Chapter 1
"ForestClan! Join me for a clan meeting!"
Larkpaw jolted awake at the leaders' call. She sighed and sat up in her nest. She noticed her fur was ruffled and tried to groom it.
"Did you have that dream again?" Fawnpaw padded up to her and sat down by her nest.
Larkpaw flicked her ears and then continued to lick her chest fur to hide the fear in her eyes. "Maybe. Maybe not."
The pretty calico she-cat tilted her head. Her amber eyes gleamed in the morning light. "Witherstar has one life left. He'll die and go to the Place of No Stars."
Heatherpaw lashed her tail at the name of the cat that killed one of her best friends' mother.
"Fawnpaw's right, Larkpaw. Now we need to get to the meeting. We can all discuss this later." Heatherpaw nudged Larkpaw playfully as she passed her and out of the Apprentices den.
Fawnpaw glanced uneasily at Heatherpaws' direction. "I'll see you at the meeting." She trotted out of the den.
Larkpaw finished grooming and followed the other apprentices' pawsteps and sat behind the rest of the crowd.
"Today is a very important day for two apprentices." Larkpaw saw Rowanstar standing on top of the StoneBranch where the Leaders' den was located.
She then noticed a pair of elder apprentices, Rosepaw and Sapphirepaw standing below. They were obviously excited their tails licking and ears alert.
"Rosepaw and Sapphirepaw have trained very hard to learn and obey the Warrior Code, and in turn they are to become warriors."
He stared down at the pair with serious eyes.
"Rosepaw, Sapphirepaw, do you uphold the Code and promise to defend your Clan with your lives?"
"We do." The pair said with intensity.
"Then, with the power of my ancestors before me, I Rowanstar, Leader of ForestClan give you your warrior names. Rosepaw and Sapphirepaw, from now on you shall be known as Rosesong and Sapphirecloud."
Larkpaw cheered with the rest of the clan.
"One day that'll be us." Larkpaw jumped and turned around. It was Jaypaw.
The light golden tom grinned mischievously.
"I hope that day comes soon." Larkpaw agreed.
Jaypaw flicked his tail towards the camp entrance, the bottom of the tree. "Want to hunt with me?" He asked.
Larkpaw nodded. "Let me ask Silversnow first." The golden tom shrugged. "All right then. Meet me at the base of the tree." He walked away.
Larkpaw gazed around the camp and noticed Silversnow, the deputy and her mentor, sitting on a thick branch giving orders to warriors.
She approached the fluffy silver she-cat quietly and sat down to wait for her mentor to finish her orders.
"...and Berryfur. The rest of you may do what you wish." The group of warriors that weren't assigned to anything left quickly, as if they were afraid the deputy might find something for them to do.
Finally her mentor spoke. "Yes Larkpaw? What do you need?" The silver cat looked down at her from the corners of her eyes.
"I was wondering if I may go hunt with Jaypaw." Larkpaw gave her mentor a hopeful smile.
Silversnow chuckled. "Of course." She said as she looked up to the sky. "Just make sure you return by or before sundown."
Larkpaw licked her mentors' shoulder respectfully. "Thank you!" She raced away through the camp and jumped down, branch from branch, the great oak tree she called home.
"You made it!" Jaypaw called from a few rabbit hops away. She purred and trotted over to him. He nudged her shoulder. "I bet I'm faster than you!" he boasted.
Larkpaw growled playfully. "You sure?" She asked.
"Yup! Race you to the FireClan border! Loser has to.." His voice faded as he pelted away.
Larkpaw laughed and raced after him. She loved the feeing of the wind on her fur and the scents of her forest home.
Soon after many heartbeats, she felt the soft ground of the forest floor get harder.
There were fewer trees to shelter her here.
"About time you made it!" Jaypaw tackled her from the side. They laughed and tumbled around.
"At least some cat found you!" A dark shape stalked towards them, yellow eyes gleaming.
"Oh no.." The shape turned to be Snakefire, Jaypaw's mentor.