Squirrelkit bounced with excitement. Sun was finally taking her to the Clan! She knew it was her sixth moon since she was born, and she was more than ready to be an apprentice. Her claws itched to hunt prey, her paws ached to travel, and her mind whirled to make room for all the information she'd learn. She glanced around, taking in the forest. A scent clouded her nose, and it made her nose twitch.

"What's that stench?" Flamekit spoke her thoughts, and they turned to look at Sun white they walked.

"Well, that's FallenClan. You'll need to get used to it, because after today, you'll live here." He gazed at his kits affectionately, almost face planting a tree as they continued to pace the new territory that Squirrelkit and Flamekit would learn to call home.

"Sun, you're coming with us, right?" Squirrelkit meowed hopefully to her father. To her disappointment, he shook his head.

"I belong to The Dynasty, just like you did. But I must continue to keep the peace among these Clans, as I am the Star. I can't abandon my role." Sun meowed. Squirrelkit's tail drooped, but she didn't protest. The three cats continued to trot through the forest.

"Will we meet Ivykit and Blaze there?" Flamekit continued to bounce more questions at Sun.

Sun shook his head once again. It seemed as though whatever they asked, the answer was no. Was the world ready to accept Squirrelkit? Was Squirrelkit even ready to accept the world?

Finally, the forest began to subside and the three made it to the entrance to the new Clan. Flamekit and Sun continued to keep a steady pace, entering the barrier into the FallenClan camp. Squirrelkit took a moment longer, taking a deep breath. I'm ready now. She told herself, and she, too, padded into camp.

What could only be described as a surprising number of cats were sitting in a large clearing, and dens lined the sides of the camp. In the back of the camp was a large ledge where one cat sat, and many others formed a circle below it. Squirrelkit gulped down nervousness and trotted across the clearing as proudly as she could, puffing out her chest, her chin high and her tail swaying back and forth. Curious eyes watched her as she entered the circle of cats, and the scent of FallenClan grew stronger. She stopped beside Flamekit and they stood in the middle of the circle of cats, Sun sitting behind them. He gave them a few quick licks to clean their fur and looked up to the cat on the ledge.

"Hello, Mothstar. As you know, Flower has had another litter. These two-" he set his tail on their shoulder- "Were born with no Charm, therefore now belong to your Clan. I hope that FallenClan will take good care of them." Sun took a step back. "Their names are Squirrelkit and Flamekit." The two kits stood up a bit more proudly.

"Thank you, Sun. We will teach them well." He looked down upon the brown kit below him. "Squirrelkit," he called. Squirrelkit glanced around anxiously. What would happen now? Did she have to fight off another apprentice to prove herself? She hadn't learned to fight. Would they make her catch prey? She hadn't done that. She shivered and continued to look up to Mothstar. "Squirrelkit, it is time for you to become an apprentice. You have been entrusted to our Clan in hopes you will become the best warrior you can be. Squirrelkit, you are no longer called that name, but Squirrelpaw. Your mentor will be Morningheart." Mothstar turned to face Morningheart, and Squirrelpaw scanned the clearing, following Mothstar's eyes down to see a white she-cat. She had ginger patches dotted over her fur, and her blue eyes were gleaming with excitement. Squirrelpaw noticed she looked younger than the other cats in the clearing.

"I hope you will teach this apprentice your quick reflexes and kind heart. May StarClan light your paths together." Mothstar meowed, and Morningheart beckoned Squirrelpaw to sit beside her. Hesitantly, she padded over to her, and they touched noses. She glanced at her father, but he was staring at Flamekit. Squirrelkit though she saw regret in his eyes.

"Flamekit, your turn." Mothstar meowed, and Flamekit puffed his chest out and padded forward. "Ferntail!" He called a cat forward, and she padded up Highrock, as if expecting this moment to come. What's going on? Squirrelpaw thought. Is something wrong with Flamekit?

"I have come to the conclusion that it is time I take an apprentice." What's so special about you getting an apprentice? Squirrelpaw wondered. You're just another warrior, right? She glanced at her father, but it seemed as though his paws were the most interesting thing in the clearing.

"Flamekit has shown promise, as Sun has told me, and they are suitable to become my apprentice. Flamekit, are you willing to become trained in the arts of herbs and knowledge, to share tongues with the stars, to become a medicine cat?" Squirrelpaw saw Flamekit's expression change from pride to confusion, and then realization, and then sorrow. The medicine cats did not fight. They rarely hunted prey. She glared at her father. Why would he do this to Flamekit?

"I... I am." Flamekit mewed, tail drooping. Squirrelpaw felt sorry for her brother, and then herself. They were going to train together, to become even better friends! But now she was alone.

"Very well. From now on, you will be my apprentice, under the name Flamepaw. May StarClan approve of my choice."

The Clan began to cheer their names. Squirrelpaw brightened. They were cheering for her! After this, the Clan began to disperse, giving the two new apprentices curious looks.

"Squirrelpaw," Morningheart meowed. "It's time for your first day of training." Squirrelpaw turned around to face Morningheart, eyes shining.

"What do we do first? Hunt? Explore? Battle train?" Squirrelpaw bounced up and down, excitement feeding her energy.

Morningheart laughed. "Not yet, Squirrelpaw."

Squirrelpaw had a confused expression on her face. "Well then what are we doing?"

"Checking Daisyshade for ticks."

~×~•~×~

Squirrelpaw mumbled under her breath as she shuffled her paws halfheartedly through Daisyshade's pelt. She remembered when Ice had checked Desert for ticks back when she lived in the Dynasty, but she had never done it herself. Not that she ever wanted to. She felt a large tick on Daisyshade's neck, and dabbed some mouse bile, the disgusting-smelling paste that was supposed to help the ticks die. She felt she would die if it was rubbed all over her fur, too. She cracked the tick in her paws and tossed it to the edge of the den and continued to search for more ticks. She slid her claws down, and they bumped into another tick.

"Watch it! That's my shoulder," Daisyshade meowed. Squirrelpaw grumbled 'sorry' and continued to search the FallenClan elder for more ticks.

"I think that's all of them," Squirrelpaw eventually could feel no more ticks in Daisyshade's fur. "Do you feel any more?"

". . . And I had stumbled right into the hole! So silly of me!" Daisyshade was telling a story, but Squirrelpaw could hardly stand it.

"Daisyshade." Squirrelpaw repeated.

"But the fox was still on my tail, and I-"

"Daisyshade!"

"Huh? Oh, what? I was almost to the best part! You see, I had never seen a fox before. I thought it was Mothstar - she was Mothpaw at the time - and I yelled for her! The fox nipped my shoulder just like that. See this scar here? Oh, yes, I've got one on my hind leg as well, but that was when Jaylight..." Daisyshade went right back to storytelling, and Squirrelpaw groaned inwardly. I'll never escape! She thought.

Just then, Flamepaw walked in. "Squirrelpaw, can we talk?" Relieved for an excuse to get away from Daisyshade, she nodded.

"Ah, your brother, yes? Well, I suppose I could spare you." As the two left the den, she added; "Oh, and come back when you're done, alright?"
Squirrelpaw followed Flamepaw over to the corner of camp and they sat down under the shade of Mothstar's ledge.

"Yes?" She asked.

"It's not fair!" Flamepaw cried. "Why do you get to become a warrior someday, when I get stuck learning how to count seeds and pick flowers? Why did you do this to me?"

"Flamepaw, I didn't want-"

"I don't deserve this! It's all your fault! Why did you have good luck? I . . . I hate you, you - you mouse-hearted excuse for a littermate!" Flamepaw stomped off. Squirrelpaw glanced around, but nobody seemed to notice his quiet cries. She hung her head. Why did she get to be a warrior? Did Sun think that Flamepaw was a mouse-brain? Now he hates her! She wished she could sink into the floor and disappear.

Squirrelpaw glanced at the fresh-kill pile, but she wasn't hungry. She laid down in the shade and fell into an uneasy sleep.

~×~•~×~

Well, what do you think of Squirrelpaw? I plan to make her more carefree, but what would you guys prefer? 

As you must have realized, the perspectives will change in the series.

Chapter three is out! Check it outt :3

-Bramble