"Follow me." says Leafdrift, then she and Darkpelt turn and disappear into the undergrowth.

I follow them through brambles, over logs, and around boulders, but stop when they come to a wide stream. Leafdrift is halfway across when she turns and sees me. "What's wrong?" I look at her and say in a barely audible mew, "I'm scared of water."

Darkpelt's already on the other side. He sneers, "I told you she was too soft."

Leafdrift shoots him a glare and comes back to the shore beside me. "Why?"

My mind drifts back to a moon ago. "I was playing with a leaf and it floated into a pond. I tried to reach it and-" I stop to swallow, then continue. "And I fell in. It was wet and I couldn't breathe and-" I stop again, shivering. "I can't. I'm sorry." I feel her press her fur against mine comfortingly.

She mews softly in my ear, "We'll find another way across. Alright?" I turn to face her. Her blue eyes meet mine reassuringly. I nod, get up and walk down the bank with her. And she explains the whole clan thing.

"There are four clans, MistClan, EarthClan, LeafClan and DeathClan." I turn to her.

"DeathClan?"

She nods grimly. "DeathClan has always been trying to take over the forest. And they don't care how." Then she changes the subject. "We're part of EarthClan."

In the time it took to walk to camp, she explained how everyone in the clan helps each other and the whole naming system.

"So, if I get accepted into EarthClan, I get a name?"

"Yes." Leafdrift replies. "And when you're old enough, you'll have a mentor and, hopefully, you'll become a warrior."

Hopefully?

When she's finished talking, we are in front of a wall of hedges with one opening. She walks up to it and ducks inside. "This way."

I follow her, and when I get through, I see a really big camp. Straight across from the opening I just came through, there's a small cave, which Leafdrift is walking towards.

"Stay here." She calls over her shoulder. Not like I'm going anywhere.

While I'm looking around the camp, a kit about my age slams into me and knocks me over. She's white with thin black stripes and she has blue eyes. "Sorry. I didn't see you. I'm Birchkit. What's your name?" Her eyes are sparkling and friendly, but I'm still kinda wary.

"I don't know."

Her face changes from cheerful to confused. "How could you not know? Didn't your mother name you?"

I shake my head. "I can't remember my mother."

"If you can't remember your mother, then-" She gets cut off by Leafdrift. "Hello Birchkit. I see you've found our newest clan member."

Birchkit turns towards Leafdrift. "Clan member?" Leafdrift nods. That's when I notice the other cat. He's a rocky gray, muscular and has amber eyes. His voice matches his appearance, strong and authorative. "Birchkit, why don't you go and play with the other kits?" Birchkit knew it wasn't a request.

"Yes, Boulderstar." She walks to another part of the camp and I focus on Boulderstar. "I'm the Clan's leader." He begins. "Leafdrift told me that you don't have anywhere to go." I shake my head. He continues, "If you join the clan, you will have to be loyal, even at the cost of your life. You will have to put the needs of the clan before your own. Are you sure you want to join?"

"Yes."

He looks at Leafdrift, and she nods. He then walks towards a large rock in the middle of camp. He leaps onto it and calls, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around Highrock for a clan meeting."

After he says that, most of the cats in the clearing gather around Highrock (duh). Leafdrift nudges me towards Highrock and steers me towards the front of the crowd. Then Boulderstar starts speaking.

"Today, our warriors, Leafdrift and Darkpelt, found a stray and starving kit wandering around the forest. This kit has never had a home or known her mother. Out of the kindness of their hearts, Leafdrift and Darkpelt brought her here and offered her a home. Unlike some clans, we do not harm cats who cannot defend themselves, nor do we turn away any cat that needs our help. So I ask you, cats of EarthClan, to accept this orphaned and hungry kit into our clan and treat her as if she were clan-born."

Behind me, I hear all (I'm serious, all of them) of the cats say yes. Boulderstar looks directly at me, and continues "Then, with the approval of this clan, I hereby name this kit," He pauses and tilts his head, as if listening to voices no other cat can hear. "Thunderkit. Welcome to the clan. May you learn courage, kindness, and most of all, loyalty."

Leafdrift nudges my shoulder. "Follow me." She leads me into a hole that leads to a den. "This is the nursery. You'll stay here until you're old enough to be an apprentice." Then she turns and leaves.

"Hey, it's you!" I turn, and it's Birchkit. She's smiling. "So, what's you name?"

I smile back. "Thunderkit."