"SHADOWKIT, BLACKKIT. STEP FORWARD!" 

Blackkit felt her blood turn to ice. Her ears flattened and her tail bushed out in fright. 

Oh, no! She's going to banish us from the clan!!

She noticed Shadowkit fluff out his fur and raise his head, looking straight at Kestrelstar with challenging eyes. He showed a kind of confidence, that Blackkit had never experienced from him before

Shadowkit waved his tail for Blackkit to follow him. She took a few uneasy steps forward. Her breath came out in ragged frozen puffs of air, and she felt as if someone had made her swallow a whole bush of thorns. Her eyes landed on her mother, in a silent plea of help. All she was met with were eyes as frightened as her own. 

Dawnbreeze's fur was spiked out in shock. Her claws were unsheated and dug into the frozen earth beneath her paws. Boulderfur put a reassuring tail on Dawnbreeze's shoulders, but his eyes held concern and worry for his two kits. 

As Shadowkit and Blackkit reached the center of the uneven circle that had been formed around the branch, Kestrelstar jumped down. 

The ShadowClan leader was huge in comparison to the two nearly 6 moons old kits. Blackkit noticed the strong muscles rippling beneath her leaders fur, and her long claws that were sticking out from her paws. She saw her tail lashing back and forth, the fur making a swishing noise every time it cut through the air. 

Blackkit swallowed her fear as she stood next to Shadowkit. Her brothers dark gray fur was just barely touching her own black. She noticed that he was already standing a little taller than her, and had to suppress a grunt. 

Shadowkit you fox-heart. You're already taller than I am! Blackkit couldn't stop the thought from crossing her mind, even in such a situation. She nearly purred in amusement at herself, but then smelled her own fear scent that was overpowering.  She felt embarrassed and shook her fur. 

Blackkit would never show anyone that she was scared! 

"You two have caused more trouble than a gang of badgers. You always seem to break our rules and do as you please. I always receive complains from my warriors, because of how you always seem to get under their paws. Especially you, Blackkit. You have been in the medicine den more times than a full grown warrior!"

Blackkit felt her fur shaking in anger and frustration. Couldn't her leader believe than she never intended to get hurt or irritate the other warriors? 

"I have thought long and hard about the decision that I have made, and nothing you say or do will change my mind." 

I'm sorry Dawnbreeze. I'm sorry Boulderfur. I guess this is it. We'll never rund in the forest as warriors together. You won't even see me become an apprentice...

"But Kestrelstar-" A weak attempt help her kits came from Dawnbreeze. She looked as if she had battled Boulderfur to speak, because of the defeated look in his eyes and the ruffled fur on his shoulder. 

"Enough, Dawnbreeze! I won't hear anything. Blackkit, Shadowkit. Because of all the trouble you have gotten yourself into, I feel like it is time for you to leave the nursery forever." 

A heartbroken meow erupted from Boulderfur's mouth. He pressed closer to the distressed queen beside him. 

"Doeclaw, step forward." 

The former rogue took a step towards the kits. Her eyes flashed with uncertainty. 

"You joined our ranks not so long ago, but have showed great skill in battle and bravery. That is why I believe that you will train Shadowkit well." 

Suddenly, Kestrelstar let out a loud purr and her eyes shone in amusement. She twitched her whiskers and looked around. 

"What? Did you really think that I would banish two ShadowClan kits?" She let out a mrrow of laughter and shook her head. 

"Come here you silly kit." She beckoned Shadowkit towards her with a twitch of her ear. 

The dark gray kit took a stumbling step forward. He broke into a nervous purr and flicked the tip of his tail.

"Shadowkit, you have nearly reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Shadowpaw. Your mentor will be Doeclaw. I hope she will pass down all she knows on to you." 

Doeclaw purred in happiness and took a few confident steps towards Shadowkit. 

"Doeclaw, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Mouseshade, and you have shown yourself to be loyal and strong. You will be the mentor of Shadowpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him." 

Doeclaw then ducked to touch noses with Shadowkit, and the clan erupted in loud meows, congratulating the kit. 

"Shadowpaw! Shadowpaw! Shadowpaw!" 

Blackkit found herself meowing the loudest. She threw her head back and yowled into the darkening sky. 

Shadowpaw and Doeclaw retreated into the circle, and Blackkit shook her ruffled fur, standing all by herself. 

"Blackkit, you have nearly reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Blackpaw." 

Blackkit felt a shiver run down her spine, as her leader said her new name. She looked up, watching the trees as they started dancing in the wind, as if they were singing her apprentice name with the clan leader. 

"Your mentor will be Ashbrook, and  I hope that he will pass down  he knows on to you." 

A delighted purr rumbled in the younger cats chest and she saw the dark gray tom get up and walk towards her. His dark blue eyes caught her silver ones, and he blinked warmly at her. 

"Ashbrook, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Boulderfur, and you have shown yourself to be patient and a great hunter. You will be the mentor of Blackpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her. May StarClan help you with this one." 

Blackkit felt her fur grow hot in embarrassment as the clan purred in amusement. 

She looked at her mentor, feeling as if she was going to burst with happiness. Ashbrook was a young, but very skilled warrior, whom her father had trained. She lifted her nose extra slow, to make sure she didn't bump her head in his jaw, and Ashbrook ducked to meet her halfway. 

As soon as their noses had touched, the clan yowled her new name, and she blinked happily. 

"Blackpaw! Blackpaw! Blackpaw!" 

She lifted her tail and jumped over to where her brother was standing with his mentor. 

"Can you believe it?! We're apprentices!" She squealed and bowled him over, not giving him a chance to answer. 

"Blackpaw!" 

Her mothers voice made the younger apprentice jump up and run towards her, crashing into her chest. Her mothers purrs rumbled deep inside of her, and made Blackpaw's body shiver happily. 

"Oh, congratulations my precious kits! You're finally apprentices. Kind of young though.. But strong! You two are so strong and brave, I know you will make me and your father so proud."

Shadowpaw purred happily and nodded. 

"Of course we will. I will become the best warrior ShadowClan has ever seen!" 

"No you won't.. I will!" Blackpaw argued. 

Dawnbreeze purred and looked lovingly towards their father, who was standing with the deputy Applebreeze and Kestrelstar.

"Boulderfur is so proud of you two. And I can't wait to get out of the nursery and move to the warriors den with him again." 

"And one day, we will join you too." Blackpaw blinked warmly at her mother, and nudged Shadowpaw with her nose. "Right Shadowpaw?"

"Right!" 

Boulderfur dipped his head to the clan's leader and deputy and headed towards his family. He couldn't get a word out when he reached them, because of how much he was purring. 

Shadowpaw and Blackpaw mrrowed in amusement at their father, who seemed more touched than their mother. 

"Father, you're such a softie!" Shadowpaw twitched his whiskers. 

The elder tom didn't respond, but licked them both on the head. 

"Shadowpaw! Blackpaw!" 

A lighter voice interrupted their family moment. Harepaw, Branchpaw, Daisypaw and Lionpaw bounded over to them, congratulating them on being made apprentices.

"Oh wow! We're going to be so many in the den now!" Harepaw exclaimed happily. 

"Yeah, but only for a little while. Don't forget we're going to be warriors soon!" Daisypaw purred. 

"Hey Blackpaw." Lionpaw meowed close to her ear. 

Blackpaw looked at him with happy eyes. "Hey Lionpaw." 

"I can't believe we're going to be denmates again!" He purred. 

"Me neither! It feels like you left the nursery seasons ago. And now I get to join you!" She jumped happily. 

"Blackpaw, I made you the softest nest in the whole clan, and its right beside mine, if you dont mind?" Branchpaw meowed and tilted his head. 

"Of course I don't mind silly! I could have slept next to Mossystreak and still not mind!" Blackpaw said and looked at the cranky elder. 

"But she snores like a badger.." Shadowpaw said.

"I know, that's the point!" Blackpaw skipped happily and headed for the apprentices den. "Let's go see the den!"

✦✦✦

All apprentices stayed up late, talking and getting to know each other better. Daisypaw and Harepaw were littermates and had been apprentices since Blackpaw was born. She knew they were almost ready to become warriors. 

Lionpaw and Branchpaw we not littermates, but were nearly the same age. Lionpaw was a little elder than Branchpaw, and Blackpaw had noticed with a pang that he would become a warrior before her. 

Now, all apprentices were sound asleep, only their snores were heard. All, but Blackpaw. 

She lay awake in her extra soft nest and felt herself missing her mothers warm fur pressed against her back. She yawned, showing a set of sharp small teeth. 

Blackpaw closed her eyes and tried slowing her breathing to fall asleep, but felt as if ants were crawling under her fur. Then, just as she started drifting off to sleep, she heard a panicked yowl from outside. 

Her eyes flew open with a gasp, and she jumped up from her nest. She waited for her eyes to adjust to the darkness and then started to slowly make her way out, careful not to step on her sleeping denmates. 

She saw Shadowpaw sprawled out beside Lionpaw and suppressed a purr. Now was not the time. 

Blackpaw stuck her nose out of the den and shivered at the cold. None had woken up from the yowl and she tilted her head in confusion. 

How could no one wake up? 

Well, it looks like I have to go see what has happened myself, she though with a shrug

She fluffed out her fur, in attempt to keep herself warm, and made her way towards the place where she thought she had heard the yowl. Her paws carried her towards the medicine cats den, not making a single sound as she walked. Blackpaw padded in, and saw Specklepaw's body  sprawled close to the entrance. The medicine cat apprentice was fast asleep, not moving at all, only the rise and fall of her chest indicating that she was alive. Behind her, she could just make out the body of Fernpelt, who was also fast asleep.

Blackpaw walked past her, hearing a murmur from deeper inside the den. She felt her heart starting to beat faster, and felt the rush of her blood in her veins.

Then, she saw a dark silhouette staring at the sky. The familiar scent of Fernpelt bathed her tongue, and she relaxed a little. Fernpelt seemed to be all alone, then why had he yowled like that? 

Then she froze, her paw midway up in a step.But if Fernpelt was here, then who was sleeping behind Specklepaw?

Blackpaw felt her body freeze in terror. Confusion clouded her vision, and for a moment, she thought she would vomit.

The far side of the rustled, and another figure padded out of the shadows. Fernpelt stood up with his tail raised. 

"Flametail." She heard Fernpelt purr, welcoming the strange cat. 

Blackpaw crouched and tried to control her scared breathing. She moved slowly closer to the two. 

"Hello Fernpelt." The other tom meowed and dipped his head. "It is good to see you." 

"You too." Fernpelt meowed and tilted his head. "But why have you come to me, Flametail? The half-moon meeting is only a few days away. Is everything alright?" 

Flametail lifted his head and shook it slowly. "I'm afraid not, Fernepelt. Trouble is looming over ShadowClan..." 

"Trouble? What kind of trouble?!" Fernpelt's purring came to an abrupt end, and his tail bushed out. 

Suddenly, the strange cat looked straight past Fernpelt. His gaze fell on Blackpaw, making her gasp in panic and wonder. His eyes twinkled in the dark, and she noticed the way his fur was glowing. As if he was sprinkled with stardust. 

As soon as he locked eyes with her, his head snapped back and he faced Fernpelt once again, who hadn't noticed her yet. 

"Until the flower blooms, ShadowClan will fall into a darkness like no other!"  

The strange cat's voice seemed to echo in the den. She saw Fernpelt talking to the glowing cat, but didn't hear a word of what he was saying. His voice seemed to echo inside of her head, filling her body with shivers and her fur stood on end. She felt as if she was drowning, everything around her didn't exist, only the voice of the starry cat. Flower blooms ... a darkness like no other...  ShadowClan will fall !

Blackpaw gasped, and her mind snapped back to reality. 

"Flametail please! You must tell me more!" She heard Fernpelt plead. 

"I'm afraid I can't..." Flametail said and shook his fur. "I will have to get back to StarClan's grounds once more. Go back to sleep, Fernpelt." 

And just like that, the strange cat glittered only for a moment longer, then disappeared. 

Blackpaw yowled. She screamed as loud as she could. She didn't care, that she would wake the whole clan. But nobody seemed to hear her. Only Fernpelt whipped around. His gaze locked with hers, and his eyes widened in shock. 

And just like that, Blackpaw was plunged into darkness.