The three apprentices sprung into the clearing together, rumbling and tumbling. It was greenleaf- warm, sunny and plentiful.

"Did we pass?" Scarletpaw asked.

Phoenixwing was just returning from a patrol herself. Windfeather and Growlclaw brought in the prey. Phoenixwing dropped the rabbit she had caught at the top of the prey pile. There were new kits in the camp, three to be in fact. Saberkit, Talonkit, and Foxkit played together with the older Couragekit and Lightningkit. "Rawr! I'm a big strong warrior!" Couragekit said, jumping on Saberkit.

The little kit mewed in mock pain, his tongue out.

Foxkit laughed. Lightningkit laughed with her, and Talonkit awkwardly tried to join their huddle.

Their loving mother, Silverleaf, pushed Talonkit up against her side. Growlclaw purred. His mate was sweet as catmint, and he let everyone know it.

Clawpelt, Bluewing, and Nightsky all walked into the clearing. For a second, they were silent, and the apprentices were solemn. Everyone in the camp turned to look, Scarletpaw still smiling.

"Well, we've reviewed all of your skills and after making some calculated decisions, we have decided..."

"You passed! You all passed!" Nightsky burst in.

The three apprentices cheered.

"Let's go celebrate!" Scarletpaw said with a smile.

Sunpaw shrugged, trying to be collected.

"I say we go get some prey! I'm starved." Ripplepaw moaned.

"Last one to the prey pile is a dinky shrew!" Scarletpaw added.

Clawpelt opened his mouth to say something, but Nightsky shot him a look and he was silent.

Phoenixwing thought about how great it would've been for Starpaw to join in these festivities, but immediately felt guilty. It had been her choice, and she was really good at what she did, too. Between battle injuries and Trunkthorn and Stormmind's aging pains, she had a lot of practice.

She caught a glimpse of Starpaw at the edge of camp, laughing and covered in cobwebs. Raindrop peeled them off with a wry smile.

She nudged Starpaw to the other cats, and although she protested, Starpaw eventually padded over to the others, who were devouring Phoenixwing's rabbit together.

"Um... may I have some?" she asked nervously.

"It's sort of only enough for three." Scarletpaw pointed out.

"But you can have some mouse!" Ripplepaw chimed in.

"Or my portion. I'm not hungry." Sunpaw stood up.

"Oh, you mousebrain. Always so reclusive." nagged his sister.

"I can't stop thinking about RainClan. They killed our brother, and we could be next." He shot back.

Scarletpaw wisely shut her mouth, although she seemed more worried than before.

Ripplepaw got up to take a rest before the night-long vigil when Moonstar stopped him. "Mom?"

Moonstar guided him to Phoenixwing. "We need you two to start training, as soon as you become a warrior."

"But... why?!"

"Well, I think that the prophecy may not apply to the black fox at all. Maybe you're supposed to destroy RainClan."

Ripplepaw looked terrified. All the responsibility crushed down on him at once. Get used to it, Phoenixwing thought, It never gets any better.

"Let him have one day. He can worry about this as a warrior." Phoenixwing suggested.

Moonstar complied and walked away, tail swishing like a poisonous snake ready to strike.

The beautiful red rays of sunlight shone over the camp as Moonstar ascended the Great Tree, Clawpelt by her side.

She stared up at the first stars, looking, as always, for the mate who left her behind on the earth. She whispered something unhearable to the silver moon, like a cat's claw, beginning to rise on the horizon.

"Bluewing! Nightsky! Clawpelt!" Moonstar called, and a hush fell over the clearing. "Have your apprentices learned the way of our ancestors and become ready to take a full role as warriors of DragonClan?"

"Ripplepaw does." Bluewing told Moonstar.

"Sunpaw as well." Nightsky said. Sandclaw, with his kits and his mate, nodded as well. He had a large part in the tom's training.

"Scarletpaw too." Clawpelt acknowledged. The ruby red she cat grinned from ear to ear- a compliment from Clawpelt was like finding a bit of sunshine on a cloudy day.

"Then, Scarletpaw, Ripplepaw, Sunpaw, step forwards."

The three apprentices walked forward together, Sunpaw calm, Scarletpaw fierce, and Ripplepaw shaking.

"Do you promise to protect this clan and uphold the warrior code, even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do." Sunpaw was the first to say it.

"I do." Scarletpaw said.

"I do." Ripplepaw finished.

"Then, by the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Sunpaw, I name you Sunstrike. StarClan honors your intelligence and collectiveness."

He smiled, looking down at them all, eyes fixed on Nightsky.

"Scarletpaw, I name you Scarletheart. StarClan honors your courage and endurance."

Scarletheart lifted her head, her fur kit-fluffy no more. It was sleek and battle-scarred.

"Ripplepaw, I name you Ripplefoot. StarClan honors your loyalty and honesty." Moonstar said the words for her own kit with just the slightest tint of sarcasm. Did she know? Was she so angry at her own kit that she would beseech him on the most important day of his life?!

No one else seemed to notice, or at least pretended not to.

The yowls rose through the clearing- "Ripplefoot! Scarletheart! Sunstrike! Ripplefoot! Scarletheart! Sunstrike!Ripplefoot! Scarletheart! Sunstrike!Ripplefoot! Scarletheart! Sunstrike!" Phoenixwing cheered them on, but Nightsky cheered the loudest of all.

Crickets chirped as the three sat atop the lonely tree as Phoenixwing departed for bed. Her eyes were drooping and she felt herself nodding off. She stumbled into the warriors den and sat down back between Rivertail and Nightsky.

Ripplefoot smiled at her, and again, Phoenixwing felt strange around him. Something about him was irkingly familiar, to the point where it made her fur itch in frustration.

The cats she had watched as kits would be sleeping with them too, now.

It was weird.

It was awkward.

It made Phoenixwing feel... old.