is it you wish, Milliekit, to become a Medicine Cat apprentice?"

"It is." Milliekit replied, shaking slightly.

"And do you realize that you may not fight nor train with your clan mates as long as you take this role?"

"I do."

"Then I give you your apprentice name, Milliepaw. Your mentor is the current Medicine cat Darkstripe." And then the clan took up the chant again, except this time they were calling Milliepaw's name. Whitestar then gave all the other kits their apprentice names and mentors.

"Milliepaw! Meet me by the Medicine cat burrow!" someone called as the clan bustled about their daily life. Milliepaw looked around, and spotted Darkstripe beckoning to her with his tail.

"See you Milliekit- err, Milliepaw." She turned around and saw Longpaw facing her.

"Yeah, good luck with your training!" Milliepaw answered as she went over to the Medicine Cat's burrow. Before she had even reached the entrance, she smelled herbs. Lots and lots of herbs.

"Ah, you're here. Let's get started." Darkstripe said from the shadows as Milliepaw entered the burrow.

"Now, why did you wish to become a Medicine Cat apprentice?" her mentor asked.

"Well… I've always been fascinated by how controlled you are, and when I watched you help Hollyleaf give birth, I knew straight away that I was destined here. I feel so powerful when I imagine myself as the clan's Medicine Cat, looking out for others, caring and nurturing the sick and wounded. Plus, I love the smell of these herbs!" Milliepaw answered carefully.

She turned to Darkstripe to see him nodding approvingly.

"Very good. Do you know what herb I used to help your mum's and Hollyleaf's milk come?" he said with a glint in his eye. "Find it and bring it back to me."

Milliepaw strained to remember what the herb he had used had smelled like. Suddenly she remembered the scent, and with it fixed firmly in her mind, she sniffed each pile of herbs. Some smelt really nice, while other herbs made her want to throw up. Finally, Milliepaw came to the last batch of herbs. That was the one! She pulled out a bit, and trotted happily over to Darkstripe.

"Well done Milliepaw. I see you have passed the test for remembering. Now I will give you a test of no particular importance." He answered. "What is this herb called?"

Milliepaw gasped. How was she meant to know that? Suddenly she blacked out.

Milliepaw awoke, and stood up trembling. She wasn't surrounded by the dirt walls of the Medicine Cat burrow, and she didn't see any cats. In fact, she didn't see anything that resembled home! Starting to panic, she closed her eyes. When she was calm she opened them again. Standing in front of her was a cat.

"Hello young one. I am Yellowfang. I was the first Medicine Cat just as you will be the fifth. I am from SkyClan. Do you see that rock up there?"

Milliepaw nodded vigorously. She's talking with a Medicine Cat!

"Can you not speak, kitten? A polite 'hello' would be fine enough."

"S…s…sorry. I… I have never spoken w…wi…with a Sky…Sky… SkyClan cat be…before!" she stammered. She wanted to run, but she couldn't move her paws.

"Oh dear, I'm afraid we've gotten off on the wrong paw. Wait here a second…" and Yellowfang sprinted off into the sky.

Milliepaw suddenly felt stupid for feeling afraid. That was her chance to speak with Skyclan itself, and to ask someone a question she had been yearning to ask forever! She shrugged sadly, and sat down with her tail curled around her paws.

In what seemed two lifetimes, Yellowfang was back, except this time with another SkyClan Cat.

"Hello, who are-" Milliepaw stopped in mid-track. She knew that cat!

"Hello, Milliepaw, my apprentice." The cat said.

"Hi Darkstripe. I know what the herb is called." Milliepaw answered with certainty.

"Oh? And what is it?" he questioned.

"Borage. Borage is used to help Queens with their milk."

Darkstripe's eyes shot open wide. He glanced at Yellowfang, and she nodded.

"Should she know about it?" he said almost too quietly for Milliepaw to hear. Yellowfang replied even quieter, so Milliepaw looked around to take in what she saw. She was in a field of grass, and she was surrounded by trees. In one direction a hill rose high above the trees, and on the very top of that hill was a white rock. It looked about two or three tail lengths wide. When she turned her attention back on the cats, Milliepaw realised that they were waiting for her.

"You are about to receive your first prophecy from SkyClan, little one." Darkstripe said softly. "So pay great attention to what she shows you." then he stalked off into the distance.

Clouds started gathering around them, and Milliepaw soon realised that they were clouds of tears and blood. Yellowfang turned into a black cat with ragged red stripes running down her back, and lightning flashed down from the sky. She heard a tiger's roar in the distance, and shrieked. She heard a low, loud voice speaking, and turned to see that it was coming from Yellowfang.

"A jagged edge is among the chosen, and unnecessary blood shall be spilt until the jagged edge is smoothed."

In a flash Milliepaw was lying on the sandy floor of the camp. She sensed many cats around her, anxious and worried. She opened her eyes and stood up, wobbling. Her legs buckled, and she landed hard on the floor.

"Everyone, get out of the way!" Darkstripe cried, shoving his way through. "Are you ok? Get up. Come on, it's just the first shock of black out. You'll be fine." He murmured to Milliepaw.

Millipaw heaved herself up, and shivered in fright.

"A jagged edge is among the chosen, and unnecessary blood shall be spilt until the jagged edge is smoothed." She whispered. Her first prophecy…