The warm greenleaf wind gently coarses the she-cat's pale ginger tabby fur as she diligently watches over her kits. Her three kits had been born two moons ago and she couldn't be any happier.

Redkit, named for his fur and eventually his fiery personality, became the one who got into the most trouble of his littermates. Patchkit, however, quickly became completely opposite of his brother — grumpy and sullen, always wanting to stay near his mother, constantly complaining about his brother's careless antics. Snowkit, the patient young kit she is, took on the role of leader of the trio early on and acts as the mediator whenever her brothers argue.

"Honeystorm, can we go see Ravenstorm?"

The she-cat nudges Patchkit gently. "Ravenstorm is not here. He is out on a border patrol. But, when he comes back, then you can go see him."

Patchkit sighs and dips his head sadly.

His mother licks his head comfortingly. "I get that you miss Ravenstorm. But he also promises, every time, to come back to us."

He looks up at her. "But you do not even know if he will come back."

Honeystorm shakes her head. "I do not. But I do know that Ravenstorm is a strong warrior." She licks her kit's head again. "I have faith that Starclan will keep him safe and let him return to us."

Patchkit nods and she touches her nose to the top of his fuzzy black head.

"Patchkit! Ravenstorm is back!" One of his littermates comes crashing into him and the two fall in a heap.

The young black-and-white tom hisses angrily. "Watch it, Redkit! You stupid furball!" He disentangles himself from his brother and stalks over to his only sister.

A stocky black tom saunters over to Honeystorm and the kits. "How were they?" He touches his nose to her ear and sits down next to her.

She sighs. "Patchkit missed you. He was asking when you would be back."

Ravenstorm shakes his head. "And Redkit, how was he?"

"Fiery as ever."

The black tom gives her ear a couple licks. "We named him after Firestar. Did you think that we would expect any less from him?"

Honeystorm sighs and shakes her head. "Not really."

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting." Featherstar sits at the top of the Highledge and both Ravenstorm and Honeystorm sit in front of the nursery, their kits sitting in front of them.

"What's going on, Honeystorm?" Redkit asks.

"Hush, Redkit. Featherstar is giving Robinpaw and Mosspaw their warrior names." Ravenstorm swipes his tail over the kit's back, his tone stern.

"Cinderfrost, Sagestripe, have your apprentices Robinpaw and Mosspaw learned the skills of a warrior? Do they both understand the importance of the warrior code?"

Cinderfrost and Sagestripe both nod. "They have."

"I, Featherstar, leader of Thundclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these two apprentices. They both have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Robinpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

The young tortoiseshell she-cat nods. "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name." Featherstar smiles softly. "Robinpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Robintail. StarClan honors your loyalty and wisdom, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Thunderclan."

Featherstar rests her muzzle on Robintail's head and the new warrior respectfully licks her leader's shoulder before stepping back to stand with the other warriors.

Featherstar now turns to the other apprentice. "Mosspaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Mosspaw nods. "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Mosspaw, from this moment on you will be known as Mosstalon. StarClan honors your courage and strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Thunderclan."

Featherstar rests her muzzle on his head and he licks her shoulder, moving back to stand next to Robintail.

"Robintail! Mosstalon! Robintail! Mosstalon!" The Clan cheers loudly for the new warriors.

Featherstar silences them with a swish of her tail. "Robintail and Mosstalon will guard the camp in silent vigil until sunhigh. The Clan meeting is dismissed." She jumps off the Highledge and the newest warriors are greeted by their former mentors and their parents.

"We're so proud of you," a reddish-brown she-cat with blue eyes says and butts her head against Robintail's.

Mosstalon smiles softly and his tail twitches in nervous anticipation. An older golden-brown tom nods to him and the young gray-and-white tom nods in return.

Robintail presses her nose into the golden-brown tom's fur. "Thank you for helping raise us, Driftstorm. You and Roseshadow did a very good job."

Driftstorm nods. "I'm proud of you, young one."

Mosstalon touches his nose to Robintail's ear. "It's time."

She dips her head and the two pad over to the gorse tunnel.

— — — — — — —

Several sunrises have passed since Robintail and Mosstalon's warrior ceremonies and all Redkit wants to do is be just like them.

"Tigerpaw, when will I become a warrior?"

The cat in question — a large brown tabby tom — looks down at the young kit. "It won't be for many moons, Redkit."

The little tabby sits down next to the apprentice. "I really do want to be a warrior. Just like Robintail and Mosstalon."

Tigerpaw chuckles. "You will." He lays his fluffy tail on the kit's back. "And when you do, everyone will be so proud of you."

Redkit looks up at Tigerpaw. "You mean it?"

The dark tabby apprentice nods. "Yeah." He nudges the younger tom. "You never know. We may be apprentices together for a short time."

Redkit smiles. "That would be so cool."

Tigerpaw dips his head to swipe his tongue over the kit's head. "You'll be an apprentice soon enough."

The kit sighs. "I wish my apprentice ceremony would come now." He pulls his ears back in frustration.

"You'll be an apprentice in time, Redkit. You just have to be patient."

Redkit and Tigerpaw turn to see one of the senior warriors pad up to them.

"Oh, Mistyleg." The young tabby apprentice dips his head in greeting. "I was just telling him that."

The gray she-cat sits down and licks a paw. "Whoever you're apprenticed to, you'll do just fine, Redkit."

"Mistyleg!"

The gray she-cat turns and sighs. "I'll see you at sundown. I have to go on a hunting patrol." She gets up and pads away.

Tigerpaw turns to Redkit. "You're thinking about something."

The kit looks at the apprentice and nods.

"What are you thinking about?"

Redkit sighs. "When I become an apprentice, I request of Starclan that I get Mistyleg as my mentor."

Tigerpaw shakes his head and walks off towards the apprentice den, muttering quietly.

"Redkit!"

The ginger tabby kit turns to see Honeystorm calling him from the direction of the nursery and he gets to his paws, watching Mistyleg's fluffy dark gray tail disappear into the undergrowth. 'I'm going to be the best apprentice this Clan has ever seen! I swear to you, great Starclan, I will! And I'm going to be Mistyleg's apprentice, if you'll allow me.'

"Redkit, come in! It's getting dark, stupid furball!" Patchkit's irritated voice mews, prompting his brother to look at him.

He doesn't have a chance to take even a pawstep because Honeystorm snatches his scruff in her jaws and carries him back to the nursery.

Patchkit and Snowkit snuggle up next to Honeystorm when she lays down, but Redkit lays down at the opposite end of the nest. Once he falls asleep, he dreams of running through the forest beside Mistyleg all the way to the lake.

— — — — — — —

"Calm down, Redkit, or you'll have matted fur." Honeystorm finishes grooming the young tom's fur and steps back. "You look very handsome."

He dips his head. "Thank you, Honeystorm." He sits down and sighs. He'd been waiting patiently for quite a few moons and now today is the day. He'd be made an apprentice and hopefully be apprenticed to Mistyleg.

Featherstar sits atop the Highledge. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting."

Redkit pads forward excitedly, followed by Patchkit and Snowkit, and sits down below the Highledge.

"We have three young cats with us today." The Clan leader looks at the three. "Redkit, Patchkit, and Snowkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed."

The young ginger tom glances at his brother and sister, excited, but remains silent.

"Patchkit, from this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Patchpaw." Featherstar looks at the black-and-white tom. "Your mentor will be Emberdust." A dark gray she-cat steps forward, pride shining in her yellow eyes. "Emberdust, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You received excellent training from Badgertooth and you have shown yourself to be kind and patient. You will be the mentor of Patchpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Patchpaw."

Emberdust steps forward and touches her nose to Patchpaw's, after which the newly-made apprentice joins the other apprentices.

"Snowkit, from this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Snowpaw. Your mentor will be Lionsight." A big golden tabby tom steps forward. "Lionsight, you are ready for another apprentice. You trained Lightcloud well, and I expect you to pass on everything you know to Snowpaw."

The tabby tom pads over to Snowpaw and touches noses with her, the white she-cat standing next to Patchpaw.

Featherstar turns to Redkit. "Redkit, from this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Redpaw. Your mentor will be Mistyleg."

Redpaw's heart very nearly bursts. 'Great Starclan, my request was heard! Thank you, great warriors.'

"Mistyleg, you are ready to take on another apprentice. You trained Leafwillow well, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Redpaw."

The gray she-cat pads up to her new apprentice and they touch noses. "You'll do just fine, little flame."

Redpaw dips his head and pads over to stand with his brother and sister.

"Redpaw! Patchpaw! Snowpaw!" The Clan yowls.

But the ginger apprentice isn't listening, though. He's imagining how training will be with his new mentor and what her teaching style will be like. A hard shove jostles him from his thoughts.

"Redpaw! Pay attention!" Patchpaw hisses quietly in his ear. "Featherstar has an announcement to make."

Featherstar's tail twitches, a sign that she's irritated about something. "I had received a prophecy from Starclan six moons ago. 'The fire will unite and save the Clans once again. Five will become one. But an old enemy that will rise from the ashes. Beware of the blood in the forest.' Cinderfrost and I have been speaking to Smallflame and Pinetooth, and we believe that Bloodclan is making preparations to return."

Gasps of shock and disbelief sweep through the sea of cats.

Featherstar sighs. "Smallflame shared his concerns with me regarding Bloodclan. It may seem like it's only an elder's story told to kits, but I firmly believe that Bloodclan is real."

"What must we do to prepare for the fight that will come?"

The Clan leader pulls her ears back. "Be careful where you put your paws in your dreams. Smallflame has been told by many Starclan warriors that Bloodclan warriors — and even Dark Forest cats — are known to walk in our dreams. Be vigilant and inform Smallflame or Pinetooth if you have been visited by or are being visited by a Dark Forest cat or Bloodclan warrior. The Clan meeting is dismissed." Featherstar disappears into her den, Smallflame following her.

Ravenstorm and Honeystorm pad up to their kits.

"We're so proud of you." Honeystorm butts her head against her daughter's, both of them purring.

Redpaw isn't paying that much attention and instead stares up at Featherstar's den, wondering what will happen to his leader.

"Redpaw!"

The ginger apprentice turns to see Tigerpaw padding up to him.

"You're an apprentice now. How excited are you?"

Redpaw continues to stare up towards where Featherstar disappeared and the older apprentice follows his line of sight.

"Redpaw, Featherstar has this whole prophecy thing handled. You have to trust her."

The ginger apprentice nods. "I know that. It's just - I had this feeling of complete dread that something terrible is going to happen to her." He looks at Tigerpaw. "It's probably just me wanting to make her proud."

The older apprentice nods. "Well, would you like a tour around the camp? Maybe it'll help clear your mind."

Redpaw nods, hoping the tour might help. It did not, however. Though he was paying attention, his mind kept wandering to one question. 'Something bad is going to happen. Featherstar is in danger. But what – or who – is it? And how can I stop it from happening?'

~~==+O+==~~

Mistyleg called Redpaw "little flame". This will be of great importance to the series and I have big plans. But I can't tell you anything. You'll just have to wait and see what happens.

Until next time!

PHOENIX OUT!!!