Pashpaw watched as the cats separated. Finalember suddenly trotted up and hit Pashpaw so hard he almost fell over. "Don't worry about him." Blackpaw whispered from behind him. "He doesn't like it when a cat not of warrior blood joins the clan. No one really knows why."
Pashpaw looked at his friend and nodded. Everything will be so different now, he thought as he looked around the camp. Cats, many of them, were mewing with no housefolk distractions.
No one calling you in for supper. No one keeping you locked in. No one feeding you gross food. This was different, everything was.
"Pashpaw, you okay?" Blackpaw broke Pashpaw's thoughts. "Yeah, Blackpaw. I'm fine. Just fine."
"C'mon, I'll show you the apprentices den." Blackpaw padded over to a fallen, hollowed-out tree and led Pashpaw inside. It was far bigger than he had imagined. Moss clung to the walls of the den, and in a corner was a clump of moss that looked like a bed.
"And this is where I sleep." Blackpaw continued as Pashpaw noticed the other clumps of moss, different scents coming from each.
"Of course, we must get our own bedding. As well as the Elders'."
"Elders?" Pashpaw asked, confused.
"Yes, the Elders are the oldest cats in the Clan. In Lakeclan there are only two, Icicleclaw and Forestplant. Don't worry," He added when he saw the worried expression on Pashpaw's face. "They're really nice. Icicleclaw will even tell you stories!"
As Pashpaw closely listened to what Blackpaw had to say, a third set of paws padded into the den.
"You, kittypet, have just won yourself a life-long nightmare!" Pashpaw whipped around to see none other than the beautiful Birdpaw yowling at him. "A kittypet! Fernstar must be really starved for apprentices if she let the likes of you into the clan!"
"What did I do?" Pashpaw asked, confused.
"You were born, Pashpaw! You'll pay for what you did to my uncle! I promise it!" And with a single flick of her tail, Birdpaw had left the apprentices' den without so much as a goodbye.
"Wow." Pashpaw meowed after she'd left.
"Pashpaw snap out of it! If you want to fight with Birdpaw, you must have a major death wish!" Blackpaw warned. Pashpaw knew his friend was right. He had to pay attention if he ever wanted to be loyal to his new Clan.
The two friends left the apprentices' den just in time to see a beaten-up tom leap into the Camp. Fernstar immediately rushed up to him. "Flashpaw, what happened?"
"They're coming!" The tom cried frantically as cats rushed around to see what the matter was.
"Who's coming?" Fernstar pressed on.
"StoneClan!"