A/N: Hey. Here is the next chapter. I'm gonna try to update every Thursday from now on…

Chapter 3, New apprentices

Skypaw looked around at the cats surrounding him and calling him by his new name. He felt proud that he was an apprentice. Just then he saw Spottedpaw and Mosspaw coming up to him and his sister.

"Hey, Blackpaw, Skypaw." Spottedpaw said, "Ready to be apprentices?"

"What," Skypaw was scowling at Spottedpaw, "now that we're apprentices we're cool enough to talk to again?"

Spottedpaw looked shocked at his reaction, then raised her nose. She smirked, and stalked away. "C'mon, Blackpaw, Mosspaw. Let's go get some fresh kill." Blackpaw walked after her, looking sheepishly back at Skypaw, but Mosspaw stayed behind.

"Sorry about Spottedpaw," he said, "I know how she can be, difficult. I'm sure she'll forget all about it later. And," Mosspaw looked down at his paws, "sorry I ignored you to. That was stupid of me."

Skypaw glared at him for a moment, then said, "That was stupid of you. But I suppose I can't stay mad at you forever." Mosspaw looked up, and Skypaw gave him a small smile. "C'mon," Skypaw said, "let's go talk to Icekit.

Icekit was sitting out side the nursery, looking over at Blackpaw and Spottedpaw eating. Blackpaw looked a little uncomfortable, probably because she left Skypaw over near the high rock. Jaypaw came to join them, and they all started talking. Jaypaw was much bigger then Blackpaw or Spottedpaw, and she would probably become a warrior sooner then Icekit would become an apprentice. Icekit sighed.

"Hey," An apologetic voice sounded above Icekit's head. She looked up to see Mosspaw standing over her, looking down at his light brown paws. "Sorry I ignored you, that was pretty dumb."

"Yeah," she agreed ice in her voice, "it was." She got up and stalked away, into the nursery. Mosspaw watched her go, and Skypaw tried to convince him that she wasn't too mad at him. His argument didn't sound convincing.

"At least you apologized," he said half-heartedly, "she'll forgive you eventually." Mosspaw just sighed and walked over to the apprentice's den. Skypaw followed.

Blackpaw looked around her new den. It was a little crowded, because there were seven apprentices. But three of them would be turned into warriors soon, and then it would open up. She looked around for an empty bed, and found one by the entrance, beside Spottedpaw. As soon as she got settled in, Skypaw came into the den.

"Found a bed by you're new best friend, did you?" He said, looking down at her. She looked at him beseechingly, but said nothing.

"Hey," Mosspaw said, coming into the den, "there's an empty bed next to mine, you want it Skypaw?"

"Yeah," Skypaw said, still looking at Blackpaw, "yeah I'll take it." And he walked off.

Spottedpaw snorted. "What a jerk." She whispered, loud enough for Skypaw to hear.

"Hey," Blackpaw said defensively, "that's my brother you're talking about."

"Oh, well, sorry." Spottedpaw said, "It's just, how is it his business who you hang out with? That's all I meant." Blackpaw didn't say anything, but she turned her back to Spottedpaw, and tried to go to sleep. She was starting to miss her mother, but she was determined not to show it. She put her head on her paws, and closed her eyes.

Icekit joined her mother in the nursery. She was tired, and ready to sleep.

"Hi, mother." She said, snuggling close to Redflower.

"Hello, Icekit."

"Hey, mom…"

"Yes?"

"Why did Blackpaw and Skypaw get to be apprentices, and not me?"

"Sometimes that happens, little one. It happened to me and my brother."

"Really?"

"Yes." Redflower stretched out her front paws, and put her head close to Icekit's. "I had three older siblings. One sister, and two brothers." She said, "My oldest siblings got to be apprentices first, and my other brother and I were not very happy about that."

"I bet you weren't." Icekit said, remembering her envy of her siblings.

"But," Redflower went on, "within just a few days, we were made into apprentices. So don't be mad at Blackpaw and Skypaw, its not there fault, after all."

Icekit grunted, and turned her head away from her mother. "It's not Skypaw and Blackpaw I'm mad at." She mumbled.