Chapter 2

"Bramblestar?" Jayfeather stood in front of the den, Dewkit next to him, who was bouncing up and down in excitement.

"Yes?" Out of the gloom, amber eyes opened and Bramblestar padded out of his den.

"Dewkit wishes to be my apprentice. Is that okay with you?" Jayfeather tried to hold Dewkit still with his tail.

Bramblestarblinked. "Dewkit?" He looked down at the excited kit. "Well, you are enthusiastic enough."

Dewkit tried to contain himself. "I really, really, really want to be Jayfeather's apprentice, Bramblestar. Please, oh please?"

Bramblestar narrowed his eyes and turned to Jayfeather. "We have to discuss this first. Come with me. Dewkit, you can go back and tell your littermates about it."

Dewkit gave a little squeak and ran off. Jayfeather and Bramblestar strolled out of the camp, into the woods where no one would overhear them.

"Jayfeather, I think Dewkit can be your apprentice, but there's something I have something to tell you." Bramblestar took a deep breath. "When I was getting my nine lives, Firestar told me—"

Jayfeather reached into his mind. A vision of Firestar flared in front of him, Bramblestar crouched before him. "With this life, I give you courage. You will need it to lead your clan through…"

Firestar broke off, staring at an unseen horror. Bramblestar turned around, and gasped with disbelief. The ground was splitting, cracks reaching through the ground. Huge creatures leaped out, their fur rough and shaggy, eyes glinting with madness. Cats wailed as they were thrown aside by the trampling beasts. Some lay motionless on the ground.

Firestar's voice echoed in Bramblestar's mind. Bear in mind, three of them shall save the Clans. Bear this in mind. The memory faded. Bramblestar looked at Jayfeather questioningly. "Do you know what it means?"

Jayfeather shrugged. "Not really, and I doubt the three mean us. Something tells me the three will be from the thing that threatens us. Three of them, not us. Just be patient, and remember Starclan is always at your side."

Bramblestar nodded reluctantly. "Fine. Now," he added, "I expect you'll want to tell your news to Dewkit."

Jayfeather's ears pricked. Bramblestar's prophecy had driven everything else from his mind. Now a surge of excitement ran through him. He was going to be a mentor!

"Amberkit, Dewkit, Snowkit." Bramblestar's voice rang clearly out through the crisp morning air. "You have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. Amberkit, from this day on, until you receive your warrior name, your name will be Amberpaw. Your mentor will be Ivypool.

"Ivypool, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Cinderheart, and you have shown yourself to be courageous and loyal to the extreme. You will be the mentor of Amberpaw, and I expect you to pass all you know to this apprentice."

Ivypool's eyes gleamed. "I will, Bramblestar." She and Amberpaw touched noses.

"Snowkit, from this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Snowpaw. Your mentor will be Whitewing.

"Whitewing, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You received excellent training from Brackenfur, and you have shown yourself to be intelligent and wise. You will be the mentor of Snowpaw, and I expect you to pass all you know to this apprentice."

"I will." Whitewing walked solemnly up to the front and touched noses with Snowpaw.

Jayfeather took a deep breath. It was his turn now. He stepped up to the front and turned to look at the clan. "Cats of Thunderclan, as you know, I will not be around forever. So it's time I took an apprentice. I have chosen a cat who has shown determination in this role. Your next medicine cat will be Dewpaw"

Bramblestar turned to Dewkit. "Dewpaw, do you accept the post of medicine cat to Jayfeather?"

Dewpaw bobbed his head. "I—I do."

"Then at the half-moon, you must travel to the Moonpool to be accepted by Starclan before the other medicine cats." Jayfeather felt hot with pride as he touched noses with his apprentice.

"The good wishes of Thunderclan go with you." Bramblestar lifted his head. "Amberpaw! Snowpaw! Dewpaw!"

The rest of the clan followed. "Dewpaw! Amberpaw! Snowpaw!"

It was the best day of Jayfeather's life.