Chapter 1
Graykit tripped over Needlekit's tail,
"You'll have to be faster if you want to catch me!" he yowled,
"I'll be faster than you when i'm a warrior!" Graykit squeaked.
A tabby brown she-cat walked over,
"Now, now, calm yourselves. Splashflower is sleeping. She must rest if her kits are going to be strong and healthy,"
Leafheart licked Graykit,
"And you," she looked at Needlekit,
"Your mother is worried sick! Go tell her you're here. She won't believe me!"
Needlekit scampered away.
"Is today our apprentice ceremony?" Graykit asked eagerly.
"Yes. And you look like you've been attacked by a badger! Let's get you cleaned up."
A faint yowling came a long distance away, then it grew louder and louder.
"It's time." Leafheart sighed,
"Oh, you're growing up too fast!" Leafheart gave Graykit a last lick, then they trotted off to the cavern.
Yellowstar looked down at the clan,
"Today, two brave kits turn into apprentices,"
"Graykit, do you promise to respect your mentor and learn the ways of the warrior code?"
"I do!" she meowed.
"Then from now on, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Graypaw."
Graypaw sat straight, and waited.
"Needlekit, do you promise to respect your mentor, and learn the ways of the warrior code?"
"I do…" Needlekit said.
"Then from now on, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Needlepaw."
Needlepaw lifted his chin proudly.
"Pineheart," Yellowstar looked at the young bracken colored warrior,
"You shall mentor both these apprentices, you have showed lots of skills. I hope you pass all the skills Mistlefang has taught you."
Pineheart just nodded approval, and touched noses with both his new apprentices.
"Needlepaw! Graypaw!" the clan yowled and went to meet them to congratulate them.
Graypaw noticed that Carvy, one of the apprentices, was holding back from the cluster of cats.
Carvy was a rogue,but he joined the clan, along with his mother, Hazel, and turned into an apprentice two days ago. Hazel turned into a warrior. They both kept their names instead of choosing warrior names.
Carvy sat far away from the cluster, he just glared at both at them. When the cluster died down, he just brushed past, annoyed as Needlepaw stuck his tongue out at him.
"Don't listen to that frog-faced rogue, Graypaw." he growled, then gave her a lick on the ear.
The apprentice den felt cold. Since snow-fall was coming, the breeze got colder everyday. Graypaw has also noticed that Needlepaw was acting weird. He gotten a bit brutal, almost hurting poor Nightkit, Splashflower's kit, when he was play fighting with them. He's also been bossing them around as if he were leader! Graypaw squeezed herself with her tail to keep warm, keeping her mind away from that, until she heard a rustling. She saw Needlepaw get up.
"Where are you going?" she whispered.
I hope he doesn't do anything stupid!
"Stretch my legs. I'll be right back." he stalked out of the den.
Graypaw stood up and felt her leg bump into something,
"Hey!"
She turned around and saw Carvy, his icy blue stare burned through her,
"And what do you think you're doing?" he snarled.
"Sorry," Graypaw turned her head in embarrassment. She started to walk towards the nursery.
"I said, where are you going?" Carvy repeated, jumping in front of her.
"To visit my mother, okay?! Unless you want to come…"
"What do I need to do with your mother?" Carvy brushed past and layed down again.
"Fine. Go." He mumbled.
Graypaw rolled her eyes, bossy furball!, and walked to the nursery to see her mother, when she heard a rustling nearby.
It was Wolfear was in the bushes. He was holding Bunnykit, the two moon old kit. Needlepaw was with him.
"Bunnykit, how many times do I have to tell you, you can't leave the camp until you're an apprentice!"
"So that's where you went! You could have just told me, y'know." Graypaw looked at Needlepaw, then joined the three back to the nursery.
Graypaw notice Wolfear kept shooting glances at Bunnykit, until she finally got it,
"Wait until she's a warrior, then you can be together" she purred.
Wolfear looked up, embarrassed,
"She's okay, I guess."
"Sure…" Needlepaw teased.
Graypaw went to Needlepaw's side. He touched his muzzle with her's in greeting,
"How come you didn't tell me?" she asked,
"I was going to go for a hunt, but then I saw the kit running out of camp and followed her with Wolfear. I can still go hunting…"
Needlepaw stared at Graypaw intently,
"Okay."
