Well, here it is! The fourth chapter - finally! R&R...Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors...

The days of mine and Darkkit's punishment dragged by as we spent our time confined in the nursery, being 'good little kits.' It wasn't as bad as it could've been; the only thing we missed out on was the news and general bustle of the center of camp as warriors trooped in and out. It wasn't much to miss out on…really. It could have been a lot worse.

Most of the cats forgot about our punishment after a little while, and the fascination of two kits sneaking out of camp to go to a Gathering gradually wore off on the rest of the kits. After the first inquiry about the Gathering, no one dared mention it again.

It was the morning after the Gathering, and news of our little journey had spread like wildfire. I'd barely woken up when Lionkit was in my face, firing questions off at wind-speed. "What was it like? Were there any fights? Was there a sign from StarClan? What did the other leaders look like? Were the other Clans hostile? Did the leaders argue?" Eaglekit joined in, and Darkkit eagerly loped over to answer the questions. I was even beginning to enjoy the attention, but just as I was about to answer the third or so question, Mother had to break in.

"Be quiet! I don't want to hear another word about the Gathering, do you understand? Or else I'll have you two share the same punishment as these two. You're not to mention this Gathering, or I'll have your tails off at the slightest mew from you. Do you understand?"

That was unnecessary. Of course we understood, but no one dared peep until Mother looked away. After that, we stuck to her words; not even the word Gathering was mentioned. So Clan life went on – ordinarily, and for me and Darkkit, boringly.

But things weren't boring for long. Two moons passed – slowly, yeah, but they passed – and, finally, finally, finally the time for our apprenticeship arrived. Newleaf had arrived and Clan life had been nearly perfect. Of course, there were several threats from other Clans, but prey was returning and food was no longer scarce.

"Got you, Lionkit!" I cried, leaping out from a bush and taking my brother by surprise. We were trying to sneak up on the other and so far, I'd succeeded. "You're going to have to improve your hearing if you ever want to catch me!"

"No, I don't!" Lionkit began chasing me around the area by the nursery, but again, he couldn't catch me. I was stealthier and swifter than he was…but he was stronger.

"Who's got who now, Stormkit?" Lionkit teased as he held me down. I struggled but he kept me in place.

I snarled playfully, not willing to admit that Lionkit had me trapped in a corner. Lionkit opened his mouth to say something, no doubt to make me admit he had me well and truly trapped, but before he could speak, Twilightstar approached us, and immediately Lionkit released me and I sprang to my paws, ducking my head in a sign of respect to my leader.

"You did well," Twilightstar said, eyes twinkling. She seemed to have completely forgotten my adventure to the Gathering. "I saw how you crept up on Lionkit, and stayed ahead of him, Stormkit, and Lionkit, you timed your attack well. The Clan needs your strength in battle. The time has come for you to become apprentices."

My heart did a leap of joy, but I forced myself to keep calm. "Thank you, Twilightstar. But we aren't quite six moons yet…aren't you supposed to be apprenticed at six moons?"

Twilightstar shrugged. "Shiningface's kits are six moons, and you're just a week or so away. It'd be easier to do one big apprenticeship. Besides…" she gave me and Lionkit a long, but fond, look. "You're ready. I'm sure of it. Your ceremony will be at sunhigh." Then she left.

As soon as she was gone I pounced on Lionkit. "Apprentices, apprentices, we're going to be apprentices!" I sang, and Lionkit tossed me off playfully, taking up my chant. It wasn't long before Darkkit, Silverkit and Eaglekit had joined Lionkit and me, all of us jumping up and down and singing. Shiningface and Mother watched, part amusement, part pride. "Congratulations, my kits," Mother said, approaching me, Lionkit and Eaglekit, nuzzling us lovingly. "I'm so proud of you, you know that, right?"

"Of course, Mother!" Lionkit said, wriggling free. "You tell us that nearly every day!"

Mother let out a purr of amusement. "All right, all right," she said. "But that doesn't make me any less proud."

Sunhigh could not come fast enough, and I was soon itching with impatience. Then the yowl sounded from the Highrock. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather under the Highrock for a Clan meeting!"

Warriors, elders, and apprentices crowded underneath the Highrock, and Mother gave each of us a final lick to make sure we looked our best.

"This sunhigh, we gather here to name five new apprentices. Come forward, all of you," Twilightstar said, beckoning with her tail. I stepped forward, trembling, but I couldn't contain my excitement and it took all of my self-control not to leap forward like an excited kit. I was an apprentice now, almost, I reminded myself.

"From this day forward, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice will be called Darkpaw," Twilightstar said, gazing at Darkkit – Darkpaw, now. "Hawkcry, you had a mentor in myself, and are ready for your next apprentice. You trained Sharktooth, and I expect you to train your new apprentice just as well as you trained him. Pass on all you learned from me to Darkpaw, as I know you will." Hawkcry looked at Darkpaw proudly before leaning down to touch noses with his new apprentice.

"Lionkit, you next," Twilightstar said, looking down at my brother who stepped forwards on legs that were shaking from excitement. "From this day forward, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice will be called Lionpaw." Twilightstar spoke the ritual words again. "Sharktooth, you had a fine mentor in Hawkcry and are ready for your first apprentice. You are one of the best hunters our Clan knows and I expect you to pass on all you know to Lionpaw."

Sharktooth looked pleasantly surprised as he stepped forwards and touched noses gently with Lionpaw, who was positively glowing with pride. Then they stepped back to let the ceremony continue.

I was itching to go next, but Twilightstar motioned for Silverkit to step forward. She did so, head bowed. Twilightstar spoke the ancient words and named Whitestripe as her mentor. The two touched noses and stepped back to join Lionpaw and Sharktooth and Darkpaw and Hawkcry.

Me next, me next! I wanted to shout out, but Eaglekit was told to approach Twilightstar. Rushingwind became Eaglepaw's new mentor, and the two went through the ritual motions and stepped back.

I tingled all over as Twilightstar motioned me to come forwards. I stepped high, head held proudly. I hoped I didn't look arrogant, but Twilightstar's expression was soft, not stern, as she began the final apprentice ceremony. "From this day forward, until she has earned her warrior name, this apprentice will be called Stormpaw." Twilightstar turned to the cats facing her. "Mistpelt, you had a fine mentor in Grayfoot, who now hunts in StarClan. I expect you to pass on every bit of knowledge that he taught you to Stormpaw."

A proud expression crept across my mentor's face as she stepped forward and touched my nose gently. I quivered softly. Stormpaw, Stormpaw, Stormpaw, I'm Stormpaw! My brain was singing, but I stayed silent, though it was taking every ounce of will I had just to keep my mouth shut.

"Stormpaw!" It burst out of my mouth before I could stop myself, and immediately I flushed with embarrassment and hung my head low. Two seconds as an apprentice and I'd already humiliated myself. Typical me.

Luckily, no one laughed as they began the chant, "Darkpaw! Lionpaw! Silverpaw! Eaglepaw! Stormpaw!" The cats swarmed forward, congratulating us, our mentors, all of us. Mother gave me such a hard lick I thought all my fur would come off.

"Mo-ther," I hissed. "I'm an apprentice, not a baby, remember?"

"I know, I know, but you're still my kit, my kit-turned-apprentice, and I'm so proud of you," Mother purred.

"You said that already!"

"Alright, I won't embarrass you any more," Mother said good-naturedly and hurried off to Eaglepaw.

I turned to Mistpelt. "I really embarrassed myself back there, didn't I?"

"I wouldn't worry about it." There was a gleam in Mistpelt's ice-blue eyes. "When I was made an apprentice I actually yowled 'I'm Mistpaw!' so loudly StarClan probably heard me. And since I was the only one being apprenticed everyone laughed. You got lucky – there were so many kits turned apprentices today no one remembers, probably."

I heaved a sigh of relief and Mistpelt chuckled. "Well, no time like the present to begin apprentice duties!"

"Yes!" I squealed, and flushed again. But again Mistpelt only purred with pure amusement.

"I've never yet met an apprentice so eager to do her duties. Well, how about taking some fresh-kill to the elders? You can hang around their den for the rest of the day; make sure they don't need anything. Besides, I know you apprentices are always eager as a kit for a story."

"Yes, right away." I nodded and sped off towards the fresh-kill pile. With immense pride and what I hoped was grace, I picked up a mouse and a vole, the fattest of the lot, and trotted off to the elder's den.

"Ah, Stormpaw," Cloudedeye mewed in a voice cracking with age. "Congratulations on your apprenticeship. I remember my own…" He drifted off, and then noticed the mouse that I dropped in front of him respectfully. "I hope that's for me!" He said, his one eye widening.

"Yes, Cloudedeye," I said, smiling at the pleasure I brought him before pushing the vole to Sparrowfeather. "This is yours."

"Oh, great," Sparrowfeather said, bending down to crunch on it enthusiastically. Sparrowfeather wasn't that old, she had retired a little after I was kitted. There were few elders these days, just the two of them. Thistlepatch had died of greencough a little before I had been kitted.

"Do you need anything else?" I asked, trying to be the picture of supreme politeness.

"I could do with some water – do you think you can bring me some?" Sparrowfeather asked, gulping down what seemed to be a tough mouthful of vole. "This is awfully dry."

I must have looked guilty for Sparrowfeather quickly amended, "Of course, it's not your fault. You can't see if something's dry without tasting it and I'd rather have a whole, dry, unbitten vole than a juicy bitten one."

"I could use something for aching joints," Cloudedeye said, curling up and one good eye blinking. He blinked a couple times before continuing. "Could you fetch something from Leaftouch for me?"

"No problem, Sparrowfeather, Cloudedeye," I said, nodding to each. "I'll be back in a minute."

I decided to make Leaftouch my first destination – after all, Cloudedeye was the oldest elder, the oldest cat in ThunderClan. Approaching the den, I saw Thorntalon go limping out with cobwebs covering his lower left leg.

"I'm fine, Leaftouch," he called over his shoulder.

"If you think so," Leaftouch's gentle voice floated over, doubt-filled. "I know how eager you are go get back into action – StarClan knows every warrior is – but I'd prefer you to lie low, at least for the next couple of days."

When Thorntalon looked as if he was about to reply, Leaftouch added, more sternly, "That was a medicine cat's order, Thorntalon." The black tom grumbled and shrugged.

"I'm not hurt that badly."

"That badger gashed you up pretty badly, it must have been nearly twice your size, Thorntalon. You're lucky you escaped with only a scratch. I'd limit your activities to apprentice training and hunting. No patrols for you for a while."

Thorntalon grumbled something discontented under his breath and limped away.

Leaftouch laughed, and I wanted to as well. Thorntalon had always been one of the more stubborn warriors, so independent. He was one of the best fighters and he hated to be out of action for a second. He'd go on fighting without a head if he could.

"Yes, what do you want, Stormpaw?" Leaftouch asked, seeing me.

"Well…Cloudedeye says he has aching joints, and he sent me to get something for them," I said as confidently as I could.

"Aching joints, huh?" Leaftouch said, already retreating into her den. "He'll be needing ragwort leaves and juniper berries – give me a second, and I'll give you a poultice."

I waited patiently outside the medicine cat's den, trying to ignore the rather bitter scent of the poultice Leaftouch was preparing. Turning my head, I saw Lionpaw chatting to one of the older apprentices, Duskpaw. She said something and he blushed. I'd have to tease him later.

"Here you go, Stormpaw," Leaftouch dropped the poultice in front of me and I picked it up gingerly between my teeth, trying not to breathe in the foul smell.

"Thanks, Leaftouch," I meowed through my mouthful of poultice.

"No problem, Stormpaw." Stormpaw. I couldn't hear my new name enough. A twinkle entered Leaftouch's amber eyes. "Mind you, I bet you're not so cheerful after a few weeks of being an apprentice. Apprentice duties quickly become wearisome, I should know. I've seen enough apprentices grumbling about fetching herbs." Leaftouch meowed a good bye and retreated into the shadows of her den.

Carrying the poultice back to the elder's den, I dropped it in front of Cloudedeye. "Here you go," I said, trying to be cheerful.

Cloudedeye grunted his thanks.

"Now what was it you wanted?" I turned to Sparrowfeather. "Water, you said?"

Sparrowfeather nodded and stretched out on the floor of the elder's den, basking in the sunlight that was streaming down. Newleaf was well into stride and the whole Clan was enjoying the warmth and sunlight after months of leaf-bare.

"All right, I'll be right back," I promised. Then I raced off, heading for the gorse entrance to the camp.

"Where are you going, Stormpaw?" Someone called, and I turned around. I stiffened as I wondered if I was in trouble, but it was just Robincall trotting over.

"Getting water for Sparrowfeather," I said, and realized with a slight twinge of guilt that Robincall was one of the only warriors, excluding Flamepelt, Mother and Shiningface, who didn't have an apprentice. Falconclaw was the other.

"Oh, don't worry about it, Stormpaw. I was only made a warrior last moon, remember?"

Did she read my mind?

"Oh…right," I said, flushing slightly. "Well, we're running short on warriors at the moment aren't we, but there are loads of apprentices in training, right?"

Robincall nodded. "But there aren't any kits ready to become apprentices. However I think Willowpaw is approaching his ceremony in a couple of moons." She let out a purr of amusement. "A good thing for Howlingflames too. She's had her eyes on Sharktooth for ages, and with Willowpaw out of the way I guess we'll have more kits in ThunderClan before long."

I purred along with Robincall before speaking again. "Um…Robincall? I don't exactly know where the river is, and it hasn't rained for a while so the puddles that are there are going to be rather muddy. Do you mind showing me where they are?"

"Of course not. In fact, I was sent my Mistpelt to keep an eye on you. She's been asked to lead the afternoon patrol. Let's go!"

I followed Robincall out of the camp eagerly, taking in every scent and sight and sound. "Your mentor will take you on a guide of the ThunderClan territory tomorrow," Robincall said on our way back from the river. I was carrying a water-soaked piece of moss between my teeth carefully, trying not to let it drip too much.

"Sanks, Wobincaw," I managed to get out through my mouthful of moss, and Robincall nodded. I could tell she was trying not to laugh, but I tried to ignore her. However it was hard to ignore the peals of laughter that erupted the second I turned around.

"Here, Sparrowfeather," I said, dropping the wad of moss in front of her. Then I settled down to hear what the elders had to say.

"Cloudedeye, were you there when Twilightstar was apprenticed?" Sparrowfeather was asking.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I was," the tom replied. "She was standing so seriously, you'd almost think she wasn't excited, but her eyes betrayed her emotion. They were positively dancing."

Sparrowfeather chuckled. "Sounds just like Twilightstar." Then she turned to me. "You're Eveningflower's kit, aren't you?"

I nodded.

"She's one of the most eager-to-get-into-action cats I've ever seen. I was there when she was apprenticed, and she positively moaned when she was asked to do chores for the elders. All she wanted to do was hunt and fight. I bet she'll be glad to get back in action after being confined in the nursery looking after you," Sparrowfeather said. "Well, I'm turning in now. Sun's almost completely set. Good night – and thank you, Stormpaw."

Sunset already? I thought, bewildered. Time passed so quickly! Suddenly, I realized I'd be sleeping in the apprentice's den now. Barely containing my excitement, I gave a polite nod to Sparrowfeather and Cloudedeye before racing off to the bunch of ferns that served as the apprentice's den.

"Hey, Stormpaw," Lionpaw called out friendlily. He was already curled up in his nest – which was set very close to Dawnpaw's, I noted with amusement. I couldn't stop my lips curling up into a sly smile. But now wasn't the time to pounce on his tail about Dawnpaw, there'd be time for it later. I barely stifled a yawn as I picked out a nest for myself, a patch of moss that wasn't already taken. Curling up, I rested my head on my tail and shut my eyes, giving a little sigh of contentment. My last thought before falling asleep was I'm an apprentice now.