3 Moons Later...

"Foxsong, are you okay?" says Wolfstar, licking his mate. She groans but doesn't respond.

"You have to get up. We have to arrange patrols." He purrs calmly.

She shakes her head. "I can't. I have to take care of the kits."

He tries to smile, but it falls flat.

I watch from Owlfeather's side, warming up against her. Littlekit and Flintkit are still asleep, as usual.

Shadowkit, Cinderkit, and Pinekit are all up and while his sisters are both outside, Pinekit is inside, calmly licking his paw. He looks to me, and beckons me with his tail. We head outside together, leaving my siblings, my mother, the leader and his faithful deputy inside.

Shadowkit is waiting for me, and Cinderkit is out there too, her blue eyes staring ahead at nothing.

Cinderkit notices me first, which is unlike her, and her head snaps to stare at me. Her lithe and powerful muscles bulge in the sunlight, too powerful for a kit's. She looks more like an apprentice, or even a young warrior. Her kit fur is gone. Everyone knows this, but not the why. In fact, they constantly goad the other kits like me into being more like her.

"Why don't you eat like she does?"

"Why don't you kits go train, so you can be strong as Cinderkit?"

"What are you not doing that makes her so tough and you so average?"

Okay, no one actually says that last one, but I can see in their stares that it's what they're thinking. That I disappoint them.

I can change it, with just one phrase. If I go back there, I might be trapped forever. So I keep being average. At least I'm in good company.

Volcanoheart is watching from a distance, his tail flicking and his eyes narrowed. His expression is still friendly regardless.

From the Highrock, I hear cats complaining.

"He's not here again." Mothflight says.

"We never get out on time..." Flashstorm agrees.

"The FrostClan dawn patrol laughs at us. It's so embarrassing." Greenthorn complains.

"Give them a good claw to the face. The blood should muffle their laughter." chuckles Tigerfang.

All seven of the apprentices sit in a wide semicircle. Thunderpaw and Moonpaw are now Thunderclap and Moonblaze, and Fawnpaw was taken by twolegs. Halfpaw and Bluepaw are now apprentices to add to the mix. They are the lifeblood of the clan, vigilant and hardworking, and I can't wait to sit amongst them. I'm six moons old. Any day now...

Wolfstar is grim as he mounts the Highrock. "Cats of DragonClan, due to Foxsong's duties as a queen, she will no longer be able to continue her time as deputy."

Everyone mumbles to themselves, unimpressed. I watch from the back, skittering up to the apprentices. Dragonpaw presses me against her chest and I purr in delight.

"The new deputy will be Ravenfeather." Bluepaw and Halfpaw's mother steps up to stand beside Wolfstar.

She lifts her head as she waits for the cheering, but it never comes.

"Ravenfeather has no experience." says Talonfall finally.

"She's been in the nursery since she became a warrior!" yowls Beesting.

"You're favoring her because she's your kit. Despicable." Owlfeather spits.

Wolfstar looks shocked. The apprentices visibly flinch and Dragonpaw holds me tighter. Shadowkit and Cinderkit come up alongside me to watch the comotion escalate.

"We need a warrior who knows what they're doing!" yells Silverwing.

"We need a cat like my sister, Mothflight!" Timberfall cheers.

The camp takes it up, until even I join in. "Mothflight! Mothflight! Mothflight!"

"Mothflight has never had an apprentice." Ravenfeather says cooly. Tigerfang unsheathes his claws in silent agreement, his face drawn into a snarl.

"We can fix that." Wolfstar says finally, giving in to the cats of the clan. "Icekit, step forwards." My legs tremble. The new deputy is going to be MY mentor!

"Icekit, you will now be known as Icepaw. Your mentor will be Mothflight. Mothflight, you learned patience and courage from your mother, Spottedstar. May you pass that down to Icepaw." I feel a jolt of energy rush through me as I touch noses with the new deputy.

"ICEPAW! MOTHFLIGHT! ICEPAW! MOTHFLIGHT!" The camp cheers louder than I've ever heard them cheer before.

"And, to add to that- Pinekit, Cinderkit, Shadowkit step forwards."

"Pinekit, you will now be known as Pinepaw. Your mentor will be Flashstorm. Flashstorm, you learned agility and compassion from your mentor, Timberfall. May you pass that down to Pinepaw." Pinepaw waves to the crowd, touching noses with Flashstorm.

"Cinderkit, you will now be known as Cinderpaw. Your mentor will be Tigerfang. Tigerfang, you learned strength and bravery from your mentor, Leafstrike. May you pass that down to Cinderpaw." Cinderpaw looks satisfied, bowing as she touches noses.

"Shadowkit, you will now be known as Shadowpaw. Your mentor will be-"

"WAIT!"

Shadowkit rushes up, "I want to become a medicine cat."

I feel my heart stop. My friend, a medicine cat? She's never showed any interest in it... why now?

"Shadowkit, do you swear to delve into the mysteries of StarClan, to care for all cats as your brothers and sisters and emerge a true medicine cat?" Volcanoheart says, stepping forward.

"I-I do."

"Then I name you Shadowpaw." Wolfstar finishes.

The camp now cheers even louder, with my friends and our mentors in the center. "ICEPAW! PINEPAW! CINDERPAW! SHADOWPAW! ICEPAW! PINEPAW! CINDERPAW! SHADOWPAW!"

Wolfstar doesn't look back as he flees to his den, his claws dragging in the dirt. Tigerfang scowls at him, and I hear him whisper, "You will pay for removing my chance at leading this clan."