"I can groom myself you know," Stormpaw complained. "I'm six moons old!" The three of us were preparing for our apprentice ceremony.

My mother stared down at Stormpaw with loving green eyes. I knew she felt that she had to take care of us, after Birdkit joined StarClan, but she had to realize that we could take care of ourselves. "Oh, okay," she meowed reluctantly. "Just make sure you get that stubborn tuft on your neck."

Once we were ready to present ourselves to the Clan, I padded up to the entrance of the nursery. Even though it was not yet night, the world was dark. Lumbering clouds covered the warriors of silverpelt. Cats were milling outside in the clearing; it looked as if Bramblestar had just called a Clan meeting.

I walked out into the clearing, my head held high, trying not to show how nervous I was. A thin mist was draped over the clearing, and soon soaked me to the skin. When I reached he middle of the clearing, I looked back to see my brother and sister behind me.

A deep voice rumbled above me. "Hollykit, please come forth." I looked up to see a dark brown tabby tom sliding down the rocks into the clearing. I had to crane my neck to see his broad head. This must be Bramblestar. Hollykit tentatively padded forward to the big cat. "Hollykit, from this day forward, you shall be known as Hollypaw until you receive your warrior name," Bramblestar meowed. He lowered his head onto Hollypaw's head and she respectfully licked his shoulder. Then the leader gazed around the crowd, the stopped on one cat. "Berrynose, you are free to take Hollypaw as an apprentice. I trust you to make her a strong and valuable addition to ThunderClan." A creamy warrior stepped out of the crowd, his eyes shining with delight. The mentor and apprentice touched noses. Then, Hollypaw went to stand with the other apprentices, who greeted her with meows of congratulations.

Bramblestar turned to my brother next. "Stormpaw, step forward." Stormpaw boldly stepped from my side, leaving me alone, shivering in the middle of the clearing. He stopped in front of Bramblestar, who looked down on the kit. "Stormkit, from this day forward, you shall be known as Stormpaw." Again, Bramblestar lowered his head onto the newly named apprentice and Stormpaw licked his shoulder in return. "Lionblaze, you will take young Stormpaw as your first apprentice. Being one of the Three, I expect you to make him an excellent fighter, but do not forget the other skills needed to become a warrior." A bright orange tabby stepped out of the crowd this time. The muscles under his skin rippled as he walked. Stormpaw, though, didn't seem the least bit nervous, and reached up to touch his muzzle to Lionblaze's. I see why Bramblestar put those two together, I thought to myself. They both had long legs and a stocky build.

"Curlpaw, please step forward." The meow jerked me out of my thoughts. I came up to Bramblestar, my head high. "From this day forward, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be called Curlpaw." Bramblestar lowered his massive head to mine, and I licked his shoulder. He looked up and scanned the crowd carefully for my mentor. My heart thudded, so loud I thought everyone in the clearing could hear it. "I myself, will mentor Curlpaw." He crowd behind me let out gasps of surprise and congratulations. I looked to Bramblestar, and he seemed to nod to me, though it was so slight, I thought I imagined it. After we both touched muzzles, I walked over to my brother and sister.

"Congratulations!" Stormpaw exclaimed when I reached the two. "I hear it's a great honor to become the leader's apprentice." I nodded my head, slightly embarrassed by all the attention I was getting.

"Come on, Stormpaw, were leaving!" I looked to the cat who had called my brothers name. Lionblaze and Berrynose were standing next to the camp entrance. I padded over to Bramblestar.

"Can we go out with Hollypaw and Stormpaw?" I asked my new mentor. I was longing to see the lake and all the different kinds of prey and anything and everything else the forest had in store for me.

Bramblestar nodded. "Sure, and on he way I'll try to teach you the hunter's crouch. How's that sound?" I nodded this time enthusiastically.

When we arrived outside the barrier of the camp, which of course I was not allowed outside of before this day, I saw all kinds of scents and smells. Even though it was late leaf-fall and leaf-bare was just around the corner, I still smelled a faint trace of prey. I was not sure what kind it was, but it was mouthwatering. Then, I smelled a scent that smelled a bit like the moss warriors brought in for us to drink when I was a kit, but a lot stronger. Bramblestar must have noticed me smelling, because he meowed to me, "That's the lake you're smelling. It's a wide sheet of water, that stretches all the way to RiverClan territory."

We trekked a long way, I'm sure how far, but finally we arrived at the edge of the tree-line. In front of me, the soft forest floor dropped away to a small sandy beach, then dissolved into a huge shining expanse of water. It was just as Brambleclaw had described it: a wide sheet of water. The lake didn't seem to like the weather either; its waters were a churning sea of gray-black. On the other side, lay a stretch of land. I squinted at it. "That's RiverClan territory over there." Lionblaze mewed. "On a clear day, it's easier to see." Lionblaze turned to the left. "Over there is WindClan territory." He waved his tail in a general direction to a long stretch of moor, bare except for a few rocks and bushes. I shivered. I wouldn't want to live there right now, I thought. It looked colder than the wind blown lake, and had a heathery smell to it. Lionblaze then turned to the right and pointed with his tail. "And that is ShadowClan territory." I looked over to see a forest that resembled mine, but was much darker with tall pine trees instead of the lower oak and birch trees.

Suddenly, a cold wind blew over the lake and nearly mocked me off my paws. A steady fall of rain had started, and I realized how tired I was. Berrynose seemed to have the same problem. "Let's get back to camp before my paws freeze to the ground!" We all headed back to camp. Even though my pads ached from the cold and my eyes were starting to droop, I couldn't help thinking, I can't believe I'm an apprentice!

A/N Sorry guys I haven't updated in a while, I'll try to get to it some more!