Flamekit-Flamepaw's Pov.

I was sorting herbs Jaywing, I wanted to be a warrior, this stuff is still good to know though. I kept my ears pricked as I listened and sorted the juniper.

"Hazelclaw!" Darkkit whined, "Stonekit scratched me!" Hazelclaw padded over, "Did she? You poor thing" Hazelclaw purred.

"Darkkit, are you okay?" Yellowkit took a few steps towards him.

"Fine" Darkkit meowed.

"Stonekit you apologize right now!" Daisyclover, Stonekit, Yellowkit, and Icekit's mother, ordered.

"Darkkit, I'm sorry! I didn't mean too!" Stonekit meowed.

"It still hurt even if you didn't mean too" Darkkit returned.

"Flamekit! Come on! Time to share tongues!" Hazelclaw called me, I poked my head out of the Medicine Cat den, the medicine cat right now is Jaywing. His mentor, Tallpelt, passed away about a moon and a half ago.

"Not now! I'm helping Jaywing sort herbs!" I meowed through the brambles.

Hazelclaw let out a little mrrow of laughter. "Well when your done I want to see you!"

I turned around waving my stubby tail to show I had heard her.

"Jaywing, how come you decided to be a medicine cat?" I asked curious. I finished the juniper, and moved onto the daisy. Jaywing was sorting the coltsfoot, and tansy.

"I think it was because I didn't share the same type of feeling for battle as my siblings. My siblings would be fighting with claws, I would be fighting in a different way." he explained.

"Who are you siblings?"

"Sagestar, and Snowtrail. You can go now. I'm almost done. Thank you for your help!" Jaywing meowed.

I dipped my head, "Your welcome"

Me, Owlkit, Frostkit, Featherkit, and Darkkit were just reaching their 6th moon. We were sure to be apprenticed any day now. Stonekit, Yellowkit, and Icekit were at there 5th moon.

I poked my head out of the medicine cat enterance, A patrol was just coming back through the enterance, it consisted of: Ivywing, Snakepetal, her apprentice Birchpaw, Waveflight the deputy, and Snowpool. There fur was spiked, ears pricked, and eyes gleaming.

Sagestar bounded from her den scenting the patrols return. Waveflight's voice rang across the hollow. "Duskclan! Has crossed the border!" Sagestar leaped down from the giant oak.

Her den was a hollowed out hole in it. She bounded towards the patrol, immediately alert. "What happened?" Sagestar ordered, sitting in front of the patrol, her tail wrapped around her paws.

Waveflight began, "It was Birchpaw who sented them," Waveflight sent an approving nod at him. "He took the lead, and lend us to where he had sent it. Snakepetal followed the sent deep into the woods. We found the had scented a new territory line. On OUR territory!"

"We must prepare for a battle. No apprentice may go out alone. We will also issue a sunhigh patrol. As a result, we have 5 new apprentices I would like to name." Sagestar announced to the clan.

I ran over to where my brothers and sisters were. "She must mean us!

"Flamekit, Frostkit, Featherkit, Owlkit, and Darkkit are ready to become apprentices" Sagestar leaped up on Oak branch.

The clan gathered around as the kits padded forward, their eyes round with wonder.

"Darkkit, you have reached your sixth moon, and it's time for you to be apprenticed. From this day forward, until you recieve your warrior name, you shall be known as Darkpaw. Your mentor will be, Tanglepelt. I hope she will pass down all she knows onto you. Tanglepelt, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had an excellent mentor in Waveflight and you have shown yourself to be strong in battle, and clever. You will be mentor to Darkpaw and I trust you will pass on everything you know to him" Sagestar meowed. Darkpaw padded forward to meet his new mentor, both their eyes shining. They touched noses and Darkpaw sat at her side.

"Owlkit, you will be Owlpaw from this moment on till you recieve your warrior name. Vinefeather, you are ready for your first apprentice. You had a wonderful mentor in Snakepetal, and I trust you will pass on everything you know. Although you are still young, you have proved yourself to be wise, and smart." They touched noses, Vinefeather's eyes gleamed with pride. Owlpaw sat next to her mentor and the ceremony continued.

"Frostkit, you will be Frostpaw until you recieve your warrior name. Duskwhisker shall be your mentor." Sagestar turned to Duskwhisker, "You had a excellent mentor in Bramblelight, and I trust you will pass on your courage, and swiftness to Frostpaw." They repeated what the others have done, and she sat next to her mentor.

"Featherkit, you may be the smallest but you certainly will not be undermined in battle! From this moment till you recieve your warrior name, you shall be known as Featherpaw. Dawnheart shall be your mentor." Dawnheart purred from surprise and happiness as she padded up to her apprentice. "Dawnheart, you had a good mentor in Rosepetal, and I trust you will pass on your courage and quick mind to Featherpaw."

I stood in the clearing alone, my brothers and sisters already giving a mentor and apprentice name. I looked around the clearing, my eyes filled with wonder.

"Last, but certainly not least, Flamekit! Flamekit, until you have recieved your warrior name you shall be known as Flamepaw!" My amber eyes darted around the clearing trying to guess who my mentor would be. "Flamepaw, your mentor will be me. I hope to teach you the courage and cleverness, our old leader taught me, Aspenstar." We touched noses before sitting down.

"Flamepaw! Owlpaw! Frostpaw! Featherpaw! Darkpaw!" The clan yowled.

Sagestar waved her tail for silence after a few moments, "We have never had so many apprentices training at once. In a few moons time, Birchpaw, and Coalpaw shall be warriors. Around the same time, Icekit, and Snowkit will be apprenticed. Snowclan is strong, and we must let Duskclan, and the rest of the clans know it. know it. We will go to the gathering in a few days, proud of our clan." Sagestar yowled.

The clan leaped to there feet, yowling there aggreement. Sagestar beckenoed to Waveflight, and they jumped up onto the branch. Before they dissapeared into her den, she called to me, "Flamepaw! I will be out in a few moments, go choose your nest in your new den and then we'll visit tye territory!"

I dipped my head in reply, and went to the apprentice den. The other mentors and apprentices were going out to see the territory. I sniffed the enterance before she padded in, I saw Birchpaw and Coalpaw had placed there nests at the back of the dens. I saw a spot next to Coalpaw.

My heart leaped, I secretly had a crush on the handsome tom. I clawed some moss next to his next and decided to get some bracken later on. I rolled in the moss a little, letting the other apprentices know that this was my nest. I turned around and walked out of the den.

Hazelclaw, my mom, padded over, with Ravenstone, my father. There pelts brushed as the walked towards me, I padded up to them. I sat down, and they sat infront of me, "I'm very proud of you!" Hazelclaw purred.

I ducked my head in embarassment, and licked my flame colored chest fur a few times.

"You are going to have to try harder than most apprentices. Sagestar hasn't had an apprentice in a while, I trust that you will excell in your training" Ravestone meowed.

Hazelclaw, wacked him lightly with her paw, "Of course she will!"

"She will be safe in my paws, Ravenstone. Don't worry. I'll push her till her paws bleed!" At my face, she purred, "I'm kidding, I wouldn't do that!"

Ravenstone dipped his head, "Of course I was just making sure she knew how hard she would have to try"

"Come Flamepaw, it's time you see the territory!" Sagestar flicked her tail to the enterance, and padded away, I dipped my head to Hazelclaw, and Ravenstone before bounding after her as she headed out the enterance.

Our enterance was thorns, and bramble. Trust me when I say you don't want to go sniffing about in there or you just might end up covered in thorns. I should know, Owlkit dared me once, and I came out looking like a hedgehog! We both got a scolding for that one.

I cleared a rabbit hole as I caught up to Sagestar, she was waiting by a huge tree, covered in cherries. I skidded to a halt, Sagestar purring as I did.

"Flamepaw, this is Cherry Tree. It's been here since before the cland arrived, mind you, then it was only a sapling. I wouldn't try to eat them though!" Sagestar explained.

I nodded, "Where to next?" I asked excited. She nodded her head over to a hill, I raced off, she followed, easily running past me. She sat down, and I felt a different scent hit my nose.

"Sagestar, what is that scent? It doesn't smell good!" I whisked my tail over my nose, trying to block out the scent.

"You are smelling Leafclan. We're at the border right now. We'll follow it down, you may leave your scent marking, the border is getting stale" Sagestar left hers on a clump of bracken right on the border, I left mine near hers on a tree. She nodded and we padded down the border.

"Sagestar! What are you doing at the border?" a voice called.

Sagestar turned around, I whisked my head around seeing it was a Leafclan patrol. The fur on my shoulders began to stick up.

"Calm down, It's fine" Sagestar said near my ear. "Moonstar," Sagestar dipped her head.

"Sagestar," Moonstar replied curtly. "What are you doing at the border?"

"We aren't tresspassing if thats what you're wondering, I was showing Flamepaw, my new apprentice, the territory," Sagestar explained.

I dipped my head as Sagestar introduced me. I sat down on my haunches and licked my paw, brushing it across my face. Sagestar sat down also.

"Oh, I'm showing my apprentice the territory also, Mintpaw, come here!" Moonstar called.

Mintpaw bounded over, she was pale gray, with darker gray stripes. Her eyes were a bright green. She studied me, sizing me up, as I did the same. I nodded at her polietly, and she returned it.

Our leader watched our introduction with amusement. Moonstar, and Mintpaw sat down across from us.

I studied their territory, picking out good tactics if we ever battled against them. Their territory, had small trees, not high enough to climb. The forest floor seemed soft, not covered in leaves and brambles like ours.

I was broken out of my concentration when I heard Sagestar speak, "Well we must get along. I'll see you at the next gathering," Sagestar stood up, and so did I.

"Moonstar, Mintpaw," Sagestar dipped her head, and I copied. "Sagestar, Flamepaw," the leader, and apprentice copied.

Sagestar set off, veering away from the border, I followed her. She sat down until we were about 10 fox-lengths away from the border.

"I saw what you were doing, you were studying their territory. Usually older apprentices learn how to do that, but you are one step ahead. Now, what did you think?" Sagestar asked.

"Well, because the trees are short, we could not climb them, and jump down. But because their forest floor is soft we would be able to stalk through the ground easily. Also, because there is no brambles or bracken, they aren't used to forest fighting, so we could form a line behind them and drive them into the territory, but not too deep, and a few scratches from our claws AND brambles, then they would go running back into there territory, where they belong" I finished.

Sagestar nodded approvingly, "That's all very correct! Coalpaw, nor Birchpaw figured that out at least 3 moons into their training. We're going to stay away from Duskclan today, I sent Waveflight and a few warriors to remark the boundry in the correct spot, we will not be provoked." I nodded, hoping that the patrol didn't run into any trouble. Sagestar sat up and began walking down the border again, I got up and padded after her. "We're going to see where the clans gather."

"We're gonna see Gathering Rock?" I asked excitedly, bouncing in the spot.

Sagestar purred, "Yes," She flicked her tail, "Now come on!" she ran forward, setting a fast pace. I shot after her, soon I was coming up next to her, she halted as we reached it, and I stopped a fox tail length behind her.

"This is Gathering Rock, Why do you think we call it that?" She asked. I studied the clearing, and thought for a moment.

"Because there is a rock in the center, that the clan leaders stand on." I thought for another minuet, "Also, because the outside is covered in rocks, then there is trees, and then it looks like around the giant rock there is leaves and pine needles"

"Very good! If you can see all that from here, you clearly have the best eyesite in the clan!" Sagestar meowed.

I purred at her praise, before we set off again. I soon began to smell something. Somthing I was not familiar with.

"Sagestar, what is that disgusting smell?"

"That is the Thunderpath, we will see it shortly" A few paw steps later, we came upon a thunderpath. The smell hit you like a tree trunk before you could see it. I heard a distant rumbling, and a large shape blew by. I jumped back, my fur puffed up.

"Sagestar, was that a Monster?" I asked.

She nodded, "This thunderpath guards the edge of our territory. There is a tunnel leading underneathe it, so if in leafbare we are so prey poor I will every so often send out a patrol of 2-3 warriors to find prey."

I nodded, understandinf her point. She led us down a trail, and then I began to recognize some thing I had seen before, soon enough we were back at camp. We walked in through the barrier.

"You may get a piece of prey from the pile and eat with the other apprentices. Tomorrow we will begin hunting"

"Should I see if the elders want anything first?" I asked.

She thought for a moment, "The other apprentices may have already gotten to that, so no you don't have too"

I dipped my head, "Thank you Sagestar!"

I padded over to the fresh kill pile seeing it swelling with prey. It was hard to decide which to eat. After a moment or two, I chose a juicy looking Sparrow, and headed over to the apprentice den.

Birchpaw, and Coalpaw were already eating. My sibling weren't back yet, I shrugged, probably busy, I thought. I placed my sparrow on the ground near the other apprentices. I sat down in front of my choice of fresh-kill and took a large bite of it.

Coalpaw, looked up from his fresh-kill, and swallowed. "How was your first day as an apprentice?" he asked.

I swallowed before answering, "It was great!"

"The first time you see the territory is always the best" Birchpaw put in.

"It is" I aggreed.

"Not when you get to see it before dawn" Coalpaw grumbled.

I purred, "Did you have dawn patrol today?"

"Yes, nothing happens. We see the borders, remark them and come home"

"Well, something will have to happen soon with Duskclan moving the border"

He sighed, "Yes I guess you're right."

I finished my sparrow, the sun was setting behind the camp, I yawned loudly my siblings coming through the camp enterance carrying bundles of moss.

I purred with amusement, Coalpaw looked to where I was, "They've been collecting moss for the elders"

"Yes," I yawned again, "I'm going to get some sleep, I'm going hunting tomorrow!"

I pushed my way into the apprentice den, and sat on the clump of moss I gathered earlier. Birchpaw, and Coalpaw came in after me.

"Your siblings are going to be mad with you" Coalpaw purred.

"Why?" I asked, confused.

"The back of the den is always the most heated, so in leafbare we stay the warmest, where your siblings are gonna end up sleeping" he nodded towards the front of the den.

"Well to bad for them! They should've gotten here earlier!" I meowed.

I clawed some moss together and laid down on it. Coalpaw laid down, and moments later Birchpaw followed. I closed my eyes and slipped into a deep sleep, dreaming of catching mice.

A/N

I'm VERY sorry about how long it took to post this chapter! School work has been hectic for me! I've had 2 projects, about 3 major tests, and a million quizzes. Not to mention, what feels like forever, homework. I hope the next chapter will be posted much quicker!

Thanks!