"Are you ready, Sootkit?" Lilypaw asked excitedly.

"It's perfectly fine to be having some anxiety and regret around now." Pebblepaw said. "I know I did."

"But if you need some tips-." Palepaw added in, "We've got you."

"I think I'm fine." Sootkit, now six moons old, assured quietly, embarrassed by the attention he was getting. It had been a very long time since all four of them hung out together. And now they had Robinkit with them too.

"I thought there was nothing to it besides sitting there and being respectful to your new mentor." The she-kit muttered.

Lilypaw scooted closer to Sootkit, and looked him in the eyes with sincerity. "Don't roll around on the ground and ruin your grooming. You don't want to look like Palepaw did up there."

Sootkit, Robinkit, and Pebblepaw burst into laughter, while Palepaw spun towards her sister with a glare. "Yeah Sootkit, make sure that you look as perfect as Perfectpaw for your ceremony." She shot back.

Pebblepaw began laughing harder, and started prancing around Lilypaw chanting, "Perfectpaw! Perfectpaw!" That was their nickname for her ever since she had become Robinkit's best friend.

Lilypaw rolled her eyes and walked off.

"So Robinkit." Palepaw started, once Pebblekit calmed down. "How do you feel now that your gonna be alone in the nursery?"

Robinkit, almost five moons old and taller than Sootkit, hummed in thought before responding, "I'm just kind of glad that it's not me up there today. And having the entire den to myself might prepare me for the medicine den-."

"What?!" Sootkit asked sternly. Palepaw and Pebblepaw's eyes widened in realization.

Robinkit inhaled sharply. "Oh. I-uh, never told you about this, did I?" All three cats shook their heads.

The she-kit lowered her head in embarrassment. "...I've been thinking about becoming a medicine cat apprentice."

No one said anything for a while. Palepaw and Pebblepaw didn't know what to think.

Sootkit sat silently, processing the huge secret Robinkit had just given him. It didn't take long for his mind to go to the last kit that had taken interest in the medicine den.

"Are you crazy!?" He blurted out, making the other three jump. "Think of all the things you'll be missing out on! You'll never learn how to hunt, or be able to defend yourself!"

"You'll be exposed to a lot of sicknesses." Palepaw softly added after some hesitation.

"...And you won't be allowed to have a mate." Pebblepaw finished.

Robinkit looked up in shock at the tom's point. Her face grew pensive, and she looked over towards the center of camp, where most of the Clan was already gathered in anticipation.

After several seconds spent just sitting there in silence, Robinkit looked back at them with determined eyes.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather at the high-rising for a Clan meeting!" Rang from the leader's den. The four whipped around to see Stormstar emerging from his den.

MountainClan camp didn't have a designated area for the leader sit during gatherings. All there was was the slightly higher ground at the leader's den, because of the slanted floor. The rest of the Clan just sat around the general center of the camp.

Something tapped Sootkit from behind, and he turned around to see Hickorypelt now standing there, smiling down at him. "Looks like you're up." She told him softly.

Sootkit looked around himself nervously. Robinkit gave him a wordless nod before heading back to the nursery. Palepaw began giving him loud and obnoxious cheers of encouragement, Pebblepaw soon joining in. His mother gave him a lick over the head, and motioned towards the high-rising.

Indeed, there sat Stormstar, with Creekfur at his left hand. The rest of the Clan was gathered before them.

They were waiting for him now.

Taking a deep breath, he stood up and began making his way towards where the leader sat. Those in front of him moved to make a path for him as he went. He walked carefully, trying his best not to make eye contact with anyone.

Wishing he wasn't alone.

The memory of that day flashed into his mind. The image of a Clan parting to make a way for a scared little kit who needed to see his brother, whispering words of pity.

He wondered if they pitied him now.

At that thought, he hesitated and stopped. But then he steeled himself, looked forward stoically, and continued ahead.

He was more than that scared little kit. He had grown. And he was gonna make sure the Clan knew that.

With that he sat down next to Stormstar. The speckled tom gave him a nod of confirmation, which he confidently returned.

The leader began. "MountainClan, today I have gathered you together to witness a milestone in the life of this young tom. He has reached his six moons of age and is ready to become an apprentice." He turned to Sootkit. "From this day forward until he has received his warrior name, this apprentice will be known as Sootpaw. Ferretclaw, I entrust you to mentor this cat. May you pass on your wisdom and determination to your new apprentice."

Ferretclaw, looking surprised at being chosen, hastily stood up and weaved his way through the crowd and onto the high-rising. The two touched noses.

"Sootpaw! Sootpaw!" Rang all throughout camp, and the newly-named apprentice looked breathlessly upon the crowd, chanting his name with pride, not pity.

Hickorypelt stood front and center, eyes shining as she repeated his name. Palepaw, Pebblepaw, and Lilypaw sat together, seemingly trying to outdo each other on who could shout his name the loudest.

And as he turned back towards his mentor, familiar green eyes met his. In the very back of the crowd sat Spiderfur.

The two hadn't spoken to each other since that day at the border. Efforts made to reach out to his father usually resulted in him being silently turned away. Sootkit eventually gave up, inwardly hoping that the warrior would eventually "make things right" and accept him again.

Sootpaw broke eye contact the second it started. But as he looked over the crowd once more, he glanced at his father once more.

Spiderfur was looking back at him with a warm smile on his face.