It had been 2 moons since the announcement of Nightkit's golden eyes.

Nightkit was treated like the leader of StarClan from most cats in the clan. She had grown to become rather arrogant, and often compliments herself. Dustkit became very distant over the past few moons, spending most of her time in the medicine den with Aldernose.

The dappled kit had been secretly meeting with her father at night. The first night she snuck out with Cedarclaw was the night before the clan meeting about her eyes. She and Cedarclaw spent time together and explored the territory, and Cedarclaw had taught her the hunting crouch a few days afterward. She perfected it with ease.

The primary reason why Cedarclaw took her out at night was to train her. Sedgestar refused Cedarclaw's request to mentor her. Sedgestar had said that fathers would be gentle with their daughters. Cedarclaw then requested to have her be apprenticed early. Sedgestar also refused.

And then Cedarclaw had clandestine trainings with her at night.

He was never too harsh, but never too gentle. Nightkit could effortlessly catch a mouse now. Defensive combat training had already been taught to her, and she could dodge an attack swiftly. She was roughly six moons old.

Speaking of her age, it was time for her apprenticeship ceremony.

Sandblossom groomed her dark tortoiseshell fur thoroughly while Dustkit waited for her turn, an eager bounce in her paws. They were situated outside of the nursery, basking in the warmth of the afternoon.

Nightkit couldn't wait to discover who would be her mentor. She hoped it was Cedarclaw.

Sandblossom already knew about the secret trainings, and she approved whole-heartedly. "I feel that my kit should use her training opportunities so that when she is apprenticed, she will be prepared." The light dappled she-cat stated.

Nightkit couldn't help but feel bad about the fact that her father was secretly mentoring her while Dustkit had no idea. If Cedarclaw could train Nightkit, he could train Dustkit too. It was unfair, but she didn't complain. After all, Dustkit would probably be a medicine cat apprentice.

Sandblossom finished licking the dark she-cat's pelt, and she excitedly sprang out of her mother's paws and pounced on a leaf on the sandy ground. She remembered that she had to fake her hunter's crouch, so she purposefully got into a partially incorrect crouch and batted at the green leaf.

Meanwhile, Dustkit was given a hasty grooming.

"All cats old enough to swim gather beneath the Speaking Oak for a clan meeting!" Sedgestar yowled, taking her place in the branches of the oak tree that is located in the center of the camp.

Dappled fur groomed to perfection, Nightkit confidently strode up to the gathering crowd while Dustkit scurried after her, sandy-brown fur ruffled in places.

"Cats of DawnClan, you all know what this day is," Sedgestar began. A light chuckle arose from the masses.

"Today is Nightkit and Dustkit's apprenticeship ceremony. Dustkit, please step forward."

Silence. Dustkit slank up to the roots of the Speaking Oak, looking as if she wanted to blend in with the bark of the tree. Pure discomfort was in her spring-green gaze.

"Dustkit has chosen the path of a medicine cat. Dustkit, do you promise to uphold the warrior and medicine cat code?"

"I do," Dustkit mewed, then swallowed hard. She was clearly not accustomed to attention.

"By the powers of StarClan, I announce that you will no longer be known as Dustkit, but Dustpaw. Aldernose will be your mentor. He is a loyal and mature tom, and he has served the clan greatly in the past. He will pass on his knowledge to you."

"Dustpaw! Dustpaw!" The clan faintly cheered.

Dustpaw touched noses with Aldernose, then retreated to the back.

"Nightkit, please step forward."

Nightkit obeyed, and stood at the roots of the oak, golden eyes sparkling with anticipation. All of the clan's eyes were on her, but she felt no anxiety.

"Nightkit, do you promise to uphold the warrior code?"

"I do."

"By the powers of StarClan, I announce that you will no longer be known as Nightkit, but Nightpaw. I will be your mentor, and I will teach you everything I know and believe in."

"Nightpaw! Nightpaw! Nightpaw!" The clan yowled.

"Meeting adjourned," Sedgestar concluded, and leapt down from the branches.

Nightpaw hurried to speak with her new mentor, pushing past the crowd. She didn't stop to congratulate Dustpaw.

"Hello, Nightpaw."

"Sedgestar, I want Cedarclaw to be my mentor," Nightpaw bluntly meowed, without any greeting or preamble.

The cream-furred she-cat laughed, finding her statement humorous. "I'm sorry, Nightpaw, but I can't let you be the apprentice of your father. He would go easy on you, and nothing would get done. No cat wants to see their kit struggle," She added, a solemn look flashing in her light-blue eyes.

The way Sedgestar said that made Nightpaw wonder if she had any kits.

"Go on and get acquainted with your new denmates. I'll wake you up soon after dawn so we can go around the territory."

Nightpaw did as she told, and the dark tortoiseshell she-cat entered her new den without any hesitation.

"Well, if it isn't the kit every cat in the clan's been yapping about!" A silver tabby she-cat to the left mewed, a smirk on her face.

"I'm not a kit anymore, I'm an apprentice," Nightpaw snapped back, causing the tabby to chortle gleefully.

"Welcome to the apprentices' den, prissy-paws."

"Thanks."

There were nine apprentices in total, including her. The den was very crowded. Luckily, Cherrypaw and Foxpaw were to be made warriors in the next moon, Hawkpaw to follow soon after.

Nightpaw's favorite cat in the den was Sweetpaw, the silver tabby apprentice. Sweetpaw was sharp-tongued at times, but she latched onto her.

"What's it like having Sedgestar as your mentor?" Morningpaw asked the dark tortoiseshell apprentice, admiration in her blue gaze.

"I've only been an apprentice for one day," Nightpaw responded. She was tempted to put 'mouse-brain' at the end, like Sweetpaw often does, but she knew that it would lower her reputation among the apprentices, since first impressions were the best impressions.

"Oh, right."

Sweetpaw snickered in reply to Morningpaw's distant mew. Embarrassed, the cream and gold she-cat shrank back as if to hide herself.

Branchpaw and Snailpaw both frowned, but said nothing.

The sun was growing low in the sky, and the clouds were tinged with sunset orange and gold. Nightpaw let out a yawn. She was still exhausted from the vigorous training exercise with Cedarclaw from the night before.

Sweetpaw's eyes narrowed skeptically. "What's the matter, prissy-paws? Tired already?" She sneered.

Nightpaw hoped the nickname was affectionate. "Yeah."

The pale silver tabby apprentice snorted and left the den, Cherrypaw and Hawkpaw at her heels.

Nightpaw laid in her nest, contemplating her new surroundings and denmates.

"Hi, Nightpaw," A ginger tom near her nest greeted her, breaking the silence, since all conversation had stopped when Sweetpaw and her cronies left. She remembered his name was Foxpaw.

"Hello, Foxpaw," The tortoiseshell replied.

"Will tomorrow be your first time out of the camp?"

"Yeah."

It was very easy lying to Foxpaw, because he accepted her answer immediately. She could tell he wanted to strike up a longer conversation, but she made it clear she didn't want to speak by faking a loud yawn. Maybe it was genuine, Nightpaw didn't know.

The dappled she-cat curled up in her new nest and tried to recreate her mother's reassuring scent, or her father's proud smile. She also tried to imagine Dustpaw's comforting pale-brown form next to her as always.