Rainpaw hadn't necessarily expected her first day as an apprentice to be anything special, but there you are, it was.

The day was a mixture of emotions; first excitement, then happiness, then eagerness, then terror, and then a blinding sense of... duty, which was what made her do what she did.

It was midway into Owl Season when she woke up. Owl Season was the season where owls flew through the OwlClan territory, making it dangerous for apprentices, elders, and even warriors to go out into the dense oak forest. Rainpaw was confident, however, that no harm would befall her when she finally made the legendary leap into the forest (of course, she wouldn't actually leap, but the name sounded appropriate enough).

She whiled away the time until sunhigh when the leader of OwlClan, Featherstar, would make her an apprentice. She had no littermates, and only her half-brother Hawkwhisker, so she had nobody to play with but herself. That didn't exactly deter her, though; she imagined her life as an apprentice, determined to slay the largest owls to keep the camp safe. It had been her dream since she had heard the story of Aspeneye, the honey-eyed she-cat who had annihilated the latest owl, Stormbringer, who had wings so large that when he beat them together, storms sprung from the feathers. She didn't know if she'd ever be able to see an owl close enough to kill it, but there was no harm in dreaming.

Before she knew it, it was sunhigh. Featherstar, her beautiful tawny-brown-and-white pelt rippling in the sun, climbed to Owl's Perch, the huge branch sticking out of the old oak tree that was the center of life for OwlClan, and called, "All cats old enough to climb as high as the owls, join under Owl's Perch for a Clan meeting!"

Rainpaw squirmed away from her mother, Breezefrost, and tried her best to walk like a dignified apprentice would. Inside, she was exploding with excitement.

"Rainkit has reached the age of six moons and is ready to begin training in the ways of OwlClan," Featherstar began. "Rainkit, from this day forth until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Rainpaw." Rainpaw's paws tingled as she heard her new name. "Nightwing, you are ready for an apprentice," Featherstar continued. Rainpaw glanced behind her and saw a slim, serious-faced black she-cat with white spots. Nightwing padded up and stood beside Rainpaw, her long, feathery black tail sliding around Rainpaw's shoulders. "I trust you will pass on all the skills you learned from your mentor, Smoketail," Featherstar finished.

Nightwing dipped her head. "Of course, Featherstar."

"Rainpaw! Rainpaw! Rainpaw!" The Clan chanted, and Rainpaw felt elated and excited as she ran through thoughts of what her experience would be like.

"Clan dismissed," Featherstar announced, and the meeting broke up. Rainpaw could hardly feel her paws and her head was lit with a dim buzzing as two apprentices with the same honey-brown pelt, Acornpaw and Leafpaw, came over to congratulate her.

But all that peace was shattered with a shriek.

Rainpaw and Nightwing, who was still by her side, whipped around. Rainpaw gasped when she saw what was happening: an owl, soaring into the Clan, and diving for a young kit, Ravenkit.

Rainpaw didn't think. Her brain was completely blank as her paws worked without her. She broke through the crowd of cats and hurtled as fast as her legs would take her towards Ravenkit, who was quivering in place, seemingly too frightened to move.

The owl was coming closer, but no cat moved to help. Rainpaw disregarded this as her mind finally caught up with her body, shrieking, 'ARGHHHH!!!!'

However, she couldn't stop. The owl had just reached Ravenkit and was stretching towards him with open talons when Rainpaw pushed off the ground and slammed into the owl's flank.

Looking back on it, Rainpaw would laugh, because she knew the owl really wasn't as big as she thought it had been. It seemed plenty big to her when she slammed into its flank, knocking it off its course.

She knew she was putting herself in danger. But the Warrior Code said she had to protect any kit from any Clan, and Ravenkit was her friend.

The owl let out a screech that hurt her ears as it was slammed off course. Ravenkit let out a little whimper. Rainpaw drove the owl to the ground, her head throbbing. The whole thing happened in about three heartbeats.

Finally, the Clan leaped into action: Featherstar raced over and slashed a claw across the owl's throat. Blood clotted at the wound and the owl sprawled, dead, on the ground. Rainpaw backed away, panting, her head aching. The owl had a surprisingly strong hide.

Meanwhile, Morningfeather and Sunbreeze, Ravenkit's parents, rushed over to their frightened kit. Morningfeather covered her son with frantic licks while Sunbreeze gazed at Rainpaw. "You saved him! You saved my son!"

Rainpaw dipped her head.

Nightwing approached. "Rainpaw, what you did... that was exceptionally dangerous," she scolded.

"But you saved me!" Ravenkit chirped, running up to Rainpaw and butting his fluffy head into her shoulder. Rainpaw smiled.

"Are you hurt?" Snowtail, her father, questioned anxiously. Rainpaw sighed, and nodded. "No, I'm perfectly fine."

"Please don't do that again," Nightwing mewed.

Morningfeather's head snapped up. "What she did saved my son!" She hissed.

"I-" Nightwing began, looking abashed, "I didn't mean-"

"Alright, calm down," Featherstar mewed. "Rainpaw, you have saved a kit and brought our Clan a piece of fresh kill."

"But I didn't kill it," Rainpaw protested, confused, but Featherstar waved her tail. "No, but you brought it down so I could. In a way, you gave us this fresh kill."

"I- alright," Rainpaw mewed.

"If you're sure you're okay?" Breezefrost asked.

"Yes, I'm fine," Rainpaw mewed again, getting tired of all the attention. 'Can I go train now?' She thought.

Morningfeather gently nudged her son. "What do you say?" She prompted.

"Thank you, Rainpaw," Ravenkit mewed, eyes shining up at her. Rainpaw couldn't help but be cheered. 'Maybe I did do something good after all.'

Her first morning as an apprentice had definitely been eventful. She had to admit, though it sounded corny, that she would never forget this day in all of her life.