"What?!" Amberkit cried, ears flat against her head. He was psychotic, surely! His words rang in her head, and she took a step back. Dovekit's eyes seemed to soften to their usual clear shade, like he had just stepped out of a trance.

"Amberkit.." He started, but Amberkit growled at him, baring her small teeth.

"Get away from me, yo- you freak!" She yowled, causing many cats to stare at them in interest.

Dovekit's eyes weakened, and his whole body seemed to tremble. However , before he could run to his den, a black pelt came hurtling through the crowd and skidded to a halt in front of Dovekit.

"What did you say to her?" Blackkit snarled, lashing his long tail and unsheathing his claws towards his brother, who jumped back in fear. Amberkit felt admiration towards the older kit, who looked like a TigerClan warrior in his fury. She did feel a little stab of pity towards Dovekit, but then she shook it away. I meant every word I said, she thought, but with a hint of doubt.

Dovekit now looked half his size as he cowered before his brother. "Nothing important," he straightened a little, as if he noticed that they were being stared at. Blackkit growled and crouched down, ready to pounce. Dovekit realized this and unsheathed his claws. Amberkit flicked her tail nervously.

"Blackkit," she started, before realizing that both cats had straightened up, and although both were still hostile, they were staring at some point in the distance. Amberkit craned her neck to see over the taller cats. Flowerdawn, Dovekit and Blackkit's mother, was walking out of Clawstar's den, eyes bright with excitement. Seeing them, she trotted over, tail high.

"Look at you," she scolded Blackkit. Amberkit stifled a mrrow of amusement as she spotted Blackkit's fur full of leaves, and then licked her chest fur self consciously as she realized that she must look the same, if not worse.

Blackkit stepped away from her automatically as Flowerdawn reached in to give her son a wash. Dovekit got the honours himself, much to Blackkit's amusement.

"He looks like a kit," Blackkit remarked, flicking his tail.

Amberkit looked at him cheekily and nudged him. "You are kits," she chuckled. Blackkit suddenly hit her with his strong, amber gaze gleaming.

"Not for much longer! What do you think Flowerdawn and Clawstar were talking about? We're becoming apprentices!" Blackkit's eyes were shining in excitement, and his tail tip was flicking from side to side.

"That's.. great," Amberkit's tail drooped. Once he started his training, they wouldn't be able to hang out together anymore.

As if sensing her distress, Blackkit placed his tail tip on her shoulder reassuringly. "It's okay," he meowed. "You have Flamekit and Stormkit, and Lilacsplash's kits are due any day!"

Amberkit pricked her ears up. The grey tabby she-cat had nursed them when Aspencloud had died, and she loved her like she loved Aspencloud.

"Snowdrizzle is looking plump as well," he meowed in amusement. "I will miss you, Amberkit. I promise that I'll come and teach you things whenever I have time!"

Just before she could reply, Clawstar, a large brown tabby tom, leaped up onto the Highrock, staggering. A few mutters came from nearby cats. Clawstar had been leader when her grandmother, Dappledwater, was an apprentice, and was growing weaker by the moon.

Most cats respected Badgertail, the deputy. She was one of the youngest deputies in ThunderClan's history, only 20 moons.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" Clawstar bellowed, his voice rasped and scratchy.

Lilacsplash popped her head out of the nursery as warriors started to gather around. Walking out, she yawned. "Who's dead?" She groaned, stretching.

Amberkit flicked her tail. "It's Blackkit's apprentice ceremony, can I watch please?"

Lilacsplash cast her gaze down towards her. "Isn't Dovekit getting apprenticed?" Amberkit cast her gaze down.

"Yeah," she muttered, shifting her paws.

Lilacsplash tutted. "You really need to be nice to him, Amberkit. Every cat knows not to hold nursery grudges. Go on then, watch, but cheer Dovekit as well!"

Amberkit flattened her ears at her foster mother's scolding, and raced off to sit next to Spottedpaw, the medicine cat apprentice.

Spottedpaw had left the nursery a moon ago, and the two had developed a close bond when she was still there. They were also kin, as Spottedpaw and Lizardpaw were the only cats in Dapplewater's last litter.

"Hi, Spottedpaw!" Amberkit greeted the tortoiseshell she-cat.
Spottedpaw flicked her tail in greeting, shooting her a warm glance.

Before she could say anything more, Clawstar spoke up.
"Cats of ThunderClan, two kits in our care have reached the age of 6 moons and are ready to become apprentices. By naming apprentices, we show that ThunderClan will survive and remain strong."

He summoned to Blackkit, who strode up with dignity and seriousness. Amberkit felt a flash of pride.

"From this moment on, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice will be known as Blackpaw."

He paused, glancing around the crowd of cats, before settling on a warrior.

"Beepool, you are now ready to take on an apprentice. You will be mentor to Blackpaw. Beepool, you have shown yourself to be a warrior of strength and strategy. I'm sure you will pass on all you know to this apprentice."

Beepool stood up and nodded coldly. "I will, Clawstar," he meowed in his deep growl, walking towards Blackpaw. Amberkit shivered as he passed, feeling all of his authority as the white tom touched noses with his new apprentice, his black stripes rippling.

Clawstar nodded to the new mentor and apprentice, and set his gaze onto Dovekit, who walked slowly forward.

"From this moment on, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice will be known as Dovepaw."

Dovepaw turned to look at the cats behind him. Once he caught Amberkit's eyes, she almost hissed at him, and then remembered Lilacsplash's words. Gritting her teeth, she averted her gaze to Clawstar.

"Lionstream, you are now ready to take on an apprentice. You will be mentor to Dovepaw. Lionstream, you have shown yourself to be a warrior of loyalty and courage. I'm sure you will pass on all you know to this apprentice."

The golden tom pricked his ears up, heather blue eyes gleaming. "You can count on me, Clawstar," he meowed solemnly, stepping up to touch noses with Dovepaw.

"Blackpaw! Dovepaw! Blackpaw! Dovepaw!" The chant rang put throughout the camp. Amberkit cheered the loudest for Blackpaw, and joined in grudgingly for Dovepaw.

Once the warriors had started to peel away, Amberkit bounded over to Blackpaw, who was talking to Beepool.

"Blackpaw! Blackpaw!" She cried, halting when Beepool's cold gaze cast over her.

Blackpaw glanced at her distractedly. "Can it wait? Beepool is going to teach me some battle moves." He growled.

"But-" Amberkit started.

"Buzz off!" He snapped.

Amberkit flattened her ears and whimpered as he walked away. Turning her head, she spotted Dovepaw staring at her, tail curled around his paws.

He couldn't be right, she told herself. There was no way.

A/N I read Moth Flight's Vision! I wasn't that sure at first, as DotC wasn't my favourite series, but I read AFD/PoS/MFV in a couple of days, and I have grown to love it! However, I am happy that we are returning to the modern Clans with A Vision of Shadows. I can't wait to see my favourite Clan cat again!

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