Chapter 2

  Bluekit stumbled out of the nursery, her fur clean and shining blue in the sunlight. She could already see cats gathering around the Highledge, and many were gazing excitedly at the four kits.
  Bramblestar had leapt on top of Highledge, and was looking over his Clan with a light in his eyes. He jumped onto the sandy floor beneath.
  The cats in the clearing moved to let the kits walk by, and took a seat near Bramblestar. and Bluekit could see the anticipation in her littermates' eyes, and glanced over at Cherryfeather and their father, Foxleap. Both cats' eyes shone with pride, and Foxleap was murmuring something to his sister, Icecloud. Bluekit could just hear some of his words.
 "...eyes were practically open before they were even born, and they were already walking a day later!"
 Bluekit could see Icecloud roll her eyes, amused, but let her brother talk.
 Bramblestar called the kits forward, and turned to them. The whole clearing was silent.
 "Stormkit, Bluekit, Dapplekit, and Sweetkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed." He turned to Stormpaw. "From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Stormpaw." He beckoned a gray tabby with his tail. "Bumblestripe, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Mousewhisker, and you have shown yourself to be brave and thoughtful. You will be the mentor of Stormpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him." Bumblestripe touched noses with Stormpaw, and they padded back to the crowd and sat down. Bluekit's heart was pounding. She was next!
 Bramblestar turned to her.
 "From this day until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Bluepaw." A gray she-cat stepped forward, and Bramblestar nodded.
 "Dovewing, Lionblaze taught you much, and you have taught the Clan much as well. Bluepaw will be your apprentice." Bluepaw bounded forward and touched noses with Dovewing, then sat down next to her.
 Bramblestar looked at the remaining two she-kits, and Bluepaw thought she saw amusement flicker in his eyes. She blinked and it was gone.
 "Dapplekit, you will be known as Dapplepaw, and your mentor will be Leafpool." The brown tabby's eyes flicked with surprised, and as she stepped forward to touch her apprentices nose, Bluepaw recalled a story she had heard from the elder, Dustpelt.
 Leafpool had once been the ThunderClan medicine cat, but she had run away with a WindClan tom, Crowfeather, breaking two parts of the medicine cat and warrior code. Medicine cats could not have mates, and warriors could not have mates from other Clans. Leafpool had been expecting Crowfeather's kits, but managed to hide it from the Clan. After she had birthed three kits, she gave them to her sister, Squirrelflight, in order to continue being a medicine cat. But Squirrelflight had told the three kits before they had become warriors about their true past, and it was revealed by Hollyleaf at a Gathering. Leafpool was forced to step down as medicine cat, and had been ignored by most of the Clan for many moons. Even though Hollyleaf had died in the Great Battle, her brothers, Lionblaze and Jayfeather, still lived on. Bluepaw guessed Leafpool had never expected to not be fully welcome in the Clan, let alone have her own apprentice. Bluepaw saw Squirrelflight gazing at her sister fondly, and assumed that Squirrelflight had convinced her mate, Bramblestar, to give her another chance.
 "And finally, Sweetkit. You will be known as Sweetpaw, your mentor will be Toadstep." As Toadstep stepped forward, Bluepaw was surprised to see her sister rolls her eyes. Luckily, Toadstep didn't seem to notice, and he touched noses with Sweetpaw, his eyes brimming with excitement.
 "Stormpaw, Bluepaw, Dapplepaw, Sweetpaw!" The Clan called their new names, and Bluepaw felt her chest swell with pride. Her parents were calling their names proudly, their heads held high.
 The Clan dispersed, and Bluepaw turned to Dovewing excitedly.
 "What are we gonna do first?" She meowed. Dovewing looked thoughtful for a moment, then replied.
 "I thought we could go with Bumblestripe and Stormpaw to show you around the territory, and then maybe do some battle training?" She meowed as if asking a question, but Bluepaw knew that her mentor already knew firsthand that that was exactly what any new apprentice wanted. Bluepaw nodded excitedly, and Dovewing continued.
 "I just need to have a quick word with Bumblestripe, why don't you go meet your new denmates?" She nodded toward a small group of apprentices. Bluepaw nodded and padded towards them. A handsome orange tom and a dark gray tom turned to her and nodded in greeting.
 "Hello. You must be Bluepaw." The dark tom observed, glancing at her shimmering coat. He turned to the other tom.
 "I am Smokepaw, and this is Flamepaw." He nodded toward the handsome tom, who nodded to her warmly. Bluepaw meowed a hello.
 "Why don't we help her set up a nest? Amberpelt and Snowleaf have been warriors a while now, and Dewpaw doesn't take up much room." Smokepaw nodded and pushed his way into the den, and Bluepaw followed.