Snowykit bounded around the nursery. She was finally six moons old along with her brothers and sisters! She was so happy and so grateful for her to be in this wonderful situation right that moment, and it made her day brighten.

Snowykit, like all kits, always wanted to be an apprentice. But, she knew that horrible things might happen. She remembered when Skypaw accidentally fell out of a tree, hurting her paw horribly and have to become the medicine cat's apprentice.

Snowykit was relieved at this—not for Skypaw to get hurt, but for the medicine cat apprentice position being closed—and decided that she wanted Fernstalk to be her mentor.

But if not Fernstalk, I want Leechfoot to be my mentor! She's so... elegantly kind.

Snowykit had only heard stories about Ebonykit and Deerkit's death, and how Leechfoot has never gotten over it, but that was around seven moons ago, and the rest of the clan left it in their pasts.

-•-

The time came. Finally. The apprentice ceremony. The happiest thing of all time for a kit.

Almost all kits are the same.

But Branchkit didn't want to become a warrior. She wanted to become a full time queen instead.

"But you have to be able to fend big scary warriors out of the way to protect your kits!" Stormkit replied.

"I'll have a strong mate that I love by my side!" Branchkit squealed.

"You two, stop bickering like the kits that you are!" Snowykit snapped politely.

"Branchkit, you'll have me!" Nightkit squeaked. "I'm a strong tomcat! I'm not your mate, but your brother! Rawr!"

And with that, Nightkit pounced on Stonekit, who was watching everything from the sidelines. They started play-fighting, which amused Snowykit and it seemed to lighten up the mood, and hissing at each other until Treeleaper had to come in and break the fight. Or, as Snowykit called it, amusement.

"Hush! Be good, my kits. I want you to be the best apprentices you can be!" She hurriedly licked Nightkit and Stonekit's fur back down. "I promised you all good mentors! I hope..."

The last part Treeleaper mumbled, and none of the kits even cared. Not even Snowykit, for once. She just wanted to know who her mentor was.

Treeleaper leapt onto the Telling Trees, and started yowling for all of the cats to join her. She waited for every cat before she started.

"Hello! Tonight is a very special night! We are having an apprentice ceremony!" Treeleaper optimistically meowed.

Utter silence.

Treeleaper smiled, a little sweat trickling down her face.

"Nightkit, come here. Underneath the tree, in the shade. That's it. Good." She sighed. "Nightkit, you are bold and headstrong. You need... a mentor who would be able to calm you down, to tame your fur. And because of that, your mentor shall be Lightningcloud."

Snowykit couldn't see the tom-cat stealthily moving around in the crowd of cats, but she was sure that her brother could. She could see the regret in his eyes for that night that he snuck out. He regretted everything that he had done.

I wish that he wouldn't feel like that...

Lightningcloud will be a great mentor.

"Nightpaw!" "Nightpaw!" "Nightpaw!"

Snowykit was sure that Lightingcloud was yowling his name the loudest.

"Branchkit. You are the one of a kind. You don't listen to everyone and do as they say; you decide on what is your way and what isn't. You don't want to be a warrior, but you need to be able to fight. For you, I have chosen the warrior of Flameground."

"Flameground, this is your second apprentice. Send her all of your knowledge and be prepared for being loved by your apprentice."

Snowykit chuckled, watching Flameground's tail get redder and redder with embarrassment.

Flameground and Branchkit touched noses, and instantly the crowd started chanting.

"Branchpaw!" "Branchpaw!" "Branchpaw!"

-•-

Stormpaw was given the mentor of Thunderpounce, Twigpaw was given the mentor of Larknest, and Stonepaw was given the mentor of Screechwave.

Am I going to be given a mentor?

Have I done something wrong?

The next part proved that it was on the contrary.

A/N: I love you if you got that referance.

"And last but not least, Snowykit. The one whose snowy pelt shines brighter than most of ours. Sh-"

"I DON'T WANT TO BE DEPUTY ANYMORE!" Yowled a voice that the entire clan knew.

Cats gasped. Nobody had ever turned down the position of deputy before.

Treeleaper turned around to face her deputy.

"You what?"

"I don't wanna be the deputy anymore."

"Why not?

"It's too hard! And I never had an apprentice and I can't lead a clan without first leading an apprentice!" Fernstalk wailed.

Snowykit's eyes widened as she realized that she was going to be Fernstalk's apprentice.

"Well... if I give you an apprentice, will you still be my deputy?" asked Treeleaper softly.

Fernstalk pondered for a moment, deciding if it really was worth it.

"Yes."

Treeleaper straightened up her back and her tail pointed up to the sky.

"Well then, Fernstalk. You have been wonderful through troubling times. You have taught Snowykit politeness."

Snowykit giggled at this part.

"...and you have become my wonderful deputy, who deserves an apprentice for her work. Snowykit, come here."

Snowykit froze, but quickly melted and elegantly bounded up to the shade of the trees. Her big eyes looked at Fernstalk's. Fernstalk smiled warmly, making it all feel better for Snowykit.

"But, Fernstalk, it is a very hard job leading an apprentice and sometimes face the consequences. Like what happened to Skypaw, which was a tragedy."

Dove began to wail, but her limping Skypaw came to the rescue.

Treeleaper looked back to Fernstalk and Snowykit.

"Do you want to become the mentor of this young, talented cat?" Treeleaper asked.

"I do." was the reply from Fernstalk.

"Snowykit, do you want this cat to mentor you? Or would you rather someone else."

Snowykit froze for a second.

"Well, you're the leader and you make the choices. I can't argue with your choices. Besides, I don't really know most of the other cats very well.."

"So what does that mean, Snowykit? Do you or do you not?"

Treeleaper, Fernstalk, and the entire clan was staring at Snowykit. She could feel the burning anticipation that was coming from all of the cats. The suspension was real.

"I do."