Shadowspirit woke the next day, surprised to see the den almost empty, the sun almost at the top of the cloudless pale blue sky. With a few quick licks to smooth her fur, the young warrior bounded out into the clearing, feeling as free as a bird. Duskstar looked up from where he was washing his fur in a patch of sunlight, "You look like your feeling better." He commented.

Shadowspirit nodded happily, "Lets just say I got the weight off my chest." The leader looked almost as pleased for his old apprentice as she felt, "Oh, and I just sent out Lionflame and Bumbleflash to pick up the kittypets, this will be very interesting I presume, especially when the other clans find out." Shadowspirit nodded in silent agreement with her leader.

The two cats chattered for a while, Shadowspirit glad for the opportunity to relax a little in the weak sunlight. A shift in the breeze that brought new scents wafting over the camp caused the warriors still there to stop what they were doing, and fix their eyes excitedly on the tunnel entrance. The broad golden head of Lionflame poked through first as he entered the camp, every cat seeming to be holding their breaths in anticipation.

Belle padded after him first, her wide eyes taking in every new sight there was in the camp. Darin followed after her, looking nervous but determined, a dainty light brown speckled she-cat padded cautiously after them, behind her Shadowspirit recognized the orange tom from the dog fight, after him was a dark gray speckled tom, and finally her brother Bumbleflash picked up the rear.

Duskstar made sure that the excited clan didn't crowd the newcomers as he approached them, "Greetings, I am Duskstar leader of ThunderClan, and we welcome you to our clan." He leaped up onto the Highledge, the clan already gathered so there was no need to call out. The leader motioned with his tail for the newcomers to step forward as he began, "These newcomers have a lot of work ahead of them to become part of the clan, they must understand that they will not be warmly welcomed by most cats."

The kittypets nodded, seeming determined but nervous around so many wild cats. Belle stood, her fur bristling slightly as she spoke up, "My name is Belle, I have left my twolegs far behind me, and I wish to become a warrior apprentice of ThunderClan."

Darin stood, his shoulder muscles rippling, "My kittypet name was Darin, beforehand I was a ShadowClan warrior, but I wish to give my loyalty to ThunderClan as a warrior." The dappled she-cat stood and meowed quietly, "My name is Fawn, I too left my kittypet life behind me, I dream of cats with stars in their fur, and they told me to come here to train as a healing cat." Ivyleaf looked interested from where she sat outside the medicine tunnel.

The blazing orange tom stood, his voice determined as he meowed, "My kittypet name was Jeff, but I am determined to follow in the steps of my far off ancestor, I wish to join ThunderClan, and I will give all I have to train hard." Finally the dark gray and black speckled tom stood, his legs trembling, but his voice was steady, "For a long time I have heard the stories of the mighty wild cats, that they live like rogues, accept there is one thing that makes them very different, they live by a code of nobility and honor. My kittypet name was Fleck, but I wish to join ThunderClan and do all I can to become a warrior."

A few murmurs of appreciation for the kittypets rippled through the clan, although there were still a few disgusted faces among the mix. Duskstar dipped his head curtly, "Brave words from all of you, although you are all older then the average apprentice, you will live in the apprentices den, with apprentice names, and apprentice tasks. I will not assign you all separate mentors, every cat will aid in teaching these newcomers the ways of our clan."

Shadowspirit observed the kittypets, who were taking in the information excitedly, although Darin did not seem entirely pleased with the idea of apprenticeship again, but he did not speak out. "Excuse me Duskstar, but I would be very interested in taking Fawn as my medicine apprentice, if she wishes to do so of course." Ivyleaf meowed politely, a wave of heads turning to look at the medicine cat. Fawn looked pleased with the idea, and after a heartbeat of silence Duskstar nodded with a flick of his tail, "Very well, Fawn, you may be Ivyleaf's apprentice." The dappled she-cat seemed to barely be able to hold back her excitement as she bounded over to sit beside the medicine cat, her before nervousness from the crowd of warriors forgotten. Duskstar beckoned to the newcomers, "Belle, Darin, Jeff, and Fleck you are all new to this life, do you promise to work hard to learn our ways, and to listen and learn from the other warriors?" The kittypets seemed more determined then Shadowspirit, and probably any of the other warriors, had figured they would be as they all meowed, "I do."

Duskstar stood tall as he continued, "Then from this day on, until you all earn your warrior names, Belle, you shall be known as Icepaw, Darin, you shall be known as Barkpaw, Jeff, you shall be known as Blazepaw, and Fleck, you shall be known as Stormpaw, welcome to ThunderClan, Crowclaw could you show them around, I'll send off another patrol." The deputy nodded, rounding up the new arrivals to show them around, while the clan began hopping once again, the cats going this way and that to carry out their duties.

Foxflame's hunting patrol returned to camp, their tails drooping at their sad catch as they lay a scrawny sparrow and a few small mice on the fresh-kill pile. Even her mate seemed downhearted as he padded over to touch noses with Shadowspirit. Even the icy air, and lack of prey couldn't bring down her soaring spirits, even simple chores and tasks seemed brighter as she hunted, patrolled, and helped with repairs on insulating the dens.

Even though the clan had not accepted the newcomers yet, and would probably not for some time, the new cats didn't seem to mind as other cats lectured, and criticized their work. Shadowspirit found Crowclaw and Sootcloud teaching Blazepaw and Stormpaw proper hunting crouches. Stormpaw was watching as the fiery orange tom practiced his crouch and stalk. Blazepaw almost had it all down, low to the ground with smooth well-balanced movement, but Shadowspirit could calculate the tiniest of flaws within his crouch.

"Mind if I cut in?" She asked, thinking, maybe I can even put my weak point calculations to good use. Crowclaw nodded, "Of course." Shadowspirit padded over to Blazepaw as he crept forward, she calculated where his trouble areas were quickly. "Here, breathe through your nose as you move, try tucking your hind legs further underneath you as you move, and keep your tail from twitching so it doesn't stir the leaves." The apprentice nodded, tucking his legs further beneath him as he crept forward, moving more steadily and at ease.

The deputy looked impressed as he meowed, "Your a fine teacher, do you think you can take over if I take Sootcloud hunting?" Shadowspirit nodded, excitement buzzing through her at the deputy's praise. Taking action Shadowspirit turned to Blazepaw, "Keep working on that stalk, Stormpaw, show me what you can do." The speckled gray and black tom nodded, dropping into a hunting crouch and creeping forward, but his paws were spread to wide, he needed to be lower to the ground, and his haunches were up in the air.

Shadowspirit circled around him, correcting his hunting crouch with taps of her tail until he had an almost perfect crouch. She continued working with the two apprentices, eventually taking them hunting to teach them how to properly follow scent trails, staying downwind, each apprentice managing to successfully bring down their own prey. Stormpaw caught a small sparrow with a huge leap, and Blazepaw surprised her by racing up a tree to bring down a somewhat plump squirrel.

Icepaw and Barkpaw seemed thrilled with their catch, and even stubborn Lionflame was impressed as they brought in the squirrel and sparrow to add to the fresh-kill pile. As the day ended, Shadowspirit ate a small mouse next to Foxflame, the two mates sharing-tongues and chatting happily. Even the new apprentices seemed to be having a good time chatting with the younger warriors, Bumbleflash, who was sitting with Swanfeather, who had come into the clearing to catch the final rays of sun, Mintbreeze, and Shrewleap keeping them busy with jokes and stories. Everything was nice that night, all problems forgotten for a short relaxing while.