Moon's P.O.V
I stood in the middle of the camp, sitting beside Lionkit and Hollykit. Cold air drifted down into the hollow, and Lionkit shivered. Suddenly the brambles at the entrance of the rock den trembled, and I saw Jaykits head pop out. Hollykit nudged Lionkit. "Look!"
"He's okay!" Lionkit mewed in relief. "Thank StarClan!" But then Jaykit turned around and went back into the den. "Leafpool must be keeping him a bit longer," Hollykit observed. "Um, who's Leafpool?" I asked. Hollykit took a good look at me. "You're nothing like you're sister. You're much meeker and gentler."
"She- she's not my sister. We're just friends. We met each other in the forest." Lionkit tilted his head to the side. "Unlike you, Hollykit, I like Seakit. She's actually quite like me. Apparently, she fought both foxes off herself!" I nodded. "Yes, thats her. She never lets anything hurt me. She loves me so much."
"I wonder if she got hurt-"
"She wouldn't get hurt! Well, maybe a scratch or two, but nothing serious! She fought off a badger all on her own and only got a few cuts!" Hollykit dug her claws into the ground to stop her paws from trembling. "How?" She demanded. "Thats hard to believe."
"Well... I don't know... but it's true. I saw it with my own eyes! She can also hear and smell very well. She can see and hear things over a lake away! She could tell you what you were doing on the other side of the lake! Thats how amazing she is. And she uses these to protect me with her life." Lionkit looked at me in surprise. I put a paw to my mouth. "Oh, sorry. I wasn't supposed to tell anyone. Can you two keep it a secret? You can tell Jaykit but no one else. Okay?"
"A warrior always keeps his promise. Right, Hollykit?" She nodded. Then we all laughed. Hollykit scratched her ear. "Have you got a tick in your ear?" Lionkit whispered to her. "No, but it's just not fair!" She hissed back. "We wouldn't be in so much trouble if Jaykit hadn't fallen over the edge! Why does he have to act like he can do anything and then be so helpless?"
"He's blind. Thats why. Right?" I was ignored.
"We shouldn't have taken him with us," Lionkit murmured. "Can you imagine the fuss he would have made if we hadn't?" Hollykit spat. Then she looked down. "None of us should have gone."
"I wish you had realized that earlier!" Firestar's meow took us by surprise. Tiny stones were still tumbling into the clearing where he had leapt down the rockfall that led from his den. Two cats followed him down and stood a little behind the ThunderClan leader. My heart sank when I saw the anger in their eyes. Firestar's eyes suddenly crashed down on me and I almost died of shame. "Moonkit-"
"My name isn't Moonkit! What is it with everyone calling their last names with 'kit'? My name is Moon! Just Moon!" I replied. Then I realised it was bad to talk to the Leader like that. I stared down at my paws. But Firestar merely just purred. "Moon, you did well. Fighting a fox on you're own is quite a hard task. Even if you fail and you're friend doesn't. I'm very proud of you." I looked up at him in surprise. "But- I don't even know you! And I don't live here! I don't have a home-"
"Yes, you do. Moon, you're home. Welcome to ThunderClan." I stared at him happily. "Really? Am I really home now? Is this my home forever?" Firestar chuckled. "Yes. And Moon, we have a tradition in ThunderClan where kittens are called 'kits', apprentices end with 'paw' and warriors get a random last name. Like Brambleclaw for instance. His name ends in 'claw' and squirrelflight's name ends in 'flight'. Deputies are the same as warriors and Leaders, like me, end in 'Star.'" I gazed admiringly at Firestar. "And since you're 6 moons old, I will hold a naming ceremony tomorrow for you and you're friend Sea. You will become apprentices and have a mentor. Then your name will end in 'Paw'. Happy?"
"Yes!" I laughed. Firestar purred. "You may go make yourself at home. Sandstorm, my mate, will give you a tour and help you become friends with the other apprentices." I squealed with delight as Firestorm called Sandstorm over. "Sandstorm, this is our new apprentice. Moonpaw." Firestar then explained everything she needed to know and then Sandstorm walked me to a pile of food. "This is the fresh kill pile. We've got rabbits, squirrels, and mice. Pick you're favourite."
"Mice! I love mice. Their so tender!" I pawed out a fresh, plump mouse and put it at my paws. "Can I eat it?"
"Go on." She purred. I took a bite of it and smiled. "This is the best food I've had in ages! Sea usually catches us big grey fish called 'Catfish'. She named them herself. They're about as twice as big as you. You should have some next time she catches one." Sandstorm looked at me in surprise. "Catfish?" She echoed. "Yeah. She named them that because they were as big as a full-grown cat but BIGGER!" I finished my mouse and licked my whiskers. Thats when I saw her shocked face. "Oh, are you upset?"
"N-no, I'm just surprised that such a young cat could catch such a large fish. You sure she really did that?"
"Positive. If you like you can go ask her."
"N-no, it's fine. I don't want to bother her when she needs treatment."
"She's HURT?"
"Well, kind of-"
"Then I need to see her!"
"Moonpaw! Not yet. It's not the time."
"Oh. When can I see her?"
"Not long from now. I promise. Now let me bring you to your den. We'll build your nest and meet with the other Apprentices" I sighed and nodded, following Sandstorm to the apprentice den. There were 5 cats inside. A cream-coloured tom, a small grey and white she-cat, a grey and white tom, a grey tabby she-cat, a light brown tabby she-cat and a tortoiseshell she-cat. "Hello Apprentices! You have a new cat joining you tomorrow. This is Moonpaw, she's a cat outside the clans. Her sister, Seapaw, will join you tomorrow as well."
"She's not my sister!" I mumbled. "This is Berrypaw, Hazelpaw, Mousepaw, Cinderpaw, Honeypaw and Poppypaw. I hope you make great friends with each other and help her find her way around the camp." Smiled Sandstorm, and then left. "Urm, Hi-"
Suddenly I was swarmed by all the apprentices and their questions. "Are you a loner?"
"You shouldn't be here!"
"Can I meet your sister?"
"You're ceremony hasn't come yet! So why meet us now?"
I lashed my tail. "Stop! Let me speak! I am a loner, but not a bad one. I should be here because I was told by a starry cat telling me that I would come home. No, you cannot see my sister, she is in the rock den with Jaykit and... Leafpool? And I'm meeting you now because I am one moon away from becoming six moons old like Seapaw, and they don't want to put me with the kits because we're too old for that. So there." The cats gazed at me. Then the light brown tabby she-cat came forward. "Hi. I'm Honeypaw. It's nice to have a new apprentice in the den. I'll be your guide today. I'll show you around."
