Chapter 2

The soft leaves crunched under Graypaw's paws. She pressed herself to Needlepaw's side, trying to avoid the cold. The mice dangling from her jaws were scrawny, but they were good for now.

"And where have you been?"

A shadow stalked toward them, it was Pineheart.

"We were hunting," Needlepaw dropped the mole he caught in front of his paws, Graypaw did the same.

"Very well, then" Pineheart picked up one of Graypaw's mice and walked toward the fresh-prey pile.

Needlepaw walked toward the apprentice den, followed by Graypaw.

"So you came back from the nursery? That was a little long, don't you think?"

Carvy's icy blue stare glowed in the den.

Graypaw turned her head in embarrassment,

"You're late for training. And they told me to wait until your tails were here!"

Carvy walked out of the den, and Graypaw and Needlepaw followed him to the training hollow.

"What happened to the two of you?" Shootingwhisker asked as she nAruqed her eyes.

"We just went for a hunt. Y'know, to stretch our legs…"

Shootingwhisker just stared at Needlepaw,

"Okay, we... he," Graypaw said, gesturing her tail to Needlepaw, "saw Bunnykit out of the nursery, again, and I was going to visit Leafheart at the nursery."

They looked at Bunnykit, playing with her brother, Sagekit. Wolfear had joined them.

"I'll have to tell Yellowstar anyway, but okay. We'll start with battle training…"

Chapter 3

6 moons later

Graypaw sat next to small Bunnykit at the warriors ceremony. Yellowstar looked down at Carvy, Needlepaw, and Graypaw, and then at Bunnykit and Sagekit, Clawkit, and last of all, Foxkit.

"Today we have three brave apprentices, ready to be warriors, and four kits becoming apprentices."

"Carvy, now, you chose not to have a warrior name, do you wish to still have one?"

Carvy looked at his paws,

"No, thank you. With all due respect, Yellowstar, I'd like to keep my name."

Yellowstar nodded approval,

"Carvy, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, even if it cost your life?"

"I do."

"Then from now on, you are an official warrior of Iceclan!"

Yellowstar rested his head on Carvy, and Carvy licked his shoulder in return.

He looked at Needlepaw with respect,

"Needlepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, even if it cost your life?"

"I do." Needlepaw meowed.

"Then from now on, you shall be known as Needleclaw."

After Yellowstar finished with Needleclaw, he looked at Graypaw.

"Graypaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, even if it cost your life?"

"I do," she replied firmly.

"Then from this moment forward, your name shall be Graytail."

He rested his head on Graytail, and she licked his shoulder in response.

"Graytail! Needleclaw! Carvy!" the clan chanted their names

Yellowstar raised his tail in silence, the clan got quiet.

"We have three kits, ready for apprenticeship. Sagekit, Bunnykit, Foxkit?"

Yellowstar looked at the kits,

"Sagekit, do you promise to respect your mentor, and learn the ways of the warrior code?"

"YES-I mean, I do." Sagekit raised his head.

Yellowstar eyes shone with amusement,

"Then from now on, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Sagepaw." Yellowstar looked straight at Wolfear,

"Wolfear will be your mentor."

Wolfear touched noses with his apprentice.

"Bunnykit," Yellowstar's yellow gaze rested on her,

"Do you promise to respect your mentor, and learn the ways of the warrior code?"

"I do…" Bunnykit squeaked.

"Then from now on, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Bunnypaw."

"Your mentor will be Graytail."

Yellowstar looked down at small Foxkit,

"Foxkit, do you promise to respect your mentor, and learn the ways of the warrior code?"

"I do!" Foxkit screeched proudly,

"Then from now on, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Foxpaw."

"Your mentor will be Carvy."

Yellowstar looked down at Clawkit, his eyes warm,

"Clawkit, do you promise to respect your mentor, and learn the ways of the warrior code?"

"Yes." Clawkit said respectfully.

"Then from now on, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Clawpaw."

"Sagepaw! Bunnypaw! Foxpaw! Clawpaw!" the clan chanted one more time, but the loudest of them all was Wolfear.