Clawpaw turned, hearing her voice called. [i]Sightpaw![i]The CosmicClan tom had been looking for her.
''I haven't seen you for two moons!''she exclaimed as he approached. She broke into a purr.''I've missed you, Sightpaw!It's so hard when my best friend lives in a different Clan.''
She noticed that Sightpaw looked troubled."what's wrong?''she asked him in worry.
''I'm a warrior now.My name is Sightstorm.''Instead of looking proud, he seemed embarrassed."I don't know what to do,Clawpaw!I'm a warrior, I should be speaking to other warriors, not an apprentice four moons away from her ceremony!But...I don't want to talk to anyone else.They're not like you, not funny and witty and brave."
''I didn't mean to hurt Featherleaf in the last battle,''
Clawpaw mewed.''i'm sorry.I didn't realize he was your brother.I've wanted to apologize since the last Gathering, but you weren't there."
"He's fine,''Sightstorm assured her. ''His mate, Leafheart--''
"Hi, Clawpaw!"Clawpaw jumped.''That's [i]my[i]brother,''she meowed.''I'm going to sumali him.Do you want to come?''
Looking awkward and sad,Sightstorm shook his head.''I'm going to sumali Featherleaf,Leafheart,Sandfeather,and Darkpool,''he replied. "Leafheart is expecting kits with my brother,by the way.''
''That's great news,''Clawpaw purred over her shoulder.[i]I wonder what it's like to have kits?
"Hi,Stonepaw, what is it?''she asked when she was sat beside her brother.Four apprentices sat with him: A black tom, a tabby tom, a tortoiseshell she-cat,and a pretty silver and white she-cat.Also, Clawpaw's own siblings--Fireflypaw
, Sapphirepaw, Stickpaw, and Jadepaw--were present.
"This is Fernpaw, Darkpaw, Jaggedpaw, and Streampaw,''Stonepaw announced.
Streampaw--the pretty silver cat--purred silkily, ''We have a new leader.''
''Who is it?''Clawpaw asked. Streampaw wouldn't say, except ''he's my father.''
Out of all the new apprentices--or new to Clawpaw, they were older than her--she liked Jaggedpaw the best.
All the apprentices had distinct personalities. Jaggedpaw was funny and a bit weird, Fernpaw was soft-spoken and shy, Darkpaw was madami than a little sarcastic and sardonic;but Streampaw struck Clawpaw as sneaky, silky and smooth as a snake. Clawpaw knew that she and Streampaw would never be good friends. [i]At least with [i]her[i]there won't be any dilemmas about whether to fight her or not![i]Clawpaw thought scornfully.[i]Being a silver-tongued soro won't get you far in life,Streampaw![i]