The Darkest Day

## Chapter 1:

Nightkit was in the nursery. It was so boring in the nursery. The sky was only a couple of feet away, with the stars twinkling above and the moon so bright. Of course, Softfur would never let her out when she was supposed to be sleeping. Softfur wrapped her tail around Nightkit. " Go to sleep my little kit. Tomorrow is going to be a big day. "

Nightkit yawned and went to sleep.

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When she woke up she felt the chilly air of leaf-bare ruffle her fur. Cold white stuff blanketed all the trees around camp. ” Softfur, what is that stuff? ” She asked, ” It’s cold! ” ” That’s snow, ” Softfur replied ” It falls in leaf-bare. ” weird. Very weird Nightkit thought. ” Can I play in it? ” She asked, dabbing at it with her front paw. ” No, you can not! ” A deep voice answered for Softfur ” You have to get and stay clean, for your apprentice ceremony!” A dark gray tom stepped out of the shadows. Dad is also the clan leader now since Flamestar died of sickness. Nightkit reminded herself. By now all of the clan was awake, stretching and forming patrols. Darkstar lept up to the Clanrock and called, “Let all cats old enough to catch their prey join here beneath the Clanrock for a meeting! ” Cats slipped from shadows and dens to gather beneath the rock ”Nightkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Nightpaw. Your mentor will be Leafspot." A skinny deep brown she-cat stepped forward, and they touched noses. “ Leafspot you are a good hunter and fighter and I hope you teach those skills to Nightpaw. “

" Nightpaw, Nightpaw, Nightpaw! " the clan cheered then dispersed. " What are we going to do first? " Nightpaw asked, " Hunting patrol? "

"Let's start with you go do the elders' bedding while I go on the hunting patrol. "Leafspot replied

" I hate being an apprentice. " Nightpaw grumbled, slowly walking to the elders' den.

## Chapter 2:

Nightpaw was walking to the medicine den to get mouse bile for the elders' ticks. When she stepped in she was greeted by Graypelt's grumpy face. whoa, she thought as she stepped into the den, that's a lot of herbs. They were all over the place, along with some clumps of cobwebs, and a whole honeycomb. Nightpaw was in awe for a minute. " So why did you come? " The sharp voice of Graypelt interrupted her thoughts. " I came to get mouse bile. Do you have any? " "It's over here," Graypelt answered, walking to a hole in the wall.

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While Nightpaw was returning to her den, Wisppaw- a small light brown apprentice- walked over and said " Hey Nightpaw! Hawkfeather said we could go hunting! Ask Leafspot if you can come, Please? "

" Fine. I just got done doing elder duty, I'd love to get into the forest and run and chase prey!" Nightpaw responded. Wisppaw was only a few moons older and about to be a warrior. (She would never admit to herself that he had the cutest way of asking for stuff!).

Nightpaw was ready to ask when Leafspot walked by the apprentice den.

" Yes but, be careful. " Leafspot said after Nightpaw asked. Finally, she could run and be free of the looks of the clan. She could finally see the forest!

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When she got into the forest with Wisppaw and Hawkfeather she heard scuffling under a bush. She stalked to the bush, while Wisppaw crept up on the other side. He pounced on the bush, and the mouse ran straight at Nightpaw. She grabbed it and bit its spine. " Thank you Starclan for this prey. " Nightpaw said then started burying it. The hunt went on like that until they had caught, a blackbird, two more mice, and a skinny shew. Pretty good for leaf-bare! They gathered the prey and began the long journey back to camp.

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Nightpaw was sitting in the Elder's den. She had just brought them food and was now sitting, eating the mouse she had caught, listening to Ebonytail tell a story.

“ And so it was just me, Ashfoot, and the fox. Then Ashfoot and me jumped on him and he ran away! “ She frowned when Ashfoot laughed “What? “

“ It didn’t happen that way… “ Her mate said. He yawned and twitched his tail. “ Hey apprentice, “ He said to Nightpaw                     “ Pretend I’m a fox, intruding Shadowclan camp. “ Nightpaw smiled and got ready to pounce. “ Oh, come on… “ Leaffur, a brown-specked elder, grumbled.“ At least do it outside the den. “ Nightpaw rolled her eyes and stepped out of the den.

The setting sun felt good on her fur.

She heard Ashfoot step out of the den, and she prepared to pounce again. Ashfoot laughed.

“ What? “ She said

“ Your tail needs to be down. You also need to crouch more.“

He used his paw and fixed her stance. “ There. Now attack me. “ Nightpaw sprung at him, but he knocked her away. “ Too high. Try to aim for my legs. “ Nightpaw got up and shook herself. She got ready to attack but Ashfoot was faster.

He pounced on her and nipped her ear. “ Next time be a bit faster.” He got up and started grooming his ruffled fur, but before he could get very far, Nightpaw sprung at him and pinned him, using her small size to do it. Ashfoot looked surprised. “ Good job! You won. “ Nightpaw got up, and Ashfoot shook himself. “You're going to be a good warrior when you get older. “ Nightpaw smiled.

She would be a great warrior one day!