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Featherkit crept cautiously through the shadows. She was determined not to miss a minute of the importat "grown cat" stuff, let alone risk Tigerkit brag about how [i]he[/i] knew more about the situation. She had already taken the precaution of rolling in a nearby stream, and later, a pile of dirt, streaking her creamy white fir with mud, "dying" it to a dull brown. She had just reached the base of the rock wall where Bramblestar's den existed, far above her tiny head, when a shadow loomed overhead.

"What are you up to this time, Featherkit?" sighed Sunspots.Featherkit squeaked.

"Uh-umm... n-nothing, nothing at all."

Sunspots struggled to restrain a purr of amusement. "Did Tigerkit force you into a puddle again? You're a wreck!"

"It's my warrior disguise!" the kit snapped, icy blue eyes glowering.

"Featherkit, don't be a mouse-brain! You're more consicuous with mud streaked through your fir. Now come along, time to fix you up before your mother does, and I can't guarentee that her tounge will be more gentle than mine once she discovers what you've been up to."

Featherkit grudgingly allowed herself to be lead away by Sunspots's tail. Sunspots supressed a sigh of relief; this kit was proving to be a pawful, and she wasn't even her mother! Her thoughts wandered guiltily back to Onyx; she had left her and Sunpaw unguarded from whatever dangers Bramblestar suspected awaited the kittypet.

"Sure, when hedgehogs fly!" Featherkit retorted on her way back to the nursery, wrinkling her nose. Her skin still smarted from Sunspots's rough tongue against her fur, and some clumps of mud still remained matted into her beautiful white, leopard patterned fur. For a moment, she allowed herself to imagin that she was the great Leopardstar of Riverclan, one of the great leaders that ruled the forest in another age. Her daydream came to an abrupt hault as Tigerkit flattened her into the ground outside the nursery. So much for flying hedgehogs, she groaned to herself.

"Rawr! I am the great Tigerstar! Fear me, pathetic creature!" Tigerkit hissed, unsheathing his claws and raking her flank. Featherkit yowled in pain, but long experience taught her not to fight back against her brother.

"Ouch, Hedgehog-brain!" she spat. "You know it's forbidden to playfight with claws, let alone playfighting as Tigerstar!"

"Oooh! I'm shaking inside my fur! Waddya gonna do about it, mouse-brain?" he taunted.

Featherkit narrowed her eyes and shrugged him off; it wasn't worth squealing about to Sunpaw, let alone her mother, who favored the violent kit, especially when she knew Tigerkit would win any dispute. She curled herself up dejectedly on a fresh bit of moss, idly licking her wound and attempting to free the remaining mud before finally dozing to sleep.

***
Sunspots hurridly raced over to the medicinecat den immediatly after sorting out Featherkit. She relaxed when she discovered that Onyx was dosing and Sunpaw watching her sleeping form intently.

"Tigerkit hasn't tried to torment her again, has he?" she asked, slightly embarrased that she left Sunpaw to sort out the rebellious kit.

Bramblestar leaned back slightly, flattening his ears. "I'd rather you not, Cloudedfur. ShadowClan will be very hostile now that Russetstar has seen you."

"Why not?" asked Stormfang, hissing. "If he wants to go, fine! Let him! He's no business of ThunderClan!"

Silvertail looked harshly at her brother. "The warrior code says to help any cat in need! Firestar made that clear in his leadership."

Stormfang flattened his ears. "And the warrior code says to chase away any rogues that threaten our clan! Dont talk to me about the warrior code! I know it like the back of my claws. I say the Rogue goes!"

Cloudtail looked sharply at the young blue cat. "Enough. That isnt your decision, Stormfang and you know it."

Bramblestar nodded once to Cloudtail for his support. The cat had been Firestars apprentice before him and when he died they came together on a mutual agreement to put their differences aside, dispite their worst disagreements about birthrights and turned to Jayfeather.

"Jayfeather, what say you?"

"Why? Why wouldn't she be? Oh..." Sunspots's eyes wandered in the direction Onyx indicated, barely in time to catch Featherkit dissapear stiffly into the nursery. Her whiskers twitched. Tigerkit's eyes gleamed maliciously after his sister until he realised he was being watched. He quickly switched to feigning innocence, a skill he had polished to a shine.

Sunspots quickly looked away, eyes blazing. Like Featherkit, she knew that it was useless to consult Dawnfeather, blinded by love for her son as she was. It was situations like these that made Sunspots question her significanse as a warrior; she couldn't even chastise a kit effectively! She longed for the day when Bramblestar apprenticed the kits to whatever mentors they ended up with; maybe then her status as a warrior would carry more weight with an unruley apprentice.

***
Jayfeather remained silent, deeply contemplating the situation, weighing both arguments. Unlike most cats of the living, he couldn't probe Cloudedfur's mind. It wasn't that Cloudedfur raised a barrier; he didn't need to. His mind was simply as slippery and cloaked like that of the most powerful cats in Starclan. Finally, Jayfeather spoke.

"Unless this cat can provide a valid reason why he should stay, chased away from the forest he need be. He is not a cat in need; Cloudedfur can clearly effectively defend and hunt for himself; your warriors paid witness to that. However, he is obviously well aquainted with the laws of the Warriorcode, and chooses to disregard them. Such a cat is dangerous, regardless of whether or not he joins a clan."

Jayfeather fell silent, allowing his words to sink into the still air, an effect that he relished.

Sunspots's eyes snapped open in shock; she was to be a mentor? She had barely started her third month as a warrior! She glanced quizzically at Bramblestar before placing a hesitant paw forward. She heard Clawfoot snicker behind her. THAT was more than enough incentive for Sunspots; her movements became deliberate, almost stubborn, as she moved forward to touch noses with Featherpaw.

Featherpaw's eyes glinted mischieviously as she touched noses with her mentor. I told you so, Sunspots, she thought.

Sunspots's rolled her eyes; she'd never hear the end of it unless she enforced an iron paw.

Bramblestar nodded and beckoned to Onyx with his tail. The clan had already heard of the kittypet comming to ThunderClan. Most, now clanborn cats, looked with surprise and apprehension. They remembered Cloudtails run in with the Twolegs, nearly giving up his life in teh clan for the soft, easy life of a kittypet. Though their previous leader was a Kittypet, they looked on... not entirely trusting.

"Onyx, I wish to welcome you fully into ThunderClan. Do you wish it to be this way? You realize, that even if your Twolegs survive, there is no putting a paw in two worlds. Ever. Your loyalty must be completely to ThunderClan." His eyes turned hard, that of a calm and collected leader.

Tigerpaw stared scornfully at the kittypet and coughed loudly. "Kittypet. Soft..." he hacked. A few cats looked pointedly at him, but no one joined in his jeers. He quieted, hissing slightly.

Onyx ignored Tigerpaw and stared at Bramblestar. "It is my wish," she announced as formally as she could, her paws tingling slightly.

Bramblestar nodded, a light gleam comming to his eye. He looked up to the sky, the sun passing its highest point. The sun blazed in the sky, almost as if Firestar was present, showing his approval.

He looked out at the clan. "Do any of you have any objection to this?"

Stormfang stared hard at the kittypet. He knew that if kittypets really put their hearts into it like Firestar, they could be highly respected.

"Do you know what you're getting into, kittypet?" he meowed loudest. The crowd around him parted, his tail flicking from his paws as he stood. "do you know the hardship of leafbare? The bloody battles? Are you really willing to give up the comfort and food of kittypet life? Never having to worry about borders or where your food will come from? Are you not afraid of the hardships you'd face if you give up all that's so dear to you?!"

Onyx stared at Stormfang, intimidated. She stood, looking at him... a small collar on her neck, singed from the fire. She lashed her tail out. "I give up all kittypet life. I reject it!" she announced, though her voice shook from staring at the blue-gray cats peircing b lue eyes.

Stormfang got up and stared down at her. He raised his paw and clawed swiftly, accurately at the collar, snapping it.

Bramblestar couldnt've felt prouder. Stormfang was known for being a very hard and gruff warrior. He breathed a sigh of releif as Onyx turned back to him sitting respectfully.

"From this moment, until she earns her warrior name, this Apprentice shall be known as Scorchpaw. I, Bramblestar leader of ThunderClan, will mentor her myself."

A collective start of surprise went throughout the clan as Bramblestar bent and touched noses with Onyx... Scorchpaw.

Scorchpaw couldnt beleive her ears. Her leader was also her mentor?! She lifted up and touched noses with him, just as she saw Featherpaw and Tigerpaw did with their apprentices.

Scorchpaw... it felt right. Like it suited her.

The clan lifted their heads yowling in union. "Featherpaw! Tigerpaw! Scorchpaw!" over and over, several cats comming together to congratulate them... more Featherpaw and Tigerpaw than Scorchpaw, she being a newcommer...a stranger.

She knew she ahd much to prove in such a short time. Scorchpaw only wished she could prove that she can be dependable as Bramblestar had named her to be.