AN: Sorry it took me a little longer than usual to get this posted. I've been listening to Casting Crowns new Acoustic Session album, and the music is amazing! Their new version of Somewhere In The Middle is outstanding, and Set Me Free is another great song to get into. Highly recommend it for people who love this kind of music :)

CHAPTER NINE

Camp was buzzing with activity as the first rays of light poured into the nursery. Reedkit sat impatiently next to his three sisters as they squabbled over who would make the best apprentice. Their ceremony was to be held today at sunhigh. Acornpaw and Pebblepaw weren't looking forward to sharing their den with the noisy kits from what Reedkit had heard. The two apprentices were already glaring at the nursery as they stalked past for battle training.

Reedkit rolled his eyes and looked back at his mother, who was speaking quietly to Ambertail. At her belly were three tiny kits that had been born two days ago. One was a dark ginger kit like Scarletpaw, only one of it's paws was white. Ambertail had named the kit Redkit. The second kit was a tortoiseshell kit with dark ginger paws, which Ambertail had named Dawnkit. The last kit was an orange tabby kit – rare to the Clans but not unheard of – named Firekit.

The new kits had made the nursery fuller than Reedkit would have liked. He and his siblings had been pushed towards the entrance of the den during the night. Though it annoyed him to no end, he knew it was for the kits' protection.

"Maybe Reedkit will be leader someday," Hollykit suddenly piped up when their heated argument grew louder.

Reedkit's ears flattened in annoyance when she included him in her argument. It wasn't the first time his sisters had included him in their argument, and he suspected it wasn't going to be the last. There were times when he wished that he could block out their conversations entirely, especially when he knew how annoying sisters could be.

"Na, he doesn't act like a leader," Willowkit muttered.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Reedkit demanded.

"She means that you don't take charge," Larchkit snapped. "All you ever do is listen rather than lead. You would make a terrible leader."

She grinned at those words, but Reedkit dropped into a crouch. His fur had begun to bristle at the insults she shot at him. He was tired of being called the weaker sibling just because he didn't like to argue. While she kept purring in amusement at her own speech, Reedkit sprang forward with his paws outstretched.

Larchkit squealed in surprise at his sudden ambush. The pair tumbled over while Willowkit and Hollykit sprang out of the way. Reedkit managed to get the better of his sister and pinned her to the ground. Larchkit hissed in frustration as she struggled to free herself from his grip.

Despite being slightly smaller than the rest of his sisters, Reedkit had more muscles. He was easily able to hold her down for as long as he wanted without her being able to fight him off. And Reedkit felt a sudden prickle of satisfaction when he realized how much stronger he was compared to her.

"Enough!" Reedkit stiffened when Ashfang grabbed him by the scruff. "What have I told you about fighting when there are other kits in the nursery?" Reedkit was going to point out that she had never said anything of the sort when she placed him between Willowkit and Hollykit. "If you keep up this fighting than I will hold back your apprentice ceremony."

Alarm coursed through Reedkit when she glared at him. The last thing he wanted was to spend another day in the nursery!

Would she really do that? he wondered frantically.

He knew that his mother wasn't above holding back his ceremony, especially if they continued fighting. But it wasn't as if he'd had much of a choice. His sisters were always pushing him into doing something he wasn't interested in. Worst still was listening to the constant arguments they got into.

"Let all cats old enough gather around the Sandpile for a Clan meeting!" As if his silent thoughts had been a cue, Minnowstar's yowl echoed across camp. He didn't realize how much time had passed until he peered outside the nursery. It didn't take long for the Clan to gather around Minnowstar as she stood on a pile of sand that held together like wood. "By naming apprentices we show that our Clan will remain strong. Come forward, you four."

Minnowstar looked at the nursery expectantly.

Reedkit looked at his mother warily until she nodded. Though she was still angry with their latest argument, she seemed to accept that they were ready to move on. With a flick of his tail he padded forward, followed by his littermates.

"Hollykit, until you have received your warrior name, you will be known as Hollypaw. Watertail, you are ready for an apprentice. You have shown much courage these past few moons, and I expect you to pass on what you have learned to Hollypaw." Reedkit watched as the two touched noses. Watertail would make a good mentor for Hollypaw - she needed someone who was patient enough to deal with Hollypaw's constant energy.

"Larchkit, until you have received your warrior name you will be known as Larchpaw. Blossomwind, you have not yet had an apprentice. But you have shown the Clan that you are worthy of training one. I expect you to pass on what you have learned to Larchpaw." Larchpaw's eyes widened in disbelief when she touched noses with Blossomwind. Reedkit wondered if she was hoping that Minnowstar herself would train her. He doubted the Clan leader would take on another apprentice.

"Willowkit, until you have received your warrior name you will be known as Willowpaw. Pricklefur, you are ready for an apprentice. You are a strong and loyal warrior, and I expect you to pass on what you know to Willowpaw."

Willowpaw's eyes clouded over in alarm when she touched noses with the warrior. Pricklefur lived up to his name as a snappy and slightly aggressive warrior. Reedkit nearly broke out in a purr when he led her back to the crowd. Willowpaw deserved such a mentor for what she had said earlier.

Maybe now she'll learn what it's like being put under the kind of pressure they've put me through, he thought with a roll of his eyes.

Though, Reedkit doubted Willowpaw would ever learn what it was like being treated as 'second-best'.

"Reedkit, until you have received your warrior name you will be known as Reedpaw. I have not had an apprentice for moons now, and I wish to take you on as my apprentice."

Reedpaw's jaw dropped open in shock at her words.

Had she really said what he thought she said? As if his question had been a cue, Ashfang nudged him forward gently. Minnowstar looked down at him as if expecting him to say something. Instead the two touched noses after an awkward silence hung over them.

Larchpaw was glaring at him when the ceremony ended. Reedpaw could feel her glare burning through his skin as she was taken aside by Blossomwind. He tried to ignore it as he looked up at Minnowstar. Her light brown fur rippled against a breeze as it swept through the clearing.

"I'll show you the territory," she meowed once they were alone.

Mintwhisker was already organizing patrols for the following day. Blizzardwind rarely left her den unless it was an emergency, leaving her apprentice Scarletpaw to perform the more important duties of a medicine cat. Even than Minnowstar was rarely left alone for long, especially with leafbare still in full swing.

She trotted over towards the camp's entrance, leaving Reedpaw little time to think over why she had chosen him as an apprentice. He shook his head and tried to clear it as he followed her. There was no point in arguing with her – the leader's word was law after all.

For the first time since he had left the nursery, Reedpaw's fur bristled with excitement. This was his first time leaving camp. Willowpaw and Larchpaw were always the one who had left camp while their mother wasn't looking. They would always get themselves into trouble from passing patrols.

"This is where you will be training," Minnowstar meowed when they reached a sandy clearing. Beside the clearing was a stream wide enough and deep enough that a cat would swim in it. "You will learn how to swim here as well," she added.

He watched the stream warily, suddenly wondering how they would start learning how to swim. The elders used to tell him that back in the old territory, kits learned how to swim and tolerate the water at a young age. They didn't have that sort of luxury in their new camp.

Minnowstar began leading him through the bed of reeds that grew around RiverClan's marshy territory. Ancient looking willow trees surrounded them. Their long branches dangled limply towards the ground, swaying against the brisk breeze. Reedpaw noticed how few birds were in the area because of the lack of shelter.

"This is the Willow Grove, and water voles can be caught here," Minnowstar explained when she let him stop. Reedpaw's mouth watered at the thought of fresh-kill. He had not yet eaten - a big mistake for someone who's mentor was the Clan leader. Minnowstar seemed to catch on and looked down at him. "We won't be out long," she promised.

She led him across the territory once more towards what appeared to be a large Twoleg structure. Reedpaw's eyes narrowed as he tried to get a better view of the structure. It looked as though it was falling apart from where he was standing. Minnowstar looked at him in amusement.

"This is the border between RiverClan and WindClan," she meowed in a calm voice. "Don't expect a friendly visit from them - WindClan will always remain hostile towards other Clans." Reedpaw glared at the border at her words. He remembered the last battle between RiverClan and WindClan. WindClan had lost their warrior Leopardheart during that battle, and RiverClan won. "Battle is never anything to celebrate," Minnowstar told him as if she had read his thoughts. "I would have never led my Clan into that battle had Icestar stopped the hunting patrols from crossing into our territory."

Reedpaw nodded at her words – he knew that she was right. Yet even now his claws unsheathed as he imagined piercing them through the hearts of WindClan warriors. He would never let them cross the territory in the first place. He would make sure that they knew who they were messing with.

His heart sank when Minnowstar told him that they would have to backtrack all the way to the ShadowClan border. By now sunhigh had come and warmed his fur. Newleaf was coming, he could feel it in the air. The snow from a few days ago was beginning to melt. The streams that had been frozen like his father described were beginning to melt as well. The first signs of a thaw were always promising, at least that was what Ripplecloud would tell him.

Minnowstar led him across the territory once more, ducking under the roots of willow trees and weaving in and out of the reeds. She had told him that this was a good place for an ambush. Hunting in this area was prime when it came to taking down water voles or even mice. Her knowledge of the territory helped distract Reedpaw from his growing hunger. It didn't take them nearly as long as he had expected to reach the ShadowClan border.

Here streams were abundant along with a variety of trees that grew around the area. Reedpaw's nose wrinkled in disgust when a fowl stench suddenly filled the air. Minnowstar's amused look never ceased when she looked across what appeared to be a clearing surrounded by pine trees.

"Remember that scent well," she told him. "ShadowClan are clever cats, and use the shadows to hide from their enemies or pounce on them."

"Why do they always smell so bad?" he muttered under his breath.

"I'm sure that our scent isn't much better to them," Minnowstar purred. "We should get back before it gets dark."

Hope flared within Reedpaw's chest when she turned around. By now his stomach was churning with hunger as he followed her. He would have to remind himself to eat before they patrolled again. This was one mistake he would not forget anytime soon.

AN: Sorry I couldn't make it longer, but that's what happens when you take too long to write /= Anyways tell me what you think of this chapter, reviews are always appreciated!