Robinkit's vision gradually sharpened as the world came rushing back to her senses. It had been a horrible nightmare. "Stupid nightmares," Robinkit muttered, and sat up. Her mother, Foxflight, leaned over to her.

"Are you ready for today?" she asked, pride shining through her voice.

"Oh! The apprentice ceremony is today!" Robinkit smacked a paw to her forehead. She had forgotten all about her apprenticeship ceremony because of the nightmare. Her mother groomed Robinkit's fur, her belly round with a second litter of kits soon to come. "How much longer until my siblings are born?" Robinkit mewed curiously.

"Long enough," Foxflight chuckled. "Berryleaf said that it will be a few more moons."

"Aww, I hoped they would be here already to watch me become an apprentice!" Robinkit exclaimed, a little disappointed.

A voice carried from the clearing into the nursery. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting!"

"That's Winterstar calling! Let's go!" Robinkit squealed, but her mother's jaws wrapped gently around Robinkit's scruff.

"Wait, Robinkit. You aren't a kit anymore, you're an apprentice. Walk out there like you're going to become the best warrior, not a silly kit." Foxflight purred, and she released her grip, letting the flailing Robinkit land on the soft moss of the nursery floor.

"Okay, mother," Robinkit meowed, rolling her eyes, shaking off the moss, and sauntering through the entrance of the den. The light greeted her eyes warmly, nothing like the fire in her nightmare.

Winterstar gazed warmly at Robinkit, flicking his sandy-white tail for her to come closer. "Robinkit, today is the day that you turn six moons old. This day marks the beginning of your journey to become a warrior. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Winterstar." Robinkit replied, trying her hardest to not tremble with both excitement and nervousness.

"Then, by the power of Starclan, your new apprentice name until you become a warrior will be Robinpaw," Winterstar meowed, and the crowd of cats that had gathered beneath the Highrock erupted into happy cheers and purrs.

"Robinpaw, Robinpaw, Robinpaw!" the cats yowled, their cheers sending shivers of exhilaration down Robinpaw's back.

"Now, I'm sure you are wondering who your mentor will be, no?" Winterstar asked, scanning the crowd of cats below him.

Robinpaw nodded eagerly. Who will it be? I hope it won't be anyone like...hmm, maybe Zephyrfall. She's really grumpy in the mornings. But honestly, everyone here, including Zephyrfall, is really nice to me. She thought.

"Your mentor will be Creekfrost." Winterstar announced, and Robinpaw's eyes lit up. Creekfrost bounded up to the Highrock and touched noses with her.

"I'm so glad I got you as a mentor!"Robinpaw whispered excitedly. Creekfrost was a well known warrior due to being on the guard patrol, which was one of the most important and high ranked patrol. The guard patrol had been made by Winterstar himself due to the increasing number of wounds sustained by other patrols from a mysterious enemy. No one knew what was going on, but Winterstar picked his strongest warriors to try and hunt down the mysterious attacker. Thankfully, there had been no casualties yet, only wounds.

"Meeting dismissed!" Winterstar meowed, and the crowd dispersed to do whatever they were doing before Robinpaw's apprentice ceremony.

Robinpaw looked down at Foxflight, who had padded towards her and Creekfrost. They both leaped down and the three walked towards the prey pile to celebrate.

"Congratulations, Robinpaw!" Robinpaw's mother purred. "And Creekfrost too!"

The sound of footsteps crunched through the leafbare snow. Creekfrost turned around, his eyes narrowing. "What do you want, Finchspeckle?"

"Relax, brother. I just wanted to congratulate you on your new apprentice. It's not like I'm here to ask you out on another patrol!" Finchspeckle chuckled. Robinpaw never really liked Finchspeckle. Even though he was nice to her, she knew that he had power over Creekfrost. He was, in fact, the most likely candidate for deputy if something happened to Autumnfall, the current deputy.

"Oh, then thank you." Creekfrost smiled, but his smile had only half as much warmth towards Finchspeckle as it did Foxflight and Robinpaw.

Finchspeckle snorted. "Very kind, I see. Well, enjoy your apprentice." the lean cat padded away, stopping for a word with three guard members. All four of them ducked out of the entrance to the camp.

"I suppose I'd better show you the territory," Creekfrost meowed, turning back to Robinpaw and Foxflight.

"You do that. I'll be in the nursery." Foxflight meowed, standing up.

"Okay! Let's go, Creekfrost!" Robinpaw exclaimed.

"Don't be so anxious, Robinpaw, we'll go in time. For now, let me show you where you will sleep. Then we will leave camp to explore the territory, alright?" Creekfrost meowed, his tone warm but his gaze seeming far away.

"Okay, let's go find Sagepaw and Moonpaw! I don't want to accidentally take their nests." Robinpaw meowed, flicking her tail towards a patch of snow where the apprentices were playing.

Creekfrost stifled a snort. "Impatient kit, you will find them in time! Follow me, you just need to see where the den is, and then you can bicker with your new friends about nest spots."

"Fine..." Robinpaw sighed, padding after her new mentor.

The two cats padded up to the large den. It was a little larger than the nursery, but it was mostly empty. This year wasn't the best year for kits, but, come Newleaf, Foxflight should have her kits and maybe more will come later. Frostclan was in dire need of young warriors, especially since a lot of the current warriors were out patrolling with Finchspeckle.

"This is the den. Inside are a couple fresh nests for you and the two other apprentices," Creekfrost meowed. "Now let's go. Maybe we can bump into the guard patrol and scare Finchspeckle on our way to the borders!" 

"Oooh, I'd love to spook your brother. He's too smug, so we-" Robinpaw exclaimed.

"I was joking. Don't scare them, or Winterstar will claw your ears off. Also, don't tell him that I said anything about scaring Finchspeckle. Winterstar has been...paranoid as of late." Creekfrost meowed, his eyes serious. 

"Sure, I guess. Now can we go?" Robinpaw asked, pacing around impatiently.

"Yes, yes! Onward, to the borders!" Creekfrost meowed, his tail high, and ducked out of the entrance to the camp.

Robinpaw followed him, and soon she was surrounded by the most beautiful landscape she had ever seen: the pine forest.