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Berrypaw mewed anxiously. “He might use it to give me my warrior name.”
    Berrypaw’s tail was just a short stump. When he was a kit he had snuck out of the camp to go hunting and caught his tail in a fox trap.
    â€œWhat, Berrystumpytail?” Poppypaw suggested. “That would be a mouthful!”
    â€œOh, no!” Berrypaw wailed. “Firestar wouldn’t, would he?”
    â€œDon’t be silly,” Daisy mewed.
    â€œI’m sure you don’t have to worry.” Brightheart’s voice joined the conversation. Among all the different scents, Jaypaw hadn’t noticed her approach. “When the dog pack attacked me, Bluestar gave me Lostface as my warrior name. But when Firestar became leader, he changed it. I’m sure he wouldn’t give any cat a cruel name.”
    â€œI hope not!” Berrypaw still sounded doubtful.
    Suddenly alarmed, Jaypaw thought over what Brightheart had said. “You don’t think Leafpool might mention that I’m blind when she gives me my full medicine cat name?” he muttered into Hollypaw’s ear.
    â€œLike, Jayno-eyes? That’s just as stupid as Berrystumpytail,” his sister replied.
    â€œ You think it’s stupid, but will Leafpool—”
    â€œBe quiet, all of you,” Graystripe interrupted. “The ceremony is about to start.”
    Lionpaw gave Jaypaw a nudge. “Come on. Let’s get a good place at the front. I want to see everything that happens.”
    â€œYes, it’ll be our turn soon,” Hollypaw meowed enthusiastically.
    Jaypaw followed his littermates and the other apprentices to the front of the crowd that had gathered around Firestar. He could sense fizzing pride in the three who were to be made warriors. He pictured them sleek-furred and shiny after their mother’s frantic licking. Daisy felt just as proud, though Jaypaw picked up anxiety, too, for the two tiny kits she had left in the nursery.
    Then he located Ferncloud, sitting just outside the nursery with Icekit and Foxkit. The gentle queen would make sure no harm came to the two newborns while their mother watched her first litter become warriors.
    â€œThis is a good day for ThunderClan.” The excited murmuring of the Clan cats died into silence as Firestar began to speak. “No Clan can survive without new warriors. Brambleclaw, is your apprentice Berrypaw ready for his warrior ceremony?”
    â€œHe has trained well,” Brambleclaw replied.
    Jaypaw could feel the excitement of the three apprentices building as Firestar addressed the other two mentors, Dustpelt and Spiderleg. Then he heard their paw steps as they padded forward to stand in front of Firestar.
    â€œI, Firestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these three apprentices.” The Clan leader’s voice rang out above the rustle of trees at thetop of the hollow. “They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Berrypaw, Hazelpaw, Mousepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your lives?”
    â€œI do!” the three young cats replied, Berrypaw loudest of all.
    For a few heartbeats Jaypaw felt his fur prickle with envy. One day he would have his own naming ceremony as a medicine cat, but he would never stand before his Clan and make the promise to defend it with his life.
    â€œThen by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior names,” Firestar went on. “Berrypaw, from this moment you will be known as Berrynose.”
    â€œOh, thank you!” the new warrior exclaimed, interrupting his Clan leader.
    A ripple of amusement passed through the Clan, though Jaypaw caught a hiss of annoyance from Berrynose’s former mentor, Brambleclaw.
    Firestar waited for the noise to die down before continuing. “StarClan honors your bravery and your