Swiftkit's POV

I bound into the apprentices' den, trying to get away from Pinekit and his gang. Thinking fast, I wriggle underneath a moss nest at the back of the shadowy den that sort of smells like Snakepaw. Wrinkling my nose, I stay still, trying to quiet my breathing.

Pinekit pads into the den, and I hear him sniff the air. If only my fur was dark.

I freeze, hardly daring to breathe, as another kit stalks by me. I hear whoever it is pause for a moment, as if they think they scent me, and then go away. Thank Starclan the wind is in my favor today.

"The runt's not in here," Pinekit growls. "Lets go." I listen as the gang dashes out, then race out after them.

"Let all cats old enough to hunt gather underneath the High Branch for a meeting!"

I blink my blue eyes as Boulderstar calls the Clan meeting. My apprentice ceremony! That must be what the call is for!

I trot over and sit down, looking intently up at the branch that Boulderstar is on. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch the kit gang giving me murderous looks.

"The time has come for not one, not two, but four kits to become apprentices," Boulderstar announces. The sun shines through the branches of the pines, dappling her silver-grey pelt. "Swiftkit, Pinekit, Stonekit, and Blackkit. Step forward."

I take a few pawsteps forward, concious of all the narrowed eyes on me. Well, that is, all except on cat. Greywind. She seems to be watching me curiously.

"Swiftkit, Pinekit, Stonekit, and Blackkit. You have all reached the proper age to become an apprentice, and your suffixes will be -paw until you earn your warrior names.

"Stonepaw, your mentor will be Foxtail."

A russet she-cat with a bushy, white-tipped tail steps forward and touches noses with Stonepaw.

"Blackpaw, your mentor will be Blazingheart."

A ginger tom touches noses with Blackpaw.

"Pinepaw, your mentor will be Tigerfrost."

A dark brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes does the same with Pinepaw.

"And, finally, Swiftpaw."

Hisses echo around me, and I gulp.

"I notice you have spent much time in the medicine den, and Graywind came to me yesterday to speak about you being a medicine cat apprentice."

Murmurs of shock ripple around the crowd of cats, and Pinepaw smirks at me.

"Look, the weakling is getting a weakling's job!" he mocks. His gang bursts into laughter, and I watch in satisfaction as they all get cuffed hard over the ear as a result. At least I have some cats who support me.

Boulderstar glares down at Pinepaw. "I suggest you keep your muzzle shut," she hisses, amber eyes narrowed dangerously. She clears her throat. "So, Swiftpaw," she continues, "your mentor will be Graywind. Graywind, Mothshade taught you well, and I hope you pass down the abilities you learned to Swiftpaw."

Then, with a flick of her tail, she jumps down from the High Branch. Immediately, the gang makes their way towards me.

"Hey, guys, look, it's the runt," Blackpaw laughs. "Where were you hiding? Oh, wait, it was in the apprentices' den wasn't it?"

"I thought I saw some of that white fur," sneers Stonepaw. "Not so great for hiding, is it?"

"We get to learn all about fighting," Pinepaw snarls. "And you get to learn about herbs and treating the sick and weak. How pathetic." He spat out the word pathetic as if it were crowfood. I try to look feirce by peeling my lips back in a snarl, but it only makes them laugh.

"Like I said," Pinepaw growls. "Pathetic."

"Pinepaw! Stonepaw! Blackpaw!" A sharp shout sounds from behind me and I turn to see Tigerfrost padding up, blue eyes sparking in anger. "I suggest you two-" She points with her tail at Stonepaw and Blackpaw "-find your mentors. Pinepaw, go wait for me by the camp exit."

"But-" Pinepaw starts.

"Unless you want to be on elder duty, I suggest you do it now," the warrior threatens. The gang darts off to their told places, and I see Blazingheart snap something angrily to Blackpaw.

Graywind pads almost silently up to me. I jump as I hear her mew, "Swiftpaw, come with me."