A/N: Here's lucky number 13! I apologize immensely for not updating many of my stories, I've been working six hour shifts every night and it makes me so tired that I can't write. But hopefully I'll be able to write some tonight and during the week! Thanks for the reviews last chapter, and in this you get to see the dark side of some of our little kitties, not to mention some for-shadowing, see if you can spot it!

~Leo~

CHAPTER 13

A bright white tail popped out from behind a Thistle Bush, making Emberpaw's eyes dart forward. Immediately rushing out from his hiding spot, the gray apprentice sped after the rabbit.

He had never hunted rabbit before, especially so close to RiverClan territory. The aroma wreathed underneath his small pink nose, he had never smelled something so delicious!

The bright green grass underneath his lithe body blew in the cool Leaf-Fall breeze, giving the young tom more energy to chase after his prey.

The white rabbit was only a fox-length ahead of him, moving in every direction possible to try and avoid the RiverClan cats grasp.

"Not fast enough!" he growled with determination, pushing forward with an extra boost to take the rabbit down. With just one swipe away, Emberpaw heard his name being called and looked up.

"Wake up you lazy lump!"

Immediately Emberpaw jerked awake, his breathing quickened from the hunt in his dream. Frostpaw was standing over him, a spotted white paw pressed against his chest.

"Sorry" he groaned, pushing himself up, "I'm up now."

Emberpaw could see dawn light flooding through the trees and into RiverClan camp, the sunlight glistening into the Apprentices den.

Instantly his mind jolted back to the following night as he returned back to camp, Fernstar had come into the den just as he fell asleep to tell him about the ceremony this morning.

"I didn't miss it did I?" he asked quickly to Frostpaw, who was looking at him with her bright blue eyes.

"Nearly" she meowed, "But don't worry, I knew to wake you up after such a late night. It was nearly Moon-High that you returned."

His blood froze cold with shock, Frostpaw knew!

"Don't worry" she held a paw in the air, "I swear I won't tell. Though she must be an important she-cat". Frostpaw smiled as she padded outside, flicking her tail playfully at Emberpaw.

The gray apprentice stood there with his mouth gaping wide open.

Either I'm the stupidest cat in the world, he thought still in shock, or the luckiest.

"Let all cats old enough to fish in the stream, gather here beneath the Tall-Log!" Fernstar called from the center of camp, her gray pelt glistening in the morning light.

"So soon?" he gasped quietly, Emberpaw was suddenly overwhelmed.

Being an apprentice was one step closer to outing Lightningcloud, he would finally learn to fight! But at the same time the young apprentice felt nervous, did he have the makings of a RiverClan cat?

He didn't have the knack for swimming the rest of the clan did, or the experience of the warrior code. But nonetheless, it was time for Emberpaw to get a mentor.

Blizzardpaw and Timberpaw padded past him, the pudgy white tom accidentally bumping into him.

"Sorry" he mumbled, while turning towards Emberpaw.

But instead of stopping, the white apprentice fell backwards onto a passing Timberpaw.

"You stupid fat loaf get off of me!" the dark brown cat pushed Blizzardpaw off with ease, chuffing in anger.

"I'm sorry" a quiet meow came from the pure white tom, who was licking himself in embarrassment, throwing a glance to anyone in range. Instead of accepting his apology, Timberpaw padded closer to the younger apprentice and growled.

"Instead of apologizing, try laying off of the mice" he chuckled, "I swear the queens are bigger than you!".

"Hey!" Emberpaw finally put in. "Blizzardpaw already apologized. Instead of making it worse why don't you just accept it and move on".

Instantly the tom's half-brothers ears perked, and Emberpaw knew he had just caused trouble.

"I'm sorry Kittypet" he meowed with fake remorse, "I'm sorry that RiverClan allows fat cows and kittypets into their ranks, I'm sorry that it wont be that way for long".

His last words dug deep into the tom's soul, Timberpaw was planning something as well, perhaps with Lightningcloud. And with one last glare, Timberpaw turned slowly and padded back towards the gathering cats, chuckling next to Eelpaw.

Keeping a sharp glare on his half brother, Emberpaw then turned to Blizzardpaw, who was lowering his head in what appeared to be embarrassment and sorrow.

"Don't listen to him" Emberpaw flicked the toms pelt gently, "So what if your a little big for your age, I'm sure with a little battle training and hunting your be as fit as Fernstar."

A smile finally spread across the plump cats face, "You really think so?".

"Of course!" Emberpaw cuffed him over the ears playfully, "Now come on, lets go see who Fernstar gives me as a mentor, maybe we can train together."

As the two toms went towards the Tall Log, Fernstar finally leapt atop her calling post, Lightningcloud only a fox-length below.

"Cats of RiverClan!" her voice echoed across the camp, almost loud enough to vibrate through the grounds core. Fernstar was about to continue, but excited yowls burst through the clearing, as five bundles ran into the crowd of cats.

"I want to become an apprentice!" Shellkit squeaked loudly, as Torchkit chimed in as well.

"Get back here" Hawkdawn scolded her kits, "This is for warriors not two-moon old kits!".

Milkfeather tried to gather her three kits as well, but only did she do so once Troutstream assisted her. Once all was quiet, and the kits were confined to the nursery once again, Fernstar continued on with the ceremony.

"It is time for Emberpaw to have a mentor, so he can learn the ways of the warrior code. I apologize this came so late" she bowed her head to the gray apprentice,

"But I'm glad he has joined our ranks and one day become a full blooded RiverClan warrior."

A chuckled came from Eelpaw, who was sneering next to Timberpaw, and only with a sharp glare from their father did they stop.

"Having already held his apprentice ceremony, then by the powers of StarClan, I name Aquashine as Emberpaw's mentor. May you train him as well as Flametree trained you."

Adrenaline immediately rushed through the gray tom's veins, as he padded forward to touch noses with Aquashine. There she was, so beautiful in the pale dawn light, her eyes glowing with as much beauty as StarClan themselves.

But I need to learn how to fight, not fall in love, he thought quickly.

Once I take Lightningcloud down, maybe I can think about Aquashine. Maybe then it would even grow to something much more.