Shimmering darkness engulfed Ivypaw, ruffling her fur. She could feel Jaypaw's body pressing against hers, giving her a faint feeling of comfort.

Suddenly the silver and white 'paw could see again. They were still in the Spirit Tree, but the bark was shimmering, and the moss beneath her feet sparkled like stars. It seemed like moons, but eventually Amberpaw broke the silence with a frosty breath. "It's beautiful," the black and white tabby exclaimed. For the first time, Ivypaw remembered Solarwind was with them.

"When do the Spirits arrive?" she queried, but the ClearClan deputy didn't answer, instead flicking her tail at the catlike forms that had just appeared.

The first of them dipped its head. "You have come, as we predicted. Sacrifices have been provided, so we shall provide these with powers." As Ivypaw watched, entranced, bright light emanated from the Spirits' eyes. "Blood of Waterwhisker and Mouseflight, step forward."

Ivypaw exchanged a swift glance with Jaypaw before cautiously approaching. A new cat greeted them. "Jaypaw, kin of Hunter and Healer, you shall now be able to move objects with your mind. Use this how you will, as it will greatly influence your future."

As Jaypaw looked down, grimacing, with ears flattened, pictures flashed through Ivypaw's mind. Red fur and floating stones, along with bright green eyes and unfamiliar tabby cats. Gradually the images faded, and the Spirits beckoned Ivypaw forward. "Ivypaw, kin of Hunter and Healer, you shall now be able to disappear from enemies' eyes."

Pain worse than a thousand claws pierced Ivypaw's body, shocking her numb. Halos danced just out of her line of sight, taunting her as if looking at them would make the aches go away.

What felt like seasons passed, but in reality the heartbeats barely ticked thrice before she stood on shaky legs, tremors shaking her from nose to tail tip. The Spirits dismissed her, and Ivypaw and Jaypaw backed away slowly before waiting for Goldenshine's litter to finish.

Jaypaw whispered, "When I was receiving my power, did you see blue eyes?" Ivypaw swiveled her ears to check that Solarwind wasn't paying attention before replying.

"No. I saw piercing green eyes, though."

Her littermate nodded before closing her eyes as a burst of energy dissipated, bringing the rest of the Spirits away with it. Mallowpaw was shuddering, while Amberpaw and Laurelpaw pressed close to Mintpaw. For the first time, Ripplepaw didn't seem calm. He was looking at his paws, his fur fluffed up.

Solarwind uncurled her tail. She was the only one unruffled. "Close your eyes, and we will return." Ivypaw nodded mutely and squeezed her eyes shut.

- тнє яυтнℓєѕѕ αη∂ тнє яιgнт -

Mallowpaw yelped in confusion as they tumbled in a sprawl of legs and tails onto hard-packed earth. Sunlight streamed through trees, bringing spots to Ivypaw's eyes at the sudden brightness.

"You have done well," Solarwind announced. "Now I will coach each of you on how to activate your powers, and judge your initial skill before we truly return."

Ivypaw recalled that it had taken a full day for Flashpaw and Sunpaw to come back from the Spirit Tree. "Jaypaw, you are first," Solarwind instructed. The gray she-cat swallowed and flattened her ears. "Focus on an object in this clearing." Jaypaw nodded and stared directly at a small stick. "Imagine a tail around it, pushing and pulling it where you want it to go."

Ivypaw silently willed her littermate to do well. As if answering her wish, the branch shook before flying and swiftly landing at Solarwind's paws.

The deputy silently blinked approval before flicking her tail at Ivypaw. The silver and white she-cat stepped forward. "Yours is different," Solarwind said. "Imagine claws piercing your paw. Manipulate the pain." Ivypaw cocked her head with narrowed eyes. She concentrated on the memory of receiving her power. Fire blasted through her limbs, and she was rewarded with a gasp from Mintpaw. Solarwind chuckled. "Very good."

Jaypaw rushed to support Ivypaw as the apprentice swayed, ready to fall. Mallowpaw ran to assist as Ivypaw collapsed. Solarwind barely looked down, instead calling Ripplepaw. The tom stepped forward. Ivypaw was vaguely conscious of him summoning water from the ground, and his hiss of annoyance as it splashed back onto him.

Mintpaw was next, and suddenly herbs appeared around her paws. "Strong," Solarwind commented before shooing her away. Amberpaw demonstrated her power of forcefields by creating one around Solarwind. The deputy gave her a glare as she bumped into it, and with a nervous squeak Amberpaw skipped behind Laurelpaw.

Mallowpaw pricked her ears, and mewed, "There's a nest of mice behind you, and there's a nest of ravens approximately five foxlengths that way." She flicked her tail in the direction of the nest. The golden she-cat's eyes widened slightly, but she nodded. Laurelpaw crouched down, but she crept forward as Solarwind called her.

"Stay there," Solarwind ordered. Laurelpaw obeyed. The deputy turned around and pounced on some leaves, returning with a writhing mouse in her jaws. She dropped it in front of Laurelpaw, and shifted it so Laurelpaw was pinning its tail. "Use this."

Ivypaw pulled herself into a sitting position to watch. Solarwind sat down again, and lifted a paw to her chest height. Ivypaw blinked, and suddenly Solarwind was behind Ripplepaw, the raised paw still poised. Claws slid out and flashed across the tom's neck. Jaypaw hissed in shock, and Mintpaw began to run towards her brother. Mallowpaw dropped into a crouch familiar to all of the apprentices as her fighting pose and snarled, approaching Solarwind.

Solarwind stopped all of them with a fearsome yowl and turned to Laurelpaw. "Transfer the mouse's energy and heal him." Laurelpaw stared in shock, her claws hovering unsheathed in front of the mouse. Ripplepaw let out a muffled choking sound. Suddenly Laurelpaw shot her paw across the mouse, slitting its threat like Solarwind had done with Ripplepaw. The prey contorted, letting out a feeble squeak that died out as it seemed to glow. Bright red energy shimmered through the air, surrounding both cat and mouse.

Then the mouse fell still, while Ripplepaw lifted his head with nothing but a faint scar. Laurelpaw began panting, and it seemed all the cats resumed proper control over their movements. "You monster!" Mallowpaw screeched, throwing herself at Solarwind. The latter she-cat disappeared, and reappeared a heartbeat later on a high tree branch.

"I can teleport," Solarwind reminded them. Mallowpaw snarled, and with obvious effort turned away. "It's sunhigh. You will begin training as soon as we get back."

"When will that be?" Ivypaw asked. In reply, the world began to spin.

- тнє яυтнℓєѕѕ αη∂ тнє яιgнт -

Ivypaw sighed and realized she was back in camp. Jaypaw bounced up from next to her. "Your first day of training is with the Warriors," Solarwind informed them with a haughty flick of her tail. She spun and padded gracefully away.

"Hi!" Ivypaw turned to see Flashpaw, Sunpaw, and Applepaw running towards them. The apprentices broke their small group and began to talk with their new denmates.

"Stop messing around," a deep voice ordered. Instantly the older apprentices froze. "Get into groups of three. Two newbies and one older newbie to a group. One group will have four." Ivypaw nodded quickly at the massive tom, gulping at the jagged scars notching his ears and face.

A lithe she-cat padded up behind the tom, her fur smooth and her pawsteps light. "Boo," she hissed in the tom's ear playfully. He jumped and twitched his whiskers in annoyance. "I'm Brambleshadow," the she-cat added, turning to face the apprentices. "Clawscar here is a weakling and also my partner for today. If you have complaints, talk to him, because I will be hunting for fun and will claw any disturbances."

Brambleshadow stalked to the edge of the clearing and waving her tail in amusement at the shocked looks on the new apprentices' faces while Clawscar lunged at her, a fight with exaggerated screeching following. Ivypaw looked away to find Applepaw with her and Jaypaw.

"Hi," he greeted. Jaypaw nodded hello and Ivypaw twitched her ear. "Well, let's go to the Moss-Clearing."

The littermates looked at each other, having no idea what he meant, and followed.

Soon they arrived at the Moss-Clearing, a willow encased clearing with soft moss covering the earth. Ivypaw stopped in the middle and twisted to look around. "Nice," she commented. Applepaw smiled.

"It's my favorite training area," he replied. "We're supposed to be exercising, but I assume you two want to practice your powers."

Ivypaw was still amazed by the clearing, her fur completely flat. She didn't expect a sneak attack by Jaypaw, who bowled her over and pinned her down. "Hey!" Ivypaw protested and shoved her off. Looking to Applepaw for help, she growled as he stepped back to watch, presumably to give out tips later. Jaypaw leaped on her before she could focus.

"Give me all your mice!" Jaypaw threatened admist laughter. Ivypaw shook her littermate off of her pelt and spun to face her.

Applepaw's eyes glimmered with amusement and another emotion Ivypaw couldn't place. "Try your powers," he suggested.

The two she-cats began to circle each other. The excitement of a play fight was getting to Ivypaw now, and she could feel adrenaline pumping through her system. It burned like fire as she let her thoughts train completely on Jaypaw and what she would do next.

Her littermate was in a stalking crouch; her green eyes narrowed in concentration. Whipping her own blue and green gaze around, Ivypaw ducked just in time to avoid a flying pebble. Jaypaw hissed in annoyance and closed her eyes to slits.

The danger of the pebble was enough to let Ivypaw feel she could use her power. Her blood ran hot, and the excitement peaked in a flash of flame. Forcing her ears flat, Ivypaw tried to make herself go invisible. "What are you even doing?" Jaypaw interrupted, cocking her head curiously. Ivypaw opened her left eye, the blue one, and glanced over herself. Nothing had happened.

"Mouse-dung!" Ivypaw complained. Jaypaw opened her mouth, and then gasped. The stone she had lifted was hurtling towards Applepaw.

His russet fur spiked, Applepaw turned the pale green of moss, the color leeching the brightness out of his already emerald eyes. Ivypaw could only watch as the stone hit him in the jaw, seemingly jolting his whole body. Within a heartbeat, his fur switched back to normal and drops of blood were blossoming on his jaw.

"I'm sorry!" Jaypaw squealed, her voice spiking a few octaves. Applepaw shook his head, stepping back. I'm fine, the gesture said.

With a roll of her eyes, Ivypaw stepped back. "You're not fine," she contradicted. "Do you need to see a Healer?" Another head shake.

"I'll go get some water," Applepaw managed. His fur shifted into the mottled tones of willow bark as he began his attempt to make it to the river without alerting Brambleshadow.

When he had disappeared, Jaypaw turned to Ivypaw. "Toms," they said in unison.

The leaves rustled and Applepaw returned. "It's sunset," he pointed out helpfully. Ivypaw jumped, then realized he was right; the sun was reaching the horizon.

As if on cue, Brambleshadow called, "You can return to camp."

Applepaw drifted away from the she-cats and went to join Sunpaw, Flashpaw, and Ripplepaw. Jaypaw yawned, reminding Ivypaw her lack of sleep and the trek back to camp.

- тнє яυтнℓєѕѕ αη∂ тнє яιgнт -

The leaves rustled in the female apprentices' den. Since there were so many apprentices, the sleeping areas were split into gender groups. Stars glimmered overhead, the peacefulness broken only by the muffled breaths of the already sleeping Honeypaw, Heatherpaw, Mintpaw, Amberpaw, and Laurelpaw. Ivypaw rolled over. "Jaypaw?" she asked.

"What?" came the sleepy reply.

"I think Applepaw likes one of us," she murmured. Jaypaw shifted.

"I think so, too," she agreed. "Why else would he come back to talk to us? It must be you, though."

Ivypaw twitched her ear in surprise. "Why?"

"I hit him in the face with a stone that weighed the same as three squirrels."

"Maybe," Ivypaw consented. She drew breath to reply, but was cut off.

Honeypaw raised her head and snarled half-heartedly. "It's moonhigh. Go to sleep."

Jaypaw whisper-laughed and curled up.

"Goodnight, Jaypaw," Ivypaw whispered.

"Goodnight, Ivypaw."

The long awaited chapter! I finally got around to writing it, and made it past 2,000 words!

Question of the Day:

What do you think of the powers? What do you think the next set of apprentices' powers should be?

Those of you who are still here and ready to support тнє яυтнℓєѕѕ αη∂ тнє яιgнт, THANK YOU! Welcome to any new readers as well!

~Jade