The morning dawned freezing cold, so cold that Lightblaze could see his breath vanish into the air. He hadn't been able to sleep that night; a thorn poked into his side constantly, and his mind was buzzing with an annoying sense that something important was going to take place in the morning.

     Well, the morning was here, and it didn't seem like anything special.

     It was slightly cloudy, and the heavy clouds combined with the slight scent of rain in the air made Lightblaze wonder if a storm was coming. He was lying in his nest, head on his paws, gloomily watching what he could see of the camp for signs of life. Outside, the once-gray clouds were edged with pink and gold as the sun peeked over the horizon, flooding the forest with the first light of day.

     Yawning, Lightblaze stood up and stretched, seeing no point in laying in his nest for the rest of the morning. He groomed himself, then padded towards the entrance, almost tripping over Morninglily's tail in the process.

     His fur snagged on the prickly branches of the warrior's den as he slid through the small opening, and he hissed out a curse his mother would have been ashamed of. The temperature only got colder outside of the den, so he fluffed up his fur and sat awkwardly at the edge of camp, like a newborn bird fallen out of its nest. He could hear tiny movements as the clan awoke to the morning light. Once the sun had fully risen, cats began coming out from their dens.

     Pebblestar was one of the last to appear. Lightblaze noticed that the tom seemed oddly weary— his fur was oddly scruffy, and his eyes were tired. An alarm went off somewhere in Lightblaze's head, but he ignored it. The leader's apparent grief over Plainfoot's death wasn't his business— even if it was a suspicious amount of grief over a deputy the leader didn't seem to care much for.

     Pebblestar slowly climbed up the leader's rock, then stood and faced the clan. He had no need for the ritual words to gather the clan; GlowClan was already congregated at the foot of the rock. The leader sighed and began to speak.

     "Recently, our beloved deputy Plainfoot was found dead, presumably murdered by BrightClan. After much care and consideration, I've picked a new deputy in hopes that he will do as good a job as Plainfoot did."

     Pebblestar took a deep breath, then continued. "I say these words before the body of Plainfoot, that the spirits of our warrior ancestors may hear and approve of my choice. The new deputy of GlowClan will be Whisperstone."

     Lightblaze stepped back in horror. No. The new deputy can't be that lying foxheart.

     Unfortunately for him, however, it was. The cries of the clan were drowned out by the pounding of the cream tom's heart. What will Whisperstone do next? Lightblaze thought in terror, recalling Plainfoot's body. Kill Pebblestar? Kill me?

     Pebblestar flicked his tail, silencing the clan. "The meeting isn't over yet," he said quietly, looking as if he really did want this meeting to end. "Two apprentices are ready to become warriors. Pantherpaw and Dewpaw, please step forward."

     Lightblaze's fear rocketed into joy for Dewpaw— he couldn't imagine the she-cat's happiness right now. Dewpaw glanced back at him, anxiety clear in her eyes, and he shot her a reassuring tail flick. A half-smile showed on her face and she turned around, padding towards the rock with Pantherpaw in tow.

     Pebblestar looked straight at Pantherpaw, his gaze somber and unwavering. "I, Pebblestar, leader of GlowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn. Pantherpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

     "I do," Pantherpaw replied loudly, raising her head high.

    Pebblestar's response was quick and had the rhythm of a long-recited speech. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Pantherpaw, from this moment you will be known as Pantherpool. StarClan honors your bravery, intelligence, and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of GlowClan."

    "Pantherpool! Pantherpool!" the clan cried as the she-cat leaped gracefully off the rock.

     Lightpaw couldn't remember Dewpaw's— or Dewfrost's ceremony that well. It passed in a blur of happiness and cheering, but at the end, when the rest of the clan dispersed, he padded over to her. "Congratulations," he purred softly.

     "Thanks," Dewfrost replied, a hint of the earlier anxiety still clear in her voice. Lightblaze's mind immediately began to race. Did I say the wrong thing? I did, didn't I? Foxdung, I did!

     She purred quietly, likely seeing the obvious display of emotion on his face. "I have to go on a hunting patrol. See you later, okay?" Before he could respond, she was slipping through the camp exit, the touch of her tail on his shoulder the only thing that remained.

      Time unknown; fix clock later.
      Subject 1 appeared to have called some kind of meeting. Two specific cats seemed to be called forward. Further investigation into this behavior is encouraged.
      Written by Catty.