The pale light of morning reflected in the azure eyes of young Owlkit as she made her way into the center of camp. Squeaks and complaints could be heard from Cinderpelt's kits, behind them, and Squirrelflight's newborns were screeching in the nursery.

An entire moon had passed.

Owlkit glanced excitedly at her sister, Hollykit, who was grinning broadly. This was the day they became apprentices. "May all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather under the Highledge for a clan meeting!" Bramblestar thundered. Most cats had already gathered in the center of camp a few minutes ago, simply because they already knew Owlkit, Hollykit, and Sunkit would be apprentices today.

Mothwing hadn't bothered grooming her kits, she knew they were smart enough to do it themselves. In fact, Sunkit had been up half the night grooming himself for this moment. Soon many cats surrounded them. Graystripe, Millie, Daisy, Dovewing, Ivypool, Lilypaw, Seedpaw, Bumblestripe, Dustpelt, Sandstorm, Brackenfur, Birchfall, Lionblaze, Blossomfall, Thornclaw...Too many more for Owlkit to even name.

Hollykit gave Owlkit a reassuring lick on the ear, just to calm her down a bit. Owlkit and her sister had bonded a lot in the past moon, and they were good friends now. Sunkit was still boring old Sunkit, though. He would never change. "Alright, it seems everyone is here." Bramblestar finally mewed. "Today, three kits have reached their sixth moon and will be joining the clan as apprentices. Sunkit, Hollykit, and Owlkit, please come forward."

Owlkit and her siblings raced to the foot of the Highledge. Suddenly, it dawned on Owlkit that Hollykit might not be becoming a medicine cat apprentice like she wanted. That was kind of sad, but Owlkit said nothing. Bramblestar hopped down from his perch on the Highledge. His blazing amber eyes met Owlkit's in the strangest way she'd ever seen anyone look at her before. It made her heart thunder a million miles per hour. It was so weird. Why did everyone always look at her so oddly?

"First of all, I would like Jayfeather, our medicine cat, to come forward." Bramblestar mewed, sitting down next to Owlkit and touched his tail to her side. Owlkit looked up at him for a moment. Why was he so close to her? Maybe...maybe he was her secret father? Owlkit pushed the thought aside and shot Hollykit an excited glance. Her sister was going to be a medicine cat! From the crowd, a familiar big gray tom rose and padded up to the Highledge. Jayfeather.

"Greetings." Jayfeather mewed, dipping his head. Bramblestar dipped his head in return, before standing up and facing Owlkit. "Our medicine cat has decided to take on an apprentice to teach all of his wisdom. Owlkit, step towards Jayfeather please." he ordered. Owlkit's jaw dropped in surprise. She was going to be the new medicine cat apprentice? She looked quickly at her siblings. Sunkit was sitting up as straight as possible, looking serious, and Hollykit's face was covered in an expression of horror.

Owlkit's heart sank. Her sister had really wanted this position, she knew it. And now Hollykit was going to have to train to be a warrior. Owlkit wondered why Jayfeather chose her. She had never expressed any intrest at all in being a medicine cat. Yet, she suddenly felt like she was destined for the job. "Owlkit, do you promise to obey the warrior code and focus on the health of the clan always until the day you die?" Jayfeather asked her, his sightless blue eyes boring into hers. "Y-yes. I do." Owlkit managed to say.

"Do you promise to follow the wisdom of StarClan in your every pawstep?" Jayfeather asked. "I do." Owlkit vowed. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I accept you as my apprentice. From this day until you complete your medicine cat training, you shall be known as Owlpaw. I will be your mentor. Congratulations." Jayfeather finished, facing the clan. "Owlpaw! Owlpaw!" they cheered.

Owlpaw searched the crowd for Mothwing, but didn't see her anywhere. Her pelt got hot. Her mother hadn't even bothered to stay and watch the ceremony. "Owlpaw! Owlpaw! Owlpaw...Owlpaw...Owlpaw..." As the cheers died down, Bramblestar went on with the ceremony. Hollykit and Sunkit became Hollypaw and Sunpaw, and their mentors were Dovewing for Hollypaw and Bumblestripe for Sunpaw. But Owlpaw wasn't paying much attention to them. Her eyes were on Bramblestar.

Every few minutes, he'd shoot her a look. A strange look that made her heart pound. It was full of...longing? Owlpaw finally decided to ignore it as the ceremony came to an end. She snapped out of her daze. The pale gray apprentice stepped off of the rock, followed by Jayfeather. "You'll be sleeping in the medicine den tonight." he informed her, his eyes shining. "Okay...but, um, just curious, why did you choose me to be your apprentice? Why not Hollypaw?" Owlpaw asked, the afternoon sunlight dancing across her fur.

"Hollypaw is just like the cat she was named for, my sister Hollyleaf." Jayfeather began. Owlpaw nodded. She had heard plenty of stories about Hollyleaf, the cat who solved the mystery of the tunnels below the clans. "They both think they want something, but in reality, they need something completely different." he told her. Owlkit sighed. That didn't make much sense. Without another word, Jayfeather went to his den. Owlkit looked to her side and saw Hollypaw watching her, a forced smile on her face.

"You didn't have to ask him that. I'm fine with being a warrior's apprentice." Hollypaw sighed, her green eyes looking past Owlpaw rather than at her. "I'm sorry," Owlpaw mewed, feeling sorry for her sister. Poor Hollypaw never got what she wanted. "No, it's fine. You can't choose your path, StarClan decides it for you." she answered softly. Something stirred inside Owlpaw, something that made her feel defeated. StarClan chooses for you, huh? Was that all the Clans were? StarClan's puppets?

"Well, I'm going to go get a spot in the apprentice's den. Seedpaw told me she saved me a spot by her." Hollypaw mewed, padding across the dirt. "See ya."

Owlpaw sighed and sat down. Her first day as an apprentice wasn't going how she wanted it to. She just hoped the path of the medicine cat was right for her. As cats started going on patrols, out of the corner of her eye, Owlpaw spotted Jayfeather and Mothwing talking. Her eyes narrowed as she perked her ears, straining to hear their conversation.

"...and the kits, shouldn't we tell them?" she heard Mothwing say. What kits? And tell them what? "No. Even you said they should never be told that." Jayfeather hissed. Owlkit was about to creep towards them a bit to hear more, when a voice scared her. "Hey, Owlpaw!" Owlpaw turned in surprise to see Bramblestar. "Oh...what is it?" she asked the leader. Owlpaw wondered why he seemed to be all around her lately.

"Are you excited to attend your first Gathering tomorrow?" Bramblestar asked, amber eyes burning. He took a step towards her, and Owlpaw found herself nearly pressed against his pelt as the conversation went on. As she talked to him about other pointless things in her life, she found him grooming her pelt. She felt extremely awkward, especially because no other cats were around. Most of the clan members were on patrol.

Owlpaw found herself hoping Squirrelflight would come out of the nursery and see how overly friendly her mate was being with Jayfeather's apprentice. Squirrelflight didn't come. Finally, Bramblestar went away to see his kits in the nursery, Robinkit, Spiralkit, and Bearkit. Owlpaw slipped away as fast as she could, running for the medicine den. Except an obstacle was in her way.

Owlpaw collided with her mother, Mothwing, halfway to the medicine den. Mothwing recovered herself quickly, sitting down to face her daughter. "Where have you been? I already congradulated your siblings, and I have been looking for you!" she exclaimed, green eyes concerned. "Bramblestar wanted to see me." Owlpaw sighed. "Oh, okay. Well, I just wanted to tell you that I'm very proud that you're a medicine cat's apprentice. I remember when I-" Mothwing caught her tongue. Owlpaw raised her brow in confusion.

"Remember what?" she asked her mother. Mothwing looked away. "Well, I guess it's time you knew anyway...I used to be RiverClan's medicine cat." she admitted. Owlpaw watched her mother blankly. The medicine cat of another clan? That must be why so many cats avoided her and her siblings, and why others gave them dirty looks! "You mean...I'm half-clan?" Owlpaw cried. Mothwing slapped her paw over Owlpaw's mouth. "Shh! Sunpaw and Hollypaw might hear you!" she hissed. Owlpaw bristled. "You're not going to tell them? That we aren't supposed to exist? That you broke the warrior code?" she hissed at the golden furred she-cat.

"No. They won't handle it well." Mothwing whispered. "I can't believe this! Who's our father then? Which tom broke the code and never even had the guts to tell us he's our dad?" Owlpaw asked, fur bristling.

"Hey, Owlpaw. Come here, I need to show you where you'll be sleeping." Owlpaw turned to see Jayfeather in the medicine den's rocky entrance. "Fine." she grumbled, stomping away from her mother. Her traitorous mother, who would never tell her anything.