Goldenkit's POV

"Goldenkit! Wake up!" I could feel a paw prodding my back as Snowkit's voice rang in my ears. "Wake up! Wake up!"

I'll wake up to claw your ears off! I thought irritably as I opened my eyes. I immediately screwed my eyes back shut as I saw that Snowkit was flicking her tail in my face. I swiped her tail away with my paws to see that outside it wasn't even sunhigh yet. It was barely passed dawn!

"Snowkit, it's early!" I whined. I pushed her tail away as she continued to wave it in my face. My eyes widened and I couldn't help but flinch as Snowkit suddenly squealed. She has never been this energetic! Did she get too much sleep? I wondered.

I purred with amusement as I stood up, watching as my sister began to run around me and hop up and down.

"We're becoming apprentices today, Goldenkit!" She squeaked. "Get with it!"

I gasped as I realized that Snowkit was right. I had almost completely forgotten!

Snowkit and I aren't just little kits in the nursery anymore! I thought excitedly. We're now training to become warriors!

Squealing just as Snowkit had, I grabbed my sister's tail with my tail and pulled her out of the den as quickly as I could. "Let's go!" I urged her.

Snowkit and I padded out into the clearing to see that Lilypetal was already sitting down with Thornclaw next to her. Just by watching the two of them for a couple of heartbeats, I could tell that they were just as excited as Snowkit and I were. I felt a purr rumble in my throat as I saw that my father's eyes were glowing with pride.

Thornclaw is an amazing warrior. He is well-respected in this Clan, and he's done so much for ThunderClan, I thought excitedly. What if he were to mentor me? That would be great!

I then shook my head quickly as I tried to push down my disappointment. But leaders don't usually put apprentices with their kin, I realized. But I'm sure that whoever I get will be just as great!

Now feeling just as optimistic as I did before, I padded up to my parents, Snowkit right behind me. "Hi!" I exclaimed, hopping up and down.

Both Thornclaw and Lilypetal turned their heads around to look at us.

"Hello there!" Thornclaw purred, touching his nose to each of our heads. "How are you two this fine, completely ordinary and uneventful morning?"

I stopped hopping as I was suddenly confused. I exchanged a glance with Snowkit, my one of my eyebrows raised before looking back at my father. "What do you mean?" I asked.

Thornclaw then let out a purr of amusement. "Well, it would be an ordinary and uneventful morning if my two kits weren't becoming apprentices today!"

Snowkit let out a mrrow of laughter beside me. "Oh, of course!" She squealed, kneading her paws into the ground.

"Hm. Don't mind your father," Lilypetal purred, nudging Thornclaw on the shoulder. "He can be quite the tease."

I began hopping up and down once again. "I don't care! He can tease all he wants!" I insisted. "I'm going to be an apprentice, I can handle the teasing!"

Lilypetal then let out a purr before bending down to nuzzle Snowkit and I on our heads with her muzzle. "I am so proud of you both," she meowed softly. "I have no doubt that you are going to train to the best of your ability."

Of course I am! I said to myself. Why would I not do my best, knowing that being a warrior is the end result?

As I began to drift off into my warrior fantasies, I flinched and let out a small yelp as I suddenly felt a tongue lapping at my flank. I whipped my head around to see that Lilypetal was grooming me.

I groaned and lightly pushed my mother's head away with my paws. "What are you doing?" I demanded.

Lilypetal lifted her head back up. "Well, you want to look nice for your ceremony, don't you?" She asked, tilting her head to the side.

I snorted. "Well, yeah," I meowed, "But I'm going to be an apprentice, so-"

"-So you can do it yourself," Lilypetal meowed, rolling her eyes with a smirk on her face. "I get it!"

As Lilypetal padded over to Snowkit to groom her, I licked at my paw and began to run it over my head and ears, making sure that not even one tuft of fur was sticking up.

I was smoothing out the fur along my flanks when I noticed Firestar emerge from his den on the Highledge. I watched him yawn as he bent down to take a quick stretch.

My heart then began to beat faster as I saw him raise his head to the sky. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey, please gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!"

I realized that I was actually starting to get nervous as cats were beginning to crawl out of their dens. I hope that I don't make a fool out of myself! I thought. I want to make a good impression on every cat here!

I had to take a deep breath as the stirs of cats began to slow, as the camp clearing was now abundant with cats. I couldn't suppress a gasp as Firestar started to speak.

"We are gathered here today, because two of ThunderClan's kits have finally reached six moons of age, and are ready to become apprentices."

I exchanged an eager glance with Snowkit as the ThunderClan leader's glance fell down to us. "Goldenkit and Snowkit, please step forward."

Without hesitation, I began to do as Firestar instructed, but then paused as I noticed that Snowkit hadn't moved. I looked back at her to see a flash of nerves glowing in her blue eyes.

She must have been hiding her nerves with all of that excitement she was putting off! I realized. I fell back to walk beside her as we both traveled to stand just under the Highledge.

As soon as my sister and I were in place, Firestar nodded and then proceeded to leap down from the Highledge to stand in front of us.

"Until the both of you become warriors, you will be known as Goldenpaw and Snowpaw," the leader meowed proudly. I then puffed my chest out in pride as Firestar's gaze moved to me.

"Goldenpaw," Firestar meowed, nodding to me, "Your mentor will be Sorreltail." Firestar then averted his gaze to look at the tortoiseshell warrior. "Sorreltail, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Sandstorm and Dustpelt, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Goldenpaw."

I smiled and hopped up in excitement. Sorreltail is a great warrior, and such a sweet cat! I already knew that I was happy with Firestar's choice for my mentor.

I watched excitedly as I watched Sorreltail pad over to me, her eyes welcoming and bright. Once she stopped to stand in front of me, she bent down and touched her nose to mine. "Hi, Goldenpaw!" The she-cat purred as she pulled away. "I have heard that you have great promise. I was thrilled to hear Firestar pair my name up with yours!"

"Me too!" I squealed. "I'm so excited!"

I then gave Sorreltail a nod before turning around to watch Snowpaw receive her mentor. Firestar was just about to speak when my gaze fell on my sister's.

"Snowpaw, your mentor will be Brackenfur, who I know will do his best to pass on all that he knows to you," Firestar nodded to the ginger warrior, who was already beginning to walk over to Snowpaw. I tried to suppress a small purr of amusement as Snowpaw stared shyly back at her new mentor before finally pushing herself to touch noses with him.

"She's quite the shy one, isn't she?" Sorreltail muttered to me in my ear.

I looked up at her and nodded. "Yes, for sure," I answered. "We aren't alike in that regard."

Sorreltail snorted. "Definitely not! But Brackenfur is kind and patient. He will do well with her! She'll be a tough, bold and strong warrior in no time!"

Just as I was about to reply to Sorreltail, I was cut off by the yowls of my Clanmates calling out mine and Snowpaw's new names. "Goldenpaw! Snowpaw! Goldenpaw! Snowpaw!"

I scanned the clearing as cats called out the new names. Although actually experiencing the ceremony and receiving my mentor was awesome, just hearing cats call out my name made the fact that I was an apprentice now made it feel all the more real! I'm not a kit anymore! I told myself. I'm a ThunderClan apprentice!

I hadn't realized how much I had let myself drift off into the clouds until I saw that Sorreltail had started to walk towards the camp entrance. When she noticed that I wasn't following, she paused and looked back at me.

"Goldenpaw, are you coming?" Sorreltail purred, humor glittering in her eyes. "Would you rather stand there than go out to see your territory?"

Well, I suppose it's not my first time out of camp, but it'll feel a little better now that I'm allowed.

I shook my head quickly and started to follow my new mentor. "Standing around is for kits!" I squealed. "I'm ready when you are!"