The reddish-brown she-cat was up early, her blue eyes bright. She was restless, full of energy, and she couldn't wait to Silencestar to call a clan meeting. Today she was six moons old. Today she, her brother, and Pastelkit would be made apprentices.

But she was up early.

Robinkit slept obliviously onward, curled up beside their mothers warm side. Pastelkit was just waking up, but she never did anything right after waking up. She probably didn't even remember what today was yet. So she was left alone. Instead, Kestrelkit crouched playfully, her tail waving in the air, her eyes locked on her brother.

She stepped slowly closer, and closer, and closer. Then she sprang. Suddenly awake, Robinkit yelped and jumped to his paws, his sister springing away. Sparrowtalon stirred. When the queen opened her eyes, her son stood beside her, glaring at his sister, his fur on end. And young Kestrelkit? She was sitting calmly a few mouse-lengths away, grooming herself.

Sparrowtalon chuckled, shaking her head, and closed her eyes once more. As soon as Kestrelkit was sure she had, she shot a triumphant smile at her brother, who's expression changed quickly. From surprised and angry, a smile spread across his muzzle, and he leaped at her. The two wrestled playfully for a while, until a call broke through their squeals and play growls and hisses. Eyes wide with excitement, they turned and bounded over to Pastelkit, Eaglefeather's kit who was like their sister.

Prodding the pale calico with one paw, Kestrelpaw mewed quickly. "Get up! Were gonna be made apprentices!" Her friends soft blue eyes blinked open, and then widened in surprise. She shook her head and jumped to her paws.

"Lets go!"she purred excitedly, pushing past Kestrelkit as they both dashed out of the nursery. Robinkit, having left the two she-kits, was already sitting in the camp, his bright green eyes shining. They sat down beside him, Kestrelkit in the middle of the two, and watched the rest of the clan trickle slowly into the clearing. Sparrowtalon and Eaglefeather came out and sat behind them, while the other two queens stayed within, their own kits not yet old enough to be made apprentices.

"By naming apprentices, we show that WildClan will survive and remain strong. Kestrelkit, Robinkit, and Pastelkit, from now on, you will be known as Kestrelpaw, Robinpaw, and Pastelpaw." Silencestar paused, and Kestrelkit's--Kestrelpaw's now, eyes gleamed with pride. She was an apprentice! All she needed now was a mentor. "I have not had an apprentice in many moons." The young she-cat's eyes widened. She watched her leader carefully, hoping, wishing, for those next words to come quickly.

"I will mentor Kestrelpaw."She had to consciously struggle to bite her tongue as the words met her perked ears, and the slim black feline leaped down from her perch to approach her. The tip of her tail flicked excitedly, but she managed to keep the rest of herself in check as she touched noses with her leader, and now her mentor.

Silencestar smiled down at her, her silver eyes smiling too, before she turned and returned to the top of the fallen tree. She addressed the clan once more, as a pale silver she-cat stepped forward. "Silverfire has decided it is time she take on an apprentice. Pastelpaw, you have asked to follow in her pawsteps, she will be your mentor." Kestrelpaw's eyes widened slightly in surprise, and then she smiled to herself.

The pale calico she-cat touched noses with her mentor, her eyes shining, and the red-brown tabby cat purred, flicking her friends shoulder gently with the tip of her tail.

Only Robinpaw left now.

"Nightflash, you are also ready for an apprentice, your first. You will be Robinpaw's mentor, teach him well." The dark brown tabby tom picked out his mentor as she made her way toward him, and his eyes shone as they touched noses, his whiskers twitching with pent-up energy.

As Silencestar ended the meeting, she leaped down to join the three new apprentices. Nightflash, having stayed nearby came closer as well. It seemed both of them had already talked this matter over, because the younger she-cat said hardly a thing. "For your first time out of the camp, the four of us will go on a patrol, learn the borders. You might want a piece of fresh-kill before we go."

Then Silencestar turned to Pastelpaw, motioning to the medicine cats den as she continued. "Silverfire is waiting for you in her den. You'll have a similar outing with her."The pale she-cat stood to go, meowing a goodbye to Kestrelpaw, then bounded across the camp and disappeared. Smiling to herself, Kestrelpaw turned to see her mentor and the others waiting for her. Giving her head a quick shake, she jumped to her paws and dashed to meet them at the clan entrance. With a glance over her shoulder, she left the camp, and her kit-hood behind. She was an apprentice now, and she had a lot ahead of her. Much more than she could ever guess.