Nightstrike woke with a start, not remembering where she was. She felt Zapkit's soft fur against her own, and she relaxed. She purred looking down adoringly at Zapkit. The young eevee stretched, yawned, and turned over in his sleep, nuzzling into Nightstrike's belly fur. She looked up and saw Junenose was awake as well, watching her. Nightstrike stood up, gently sliding Zapkit into the nest. She motioned with her wing that Junenose should follow her as she walked out of the nursery. Junenose rolled her eyes but followed. Nightstrike pad out of camp and slowed so she could walk beside Junenose.

"So." Junenose sniffed. "What do you want?" Nightstrike flinched at her tone.

"I just wanted to talk," she whispered.

"About what?!" Junenose snapped, "Your stupid medicine eevee? How horrible I am? How you hate me?!" She scowled, looking at the ground in front of them.

"No," Nightstrike said calmly, "About the kits." Junenose scoffed and still didn't look at her, but her expression softened.

"ok.. so.. what about them?" She asked.

"They'll be apprentices soon, what are you going to do after they're out of the nursery?" Nightstrike looked at Junenose.

"W-what do you mean?" Junenose stuttered, acting as if she had no idea, but her expression said otherwise.

"I know you will miss them." Nightstrike ventured, "I know I'll be lonely without Zapkit." Junenose stopped, sitting down. She looked at her paws, her eyes filling with tears.

"I don't know what I'm going to do! I'll be so lonely! I have no... friends..." she looked up at Nightstrike, eyes desperate. Suddenly she was in front of her, Burying her face into Nightstrike's chest fur. "I'm so sorry," She cried, her voice muffled. "I shouldn't have said those things about shadedleaf. Littlekit is meant to be a medicine eevee. I'm so so sorry, you must hate me! Please forgive me.." Nightstrike flared her wings in surprise, awkwardly putting a paw on Junenose's head.

"Of course I forgive you!" She laughed, "It's what friends do!" Junenose blinked up at her, smiling. Nightstrike wiped away the flareons tears with her wingtip. "Come now, lets get back to the camp." She put a wing over her back as they walked. When they entered the camp it was still early, but the clan was waking, stretching and yawning as they emerged from their dens. The eevees rushed from the nursery when they saw Nightstrike and Junenose.

"Mama!" Zapkit cheered happily, "Where were you?" Nightstrike licked the top of his head.

"I was taking a walk with Junenose!" She told him kindly, and she noticed Gazepelt watching with a smile. Littlekit, Thornkit, and Vulpixkit were climbing all over their mother, squeaking happily. Nightstrike smiled at them. She looked down at Zapkit, who was batting a leaf between his paws. She heard a voice and looked up. Gazepelt was assigning patrols. Nightstrike sighed, wishing she was able to hunt or go on a border patrol. She licked Zapkit between his ears as she watched the warriors and apprentices leave. Junenose sat beside her and frowned sympathetically.

"soon," she purred longingly yet sadly. Nightstrike nodded and drew Zapkit close with her tail.

"I'll miss Zapkit though." Nightstrike whispered to Junenose. "He's going to be an apprentice, then a warrior! My little kit.."

-time skip-

Sparkstar gazed down at Zapkit from teh highrock.

"Zapkit" he spoke, his voice echoing over the gathered clan. "You have reached the age of six moons, it's time for you to become an apprentice." Nightstrike beamed with pride. "From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Zappaw." his gaze swept the crowd, pinpointing a vaporeon. He flicked his tail to signal it should walk up. "Puddlenose, I believe you are ready to take on an apprentice. You received excellent training from Thunderfoot, and have shown yourself to be brave and loyal. You will be the mentor of Zappaw, and I expect you will pass on all you know to him." Zappaw and Puddlenose touched noses, and the clan erupted in a cheer.

"ZAPPAW ZAPPAW ZAPPAW" they yelled, making Zappaw beam. When the clan dispersed he went to his new mentor, eager to start his training. Puddlenose shot an amused glance at her sister, Nightstrike, before leading Zappaw out of camp. Nightstrike glowed with pride, literally, her rings lit up, dazzling in the evening light. Gazepelt shielded his eyes as he came over to her, followed by Junenose and Starstep. Nightstrike apologetically dimmed her rings as she faced her friends.

"Hi!" she greeted them, twining tails with Gazepelt.

"Your kit looked like a warrior up there," Starstep told Nightstrike kindly.

"Thank you," Nightstrike replied, smiling as she thought of Zappaw's face as he ran out with her sister. Not quite a warrior yet. She thought, amused. Junenose smiled at her knowingly, remembering their talk. Nightstrike smiled.

"He did look very grown up." She purred.

"I know! He's grown so fast." the umbreon mused. "Your kits will join him soon!"

"Yea.." Junenose looked slightly sad for a moment. "at least you get to sleep without annoying kits running around your paws," she pointed out. Nightstrike laughed, knowing she loved the kits and didn't think they were annoying. She gazed out of the tunnel, wondering how Zappaw was doing. Puddlenose was a good choice for the energetic apprentice, she'd be able to tame his tireless attitude with her calm demeanor.

Zappaw pad after Puddlenose, staring around the territory with wide eyes.

"We'll just take a tour of the territory today," his mentor told him, "It's getting late, and how can you hunt when you don't know the territory?"

"Fair enough," Zappaw responded, just excited to see the territory. They passed a clearing, and a flicker of recognition flickered in his mind, but it disappeared quickly.

"This is the great willow," Puddlenose told the young eevee as they passed a giant weeping willow tree. Zappaw looked around in awe as they passed under it's boughs. He ran ahead in a spurt of energy, and skid to a halt to nearly stop himself from plunging off a cliff. Puddlenose grabbed his scruff and pulled him back.

"Easy!" She snapped, "Don't run ahead!"

"S-sorry!" Zappaw stuttered, eyes wide in fear. "I didn't know there were any cliffs in the territory!" Puddlenose sighed.

"First off all, that's not a cliff, it's a river bank." She let Zappaw lean forward and stare into the rushing torrents of water, eyes wide. "And second, that's why we're learning the territory, so stay behind me next time." She led Zappaw along the steep bank. "The river runs down into the gorge, which is on the west side of the territory." Puddlenose continued. "Smell that? It's our scent markers." Zappaw nodded. "What else do you smell?"

"Uh.. I smell prey.. wet leaves.. what's that smell?" He asked, looking up at Puddlenose, his snout wrinkled. Puddlenose scented the air and looked straight ahead, eyes wide.

"Darkclan" she said in a fearful whisper. "Zappaw come on!" she turned tail and ran, Zappaw following right behind her.

Hi guys! Sorry it's been so long! I really hope you liked this chapter, and I'll really try to write more in the future! Between schoolwork, vacations, and art, I haven't found time! Yet another cliffhanger, sorry, But... yay! Zappaw! anyways, I really hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll try to update sooner!

-Nightsong