A rather groggy Sunpaw lifted his head up as a blinding flash of light overcame his features. He shot to his paws, glancing around, confused, then sat back down, blinking and dizzy from acting so quickly.

He let out a pitiful moan as he realised that it was just the sun reflecting on a silver rock facing from the other side of camp.

"Definitely worth getting up for..." He muttered sarcastically, annoyance showing on his face.

"Sunpaw, are you up yet? Bumblestar is waiting!"

A she-cat's voice- one who he recognised as belonging to Sorrelpaw- called out to him. He shook his fur, gave it a quick groom, then trotted out.

"I'm here." He mewed as the tortoiseshell she-cat came into view, her dark blue eyes looking him over.
He noticed her whiskers twitch and his eyes narrowed. "What's so funny?" He mewed, fur bristling.

Bumblestar, who had just appeared behind the apprentice with Swanfeather, Sorrelpaw's mentor, let out a soft chuckle. "You have a piece of moss attached to your ear, Sunpaw. Here, let me get it."

But Sunpaw didn't let him touch his pelt; he started shaking his head, very roughly, but only ended up sneezing, as the movement aroused dust from below him.

Bumblestar came over and gently pulled it off. Sunpaw puffed out his chest. "See? Easy." The others laughed, so he averted his gaze to the rest of the camp.

Warriors and apprentices had left the camp, leaving only Kestrelpaw, Sorrelpaw's sister, playing with the kits, Brindlecloud, Owlsong, Ashcloud and Silverleaf in camp; Whitepaw had most likely gone looking for herbs.

"Sunpaw, I am taking you and Sorrelpaw out for training. Sorrelpaw's mentor, Swanfeather, will stay here guarding the camp."

The other apprentice gave a small purr, jumping up and down, while Sunpaw nodded happily. "Okay." He mewed, though beneath his small smile he was just as excited as the older apprentice.

Though it was cold beneath the undergrowth in ThunderClan territory, Sunpaw felt warm, his thick coat insulating him. The tortoiseshell apprentice trotted alongside him, eyes focused on the golden tail of Bumblestar as it whisked through the undergrowth.

"Here we are." Bumblestar suddenly mewed as they entered the familiar clearing. Sorrelpaw however, not looking where she was going, continued walking until she had a face full of Bumblestar's hind fur.

"Oomph!" She shrieked, taking a step back, nose wrinkled. She lowered her head, embarrassed. They all looked at one another, before Sunpaw burst out laughing.

"It's not that funny..." The embarrassed she-cat muttered, shaking her head, whilst Bumblestar just narrowed his eyes. "Right." He mewed, shaking his head in confusion. "Moving on."

He demonstrated a quick slash that Sunpaw had seen many times in the Dark Forest, though he acted surprised for Sorrelpaw's sake; she was almost a warrior, after all, and if she didn't know it, why should he?

He demonstrated with his mentor, but when the sheathed blow came to him, he acted on instinct; he darted under his mentor, out the other side, then leapt on his mentor's back, his weight making the leader drop like a stone with an "Oof".

He heard a gasp from Sorrelpaw as he slid carefully off Bumblestar's back, ducking his head with sudden embarrassment.

"Where did you-" he broke off as Sunpaw gave him a knowing glance. "Never mind. Let's just teach Sorrelpaw."

Four tries later, the older she-cat had perfected the move Bumblestar had demonstrated, and they moved on to what Sunpaw was doing; darting under the opponent.

They also practised for a while, before Sunpaw found himself tiring. One glance at Sorrelpaw told him that she was just as exhausted as he was.

Bumblestar too, it seemed, was also tired, since he mewed, "That was fun. Shall we head back?"

When they arrived back to camp, Sunpaw and Sorrelpaw headed for the den, but were stopped by a loud yowl.

As Sunpaw turned around, Bumblestar leapt up into Highledge. Sunpaw found himself panicking slightly.

Is he going to tell them about me training in the dark forest? He wondered, eyes narrowing as he passed over and took a seat below the leader.

"I have two things to do today. First of all, Sorrelpaw? Kestrelpaw?" He beckoned for the two older apprentices to step forward.

"Swanfeather? Toadfur? Do you believe that your apprentices are ready to become warriors?"

The two warriors nodded immediately. "Definitely," purred Swanfeather, whilst Toadfur murmured his agreement.

"Wonderful. In that case, I, Bumblestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn."

He paused, gaze focusing on the more calmer of the two sisters.

"Kestrelpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

The small, brown tabby she-cat, unlike her jumpy sister, held her head high, confidence and excitement shining in her amber eyes. "I do," she meowed, her voice ringing out clearly in the camp, the only noise except for a faint sound of breathing cats.

Sunpaw watched as his mentor turned to the other she-cat.

Sorrelpaw, evidently, could barely contain her excitement. Her legs were shaking and she looked like she wanted to jump for joy.

Bumblestar cleared his throat, and Sorrelpaw straightened. "Sorrelpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?"

There was no hesitance in her voice nor reluctance in her eyes- though a lot of excitement- when she too mewed, "I do."

Bumblestar let out a soft purr. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names."

He paused, eyes darting between the two, before nodding to himself.

"Kestrelpaw, from this moment you will be known as Kestreltail. StarClan honours your bravery and virtue, and we welcome you as a full member of ThunderClan.

"Sorrelpaw, from this moment you will be known as Sorrelspots. StarClan honours your speed and enthusiasm, and we welcome you as a full member of ThunderClan."

He then leapt off of the rock as the cats started cheering "Kestreltail! Sorrelspots!" Sunpaw included.

Bumblestar padded over to the two she-cats, resting his muzzle on their heads in turn, allowing time for them to give a swift lick on his shoulder before pulling away, leaping back onto Highledge.

"Don't disassemble just yet!" Everyone's gazes- including Sunpaw's- turned back to the leader's. "I still have one thing to announce."

Sunpaw's heart began to race. Was his secret about to be exploited? However, what Bumblestar declared next shocked him.

"Now, I need to decide who is going to the gathering," the tom mewed, gaze sweeping among the crowd of cats.

Oh, of course, the gathering's tonight! Sunpaw thought eagerly. Though he'd been an apprentice for a few moons, he hadn't yet been to a gathering. I hope that's me...

"I have decided to take Oakfur, Swanfeather, Stonefoot, Raventail, Pebblesplash, Toadfur, Owlsong, Whitepaw, Heatherpaw, Kestreltail, Sorrelspots... And Sunpaw." He finished off with a warm glance towards his apprentice, one which Sunpaw met enthusiastically.

"Yes!" He hissed under his breath, eyes widened with happiness. "I'm going to the gathering!"

Bumblestar leapt off the rock and padded over to his apprentice.

"Sunpaw, you may want to take a quick nap; the gathering has been known to go on for hours into the night."

Sunpaw nodded, still unable to process what had just happened. "I'm going to the gathering!" He mewed again, padding off in a dazed walk.