It was almost dawn when Bramblekit awoke from his slumber, his ears twitching at the sound of shuffling beside him. Bramblekit opened his jade, green eyes and gazed into the amber ones staring back at him.

"Hey, Bramblekit!" meowed the black she-cat."Bramblekit, wake up! King Evectri, Rainmoon and Huntress are visiting our camp!" Bramblekit groaned and shut his eyes, concentrating on nothing but sleep. He had awoken, just moments ago, from what felt like a very strange dream, in the sense that it was a nightmare, but a sweet dream as well. He didn't like the concept at all.

"Go away, Blackkit," said Bramblekit, hastily turning his body away from his kind friend. "I'm too tired to play." He placed his paw over his face and closed his eyes once more. Ever since the incident with his brother he had been avoiding the majority of his Clan-mates.

Bramblekit didn't know why he had attacked Treekit. To him, it felt like a surge of power and authority had taken away any control he had had over his body, and felt like all he could do was watch. After that, Bramblekit wasn't sure what to do. He hadn't had the courage to ask Cloverstar, his mother; and even if he had, he was sure that she wouldn't answer.

"You're always too tired! You stupid piece of fox-dung!" spat Blackkit, her tail lashing as she ran out of the den. Bramblekit sighed loudly. Her words stung like an adder bite. He had just told his best Clan-mate to go away, after all that she had done for him. He let his eyelids shut, and then his body was still, but it wasn't long before he was once again, awoken from his slumber.

"All hail King Evectri, Rainmoon, and the Commander of StormClan!" called a cat from outside his den. Bramblekit sighed; it didn't seem like he was going to get any sleep at all. He sat up and awkwardly stretched out his limbs, before padding out of the entrance and into the main clearing.

"There you are!" called a ginger, padding over to her brother who forced a smile onto his face. Lightkit was going to lecture him, and he knew it. He hated it when people—especially Lightkit—lectured him.

"Blackkit came to me in tears because you hissed at her!" said Lightkit, her hazel eyes narrowed. Bramblekit knew he had been rude to his friend, but he had never hissed at her!

"Did not!" Bramblekit retorted, narrowing his green eyes to match the expression on his sister's face. "I was trying to sleep and she—"

"I don't care!" hissed Lightkit. "Blackkit is very upset because you didn't want to play with her." Bramblekit lowered his head shamefully. Bramblekit clearly hadn't known just how much he had actually hurt Blackkit's feelings.

"What do you want me to do about it?!" Bramblekit snapped, flicking his tail. He could feel the anger boiling in his blood, and the urge to attack only tail-lengths away from his grasp, but the thought of attacking his brother, Treekit, instantly etched its way into his mind.

Just walk away, thought Bramblekit. Tail lashing, Bramblekit stared into his sister's calm eyes once more.

"Fine," he said cockily, "I'll apologize." The ginger she-cat opened her mouth to speak as her brother padded away towards the edge of the clearing, but then she sighed and left.

As Bramblekit walked slowly towards the edge of the clearing, where he was sure Blackkit would be, he stopped. Bramblekit sat down on the grass and stared up at the Highrock where four cats stood beside his mother. He recognised the tall grey and white tom as Rainmoon, and his mischievous partner, Jactur, who was sitting beside him. He had met them both almost six moons ago when they had come to visit his cousin, Braveheart, and his mother, Cloverstar. Bramblekit knew that the golden she-cat was the Commander and the silver tom with wings was the King but he had never met them.

The Volan kits, it seemed were old enough to fly, for when he looked over to his Clan-mates he noticed that all three of them were impressing them by hovering above the fresh-kill pile.

"Do it upside down!" called one of the she-kits by the fresh-kill pile to a black tom who was now twisting his body sideways in an attempt at flying upside down.

"Wow, Moreno!" cried another as Moreno zoomed upwards into the sky and then dove down and scooped a small mouse off the top of the fresh-kill pile. The kits gasped and cheered as the prey went flying from Moreno's paws as he threw it to the ginger she-Volan who then tossed it into the air. The plump mouse then began to fall back down, but before it could hit the ground, a snow-white Volan sped towards it and caught it in his mouth, swallowing it whole as he touched back down onto the ground.

"I wish I had wings like you, Helador!" cried a small tortoiseshell tom.

"Yeah!" cried a grey she-cat. "The way you caught that mouse was so cool!" The white tom smiled, his tiny chest puffed out with pride.

"My brother is so cool," whispered a shy, black tom with blue eyes who was standing in the crowd next to a light tabby she-cat and a silver tom.

Those must be the other three of the Commander's kits, thought Bramblekit, watching intently as the three kits nuzzled the noses of the three Volans who landed swiftly on the ground.

Bramblekit turned his head back around and stood up. He knew that his uncle, Rainmoon, came to WindClan often, to see Demonfang and Cloverstar, which meant that Bramblekit and his siblings could play with Jactur and the Commander's kits. The thought of seeing Jactur again excited him, but he knew that he had to apologize to Blackkit before he would be welcome.

Bramblekit padded down the narrow, dirt path that eventually lead to Blackkit, who was basking in the sun in the corner of the camp, her black pelt shimmering as the sun reached out to touch her. He approached her with caution, and sat down next to her, trying to think of something appropriate to say that wouldn't make things worse.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you, I just didn't want your company," thought Bramblekit. How am I meant to apologize for that?!

Don't think about it, his subconscious said. Just say you're sorry.

Blackkit opened her eyes and turned her head to face him, her beautiful amber eyes gazing into his green ones. He always loved the look she gave him, but not today. Today, she was giving him a look of hurt, and he couldn't help but feel ashamed of his actions.

Bramblekit opened his mouth to speak, but it was Blackkit who spoke first. "I ... I'm sorry Bramblekit," meowed Blackkit, looking down at her paws. "I shouldn't have called you those things," She gazed into his emerald, green eyes again, and he felt a pang of warmth surging through him.

Bramblekit didn't understand why she was acting like this. She certainly hadn't done anything wrong! It was he who should be apologizing for telling her to leave, after everything she had done for him.

"But you didn't do anything wrong," meowed Brambekit. "It is I who should be apologizing." He moved closer to her and laid his tail on hers. "I am sorry for telling you to leave, when all you were trying to do was comfort me."

Blackkit smiled and licked his face, and they lay there, together. He always enjoyed her company; her soft, black fur that gave him warmth in the cold; her kind amber eyes that told him that everything was going to be okay.

To Bramblekit, it felt like this moment would last forever—as if it would never end, and he was happy. Happy enough to say that nothing could shake him from this peaceful moment, not even his mother calling a Clan meeting . . .

"WindClan!" called Cloverstar, jerking Bramblekit from his thoughts. "Today, the time has come for three young kits to take on the role and duties of an apprentice, and become the best warriors, hunters, guards and mentors that they can be." Both Blackkit and Bramblekit got to their paws and zoomed across the camp until they were jumping up and down beneath the Highrock.

"Bramblekit, Bramblekit Bramblekit!" mewed Blackkit excitedly to Bramblekit who was eagerly awaiting the news. "We're going to be apprentices! We're going to be apprentices!" There was no mistaking the excitement in her voice—even her amber eyes shone with the thought of becoming an apprentice, at last.

Bramblekit, on the other hand, was now bounding up to Demonfang as she emerged from her den with her two kits by her side, Blackkit trailing behind him. Demonfang's dark, blue eyes looked down at the two kits as they began to run around Demonfang in circles.

"We're going to be apprentices! We're going to be apprentices!" chanted Bramblekit and Blackkit at the same time.

"Now, now," Demonfang chuckled, leading the excited kits back beneath the Highrock. "I doubt either of your mothers would want you hurting yourselves with all this excitement." She playfully nudged Bramblekit and Blackkit back into the crowd of mothers and kits who were also eagerly awaiting their names to be called.

It has to be us, thought Bramblekit, both Blackkit, myself and my brother and sister are all six moons old! Scorchedkit and Dustkit are only four moons old and I know that Stormkit and Sandkit are at least half a moon younger than me, so, it must be us!

As they watched Cloverstar take her place on the peak of the Highrock, Bramblekit turned to Blackkit and said, "You ready?" Blackkit beamed, her amber eyes shining with joy.

"Ready when you are," she replied.

"Treekit, Lightkit, and Bramblekit, please step forward," said his mother, the words barely reaching Bramblekit who was now jumping up and down towards the Highrock. But he stopped.

Bramblekit turned his head and looked back at Blackkit who was still sitting where he had been only moments ago, a small look of disappointment on her face, though Bramblekit didn't know why. After all, she was about to become an apprentice!

"Aren't you coming?" asked Bramblekit, tilting his head. Blackkit shook her head. "You ... don't want to become an apprentice?" She shook her head again.

"Bramblekit," she said, forcing a smile onto her face. "I didn't get called."

She ... didn't get called? But ... but that means she's staying here! Bramblekit thought. His widened smile instantly faded into a sorrowful frown. He was going to become an apprentice at last ... but he would be going to ShadowClan without his best friend. This was not how he had imagined his apprentice ceremony.

"Go on," said Blackkit, nudging him forward, her smile reappearing as though it had never left. "You'll do great, and I'll be right behind you." Her calm voice told him that he would be missed, but he didn't want to leave her.

After a moments silence, and a look back in Blackkit's direction, Bramblekit followed his siblings up the stones of the Highrock, and sat down in a row in front of her mother, the Commander, the Kings and Jactur. All of them smiled at him, including his siblings, and in that moment, he forgot entirely about Blackkit.

"Do you, Treekit, Lightkit and Bramblekit, promise to do all you can for the Clans, and for your King, Rainmoon, as you train to become the best warriors, hunters, guards, or mentors you can be?" Cloverstar asked.

"I do," said Treekit, nodding his head proudly in response, not the slightest hint of hesitation in his glassy, blue eyes.

"I do," replied Lightkit, her ginger fur shining brightly with pride.

"I... I do," meowed Bramblekit. He now realized just how long he had been waiting for this day; he realized how much he wanted this to happen, and he was proud.

"Then by the powers of StarClan and the wish of our Kings and Commander, you shall be called Treepaw, Lightpaw and Bramblepaw until you receive your warrior names. May StarClan light your way." Said Cloverstar. "ShadowClan's dawn patrol will arrive soon to take you to their camp where you will train valiantly to become the best warriors, hunters, guards and mentors you can be; so I encourage you to say your good-byes before you go." Cloverstar touched her nose to each of her kits before graciously leaping off the Highrock.

"Treepaw! Lightpaw! Bramblepaw! Treepaw! Lightpaw! Bramblepaw!" chanted the Clan as the three apprentices stepped off the Highrock, and made their way to their mother who was exchanging words with Rainmoon.

"...about his situation?" muttered Rainmoon so softly that Bramblepaw only caught a fraction of what he said. As he opened his mouth to ask, the black tom with small, feathery wings whom he had observed earlier, crashed into him from the side, and sent the both of them rolling through camp. In the flurry of feather and fur, Bramblepaw managed to steer himself and the black Volan out of the path of a nearby tree, but into a shrub instead. The black tom spread out his wings to shield them from the thorns, but Bramblepaw still managed to get a mouthful of grass. After regaining his balance, Bramblepaw looked down at the black tom who was plucking thorns out of his wings with his teeth.

"Moreno – is my – name," said the tom through a mouthful of thorns. "Nice to – meet you, Bramblepaw!" Bramblepaw let out a small laugh before helping Moreno pluck the remaining thorns from his wings.

"I—I saw you earlier with your siblings," said Bramblepaw through a mouthful of thorns. "That trick you pulled was amazing!" Moreno blushed slightly, but then puffed out his chest.

"One day I'll be even faster than my father," he said. "I just have to work on my landings ..." The two toms laughed.

"That was quite an entrance there," came Rainmoon's voice from behind. Moreno and Bramblepaw looked up to see the grey tom padding towards them, along with his mother, Jactur, Huntress, Evectri and kits that belonged to them.

"Did you see me dad? I was faster than one of those monsters!" claimed Moreno, flapping his wings and hovering above his father who was laughing along with Huntress and the other leaders.

"Was not!" claimed a white Volan.

"Was too!" retorted Moreno, "Dad! Tell Helador just how fast I am!"

"You are both equally as fast and talented," said their father, smiling at the kits.

"Hey, Moreno, what is a monster?" asked Bramblepaw curiously. He had never been outside the camp, and rarely heard about the outside world. This, he thought, was something that he would see for himself, now that he was an apprentice, that is.

"A monster is this really big thing that the Twolegs are swallowed up by! They zoom up and down the Thunderpath and sometimes injure or kill innocent cats," explained Moreno, flapping his wings. "And I was even faster than one!"

"No you weren't Moreno," said Helador, tackling his brother to the ground. "You were so scared you came flying back to camp! It was I who was faster!"

"Nuh-uh!" claimed Moreno, playfully kicking up at Helador's belly to get the white tom off of him.

"Was too!" retorted Helador who flapped his wings as he was launched backwards into a thorny bush.

"Don't mind my brothers," came the voice of a small, light tabby she-cat who had bright, green eyes and was sitting beside a black tom and a silver tom. "They're always arguing about who is best. Anyway, I'm Leopard, and these are my brothers."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Bramblepaw," he replied, sitting down.

"I'm Cloud," said the silver tom. He flicked his tail 1"This is Night." Night was a very small, black tom and his eyes were of a brilliant blue. His fur was long and fluffy and as his name was called, he nervously stepped out from behind Cloud and ducked his head slightly.

"N-nice to meet you," said Night his blue eyes darting away nervously as he lowered his head again. Out of all of the Commander's kits, Night was by far the smallest of them all, and, it seemed, the shyest as well.

"You wanna play with us, Bramblepaw?" asked Leopard then. Bramblepaw got to his feet suddenly and stared at her. Nobody had ever asked to play with him¸ and he certainly hadn't played with any of the kits in his Clan besides Blackkit. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't seen Blackkit among all the kits that had come to congratulate Bramblepaw and his siblings, and who had come to play.

"Yeah, I'd love to!" Bramblepaw replied, putting Blackkit out of his mind. She was probably sun baking again, or having a nap; nothing he needed to worry about.

After a while of chasing each other around, the kits began to play hide and seek. It was Bramblepaw, Cloud and Night's turn to hide, along with Conicia, Dustkit, Scorchedkit, Sandkit, Stormkit and Bramblepaw's siblings who had joined them moments before.

"Alright, go on and hide," said Leopard, turning away from the group kits and closing her green eyes. The kits scattered instantly, spreading out throughout the entire camp into any nook or cranny they could find. Bramblepaw watched as Scorchkit and Dustkit who headed for the older kits' den, which was where he had planned on hiding.

Bramblepaw hurried towards the small area behind the Leader's den, but by the time he had reached it, it, along with all the other hiding places, had been taken; in this case by Stormkit who was sitting there eagerly awaiting to be found by Leopard, who had now opened her green eyes and began to search for her Clan-mates.

Without giving any thought into it, Bramblepaw hastily dived into the nearest bush he could see—which in his case was a bramble bush—and sank low to the ground, peeking through a small part in the bush.

She'll never find me in here, thought Bramblepaw, trying not to hiss as the sharp brambles dug into him from all ends.

It wasn't until a loud "Gotcha!" came from Leopard over near the den he had slept in for the past three moons that he realised Scorchkit and Dustkit had already been found. It was lucky, Bramblepaw thought, that they had beat him too it, for he seemed he'd have already been found by now had he hidden there.

Bramblepaw waited patiently for Leopard to find him as one by one the other cats began to trail behind her, until at last, it was down to Bramblepaw and Treepaw. Treepaw had been hiding in a small crack in the back of the medicine den which wasn't too far from where Bramblepaw was. If Leopard found his brother, it wouldn't be too long until she'd make her way over here.

Maybe I should move to somewhere she's already checked, thought Bramblepaw, I mean, it's not like she'd check somewhere twice, right?

But before Bramblepaw could take a single pawstep forward, something small and black came falling from the sky and crashed into him, knocking him to the ground with a loud thump.

The black something—or in this case, cat—got to its paws and dizzily took a few pawsteps back before falling back down. After regaining his vision, Bramblepaw looked up and as his eyes focussed he realised that the black cat was in fact Moreno.

"Moreno!" yelled Bramblepaw, loud enough for the entire forest to hear. "I was trying to hide!" Moreno clumsily got to his feet again, puffing out his black chest and laughing at the same time.

"Well then, you aren't very good at it, are you?" he chuckled. Bramblepaw shot him a look of disgust. "You screamed so loud the whole forest could hear you!"

By now the entire Clan had stopped what they had been doing and rushed over to Bramblepaw and Moreno to see what all the commotion was about.

Uh oh, thought Bramblepaw as he spotted Leopard's light tabby fur bounding towards him, a wide grin on her face. The she-cat came to a halt in front of the bramble bush—which was surrounded by curious kits—and as she did, Bramblepaw ducked down, although he didn't know why.

"I found you!" Leopard called, excitement flashing through her green eyes. Bramblepaw sighed. It didn't look like he could ever play a game of hide and seek without someone ruining it. It always seemed to come down to him and his brother which meant that his brother would always win.

"And that means Treepaw won, again," said Bramblepaw, emerging from behind the bush. "It wasn't my fault anyway, your know-it-all-brother crashed into me!"

"He probably noticed how badly hidden you were, and flew over to help," said a drawling, cold voice from behind the crowd. Bramblepaw and the crowd of kits spun around to face Treepaw who was standing in front of him, a sick grin on his face and his dark, blue eyes staring into Bramblepaw's green ones.

"You probably told him there was a gigantic mouse behind that bush!" retorted Bramblepaw, his heart racing and his breathing rapid. "And besides, I could see you from a mile away. Behind the medicine cat den? Hah, how obvious."

The next few moments felt like the wind rushing by him. Much to his surprise, it was Treepaw who attacked first. The brown and white tom had launched himself onto Bramblepaw, who, taken aback, had fallen backwards into the bramble bush. Sharp brambles pierced him from all ends and so the brown and white apprentice kicked upwards into his brother's stomach, sending Treepaw flying a foxtail away.

Bramblepaw used this time to get to his paws and pull the brambles off of him, but it wasn't long after that Treepaw got to his paws again and darted right back at him with great force. It almost felt like time had stopped and was moving in slow motion; he could hear the muffled mews and cries of the she-cats and toms around him, but he couldn't make out what they were saying. It was almost as if his mind had blocked it out.

He could faintly make out the sound of someone speaking to him, but it wasn't coming from any of the cats around him. Bramblepaw concentrated hard on the voice as it became clearer and clearer.

Dodge him, said the voice, echoing around him. Move to the left.

As time began to speed back up, Treepaw continued to zoom towards him. Bramblepaw did as the voice had instructed—he darted to the left at the last moment and let Treepaw crash into the bramble bush behind them. He sighed, loudly and lay still on the ground. Treepaw, however, did not get up.

"What in StarClan's name is going on here?" asked Cloverstar as she padded out of her den and hurried over to the crowd of kits who were towering over the top of Bramblepaw and Treepaw. Her amber eyes darted from Bramblepaw to Treepaw and then her eyes widened with shock. "What have you done to your brother?" Her voice was wavering with worry as she said these words.

"Mother, he attacked me!" Bramblepaw protested, getting to his feet. His mother continued to stare at him as though he was some kind of monster. Lightpaw stepped forward, then.

"If I may," said Lightpaw, politely. "Bramblepaw is telling the truth. We were only playing hide and seek and heard a loud crash come from this bush where Bramblepaw had been hiding.

"Bramblepaw was just telling us how Moreno had crashed into him when Treepaw came out from hiding and said some pretty rude things to him. Then he attacked Bramblepaw ... It was like he was possessed or something."

Cloverstar opened her mouth to speak, but she never got to. Rainmoon, Evectri, Jactur and Huntress along with the mothers of the other kits were now padding towards the crowd.

"I think it's best if these two apprentices have a small rest before the patrol comes to take them to ShadowClan," said Rainmoon. "Mudroot, if you could please tend to their wounds, that would be much appreciated; as for the rest of you, try not to get into any more trouble." And with that, Bramblepaw spent the rest of the morning in the older kits' den after being briefly checked over by Mudroot who addressed his wounds with cobwebs and gave him poppy seeds to chew on.

Maybe Blackkit will come and join me, was the last thought that entered his mind before he drifted into a deep slumber.

Rainmoon

"Look at them," said Rainmoon, "They all look so happy and peaceful," he turned his head to Cloverstar, who was sitting beside him.

"Considering what just happened, they look very peaceful," said Cloverstar, glancing into the den where Bramblepaw and Treepaw lay asleep, and then back to Lightpaw who was being chased by one of Demonfang's kits. Rainmoon wrapped his tail around her as she lowered her head.

"He reminds you of Stormheart, doesn't he?" meowed Rainmoon.

"In both appearance and personality," Cloverstar admitted, glancing back at Bramblepaw. "He always wants things fair. I ... I don't know how I will cope, now that they are moving to ShadowClan. I mean, what if another incident like this occurs?"

"Willowstar is already aware of their conditions," Rainmoon told her. "If anything like this happens again, they will be in good paws."

"Yes, I understand ..." said Cloverstar, smiling weakly. "But what are we to do if they receive powers like yourself and Stormheart?"

"Well, we'll get to that if it ever happens," he said, turning to Jactur. "It's a complicated process, but I'm sure Jactur could train whatever is inside them into a second personality like himself, if the time ever comes for that." Jactur grinned.

"I haven't helped train someone since ... well since Stormheart got his powers!" said Jactur, happily. "It'll be hard, but I'll manage." This seemed to cheer Cloverstar up for she turned to Jactur and smiled.

"He'll be in great paws," said Cloverstar, smiling. "They all will." Both Rainmoon and Jactur nodded.

"Finally, we have peace at last," chirped Jactur as Huntress and Evectri joined them, along with Demonfang who was carefully padding around the tangle of kits and Volans that were playing chasy with a ball of moss.

"With the Clans united and from the protection of my Flock and StormClan, I have no reason to believe that anything will disturb this peace," said Evectri. And so the six cats sat there, talking of the memories they shared and watching as their kits excitedly pounced on one another, or were briefly picked up into the air.

Finally, we have peace.

Knowing that the midday patrol was now waiting for him, Bramblepaw opened his green eyes and stretched out his sore limbs. Everything that had happened before his nap was a blur, but he didn't care. The brown and white apprentice hurried down the dirt path, scanning the camp for Blackkit. He needed to say goodbye, even though he knew it would be less than half a moon until she, too, would be joining him in ShadowClan.

Bramblepaw was going to miss Blackkit's glossy, black fur that he would sometimes lay next to in the older kits' den. He would miss the way she told him everything was going to be okay when he was upset.

Bramblepaw began to worry when he couldn't find his friend. He had searched everywhere, including the hollow end of the oak tree that she and Bramblepaw would hide in every now and then, but she was nowhere to be seen.

As he made his way towards the fresh-kill pile, Bramblepaw spotted a silver she-cat with bright, blue eyes and hurried towards her. He darted towards her, and almost knocked her off her paws.

"Is something the matter, dear?" asked the she-cat, looking down at the brown and white apprentice who was panting.

"Have—you—seen—Blackkit?" Bramblepaw choked out as he tried to catch his breath. The silver she-cat closed her eyes and shook her head, which made Bramblepaw even more anxious. He didn't want to leave—not without saying good bye!

"No dear, I haven't," replied the she-cat with an edge of concern in her voice. "Not since your ceremony. Was she not with you when you and the other kits were playing?" Bramblepaw shook his head. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't seen her since his ceremony, and even then, he only remembered seeing her before the ceremony as he was being called up. At the time, he'd simply thought she'd been too tired to play, and that she was having a nap somewhere quiet.

"No, she wasn't ..." said Bramblepaw, narrowing his eyes. "I—I thought she was just tired and went to go sleep somewhere quiet." The she-cat then turned to the den she had just walked out of and called out to a black tom who started padding towards them.

"What's wrong, Silverwater?" asked the black tom as he joined his mate and Bramblepaw who was now frantically looking in every direction.

"Darkpelt, you haven't by any chance seen Blackkit since the apprentice ceremony, have you?" asked Silverwater. The black tom shook his head, his amber eyes narrowed.

"No, I haven't," he said, "Why? Is she missing?"

Oh no this is all my fault, thought Bramblepaw. It's my fault for becoming a stupid apprentice before she even got the chance!

"We don't know," said Silverwater, "Bramblepaw, here, wanted to say good-bye to her before he and his siblings leave for ShadowClan, but came to me when he couldn't find her."

"I—I'll ask Cloverstar and King Evectri," said Bramblepaw. "Maybe they know ..."

"Good idea," said Darkpeltt, "King Evectri and his guards will be able to do an aerial search if we can't find her. Silverwater and I will check the camp." Bramblepaw nodded before running off in the direction of the midday patrol, where King Evectri, Rainmoon, Huntress, Jactur, his mother and his siblings were waiting patiently for him to join them.

"Hurry up Bramblepaw!" cried Lightpaw, her eyes narrowed. "You're taking forever. What were you even doing?! I thought you said you were going to say good-bye to Blackkit!"

"Lightpaw, there is a simple answer to this," said Treepaw, "Dear little Bramblepaw is in love!" Lightpaw and Treepaw began to laugh, along with Sandkit, Stormkit, Dustkit and Scorchkit who had come to say their own farewells.

"Am not!" retorted Bramblepaw. "Anyway, this isn't funny!"

"You're right, it isn't funny at all." said Stormkit, "It's hilarious!" The kits burst out laughing, letting the anger rush through Bramblepaw's veins.

"Will you all just shut up!" hissed Bramblepaw, furiously. His eyes were narrowed and his tail was lashing with anger. "Blackkit is missing! There's nothing funny about that!" The conversations between the leaders, and the taunting from his siblings and the kits stopped almost instantly as he said this.

"You're sure she's missing?" asked Dustkit. "I mean she could just be sleeping somewhere, right? Bramblepaw shook his head and sighed.

"No, she's not. I thought that too, but I've looked everywhere and can't find her!"

"Then we will need a patrol to search the camp, and another to search WindClan's territory," said Cloverstar, seriously. The dark ginger she-cat gestured to Evectri who, along with his guards, flew up into the air. Evectri paused and looked down at them.

"My guards and I will do an aerial search," he said. "We will be able to search the rest of WindClan's territory, that way." Cloverstar nodded.

"Send word to ThunderClan, since they are nearest to us," said Cloverstar, "We will need a patrol of fighters to aid us should Blackkit be in danger." Evectri nodded before he and his guards sped off into the distance.

"What can I do to help?" asked Bramblepaw.

"For now, it would be best if you and your siblings go with the ShadowClan patrol," said Rainmoon. Clovertar hesitated, knowing that the moment that she had been dreading for moons had finally come, but then lowered her head to touch her nose against Bramblepaw's.

"Bramblepaw, we will find her," said Rosestar, trying to keep back her own emotions. Bramblepaw looked into her mother's amber eyes, as did his siblings. "Promise to be good, won't you?"

"We promise, mum," said all three kits at once, before exchanging a final glance with their mother and then following the patrol to ShadowClan.

The journey to ShadowClan felt like moons to Bramblepaw. The Clan's territory was only right next to WindClan's, yet it felt like they would never reach it. Perhaps it had been his guilt and worry that was slowing him down.

"Oh, stop worrying, Bramblekit said Treepaw, sarcastically. "They've probably already found Blackkit, anyway!" Bramblepaw came to a halt and stared into his brother's eyes.

"Don't call me that! I'm not a kit anymore!" hissed Bramblepaw. "I'm an apprentice! And you should treat me like one!"

"Well then, Bramblepaw, start acting like one!" spat Treepaw with narrowed eyes. "You're getting worried over nothing! She's fine!" Bramblepaw opened his mouth to argue, but Lightpaw beat him to it.

"Would you both just shut up!" meowed Lightpaw, her hazel eyes narrowed in disgust, and her tail lashing from side to side.

"Lightpaw—" Bramblepaw began but as the three apprentices and the guards had just crossed the ShadowClan border, he was interrupted by a wail that had erupted from WindClan's territory, not far from where the argument had begun.

The ShadowClan patrol stopped to face the three apprentices. Until now, Bramblepaw hadn't paid much attention to the ShadowClan cats. There were four of them; two apprentices and two mentors, three of which were grey tabbies, the third a bright ginger.

"What was that?" asked the ginger, tabby apprentice, who stepped forward immediately. His concern showed in his dark green eyes, as they darted nervously to where the wail had come from.

"Blackkit!" cried Bramblepaw, rocketing off into WindClan's territory. "Blackkit! Where are you?"

"Bramblepaw! No!" Lightpaw cried, chasing after him along with the rest of the patrol. Bramblepaw didn't dare look back at the ShadowClan cats, or at his siblings who by now were chasing after him, he just continued to run.

Another, quieter, wail erupted from just up ahead where the dirt path split in two. He knew from their journey to ShadowClan territory, that the left trail would lead back to camp. He didn't know at all where the other would lead.

As he reached the intersection, Bramblepaw stopped to catch his breath. Whatever that path lead to smelt terrible! He could barely breathe at all. He turned to face the way he had come. He couldn't see or scent his siblings, or the patrol at all now, just the retched scent that came from ahead.

Bramblepaw swallowed and took a step forward. The terrain had changed significantly after a few steps. He was now padding across something that was hot and grainy against his pads. Small pebbles and rocks were digging into his paws, and after every pawstep he took, he could feel them piercing his pads.

Bramblepaw continued down the black path. His small limbs were growing tired now, and he hadn't eaten since before his ceremony. Blackkit's scent was becoming stronger and stronger with every step he took, along with another scent that he didn't recognize.

As the scene came into view, Bramblepaw's eyes grew wide and his heart sank. Something tall and pale, standing on its hind legs, was bent down over Blackkit who was struggling against the creature's paws that were trying to scoop her up.

"Blackkit!" yelled Bramblepaw, darting over towards her. Blackkit turned her head in his direction, her blue eyes wide with fear. It was in that split second that the creature finally caught a hold of Blackkit and scooped her into its arms.

"Bramblepaw, run!" she mewed, struggling in the grip of the monster who was speaking in some foreign tongue.

"Are you mouse-brained?" Bramblepaw cried, eyes narrowed at her. "I can't just leave you here!" Bramblepaw knew that whatever that thing was, it wasn't friendly. It had his best friend cupped in its paws, and he was sure it would kill her if he just stood there.

"Forget about me, Bramblepaw!" yelled Blackkit. "Save yourself before this Twoleg takes you as well!" Bramblepaw shook his head. He then did something very, very stupid.

I won't let you die! Bramblepaw thought.

"No!" he spat and then he lunged at the creature—no—the Twoleg and bit down onto one of its hind legs. The Twoleg cried out in agony and then swatted Bramblepaw to the ground.

Bramblepaw's head hit the ground with a painful thud, and instantly the world began to dissolve around the brown and white apprentice. His head lolled to the side and he was driven into a state of endless darkness.