"To carry on, we'll carry on, and though you're dead and gone, believe me, your memory will carry on, we'll carry on, and though you're broken and defeated, your weary widow marches on."
-My Chemical Romance, Welcome to the Black Parade

Oakkit's POV

"Ugh, I hate being in this Nursery! Don't you, Oakkit?"

I barely heard what my sister Blossomkit said to me, I was still wondering what was taking our Mom so long with our father in the leader's den. Wasn't there a ceremony we hadn't done yet?

"Um, sure." I replied absently.

"Oakkit are you even listening?" Blossomkit looked slightly concerned. "What's on your mind?"

"Um, wondering why our parents have been talking to the leader for so long." I answered. "Did we get into trouble?"

"Oakkit, so mouse-brained!" Blossomkit laughed. "It's our apprentice ceremony!"

I had completely forgot, even Honeybreeze's kits said I wasn't the brightest kit in the Nursery. That title was undeniably Owlkit's, who was caught reciting the warrior's code in her sleep at times.

"Oh, that's when we become...'paws?" Blossomkit nodded eagerly. "But sis, you sure that's what it is?"

"It has to be! We're six moons now!" Blossomkit purred. "They must be talking about who will mentor us! It would be hard to choose experienced warriors for us."

"Why's that?"

"Cause there aren't really that many without apprentices." Blossomkit meowed. "I heard our grandmother Dawnwhisper hasn't had an apprentice yet. Maybe they'll give her one of Honeybreeze's kits."

"I feel sorry for whoever has to apprentice them, they're like a litter of badgers." I muttered, to which Blossomkit agreed.

"Wait! They're coming out right now!" Blossomkit squealed.

"All of RiverClan come forth!" Stonestar purred with our parents beside him.

Our Mom Spidermoon leaped to us as we were leaving the Nursery and licked our pelts throughly like our lives depended on it.

While Blossomkit stubbornly tried pawing away our mother's tongue, I enjoyed the affection. I couldn't understand why the apprentices make fun of me for letting my mom lick my fur. It felt nice.

Mom gestured us forward and Stonestar and our Dad Brownpelt looked at the two of us with pride. This was it, our roles in the Clan would start now.

"Blossomkit, you are now Blossompaw. You will be mentored by Dawnwhisper. Dawnwhisper, an apprentice for you was long overdue. But Splotchstar refused you one for personal reasons most likely." Stonestar growled. "I hope you do well with your first apprentice."

Blossompaw looked at me excitedly and trotted over to Dawnwhisper and they touched noses.

"Oakkit, you are now Oakpaw. Emberstem, you've also been wanting an apprentice for a long time." Stonestar meowed. "Mentor Oakpaw well, you've earned it."

Emberstem?

I looked at the black she-cat, I hardly saw her around camp. I was told she used to have a mate till they split up. She always seemed like the dark enveloped her mind, snapping at Clanmates and such.

I walked to her and touched noses, and immediately stopped to avoid the intense orange gaze of her angry look.

"Blossompaw! Oakpaw!"

"We should get to know the other apprentices!" Blossompaw purred. "C'mon Oakpaw!"

"Rainpaw and Marshpaw don't have any friends besides each other." I explained. "They're weird, who'd not want any friends?"

"Took after their mother I guess." Blossompaw replied. "Spottedpaw is really nice though right?"

"Yeah, she is." I answered. Spottedpaw was really nice, and so were her mothers who were great friends with our parents.

I saw Emberstem walk over towards us, tensing when Sedgestep passed by her without a single word. She looked angry as usual.

"Tour. Now." Emberstem growled to me before leaving camp without waiting for me.

"Wait for me!" I gasped. "Sorry Blossompaw! I gotta catch up to my mentor!"

The tour had been really brief as Emberstem muttered words, gesturing to the reed beds and the island in the big lake home of the Clans.

I wanted to look at the beautiful sunset that was starting but Emberstem gave me a glare that could kill and I ran to her side.

"Tour is over." Emberstem muttered. "Hunting starts tomorrow. Be ready."

I caught tears glimmering in Emberstem's eyes and felt worried for her. She looked away quickly and dashed back to camp. Why was she so sad?

I went back to camp as well. I saw Spottedpaw and Blossompaw chatting eagerly while eating a minnow. Honeybreeze's kits recently developed a taste for meat and it had really hurt the fresh-kill pile as it dwindled.

"Oakpaw!" Blossompaw meowed. "How was the tour?"

"It was nice." I lied, smiling. "Hello Spottedpaw. How have you two been?"

"It's nice that I get to train with you two!" Spottedpaw confessed. "Pebblebird's kits are so anti-social, it gives me the creeps."

I joined them and after we ate, we headed to the apprentice's den to sleep.

"Oakpaw?"

What? I appeared to be in a dream, but I did not know who was calling out to me.

"You're in StarClan, you're Oakpaw right?"

"Yes." I answered.

A tortoiseshell she-cat with stars in her pelt approached me and her eyes lit up.

"Have you heard of the Crimson Heroine?" The cat asked me.

"How could I forget?" I replied honestly. "RiverClan talks about her plenty of times. She was my Dad's sister."

"She's returned far from the Clans, and soon apprentices from all the Clans will journey to find her and bring her back." The cat explained. "You will be one of them."

"Going on a journey?" I almost gasped. "But I'mjust a ordinary tom! Send Blossompaw, I can't do this."

"You can, my name is Amberfern." Amberfern meowed. "Trust me, I couldn't have put it in better paws. When you go to your first Gathering, you'll know who those apprentices are."

"How?" I felt dumb asking.

"It'll just occur to you." Amberfern reassured me. "All of RiverClan needs Redblossom back. The leader, her friends, and especially my son. You can do it Oakpaw, I know you can."

Amberfern left and I knew that my apprenticeship was going to be quite different...