I stumbled out of my nest. The cold morning breeze blew through my soft fur. I could hear my sister rolling around in her sleep. I always awoke before her, she liked to sleep in. I didn't care though, I loved to watch the dawn patrol leave. I sat on the small stump just outside the nursery, watching Sparrowtail lead her patrol out of the camp. I heard a small twig snap behind me. I turned just in time to see my sister leaping at me. I leaped to the side, sending her stumbling into the leaves.

"I almost had you!" she purred, shaking the bits of leaves from her blue-gray fur.

"No way! I heard you coming!" I lied, licking her ears gently.

"Liar." she mewed, batting me with her paw.

"Quit causing so much noise! Some of us like to sleep in!" Loudwhisker scoffed, he was sleeping outside the elders den.

"Sorry." my sister mumbled, ducking her head low in shame.

"Pebblekit! Littlekit!" Our mother, Ravenflight called wearily. She hated when we left the den too long.

"Coming!" Pebblekit called, padding over to the nursery. I stole one last glance at the entrance to the camp where the dawn patrol had disappeared before following my sister into the den.

"Littlekit, why do you leave the den so early?" Pebblekit asked, licking her ruffled fur.

"I don't know. I like to watch the dawn patrol leave." I shrugged.

"Well, I would rather sleep." Pebblekit purred, padding over to our mother.

"Lazy furball." I muttered.

"Can Littlekit can and play?" Tigerkit asked. He was younger than Pebblekit and me but he was still fun to play with since he was the only other kit in BrookeClan.

"Go ahead Littlekit, just stay in the clearing where I can see you and just don't get under anyone's paws!" she called wearily as Tigerkit and I raced out of the nursery.

"What do you want to do?" Tigerkit asked.

"I don't know." I shrugged. I was watching Stonestar come out of his den and step onto the high rock. Stonestar was mine and Pebblekit's father , I knew he was proud of us.

"Let all cats old enough to swim gather here to hear my words!" my father's voice rang through the camp. I waited for my mother and Pebblekit to come out of the nursery before I took my place beside them. I stared anxiously at my father. Surely it's too soon for Pebblekit and me to become apprentices, isn't it? And Dustpaw and Fernpaw were made apprentices hardly a moon ago.

"BrightClan have sent me and the other two leaders an omen. When the first snow falls we must meet where the trees grow the tallest! Each and every kit will be marked as either Wanted or Unwanted." he called.

"What happens if we're marked Wanted?" Tigerkit asked.

"If you are marked Wanted you will receive your apprentice names and mentors." Stonestar smiled.

"But what if they are marked Unwanted?" my mother narrowed her eyes.

"If they are marked Unwanted then they will be sent to their deaths." my father said harshly.

"Sent to their deaths?" Fernswallow gasped.

"You can't be serious?" Cloudfur scoffed.

"BrightClan wouldn't send kits to their deaths!" Redsun growled.

"Father can't be serious, can he?" Pebblekit asked, her eyes wide with fear.

"No. He's just joking. There is no way he would do that." I told her, but I wasn't convinced.

"I am serious. If you don't want to be marked as Unwanted, then don't play. Playing is a sign of weakness and I will not have weakness in my Clan." he growled.

"What are we supposed to do if we can't play?" Tigerkit muttered.

"If there are any objections, please speak out now." Stonestar called. I watched as my Clan mates glanced around nervously, no one daring to speak against my father.

"I do." I mother stood up.

"What is it you don't like about it?" he asked.

"Everything! It isn't fair. They are only kits! You can't possibly send them to their deaths!" she hissed, wrapping her tail around us protectively.

"They will only be sent away if they are caught playing because it shows they are weak! I will not have any weak cats in my Clan!" Stonestar spat. My mother remained silent.

"I will not hear another word about it! We will meet where the tree's grow the tallest when the first snow comes." he hissed. Stonestar padded into his den without another word.

"Stonestar has gone mouse-brained." Pebblekit whispered.

"You go on to the nursery, I will try to talk some reason into him." she sighed, padding away. I watched her disappear into his den.

"You heard your mother, let's go." Willowstream, Tigerkit's mother mewed. She nudged us towards the nursery. She'll talk some sense into him, she has to.