Book One, Batpaw's Courage

Chapter Two

It was almost sunhigh when Batkit woke up. She poked her pink nose out of the den and saw Brushfeather emerge from the warriors den yawning. Featherdust, Lightheart and Stoneskip followed.

Brushfeather headed toward the camp entrance and disappeared after the thorn barrier, later seeing Ambermoon, Emberstrike and Flamebreeze emerge from it and head to the warriors den.

Batkit climbed out of the nursery and shook her pelt. She headed for the fresh-kill pile and thought she'd bring Soarstep whatever was left. Batkit dragged a small mouse from the pile toward the elders den.

Soarstep was stretching in his nest when Batkit stepped in. "Hi there, Soarstep!" she called to him. "I brought this for you, it isn't fresh but I figured you'd be hungry."

"Oh thank you, young one, I'll be glad to have a mouse. Want to share?" he offered. Batkit nodded, "Yes please!"

Batkit bit into the mouse. The warm flavors of the forest made her want to be an apprentice more than ever. "I'm four moons today!" she exclaimed, Just two more until I can prove to Shadowheart that I'm not nothing!

"I see. Kits get older by the moment. Frogkit and Sweetkit are to be apprenticed today?" Soarstep asked, stopping for a moment to bite into the mouse.

"Yep! I can't wait to see their ceremony!" Batkit exclaimed. "I wonder who will get which kit." she added.

"I think I'm going to try and take a nap in the sun before the ceremony, I could use it. Thanks for the mouse!" Soarstep padded past her and went to lie in a sunny spot.

Batkit padded out to see Frogkit and Sweetkit talking to Acornstar. "When is the ceremony?" she overheard the desperate mew of Frogkit.

"Once the hunting patrol gets back, then you'll be apprentices." Acornstar dismissed them. Sweetkit looked annoyed. "That will take forever!" she exclaimed.

Sweetkit spotted Batkit and beckoned for Frogkit to follow. "I guess I'm gonna have to get use to calling you guys a new name!" Batkit meowed to the both of them once they arrived.

"Yep! Soon! We just have to wait for the hunting patrol!" Sweetkit complained. Frogkit cuffed her ear, "The Clan's got to be fed somehow!" Frogkit pointed out.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath highrock for a Clan meeting!"

Batkit looked back at the thorn entrance, the hunting patrol was already back and dropping what few prey they had. It was almost leaf-bare after all.

Goldenwing and the rest of the queens were heading out to rest in the clearing beside their kits.

Frogkit and Sweetkit looked ecstatic, their mother Mallowheart, came padding out and licked them both on the head and sat down behind them.

Their father Stoneskip, padded proudly up behind them and sat down.

"Today two kits have reached six moons and its time for them to become apprentices." Acornstar's voice rang clear and bold.

"Would Sweetkit and Frogkit please step forward?" the two kits bounced forward but slowed as they approached the leader.

Acornstar met the eyes of Sweetkit. "From this day forward until you earn your warrior name, you will now be known as Sweetpaw." Batkit could see that Sweetpaw was bursting with excitement. "Your mentor, Featherdust."

Featherdust proudly padded up to her new apprentice and touched her nose to Sweetpaw's.

"Now," Acornstar went on and met Frogkit's nervous gaze. "From this day forward you will now be known as Frogpaw. Your mentor, Lightheart."

Lightheart padded up to Frogpaw and touched her nose to his. "I'm excited to train you." she said warmly.

"Frogpaw! Sweetpaw!" Batkit called their names and the Clan joined in.

Acornstar waved for Brushfeather to hop onto Highrock. "I have something to announce" Brushfeather said, he looked old and tired.

"I am going to be retiring to the elder's den." he announced, the crowd shared murmurs of concerned mews.

Acornstar lifted his head, Brushfeather jumped down. "I say these words in honor of Brushfeather,"

Batkit wondered who would be the new deputy. "So that StarClan can hear and approve of my choice."

Acornstar stopped for a moment to think. "Rivertail will be the new deputy of ThunderClan." mews of approval rippled throughout the clearing and the cats parted to make a path for Rivertail to get through.

Brushfeather dipped his head to Rivertail as she nodded proudly to Acornstar. Acornstar dismissed the Clan and everyone went back to their duties.

Batkit scanned the crowd for Sweetpaw and Frogpaw, she wanted to see them before they went out. "Sweetpaw! Frogpaw! I just wanted to congratulate you before you went out!" Sweetpaw nodded and said, "Thank you! I can't wait!"

"Yeah! I bet you wish you could come with us! We're going to see the territory!" Frogpaw boasted, puffing out his chest.

"If you want to go then we should get on our way!" Lightheart said nosing both of them towards the thorn entrance.

"Good luck! Bye!" Batkit said, calling to them. She turned away and headed for the fresh-kill pile. "Oh! Hey Hawkkit" he was dragging a small shrew from the pile.

"Hey Batkit! Wanna share?" He asked, pushing the shrew towards her. "Sure!" She bent down to bite into the shrew.

"So," Hawkkit started. "Are you excited to be an apprentice?" Batkit finished her share then replied, "oh definitely," she explained during licks, "it will be the best thing in the world! Other than being a warrior of course."