The tall trees that were found all around OakClans territory cast huge shadows below them, shielding the cats from the hot sun. Cats started to settle down and rest in the OakClan camp, and Tallkit rushed out of the nursery to join them. His brother Rootkit however, stayed behind with their mother Sweetvoice. Rootkit squinted open his eyes, noticing Tallkit wasn't in the nest anymore. He looked up at Sweetvoice, who smiled down at him. "Go on, join your brother." she said, nuzzling the tortishell kit. Rootkit just closed his eyes and buried deeper into his mothers fur. He didn't want to go out there if she wasn't going, mainly becase he felt a sense of comfort when he was with his mother. Rootkit had a really healthy relationship with Sweetvoice, and honestly felt scared something would hurt her if she was away. Sweetvoice chuckled "Okay, I'll come too." she stood up and waited for Rootkit to do the same. Rootkit happily bounced up and walked towards the main entrance, looking over his shoulder to check if Sweetvoice was behind. The two padded out of the den and Rootkit saw Dewdrizzle, their father, and Tallkit playing. It was a bit odd, considering the fact that their father was always busy and usually couldn't spend time with them. Dewdrizzle looked over at the two cats coming forward and smiled "Hello you two." he purred and gently nuzzled Sweetvoice. Dewdrizzle looked over at Rootkit "So, do you want me to teach you the front paw swipe too?" Sweetvoice wrapped her tail around Rootkit "Don't you think you should save that for when they're apprentices?" she asked. "Well it's our last day as kits, me and Rootkit might as well learn it now." Tallkit answered in Dewdrizzles stead. Rootkit let out a quiet sigh. He was aware that their apprentice ceremony was soon, but becoming an apprentice ment moving out of the nursery, getting his name changed, and having to learn to fight and hunt. He didn't like the idea of it, let alone knowing all that was going to happen. "Come on Rootkit, it'll be fun." Dewdrizzle reassured him. "Okay." Rootkit let out and walked up to his father and Tallkit.

"Alright," Dewdrizzle began and raised his front paw. "First, lift your paw." he explained. Rootkit did as told and lifted his paw as Dewdrizzle kept on talking "Then, swipe as hard as you can. Just keep your claws sheathed." he demonstrated, quickly swiping the air and looking over at Rootkit. Rootkit tried to do what his father did, but he instead clumsily swiped at the air, and put his paw down. He looked at down at the ground, a bit sad. "Not like that Rootkit!" Tallkit meowed. "Like this." Tallkit demonstrated, swiping at his invisible enemy almost as quickly as Dewdrizzle. "Don't worry." Sweetvoice comforted Rootkit "Maybe you're just not the fighting type." Suddenly a blur of gray fur rushed past them. Rootkit recognised his scent, and knew this was the medicine cat apprentice, Pigeonpaw. He was in a rush for some reason, and quickly dissapeared through the entrance of the medicine den. Sweetvoice turned to Rootkit "Maybe you can help Pigeonpaw?" she suggested. "Alright." Rootkit agreed and walked over to the medicine den. The smell of herbs and flowers met his nostrils the moment he entered. There were herbs stocked in a neat row on a log, and flowers woven into the walls. Pigeonpaw was in the corner of the den, putting something away. He soon turned to face Rootkit "Do you need anything?" he calmly asked. "Uh...can I help you?" Rootkit questioned in responce. Pigeonpaw looked fairly suprised "Oh, no. I just finished everything Bloomheart instructed me to do."

"Oh." Rootkit looked at the ground, not dissapointed, not sad, not annoyed. He didn't really know what to feel honestly. "But," Pigeonpaws voice caught him by surprise. "I could teach you about herbs. How does that sound?" Rootkit hesitated for a moment before nodding. Pigeonpaw smiled at him and took out some seeds. "These are poppy seeds," the gray tom began "they're used as pain killers, they also help cats sleep." Rootkit eyed the small brown seeds, wondering how medicine cats got them. If they were seeds they came from flowers, at least that's what Rootkit was told. He imagined a cat carefuly picking seeds from the center of a pretty flower. What did poppy flowers even look like? Were they white? No, those were daisies. Red? The only red flower Rootkit had heard of were roses. Yellow maybe? Blue? Purple? Orange? All the thoughts hurt Rootkits head. Why didn't medicine cats keep the petals of the poppy? Why did they only take the seeds? There were more questions than answers.

"Uh...Rootkit?" Pigeonpaws voice suddenly snapped him back into reality. "Are you even listening to me?" Rootkit felt guilt strike him. Pigeonpaw was teaching him something and he wasn't even listening. That guilt turned slowly into anger. Why am I like this? Why can't I pay attention to anything? Why do I daydream about dumb things?! "Hey, it's alright. You don't have to learn about herbs." Pigeonpaw seemingly noticed Rootkit looked angry and tried to comfort him. "It's fine." Rootkit blurted out "I'll just find something to do." He turned around and headed to the entrance and looked over his shoulder to get one last glance at Pigeonpaw "Bye." Rootkit said before heading out.

"Why the long face?" a voice asked shortly after Rootkit exited the medicine cat den. Ge turned to see a tortishell she-cat heading over to him. Kestrelpaw. "Did Pigeonpaw ramble on about something?" she asked "My brother can be like that sometimes. If I was you I would've left too!" the torti laughed. Rootkit knew Pigeonpaw and Kestrelpaw weren't siblings. Almost half the Clan knew. Kestrelpaw was found abandoned in the forest and was nursed by Rainwhisper, who had Pigeonpaw shortly before Kestrelpaw was found. They were raised thinking they were littermates. Neither knew that they weren't related, Rainwhisper refused to tell them.

"I'm just bored." Rootkit mumbled. Of course Kestrelpaw immediatly came up with a solution. "How about we play a game? It's a simple one, really." she explained "We have to run to the other side of camp. Whoever gets there first wins." Rootkit liked how it sounded. He didn't have to fight or listen to anyone talk. All he had to do was run. "Alright." Rootkit said. "Okay, get ready," Kestrelpaw wiggled her haunches "And go!" the she-cat darted forward, Rootkit quickly following. He managed to catch up to the apprentice, who seemed to gradually be slowing down. Rootkit took this opportunity and raced past her, letting a soft breeze flow in his fur. He made it to the other side of camp, panting. Rootkit turned around and saw Kestrelpaw padding toward him.

"Great job!" Kestrelpaw praised. Rootkit happily stuck his tail in the air and fluffed out his chest. I won! The apprentice huffed and flopped down on the ground, rolling onto her back and laughing. Rootkit sat down, slowing down his breath. Just then he noticed a cardinal fly over the OakClan camp, it's red body soaring through the sky. How do birds fly? Rootkit pondered. What is it like to fly? Can other things fly too? Rootkit imagined flying through the sky, high above ground. "Hey, Kestrelpaw?" Rootkit called. "Hm?" the torti blinked. "Can only birds fly?" Rootkit asked. "No, other things fly too. Like bugs." Kestrelpaw answered. Rootkit perked up "Bugs?" Kestrelpaw started explaining "Yeah, bugs. Some have wierd shells which they use to hide their wings under. Like beetles and ladybugs. There's also butterflies, they're really pretty. They don't hide their wings at all." Rootkit became even more interested. He imagined a butterfly with rainbow wings and an unusual pattern. "And some look like they have eyes on their wings!" Kestrelpaw continued "I've never seen one before, but Coldstream has. Atleast that's what he said." Rootkit imagined a butterfly with big blue eyes on its wings. He imagined the eye butterfly and the rainbow butterfly flying through the forest together, chatting and acting like old friends.

Rootkit wanted to tell Tallkit about what he learned today, but then again Tallkit probably wouldn't care. His brother was ambitious, and wanted to grow up quickly, train as a warrior, hunt in the forest. He even had deputy goals. Tallkit admired their father for being deputy, and wanted to be just like him. He would even muffle Tallstar! Tallstar! in his sleep.

Rootkit thought of telling Sweetvoice, she would care. Rootkit stood up and headed to the nursery, but still looking over his shoulder and saying a quick "Goodbye." to Kestrelpaw.