Chapter 1

"First Day Out."

3/5/17 - 3/6/17 - 3/7/17

2 moons later

"Run…" Nightkit looks around the foggy forest when the voice echoing in her ears.

"Run. Run. Before she gets you…"

"Who's there?" Nightkit calls out.

"Nightkit! Nightkit!"

"Nightkit, stop it!"

Acornkit pushes Nightkit's back leg away from her and turns around to the back of the nest. Ivyheart left the nursery in the morning and the littermates were left sleeping the daylight away.

Nightkit blinks as she becomes quickly consumed by fatigue and falls asleep.

"Run, Nightkit! Run, before she gets you!"

Nightkit feels her heart racing as she hears an unnatural growl from behind. Nightkit kicks up dust as she runs, but the barking and growling persists her and becomes louder.

"Run, Nightkit! Run, before she gets you!"

Nightkit runs faster and faster, her back legs starts to hurt from the running-.

Acornkit feels a rough strike to her back. She gets up and jabs Nightkit's flank, making the small black she cat wake up.

"Ugh, why did you do that?" Nightkit complains.

"You're always kicking in my face when you're sleeping! Why can't you sleep near Fishkit and kick him?"

"Because I will either kick her out of the nursery all together or complain to Ivyheart." Fishkit says, getting out of the nest and walking out of the nursery.

Acornkit growls and shakes her head.

"Thanks a lot…"

"Your welcome!" Fishkit calls from outside.

Nightkit gives out a big yawn and watches Acornkit follow Fishkit out of the nursery with an ill tempered lash of her tail.

Nightkit decides she has slept long enough and gets out of the nest. The nursery carries the scent of the two previous queens, her mother, and her father, who visited yesterday evening.

Nightkit winces at the harsh sunlight of Green Leaf in May. She blinks as the sun's glare doesn't bother her anymore.

Pinepaw and Stormwhisker prepare to leave for their hunting session. Daisyleaf and Featherpaw were practicing fighting moves while Mistpaw was chattering about her first patrol with Timberclaw.

Whitefur, however, is looking for his apprentice.

"Petalpaw!"

The pale tortoiseshell races out of the apprentices den with a grin and stops in front of Whitefur.

"I'm ready, chief!" She chirps.

"What were you doing in that den?"

"Refurbishing my nest!" Petalpaw replies, a little too quickly Nightkit notices.

Whitefur nods. "Good. For a moment I thought you were putting ants into other apprentices nests again."

Petalpaw's eye twitches slightly and laughs nervously as she follows Whitefur out the thorn barrier. Nightkit moves on and sees a black and white tom just a inches shy in height of the other warriors' shoulder poking his head inside of the warriors den.

"Littlefalcon!"

Littlefalcon looks at his daughter with a smile. "Hi, Nightkit. Are you excited for today?"

"What about it?"

"It's your apprentice ceremony." Littlefalcon tells her. "Don't tell me you forgot again."

Nightkit's ears heat up with realization and embarrassment. "Of course I do! I was just testing your memory, that's all!"

Littlefalcon nods unconvincingly as he leaves with his patrol. Nightkit drops her smile and panics.

Why do I always forget these things?!

"Nightkit!"

Fishkit and Acornkit were racing toward her with grins on their faces.

"Darkstar told us that we're becoming apprentices this afternoon!"

Nightkit nods to Fishkit, but Acornkit snorts. "Did you forget? Ivyheart told us two days ago."

"Did not!" Nightkit lies.

Acornkit rolls her eyes mockingly. "Sure. You keep telling yourself that."

Fishkit nudges her and looks at Nightkit. "Have you seen Morningkit anywhere?"

"I think he-."

"All cats old enough to catch their prey, meet at High Rock for a Clan meeting!"

Acornkit looks over to the High Rock and waves her tail.

"Morningkit's going to be late. Let's go."

Fishkit and Nightkit follow their sister to the crowding cats only to be intercepted by Ivyheart.

"Oh! You three look filthy! Come here." Ivyheart reaches over to Fishkit and pulls him over to her, and rasps her tongue on his forehead.

"Ugh, mom! You're covering up my musk!"

Nightkit snorts at her brother. "Your what? You still haven't shed your kit fur off, stop being mouse brained!"

Nightkit and Acornkit groom their own fur when Morningkit rushes towards them with hints of pollen on his whiskers.

"Where were you?" Acornkit asks him, exasperated.

"Helping Hailstone and Duskshade."

Ivyheart steps away from Fishkit as the deep blue tom snickers.

"Are you trying to become a medicine cat?"

Morningkit scoffs. "Don't be ridiculous! I was born to be a warrior."

Acornkit hushed her brother.

Darkstar looks at the cats present to the meeting; Hawkfeather, Driftcloud and Thistlefang sit near the warriors den. Blazefrost, Sneezeclaw, Dawnleaf, Rainstorm and Pricklefrost sit in the front on the left side, and Goldflame, Graystream, Windstorm and Rosefoot were on the right side.

Maplecloud and Finchblaze sit together next to Timberclaw and Gingershine, and their apprentices, Raccoonpaw and Mistpaw sit with each other.

Hailstone and Duskshade were sitting near the medicine cat den.

"We have four kits who have reached the age of six moons. It's now time for them to become 'paws and receive their mentors. Acornkit, Fishkit, Morningkit and Nightkit, please step forward."

The said cats pad forward, Littlefalcon and Ivyheart watch their kittens with pride.

"Acornkit, Fishkit, Morningkit and Nightkit. You have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed."

Darkstar looks at Acornkit.

"From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Acornpaw. Goldflame, you're ready to be a mentor. You have learned from Sweetflower as a hunter and tracker, and I trust you to teach Acornpaw everything you've learned."

Acornpaw fluffs her brown fur with excitement.

The one of the Paws of Nature is my mentor!

Acornpaw strides to Goldflame and touches noses with her before sitting down.

"Why do I get the feeling that she's not going to stop bragging tonight?" Nightkit whispers to Morningkit.

Fishkit stands in front of Darkstar.

"From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Fishpaw. Lightstripe, you will be Fishpaw's mentor."

The bright ginger tom looks on in surprise as Darkstar continues.

"I know you are grieving for your first apprentice, but you can take on another one to make up for lost time. Your intelligence and wisdom you have received from Rainstorm has made you a fantastic warrior, and I can trust you to pass them down to Fishpaw."

Lightstripe nods and waits for Fishpaw to pad toward him and touch noses with him.

"Good luck." Nightkit whispers to Morningkit.

Nightkit watches Morningkit pad to Darkstar.

"Beware."

Nightkit frowns and looks over her shoulder to the crowd.

"Beware, Nightkit…"

The black she cat bristles her fur and looks back at Morningkit and Darkstar while trying to calm the rapid beat of her heart.

"Beware the ancient enemy of cats! Beware!"

"-everything you know to Morningpaw."

Nightkit blinks and watches Morningpaw touch noses with Volefang. She looks at Darkstar with wide eyes and quickly gets up and trips over her paws.

Purrs of amusement ripple through the Clan.

"She must be shy." Thrushwing whispers to Daisyleaf.

"How precious." Daisyleaf purrs.

Precious?! Why you-! Nightkit growls and stalks forward while holding her head up high.

"Nightkit, from this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Nightpaw."

"Thrushwing."

Nightpaw stiffens. What about Thrushwing?

"You will be Nightpaw's mentor. I understand that Nightpaw isn't your first apprentice, but she will be the first apprentice you have since you came to ThunderClan. I trust you to teach Nightpaw everything you know."

Thrushwing stands up, and Nightpaw forces herself to pad toward Thrushwing and touches noses with her.

Nightpaw tries not to feel offended by the warmth churning in Thrushwing's eyes, they remind her of Ivyheart's eyes.

I don't want a mentor to baby me! Whoever Thrushwing trained must be as lazy as a kittypet!

"Nightpaw, let's explore the forest. I'll show you each territory in turn."

Nightpaw forces a smile and nod. She follows Thrushwing out of the thorn barrier. Nightpaw and Thrushwing went through the forest as the trees became less and less, the two she cats stop near a stream that separates them from the vast hill.

"Over there is WindClan territory. This stream separates us. WindClan cats are slender and quick on their paws."

Thrushwing was about to turn when Nightpaw heard her mentor's name being called. A small WindClan patrol approaches the stream consisting of a mottled grey tabby, a brown and white tom and a dark grey tom.

"Thrushwing. It's certainly been a long time since we met." The mottled tom said.

Thrushwing narrows her eyes over her shoulder.

"As I you, Creekstar."

"Who's this runt?" The dark grey tom sneers. Nightpaw glares at the smug looking tom as Thrushwing ushers her away.

"This is my apprentice, Nightpaw. I'm giving her a tour right now, so if you can excuse me…?"

Creekstar nods slowly. "Right. I'll let you go."

Nightpaw gives the dark grey tom one last glare before falling next to Thrushwing.

"Thrushwing!"

The cream brown she cat looks at Creekstar.

"You may not be aware of this, but you are always welcome back to WindClan."

Thrushwing ignores his comment.

Nightpaw and Thrushwing travel to a strange grey, smooth rock path separating them from a dense forest of pine trees.

"Over there is ShadowClan territory. Those cats are used to darkness and can be sneaky and cunning, never turn your back on a ShadowClan cat."

"Isn't Daisyleaf and her kits from ShadowClan?"

Nightpaw can still remember Daisyleaf kindly showing Featherpaw how to pounce. She also remembers Thistlefang playing with her and her littermates, as well as Hawkfeather and Duskshade and Maplecloud.

Thrushwing purrs. "Yes. Daisyleaf and her kits are different, though."

"And is it true that you're from WindClan? How are you a ThunderClan cat?"

Thrushwing's fur bristles along her spine, but her voice is soft as she spoke, "It was a mistake that became a blessing."

Thrushwing points her paw across the lake to reed covered territory.

"Over there is RiverClan. Their known for their thick set bodies for stuffing themselves with fish, unless the river freezes up during Leaf Bare they never go hungry."

"Hey, Rabbitstep. Why's this kit out here?"

Nightpaw inwardly growls as she glares at a black, long haired tom with a pale grey tom. The black tom's mentor cuff his ears with his tail.

"Greetings, Thrushwing. Is everything okay?"

"Yes, I'm giving Nightpaw a tour of the territory."

"Good. Make sure she knows to stay away from territories." Rabbitstep said.

"Rabbitstep - she's got no tail!"

Nightpaw bushes her short tail as she straightens it out. "I do too have a tail - you're not paying attention!"

"You're hardly a cat if your tail is that pathetically short!"

"You're hardly worthy of being a warrior if you're willing to mock a cat's quirks."

Rabbitstep pushes his tail into the apprentice's mouth. "Not another word, Swiftpaw." He growls to the black tom.

Also sensing the tension, Thrushwing urges Nightpaw to walk away and dips her head to Rabbitstep.

"I'll see you at the Gathering."

Rabbitstep stares her down and nods before leaving with Swiftpaw.

The evening sky was a pinkish, orange hue when Thrushwing and Nightpaw return to camp. The other apprentices were inside the den except for one. Exhaustion becomes Nightpaw's friend as she flops down in a fresh, new nest.

She suddenly feels tiny creepy crawlers pricking her skin and jumps up, screaming, waking up her denmates except for Snowpaw.

"For the love of-! What is wrong with you, Nightpaw?" Acornpaw exclaims.

"I felt bugs bite in my skin, now it feels like tiny, burning dots!"

Berrypaw and Featherpaw were oddly silent as Nightpaw tries to get the bugs out of her fur. Petalpaw comes in and Featherpaw looks at her.

"Petalpaw. Did you stick fire ants in the new apprentices nests?"

Nightpaw stops fidgeting and glares at Petalpaw. The pale tortoiseshell stares at her cousin's murderous glare.

"Heh." Was all she said before running away. Nightpaw snarls and chases after her.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorr - ack!"

Petalpaw's two littermates roll their eyes.

"Beware."

… Beware of what? What does that mean?

"Beware of her, Snowpaw. Beware of the ancient enemy of cats."

Snowpaw gasps and wakes up in the night. She looks around the den and notices her sleeping denmates. The white she cat feels her paws trembling from fear, and rests her head on the rim of her nest.

It's just a bad dream. Nothing to be afraid of.