"I have been told by Crookedjaw that you both fought well, Thrushpelt and Bluefur."

Bluefur watched Hailstar intently with ears pricked. Her eyes shone. Was this when she and her kits would finally be let into the Clan?

"As you both know, leaf-bare is over and prey is beginning to run again. The agreement was that we'd discuss your place in the Clan when the snow began to thaw, and it has. I have been talking with Crookedjaw and we have decided that..."

With an almost mischevious glint in his eyes, he hesitated. After a few moments, he dipped his head.

"You two are a great asset to RiverClan, and the warrior code says to help any kit in need. You may stay in RiverClan for as long as you wish!"

"Bluefur, Thrushpelt!" The Clan chanted. Once everyone had quietened down, Hailstar began to speak again.

"We also have three new apprentices," he continued with a smile. "Mosskit, Mistykit and Stonekit, step forwards."

With a gasp, Bluefur rushed over to her three kits, giving them licks and smoothing their fur. "You're not ready at all!" She sighed. Then she saw the excitement in their eyes and stepped back. "Good luck," she purred.

The three kits scampered forwards. Mosskit looked nervous, Mistykit looked like she was going to leap up into the air, and Stonekit tried putting on a serious expression. With a warm smile, Bluefur watched the ceremony.

"Stonekit, Mistykit and Mosskit, you have reached the age of six moons and will now take the names of apprentices," Hailstar started, looking at the three kits with pride in his blue eyes.

"Mistykit, until you become a Warrior, you will be known as Mistypaw. Your mentor will be Timberfur. I trust he will pass on all that he knows to you."

Timberfur padded over to Mistypaw and touched noses with her, giving her a smile. "You'll be the best apprentice ever known with me as your mentor."

"Stonekit, you will be known as Stonepaw. Your mentor will be Crookedjaw. You're a brave warrior and a loyal Deputy and I trust you to teach Stonepaw your skills."

Stone touched noses with Crookedjaw, absolutely no hesitation in his movement. Crookedjaw grinned at her. "I sure will, Hailstar."

"Lastly, Mosskit, you will be known as-"

"Um, Hailstar?"

Bluefur bristled in surprise as Mosskit interrupted the leader. She opened her mouth to scold her kit, but Mosskit carried on before she could say a word.

"I'd like to be Brambleberry's apprentice," she mumbled, shuffling her paws. "If that's okay."

Hailstar nodded approvingly. "Of course, then. Mosskit, you will be known as Mosspaw. You will be Brambleberry's apprentice, and you will train to become a medicine cat."

Mosspaw touched noses with the medicine cat and sat down next to her. Bluefur purred, racing over to her kits as the ceremony ended. "I'm so proud of you all! And you all have such amazing mentors, they're going to teach you so much! Tell me all about your first outing, okay?"

Stonepaw shied away from Bluestar's nuzzle. "Mama, I'm an apprentice now!" He whined, batting at her with his paws. "And I'm going to become the best Warrior ever!"

"No, I will!" Mistypaw retorted, tackling her brother.

Next to the two tussling littermates, Mosspaw smiled shyly at Bluefur. "I'm so excited to be a medicine cat!" She purred.

Bluefur grinned. "You're going to be great," she encouraged. "I know it!"

As Mosspaw padded away with her tail high, Bluefur saw Oakheart sit next to her. He smiled sweetly at her. "It's so amazing that our kits are apprentices," he meowed, shooting a glance at Thrushpelt at the word our. Bluefur rested her tail on Oakheart's shoulder. "The kits know you're their father," she soothed. "They call Thrushpelt Uncle Thrushpelt, remember? They wouldn't do that if they thought he's their father."

Oakheart shrugged. "I guess," he mumbled. "Something about him just rubs me the wrong way. He's so... nice. Is he plotting something?"

Bluefur laughed. "No, Oakheart. Thrushpelt's just genuinely nice. Unlike you, talking about cats behind their backs," she purred, looking at him mischievously.

Oakheart purred, pretending to give Bluefur a cuff over the ears. She ducked and pushed him lightly on the chest, eyes shining. "I love you," she murmured, drawing in close.

"Love you too," Oakheart purred. "I'm so glad you're here in RiverClan with me."

Bluefur drew back, eyes glittering with worry. "What about Thistleclaw? I'm really worried about what will happen when..."

"He won't. And if he does, we won't let him take over RiverClan, okay?" Oakheart reassured with a smile.

Bluefur nodded silently. Then she looked up to the sky. "I'm going to have a nap," she decided, giving Oakheart another smile and then walking off to the Warriors' den. She curled up in her nest and soon enough fell asleep.

--

Bluefur was dreaming. She stood in front of Hailstar, awaiting his judgement. Oakheart hung his head in shame. She had seen this all before. Soon he would say he wanted her in RiverClan, right? But Oakheart said nothing. Hailstar narrowed his eyes at Bluefur. "Leave," he growled. "We have no place for traitors. Become a loner or something."

"And my kits?" Bluefur whimpered.

"They will go with you. We don't want half-clan kits in our camp," Hailstar snarled. "Now go, and don't return!"

"What about me?" Thrushpelt asked, eyes narrowed.

Hailstar thought for a second, then flicked his tail. "You may stay."

Outraged and horrified, Bluefur ran out of camp with her kits following. They arrived at the river. It was rushing, and suddenly it was not frozen over, but flooded. "We'll have to swim," she murmured, realising that the stepping stones had disappeared under the waves.

She carried Mistykit in her jaws first, swimming over. But before she could make it, a wave splashed over her head and she was swept under. She heard two tiny splashes after her and realised her kits had jumped in to save her.

Bluefur closed her eyes and swam up. The kits were dead now, and she had nothing. Now all she needed to do was make the Clans pay for what they did to her.

"This is how I feel," a voice whispered in Bluefur's ear. "You wouldn't dare to even have a little sympathy?"

Suddenly, Bluefur woke up, still tasting the stream water in her mouth and hearing Mapleshade's voice echo in her ears.