Silverstar's P.O.V:

"When the hunting patrol comes back, you should hold a meeting to make the kits apprentices and tell Stormflame how his assessment went." Clearlight meowed as he, Silverstar and Waterfly sat at the base of the Hightree, eating.

Silverstar mumbled through a mouthful of shrew and nodded, "Yes, it will be good to get the kits training. There is obviously another battle coming; I can feel it."

"Mhm." Waterfly agreed as she plucked the feathers from a sparrow before taking a bite.

Clearlight nibbled on his mouse and sighed, "I'm too old for this suspense. At least send a prophecy to warn us!" He raised his voice as he watched the bright blue sky. Clouds floated close to the sun as if to block it out.

Silverstar narrowed her eyes at the clouds. "Hm.. weird."

Waterfly shrugged as she swiped a feather from her muzzle, "Just ignore the clouds, it's probably nothing. Anyways, I'm a medicine cat. I'll tell you if it's a sign."

Clearlight frowned slightly but lowered his head and continued eating his mouse.

_______

Stormflame's P.O.V:

Stormflame crouched low behind a small bush. He had been stalking a massive rabbit for the whole hunting session. He was closing in on the rabbit. Just a few more steps...

He placed his paws slowly and silently on the ground. He gradually got closer and closer to the rabbit. When he was close enough to pounce, he let out a yowl of excitement and pounced on the rabbit. He reached for the rabbit's neck and bit down hard. The blood tasted sweet as a bit seeped into his mouth. Once the rabbit stopped struggling, Stormflame let go. He smiled down at his large prey proudly and decided that he didn't need to hunt for anything else.

He dragged the rabbit across the moorlands back towards Lightclan's side of the forest. By the time he reached the border, he was panted hard and everyone was already waiting for him.

"Took you long enough." Demonpaw muttered under her breath as Stormflame presented his giant rabbit to the patrol.

Sparklingfish gaped at his prey, "Well done Stormflame!" She smiled and said, "Would you like me to help you with that? You take my thrush and vole." She pawed her prey to Stormflame and he picked it up whilst she picked his rabbit up.

Then they set off back to camp.

____________

Waterfly's P.O.V:

Waterfly finished her sparrow and padded back into the medicine den. She saw Nutwhisker sorting the herbs as usual. "Are all the herbs good?" She asked her apprentice.

Nutwhisker looked up, "Yes; We have plenty of marigold, cobwebs and poppy seeds incase of another battle. We are low on catmint after using most of it on the sick kits. I'm worried that we'll run out and it's not even leaf-bare yet!"

Waterfly glanced at Snowkit and Foxkit. They were still at the early stages of Greencough but it was obvious their health was declining rapidly.

Nutwhisker continued, "We need more chervile, chamomile and daisy leaves. Slowsky has been complaining about aching joints and she has used up our last suply of daisy leaves." The brown tom glanced at the herb stock again, "Oh, and we also need more thyme."

Waterfly sighed, "Ok. Let's go out into the forest and stock up on all of our herbs." She led the way out of camp with Nutwhisker following.

They quickly found the remains of the thyme by an oak tree. Only a few leaves were left, the rest were shrivelled up and dead. Waterfly felt her worries grow as they continued on through the forest.

Nutwhisker broke away to look for the catmint while Waterfly searched for the daisy leaves and chervile. She knew those two herbs were close together and that they should still be alive as the weather was not too cold yet.

Waterfly was correct; she found the chervile and daisy leaves easily and there was still some left on the bushes that she would pick up later on to make sure the stock lasted throughout leaf-bare.

Nutwhisker had found the catmint and came back with plenty for the whole season of leaf-bare. Unless another cat fell sick.

The two medicine cats eventually found the chamomile and even some burdock root and then they went back to camp. Waterfly had wrapped the herbs in leaf wraps to make it easier to carry all of the herbs.

Once they reached camp they saw that the hunting patrol had just returned and Silverstar was about to start the meeting. Waterfly quickly put the herbs away and met Nutwhisker in the clearing as Silverstar began the clan meeting.

"Ashkit and Cloudkit step forwards." Silverstar started with a smile.

The two kits let out excited squeals and tumbled to where Silverstar was climbing down the Hightree. Ashkit tried to climb on top of Cloudkit to have his ceremony first and Silverstar chuckled.

"Cloudkit," Waterfly heard a annoyed hiss from Ashkit, "from this moment on you shall be known as Cloudpaw. You're mentor will be Whitetail."

The white tom stared at Silverstar in surprise then dipped his head thankfully and trotted up to Cloudpaw. Whitetail touched noses with the newest apprentice and the two of them went to sit on the other side of Silverstar.

Then Silverstar began Ashkit's ceremony, "Ashkit, from this moment on you shall be known as Ashpaw. You mentor will be..." she scanned the clearing for effect as Ashpaw kneaded his paws impatiently in the ground. "Stormflame." Silverstar smiled and watched as the black furred tom padded, in shock, towards Ashpaw.

"Whoa! Stormflame's my mentor?! Yes!! Stormflame's awesome!" Ashpaw grinned and happily touched noses with Stormflame. Waterfly suppressed a laugh; at least the younger cats fully accept Stormflame into the clan.

"Ashpaw! Cloudpaw! Ashpaw! Cloudpaw!" Cheered the clan.

___________

Stormflame's P.O.V:

"What are we going to do first?" Ashpaw asked eagerly as Stormflame led his apprentice to where Cloudpaw and Whitetail were. Whitetail flashed an encouraging smile at Stormflame as they passed.

Stormflame chuckled, "First, we have to wait for Silverstar to finish the clan meeting. Then I'll decide what we'll do." He was still finding it difficult for his mind to accept the fact that he was now a mentor. There were so many other, more experienced, warriors to choose from and Stormflame had only been in the clan for a very short while. But he was still chosen and at such a young age too! Stormflame hoped he could teach Ashpaw properly. It would be terribly embarrassing if he had to pass his first apprentice over to one of the other warriors.

Stormflame glanced up at the Hightree and waited for Silverstar to end it but she didn't seem ready for some reason. Now what? Stormflame thought with narrowed eyes.

You'll see. Whispered his voice.

Glad to see you arrived. Oh yeah.. you said  that you'd tell me who you really are. You still haven't done that. Stormflame told the voice.

I'll give it to you as a riddle. The voice said, I was once known as a great leader who possessed unique powers, however, I am now only a lonely spirit of Starclan.

Stormflame raised an eyebrow even though the voice probably didn't see it, Oh really?

Yes. The voice answered and the presence was once again gone.

Stormflame had grown used to the emptiness that came after the voice departed from his head. But he still felt troubled by it.

He realised Silverstar had started talking and directed his gaze and thoughts up at the pretty she cat on the Hightree. Silverstar was mid sentence, "-has completed his assessment and has amazed me with his skills. Please step forward Stormflame!"

Stormflame's ice blue eyes widened in shock. What?! Then it clicked. His assessment! Silverstar was announcing that he had passed his assessment!!

Stormflame took a small step forwards and lifted his head slightly higher as majority of the cats called his name. "Stormflame! Stormflame!"

Then Silverstar jumped off the Hightree and meowed, "Meeting dismissed." And she trotted to Waterfly and Clearlight.

Ashpaw slapped Stormflame playfully with his paws, "Come on! Choose what we are going to do!!"

Stormflame rolled his eyes and laughed, "Let's see what Whitetail is doing with Cloudpaw and see if we can join in. How about that?"

"Ok!" Ashpaw grinned as they padded up to Whitetail and his apprentice.

_____________