Chapter One
Flamekit/paws POV
"Sit up straight, Amberkit! Stop fidgeting, Flamekit, and let me tidy you up! You'll humiliate yourself with such dirty pelts, StarClan forbidd. Amberkit, stop mumbling! Your about to be an apprentice!" I sighed. Of course I was fidgeting. I was about to become an apprentice! Our mother, Rainwing, began to groom me, her green eyes frantic.
"All cats old enough to chase prey, come forth to the Hightree!" Moonstar's summons startled me. Rainwing backed away, her white pelt fluffed up in pride. And a bit of terror.
"Today, two kits will become apprentices. Flamekit, and Amberkit. She paused, looking down at us with pride in her eyes. "Flamekit, step forward."
I felt frozen. I stood and slowly walked to the front, eyes wide.
"Your mentor will be Mosswing. Mosswing, I trust you will pass on your common sense and great hunting skills to this kit. Apprentice. Flamepaw."
"And Amberkit, you will be known as Amberpaw. Your mentor is now Darkwhisker. Darkwhisker, I hope you will carry your climbing and fighting skills to this young apprentice."
"Flamepaw! Amberpaw! Flamepaw! Amberpaw!"
I turned to talk to Amberpaw, expecting to see her blue eyes shining with happiness, but she wasn't there. I craned my head to the side as far as my tiny body would let me, and spotted Amberpaw talking to Coldpaw and Featherfoot, the medicine cat and medicine cat apprentice, as well as Darkwhisker.I sighed. Happily.
"Hey, Flamepaw! Want to go and see the territory with us?" I heard Amberpaw shouting. I padded over to Amberpaw and Darkwhisker, and Mosswing followed lightly. "Sure, we can," Mosswing said softly.
"Yay!" I squeaked, a bit ridiculously high-pitched. I was still a bit self-conscious from the ceremony.
Mosswing turned and trotted away, and I quickly followed. I was running, even. I was so determined on beating Amberpaw outside that I didn't realize the huge boulders in front of me were really there until I bomped my nose on them. Looking up, I noticed Mosswing standing at the top, her brown tabby pelt fluffed with amusement. I'll show her! I jumped as high as I could, grabbed a crack, and let Mosswing help me up the rest of the way. "Nice job," she mewed, impressed.
I felt Darkwhisker leap up beside me, and Amberpaw scramble up, less then graceful, but really I didn't notice. The view from here was amazing. The trees and boulders of MoonClan, the pine trees and marshes of PineClan, the valleys and small brush of FernClan, the rivers and streams of the distance, you could even see mountains. It was even better then the elders said.
"Wow," I heard Amberpaw breathe.
"Come," Mosswing commanded. We turned in unison to see our mentors a few tail-lengths away. We quickly bounded after them, side by side, letting the forms of trees and boulders whip past us until the mentors and I skidded to a stop. Amberpaw wasn't as lucky and went plummeting into me, which knocked me over. I got up, shaking my fur, and stared at the tree in front of us.
It had to be three times bigger then the biggest boulder. It was narrow. It was silver.
"Apprentices, this is the Silver Oak."
In a second, Amberpaw leaped forward. "Let me climb it!" Her brown-and-black-dappled coat was puffed with excitement. Darkwhisker turned, an impish look in his eyes. "Sure... but watch me first!"
Darkwhisker suddenly jumped upward at the tree, landing on a very narrow branch that swayed with his weight. Finding random pawholds such as a knothole, a piece of peeling bark and a even narrower branch, he shimmied up the tree until he found a steady branch. Amberpaw looked up at her mentor, determination lighting up her gaze. I shrugged. Seemed safe enough.
Mosswing looked worred, though. She looked at her brother anxiously. "Are you sure? What if Amberpaw falls!" she fretted. I rolled my eyes. "Mosswing, can I go up with Amberpaw? I can probably stay on that branch," I said, flicking my tail at the narrow branch Darkwhisker had used as a pawhold. I had always been the smallest kit, and the lightest too. My mentor hesitated, but eventually nodded. "Yay!" I said enthusiastically.
Amberpaw walked forward, and I could see how determined she was to make this right. I watched as she bounded up, pushing against the branch and shooting upward, landing beside Darkwhisker. She turned to me, her eyes bright with excitement.
"Wow!" Darkwhisker was impressed. "Your a natural!"
Mosswing relaxed next to me. "Go ahead, Flamepaw. You can do it."
I padded to the tree, examining it. I jumped, grabbing the narrow branch with my forepaws, scrabbling up clumsily before I got used to it and bounded up as gracefully as Amberpaw. I swooped down, landing on the thin branch. I looked past Amberpaw longingly, back at Mosswing, and grinned when I saw her regretful nod. I knew she knew what I meant.
I pushed myself up, jumping with both hind legs off of the branch, and I turned my head slightly to give Amberpaw a smug glance when I passed her. I sat down on the next branch. It was miniscule, but it didn't sway against my tiny weight. I heard an outraged hiss from Amberpaw, and I heard her scuffle up to be next to me. "No! Amberpaw! No!" I screeched. But it was too late.
The branch cracked and gave way, and I tumbled down. I saw Amberpaw cling on to the tree trunk, and I saw her shocked expression as the ground became ominously closer. That was all I saw before blackness overcame me.
Amberpaw's POV
"No! Amberpaw! No!"
I wrinkled my face in disgust. Flamepaw, of course, was trying to be ahead of me. Just like always. But this time, I wasn't letting her. I ignored her calls and carefully shimmied up, and sat down next to her. But her eyes were round with genuine fear- what was it?
I heard a crack, and screeched, digging my claws into the tree. I watched in horror as Flamepaw tumbled down, the branch going with her. Of course- the stick had only been thin enough for Flamepaw. Also known as The Lightweight Wonder.
I shimmied down, falling onto the branches until I could jump onto a mossy spot. I sprinted to Mosswing, terrified at the cold fear in her eyes. "Whats... whats wrong?
Darkwhisker stared at me, eyes wide.
"She... she landed on the only space without moss. It should've been fine..."
Then she moved Flamepaw slightly, and I looked in horror at the place she had landed.
It was a bramble bush.

I ignored the stares as we hoisted Flamepaw to the medicine cat den. Thank StarClan that she was so light. Coldpaw peered out of the medicine den, then rushed over and looked up at us, fright in his green gaze. I've seen enough frightened looks today. I felt a numbing emptiness inside me.
A cat had almost been killed on her first day of being an apprentice. And that cat happened to be my sister.
Flamepaw's POV
I'm not sure how I woke up. I think it was the needles of pain shooting through my back. I groaned and regretfully opened my eyes, seeing a long-furred grey paw in front of my nose. Featherfoot.
"You're awake?" she asked gently. I nodded weakly. "You fell into a patch of brambles. As long as you dont get the wounds infected, it will be fine. Coldpaw, bring some marigold and cobwebs." I saw Coldpaw's white paw flash out with a layer of yellow flowers, and Featherfoot picked them up. Cobwebs covered my wounds, and I winced as marigold got smothered onto them. It stung, making the pain even worse..
Suddenly, I felt hot with embarrasment. I would probably be known as Flamepaw, The Legendary Bramble Survivor. I closed my eyes, and I scented Amberpaw. "Go away. I'm asleep," I mumbled. Amberpaw purred and nudged me. "Don't worry, Flamepaw, you'll be fine." I suddenly felt less embarrassed and I closed my eyes, sinking into sleep.