Whitestripe said we can! " moonlit hopped to where a speckled gray tom, Owlkit, and a Calico she-kit, Spotkit. Snowkit watched as they played, Owlkit pounced on Moonkit and battered him with seathed hind paws. Snowkit quietly strolled back into the nursery. Her mother, Whitestripe, looked up. " are you alright, Snowkit? " she asked. Snowkit nodded. " I'm fine. " she murmured. She laid down beside Whitestripe and slept peacefully. Cpt. 2 Snowkit looked up at the highledge as Gleamstar, a golden she-cat stood proud, looking down on her and Moonkit. Snowkit could see Moonkit shivering with excitement, but she remained calm. She always was quiet and didn't talk much, and she felt a shiver of excitement as Gleamstar spoke. " All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around the high ledge for a clan meeting. " she paused as the clan gathered around. Snowkit quickly groomed one last time, and willed for Moonkit to do the same. " Snowkit and Moonkit have reached 6 moons. It is time they became appre

Apprentices. Cloudsong, it is time for you to have your first apprentice. I hope you teach Snowpaw your skill and bravery. " Snowpaw padded to where Cloudsong stood and reached to touch noses with her. They padded together on the other side of the clearing and watched the rest of the cerimony. " Dapplefur, you're an excellent fighter and I hope you'll teach your wisdom to young Moonpaw." Moonpaw and Dapplefur touched noses and the clan yowled, " Snowpaw, Moonpaw, Snowpaw, Moonpaw! " Snowpaw proudly lifted her head, while Moonpaw licked his chest. Snowpaw was delighted to be an apprentice at last. " what will we do now? " she asked her new mentor. Cloudsong Immediately answered. " I'll show you the territory today! " she happily skipped to the entrance and waved her tail for Snowpaw to follow. Snowpaw casually followed Cloudsong and followed her through the forest. They soon reached a stream, and Snowpaw scented an unfamiliar smell. She looked at Cloudsong " what's that smell? " Cloudsong turned to Snowpaw.

" that's windclan! The scent's fresh do a patrol must have come by. " she hopped away and Snowpaw followed her to a strange twoleg path. A strange scent filled the air, and Snowpaw could smell fresh cat scent. " Cloudsong's tail struck up in alarm and her eyes flickered with alarm. " I smell shadowclan! Stay here! " she padded away along the border. Snowpaw smelled the scent again, fresher this time. Carefully, she padded towards a bush, and before she could check it, an orange tom- she guessed was as old as her - jumped out of the bushes and leaped onto her. Not knowing any battle moves, Snowpaw jumped out of the way, and the shadowclan apprentice landed on the ground with a thump. He scrambled to his paws and faced Snowpaw. She could now see him more. He was a short furred tom, orange furred and yellow eyes. She could see freckles dotted on his cheeks, and his fur was a lot shorter than her's " why are you on our territory? " Snowpaw meowed calmly. The tom bushes his fur, but before he could attack a cat

Yowled in the distance. " Firepaw! Get over here! " a gray she-cat yowled angrily. Firepaw Ran to my the she-cat. " I'm sorry, smokepelt." Smokepelt lashed her tail. " we don't want to start fights! Now let's get back to camp. " Firepaw lowered his head, and Snowpaw almost felt pity for the Shadowclan apprentice. The shadowclan cats rushed back to their territory and disappeared among the pines. Cloudsong emerged from a group of ferns. " I thought I smelled Shadowclan! They should keep their apprentices on their territory. " They quietly padded back to camp, and Cloudsong Immediately walked to where Gleamstar was sitting. Snowpaw saw her talking with Gleamstar before padding back to Snowpaw. " you may grab a piece of fresh kill after you take some to the elders first. " Snowpaw nodded politely and took a plump squirrel to where Brindlewing and salttounge sat. " Brindlewing nodded a thanks to Snowpaw, and Snowpaw padded to the apprentices den and curled up for a good sleep.

Cpt 3 Snowpaw was in a grassy clearing. A mouse scuttled among a clump of braken. She watched it carefully and softly placed her paw down. Her mouth watered at the warm smell and she pounced. The mouse's quest was cut short as Snowpaw but it's neck, saying a thanks to starclan for the mouse. The grass swayed as Cloudsong emerged from her spot behind a birch tree. Snowpaw, holding her catch in her jaws, turned to her. " good job Snowpaw! " Cloudsong's fur was bushes up, and Snowpaw felt a cold leafall breeze ruffle her fur. " Take that to the elders when we gat back to camp, then get something to eat, you're going to the gathering tonight! " Snowpaw's ears perked up at the thought of her first gathering. Maybe she'd see that Shadowclan apprentice that she saw the other day. She followed Cloudsong back to camp and padded to the elders' den and set down the mouse. She hopped to the freshkill pile and grabbed a vole for herself, then padded to the apprentices ' den to eat the vile, and curled up for a bit of

Rest before the gathering ---- " Hey Snowpaw! " a mew woke Snowpaw. Then she remembered the gathering and shot up. She hopped out of the den and stood next to Moonpaw. " are you going to the gathering too? " she asked her brother. Moonpaw nodded and groomed himself before walking towards the entrance of the camp, Snowpaw following. Gleamstar looked at her cats before marching out of the camp towards the island. Snowpaw followed, and she soon could see the island in the lake, and bounded after her clan. She was last to cross the fallen tree, and steadily dug her claws into the bark. " mouse-dung! " she meowed as she slipped, she waited to crash into the lake, but teeth met her scruff and put her back on the log. Snowpaw looked to see Firepaw, the Shadowclan apprentice, behind her. " you should be more careful " he replied, Snowpaw could see a teasing light in his eyes. Snowpaw snorted as she bounded into the island, Firepaw on her tail. " I was fine. " she muttered. Firepaw seemed to hear and looked at her.

Snowpaw walked to where her clan mates had settled. " Do you mind if I sit here? " Snowpaw looked up to see Firepaw standing beside her. " well, I don't mind. " as she spoke she thought Firepaw sat down and nodded. " im... sorry about that day, I should've been more careful. " Firepaw looked down and embarrassedly licked his chest. " it's ok! " Snowpaw replied. Warm affection for the young apprentice spread in her heart. What am I thinking? She thought. She new that they couldn't be together, and she just met him! A Yoel stopped her from talking anymore, and Gleamstar stood proudly and began to speak. " Thunderclan is thriving, and we have 2 new apprentices, Moonpaw and Snowpaw. " as she spoke, welcoming meows followed her words. Snowpaw proudly held her head up,and Firepaw gave her a quick nod. Them the Shadowclan leader spoke. Snowpaw recognized Pinestar, a noble leader. " Shadowclan also had a new apprentice, Firepaw." Snowpaw nodded to Firepaw, and she saw him lick his chest a few times. Then Applestar of

Windclan spoke of a new litter of kits and a good moon. But when it was Whitestar of Riverclan's turn to speak, he curled jos lips and spat at the other clans. " my warriors have smelled windclan and Shadowclan scents on our territory. " Applestar looked st him, her eyes wide with shock. " Are you sure you're not just smelling scents carried by the winds? Or maybe a rabbit tracked some of our scent into your territory. " Whitestar looked thoughtful, " I'll still be watching our borders, abdbif ypu try anything on us, we'll be ready. " he then jumped down from the tree and signaled for his clan to leave. Windclan and Shadowclan cats talked anxiously before their leaders called them away. Snowpaw was surprised to find that she was disappointed to see Firepaw go, and brushed off the feeling. She followed her clan to the lpg, scrambled to the other side, and followed them to the camp, where she curled up on her nest, trying to stop thinking about Firepaw, and soon fell asleep.