A pelt as white as snow slunk through the overgrowth of the forest. Youthful bright blue eyes turned dark and narrowed as he moved about. His shoulders were positioned above his head as he kept himself low to the ground. His grayish tail lifted an inch above the ground. His paws moved along smoothly.

The only sounds that rung in his ears were the chirping of the birds. He could hear every bird that sang a song of life above his head on the hanging branches that sprung out like a claw.

"Hhyah!" A voice made him freeze and seconds later, a body slammed into him, knocking him to the ground. He felt his head hit the ground, the pressure of the uneven ground seemed to slam into his throat. He lost his breath. A sudden pressure hit his back, and the damp scent above told him it was Hailstripe. His mentor.

The pressure left his back as Hailstripe stepped off, waving his tail as an order for the apprentice to stand up. "You're very easy to detect, Poolpaw."

"Well, what do you expect? My pelt is white! I stick out like a tree in windclan!" Poolpaw spat as he struggled to his paws. His head spun from the impact on the ground, but he ignored it as best he could.

"And what could you have possibly done to change that?" Hailstripe asked. Poolpaw's ear flickered. What? How could he do anything? Unless he traveled to the moonpool and asked for a new pelt!

"I don't know," Poolpaw said.

"Well, let's see. What do you see?" Hailstripe asked. Poolpaw stared at his mentor in confusion, before obeying with a flick of his ear. Of course, trees of brown and bushes of green surrounded them. Crisp red leaves littered the floor with bits of grass breaking through.

"Leaves, bushes, trees," Poolpaw named off everything, rather bitterly. "How will that help?"

"Follow me," Hailstripe meowed and moved off. Poolpaw took careful steps forward as he followed his mentor, feeling vulnerable. Thoughts began to rush in his head. A fox could easily spot him, never mind a badger. Anything could sneak up on him and he'd be in Starclan before he could say "mouse".

Hailstripe stopped and turned to Poolpaw who stood in surprise at his sudden halt. His flicked his tail down and Poolpaw followed his gaze. A pool of thick mud rippled under his paws. Poolpaw shivered in disgust. Mud? Did he mean-

"Roll in it," Hailstripe ordered, confirming Poolpaw's fears.

"What?" Poolpaw echoed.

"Roll in it."

"Uh, no thanks," Poolpaw passed. Hailstripes eyes hardened.

"You'd rather keep your pretty pelt clean, than keep yourself safe?" He growled.

"Well, it's gross! Tornpaw and Lightpaw would never let it go if I went in there smelling like that!" Poolpaw shook. Tornpaw and Lightpaw were lucky, they were born with the black and dark gray pelt their father had, where Poolpaw had the white pelt of his mother.

"I think they'd rather see you covered in mud, than dead," Hailstripe said. Poolpaw said nothing, just stared in disgust at the pool of mud, his nose wrinkled.

"Dawntail did the same thing," Hailstripe suddenly added, naming Poolpaw's beloved mother.

"Really?" Poolpaw looked up in shock. Dawntail was a beautiful cat with a sweet personality, and getting dirty didn't seem like something she'd do.

"Yes. A true warrior does what they need to survive," Hailstripe said. Poolpaws ear flicked. Was he challenging him? The more Poolpaw thought about his words, the more it made sense.

"Okay," Poolpaw conceded, before stepping slowly into the mud. Thick and chunky mud touched his fur and he shivered in disgust. He heard Hailstripe chuckle with amusement and Poolpaw spun around to glare at him. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing. Now roll in it. Cover your pelt in it, it'll give you a nice brown coat and you'll be able to blend in better," Hailstripe advised.

Poolpaw gulped before reluctantly lying on his belly, the mud reaching his chest. Closing his eyes he let himself collapse into the mud and began rolling around. He felt the mud cling to his pelt and the feeling irritated his skin. But this is what a true warrior does.

"Nice job, Poolpaw," Hailstripe purred. Poolpaw looked up at him.

Laughter clipped his ears and he spun around to see his littermates staring at him in amusement.

"Having fun, Poolpaw!" Tornpaw called teasingly. Poolpaw's pelt burned with embarrassment.

"From this moment on, you shall be known as Mudpool!" Lightpaw squeaked with amusement, her pelt fluffed out.

"Hey!" Poolpaw called out and charged at his littermates. "I'll show you!"

Tornpaw and Lightpaw squealed with excitement like kits and sped off. Poolpaw followed, paw for paw.