Fernkit's eyes fluttered open, her heart racing with excitement. Today's the day! She leaped from her nest, bouncing gleefully around the nursery.

"Guys! Guys! Wake up!" She prodded both out her brothers, purring eagerly. "Get up, you lazy furballs!"

Hawthornkit shifted in his nest, but didn't open his eyes. "Lemme sleep," he mumbled, burying his nose in his paws.

She only poked him harder, tugging on his ears and batting at his tail. "Come on! Wake up!"

"Why?" The pale brown tabby yawned, beginning to open his eyes. Suddenly, they shot open, and he gazed around. "I totally forgot! This is going to be great!"

Briarkit sat up in his nest, frantically grooming his fur. "You two should starting grooming!" He meowed. "Mother might not wake up in time!"

"You're right," Fernkit purred, batting at Hawthornkit's ear. "But I already groomed my fur. See how glossy it is?" She shifted from side to side, making the bright sunlight streaming in through the gorse branches gleam off her pelt.

"Would you three stop your yapping?" All three kits guiltily turned their heads towards Petaldust, who had joined the nursery the night before.

Fernkit ducked her head in embarrassment. "Sorry," she mumbled, turning back to her brothers. "Let's go finish up in the hollow."

Her littermates nodded, and the three apprentice-age kits exited the nursery. For the last time... she thought with a sigh. Now we'll have to sleep with Breezepaw and Twigpaw. Great. But not even those two troublemakers could bring down Fernkit's good mood... until she remembered her conversation with Bluewillow and Cloudleap.

Briarkit is going to have to be a medicine cat, she felt a pang of guilt slap her chest. But, maybe he'll enjoy it. You never know.

Suddenly, Cloudleap burst out of the den, startling her three kits. "Great StarClan, I slept in!" She panted, darting for Fernkit. The she-kit struggled as her mother gave her a quick but thorough grooming. "Oh, I hope Foxstar waits until sunhigh! You still look like you crawled through a bramble bush backwards, Hawthornkit!" The queen pushed Fernkit aside to snatch up her son.

"Ack! Mother!" The tom struggled to get away from her, but it was no use. "I can clean my own fur!"

Cloudleap's eyes flashed with defiance, but it was gone in a heartbeat. "I-I suppose you can," she backed away from the tabby tom, sniffing Briarkit. "Y-you all did a good job. Now, I-I need to speak with Foxstar."

Fernkit heard her mother sniffle as she passed over to the Tall Rock. Bluewillow and Foxstar were waiting outside, and escorted her in. They're probably speaking about Briarkit, Fernkit felt her fur prick with resentment. It's all my fault.

                 ✩︎✮︎✩︎✮︎✩︎✮︎✩︎✮︎✩︎✮︎✩︎✮︎✩︎✮︎✩︎

   "Let all cats old enough to race across the moors gather here beneath the Tall Rock for a Clan meeting!" Hawthornkit, Briarkit, and Fernkit were already sitting at the base of the Tall Rock, their pelts nearly groomed as they faced the gathering Clan.

   Fernkit gulped. This is it. I'm going to be an apprentice!

   Foxstar cleared his throat once most cats were sitting comfortably. "It has come to my attention that three kits have reached the age of six moons, and are ready to be apprenticed," he let his gaze rest on the three littermates that sat before him. "Hawthornkit, Fernkit, is it your wish to train in the noble ways of a warrior, under the guidance of StarClan?"

   Fernkit felt a pang of sadness when she glanced over and saw Briarkit, looking scared and confused. "I-it is," she silently cursed the tremble in her voice.

   "It is," her brother meowed more confidently.

   The leader nodded. "Then from this day forward, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Hawthornpaw and Fernpaw. Scorchwind, you are ready for your first apprentice. I trust that you will pass on all that you know to young Hawthornpaw. StarClan honors your battle skills and patience."

   "Marigoldshine, you are also ready for another apprentice. You trained Specklestep well, and I hope that you will do the same for Fernpaw. StarClan honors your compassion and bravery."

   The cats all around them began to yowl and cheer. "Hawthornpaw! Fernpaw!"

   Briarkit was still looking confused. Fernkit sighed internally as Foxstar continued. "Briarkit, Bluewillow has told me that StarClan has chosen the path of a medicine cat for you. I trust that you will walk the mysterious path of a medicine cat calmly and confidently as you dip your paws into the secrets of our warrior ancestors. From this moment on, until you receive your full medicine cat name, you shall be known as Briarpaw. May StarClan light your path."

   "Briarpaw! Briarpaw!" The crowd roared again, but the small pale brown tom looked bewildered and nervous.

   He stood shakily. "F-Foxstar, how can this be? Why was I chosen? Me, of all cats?"

   "StarClan works in mysterious ways," the leader responded simply. "You'll learn all about them as you walk the path of a medicine cat."

   The Clan did not quiet down, they only yowled louder. I suppose having a new medicine cat is something to celebrate, she thought, trying to keep all emotions buried down inside her. Briarpaw will be fine. Bluewillow... is a decent cat. They'll get along just fine. I'm... sure... of it.

   "Hawthornpaw!" Fernpaw's ears flicked up as Rabbitpaw raced past her to her brother. "You're finally an apprentice!"

   His whiskers twitched. "It's only been a moon and a half."

   Fernpaw looked away, searching the crowd for Locustpaw. The tom locked eyes with her, then came rushing over.

   "Fernpaw! Congrats!" The black tom purred, weaving around her. "How does it feel? Different?"

   She shrugged. "Yeah, I suppose. I certainly have a lot more responsibility now, that's for sure."

   Locustpaw's whiskers twitched. "It's not that bad. Unless you get stuck on camp duty. That does stink."

   The two friends chuckled as they padded towards a patch of tall grass and heather. Fernpaw noticed that there was a patch, about two tail-lengths wide, of grass that was flattened completely. Locustpaw walked through there, and they emerged into a small area of flattened grass stalks.

   "This is where the apprentices sleep when it's not storming or cold," he meowed, flicking his tail towards an especially crushed spot near the back. "That's my nest. You want me to help make yours?"

   Fernpaw's eyes widened. "We sleep under the open sky?"

   "Yep," the tom purred, gazing up at the bright blue sky above them. "It's even better at night."

   She nodded. I can imagine. All those stars twinkling overhead, the moon casting its bright glow across our pelts as we sleep. This will be much better than the stuffy nursery!

   "Where do we sleep if it does storm?" She asked out of curiosity.

   "With the elders, or back in the nursery," Locustpaw meowed nonchalantly. "The warriors sleep in a similar heather patch, but when it rains they get their own bramble den."

   "Oh," Fernpaw breathed. "Let's make my nest. I wanna ask Marigoldshine if I can tour the territory!"

   Locustpaw smiled and nodded. "My mentor told me that all of you newbies are going to explore the moors tomorrow morning at dawn."

   "Then we better get to nest-building so I can get some sleep!"

   The black tom exited the grassy area, heading for the medicine den. Fernpaw padded over to the fresh-kill pile and proceeded to pick all the feathers off of a thrush. She carried them over to the apprentices' sleeping area and began separating them in two piles.

   Locustpaw entered shortly after, a large bundle of moss in his jaws. He spat it out next to Fernpaw. "I see you've already gotten feathers," he stated, tail curling in amusement.

   She nodded. "Yep! Let's make a nest!"

   Together, they made a nest for Hawthornpaw as well as Fernpaw. The white tabby backed away from their work, panting. "Woo! It's finally done!" She glanced over at her friend, whose whiskers were twitching, as usual. "I'm going to get some rest. How about you?"

   Locustpaw shrugged. "I'm due for the sunset patrol, so I might as well take a quick nap."

   Fernpaw settled comfortably in her new nest with a purr. Locustpaw laid in his nest, which was right next to Fernpaw's. They had moved Hawthornpaw's closer to Rabbitpaw's, since they were good friends.

   She sighed happily. I think I'm going to like being an apprentice.