A/N: Here is the promised chapter! Chapter 1! Yay! Okay. But I've got one question... Why aren't there any reviews? Come on... I know you read the Prologue!
So, this chapter is just the basic "I'm an apprentice" day stuff. The story should pick up excitement... somewhere around... chapter 3 or so.
Now that you've been patient enough to listen to my rambling, read on!

Disclaimer: Do I really have to say it? I don't own Warriors.

Chapter 1

Mosskit bounced around outside the nursery, trying to get rid of her energy in time for the ceremony. Usually, if there was going to be a ceremony, it was going to be for a different cat. But this time she was the one getting one! And her brother and the three other kits, of course.

The only other ceremony she could really remember was Amberpaw, Dewpaw, and Snowpaw's apprentice ceremony. She had been only three moons old.

Leaping around outside finally wore her out, and she trotted back over to the nursery. Peeking in, she spotted Flamekit getting a thorough wash from Squirrelflight, her mother. A quick glance over at the other three kits told her they were getting the same treatment.

Mosskit tiptoed a few steps away, trying to get away before Squirrelflight spotted her. However much she wanted to look good for the ceremony, she didn't want her mother to do it! Showering affection like that was a too annoying for her taste.

Unfortunately, Mosskit had forgotten about the other queen in the nursery—who currently had no kits. Daisy. The cream she-cat picked up Mosskit by the scruff and gently dropped her in the clutches of Squirrelflight, who blinked up at Daisy thankfully. With a dip of her head, Daisy moved over to Cinderheart to help with her three kits.

Squirrelflight started licking Mosskit all over, ignoring the squeaks of protest from her daughter. At one point, she lifted her head to sternly glare at Flamekit. "If you get your pelt dirty, I'll never forgive you."

Flamekit rolled his eyes and looked away. "I won't," he muttered.

Once Squirrelflight finished grooming her two kits, she drew back and gazed proudly at them. "My two kits are becoming apprentices today," she purred. "Bramblestar and I are so proud of both of you."

Mosskit purred and lifted her head higher. "I'm going to be the greatest warrior ever!"

Squirrelflight licked the top of Mosskit's head. "Yes, I'm sure you will be, seeing as how you take after me."

"What do you mean?" Mosskit asked, cocking her head to one side. "I look like Bramblestar, not you."

"Yes, that's true," Squirrelflight agreed, "but you act like I did when I was an apprentice. Always eager to rush into things. Always excited about every little thing that moves."

Mosskit turned away. She wasn't that hyper.

"Does that mean I'm like Bramblestar?" Flamekit asked. "I don't want to be leader."

"No, you probably won't be leader. It all depends on whether Jayfeather decides to take you on as his apprentice or not," Squirrelflight meowed, flicking her younger kit gently with her tail. "But you are most like Bramblestar."

Mosskit glanced over at her brother. If he was accepted as the next medicine cat apprentice, that would mean she couldn't sleep with him anymore! That would be terrible! But she could see by the way Flamekit's eyes shined whenever he talked about Jayfeather that he really wanted to be a medicine cat. Maybe she could sleep in the medicine den too.

Mosskit stood up and padded back over to the entrance of the nursery. She was joined by Redkit, one of the other kits. They often enjoyed each other's company at night and sometimes even slept beside each other. Of course, it was unlikely that their friendship would end now that they were becoming apprentices, but up until now, Mosskit had never thought about having a mate.

She didn't much like the thought of one.

A hunting patrol suddenly raced through the thorn tunnel, heading straight for the fresh-kill pile. It consisted of Sorreltail, Leafpool, Mousewhisker, and a golden brown tabby tom that she hadn't met yet. Turning to Redkit, she hissed, "Who's that tabby tom over there?"

"That's Brackenfur, Sorreltail's mate," Redkit whispered back. "He talked to me a few days ago, when I was getting a vole from the fresh-kill pile. Said he knew I was going to be a strong apprentice."

Mosskit purred, retreating back into the nursery. A heartbeat later, a yowl sounded from outside. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting."

Mosskit gave an excited mew as she bounced around the nursery with Redkit and Flamekit. Birdkit and Bluekit, Redkit's two sisters, joined them in their excited romp, but Squirrelflight stopped them. "I told you not to get your pelts dirty, remember?"

Flamekit sat down with a huff, curling his tail around his paws in a resigned position, but when Birdkit stood beside him and gave him a friendly lick on his cheek, Flamekit mewled, jumping backwards. He was a true medicine cat, at least, if he was accepted.

The five kits waited for Lionblaze to enter the nursery to take them out to the Highledge. When he did, Mosskit gazed up at him in admiration before standing. Lionblaze was the best fighter in the whole Clan, probably in all the four Clans. Of course, it was because of his power, but that didn't matter. He could still defeat enemies. Plus, he was Redkit, Bluekit, and Birdkit's father.

Of course, it was amazing to have Clan leader as father and Clan deputy as mother. Bramblestar didn't even let his duties to the Clan distract him from spending time with his kits.

As the five kits followed Lionblaze out of the nursery, all trembling with excitement, Squirrelflight and Cinderheart slipped out behind them, going over to sit by the Highledge.

Lionblaze stopped in front of the Highledge and nodded at the kits, signalling for them to step forward. He stepped back and sat down beside Cinderheart.

Bramblestar bounded down from the Highledge and stood in front of the five kits. Mosskit and Flamekit felt no intimacy, since he was their father, but the other three looked a bit nervous to be standing in front of the Clan leader.

Bramblestar raised his head and started speaking, his voice loud and clear. "We haven't had this many kits made into apprentices all at the same time in quite a while. It's a wonderful experience—"

"Get on with it!" a cat called, a white longhaired tom sitting beside Berrynose, Mosskit noted. She couldn't tell which cat had called out. Bramblestar glared at the cat before turning back to the kits.

"Bluekit, Redkit, Birdkit, Mosskit, and Flamekit, you are all six moons old, and are now ready to become apprentices." Bramblestar turned to the first kit, Bluekit.

"Bluekit, you are now Bluepaw until you receive your warrior name. Your mentor will be Poppyfrost," Bramblestar meowed, looking up at Poppyfrost. The tortoiseshell she-cat didn't seem surprised, and she stepped forward to stand beside Bluepaw.

"Poppyfrost, this is your first apprentice. Train her well," Bramblestar meowed, nodding to the new mentor.

Poppyfrost turned to Bluepaw, who eagerly reached up to touch noses with her new mentor. As the first kit to become an apprentice in their group, she was feeling a bit proud, and she bumped her nose. Embarrassed, she sat down beside Poppyfrost to the side, and Bramblestar continued the ceremony.

"Birdkit, you are now Birdpaw. Your mentor is Ivypool."

The gray and white she-cat stood up and padded over to the brown she-cat. Facing Bramblestar, Ivypool nodded for him to continue.

"Ivypool, this is also your first apprentice. Train her well, and make her a warrior for ThunderClan to be proud of. Oh, and make sure she overcomes the habit of leaving camp without permission," Bramblestar added sternly. His eyes flashed with amusement, though. Birdpaw had a reputation for sneaking out of camp unnoticed, and she always got caught when she returned.

Birdpaw narrowed her eyes and turned to face her mentor, acting much more dignified than her older sister. She reached up and softly touched noses with Ivypool, following her to where her sister and Poppyfrost were sitting.

Bramblestar looked down at the third kit in Cinderheart and Lionblaze's litter, Redkit. While he was not the youngest, he was neither the eldest, so Mosskit wondered why Bramblestar had waited until now to make him an apprentice. Shouldn't he have been second in line?

While she was pondering her confusing thoughts—something she often did—Mosskit suddenly noticed that Birchfall was standing beside Redkit. Why was he there?

". . . and make him a strong warrior," Bramblestar meowed, watching as Redpaw and Birchfall touched noses. With a jolt, Mosskit realized that she hadn't been paying attention at all, and Redkit was now Redpaw.

Suddenly, it was her turn. Mosskit's heart beat loudly, and she feared that Bramblestar would hear it. Her father gazed down at her, and he meowed, "Mosskit, you are now Mosspaw. Your mentor is—"

The moment before Bramblestar said her mentor's name seemed to stretch out for a moon.

"—Lionblaze."

Mosspaw held back a gasp. Lionblaze! Her mentor was Lionblaze! Wait, Lionblaze? Wasn't he the cat that had saved the Clans against the Dark Forest along with Dovewing and Jayfeather? Didn't he already have an apprentice? Oh, wait, no, she wasn't thinking clearly.

Lionblaze was suddenly beside her, and her flicked her flank with his tail lightly, drawing her attention back to the clearing.

"Train your second apprentice as well as you trained Dovewing," Bramblestar was meowing.

Lionblaze looked down at Mosspaw, amusement lighting in his eyes. Whether it was because she had spaced out for a while, or because of some other reason—maybe she looked like a squirrel—she'd never know. She lifted her nose up and touched his nose happily, turning away to sit beside Redpaw. As she turned back to the single kit left—Flamekit—she realized this was the moment that would determine his future. Either he was accepted as Jayfeather's apprentice, or he was confined to being a warrior apprentice.

"Flamekit," Bramblestar meowed, "you are now Flamepaw."

Mosspaw held her breath.

"Jayfeather has agreed for you to be his apprentice."

Mosspaw started to leap up, but a touch from Lionblaze and a sideways glance made her sit back down.

"Jayfeather, guide Flamepaw through the path of a medicine cat, and train him well," Bramblestar meowed, stepping slightly back as Jayfeather approached the two cats.

The gray tabby dipped his head towards Bramblestar, then turned to Flamepaw and touched his nose. The moment he straightened up again, the Clan erupted into cheers.

"Bluepaw! Birdpaw! Redpaw! Mosspaw! Flamepaw!"

Every cat rushed forward and crowded around the newly made apprentices, congratulating them and telling their mentors good luck. Mosspaw staggered a bit as Foxleap nudged her with a sparkle in his eyes. Glaring at the tom, she stared past him and noticed that Leafpool was leaving camp without having anything to do with the apprentices. It looked as though she was sneaking away.

Once the cats had dispersed and gathered around Squirrelflight, who was issuing a few orders, Mosspaw pranced in one spot in front of her mentor. "What do we do first, Lionblaze?" she asked eagerly.

Lionblaze purred, watching his new apprentice try to contain her boundless energy. "For the rest of the day, you're going to stay here, get a spot in the apprentices' den, and get to know your new denmates. Tomorrow we'll explore the forest, and I'll show you our territory. It's a long trek, so you'll need to rest up before we go out, okay?"

Mosspaw shrugged and nodded. "Okay." She looked over her shoulder at the apprentices' den, where Amberpaw, Dewpaw, Snowpaw, Seedpaw, and Lilypaw were standing. Before she left to join Redpaw, Birdpaw, and Bluepaw, she turned back to face Lionblaze to ask him a question, but he was already padding away to see Squirrelflight.

Mosspaw growled, annoyed, and stepped back as Jayfeather led Flamepaw to the medicine den. She might as well ask Jayfeather.

"Hey! Jayfeather!" she meowed, racing forward and slowing down beside the gray tabby. Jayfeather turned his face to look down at Mosspaw. He was blind, but the way he acted made him seem as if he wasn't.

"Why did Leafpool sneak out of camp?" Mosspaw asked, screeching to a halt when the medicine cat stopped.

"Leafpool snuck out of camp?" Jayfeather asked. His piercing blue eyes grew out of focus, and he lifted his head. Suddenly they narrowed, and he looked back at Mosspaw. "Don't worry about Leafpool," he murmured.

Mosspaw shrugged and bounded back to where the three other apprentices were waiting for her.

Redpaw purred and flicked his tail towards the apprentices' den. "Should we dare to approach the higher rankers?"

Bluepaw rolled her eyes. "Let's go."

The four apprentices stood in an almost defensive line and faced the den. Mosspaw felt a sharp pang in her stomach as she realized she wouldn't have Flamepaw to sleep beside tonight. Before they advanced, Mosspaw leaned closer to Redpaw. "Want to sleep together tonight?" she whispered, feeling reassured when she got a nod in return. At least she didn't have to spend the night alone.

She turned back, and the four new apprentices padded over to the waiting older apprentices, ready to face their doom.

Mosspaw stumbled into camp with a groan, trudging behind Lionblaze as he led her to the apprentices' den. Doom had been the right word; today Lionblaze had taken her to see the territory, and great StarClan had that been a trial.

Now it was nearly sundown, and she was ready to fall over in her nest and sleep for a moon.

A/N: Aww... our first view of Mosspaw and Flamepaw! And I'm not sure... but I think Dewpaw and Redpaw might have an important role later on. -checks- Maybe. Thanks for reading, and see you all (I guess not literally) next week!