Night had fallen, sending the world into darkness. The stars shone brightly, illuminating the camp with a soft glow. Hawkkit woke her littermates and silently crept out of the nursery, leading the way. Outside, the chilly air clung to her fur like a burr. She shook out her pelt and looked around to see if anyone was still up. The only other cat she saw was Owlpelt, a brown she-cat who had large, yellow eyes, guarding the entrance.

As Snakekit and Rabbitkit slithered out she held her tail erect, signaling them to halt. She spotted the dirtplace and pointed her tail towards it. "Move quietly," she reminded them and sneaked around the nursery. Making sure Owlpelt was facing the other way, she pelted across the clearing and squeezed into the dirtplace. The thick odor of decaying meat, bones and even dropping filled her nose, making her glands swell. "Yuck," she stuck out her tongue and slid into the bushes.

After her siblings caught up, they maneuvered their way through the thick bracken and finally came across a small clearing. "I never realized the forest was this big!" Hawkkit pranced eagerly. "Okay, let's find this intruder."

Rabbitkit groaned, "Tell me why we're doing this again?"

"Because we can't allow a stray fox in our territory. Remember, this is our home." She stopped when a low growl rose through the crisp, leaf-fall air.

She froze and Snakekit whispered, "what was that?"

A pair of gleaming, amber eyes stared at them through a shrub, the growl becoming louder. Hawkkit flattened herself to the ground as a large fox stepped out, her ears pressed against her skull. The creature snarled at them, it's white teeth glinting from the pale moonlight. "Fox." She slowly backed away, her paws not making a sound on the dry leaves. "Run!"

Hawkkit spun around and ran as fast as she could back to the camp, her paws skimming the ground. She felt hot breath on her flank from the fox and pushed even harder. As she saw familiar land marks whipping past realization hit her, she was leading the predator towards her unsuspecting Clanmates.

Gritting her teeth, she swerved to the left and ducked under a low branch, darting away. She could hear the surprised yelp from the fox and the skidding of its paws as it turned to pursue her. Her breath was coming in heavy gasps now and her lungs ached. She knew it was only a matter of time before the fox would be upon her. She could only hope that her littermates made it back to the camp safely and that a rescue party would be sent out to help her.

Suddenly, she tripped over a root jutting out of the dirt and landed awkwardly while twisting her paw from the impact. She let out a shriek of pain that shot up her from her leg and writhed on the ground. She twisted around as the fox abruptly stopped behind her. She saw triumph light up in its eyes as it neared her, its body trembling from the hunt. Hawkkit closed her eyes tightly, waiting for the snap of its jaws.

A hollar sounded, "Attack!" Pelts flashed by and landed on the fox's back. The predator yelped and bucked, trying to throw off its attackers. As Hawkkit stared in awe, she felt her scruff being grabbed and was floating in the air.

"I got you," a muffled voice said. Fallengaze! The warrior had scooped her up and was now running away from the fight, carrying her home. The cries from the warriors behind them faded into the forest, the only sounds remaining were the chittering from the anxious birds.

In the camp, the whole clan was awake, making guilt flood through Hawkkit. I made everyone worried. What kind of warrior am I?

She saw her mother pacing as they entered, and Sorrelbreeze's head shot up. "My baby!" she cried and raced towards them. Fallengaze gently laid her down, and Hawkkit winced as she put pressure on her foot. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?" Sorrelbreeze anxiously nudged her, inspecting every inch of Hawkkit.

"Mom," she protested.

Sorrelbreeze gasped as she saw her paw. "What happened? Duckfeather get over here quickly! Hurry!" Hawkkit shrunk back as the medicine cat stalked over.

He sniffed her paw and grunted, "Broken. Easy fix though." Without looking up he said, "bring me comfrey, the bell-shaped flowers, and some poppyseeds." Hawkkit saw Tallwhisker walk away to grab the herbs. "Mouse-brained kits these days." Duckfeather rumbled, still inspecting her paw.

Sorrelbreeze licked Hawkkit's forehead, "Oh my poor kit. You'll be alright." Hawkkit shuddered as Tallwhisker returned and dropped the herbs.

Duckfeather spoke quietly, "keep still. You may feel a slight pain as I reset your bone, okay?"

Hawkkit didn't say anything, just watched nervously as he firmly grasped her paw and wrenched it back into place, making her scream in agony. Her paw was throbbing and she whimpered faintly. Hawkkit's head was beginning to spin as Duckfeather chewed the roots into poultice and applied it to her wound. "This will help the broken bone mend. Here are some poppyseeds too, make sure you eat all of them so they can help relieve your pain." He nudged them towards her with his nose, and she hastily lapped them up. The distinct flavor soaked her tongue, making her cringe.

"It's alright my darling. Go to sleep and get some rest, you had a long night." Sorrelbreeze stroked her spine with her tail. Hawkkit felt her eyelids grow heavy and she drifted into a deep slumber.

Morning light filtered through the tightly woven roots of the nursery, waking Hawkkit. She spread out in the moss nest, exposing her stomach. Her paw was still sore but she got up anyway. The nursery was silent apart from the snores of Lilyflower, the other queen. She was the mother of Applekit, a moon old tom who had dark brown fur. Her mother and littermates were still asleep in their nest.

Hawkkit crept over her denmates' sleeping bodies and made a clumsy leap over the edge of the bed. She poked her head out of the small opening to the nursery and saw her Clanmates gathered around Flareheart, the rising sun throwing light on their pelts.

Ignoring them, she made her way to the fresh-kill pile where she found an old mouse at the bottom and tugged it out, staring down at it. Its jaw hung upon and beady, black eyes returned her stare blankly. What am I doing? I never ate fresh-kill before! No, don't panic. You are a warrior and don't need milk anymore. If everyone else can eat it so can you. The thought of never drinking her mother's milk anymore made her want cry, but she shook it off. Bending down, she tentatively took a tiny bite and slowly chewed. It was juicy and tender, and sang with the flavors of the forest. She hungrily gulped down the rest and licked her lips.

"Good to see you're up again, Hawkkit." A white she-cat with light gray markings stood before her.

"Brighteyes!" Brighteyes was the mate of their leader, Morningstar, and was also Daisypaw's mother.

She smiled warmly, "Did you just eat that mouse? Isn't it your first time?"

Hawkkit raised her chin and mewed proudly, "yup. It was fantastic!"

She purred, "Good to hear. Well I'm going to bring some food back to Morningstar so he doesn't get cranky." She winked and grabbed a shrew. "See you later!" Brighteyes trotted away towards the leader's den leaving Hawkkit alone again. She groomed herself swiftly and headed back towards the nursery. Applekit was pawing at a ball of moss and paused when she entered.

"Hi!" he squeaked, a goofy grin on his face. "How are you?"

"Fine, thanks. Can I join?" He nodded and the two batted the mossball back and forth. Lilyflower yawned just then.

"You two are up early."

"Actually patrols already left." Hawkkit slapped the ball away, sending it flying over and hitting Snakekit's shoulder. He groggily looked up.

"Really?" Lilyflower stood up and squeezed outside. Applekit ran after her. Hawkkit exhaled and flicked her tail-tip in irritation. For several days she was cooped up in the nursery and was only able to escape when the others were sleeping. Everyone kept fussing over her and would say that she needed rest so her wound mended fully. She wished they would just stop pestering her.

"Aw. Is the wittle kit okay? Do you need anything? I sure hope your injury is alright," mocked Snakekit.

"Shut up." She clawed the packed earth and her pelt prickled in frustration. I need to become a warrior as soon as possible! No matter what it takes.

A moon had passed and leaf-bare was starting to make the clan grumpy. Owlpelt had recently moved into the nursery, expecting Ravenpelt's kits, making it more cramped. She couldn't wait to get out and move to the apprentices den. Hawkkit was sitting outside with Sorrelbreeze, Snakekit and Rabbitkit when Morningstar called out. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the highledge."

"Another clan meeting? I wonder if Daisypaw will be made a warrior finally." Sorrelbreeze mumbled.

Morningstar looked at the cats seated below him until he spotted his daughter. "Daisypaw," he meowed proudly. Daisypaw leaped up onto the highledge next to her father and bowed her head respectfully. Fallengaze, her mentor, nodded approvingly. "I, Morningstar, 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."

Morningstar gazed down at Daisypaw and Hawkkit felt a twinge of envy, wishing she was becoming a warrior. "Daisypaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do."

"Then by the powers of Starclan I give you your warrior name. Daisypaw, from this moment you will be known as Daisypelt. Starclan honors your strength and honesty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Morningstar rested his chin on her head and she in turn licked his shoulder.

"Daisypelt! Daisypelt!" The clan cheered, their cries echoing in the hollow. Hawkkit joined in, imagining herself being up there and having her Clanmates shouting her name. The new warrior jumped down and was congratulated by the cats waiting for her. Hawkkit purred, happy for the she-cat. That'll be me one day, she thought. Soon.