"Wolfkit, hold still for ONE MINUTE." Coldstream, Wolfkit's father mewed with irritation as he tried to smooth out Wolfkit's matted fur. 

Wolfkit would never admit it, but she was just as excited as her sisters for this. To be presented, and made an apprentice, in front of all four clans... it was all so exciting.

The four leaders, Froststar of Iceclan, Marblestar of Mountainclan, Needlestar of Pineclna, and Swiftstar of Tundraclan, were all already perched on the huge, jutting, paw shaped rock in the middle of the valley they called "Starclan's paw." Soon, they would begin the cerimonies.

Every month, the clans gathered out on the Tundra like this, to appoint Warriors, apprentices, and even deputies. This way, every clan got to know each other, and could easily help each other better.

Personally, Wolfkit thought this was stupid.

Why should Iceclan help the other clans when they were to cold, or to hungry, or were being attacked by a fox? Sure, it was nice that time Mountainclan helped Iceclan rebuild a collapsed section of the ice wall, or when pineclan helped supply them with food during a hard part of the winter, but the clans depended on each other a little bit to much, Wolfkit thought.

"There we go. You really do like a pretty little wolf, don't you?" Wolfkit realized she had been so absorbed with her thoughts she had sat through her bath.

"Have you ever seena wolf?" Wolfkit asked him curiously, and Coldstream hesitated, his yellow eyes clouding over as if remembering times from long ago.

"Once. but only from far away, and I don't think it saw us. It really was a big, beautiful creature though." He shakes his head. "Doesn't matter though, What matters, is that you and your sisters get up there and do your best, ok? I know you can do it."

Wolfkit nodded sagely, then stepped up besides her sisters, eagerly awaiting their turn.

"You shall from this moment on be know as Rabbitfeet, because you are fast, but also patient." 

Wolfkit watched with awe as Swiftstar bent down and touched his nose to the excited Rabbitfeet's fore head, and then yowled "May Starclan light your path!" in an overly dramatic voice.

"RABBITFEET! RABBITFEET! RABBITFEET!"  The four clans roared.

And then... then, Froststar stepped forwards and smiled. "I have three kits today that are due to become apprentices." She said.

Wolfkit took a long, trembling breath, then smiled at her sisters and clamored up Starclans Paw.

Wolfpaw watched with awe as her sisters stepped up in turn to greet Froststar, and recieve their mentors. Snowkit got Bluefreeze, Wingkit Owlwings. Wolfpaw felt a small wave of jelousy that her energetic, but foolish sister had gotten the deputy as a mentor, but it dissapeared in an instant as Froststar's gaze turned to her.

"Wolfkit." Tingles crept up Wolfkit's spine as Froststar's wise eyes stared down at her. "You have reached the age of six moons, and from this moment until the moment when you recieve your Warrior name, you shall be known as Wolfpaw."

More tingles.

"Your mentor shall be Silversun, may she teach you kindness, compassion, determination, and most of all, team work."

That last word. They had given her Silversun on purpose! To teach her about... about... Not that!

Silversun was standing there, her green eyes shining with happiness, and her nose reaching out and gently touching Wolfpaw's forehead. Wolfpaw smiled back and let her, but inside there was a dull ache of frustration. Why did the clans have to be this way? Did anyone ever think maybe they were a little to close? But Wolfpaw let the feeling seep out of her as her and her sisters names were chanted. 

There is nothing that can change the way the clans are, and there never will be, Wolfpaw thought as the mass of cats below her chanted her name. 

Little did she know that in only a few weeks, her entire world would be uprooted, and the ways of the clans changed forever.