This chapter goes out to my one and only reviewer Mallowfeather of Earthclan 3

Although I've had plenty of viewers, you were the only person who reviewed and that means a lot to me!

I hope you like this chapter :D

Chapter 3

Duskstar stood on the highrock, his green eyes glowing warmly. He glanced at Batwing, and her face broke out into a grin. "Let all cats who can catch their own prey gather beneath the highrock for a clan meeting," he called out.

Cats quickly bounded over to where the leader stood, some curious, some confused. Duskstar continued. "I want to thank Batwing for what she bravely did to rescue Cloverkit."

A roar echoed out across the camp, and Batwing glowed in the praise. She felt a little guilty, for it had been mostly Dawnspirit who had arranged everything, however she knew she could never admit that she was meeting or knew a Shadowclan cat that well.

"Also, since their ceremony was delayed due to certain-" Duskstar broke his gaze from the crowd and looked straight at Cloverkit, who stood next to his mother, his eyes gleaming in joy. "I would like to call up Skykit, Fawnkit, and Mosskit."

Batwing's fur prickled in excitement. She hadn't realized how old the kits had gotten, although now as she looked at them, she could see the obvious difference between them and Cloverkit.

The kit clambered up to the front, giggling, their pelt's brushed up with sheer excitement. Duskstar slowly padded down to meet them, and began to speak, his voice echoing out across the full camp, filled with pride and joy.

"I, Duskstar leader of Thunderclan, look down upon these kits. They are of their sixth moon, and are ready to become apprentices and learn our noble code. Skykit, please step forward. From this moment until you receive your true warrior name, you shall be known as Skypaw. Startail please step forward. You are a great warrior of Thunderclan, and you have done a wonderful job with the obstacles that have been put before you. You shall mentor Skypaw. Teach him your boldness and wit, and guide him in the ways of the clans."

Batwing's eyes widened with delight and she watched in shock and joy as her friend stepped forward and touched noses with Skypaw, the newly made apprentice following her lead.

Batwing grinned in delight, not quite believing that this young kit was an apprentice. It seemed that such a short while ago he had been only two moons old in the nursery playing games with the other kits. She wondered why her friend hadn't told her she was getting an apprentice, however she didn't ponder on the thought for she didn't want to miss a single part of the ceremony.

"Fawnkit, please step forward." Now, Duskstar's voice had taken on a different tone, one of slight concern yet a hint of pride. His eyes flicked in Batwing's direction, and the black she-cat could've sworn he winked at her.

Batwing snorted in amusement and shook her head at how silly she was being.

"From this moment on until you receive your warrior name you shall be known as Fawnpaw," Duskstar called out, his mouth twitching into a smile. "Batwing please step forward."

The whole clearing hushed. All murmuring stopped. The Thunderclan camp seemed to freeze in time, and Batwing just sat there, unable to move. Her head began to pound and her wide golden eyes stared up at her leader, shocked.

Duskstar just smiled and beckoned her over with a flick of his long silver tail.

Slowly, as if she didn't want to disturb anyone, Batwing got to her paws, giving her black fur a nervous lick. She padded over to where Fawnpaw stood, her tortoiseshell coat looking silkier then it had ever been. The cat's orange eyes were large with excitement, and her gaze followed the black warrior's every movement.

Once Batwing stopped moving, Duskstar continued. "You are an honorable warrior of Thunderclan and although you are young, I have just seen you prove yourself and I know you will be a wonderful mentor to Fawnpaw. Teach her your empathy and courage, and guide her in the ways of the clan."

Batwing took one uncertain step forward and felt her nose connect with Fawnpaw's. For one moment, it seemed as if she once again back in the Thunderclan camp during her apprentice ceremony, touching noses with Moonpelt and feeling that spark of connection that bonded them together. However, then it was over and she stepped back, breaking away from Fawnpaw.

Batwing looked out across the cats gathered, feeling a sense of deep comfort and belonging. She glanced over to where Startail stood, the sun's rays slanting down on her ginger coat and setting it ablaze with color. A huge grin was plastered on the she-cat's face and Batwing smiled back.

Once more Duskstar opened his mouth to speak, to call up the last kit. "Mosskit, please step forward."

Mosskit's eyes were frightened and tense as she took one tentative step forward. Batwing looked at her in surprise, wondering why Duststar looked so hesitant to perform the end of the ceremony. A tremor rushed up her spine as the crowd parted and Dewpelt stepped forward, her chin raised in pride and confidence.

"Cats of Thunderclan."

Batwing shivered, her eyes watering as she thought of Violetpaw up in the stars hidden in the morning sky, watching them.

"As you all know, I will not be around forever," Dewpelt mewed, repeating the words she had said not long ago. "So it's time I took an apprentice. I have chosen a cat who is very eager to learn, kind and full of empathy. Your next medicine cat will be Mosspaw."

Batwing took a sharp breath in. She could see Pantherpaw and Leappaw sitting next to each other, tails intwined and eyes full of grief as they remembered their sister's apprentice ceremony.

"Mosspaw, do you except the post of apprenticeship to Dewpelt?" Duskstar said gently.

"Yes," Mosspaw mewed quietly, her voice steady and proud, and it seemed she was much older then she truly was at that moment."Y-yes Duskstar, I do."

"Then at the half-moon," Dewpelt called out, "you must travel to Mothermouth, to be accepted by Starclan before the other medicine cats."

"The good wishes of all of Thunderclan will go with," replied Duskstar, his eyes grave.

For a second, the clan was silent as Mosspaw stepped forward and touched noses with her new mentor. Then, as if a spell had broken, they erupted into cheers for the three new apprentices. "Skypaw, Fawnpaw, Mosspaw!" the clan chanted, their voice echoing through the camp.

Batwing beamed in happiness, sensing that this incident had brought her clan closer together. She turned to see Fawnpaw smiling so hard it looked as if she might have exploded with the force of it. No, not Fawnpaw. Her apprentice. Batwing's apprentice.

"Batwing? Where will we go first?" Fawnpaw stood off to the side, her fur puffed up in anticipation and excitement as she gazed up at her mentor.

Batwing sighed glancing towards the gorse tunnel. Although she was exhausted from the mission to rescue Cloverkit, she desperately wanted to prove that she was very capable to be a wonderful mentor, and she also wanted to impress Fawnpaw.

"Why son't we go out and explore some of the exciting parts of our territory?" she suggested, a mischievous glint in her golden eyes.

Fawnpaw gasped with excitement and vigorously nodded her head. Batwing laughed, her voice carefree as she bounded out of the camp, her apprentice close behind her. The pair swiftly made their way through the forest, heading towards fourtrees.

The day was a beautiful one, and Batwing could tell that Fawnpaw was exhilarated to be out in the forest for the first time without her mother and siblings bumbling on behind her. As the pair came to a halt at the glittering stream which marked the edge of their territory, Fawnpaw let out a gasp.

The she-cat was gazing up at the Owl Tree which towered above them, spiraling up into the clear sky. "Look at that," she whispered, her amber eyes as large as moons. She giggled softly and then wrinkled her nose with distaste. "What's that smell?" she mewed, drawing back in confusion as she tried to pinpoint where she might have scented it before.

Batwing raised her nose to the air to figure out what her apprentice was smelling, only to have her whole body tense up. The fresh and biting scent of blood was wafting towards them from the opposite side of the border. "Fawnpaw," she said quietly. "I need you to go back to camp and find Startail. Tell her that I had something important to take care of, and she'll take you out into the forest with Skypaw."

Fawnpaw looked up at her mentor, concern shining in her eyes. "Is everything okay?"

Batwing nodded sharply. "Everything's fine, theres just something I have to do. Now go on, get back to camp." She watched at the tortoiseshell cat bounded away, her steps jerky and unsure. With a sigh of relief, Batwing turned back to face fourtrees.

Her golden eyes were narrowed into slits and flashed nervously as she swiftly raced across the stream and through the neutral territory, afraid for what she might find. As she followed the scent she found that it led her right to the edge of fourtrees. Now the scent was strong and pungent and Batwing gagged in disgust, struggling to sift through the smells and discover what the source was.

Suddenly she stopped dead in her tracks. Directly in front of her was a line of scarlet blood, running along the ground. Batwing's gaze slowly followed the trail along the forest floor until her eyes came to rest on the shaking form of a she-cat.

Letting out a gasp of horror, she rushed forward. "Dawnspirit!" she cried. Her friend lifted her head, her eyes fluttering.

"Batwing-" she rasped, her voice shaking. "Thank goodness-" And with that Dawnspirit's head dropped to the ground once more.

Poor Dawnspirit, she always seems to be in some sort of trouble :(

If you want to find out what happened to her, review!