Knowledge's Leadership /=^-^=\ A Warrior Cat Fanfiction

Chapter 1

Amberkit opened her eyes and as soon as the sun hit her she closed them again. She knew what today was... and she was dreading it! Her and her littermates were being named apprentices today. Her mom kept talking about her time as an apprentice: getting up early to go on dawn patrols and training sessions with her mentor. Personally Amberkit would have enjoyed just staying in the warm nursery for her whole life but her mom said that all cats must become apprentices and support their clan. Amberkit wondered how her mom got into the nursery anyway. Did she just stay in there her whole life until she had kits?

Amberkit had just started to doze off again when she woke with a squeak. Her brother, Topazkit's weight was partially on her, as he battered her shoulders with his soft paws. "Get off mousebrain!" she squealed.

"Awww c'mon Amberkit! Come and play with us one last time before we are apprentices! Opalwing says that you have to at least come outside!"

Amberkit kicked him off and curled up into a ball. "Amberkit, you troublesome kit! Get out of that nest right now! I'm going to carry you outside if you don't go right now," Opalwing threatened. Even though she sounded stern Amberkit knew that she was only doing it because she was worried for her.

Well quit worrying about me, thought Amberkit. I can do what I like now that I am almost an apprentice! With one last mutinous glare at her mother she shuffled out of the nursery and went to go lay in the sun. Her littermates were wrestling underneath the Highbranch, and Amberkit wondered how they found joy in pretending to fight with each other. It all just seemed like a waste of energy. She turned her back to them and stretched lazily.

She decided to take a walk over to the apprentice den to see how cozy the nests were. To her surprise there was only one nest in the den! That's probably going to be our first job... collecting our OWN bedding. Probably for the elders too, she thought grumpily.

Amberkit slunk back to the nursery and plopped down in her nest. There was still some time before her ceremony so she figured that she could pass time by taking a nap. At least it was better than being outside in the hot greenleaf sun. She settled down in her nest and let her eyes slowly drift closed.

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"Let all cats in GemClan gather underneath Highbranch for a clan meeting!" Called Emeraldstar. Amberkit frowned and curled up into Opalwings belly.

"I'm not going Opalwing! I don't want to be an apprentice!" she protested. All she could think of was how warm her nest was and how she didn't want to get out of it.

"Go outside Amberkit! You need to become an apprentice and you don't want me to carry you out do you?" Opalwing growled. "Now get that moss out of your fur... you don't need to look like a rogue in front of the whole clan." Amberkit licked her back until all the moss was out and then she cast one last glance at the nursery and walked out of it.

Topazkit and Onyxkit were already sitting underneath Highbranch looking up at Emeraldstar. Amberkit padded over to join them and sat down with a plop. She sighed and wrapped her tail around her paws. "Hey, Amberkit! Are you excited to become and apprentice?"

asked Onyxkit. Amberkit just huffed and scooted over.

"GemClan! Today we are gathered here to name three new apprentices who will go on to become warriors of Gemclan! Topazkit, step forward." Topazkit leaped to his paws and walked up to the Highbranch. He looked like an ant next to a full-grown cat compared to the gigantic tree next to him.

"Topazkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Topazpaw. Your mentor will be Spidertail. I hope Spidertail will pass down all she knows on to you.

"Spidertail, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Heliofire, and you have shown yourself to be brave and loyal. You will be the mentor of Topazpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him." Topazkit walked up to Spidertail and touched noses with her. They stepped to the side to watch the next ceremonies.

"Amberkit step forward!" Amberkit clambered to her paws and gloomily went to stand beside her brother. "Amberkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name you will be known as Amberpaw. You mentor will be Jasperlight. I hope Jasperlight will pass down all he knows to you.

"Jasperlight, you have received excellent training from Citrinestorm, and proven yourself to be a kind and strong cat. You will be mentor of Amberpaw, and I expect you to pass all you know onto her." Amberpaw just stood where she was and waited for Jasperlight to come touch noses with her. When he didn't come, she pawed at the ground impatiently before stalking over to thrust her face into his and then go to sit next to Topazpaw.

"Go sit with your mentor bugbrain!" hissed Topazpaw under his breath. Amberpaw just flicked her tail irritably and stayed put.

"Last but not least, Onyxkit please come forward." Onyxkit slowly padded to sit near Amberpaw. "Onyxkit you have reached the age of six moons and you are ready to be apprenticed. From this day on until you receive your warrior name you will be known as Onxypaw. Your mentor will be Berylclaw. I hope Berylclaw will pass down all he knows to you.

"Berylclaw, you have received excellent training from Tourmalinefur, and proven yourself to be a ambitious and loyal cat. You will be mentor of Onyxpaw and I expect you to pass all you know down to her." Onyxpaw bounded over and touched noses with Berylclaw and the two cats went to sit on the other side of Topazpaw and Spidertail.

The whole clan then started chanting their new names. "Topazpaw! Onyxpaw! Amberpaw!" Opalwing was chanting loudest of all. Emeraldstar dismissed the clan and the three new apprentices followed their mentors.

"Jasperlight? What's up with the bedding in the apprentice den?" Amberpaw asked.

Jasperlight twitched his whiskers and just simply meowed, "You'll see."

Amberpaw huffed and went to see if she could find Kyanpaw. She found her in the medicine den with Fadedleaf getting a thorn out of her paw. "Hi Kyanpaw." Amberpaw mewed.

"Oh hi Amberpaw! It will be good to have other apprentices in the den! It's been lonely all by myself," exclaimed Kyanpaw. Fadedleaf tugged the thorn out and Kyanpaw got up and started walking out of the den.

"Kyanpaw wait! Can I talk to you? In the Apprentice den maybe?" Amberpaw called after her.

"Sure," Kyanpaw agreed. "Let me get something to eat real quick. I'll bring it with me into the den." With that she left and Amberpaw was left alone with Fadedleaf.

"Hello Amberpaw. Are you excited for your new apprentice duties?" he asked.

"Of course not," Amberpaw mewed coolly with a slight tinge of anger in her voice. "I happen to want to not be an apprentice." She stalked out of the medicine den and bolted to where Kyanpaw was sitting just outside of the apprentice den.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" Kyanpaw turned her pretty blue eyes to look at Amberpaw.

"Well," Amberpaw paused, hoping what she was about to say wouldn't sound whiny and annoying. "Is it fun being an apprentice? Having to do so many chores and working everyday until your a warrior?" she asked.

"Oh yeah! And it gets better as you get older. You get more privileges and you learn how to do warrior things." Kyanpaw was on her feet now.

Topazpaw came bounding over and plopped down right next to Kyanpaw. He seemed a little too close to her... then Amberpaw realized it! Topazpaw liked Kyanpaw! Blech! She thought. Kyanpaw was 3 moons older that them. And how could Topazpaw be thinking about a mate already?

Amberpaw got up to find Jasperlight. Maybe she would give the whole apprentice thing a try. After what Kyanpaw had said, Amberpaw was feeling a slightly more optimistic about her new life.

Written by Star, edited by Fawn.