Chapter 1

Flicking her tail back and forth, Ivykit crouched low to the ground, keeping her eyes on the black she-cat in front of her. The cat's gazes met steadily for a moment before Ivykit lunged at her. Keeping her eyes focused on the she-cat's eyes, Ivykit lifted her paw and slammed it onto the cat's head.

"Like that Lightningpaw?" Ivykit asked, standing upright again.

"Yes, very good!" Lightningpaw praised, "You catch on quick!"

"You too! You've only been an apprentice for a few days yet you already know all these cool moves!" Ivykit praised.

"Oh they're basic moves, really," Lightningpaw replied modestly, "Your mentor will teach you them too during your first days."

"That shouldn't be too long now!"

Lightningpaw and her brother Antpaw, had been born only a couple of days before Ivykit and her siblings so Ivykit had been her friend for almost her whole life.

"Yeah, I can't wait to train alongside you!" Lightningpaw replied before suddenly leaping into another hunting crouch. Ivykit eagerly followed her lead. Suddenly, something sharp pierced one of her front paws, sinking deep into her flesh.

"Ow!" Ivykit yowled, looking at her paw.

"What happened?" Lightningpaw asked, standing up.

"There's a thorn in my paw," she replied.

Lightningpaw looked at Ivykit's paw.

"That looks deep," Lightningpaw responded, "You should go see Mintleaf or Eaglefeather."

Ivykit nodded and limped towards the medicine cats' den. She tried to stay off her front paw so the thorn wouldn't sink any deeper than it already had. Mintleaf sat in her den, sorting different leaves and flowers into piles. Her former apprentice, Eaglefeather, stood in the back of the den, with his usual grumpy look. Mintleaf looked up from her herb piles at Ivykit.

"What's wrong Ivykit?" Mintleaf asked.

Ivykit sat down in front of Mintleaf and raised the paw that had the thorn in it.

"Oh dear," Mintleaf kept Ivykit's paw up with her tail, "This should only hurt for a moment."

Mintleaf grasped the thorn in her teeth and swiftly pulled it out. Ivykit let out a whimper and immediately began licking her paw.

"Thank you Mintleaf," Ivykit meowed.

She glanced out of the den to see Lightningpaw licking her paws impatiently. Ivykit began to rush over to her.

"Ivykit!" a voice called.

Ivykit screeched to a halt. She scanned the camp and found the source of the voice, her mother, Silvermist with Ivykits's siblings, Applekit and Shrewkit.

"What is it mom?" Ivykit asked.

"Don't you remember?!" Silvermist exclaimed, "Your ceremony is today!"

"Of course I remember!" Ivykit snapped.

"Then you're ready?" Silvermist asked in disbelief.

"Yes!"

Silvermist let out an exasperated sigh. Suddenly, she grabbed Ivykit and began licking her silver tabby fur. Ivykit tried to squirm away.

"Mom! My fur is fine!" Ivykit exclaimed.

Applekit and Shrewkit giggled beside her but Silvermist continued to groom her.

"No it's not!" Silvermist insisted, "You need to look your best for your ceremony!"

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather here for a clan meeting," a voice called.

Ivykit looked up to see Amberstar, sitting on top of the boulder. Applekit and Shrewkit excitedly rushed towards the crowd. Ivykit bounded after them, ignoring her mother's meows of protest. Out of the corner of her eye, Ivykit spotted Lightningpaw, sitting at the front of the crowd next to her brother, Antpaw. Ivykit ran towards them excitedly. She skidded to a halt beside her and looked up at Amberstar. Once every cat was gathered, Amberstar silenced the clan with a flick of her tail.

"Today," Amberstar began, "Three kits, Shrewkit, Applekit, and Ivykit have reached their sixth moon and are ready to become apprentices. Shrewkit, step forward."

Shrewkit leaped forward excitedly.

"Shrewkit, from this moment on until you receive your warrior name, you will be called Shrewpaw," Amberstar gazed around the clearing, "Sunfur, you are a dedicated and courageous warrior, I expect you to pass on some of these qualities to Shrewpaw."

Shrewpaw eagerly touched noses with Sunfur. Amberstar's gaze shifted towards the other two kits. Ivykit shot a glance at her brother. To her surprise, there was a twinge of nervousness in his blue eyes. Ivykit looked at him with concern and confusion.

"Applekit, step forward," Amberstar ordered.

The reddish tom gulped before taking a couple of steps forward.

"Applekit, from his moment on until you receive your warrior name, you will be called Applepaw. Squirreltail, you are a thoughtful and intelligent warrior. I expect you to pass on some of these qualities to Applepaw."

Ivykit's eyes widened. Squirreltail? One of the tunnelers? Before Applepaw could walk over to his new mentor, a storm of criticism rose from the cats in camp.

"You're making him a tunneler?!" one of the moor runners spat.

"But his parents are both moor runners!" Sunfur objected.

"And both of his sisters are becoming moor runners!" the deputy, Snowpelt objected.

"Silence!" a voice shouted.

Ivykit jerked around to see Silvermist and Harepelt, standing in the middle of the crowd.

"Yes we are both moor runners," Harepelt meowed, "In fact, my family has been all moor runners for as far back as anyone can remember, but our kits are free to make their own choices and Applepaw wanted to be a tunneler."

"Thank you Harepelt," Amberstar nodded approvingly.

Applepaw flashed a grateful smile at his parents and touched noses with his mentor, Squirreltail. Amberstar's gaze shot at Ivykit, who jumped in excitement. It was her turn!

"Ivykit, from his moment on until you receive your warrior name, you will be called Ivypaw. Longstripe, you are a loyal and patient warrior, I expect you to pass on some of these qualities to Ivypaw," Amberstar announced.

Ivypaw leaped toward Longstripe and briefly touched noses with him.

"Shrewpaw! Applepaw! Ivypaw!" the whole clan cheered.

Ivypaw felt her cheeks grow hot from all the attention. After a while, Amberstar silenced the clan with a flick of her tail and leaped off the boulder.

"Clan dismissed!" she called out.

The crowd began to disperse and cats went back to their duties from before. Ivypaw immediately shot a glance at her brother.

"Applepaw!" she called.

Applepaw glanced at Ivypaw then back at his mentor, Squirreltail. She nodded to him, flicking her tail at Ivypaw. Applepaw padded up to her.

"What is it Ivypaw?" Applepaw asked curiously.

"Why didn't you tell me and Shrewpaw you wanted to be a tunneler?" Ivypaw asked, curiously.

"I thought you'd tease me," Applepaw admitted, "After all, tunneling wasn't really the family way."

"There's nothing wrong with wanting something different," Ivypaw replied, "I just wish you would've told me we wouldn't be training together."

"Applepaw!" a voice called.

Ivypaw and Applepaw turned around. The source of the voice was Squirreltail. Applepaw looked back at his sister.

"I'll see you after training," he said quickly before dashing after his mentor.

"Bye!" Ivypaw called out.

"Ivypaw, Lightningpaw!" another voice meowed.

Ivypaw turned to see her new mentor, Longstripe, and Lightningpaw's mentor, Starlingfeather. She dashed up to them and skidded to a halt beside Lightningpaw. It was then that Ivypaw noticed that the two mentors' tails were entwined.

"Ivypaw, for your first day, we'll be taking you to see the territory," Longstripe announced.

Starlingfeather glanced at Lightningpaw and gently added, "It won't be harmful for you to refresh your memory."

Ivypaw and Lightningpaw both nodded and followed their mentors towards the camp exit. Ivypaw felt her tail bristle in excitement. This would be the first time she ever left the camp! As they neared the top, a gust of wind blew through Ivypaw's fur. She closed her eyes and tried to cover the head. As she opened her eyes, she noticed the open, flat moor. Her eyes widened. The moor stretched in all directions for as far as she could see.

"Woah," she managed to gasp.

"I know right!" Lightningpaw replied.

The huge gust of wind softened into a light breeze that continued to blow through Ivypaw's short fur. The warm sun shone in their fur as they continued through the open moor. Ivypaw and Lightningpaw padded side by side after their mentors through the moor. As they continued walking, a huge twoleg nest came into view.

"This is the twoleg barn," Longstripe explained, "Twolegs keep animals in enclosures and loners occasionally shelter there."

"Does Windclan ever hunt there?" Ivypaw asked.

"No, the animals are too closely guarded by twolegs," Longstripe meowed.

"Besides," Starlingfeather chimed in, "There is usually enough prey on the moor and in the tunnels."

The group of cats continued to walk through the open moor. Squinting her eyes, Ivypaw could see a big gray stone in the distance. Lightningpaw suddenly gasped beside her in excitement.

"That's the Outlook Rock!" She exclaimed,"Race you there!"

Lightningpaw took off immediately.

"Oh you are on!" Ivypaw challenged.

Ivypaw bolted toward Lightningpaw as fast as she could. She caught up to Lightningpaw and the two skidded to a halt in front of the Outlook Rock. Ivypaw nearly collapsed from her panting.

"I won!" Lightningpaw exclaimed.

"We both got here at the same time!" Ivypaw argued, playfully nudging Lightningpaw.

Ivypaw and Lightningpaw padded up the Outlook Rock.

"So, why is it called the Outlook Rock?" Ivypaw asked.

"Because you look out from it!" Lightningpaw meowed in matter of factly tone.

Ivypaw's ears flattened.

"So it's a place to practice how far and how much you can see?" Ivypaw asked.

"Yes exactly!" Lightningpaw replied.

"Then why didn't you just say that?"

��Because my way was funnier."

Ivypaw rolled her eyes but she couldn't hide her amusement.

"You shouldn't run ahead like that," a voice scolded.

Ivypaw and Lightningpaw glanced down the Outlook Rock to see Starlingfeather and Longstripe. The two apprentices slid down the rock and stopped in front of their mentors.

"We're sorry," Ivypaw apologized.

"Let's go see the rest of the borders," Starlingfeather ordered.

Lightningpaw and Ivypaw followed Starlingfeather until they reached a long stretch of gray stone, dividing the moor and the pine forest on the other side.

"This is the Thunderpath," Longstripe explained, "It divides Windclan and Shadowclan. Monsters often go over the Thunderpath with twolegs inside."

"Monsters?!" Ivypaw exclaimed.

"Don't worry," Lightningpaw meowed, "Monsters never leave the Thunderpath. You don't have to worry about them until your trip to the Moonstone."

Ivypaw sighed in relief. However, anxiety still grew within her. She'd have to deal with monsters on her trip to the Moonstone...What if one attacked her?! What if she died and never made it to become a warrior?! Ivypaw struggled to push away her intrusive thoughts.

"This is Fourtrees," Longstripe suddenly mewed.

Ivypaw's head jerked up to see four giant oak trees in a small cluster.

"This is where the clans meet every full moon for the gathering," Longstripe explained.

"Do the leaders announce from the trees?" Ivypaw asked.

"No there's a rock in the middle that all five leaders announce from," Longstripe replied.

"Yeah, not all of us are like Skyclan and can climb trees," Lightningpaw chimed in.

Ivypaw smiled a bit at her comment.

"There's one more place we need to see," Longstripe meowed.

"But stay close to us," Starlingfeather added, "It's very dangerous."

Ivypaw and Lightningpaw nodded in unison then padded after their mentors. Starlingfeather and Longstripe led their apprentices through the moor and toward a large, narrow ravine. Pricking her ears, Ivypaw could hear the sound of rushing water coming from the bottom of the ravine.

"This is the ravine," Longstripe explained, "It divides Riverclan and Windclan's territories. You must never go too close to it otherwise you could fall in and die."

Ivypaw gulped nervously. All of a sudden, an image of a cat falling into the gorge flashed before her eyes. Ivypaw jumped back in alarm. The image was gone as soon as it had been there.

"Ivypaw?" Lightningpaw asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Ivypaw lied.

"Let's go back to camp," Starlingfeather suggested.

Longstripe nodded in agreement and padded after the black and white she-cat. Ivypaw and Lightningpaw followed them back to camp. Ivypaw's stomach growled as they stopped in camp.

"You two can get some prey from the fresh-kill pile," Starlingfeather meowed.

Ivypaw sighed in relief and grabbed a vole off the pile. She dropped it at Lightningpaw's paws.

"Wanna share?" Ivypaw offered.

"Okay!" Lightningpaw replied.

The two apprentices carried their meal to the middle of camp and ate it quickly. Ivypaw sat up and licked her lips. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed two cats at the entrance to camp. Ivypaw glanced up to see Eaglefeather, carrying the unmoving body of his mentor…

"Mintleaf!" Ivypaw exclaimed, leaping towards the limp medicine cat. Her white fur was covered in dark red blood and a familiar stench. Just then, Amberstar emerged from her den to see the dead body.

"What happened?!" Amberstar exclaimed.

Other cats emerged from their dens, letting out yowls of shock and grief. Eaglefeather dropped Mintleaf's body and hung his head low as he spoke.

"We were picking herbs by the Thunderpath," Eaglefeather began, "Then we were attacked by badgers. They drove Mintleaf onto the Thunderpath and she was hit by a monster."

Eaglefeather lifted his head, revealing a single tear trickling down his cheek as he faced Amberstar.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save her," Eaglefeather sighed.

Ivypaw pressed her muzzle against Mintleaf's soft fur. She was a great medicine cat and was her father, Harepelt's sister! Ivypaw sighed. Her father would take her loss very hard, as she was his last kin aside from Ivypaw and her siblings.

"Bring Mintleaf's body to the center of camp," Amberstar ordered, "We will hold her vigil tonight for anyone who wishes to pay their respects to Mintleaf."

Eaglefeather nodded and picked up the medicine cat, dragging her by the scruff to the middle of camp. Eaglefeather sat down, looking at his former mentor with a blank expression. Ivypaw felt a surge of pity for the grumpy medicine cat. Mintleaf's death seemed to have really affected him. Harepelt immediately dashed toward his sister and leaned over her body. Tears poured from his face like a rainstorm. Ivypaw padded over to join them along with Amberstar and Larkwing, Mintleaf's closest friend. The five cats groomed Mintleaf's messy fur and shared their final words to her. Ivypaw left the vigil once the moon began to rise and settled down in her nest. Windclan might struggle with only one medicine cat. Mintleaf was very talented and Eaglefeather never even wanted to be a medicine cat in the first place. And Mintleaf had died on a Thunderpath...Ivypaw gulped and tried to stop herself from shaking. Resting her tail over her face, Ivypaw closed her eyes and finally dozed off after a while.