Tales of LeafClan: One Hundred Days

by Daelrii

A story about my LeafClan and it's two new apprentices, Sootpaw and Nightpaw and their adventure. It's a big one Chapt. 'cause I didn't know I was supposed to submit one chapt. at a time and was too lazy to change it. Rated T 'cause no one reads K. R&R :D

Tales Of LeafClan

Chapter One

The four kits trekked solemnly away from their comfortable LeafClan camp. An adventure, that's all the young ambitious Russetkit could think of, so then he persuaded his three littermates to come with him out of camp and into the forest without their mother Specklefur. The dark gray Sootkit agreed that it'd be fun to explore the forest, and if they saw a fox, he and Russetkit could fight it off! They believed they could do anything, they were already five moons and a half old.

Tiny Volekit and stark black Nightkit did not think it so great. They'd rather be back in the comfortable bramble nursery, sleeping cuddled next to Specklefur, who was probably worried sick about her missing kits. What if they got lost, then what would happen? They might just have to stay out in the cold leaf fall night and wait for a patrol to find them.

"Nothing's going to happen, Volekit!" Russetkit would always retort when his sister mentioned going back because of danger. Then the light brown kit would sigh and continue to tramp through LeafClan territory. Sootkit would then look to his scared sisters and think that they wouldn't make very good apprentices. He sniffed the air and smelt several smells jumbled up. He smelt his siblings, mouse, some sort of bird and a terrible acrid scent. He paused and said, "I smell something weird out there."

"What could it possibly be, Sootkit? A fox? A badger? We could take them!!" Russetkit responded, stopping and bouncing up and down. And Volekit muttered, "We should go back."

"Volekit! There's nothing out here, just trees and plants and other cats and stuff!" Russetkit mewed, aggravated and continued to pad away. Sootkit was getting tired and could sense his sisters were already. And he didn't know at all where he could be, as he weaved around a thorn bush, following his brother's russet tail. The scent got terribly stronger, and he could faintly smell the border mark. Was this what RockClan or OakClan smelt like?

No. They emerged from the trees and saw a black, hard, sticky ground before them. And then suddenly, something flew across it, spewing smoke and terrible smell from it as it went. Volekit squealed, Nightkit jumped, Sootkit stepped backwards and Russetkit flinched and stared at it with a look of wonder, "This must be a Thunderpath."

Of course! Specklefur had told them about the odd black stuff that the monsters ran across, carrying Twolegs in their bellies. Nightkit mewed, "We should turn back now, there's no way we could get across that."

"Okay…but we're not going back to camp!" Russetkit mewed and turned back into the forest. After a few heartbeats into the trees, Volekit squeaked, "I'm hungry and tired. Let's rest."

"Fine," Russetkit replied grumpily. They settled under a wide branched tree with some brown and shriveled leaves still clinging onto the branches. Russetkit didn't sit down, "I'm going to catch a fat vole or rabbit for everyone."

"Go ahead. Just make sure you remember where we are," Nightkit mewed in response. Sootkit nodded and Volekit did nothing, she was already asleep next to her sister. Sootkit suppressed a purr and decided he could sleep too. He laid his head on his paws and quickly lulled into a dreamless sleep.

When he awoke, he found Volekit and Nightkit speaking anxiously. Russetkit had obviously not returned and it was already past sunhigh. Sootkit stretched and wondered if his brother was caught by a patrol, or maybe he wondered into OakClan territory. He should've known though, that the stepping-stones led to the Tallrock and then OakClan territory. The Tallrock was where the three Clans of the forest gathered every full moon.

Then another thought hit Sootkit; maybe a Twoleg took Russetkit away to be a kittypet! Russetkit wouldn't agree to that, and the Twolegs would definitely have a nasty scratch or two, but Russetkit was tired and could have been easily abducted.

"Sootkit, where do you think Russetkit is? I'm starving and want to go back home," Nightkit asked. Sootkit shook his head to show he didn't know and had no guess. Nightkit sighed, and began to lick her chest fur. Sootkit started to lick his front leg and that was when they began to hear something.

Something was hurrying towards them, panting and whimpering. Russetkit. He came to them, a small but plump vole clamped in his jaws, but something was wrong with him. He was limping; his right shoulder was bleeding and his left hind leg was trailing behind him, a large chunk was bitten off and it was bleeding heavily. Volekit gasped, "What happened??"

"I saw this vole…in a clearing," Russetkit mewed with force; it caused him pain to speak. He dropped the vole and collapsed onto the ground. "I was…stalking it, pounced and…killed it. My…first catch!" In his pain his eyes still glittered with happiness, "I-I yowled happily and…a big bird came from the…sky. I thought…I could get it too…so I didn't run…it came straight at me…and then I realized it was a hawk. I began to run…so it only got me by my…leg. It chomped…on it right away, and I managed to…struggle free…I landed on my shoulder…then…then I came here…"

"Oh that's terrible! We should get home straight away!! We are no medicine cats," Volekit mewed. Russetkit's head nodded slightly and he struggled to stand. They quickly shared the vole and then Nightkit and Sootkit steadied Russetkit and they began to go back the way they came.

After what seemed like a moon, they heard a strange sound, running and mewing. A patrol was coming to save them! The three healthy kits yowled and three cats burst out of the bushes. There were Blacktail, a white tom with a black tail, Swiftfoot, a fast light brown tom, and their mother, the many-colored Specklefur. She yowled happily, and then wailed in shock when she saw Russetkit. "What happened?"

Volekit quickly explained about the hawk and Specklefur sent Swiftfoot for the medicine cat, Featherpelt. Specklefur quickly began to lick Russetkit's leg and Blacktail set to his shoulder. Sootkit and Nightkit fell to the ground and panted, it was quite a way for kits to go, supporting another cat.

Soon, the feathery white she-cat came flying through the bushes; it was Featherpelt, the LeafClan medicine cat, Swiftfoot at her heels. Featherpelt had a bundle of herbs with her. She looked at Russetkit, and then the other kits and said, "This is worse than I thought, Blacktail, could you escort the unharmed kits back to camp?"

The white cat nodded and the kits silently followed him back through the tangle of trees and back to camp. The clearing was filled with cats, and some looked relieved to see the three kits back, uninjured. Blacktail started to tell the curious cats what happened to Russetkit. No-tail, a tailless brown elder gasped in disbelief, as did Mossfur, a gray she-cat warrior. Blacktail pushed the kits into the nursery and Sootkit found himself wishing he persuaded Russetkit to stay.

"Oh, you're okay, Sootkit, Volekit, Nightkit…where's Russetkit?" A tiny voice came from the nursery. It was Whitekit; a four moon old kit who the other kits had became friends with. His mother, Snowflower was right next to him. His sister, Frostkit, was asleep next to Snowflower. Another queen, Dawntail, was also resting in the nursery; she had her kits just a few moons ago, two she-cats by the names of Blackkit and Gingerkit. Snowflower asked anxiously, "What did happen to Russetkit?"

Sootkit explained again what had happened with the hawk. Snowflower was astonished and wrapped her tail around her two kits and told them, "I won't let you two out of camp! I don't want to lose another of my kits!"

Sootkit forced himself to remember a few moons ago into his short life. There had been a third kit of Snowflower's; it was the one that had most of his father, Grayfire in him. His name was Pebblekit, small and the same shade of gray as his father. He was independent and preferred to do things without asking. One day he went out of camp and later a patrol found him dead on the side of the Thunderpath. Snowflower was deeply depressed by that and Whitekit and Frostkit didn't know where their brother went. Sootkit couldn't believe he was gone either, though Specklefur kept telling them he was with StarClan, their warrior ancestors who watched over them in the light of Silverpelt. Then Sootkit felt like a badger whacked him when he realized Russetkit could go to be with StarClan soon, and all because of the kit's own stupid idea.

Chapter Two

When Sootkit awoke the next morning, cuddled next to his sisters and the other kits, he completely forgot what had happened. He mistook Gingerkit for Russetkit and then remembered. He hadn't the energy to play with his friends today. Sootkit stretched and watched Nightkit squiggling into Specklefur's belly like a hungry young kit. They were too old for milk now, and would soon be apprentices, but what about Russetkit? Would he be able to become a warrior?

Nightkit remembered she wasn't so young and got up to stretch like Sootkit. She spoke, "Hi Sootkit…that wasn't just a dream about Russetkit, was it?"

Nightkit's eyes lost their glimmer as he shook his head. Russetkit was still with Featherpelt. At least he was brought into the camp. He was in the medicine cat's den under wise Featherpelt's care. The medicine cat's den was in a large over turned rock that made excellent shelter and had niches to store herbs.

Volekit and Specklefur then stirred as the kits' father, Stormclaw enter the nursery with a vole and plump rabbit clamped in his jaws. He dropped them for his mate and kits; "Some more cats are going to come with some fresh-kill for Snowflower and Dawntail. I'd stay a bit longer but Redpelt told me to organize another hunting patrol."

"Thank you very much, Stormclaw. We appreciate the food very much." Specklefur meowed, rubbing her head affectionately on her mate's shoulder; he returned it with a lovingly lick. The three kits went to their father and rubbed his legs, he purred at them, "Did you have a nice sleep? I know we're all worried about Russetkit, but he'll be fine."

As they all mewed responses, Snowflower and her kits woke. She stretched and Whitekit and Frostkit started to mew and run energetically throughout the nursery. Stormclaw meowed farewell and left the nursery, to be replaced with Grayfire. The kits shared the rabbit and Specklefur ate the vole. After they finished, they cleaned the remains out of the nursery and headed out of the den. Specklefur suggested what was on all their minds, "Let's see how Russetkit is doing."

They all agreed and set out for the medicine cat's den. They saw their leader, a black spotted brown tom called Spottedstar talking to the deputy, a ginger tom called Redpelt next to a small cave where the leader stood atop to addressed meetings and Spottedstar's den was the cave. Past the cave was a bramble thicket where the warriors' den was located, near the nursery. On the other side, an old fox den was there, providing the apprentices' den. The elders took refuge in a large hollow tree on the other side of camp, near the Medicine cat's den, where they were heading.

They soon got there and Featherpelt was sniffing at the sleeping Russetkit's injured leg. She looked up when she saw the other cats approach, "Hello. I think Russetkit's doing fine, considering that injury, his shoulder was dislocated; I fixed it quick though. His leg needs marigold though, to stop infection. The problem is," She paused like she was considering to tell bad news or not, then went on, "I think it might be infected already."

Sootpaw felt a stab of sorrow. That could be bad. If it was infected he would get sick, and maybe even die. Sootpaw shivered at the thought of losing his only brother. Nightkit seemed to be thinking the same, and Volekit looked at him and his leg with blank terror. Volekit was so weak.

"Don't be too worried though," Featherpelt reassured the cats, going into her den and coming out with some herbs to give to Russetkit, "I'm pretty sure he's fine, but it's just that little doubt, nothing big. I could really use an apprentice soon," Her eyes glimmered as she looked at the kits, "Help is always good."

Volekit never took her eyes off Russetkit; Sootkit didn't want to be a medicine cat, never had and never would. But Nightkit's eyes glimmered with hope. Sootkit thought perhaps his sister would become a medicine cat.

Just then, Russetkit stirred. He attempted to stand, but fell back to the ground, with a grunt. He looked to his siblings and mother, "Hi, it was nice of you to come. I forgot about my leg," He sighed, "I'll never become a warrior now."

"Don't say that!!" Volekit mewed, her eyes growing wide. Russetkit shook his head and murmured something. Sootkit knew he'd probably never be able to do the thing he wanted to most: become a warrior. Now he was forced to accept it, if Russetkit could, so could Sootkit.

"I wish I'd never left camp. I could have been a warrior…now I'm useless, utterly useless!" Russetkit wailed suddenly. Specklefur crouched down next to her kit and mewed something soft in his ears and pressed lightly and comfortingly into his side. Russetkit was silent, and looked more discouraged than Sootkit had ever saw him in his short life.

"What can I do now?" His whisper was barely audible. Everyone was silent, for not even Featherpelt knew.

It was a quarter-moon afterwards, and Sootkit was starting to feel some excitement mixed in with his concern for Russetkit, who was still with Featherpelt. He would become an apprentice soon! But with every feeling of excitement, he felt sad too, that Russetkit couldn't be with them.

Nightkit decided she wanted to be a medicine cat, so Specklefur went to Featherpelt, and Featherpelt went to Spottedstar, and they all were delighted the she wanted to choose the path of a medicine cat and agreed that Nightkit could become one. Nightkit was thrilled.

Volekit wasn't sure she even wanted to be a warrior, but she'd try anyway. Their mentors had already been chosen and it was to remain a surprise for them until they got their new names. Whitekit and Frostkit were excited for them, and that they'd become apprentices soon too. Gingerkit and Blackkit just moped around, because they still had quite a few moons left to go.

The days monotonously seemed the same, they'd eat, visit Russetkit, play for a while and the go to sleep when it got dark. And it never seemed the same without Russetkit's good fighting techniques and stories. It really was boring, and passing fast.

Soon the day came. The day when they'd become apprentices, Specklefur groomed their pelts until they became sleek and shiny. The kits padded out of the nursery and over to the Cave Mouth, and sat in front of it, with Specklefur next to them. Spottedstar leaped up on top of the cave and summoned the other cats. At once the rest of the Clan came over; even Russetkit came to watch. Russetkit's leg was healing, but not very well, he could walk, but not run, and it was painful for him to walk too. There were two cats at the front of the crowd, Swiftfoot and Mossfur; they would be their mentors. Featherpelt was off to the side standing near Russetkit, waiting to come and greet Nightkit.

Sootkit saw the other two apprentices with their mentors, Icepaw with Grayfire and Willowpaw with Redpelt. Icepaw was a white tom, with bracken colored tail like his father, Brackenlegs, while Willowpaw was a gray tabby somewhat like her mother, Mossfur.

"Welcome and good morning," Spottedstar started, "Four of our LeafClan kits have reached the proper age of apprenticeship, though sadly one has experienced severe wounds and cannot become an apprentice." Spottedstar looked down at Volekit, the first one in the line, "Volekit, you will now be known as Volepaw," He turned to look at Mossfur, "Mossfur, you are ready for another apprentice, you shall mentor Volepaw, teach her well."

Mossfur dipped her head and padded over to touch noses with the shaking brown she-cat. Spottedstar looked at the next kit in line, Nightkit, "Nightkit, you have chosen to become a medicine cat, are you sure that is what you wish? You cannot have kits and will walk with StarClan many times," Nightkit nodded, "Then you will be known as Nightpaw, and Featherpelt," He looked to the white cat, "Will be your mentor, train her well in the ways of the medicine cat."

Featherpelt went gracefully to her new apprentice and touched noses with her. When Featherpelt sat down next to Nightpaw, Spottedstar turned to Sootkit. He felt odd under the gaze of his leader, like he shouldn't just be standing there, "Sootkit, you will be now know as Sootpaw," His pelt tingled with his new name being said, Spottedstar looked at Swiftfoot, "Swiftfoot, you are ready for your first apprentice. Remember what your mentor taught you and pass it on to Sootpaw."

The brown warrior nodded and padded happily over to Sootpaw and touched noses with him. At once the cats erupted, "Volepaw! Nightpaw! Sootpaw!"

Sootpaw felt cheerful, incredibly happy with everyone shouting his new name. Cats crowded around him and his sisters congratulating them and calling them by their new names. Then Sootkit caught a flash of Russetkit's eyes glaring at them with envy and hatred. Sootpaw swallowed uncomfortably, what was wrong with his brother?

Chapter Three

Willowpaw and Icepaw showed the new apprentices the apprentices' den, but all Sootpaw could see were Russetkit's eyes. It was true hatred he saw in there, and it made him really nervous. What would happen to him?

They added new bedding for them, Mossfur and Swiftfoot told them they could go together on a patrol around LeafClan territory in the morning. Then the young cats went to sleep.

After the cats got up in the morning, they found the camp in an uproar, the first words Sootpaw heard were in a yowl, "Where's my kit? What happened?"

It was Specklefur, and the second he heard that, he shot up and raced out of the den. A small crowd was around Featherpelt questioning her, while Redpelt was issuing several cats to go on a search patrol. Sootpaw understood miserably. Russetkit was missing.

"What's wrong?" It was Nightpaw; she stood stretching beside her brother. Volepaw padded out of the den and looked around camp, "Something bad has happened, I can feel it in the air."

Icepaw and Willowpaw were probably already out on a search patrol. Sootpaw didn't answer their question, he just strolled right up to Featherpelt, pushing the other cats aside and said quietly, "It's Russetkit, isn't it?"

Featherpelt's blue eyes seared into Sootpaw's yellow ones. She nodded slowly and mewed, "I'm sorry Sootpaw, when I woke up he had disappeared. Just vanished…"

Her voice trailed off and she looked very sorrowful, like she had just let her first patient die. Then, suddenly she looked okay and answered something Brightpelt had just asked. Sootpaw was abruptly depressed, and wished he could still be a kit, snuggled next to Specklefur, letting his mother's scent comfort him.

But he was an apprentice now, and he had to be strong. He padded to Swiftfoot, who was standing with Brackenlegs and Mossfur. Swiftfoot looked at Sootpaw and nodded, "I know you want to come with us, and you will. Russetkit might be happier to come back if he knows his brother's there."

"I'll get Volepaw too," Mossfur said and padded quickly away to where the light brown she cat was standing. Brackenlegs, Mossfur's mate and the Clan's best tracker, looked sympathetically at the young apprentice, "Don't worry too much, he was just angry, he'll come back."

Sootpaw wasn't so sure of that. But he couldn't think, because Mossfur came back with Volepaw and nodded towards the exit of the camp, "Let's go."

They walked out of camp and into the forest. Sootpaw could smell Russetkit's faint lingering scent, covered up mostly by other cats' smells and prey. Swiftfoot mewed, "I'll teach you things tomorrow, now we just search for Russetkit."

They all mewed agreement and Brackenlegs sniffed the air, "He went this way."

The white tom flicked his tail away from camp and they all followed him. He was quite the good tracker, as the Clan knew. Sootpaw blindly followed the tom in front, worry clouded over him. Where was Russetkit?

For what seemed like moons, they searched. They checked every tree root and every branch, every leaf and every shrub. The cats followed his scent trail to OakClan territory. He seemingly had crossed the stepping-stones and trespassed into another Clan's area. All the every place where the young tom had seemed to stop, looked at other cats looked to Mossfur, the most experienced warrior in the patrol, to consent their crossing into OakClan's territory. The gray she-cat nodded, "I think Thornstar would understand."

But that didn't matter, for when Brackenlegs reached the fourth stepping-stone, his scent disappeared. He must have slipped and fell into the rushing water. Had he drowned? Sootpaw nearly felt paralyzed with apprehension for his injured brother. Brackenlegs hopped back and mewed, "Let's just continue downstream until we reach the Twoleg Bridge."

They cats nodded and followed the tom yet again, down through LeafClan territory. Sootpaw felt regretful for ever agreeing to Russetkit's request for adventure that while ago, if he had only made him stay! Sootpaw kept his gaze on the river, expecting to see Russetkit's head bobbing up, gasping for air, but nothing came. Volepaw was barely breathing, looking to Mossfur, Brackenlegs, and Swiftfoot every few heartbeats, she was just as concerned as Sootpaw, but Sootpaw showed it less. Brackenlegs paused when they reached Twoleg Bridge, "I smell that there were Twolegs recently on the other side of the river …Russetkit's scent too. They probably took Russetkit away to become a kittypet, he won't agree to that."

Relief flooded over Sootpaw; at least his brother was alive.

Chapter Four

Nightpaw followed the white she-cat through the long grass to the medicine cats' den. She was going to be a medicine cat someday! But, sadly her first day as an apprentice had been ruined by the disappearance of her brother Russetkit.

"I know at least one cat is going to come here after their search, complaining of a thorn in their pad or a cut on their leg, be ready Nightpaw," Featherpelt told her. Nightpaw nodded and the medicine cat said, "We might need some cobwebs if someone's bleeding, marigold or horsetail will be good to fight off infections…"

Featherpelt went on about several herbs they might need to use when the other cats came back. Nightpaw looked at the large supply of herbs, and realized though it looked very full, it was slowly dwindling. They only had several Chervil stalks and only a pawful juniper berries. She barely knew how she could remember these things, maybe deep inside she wanted to be a medicine cat when she was younger and paid closer attention to herbs talks.

"I think you should give some thyme and poppy seeds to Specklefur, she's had quite a few shocks after another, and that's what thyme's good for, calming cats, and poppy seed should help her rest. Tell her that she should go to sleep and not worry about Russetkit," Featherpelt explained, setting the herbs wrapped in a leaf at Nightpaw's feet. Nightpaw picked up the herbs in her jaws and nodded, the awful taste flooding into her mouth. She padded back out of the medicine cat clearing and into the main camp. Shadespot and Raintail, both elders, were sitting side by side while Specklefur paced awkwardly around the camp. No-tail was trying hard to sleep and Rocktooth, Nightfur, Brightpelt and Blacktail remained to guard the camp. Everyone else was searching for her lost brother or hunting.

Nightpaw raced up to her mother and dropped the herbs for her, "Featherpelt says you should have these, to help calm you. She said you should rest afterwards. Don't worry about Russetkit, he'll turn up."

Specklefur looked doubtful for a heartbeat, like she thought the herbs would do no use, but licked up the poppy seeds and ate the thyme accordingly. She then rubbed her muzzle against Nightpaw's head, "At least, no matter what, I'll still have you three left. Thank StarClan for that."

The tortoiseshell padded to the warriors' den and disappeared inside. Nightpaw suddenly realized that No-tail was standing next to her, he rasped, "I can't sleep, with all this noise and anxiety here, could you ask Featherpelt for something to help me sleep?"

Nightpaw saw that there were a few poppy seeds left. She was silent for a second, and then meowed, "The poppy seeds down there should help. Just lick them up, No-tail, and you should be able to get to sleep easier."

The tom looked at Nightpaw with his green eyes, like he was unsure how she knew that, but licked up the poppy seeds. He nodded and padded back to the elders' den and curled up again. Nightpaw searched the clearing briefly for any cats in need, and then padded back to Featherpelt.

"I gave the thyme and poppy seeds to Specklefur. There was a few left over, so I let No-tail have them, because he wanted to sleep, is that okay, Featherpelt?" Nightpaw explained when she got to the medicine cat. Featherpelt looked thoughtful and said, "Yes, that's fine, exactly what I would have done."

Nightpaw looked at the supply of herbs and knew she was probably going to get asked to go collect some of them. Featherpelt answered her thoughts, "Go and fetch Brightpelt, she knows where some herbs are. I'd like you to find some Chervil and Juniper, and any other herb you can find."

Nightpaw nodded and padded off again into the clearing. She found the light ginger she-cat sharing tongues with Blacktail. She stood up immediately and stretched meowing, "You want me to help you collect herbs?"

Nightpaw nodded. Brightpelt mewed a farewell to Blacktail and the two she-cats padded off to the exit. At the entrance she found a patrol coming back, of Stormclaw, Spottedstar, Icepaw and his mentor, Grayfire. They all had fresh-kill clamped in their jaws. Spottedstar spoke, his voice muffled by the thrush and mouse he was holding, "We can't find him. His scent goes to the river but we can't find it after that. Brackenlegs should pick up something though."

Nightpaw's heart plummeted. What if he fell in and drowned? She shivered at the thought of it. Brightpelt touched her tail sympathetically. Nightpaw couldn't help but notice how Icepaw looked at Brightpelt and found a small sense of amusement. Icepaw was in love with her. She had been made a warrior only a few moons ago, and Icepaw would become a warrior any day now, along with his sister, Willowpaw.

They continued into the forest quickly. Nightpaw paid close attention to sounds and sights, this was one of her first times she was actually allowed out into the forest. She heard the scuffling of something, a mouse or vole and birds chirping high in trees. Brightpelt went into the hunter's crouch and Nightpaw pressed herself to the ground to keep out of sight from the prey. There was a plump wood pigeon poking for seeds around some tree roots, Brightpelt kept downwind and crept up to it and pounced, swiftly killing it, only a small part of its alarm call was heard. Nightpaw looked at Brightpelt, "Good catch!"

The two she-cats shared the wood pigeon and then continued off again. Brightpelt led Nightpaw straight to a small pond, with marshy grounds around it. Nightpaw wasn't sure what, but she was sure some herbs grew in marshy ground. Brightpelt led her to some herbs, Brightpelt mewed to Nightpaw, "This is Watermint. We call this place Bottomless Pond; we've lost one or two reckless apprentices here including my only brother, Patchpaw," She looked sad for a heartbeat, but continued normally, "No matter how bad a drought we would have this pond never goes dry."

Nightpaw took some Watermint in her mouth. Brightpelt led her to some juniper next, where she found the berries there; Brightpelt grabbed some of them. The ginger she-cat then trekked to the river, where some chervil grew. They bit some stalks off, being careful to get the roots too, and began to head back, Nightpaw thought she smelt Russetkit's scent somewhat through the herbs. He'd been near the river. The she-cats padded endlessly through the trees, and eventually neared the camp.

"Hi." It was the other search patrol. Volepaw, Sootpaw, Swiftfoot, Mossfur and Brackenlegs, some holding fresh-kill. Volepaw looked like she always did, scared half to death, but she had a little bit of pride in her scared eyes, considering her first kill, a thrush she had clamped in her jaws and Sootpaw looked somewhat relieved, a starling lying on the ground in front of him. Sootpaw mewed to his sister, "Brackenlegs found out Russetkit fell in the river and got took by Twolegs. Thank StarClan he's still alive!"

Nightpaw's eyes light up. Her adventurous brother was gone, yes, but alive! He'd be back; Russetkit would never let the Twolegs keep him shut up, in a small Twoleg den with their weird Twoleg junk and forcing him to eat kittypet food. Nightpaw couldn't imagine how Russetkit would be a kittypet.

The two she-cats joined the patrol and went back into camp. Nightpaw and Brightpelt went straight to Featherpelt, and gave her the herbs, the Brightpelt left afterwards, to get to her warrior duties. Featherpelt examined the herbs and mewed, "All are fine, and I think they're all going to be just great. Put them with the others, Nightpaw."

Nightpaw nodded and picked up the chervil and put it with the other stalks and sorted the other herbs as well. Sunhigh had long past, and twilight was upon the camp. The fresh-kill pile still had several pieces of prey on it, and suddenly Nightpaw realized how hungry she was, her belly grumbled loudly, Featherpelt purred, "You're free for now, Nightpaw. Good work today, I'll show you some good herb places tomorrow."

Nightpaw nodded gratefully and padded towards the fresh-kill pile. Nightfur was sharing tongues with his former apprentice; Swiftfoot and Mossfur came through the entrance with Brackenlegs and Rocktooth, the evening patrol. Nightpaw spotted Volepaw and Willowpaw sharing a starling by the apprentice den, quickly picked a blackbird and padded to them. Willowpaw looked up and her when she came, "Hi, Nightpaw."

"Hi." Nightpaw mewed and settled next to them. Willowpaw swallowed and spoke, "I caught two thrushes and vole today," She stretched and went on, "Redpelt told me he might speak to Spottedstar about my warrior ceremony soon," she tried to hide the way her eyes glimmered with happiness and spoke again, "Icepaw said Grayfire praised him the same way. I hope we can become warriors together. How was your first day as an apprentice Nightpaw?"

Nightpaw knew that the two cats were getting to the age of warriors; they'd been training since before Specklefur's litter was born. Nightpaw responded, "It was okay, leaving out Russetkit. Featherpelt had to stay in camp, so Brightpelt told me some good places to gather herbs. And Featherpelt told me some uses for herbs."

"Sounds okay for a first day. Redpelt promised an assessment tomorrow for Icepaw and me then he'd tell Spottedstar how well we're doing. I can't help but be excited!" Willowpaw said. Nightpaw looked at her and saw how she could be a good warrior. She was strong, and Nightpaw had heard she was a quite the good hunter. Icepaw was a great fighter, and beat Grayfire in a training session in, or so they say, a few heartbeats.

"I'm sure you'll do fine, Willowpaw. I don't want to be warrior…" It was Volepaw who said this, finishing her share of the starling and sitting up. She started grooming a matted clump of chest fur as she continued, "I want to be a queen. But fighting would be useful, I suppose."

"Do you have anyone in mind?" Nightpaw teased her sister. Willowpaw purred as Volepaw continued licking herself more briskly, and replied, "Why would you need to know?"

"I'm your sister, I have a right to know these things. Volepaw I'm just joking!" Nightpaw added after Volepaw gave her a disgruntled look and turned away. Nightpaw always knew Volepaw was scared to fight, hurting other cats over silly things and getting hurt badly. She did, though, have the compassion of a mother and would protect her kits at any cost even if it meant fighting. Volepaw meowed in an annoyed voice, "I'm going to get to sleep. Good-night."

The light brown she-cat padded into the apprentice den with her tail held high. Willowpaw looked down at Nightpaw, who was finishing her blackbird, "You should know that she easily offended, you've known her your whole life."

"I know. But I was just teasing…and Russetkit used to do that all the time." Nightpaw mewed in thought. Maybe it just reminded Volepaw of her lost brother, whom she'd probably never see again. Nightpaw sighed and stood up, stretched and said to Willowpaw, "I'll get to sleep too."

"I've got an assessment tomorrow, I need my sleep." Willowpaw responded to Nightpaw, and the two she-cats padded in together. Sootpaw was stretched out near Volepaw, who was curled into a tight ball. Icepaw was at the back of the den, curled up, his breathing slow.

Nightpaw curled near Sootpaw and Willowpaw was somewhere in the middle between them, next to Volepaw and Icepaw. Nightpaw sighed and heard Sootpaw murmur to her before she drifted off into slumber, "Don't worry Nightpaw."

Chapter Five

Sootpaw awoke the next morning and forgot everything, but it came rushing back in nothing more than a heartbeat. Willowpaw was gone, so was Nightpaw. He had been awake long enough last night to here Nightpaw teasing Volepaw, who was still curled up next to him. Icepaw was stretched in an awkward position, but still sound asleep.

Sootpaw jumped up, and Volepaw began to stir. She stretched and padded out wordlessly. Sootpaw went out into the dim leaf fall sun before he stretched. It was a while after sunrise and frost glittered on the dry leaves littering the ground. The dawn patrol of Nightfur, Blacktail and Brightpelt had just came back, with some fresh-kill for the Clan. Sootpaw passed Willowpaw, who was near the Cave Mouth speaking with her mentor, Redpelt, and went towards the warriors' den, where Swiftfoot had just came out of. The brown warrior nodded at him, "I know you want to patrol the territory, and we will. I think we'll get in a quick hunting lesson too."

Sootpaw nodded enthusiastically. Even though Russetkit wasn't here to patrol with him, it still couldn't ruin his spirit. Sootpaw asked, "Is Volepaw coming too?"

"I'll check with Mossfur and see if she's going to come too, meaning Volepaw will as well," Swiftfoot said, and padded back into the warriors' den. Sootpaw took this small free time to survey the camp. Nightpaw and Featherpelt were leaving the camp, to collect herbs or do medicine cat stuff. Snowflower had come out of the nursery and was eating a mouse, Whitekit, Frostkit and Gingerkit scuffling in play near her. Dawntail was poking out of the nursery, sharing a vole with Blackkit who was next to her. All the kits were close in age; soon Whitekit and his sister would be apprentices, then Gingerkit and Blackkit only a moon or so after. Even after the two older apprentices became warriors, the Clan would still have many apprentices.

Icepaw's bracken colored tail was straight up as Redpelt and Grayfire followed their apprentices out of camp, probably for the assessment he had heard Willowpaw talk about the night before. No-tail and Shadespot were sharing tongues and Raintail was still sleeping lazily in the Elder's den. The camp seemed so peaceful, yet everything could change in a heartbeat…

"Sootpaw!" The voice made him jump. Swiftfoot was now heading towards the apprentice den with Mossfur. He had amusement glinting in his eyes, though his words were stern, "Are you coming or are you going to stand there like a dumbstruck badger?"

"I'm coming!" Sootpaw meowed and raced over to them to collect Volepaw, who was grooming herself near the apprentices' den. She jumped up and followed after a quick word with Mossfur. They were finally going to explore the territory!

As soon as they left camp Sootpaw was filled with lots of scents, from prey, herbs, trees, frost…basically everything forest based. The dim blue sky was visible through the nearly bare branches above them, black against the sky. Swiftfoot went into the hunter's crouch. Sootpaw tried to copy it as Swiftfoot crept forward, intent on the vole scuffling around a maple tree's roots. Swiftfoot leaped forward and the creature hardly had any time to squeak before the tom soundlessly killed it. Sootpaw tried to copy Swiftfoot's pounce, and his mentor looked impressed, "Pretty good crouch you have there, but your landing was a bit off, you easily could have let a blackbird or mouse get away I'll let you try next time."

Mossfur had just caught a mouse nearby, and told Volepaw much the same thing. Volepaw had already caught something, the day before she miraculously caught a thrush, which was sitting there like a dumbstruck mouse and didn't move even when she jumped on it. It must have been an old bird. Sootpaw hadn't caught anything, but Swiftfoot let him carry a starling.

They quickly shared the fresh-kill then headed over to a pond. It had lovely crystal clear water. Mossfur explained, "This is Bottomless Pond. We've lost some cats here before, reckless apprentices and one kit. No matter how bad the drought, this pond never goes dry. Feel free to take a drink."

The mentors crouched down and lapped up some water. Sootpaw examined the pond. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't see the bottom. Volepaw stood nearby, frozen as she gazed into the icy water, like she was afraid a body would pop out of the water. Sootpaw tasted the air; through all the scents he couldn't smell crowfood or any terrible smells. So he took a drink of it, it tasted just normal. Volepaw did after she saw her brother do it, and was satisfied with it.

Swiftfoot and Mossfur started to pad away and motioned with their tails for the other cats to come to. Sootpaw followed with Volepaw behind him. The walked through the forest for a while, and ended up in a clearing near the river. The dry tang of blood told Sootpaw this is where the hawk had injured Russetkit. A shiver passed through the two apprentices. Swiftfoot spoke, "This is where we'll train your fighting moves. It's called the Training Clearing."

The apprentices nodded, and followed their mentor's to the River, where the stepping-stones were and suddenly, in the middle of Mossfur quick explanation of them Volepaw gasped, "Look over there!"

Her tail and gaze was pointing to the sky low in OakClan territory. Sootpaw looked and gasped too, it was the tallest oak he had ever seen, towering over the other trees, making them seem so small and powerless like prey. Mossfur let out an mrrow of laughter and told them, "That's the Tall Oak, and this," Her tail flicked to behind her, "Is the Tallrock. It's where we meet with the other two Clans every full moon. There's one coming up in around a half-moon. Maybe you two could come."

They looked to the Tallrock; it was a really big highrock, with cracks on the back that a cat could easily climb up on. The top was fairly flat, and enough room for at least three cats. Sootpaw imagined being there at night, Silverpelt reflected on the river and in everyone's eyes. Many cats, their scents all jumbled up, speaking to each other and meeting old friends. The three leaders Spottedstar of LeafClan, Thornstar of OakClan and Birdstar of RockClan, they'd all be standing atop the Tallrock and giving the cats news about their Clans.

The cats continued upstream, Sootpaw stopped suddenly as vole hit the roof of his mouth; He crouched and crept up on the creature like Swiftfoot had told him. The vole was oblivious to the cats, searching for food near the edge of the forest. Keeping downwind, Sootpaw crept near enough to the vole, and pounced on it, getting only its tail, and the creature squeaked and attempted to run, but Sootpaw bit its neck and it went limp. Swiftfoot meowed to him, "At least you caught it, you should practice your aim a bit, though."

Volepaw and Mossfur were watching as Swiftfoot told Sootpaw how to bury the prey. He said they'd get it on the way back. They continued upstream and soon came to a Twoleg nest. Sootpaw was wary; though Swiftfoot had told them it was safe to go near, Sootpaw was still uneasy. Mossfur said, "Twolegs haven't lived here for seasons, it's a good herb supply though, there is catmint and lots of things only Twolegs have. Shadespot said there was a old female Twoleg here, with lots annoying kittypets."

Sootpaw imagined an area with a Clan full of kittypets as they went back downstream and reached the Thunderpath. Sunhigh had just passed Sootpaw was getting tired. Across the Thunderpath, Sootpaw spotted a majestic tree, even with no leaves, it look beautiful, Swiftfoot saw him looking at it and said, "That's Moontree, where medicine cats and leaders go to communicate with StarClan. You'll go there some time with Spottedstar, all apprentices do."

They traveled alongside the Thunderpath, and then came to a stop; across the Thunderpath was a large, grassless plain, with rocks everywhere, very little trees. RockClan territory, and Mossfur gave them a quick explanation and they continued through the forest.

Eventually they came back to the River and collected the vole, and then went back to camp. It was twilight now, and as they neared camp they heard Spottedstar's summons, "All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Cave Mouth for a Clan meeting!"

They went into camp, Sootpaw dropped the vole on the fresh-kill pile and they separated into the cats that were there already. Sootpaw found a spot to sit near Nightpaw and Rocktooth. At the front of them, were Willowpaw and Icepaw, Redpelt and Grayfire sitting near them. Spottedstar was in front of them.

"It is time that these two apprentices of LeafClan became warriors. Willowpaw," Spottedstar looked at Willowpaw, "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Willowpaw meowed clearly. Spottedstar meowed again, "Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Willowpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Willowtail. StarClan honors your loyalty and your hunting skills."

Spottedstar rested his muzzle on Willowtail's head and she gave him a respectful lick on his shoulder. Spottedstar raised his head and stepped to Icepaw, "Icepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of you life?"

Icepaw nodded, "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Icepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Iceclaw. StarClan honors your bravery and courage in battle." Spottedstar said and rested his muzzle on Iceclaw's head, the white tom gave his leader a respectful lick. Spottedstar stepped back and meowed, "We welcome you both as full warriors of LeafClan. Tonight you will do your vigil together."

"Willowtail! Iceclaw! Willowtail! Iceclaw!" The cats began to shout. Sootpaw did too, and felt like he was an important part of the Clan. Two new warriors had raised his spirits, and he felt like nothing could kill his mood that night.

Chapter Six

The young russet colored tom stared out the window and at the full moon low in the sky. Now there would be a gathering going on at the forest, and he longed to go to it. It had been a half-moon since he had donned the name Fang, and losing his kit name. Fang sighed, and touched the hard surface that sealed him from getting outside, to the rest of the world.

Fang had been named the heartbeat he had arrived at the Twoleg nest, after he had bit the male Twoleg with all of his might. There were five Twolegs who lived in the nest, a Twoleg, his mate and their three kits. After he assumed that was what his new name was, he lived with it.

It wasn't so bad being a kittypet, he sometimes thought. Unlike other kittypets, he didn't eat dry, bad tasting, tough kittypet food. He ate Twoleg food; it was some sort of bird, cooked with fire. It tasted wonderful. And he drank this great tasting white liquid that reminded him of kithood along with the slimy Twoleg water. The liquid was milk.

But he missed what could have happened. He could have been an apprentice, if he hadn't run into that stupid, crow-food eating hawk! Fang sighed again and jumped from the hard, wooden ledge and onto the hard wooden floor of the Twoleg nest. This was one of the rooms the Twolegs used most. Now only the oldest Twoleg kit and the two Twoleg parents were seated on an odd soft Twoleg thing, speaking and yowling loudly to each other. It was amazing that the younger Twoleg kits could sleep with the noise. Fang was hungry, so he found the container with his food in it. It was through a large hole in the wall, Twolegs called it a doorway and into another room. It smelled strongly of Twoleg food and the Twolegs gathered there to eat. Near the side of the wall, three bowls were placed there. One had the white liquid; another water and the other had the cooked bird. He picked up a piece of the bird in his mouth and chewed then swallowed. He ate three other pieces then lapped up some of the white liquid.

Fang saw the older Twoleg kit walk in; he ran his hand across Fang and went into the next room. Fang heard the open of a door and the yapping of the tiny Twoleg dog and jumped on a hard wooden surface, raised above the floor, where the Twolegs ate their food.

The dog yapped at him, and he hissed, and stared at the dog. How he just wanted to leap at it and claw its face off! The dog barked once more at Fang then went into the other room when the older Twoleg kit yowled at it. Somehow, the Twolegs had trained the dog not to eat his bird. Fang jumped back off and padded into another room, the one the Twoleg kit was just in. He was gone now. It was always colder there, and a door was blocking the next room, always. Now though it wasn't sealed completely and there was a crack in the side. Fang could get into the next room! He ran forward, and then snagged his claw on the stupid Twoleg pelt on the floor. Hissing, he got it out and padded more carefully to the door. He peered out of the doorway; there was grass and trees out there! Fang bolted out and yowled happily. Finally out of the Twoleg nest! It was cold but he took no notice, as he jumped over the Twolegs' fence.

Fang slowed his pace as he continued; now along something similar to a Thunderpath, only narrower, a monster couldn't possibly go on it. Fang flinched as monster flew close to him. The narrow path was on the side of the Thunderpath. He padded up it, looking at the Twoleg nests and taking in the smells of Twolegplace. He crossed the Thunderpath and went into a narrower path between two Twoleg nests. He was shielded from wind here, but the ground was rough and filled with pointed stones. He started to investigate a soggy, cube thing that he could possible sleep in, when he smelled cat, fresh and close. Suddenly, a black thing hit Fang's back. Some other cat was attacking him, Fang quickly rolled out of its way, and jumped on its back, claws digging into the other cat's pelt, Fang attempted to sink his teeth into the other cat's neck, and bit it hard. The black cat yowled and ran away. Weak Fang thought.

Another cat padded out from behind a large, crow-food reeking thing. Wait; there were two, one tom and one she-cat, both the same shade of light brown, obviously kin. The tom spoke, "That kittypet, Rex, was weak, and we can tell you are strong."

"We can tell you could shape into a fine fighter also," The she-cat meowed afterwards. The tom spoke again, "I am Cal."

"And I am Cali." The she-cat mewed, they sat down at the exact same moment and then she said, "We are rouges, and we can tell you are a forest cat, or were. We were born kittypets, and we will die rouges. We can teach you to hunt, we can teach you to fight, even with your injury."

"We can teach you all that we know," Cal meowed. Fang looked at them, searching for a hint that they might attack him. Nothing seemed hostile about them. They had large muscles and numerous battle scars, Cali went on, "We would like you on our side. Will you join us?"

"Yes. I am called Fang," Fang meowed and padded up to them. He noticed one of the only differences between them, their eyes. Cal's were a strong yellow, like Fang's brother, Sootpaw's, and Cali's were leaf green. The two brown cats nodded in unison, and padded away, Cali meowed, "Come, Fang."

Fang ran after them, stones pricking his pads. Soon the cats reach a stretch of grass, large, and it had stale Twoleg scents on it. Cal spoke, "Twolegs come here in new leaf and green leaf, but there are none now. This is where we train, where we fight…there are mice and voles that live here."

Fang had already picked up the scent of mouse, and padded over to it. He crouched and sprang when he saw it, killing it swiftly, he meowed, "Easy prey here."

"You already know how to hunt?" Cali asked, somewhat surprised. Fang nodded, "I taught myself when I was a kit, though I've only killed one other piece of prey before."

"Good that's less work," Cal mewed and, without warning sprang on Fang, knocking the wind out of him. Cal pinned Fang down and bit his neck lightly, and Fang batted the rouge's soft belly with his hind paws. The rouge sprang away long enough for Fang to get up and charge towards him. Fang sprang up to get on Cal's back but the rouge moved swiftly to the side and then jumped on Fang again, whispering to him, "You must learn, Fang, and we will teach you."

Cal released Fang and he scrambled up. The rouges started to hunt, so Fang ate his recently killed mouse. When Cal and Cali came back, they had ate already and the left and Fang followed. They traveled through Twolegplace, and it was moonhigh now. Cali and Cal went towards another narrow path between houses and behind one of those things the reeked of crow-food, it was staler than the others though. Cali spoke, "We have slept here before, and we will sleep here tonight. Rest, young Fang, for you must learn more tomorrow."

Fang nodded and curled up close to the other cats to share their body heat. Soon, sleep crashed onto him, and he was lost in dreams.

Chapter Seven

Sootpaw jerked awake next to Nightpaw. Last night had been the first gathering since he became an apprentice and since Iceclaw and Willowtail became warriors. Sootpaw and Volepaw weren't chose to go, but Nightpaw was, and she had told them all about it.

There was nothing exciting that had happened, but Nightpaw met some apprentices, RockClan's medicine cat, Stormpelt, had chose an apprentice around the same time as Featherpelt had, her name was Maplepaw. She had also seen a fox-red apprentice she-cat named Vixenpaw, she smelled of OakClan. Nightpaw said that she hadn't let a single thing about the Clan slip, except she told Maplepaw about Willowtail and Iceclaw.

Sootpaw was coming on to be a good warrior apprentice. He would do what the other warriors told him to do, even if it was something he didn't like. He could hunt well, and his fighting was fine.

Sootpaw couldn't help but wonder when his friends Whitekit and Frostkit's apprentice ceremony would be. They'd reach their sixth moon any day now, and LeafClan was running short on apprentices.

Sootpaw stood up and padded out of the apprentices' den. There was thick frost on everything, glimmering in the pale dawn light. Leaf bare would come any day now, prey was getting scarcer and hard to find. Volepaw was outside the den, grooming her chest fur, meowing a greeting to Sootpaw. Sootpaw replied with a simple, "Hi."

"Sootpaw," The gray tom looked up to see his mentor beckoning him. Nightpaw had just come out of the den and Sootpaw nodded to her before padded towards Swiftfoot. The brown tom meowed as he came near, "You're coming hunting with me and Specklefur, she needs to stretch her legs, she has barely been out since Russetkit went missing. Then you'll go give some prey to the elders, understand?" Sootpaw nodded, "Good, now let's go."

Swiftfoot padded to entrance of the camp, where Specklefur was standing, watching them come towards her. Specklefur meowed a greeting and they tramped lightly into the forest. Soon they came across a mouse, nibbling some seeds it had found under an oak tree, and Specklefur managed to get it. Burying the prey, they continued into the forest, hunting numerous places. After Swiftfoot caught a mouse-brained vole that couldn't sense a cat if he was standing in front of it, Specklefur murmured to Sootpaw, "That reminded me…I'm scared for Volepaw…she might not be strong enough to make it through leaf bare…and I-I don't want to lose another kit."

Sootpaw shivered at the thought of losing another one of his littermates. He couldn't imagine living without Volepaw, and her recommendations not to do so many things. But Volepaw was weak, and even Whitecough could easily take her away to StarClan. Sootpaw gulped and replied, "I'm sure Volepaw will make it. She can't leave us."

Specklefur nodded and the cats went back to collect their fresh-kill. It was sunhigh by the time they got back to camp, and Sootpaw picked a thrush and a mouse from the fresh kill pile to give to Raintail and the other elders. Padded to the hollow tree, he saw Shadespot and No-tail sharing tongues while Raintail watched Blackkit and Gingerkit play fight across the clearing, his whiskers twitching in amusement. Sootpaw dropped the fresh-kill and mewed, "I brought you some fresh-kill."

"It's about time!" No-tail growled, and poked Raintail with his paw, speaking loudly to the half deaf gray tom, "That new apprentice, Sootpaw, brought us food, get up."

Raintail stared blankly at No-tail for a heartbeat then stood up and padded to the fresh-kill, picking up the mouse, then going back to his previous spot and began to eat the mouse. No-tail shrugged and began to share the thrush with Shadespot.

Sootpaw padded away to let the elders eat and went back to the fresh-kill pile to eat. He picked a vole and went over to a sunny spot near the apprentices' den to eat. Nightpaw joined him soon after, she mewed a greeting, "Hi, Sootpaw. How was your hunting?"

"Oh…it was fine. I caught a mouse, but a let a vole get away. You learn anything new today?" Sootpaw replied, through a mouth of half-chewed vole. Nightpaw nodded, swallowing a piece of her mouse, "Yeah, Featherpelt told me about the numerous reasons for using willow, when Raintail came in with an really bad itch."

"That's good. You'll be going to the Moontree in a half-moon, right?" Sootpaw asked, swallowing a bite of his vole. Nightpaw nodded fiercely, her eyes glimmering happily, "Yes, I can't wait to see StarClan! It'll be so amazing!"

Sootpaw felt happy to see his sister so excited. He swallowed the last bit of his vole, and stood up, stretching. The camp was busy, Iceclaw, Brightpelt and Rocktooth had just returned from a hunting patrol, and the fresh-kill pile was an okay size, enough for every cat to eat some prey. Snowflower was sharing tongues with Specklefur, Whitekit and Frostkit running excitedly around, and suddenly, Whitekit pelted towards Sootpaw yowling, "Sootpaw Nightpaw!! I'm going to become an apprentice tonight!!"

"It's about time!" Sootpaw purred, flicking his old denmate on the ear with his tail. Nightpaw stood up, her mouse finished, and meowed, "I'm sure you'll love being an apprentice."

"I know I will! Hunting will be so much fun, and fighting against OakClan! I wish Russetkit was here," Whitekit meowed happily, and then looked at the ground, "I hope he's happy wherever he is."

"We all do," Nightpaw meowed. It seemed to go quick afterwards, even if Sootpaw had to change the elders' bedding and check them for ticks. Soon Spottedstar called the Clan beneath the Cave Mouth, with Snowflower, Whitekit, Frostkit, Rocktooth and Brackenlegs.

"Welcome, we have come to the time when Whitekit and Frostkit age to six moons," Spottedstar began, looking to trembling Frostkit first, "Frostkit, you will now be known as Frostpaw, your warrior mentor will be Rocktooth, who is ready to mentor another cat."

Frostkit padded to Rocktooth and touched noses with him, and then sat next to him quietly as Spottedstar continued the ceremony, "Whitekit, you will now be known as Whitepaw, and your mentor will be Brackenlegs," he looked at Brackenlegs, "Teach Whitepaw the warrior code well."

Brackenlegs dipped his head and touched noses with his eager apprentice. Immediately, Volepaw beginning it, the cats starting calling, "Whitepaw! Frostpaw! Whitepaw! Frostpaw!"

The three apprentices crowded around them, congratulating them, Volepaw there first, rubbing her cheek against Whitepaw's muzzle and whispering something to him, then bounded to Frostpaw, meowing happily to her old friend. Sootpaw purred as he realized whom the cat Volepaw liked was Whitepaw and went to congratulate him becoming an apprentice.

Chapter Eight

"Nightpaw!" The black she-cat awoke to the next morning. She looked blankly around at her denmates, Whitepaw and Volepaw curled up near each other, Frostpaw on the brown cat's other side, and Nightpaw was somewhere behind them. Outside a thick layer of frost lay on the grass. At the entrance to the apprentices' den, Featherpelt stood, her eyes panicked as she meowed, "Specklefur has Whitecough!"

Nightpaw shot up at the name of her mother, disturbing Frostpaw and Volepaw, then she ran out of the den and to the medicine cat den, where the tortoiseshell was curled up, coughing. She weakly lifted her head to gaze at Nightpaw and murmured, "Hello Nightpaw…" she coughed weakly and continued, "You've come to help, haven't you?"

"Of course! I couldn't leave you here!" Nightpaw meowed, turning around she looked to Featherpelt, and meowed again "I'll go get Catmint!"

"That would be best. Go to the old Twoleg nest, hopefully the frost didn't kill it. All of ours was brown this morning. Specklefur came to me, saying that her throat hurt, and she kept coughing. I found out she had a bad case of Whitecough then went to you. It could turn to Greencough soon. Take Brightpelt with you." Featherpelt explained quickly then beckoned Nightpaw out with her tail. Nightpaw padded out, and went to the warriors' den. There were still a few cats in there, including Brightpelt, who was curled up near Iceclaw. Nightpaw called anxiously, "Brightpelt! Featherpelt wants you to go with me to the old Twoleg nest."

The ginger she-cat hopped up, careful not to disturb Iceclaw, and stretched, then left the warriors den, and asked, "Why exactly are we going there?"

"Specklefur has a bad case of Whitecough, and our Catmint storage is low. It could spread quickly." Nightpaw explained swiftly and padded to the camp entrance, with Brightpelt at her heels. They went through the forest quickly, meeting a hunting patrol of Swiftfoot, Nightfur and Sootpaw on the way. They told them of the Whitecough and then continued, making it to the Twoleg nest. Nightpaw scrambled over the crumbling stone fence and searched for the fragrant plant. She found some growing close to the wall. She had to search for some that wasn't half dead, but she finally found several small leaves. Not much but it would have to do. She called Brightpelt and together, they collected a little more. Then they went back to camp.

"We found some!" Nightpaw called to Featherpelt as they headed into the Medicine cats den area. Blacktail was now sprawled out in there, sick smell radiating off of him. Volepaw was also there, staring in terror at her sleeping mother, Whitepaw at her other side, murmuring words of comfort to her. She didn't look as bad as she used to, with Whitepaw by her side now. Featherpelt came out and mewed, "Good, Blacktail came in just a while ago complaining that he felt sick. It turns out he was sharing tongues with Specklefur last night. She's gotten worse," She glanced at her sleeping patient, the tortoiseshell's breathing was rasping and quick, "I'm almost sure it's Greencough."

Nightpaw stiffen. She didn't want to lose her mother to a cruel disease, she was only apprenticed a moon or so ago. Sometimes she still felt just out of the nursery. Featherpelt, took some of the herbs from her, and began feeding them to Blacktail. Brightpelt touched her tail tip to Nightpaw's shoulder and then left to her warrior duties. Nightpaw asked, "Should I wake Specklefur?"

"Go ahead, and feed her a few leaves of catmint. Don't forget to chew it first," Featherpelt meowed in reply, getting Blacktail to eat the leaf she had. Nightpaw meowed softly to Specklefur, "Wake up, Specklefur. We have Catmint, eat it then you can go back to sleep."

Specklefur blinked her eyes open and moaned. She looked at Nightpaw, then at the pulp of the catmint. She looked longingly at her daughter for a second, then licked up the pulp and swallowed. Nightpaw felt relief wash over her as Specklefur rasped a sigh and laid her head back down in the mossy nest. Featherpelt moved away from Blacktail and spoke, "Take the catmint in the den. Find a hollow for it."

Nightpaw picked up the catmint, the scent filling her mouth, and padded into the den. There were still quite a few herbs, each filling different kinks in the wall. Nightpaw found an empty one and put the leaves in there. She went back out, Volepaw and Whitepaw were gone. Featherpelt was sniffing Specklefur. It would be a long day.

Chapter Nine

Sootpaw padded alongside Whitepaw and Volepaw as the three apprentices came back from the training clearing, their mentors in front, talking about when Sootpaw and Volepaw's first assessment should be. It had been a half-moon and little more than and mouse-length of snow littered the ground. Nightpaw had shared tongues with StarClan, and had came back from Moontree starry eyed. The cold substance soothed Sootpaw's sore pads from training the whole morning. It must have been at least sunhigh, though the sun was not visible, due to the dark clouds that promised more snow. Brackenlegs meowed as they neared the camp, "You must give prey to the elders, then you may eat and rest, then get back to your apprentice duties."

Whitepaw and Sootpaw's bellies rumpled in unison at the word eat, the toms purred in amusement. They hadn't eaten all morning, and they were tired more easily. Volepaw was smart, and managed to share a vole with Frostpaw before their mentors got up. Specklefur was much better, and Blacktail had returned to the warriors' den. The hunting wasn't that bad, Whitepaw had managed to get a mouse and both Mossfur and Swiftfoot had caught a vole. When they got back to camp, Whitepaw took his mouse to the elders, and Sootpaw picked up a vole from the dwindling fresh-kill pile, then the toms padded to the elders. Raintail was watching the kits play, as he always did. Snowflower hadn't left the nursery, as she was pregnant again for another litter of kits. No-tail was sharing tongues with Shadespot, and meowed when he saw the apprentices, "Finally! Fresh-kill, it feels like a moon since any apprentices brought us fresh-kill!" He glanced at Raintail, "That cat has barely said a word since Wrenheart died last leaf-bare," He looked at the apprentices, who seemed somewhat confused, "She was his mate, you know. She died before you were born."

"He just misses her, No-tail. What would you do without me?" Shadespot replied, taking the vole to share with No-tail. No-tail twitched his ears, and flicked what little tail he had, "I don't know, Shadespot. Wrenheart died of Blackcough," Raintail shivered at the sound of the disease, "She was fragile and also my sister. Being the same age as me is only being a moon younger than Shadespot here," The oldest LeafClan cat twitched her tail, "and that was pretty old," he sighed, "Though we've managed to survive another four seasons."

Whitepaw dropped the mouse in front of Raintail, who nodded slowly at Whitepaw and examined him, then spoke in a rasping voice, it sounded terrible like he hadn't spoken for moons, "You're one of my grandsons, you know. Your father was my beloved Wrenheart's first child."

"Uh…okay," Whitepaw stuttered, surprised that he had made the elder talk. Raintail's whiskers twitched in amusement and he began to devour the mouse. Sootpaw asked them if they need any ticks off, and they didn't so they bid them farewell and left to the fresh-kill pile. Whitepaw meowed as they got there, "I thought for a second there that I'd never get to eat! Let's join Volepaw and Frostpaw over there."

They chose two mice and went to join each their sisters, who were sharing a water vole. Frostpaw mewed a greeting and Volepaw did as well. Sootpaw spoke, "How was your hunting patrol, Frostpaw?"

"Okay, I caught this vole, Brightpelt caught a mouse, and Grayfire got a rabbit. We gave the rabbit to Dawntail and Snowflower; the kits devoured the mouse. It's a good thing Redpelt's patrol did better," Frostpaw meowed through half chewed vole. Whitepaw shrugged, "It's leaf-bare. I caught a dumb mouse, Swiftfoot and Mossfur got two voles, and so that's three more additions to the fresh-kill pile. We gave the mouse and a vole to the elders."

"Oh! I forgot the elders," Volepaw squeaked, "I gave the rabbit to the nursery queens with Frostpaw, and the elders never crossed my mind. They must have been hungry."

"They were. They complained a bit then ate, and told us about Raintail's dead mate. The silent cat even spoke to Whitepaw!" Sootpaw said, swallowing a mouthful of mouse. Whitepaw meowed, "Yeah, he said I was one of his grandson's," He turned to Sootpaw, "Your one too, aren't you?"

"Yeah, but you gave him the mouse," Sootpaw meowed finishing his mouse. He stood up and stretched, then Volepaw meowed suddenly, "Did you know that Redpelt and Spottedstar are brothers?"

"They are?" Sootpaw stated in a surprised manner, Frostpaw nodded, "It's true. I told Volepaw after Grayfire told me on the hunting patrol. He said after their little sister Sandkit died when a fox raided the nursery moons ago, they've been especially close since, so when Spottedstar became leader, his only choice would be Redpelt. Brightpelt said that Spottedstar's warrior name was Spottedfur. He's her uncle, you know."

"Redpelt's her father…I could see some resemblance," Whitepaw shrugged, finishing his mouse, "And Dawntail's her sister. I better go on a hunting patrol or something, shouldn't I?"

"I'll go with you," Sootpaw meowed. He had nothing better to do. Frostpaw stood up, "I'll clean out the elders' bedding, and they seem to be getting cranky about it. Coming, Volepaw?"

"Okay," Volepaw looked longingly at Whitepaw for a heartbeat, he flicked his tail in farewell, and then she padded after Frostpaw. Their relationship was safe with Sootpaw, because Whitepaw, Sootpaw being his only friend that was a tom, had to confide in someone. He loved Volepaw too. It felt a bit strange for someone to love his sister, but at least she could become a queen like she always wanted to when it was time.

Whitepaw stared after Volepaw for a few heartbeats, so did Sootpaw. He was so focused on his sister that he had barely realized Frostpaw had jerked her head back. What was wrong with her? Whitepaw gaze never left Volepaw until she disappeared behind the elders' den, then he turned around and the toms padded to Iceclaw, who was going on a hunting patrol with his sister. Whitepaw spoke first, "Can we go with you?"

"Sure," It was Willowtail who answered. Then Iceclaw nodded and they went out into the leaf-bare snow to hunt. They took their patrol near the Thunderpath. Sootpaw was the first to spot anything. It was a rabbit, white and blending in with the snow. Sootpaw crept up on it, but it took off, and Sootpaw flew after it. He was so intent on his prey, he didn't notice when it streamed onto the Thunderpath, it was the yowl that stopped him, "Stop, look out, apprentice!"

He streaked to a stop and a monster, a mouse length from Sootpaw's muzzle, growling wildly and going all over the Thunderpath trying to avoid the wailing white creature, hit the rabbit. It flew through the air and landed with a thud on the other side, silent now. Sootpaw was glad it wasn't him. Then he realized it was across the Thunderpath was where he heard the yowl. A young ginger she-cat was there with a brown tabby tom and a brown she-cat with a white chest and belly. They were from RockClan.

"Good thing you listened," The brown tabby tom meowed, looking at the rabbit corpse near them. He turned around and the rest of the patrol followed, the apprentice lingering behind, she meowed to Sootpaw, "I'm Redpaw, what's your name?"

"Sootpaw," He felt a little surprised that a cat from another Clan would be asking him his name. Redpaw nodded, "Nice to meet you Sootpaw!"

"Redpaw! Leave the LeafClan cat alone!" The tom growled from behind a highstone where the cats disappeared, Redpaw rolled her eyes, "That's my mentor, Clawstorm. He's just cranky like that." She blinked affectionately at Sootpaw, "See you at the Gathering tomorrow!"

"Redpaw! I'll have you taking ticks off the elders all day tomorrow if you stay there another heartbeat!" Clawstorm yowled, and Redpaw speeded away, glancing once over her shoulder at him. Sootpaw lost a rabbit and almost his life. So why did he feel so oddly tingly inside?

Chapter Ten

Sootpaw sat next to Volepaw, Frostpaw and Whitepaw; he was going to the Gathering! The full moon rose slowly higher as Iceclaw and Brightpelt came to join the patrol that was already assembled. Brightpelt looked especially happy, and announced the reason immediately, "I'm going to have to move to the nursery soon; Featherpelt says I'm pregnant!"

Several meows of congratulation arose above the others, and Redpelt went over to Brightpelt, and touched his tail tip to her shoulder, purring, "That's my second daughter pregnant! I proud of you, Brightpelt."

Brightpelt looked happier still and purred loudly. With Snowflower's next litter of kits, there would be a good many apprentices in green leaf. There were more cats, Spottedstar, Stormclaw, Swiftfoot, Mossfur, Brackenlegs, Featherpelt and, surprisingly, Dawntail, whose kits were about to be apprenticed. Sootpaw thought it felt great to think all his nursery friends would be apprentices with him soon.

Spottedstar looked around, and saw everyone was there, and headed out of camp. They trekked through the woods, meowing quietly to one another until they got to the stepping-stones. They all jumped across easily, though Sootpaw thought Volepaw might fall in the river when she jumped. Dawntail remarked as the last cat, Frostpaw, got to the other side, "It feels so wonderful to get out of camp and stretch my legs again!"

OakClan was there already; a brown and white she-cat went over to Featherpelt immediately after they came near the Tallrock. It must have been the medicine cat. Two cats, a black one and a white one, both toms, sat at the bottom of the Tallrock, Spottedstar and Redpelt went to join them. The black one must have been Thornstar, and the white their deputy. A red she-cat came up to the apprentices, for a second Sootpaw thought it was Redpaw, and his heart began to race, then he realized it wasn't, the red cat meowed, "I'm Vixenpaw, nice to meet you!"

"Frostpaw," the white she cat was the first to respond. The rest of them stated there names and Vixenpaw boasted proudly, "Snowfoot's my father."

"And Snowfoot is…?" Whitepaw meowed questioningly. Vixenpaw sighed, "Do LeafClan apprentices know anything? He's the deputy. My mother is Dawnfire; she's the best hunter in the Clan. She caught eight mice on her first assessment!"

Frostpaw rolled her eyes and said, "My mother's sister died mysteriously! They found her dead near the OakClan border a few moons before we were born!"

Vixenpaw's proud look faded and she stalked away. Whitepaw looked at his sister, "Didn't know you had it in you, Frostpaw."

"I have a habit of bringing up the cat I was named after," Frostpaw meowed. Frostpool, Snowflower and Featherpelt's sister, had died mysteriously near the OakClan border, on the side of the river, with a fierce bite to the throat and some sort of cat scent on it. The reek of LeafClan and blood overwhelmed if it had any Clan smell. They were talking about it even after Sootpaw and his littermates were born. It still caused feuds between the two Clans. A golden apprentice, splotched with black, stalked after Vixenpaw, glaring at the LeafClan apprentices as he went.

"This is a time of peace, not a time to reawaken feuds," Volepaw meowed wisely to Frostpaw. Frostpaw nodded, looking at the ground and then RockClan scent overwhelmed them. Looking to the trees to the north, the RockClan patrol came through. Sootpaw felt happy when he recognized Redpaw's ginger coat in amongst the other cats. She went to the apprentices right after the other cats join in the clearing, "Hi Sootpaw!" She looked around at the other cats, "…and who are you cats?"

They all said their names and Redpaw nodded, "I met Sootpaw the other day when he almost got hit by a monster on the Thunderpath."

"Let the meeting begin!" Spottedstar's yowl rang around the clearing. The cats were instantly silent. The leaders were all atop the Tallrock, gazing down at their Clanmates. Spottedstar nodded at the golden brown she-cat next to him, it must have been Birdstar, the RockClan leader, "All is well with RockClan, the prey is scarcer but alas, it's leaf bare. If you remember, our queen Blueflower had a litter of kits last moon, one of them has died," sad and sympathetic murmurs were heard, Redpaw jerked awkwardly, "and we mourn the loss of Mousekit, she would have been an excellent warrior to our Clan."

Birdstar nodded to Spottedstar to allow him to speak, "The prey is fine, as leaf bare goes, and we have two new apprentices, Whitepaw and Frostpaw, and tomorrow we will have two more, as Gingerkit and Blackkit will reach their sixth moon tomorrow. These four seasons has brought us many apprentices. Brightpelt, one of warriors is now pregnant. There is nothing else to add."

Thornstar began to speak immediately, his thorn sharp teeth gleaming in the moonlight, "Our prey is running fine, and I am pleased to say our apprentice Cedarpaw has became a warrior he is now Cedarfur, and OakClan welcomes him as a full warrior," meows of congratulations rose, all addressed to a brown tom, "We have nothing more to report. The Gathering is over."

The leaders climbed down the Tallrock and joined their Clans to leave; Redpaw murmured farewell and the three separate Clans left the clearing.

When the LeafClan cats got back to the clearing, everything was the same as they left it. Sootpaw suddenly felt exhausted and wanted nothing more than to curl up in his nest and sleep.

Chapter Eleven

"You will now be known as Gingerpaw, and your mentor will be Blacktail," The white tom nodded as Spottedstar looked at him, "teach her well. Blackkit, you will now be known as Blackpaw, your mentor will be Nightfur."

The two young she-cat's touched noses with their mentor and the cats in the clearing began to yowl their new names and congratulations. It was the sunhigh after the Gathering, and Gingerpaw and Blackpaw had become apprentices. The crowd eventually broke up, and the two new apprentices went on a patrol with their mentors. Nightpaw and Featherpelt soon left afterwards, to get more catmint. Sootpaw was bored, so he decided to go hunting on his own.

He padded out of camp and headed to the Thunderpath. There were a good many nut trees there, and it was a good place for mice and squirrels in all seasons. As he got there, fresh squirrel hit the roof of his mouth instantly, along with stale scents of mouse and vole. He crouched instinctively and crept around a leafless bramble and saw the squirrel, for leaf-bare it was quite plump. He crept up on the creature, pounced and it let out an abruptly cut off screech, that was silenced with a quick bite to the neck. Sootpaw buried it in the snow, and then his ears pricked. Across the roaring of the Thunderpath, there was a voice, a cat's voice, strangely familiar…Redpaw. Sootpaw padded around a maple tree and peered across the hard gray Thunderpath. Redpaw was there, speaking with another apprentice, a black tom flecked with gray. The black tom sounded worried, "If Blacknose finds out about this he'll go straight to Birdstar…then what will happen, Redpaw?"

"Duskpaw…I don't know, why did we let Mousekit go out on her own? We…we let her die," Redpaw's voice was thick with sorrow. Sootpaw felt a bit taken a back, the kit they were talking about at the Gathering…it was Redpaw's fault that she died. Duskpaw sighed, "I know, we shouldn't ever let kits go out again. The heartbeat I saw her by the Thunderpath," he shivered, "I thought my heart would pop out from thumping so much. Clawstorm nearly collapsed, his kit was-"

"We know Duskpaw…let's find a rabbit and forget about Mousekit for now," Redpaw gave him a both comforting and affectionate lick. She meowed something quietly to him and he said something too and they padded away. Sootpaw stepped out and watched them disappear, a monster zoomed past him, he flinched and the monster swerved around the Thunderpath and came to a stop. All Sootpaw's instincts told him to run, but he felt like his feet were stuck to the ground. A male Twoleg came out of its belly, then a young female Twoleg kit. They started to run over to Sootpaw and that's when he ran off, but he was too late. The Twolegs were faster than him. He suddenly heard Redpaw's voice, "Run Sootpaw!!"

She was over in the RockClan territory, half hidden by a small highstone with Duskpaw's black tail sticking up over the top of it. Sootpaw ran, but the Twolegs got him. He squirmed and yowled, he even bit them, but they wouldn't let him go. They put him in the monster's belly; another Twoleg was in there, a female one. She yowled something at the male and he shrugged then yowled something back, and woke up the monster.

He gave Sootpaw to the Twoleg kit, and she restrained him from moving. Eventually, Sootpaw gave up struggling; the movement of the monster disturbed his belly, making him want to be sick. It also smelt terrible, like Twolegs, dirt and monsters, all mixed together. After what seemed like moons, the monster stopped. The Twolegs began to get out of the monster, and the kit's grip was loosening. Sootpaw saw his chance; he quickly jumped out of its forepaws and bolted down the Thunderpath that led to the Twoleg Nest. He came across a small Thunderpath like thing, and ran down it, the Twoleg's yowls of dismay behind him, and the steps of one of them close behind. He didn't care that the pointed stones were pricking his pads; he just cared about escaping.

Sootpaw jumped swiftly over a fence and to the other side, where a Twoleg nest towered, and then he jumped over the next one on the other side. The Twoleg had stopped chasing him. After running for a while, Sootpaw had found a Twoleg nest, with a good area for sleeping under a tree. Padding carefully over to it, he curled up near it and attempted to sleep in this scary, unfamiliar place.

"A-are you okay?" A small voice woke Sootpaw. It was dawn, and a small fluffy brown she-kit stood before him, hardly more than two moons old. Behind her, another she-kit stood, but this one was black and white. The brown kit dipped her head and meowed shakily, "I-I'm Bird, and this is my littermate, C-Cloud. Would you like to come meet our mother and housefolks?"

"I'm fine. No I don't want to meet anyone…I'm Sootpaw, do you happen to know the way to the forest?" He asked, and stood up to stretch. Sootpaw knew it was pointless to ask kits. Bird looked confused and shook her head, "Mother might know, Cloud, go get her."

The black she-kit sprinted away around the Twoleg nest, while Bird stared wide-eyed at Sootpaw. She asked, "Where do your housefolks live? I've never seen anyone like you before…except…"

"Except?" Sootpaw echoed, remembering suddenly a russet tom he loved so much. Bird meowed, "Once I saw some tom prowling around her one night with gleaming green eyes. That was a moon ago, and he looked scared."

Definitely Russetkit. His brother was still here, and managed to escape the Twolegs, Sootpaw meowed, "Thank you. I think he's my brother. I live in the forest, in LeafClan, there's three different Clans."

"Clans? You mean…kinda like a big group of cats?" Bird asked confusedly. Sootpaw half shrugged and nodded, because Cloud had came back, a fluffy brown and white she-cat padding after her. She looked at Sootpaw, "You're Sootpaw, aren't you? Cloud told me, I'm Fluffs. Yes, forest cats, I heard about them once, there were a few strays talking about them a while ago."

Strays? Sootpaw wondered. Perhaps they were something like rouges or loners, "What did they look like, what were they saying?"

"There were three brown ones, two light and one tabby, and a russet orange one, his leg looked awful, yet I saw him fight Rex with ease a while ago. Poor Rex…" Fluffs murmured. That was definitely Russetkit. Definitely. Sootpaw immediately ran off, ignoring the cries he heard behind him. He leaped over the fence and saw the Thunderpath before him. It was filled with semi-melted ice and there were monsters running across it wildly.

Sootpaw searched for his brother the whole day, no progress. At moonhigh, he thought he'd get some sleep. Then he realized he hadn't eaten for quite a while, and he went out to hunt. He found an expanse of nothing but snow with grass underneath and bushes and trees everywhere. He smelled mice, squirrel and vole coming from there. He also smelled cat. He found a mouse and easily killed it. He chomped it up in several bites then decided to find somewhere to sleep. Then he felt teeth meet with his shoulder. Then someone to the side bowled him over. He looked up and gasped. The tom pinned him down, and his eyes suddenly filled with realization and he flicked his tail for the other young cat to stop. Then he yowled loudly.

"Sootpaw!"

Chapter Twelve

"Nothing, he has seemed to just disappear by the Thunderpath," It was Swiftfoot again. It had been two sunrises, and Nightpaw was worried that a monster had killed Sootpaw on the Thunderpath. But there would have been a body if that happened. She shivered, and then remembered, with dread, that another cat had fallen ill. Frostpaw. And who spends lots of time with Frostpaw? Volepaw.

Nightpaw had been scared for Volepaw every since leaf fall, Volepaw was always the fragile one; a touch of Whitecough might be able to claim her. And now Sootpaw was missing, and if Volepaw died she'd be left with no one. Featherpelt's voice snapped her awake, "I want you to stay here with Frostpaw, I need to go get some herbs and look for catmint. And Snowflower might need something, be prepared. Borage for fever and to help her milk come, and don't give her Tansy, it'll cause miscarriages. We have some Windflower Shoots, and you may use those if she complains of stomach cramps."

Nightpaw nodded and padded to Frostpaw, the sleeping white she-cat's breathing was rasping. She knew about miscarriages, a medicine cat from OakClan accidentally gave a queen tansy for a cough once, and all four of her kits died. That could have easily been Nightpaw and her littermates. As soon as Featherpelt left, Frostpaw awoke with a soft groan, and stretched a bit in her makeshift nest of moss. She complained, "I feel terrible…I think I have a fever."

Nightpaw checked, and she did have a quite high one. Nightpaw jumped up and looked through the stores, finding some undestroyed feverfew she could use. She quickly gave it to Frostpaw, and found the fever going down, slowly.

It felt like moons as Nightpaw sat there with Frostpaw, her emotions feeling odd, for Sootpaw and Volepaw. She had a terrible sense of foreboding; like that something horrible was going to happen soon.

Suddenly, Featherpelt came through the entrance to the den, her mouth held a few scraps of Catmint and some other herbs, but her eyes were gleaming with excitement. She put her herbs down and meowed, "I've gotten a sign from StarClan."

"What was it?" Nightpaw asked anxiously. Featherpelt shook her head, "You're not supposed to tell until you know what it means. I think I might though. It's definitely nothing good, and involving OakClan and us. I might as well tell you, but we go to Spottedstar first. I told Dawntail to look after Frostpaw, you may come with me."

Nightpaw jumped up and followed Featherpelt out of the den and up to the Cave Mouth, where Spottedstar was speaking with Redpelt. Featherpelt quickly explained that she had a sign from StarClan, and they went into the Cave. It was eerie, and well sheltered, and every paw step echoed.

Featherpelt sat down and launched into the description, "When I was searching for catmint, I came across a part of the forest with mainly oaks, and there were several leaves from trees other than oaks, like maple and birch, above the snow. They were dry and shriveled, and as I began to examine them suddenly, I heard and snap from above and a branch of the oak broke and fell on the leaves, but missed me. I'm positive it's about OakClan attacking us, or something similar."

"I see…we better be prepared, extra patrols near the OakClan border Redpelt, thank you for telling us Featherpelt," Spottedstar meowed. Featherpelt dipped her head and the two medicine cats left. They went straight to the medicine cat clearing, where Frostpaw was coughing, Dawntail next to her, but her eyes were on someone else. Volepaw.

Nightpaw felt her heart plummet as she laid eyes on her sister, in that short period of time Volepaw had come in. Dawntail looked at the medicine cats, "She just came in here a heartbeat ago, she looked awfully sick and just collapsed here. I was about to get you."

"Catmint, Nightpaw get catmint!" Featherpelt mewed. She looked calm, but Nightpaw could feel the worry and alarm deep inside her. Nightpaw rushed into the den, and picked up the scraps of catmint that the frost had spared. Nightpaw was positive it wouldn't do much good for Volepaw.

As she raced to Featherpelt, Whitepaw came shooting in. He was panting and looked in horror at Volepaw, her breath shallow and fast. He whispered her name and lied beside her, staring at the she-cat he loved.

Featherpelt attempted to get her to eat the catmint, eventually it went down, and they gave her some poppy seed to ease her pain. Featherpelt looked especially grim as she said, "It's Blackcough. I'm sorry to say that I don't think she'll live."

Nightpaw wanted to wail like a kit, and as Specklefur came in to see her daughter, she almost did. She didn't know how Whitepaw could stare at her, without letting out a cry of grief. Nightpaw's horrors were coming true. Suddenly, Volepaw's eyes opened and Whitepaw suddenly looked happier as he exclaimed, "You're getting better!"

"No," Volepaw croaked, managing somehow to speak. Nightpaw moved closer to her and Specklefur nestled near her. Volepaw looked at them all in turn, then rested her eyes on Whitepaw, "I'm not going to get better. I'm going to die. I wish I could live longer, to see my first litter of kits. Your kits, they would have been Whitepaw, but alas. I will not. I will always love you," She looked at Specklefur, "Don't look so terrible, I will join StarClan. I'll be happier there, mother, and we will meet again one day," She finally looked at Nightpaw, and she felt like just dieing with her right there, "Don't be so sad. Sootpaw will come back, and he will bring friends. Goodbye…"

Her voice trailed away and her eyes focused on something only she could see. Her eyes closed and her breathing stopped. Specklefur and Nightpaw wailed and Nightpaw didn't know how Whitepaw didn't. Featherpelt and Dawntail looked devastated. Nightpaw had never known another time when she had spoke so calmly, without that hint of nervousness she always had. Whitepaw buried his muzzle in her fur and whispered hardly audibly, "I will always love you too, Volepaw."

Whitepaw lied there, his muzzled buried in Volepaw's fur, even after they brought her into the center clearing. Nightpaw laid with her mother, father and Whitepaw the whole night, with Volepaw's cold body. Nightpaw had to be positive, she'd be happy in StarClan and Sootpaw would come back.

Nightpaw didn't know why, but she didn't believe Volepaw's dieing words.

Chapter Thirteen

"Russetkit!" Sootpaw yowled back at his brother. The tom looked a bit angry and sighed, "I'm Russetfang now."

"Russetfang…you gave yourself a warrior name? Who's this?" Russetfang let him up and he flicked his tail to the she-cat with him. She was a pretty dark brown tabby, and Russetfang glanced at her before answering, "Her name is Sparrow, she's a fellow rouge I travel with, come with me. We'll rest somewhere and I can tell you about what happen after I ran away. I've really missed you."

"I've missed you too, I thought you were gone as soon as I smelled the Twolegs on the other side of the river," Sootpaw meowed, following his brother and Sparrow. After a while, they found a space between two Twoleg nests, and crawled in it. Russetfang explained, "This is what Twolegs call alleys, we stay in them all the time."

Russetfang sat down, and Sootpaw realized how different he was from the angry kit he had last known. His muscles look powerful, like all he did was non-stop training, and his injured leg looked terrible, the flesh all twisted where the bite had been, like it hadn't healed properly. But it had healed. Russetfang was meowing to Sparrow, "This is my brother, Sootpaw. I told you I was from the forest, and here is my brother. My sisters are apparently at the camp though."

"Are you sure we can trust him?" Sparrow meowed. Her meow had a slight accent to it, like she had been around Twolegs too long. The question was harsh, but a small bit of sincerity in her voice made Russetfang answer calmly, "Yes, he is my brother."

"Then I will treat him as one as well," Sparrow turned to Sootpaw and dipped her head then Russetfang began to tell his story, "After I got taken by the Twolegs, then put me in their monster and went to their Twoleg nest, I stayed there for around a moon or so then managed to escape. I met two rouges, Cal and Cali; they were the best mentors you could ever want. I can fight wonderfully, even with my stupid leg. After a single moon of nothing but hunting and training, I was ready to fend for my own, Cal and Cali had a small ceremony and I was renamed Russetfang, a combination of my two names.

"I met Sparrow soon after, fighting with that annoying kittypet, Rex. We've traveled together since, she's really quite the good fighter, and a wonderful hunter," Russetfang finished. So he had been mentored to fight and hunt by rouges. Sootpaw noticed the scars he had etched on his muzzle and shoulders. He was a rouge, not the same fun-loving kit he had known as his littermate, yet he still had the same glimmer in his eyes. Sootpaw sighed and began to tell his story, "I was hunting by the Thunderpath, and one of the monster stopped and some Twolegs came out and caught me. When they got to their Twoleg nest, I escaped and met some kits and their mother, who told me you were still here. I looked for you, came to that stretch of grass and snow, now I'm here."

"So you were captured too," Russetfang meowed, his eyes unfocused like he was thinking about something. Sootpaw suddenly asked the question he wanted to ask him, "Do you know the way to the forest?"

"In fact…I do…Sparrow told me a while ago," The russet cat looked to Sparrow, "Why don't you tell Sootpaw?"

"Down that Thunderpath, straight and eventually you'll get to the edge of Twolegplace and then you'll see lots of trees and a bridge, it's over there," Sparrow meowed. Sootpaw nodded, and Russetfang looked like he was thinking again. Sootpaw knew what he was thinking about. And Sootpaw asked the question, "Can you come with me back to the forest? You know I couldn't stay here…"

Sparrow looked surprised and Russetfang looked directly into Sootpaw's eyes, "Of course…I miss everyone so much," He turned to Sparrow, "Come with me, you can learn the warrior code, and I remember it and have always wanted to live by it."

She was silent, staring at the ground, and then answered, "I suppose, it'll be easier prey and extra cats to help us."

"Then it's decided," Russetfang meowed, looking at Sootpaw, "Were coming with you."

Chapter Fourteen

Nightpaw sighed as she cleaned out the dead herbs in the medicine cat den. It was after sunhigh in leaf-bare, and she had to accept the worst for Sootpaw, everyone was mourning the loss of his or her Clanmates, Volepaw, Sootpaw and Russetkit, all so fast and so young. Nightpaw was the last of her litter to remain. It had been a half-moon and there was nearly no hope left for Sootpaw's survival. Frostpaw had moved back to her apprentice duties, her Greencough cleared up. Nobody else was sick, though it seemed Snowflower was very close to having her second litter, she was quite huge, and Brightpelt was getting fatter as well.

At least we're going to Moontree tonight, Nightpaw thought. It was the half moon that night, and she was going to get to share tongues with her ancestors again. She hoped she'd see Volepaw there, she needed her sister a lot since Sootpaw disappearance, then she died and Nightpaw felt utterly hopeless.

"We need more Chervil and Horsetail and our Catmint is running low again," Nightpaw called to Featherpelt, who was out treating Willowtail for a nasty cut she got from a sharp branch that flew into her shoulder. The wind was terrible and a tail length or two of snow was all across the ground, making prey even scarcer. Nightpaw hadn't eaten half-decent fresh-kill in a moon; her last meal was the night before when she had shared a scrawny vole with Featherpelt. All the good prey was given to the queens and elders, who needed them more than the warriors. Nightpaw had to help with warrior apprentices' duties, because of the lack of them. Suddenly, Featherpelt called back, "Good, we'll get some later, now go get something for us to eat."

Nightpaw padded out, and soon Willowtail did, cobwebs plastered to her shoulder. The fresh-kill pile was low, three tiny voles, two fair sized mice and a thin rabbit. She chose a mouse and went back to the medicine cats' den where Featherpelt was sitting, grooming herself. They quickly shared the mouse and then Featherpelt meowed, "Did I ever tell you about Goldenfur?"

"No, I don't think you did," Nightpaw responded. She thought she might have heard the name before, but wasn't sure. Featherpelt sighed and spoke again, "She was my first mentor. Rouges raided us moons ago, when I was still a young apprentice and a heartless black and white tabby killed her when she was attending a serious wound on my mother, Stripedpelt. I panicked and we lost a few cats that night, including Stripedpelt and my father, under the care of my paws. I've never forgiven myself for that. I had barely two moons of experience, and so we allowed Dewleaf to mentor Stormpelt and I both.

"She was the old RockClan medicine cat, and had mentored Stormpelt, Stormpaw then, for a while. After just a while of meeting every quarter moon, I was given my medicine cat name with Stormpelt, and was told if I needed anything I could go to Dewleaf. Though I couldn't, because Dewleaf died in a Greencough epidemic soon after. I have an excellent memory for herbs, and have remember each of them and taught most to you, Nightpaw," Featherpelt sighed and continued, "I haven't told another about this for moons. How Snowflower, Frostpool and I mourned our mother and father! Snowflower almost went insane when Frostpool died. Stormpelt and I grew a bond in the time we worked together, he's been one of my best friends."

Nightpaw had noticed this on her last visit to Moontree, Stormpelt and Featherpelt seemed like best friends, and Maplepaw seemed a bit taken aback by it too.

By now it was twilight and, suddenly, Brightpelt came into the medicine cat clearing, her belly swollen. She meowed, "There was thorns in my bedding when I laid down to go to sleep, I can't get some out. Whitepaw has been so careless since Volepaw died…well I can't blame him," She added, "If Iceclaw died…I don't know what would happen to me."

Whitepaw was a bit too careless now. He was always depressed and moped around camp, showed no effort when training, let numerous additions to the fresh-kill pile get away and, by the looks of him, he hadn't eaten in days. Snowflower and Frostpaw were getting worried about him. And Gingerpaw seemed depressed too, maybe all the work and sadness was finally getting to her carefree self.

The medicine cats quickly got the thorns out of her pelt and treated them with some of the little horsetail they had left. Brightpelt left and Featherpelt stood up and stretched, meowing, "We should go now."

Nightpaw followed her mentor out of the medicine cat's clearing and into the main camp, then out of the entrance. Mossfur stood guard, her eyes dim for her late apprentice. She nodded to them and then they continued to the Thunderpath, where they quickly ran across at the pause. Once again the substance felt weird on her paws.

They went to the river and followed it down stream, until they reached a giant fallen tree; Stormpelt and Maplepaw were waiting on the other side. The fallen tree was a much more convenient way for RockClan cats to get to Gatherings and to Moontree. After scrambling across the fallen tree, Featherpelt meowed a greeting to the other medicine cats, "Hello, Stormpelt, Maplepaw. How is it in RockClan?"

"Fine, Featherpelt, only thing is that Mousetail and Wrenfur have Whitecough, it's not bad though," Stormpelt replied. Maplepaw bounded over to Nightpaw, her dark brown tabby coat shimmering in the moonlight. Maplepaw meowed to her, "Hi Nightpaw, anything with LeafClan?"

"Not much really, all our sick cats healed…except my sister," Nightpaw added gloomily. Maplepaw laid her tail tip on Nightpaw's shoulder and looked sympathetic then mewed, "My mother died right before my apprenticeship, a badger got her when her patrol was attempting to drive it out. My only littermate, Littlekit died moons ago, he was too frail."

The cats met with Whitecloud, the OakClan medicine cat, as they were about to go into the Moontree clearing. They all padded into the clearing, and Nightpaw couldn't help but gasp at the beauty of the tree, even in leaf bare. The bark was smooth and the branches stood out against the half-moon, and a tiny stream flowed around it, beautifully crystal clear. The cats assembled around the tree, as they were to touch their noses to the tree, as Featherpelt had instructed Nightpaw to do the previous half-moons. Nightpaw lied next to her mentor, touched her nose to the cold bark and was instantly sent into dreams.

She stood alone in a vast meadow, a starry river flowing in front of her, a forest beyond it. In the sky was the moon, shining brightly with no stars surrounding it. Nightpaw sat and admired the beauty of StarClan's hunting grounds, when noise came and the smell of cat flowed up her nostrils.

"Nightpaw!" A voice squealed, and a young brown cat ran out of the forest, leaping majestically over the stream in a single bound. She landed in front of Nightpaw, her green eyes shimmering. Nightpaw instantly felt both relief and happiness, she cried out, "Volepaw! You're okay!"

"Of course I am, mouse-brain!" Volepaw teased. Nightpaw had never saw her so strong and healthy looking, and not a hint of nervousness in her voice. Volepaw continued, "StarClan does wonders to a cat. No need to worry about me Nightpaw," She rubbed her sister's cheek, "You should focus on the living."

Nightpaw nodded as Volepaw started to fade away. Nightpaw sat there another heartbeat after her sister disappeared, and then was back in reality. Nightpaw suddenly wondered if what Volepaw had said was a sign. The Clan cats went their separate ways and after a while, they reached the LeafClan camp. There was a slight tension in the air and Grayfire sped towards the medicine cats as soon as they stepped into the clearing.

"Thank StarClan you're here! Snowflower is having her kits!"

Chapter Fifteen

"But she's not due for around another quarter moon!" Featherpelt meowed, heading to the medicine cat's den. Nightpaw scrambled after her, her heart pounding so loud, she thought Maplepaw could probably hear it. Featherpelt was icily calm as she got some herbs and headed to the nursery. Nightpaw followed her and saw Snowflower on the floor of the nursery wailing in pain. Brightpelt was attempting to squeeze herself against the bramble wall, to allow Snowflower more room.

"Stay calm, Snowflower. You've had kits before, it's all going to be fine," Featherpelt meowed soothingly. Snowflower breathed fast and wailed softly, Featherpelt told Nightpaw, "Watch carefully, you'll need it for later in life. See the way her flank is moving," Nightpaw did, "That's the kit coming," she addressed Snowflower, "Now push, Snowflower!"

Snowflower wailed as softly as she could and then, before Nightpaw knew it, a tiny grayish tom was lying on the floor of the nursery. You could clearly see the kit's pink skin; the kits were early. Featherpelt meowed to Nightpaw, "Now we bite off this thing like this," Featherpelt bit the weird thing off, "Now lick him to warm him and stimulate his breathing."

Nightpaw started licking the tom all over, and he gradually grew warmer and started mewling quietly. Now a little brown tortoiseshell and white she-cat was there, Featherpelt quickly passed her to Brightpelt, who licked the kit vigorously and tenderly. Another spasm from Snowflower's flank meant another kit was to come. Nightpaw tried to keep her attention to the tiny tom than to Snowflower, if she stopped licking him he could die.

At last, a very small white and gray she-cat lay on the floor, Snowflower's breathing slowed a bit, and her pain stopped. Featherpelt meowed in between licks, "Good job, Snowflower. All your kits are fine. You've got two beautiful new daughters and a lovely son. Try to eat this borage, it'll help your milk."

Snowflower meowed something and ate the borage as Featherpelt put it to her mouth. Nightpaw was happy her first witnessed birth had gone fine; no one had died, yet at least. The little white and gray splotches she-cat seemed very frail, and was barely breathing though Featherpelt had been licking her for a while now. Featherpelt told Nightpaw to stop, and then she moved the little tom to his mother's belly, where he began suckling right away. Soon, Featherpelt told Brightpelt to put the kit with her mother and eventually, the tiny white one was breathing enough to be put there too.

In a small amount of time, the three kits and the exhausted mother were asleep. Featherpelt and Nightpaw left and Brightpelt settled down. Grayfire was waiting impatiently outside the nursery, Featherpelt told him, "Go to sleep Grayfire, they're all exhausted, visit them tomorrow."

Grayfire nodded reluctantly, and headed to the warriors' den. Now the camp was completely empty expect for them. But they went to their dens, and Nightpaw had the first satisfied sleep in a while.

Nightpaw awoke the next morning and felt fully rested. It was a while after sunrise, but not after sunhigh. She padded out of the den and went straight to Featherpelt. Featherpelt was just getting up as well, and meowed exactly what Nightpaw was thinking, "Let's see how the kits are."

They went to the nursery and found Snowflower awake, her kits suckling wildly; she was speaking with Grayfire, deciding the names with her mate and her kits' father. Snowflower spoke, "The little ones pelt sparkles just like dew; we could call her Dewkit."

"That's good. The tortoiseshell is pretty, just like a flower, Flowerkit would be a fine name," Grayfire suggested. Snowflower nodded and meowed, "The gray one looks just like a stone lying there, Stonekit, maybe?"

"Wonderful," Grayfire meowed, licking the top of his mate's head affectionately. Nightpaw felt very happy, and she could almost forget that she had no littermates left.

Chapter Sixteen

"Sorry," Sparrow's voice echoed around the alley as she uttered the word she had continuously meowed for the past half-moon. Russetfang sighed, "We're lost…again."

"I thought you said you knew exactly where to go, Sparrow," Sootpaw meowed hopelessly. They had spent the last half-moon, wondering where to go, after Sparrow's instructions had led them the wrong way.

"Sorry," She had meowed, "I guess it was supposed to be the other way. Or maybe it was this way…"

Now they were lost in an unfamiliar part of Twolegplace, hungry and tired. Sparrow's tail flicked in annoyance, "Well I was wrong! Let's find some prey or something."

She turned around and padded away, the toms followed her wordlessly in the dawn sun. Sootpaw found himself staring at Russetfang's badly healed leg, the flesh twisted and the fur scarce. If under Featherpelt's care, it might have healed better, and in that condition it was in now, he could fight and hunt wonderfully. So what could have happened? Sootpaw kept wondering.

"We should just go find our way without Sparrow," Sootpaw muttered to his brother. Russetfang looked shocked at Sootpaw's words, the russet tom gasped "Sootpaw! I could never-"

His words faltered suddenly and he looked instantly embarrassed, then silently padded along. Sootpaw held back his mrrows of laughter as they crept among the shadows of Twolegplace, heading back the way they came. Sootpaw had known for quite a while now, how Russetfang felt about the pretty Sparrow. Why else would he be traveling with her, anyway?

Suddenly, Sootpaw felt a blow to his side, and immediately leaped on his attacker. Sparrow and Russetfang were hissing angrily as they aimed blows at the skinny black tom; Sootpaw was digging his claws into. Soon, the cat was ready to run away, when another cat called, "Rex! Stop fighting!"

Somehow, Sootpaw thought the voice was somewhat familiar, and as she looked to the cat that said it, he realized who it was. He exclaimed, "Fluffs!"

"You know this cat?" Sparrow meowed, surprised. Sootpaw nodded as he watched Rex pad slowly, almost reluctantly, to Fluffs, who began to lick his wound rapidly, "You should be ashamed of yourself, Rex! Picking fights with strays; again! It's all you ever do, and your always getting hurt, think of our kits!"

As Fluffs continued to scold her mate, Sparrow started to walk away. Russetfang started after her when Sootpaw got an idea, "Fluffs, do you know where the forest is?"

"As a matter of fact, I do," She meowed, freezing Sparrow and Russetfang in their tracks. Fluffs looked at Sootpaw, "You're that rude Sootpaw, aren't you? Well, it's straight that way," She meowed, flicking her tail towards a Thunderpath, "Then you and your mean friends can leave us alone!"

Instantly, Sparrow began to pad that way, Russetfang and Sootpaw close behind. Sootpaw saw trees in the distance; they were almost home! He couldn't wait to see Nightpaw, Volepaw and Specklefur again, and all his friends…the cheery voices of his denmates.

Eventually, the cats could see Moontree and the Tall Oak as the Twoleg nests thinned out. Then all that there was in front of them were trees and Thunderpath. Russetfang started to run, Sparrow and Sootpaw shot after him. Sootpaw could hear Russetfang telling Sparrow all about the things they did in the forest, the warrior code and such. How they shared the prey and defended their Clans at all costs. Sparrow said she'd try to adapt to their ways as they plunged into LeafClan territory.

It was sunhigh as Sootpaw remembered the way to camp, taking the lead. Russetfang's eyes were shining in excitement, as they began to hear the murmurs of the camp. Suddenly, three cats burst from the bushes and threw themselves on Sparrow and Russetfang, the young apprentice missed Sootpaw by a mouse length.

"Fox dung!" She spat and looked to Sootpaw, shaking her long ginger fur and getting ready to pounce on him. As soon as she looked at him, she instantly stood up and meowed in shock and glee, "Sootpaw!"

The other two cats had stopped fighting; they were Stormclaw and Blacktail. Blacktail was looking at Sootpaw, happiness filling his eyes, but they were nothing compared to the joy in Stormclaw's as he gazed at his long lost russet son.

"Russetkit…that's you isn't it?" He meowed, his voice trembling. Russetfang nodded quietly, and Sparrow stayed close, Sootpaw was so intent on this scene, he didn't notice Gingerpaw covering him with licks. Gingerpaw's eyes were filled with utmost happiness as she lapped her tongue over Sootpaw's fur, he was back, and so was Russetkit!

The three cats pulled them into the camp; it was exactly as he left it. Shadespot was stroking her tongue over No-tail's back, half in the elder's den while Raintail laid outside, looking to the sky, Blackpaw checking him for ticks. Frostpaw was swiftly and worriedly licking Whitepaw, who, to Sootpaw and Russetfang's astonishment looked very thin and very unenthusiastic. Iceclaw was sharing tongues with Brightpelt; her belly fat with unborn kits, and mewling from the nursery told Sootpaw that Snowflower had had hers. Redpelt and Spottedstar were talking about patrols and Brackenlegs and his mate, Mossfur, were sharing a vole.

Immediately the smells of the Twoleg cats alerted the cats in camp that there was someone unfamiliar there. They all looked to them, Blackpaw dropping her moss and Frostpaw looking up from her brother. Rocktooth crouched down and stared at them, growling. Then he eased and Gingerpaw yowled happily, "Sootpaw's alive!"

Cats came from every direction meowing greetings and welcomes to Sootpaw, hardly realizing Sparrow or Russetfang were there. When they did, they backed away from her and Russetfang, questioning them when Specklefur shot through, and yowled loudly, "Russetkit! That's you, isn't it?"

He nodded and cats starting looking extra shocked and meowed to them all. Sootpaw was overwhelmed by how much he and Russetfang were missed. Suddenly another yowl silenced them, and the cats backed away. Spottedstar came through into the cleared circle in the middle and stood in front of Sparrow, "Who are you?"

"I am Sparrow, a rouge. I traveled with Russetfang in Twolegplace, I see you must be leader; I am honored to meet you," Sparrow said and dipped her head. Spottedstar looked surprised at a her politeness for a heartbeat then turned to Russetfang, "Russetkit…you have changed your name?"

"Yes, in Twolegplace I was made a kittypet, and took the name Fang, then when I escaped I met rouges who mentored me. I can hunt well and fight even better, even with this stupid leg," numerous eyes rested on his twisted leg, cats winced when they looked at it, and Blackpaw gasped, "I combined my two names and became Russetfang once I completed my training with the rouges. I left them, found Sparrow and then Sootpaw, who was captured by Twolegs and escaped."

Spottedstar nodded slowly. He thought for a moment then looked at his warriors. He leaped upon the Cave and meowed loudly, looking at his warriors again, "They say they know how to fight and hunt, but what about the warrior code? They need a mentor," shocked meows rang out around the clearing, "Mossfur, you can manage them both for the short amount of time they will be learning the warrior code and forest hunting."

"But what about Volepaw? Surely she can't mange three cats?" Sootpaw meowed questioningly. Cats murmured sadly around him and shot him and confused Russetfang sympathetic looks, Spottedstar meowed, "Volepaw died of Blackcough while you were gone."

"Sootpaw!" The startled yowl came from outside the circle of cats and from the entrance to the camp. Featherpelt and Nightpaw stood there, Nightpaw's jaw gaping as she looked at him, then to Russetfang and Sparrow, but her eyes stayed on her brother, "Th-that's Russetkit!"

Featherpelt looked surprised, then she shot Nightpaw a disapproving glance and they went to the back of the crowd of cats. Spottedstar cleared his throat and resumed, "Now, Sparrow, Russetfang and Mossfur, come to the front of the crowd." They did, Russetfang's eyes shining as he received the apprentice ceremony he never got, "Mossfur, you will mentor both Sparrow and Russetfang, whose names will remain the same, may StarClan approve of my choice."

Russetfang murmured something to Sparrow then touched noses with Mossfur, and then Sparrow awkwardly did the same. The crowd erupted, almost uncertainly into, "Russetfang! Sparrow!"

Cats left the crowd, but others encircled Sootpaw and Russetfang, leaving Sparrow to stand indecisively outside the circle. Blackpaw meowed to both of them, "How did you get to Twolegplace? Did you go in a monster?"

"I thought you were both dead for sure!" Gingerpaw meowed excitedly. It went on until twilight when they left and only Nightpaw remained, staring at her brothers happily, "I'm so glad you came back!! After Volepaw died," Her voice faltered then came back, "I felt like I had no point in living."

"Well, both of us are here now. You got more than you asked for," Russetfang meowed. A look of understanding crossed Nightpaw's face then was gone, and she was as happy as ever, "You must be hungry," glancing at Sparrow she added, "all of you, let's get some fresh-kill."

Sootpaw noticed how starving he felt, as he grabbed a squirrel and dragged it near the apprentice den, where Whitepaw sat with a vole, digging in furiously, like he hadn't ate in moons. Nightpaw, Sparrow and Russetfang came afterwards, all with their own prey in their jaws. Whitepaw meowed, "Sootpaw! I missed you, Russetk-fang too!"

They all settled in together and ate their prey like they hadn't eaten a decent meal in moons, which it felt like they hadn't. Soon they were done eating and Whitepaw launched into telling them what had happened when they were gone, and looked terrible when he told them about Volepaw. Soon, it was moonhigh, and everyone was asleep except the apprentices, and Sootpaw looked forward to curling up in his comfortable nest.

Chapter Seventeen

It was nearly sunhigh when Sootpaw woke, his brother curled up with Sparrow next to him. There were only the three cats in the den, though Blackpaw's nest was warm and the scents lingered fresh. Sootpaw stood up abruptly, jerking Russetfang awake, causing the chain-reaction to go to Sparrow. Sootpaw left the den and stretched, half expecting to see Volepaw grooming herself, like she did every morning. But then he remembered in a sudden heartbeat and headed further out the den.

The camp was almost quiet, the low murmurs of Iceclaw's voice to Brightpelt as they shared tongues just outside the nursery. A hunting patrol of Frostpaw, Rocktooth and Nightfur had just come through the entrance, a small mouse or vole in each of their jaws. Gingerpaw was helping her sister clear out the elders' den, and glanced quickly to Sootpaw and then her head whipped alarmingly fast to the moss in front of her. Sootpaw was so intent on figuring out what had happened, he didn't notice Swiftfoot bounding forwards and meowing, unable to hide the happiness of having his apprentice back, "Sunhigh patrol with Specklefur, Dawntail and I. Eat quickly."

"What about Russetfang and Sparrow?" Sootpaw asked, noticing the two cats coming out of the den. Sootpaw padded after Swiftfoot, who was walking swiftly back to entrance where Dawntail waited, Specklefur racing over. Swiftfoot answered, "He and that rouge," he spat the word 'rouge' bitterly, "are going to patrol the territory with Mossfur, and then she's going to find out how much the two cats really know."

Sootpaw was quickly devouring a small mouse while he spoke, and then hopped up, and padded quickly out of the entrance with the warriors ahead of him.

The patrol silently headed down to the RockClan border, which was quite quiet. The wind whistled across the moor and rocks, ruffling the small bare plants and the rabbits' fur. Sootpaw's paws itched to chase one, as it streaked close to the Thunderpath, but since his last time being here, he wasn't so confident. They passed the border, renewing the scent marks, with no trouble.

Then began to follow the river upstream, Twolegplace was looming across the river and trees, but the Tall Oak towered all the Twoleg nests in sight. There was OakClan scent alarmingly close, and the rest of the patrol seemed to notice. As they renewed the markers, a rustling from across the river distracted them. Three cats appeared, the golden apprentice tom from the gathering among them. There were two warriors, a white she-cat with black splotches, a particularly large one on her face, and a burly gray tom, all of which we glaring at the LeafClan cats.

"What are you doing so close to the border?" The gray tom asked coldly. Swiftfoot meowed in reply, "We could ask you the same thing. We are only renewing our scent markers, Rainface, not planning a raid on your camp."

Rainface's eyes narrowed and he turned swiftly around, beckoning with his tail for the rest of the patrol to follow. The golden tom glared at Sootpaw for a heartbeat, then his mentor meowed quietly, "Come Goldenpaw."

At that, he bounded silently into the woods and disappeared beyond the leafless trees. The LeafClan patrol stayed for a moment longer then shot off into the woods. Sootpaw ran after them, his legs still shorter than the other cats' and meowed, "Why are we running?"

"We need to tell Spottedstar, now," Specklefur answered hurriedly, "That's basically a threat, and we have been expecting an attack from OakClan ever since Featherpelt's sign."

Featherpelt's sign? Sootpaw thought confusedly as he stumbled through the woods after the warriors. Must have happened while I was gone.

The cat's reached the camp and Swiftfoot plunged into Spottedstar's den and returned soon after. He came to Sootpaw, his eyes expressionless, "Battle training now, then a hunting patrol and you're done for the day."

Sootpaw followed silently after his mentor, confused a bit since Swiftfoot seemed like nothing had happened. As the cats got to the training clearing, Sootpaw spotted Russetfang and Sparrow sitting in front of Mossfur on the far side of the clearing. Mossfur said to Sparrow, "You first. Show me what you've got, claws sheathed-"

It seemed as if Sparrow hadn't heard the last bit as she leaped onto Mossfur, digging her claws into her pelt and biting her back. Mossfur yowled with surprise and pain, while Russetfang backed up, looking thoroughly taken aback, but soon yowled, "Sparrow stop!"

Sparrow jumped off and sat again with Russetfang looking ashamed. Swiftfoot ran over to Mossfur, whose blood was slowly leaking out of a deep wound in her back where Sparrow had bit hard. Swiftfoot muttered something to her; she nodded and then the two cats went out of the clearing, Swiftfoot calling, "Come, all of you!"

Russetfang was glaring at Sparrow, who was muttering something like 'I don't know what came over me," over and over again. Sootpaw stayed stunned into silence but followed swiftly back. Well, he thought, she was a rouge, what would you expect from a cat who fought every other cat she saw?

A shiver spread across Sootpaw as he thought, what if Russetfang is the same?

Chapter Eighteen

"That's the last of the tansy there," Featherpelt told Nightpaw as she watched Rocktooth leave the medicine cat's den, swallowing the last bit of the tansy. It had been around a moon since Mossfur had come to the medicine cats' clearing, bleeding from the deep wound in her back, Swiftfoot padding behind her. Since that time, Russetfang had become a warrior, seeing as he hadn't the same flaw as Sparrow and was a very good hunter and fighter.

Sootpaw was doing well with his training and his latest assessment hinted that he might be made a warrior soon. The way he went on, Sootpaw couldn't wait. Nightpaw knew she'd still have quite a while to wait before she became a medicine cat, though Featherpelt told her she was learning fast.

"We'll need to find some more, but I doubt there will be many at this time of year. At least we've got some catmint," Featherpelt meowed, bringing Nightpaw back. Nightpaw nodded at her fluffy white mentor and resumed throwing out the rotten scraps in the medicine supply as twilight began to fall.

After several more moments of doing this, a cat ran into the clearing, Iceclaw. He tripped and got back up, a scratch above his eye was starting to bleed. Featherpelt meowed, "It's not serious, you-"

"It's not that! Brightpelt has pains, she thinks it's the kits coming!" Iceclaw exclaimed, flicking his tail in worry. Featherpelt ran out quickly and Nightpaw grabbed some strengthening herbs and followed.

Brightpelt was lying on her side in the nursery; Snowflower was against the wall with her tail around her kits that were mewling weakly, especially Dewkit. Flowerkit looked the strongest of the three and Dewkit looked as if a gentle breeze could knock her over.

Brightpelt was yowling softly and breathing rapidly. Featherpelt meowed over her yowl, taking a paw away from her flank, "There's five heartbeats, that's four kits, be prepared Brightpelt! It'll all be fine!"

"If I knew there'd this much pain I w-wouldn't have wanted kits-" The rest of her words turned in a yowl and a fine sized white and ginger tom came out and Featherpelt got rid of what she needed to and passed him gently to Snowflower. Brightpelt breathed quickly and then uttered another yowl and a brown and white patched tom kit lay upon the ground Nightpaw took him and started to lick him and soon two more kits, both she-cats, one ginger and brown, the other a smaller sized pure white. Brightpelt had soon eaten Nightpaw's strengthening herbs and licking the white kit happily.

Eventually the kits were all breathing fine and were settled next to their mother and Iceclaw came in, crowding the nursery. Featherpelt and Nightpaw would have liked to leave, but the entrance was blocked.

"They're so…wonderful," Iceclaw said, looking at the kits squiggling into Brightpelt's belly, "Any ideas for names? That brown and white one looks just like-"

"Patchpaw. I noticed, let's call him Patchkit. This tom's spotted, we could call him Spottedkit," Iceclaw nodded, "this she-cat's white like the snow, Snowkit?" Iceclaw nodded once more, "this last one reminds me of a fox…Vixenkit?"

"All good names…" Iceclaw murmured. Featherpelt interrupted the moment by saying, "Brightpelt needs rest, Iceclaw. Four kits are quite a lot for a first time, you remember Specklefur wouldn't say much until a half-moon after."

Iceclaw nodded reluctantly and he padded out followed by the medicine cats. Iceclaw said to Featherpelt, "Thank StarClan she and the kits are fine! I was worried…I-I still sort of miss Patchpaw, he was a good friend of mine, but…but kind of stupid, but he would have been a good warrior all the same."

"Patchpaw would have made a fine warrior," Featherpelt concluded and the two cats went in different ways, Featherpelt to the medicine cats' den and Iceclaw to tell his sister. Nightpaw's heart was still beating rapidly in her chest. The second birth in a moon! So much was happening to LeafClan and a Gathering was soon and Spottedstar would tell it too the other Clans.

Just as the moon began to rise over the trees the evening patrol came back into camp, Blackpaw, Rocktooth and Brackenlegs, who had a vole in his mouth. By the looks on their faces nothing epic had happened on the patrol. Brackenlegs deposited his fresh-kill on the pile and went to Spottedstar's den to tell him about the patrol. Rocktooth and Blackpaw took some fresh-kill to eat and went their separate ways to their dens. Rocktooth joined Grayfire and Blackpaw joined her sister and Sootpaw. All was quiet in the camp.

Nightpaw threw out a dead catmint leaf and Featherpelt dismissed her. She ate her mouse quietly and then went to sleep.

She dreamed. Nightpaw sat alone in a cold forest, leaves everywhere and oaks towering before her. Before it happened, she could see a sign coming. A snap and an oak came crashing down on the leaves close to Nightpaw. The yowls of cats burst into her dreams and sounded alarmingly real. A pain on Nightpaw's shoulder woke her.

She opened her eyes and saw Featherpelt yowling and lashing annoyingly at a tiny brown spotted golden she-cat Nightpaw had never seen before. Another cat's pained yowl sounded and Nightpaw knew what had happened.

OakClan was attacking!

Chapter Nineteen

Sootpaw woke at moonhigh to Rocktooth's yowl of OakClan and stood up. There was a raid on the camp. The other apprentices woke and they all speed out at once and Whitepaw and Frostpaw leaped into a battle with a gray tom to help Brackenlegs. Gingerpaw and Blackpaw sped off to Goldenpaw and leaped upon him, claws unsheathed and Sparrow disappeared into the fighting. Sootpaw shook his head and felt a blow on his shoulder then sent him stumbling backwards.

He leapt backwards, turning around at the same time and saw Vixenpaw sneering angrily at him. He lashed at her nose and she jumped away but her nose began to bleed. They snarled at each other for a moment then all Sootpaw could see were claws. He lashed and bit at her then suddenly he realized she had fled. Coward, he thought as he looked around for another opponent.

Frostpaw was helping her injured mentor battle a brown tom, Whitepaw was alone battling an apprentice. Stormclaw was slashing at a black and white she-cat, Gingerpaw was defending Blackpaw from a large light gray tom, Blackpaw seemed to be injured badly she was lying yowling on her side. Sootpaw leaped over to the light gray cat and slashed his flank from behind. The OakClan cat leaped around angrily and got Sootpaw's ears hard. Gingerpaw and Sootpaw battled the tom until he fled, then Gingerpaw turned to her sister.

"I think she's hurt bad, we attacked Goldenpaw then he fled and that tom came flying over and ripped her front legs apart, look!" Gingerpaw exclaimed, her eyes glimmering with fear as her sister yowled lowly. Blackpaw's legs did look gravely injured, blood was pouring from ragged rips in the front, and in places you could see bone. Sootpaw said quickly, "I'll find Featherpelt you stay with her."

Sootpaw bounded hurriedly over to the medicine cats' den, ignoring the pain in his ears and the sticky feeling of blood on his shoulder. When he got there, Featherpelt and Nightpaw were just beginning to fight a brown spotted golden she-cat. Sootpaw flew at her shoulder and bit hard until she squealed and ran away like a terrified mouse. He turned to Featherpelt and panted, "Blackpaw's really hurt."

Featherpelt ran towards Blackpaw and Gingerpaw, Nightpaw speeding behind her, and Sootpaw looked around for a cat to fight. It was beginning to be a problem because Russetfang and Sparrow seemed to be tearing the cats apart. They fought well together and it seemed like the Twolegplace feeling was coming back to them. Around half the attackers had flown. LeafClan was winning! But it was coming at a cost, Blackpaw was hurt and Rocktooth lay silently, barely breathing, with a deep slash across his side. And a yowling was coming from the nursery.

Sootpaw ran towards it, he wasn't the only one, Whitepaw was coming too, mouthing 'that's Snowflower!' and they burst in, claws unsheathed ready to slash at any OakClan cat daring to attack kits, but no one was there. Just Snowflower wailing and Brightpelt looking horrified, her tail wrapped protectively around her newborn kits.

"What's wrong?" Whitepaw asked Brightpelt, she shook her head and then pointed it at Dewkit. It had seemed she had finally had enough and was lying dead on the nursery floor, her mother wailing sadly and her siblings mewling to each other confusedly. Whitepaw gasped and looked at Sootpaw, and Sootpaw said, "There's nothing we can do, Whitepaw. We need to help the rest of the Clan now."

Whitepaw nodded and they hurried out of the nursery. It was unusually silent and the OakClan cats were fleeing. An odd small gathering of Redpelt and a few others were crowding around their leader. It seemed he was losing a life. A larger crowd was around Rocktooth. Sootpaw padded over to his unmoving body, Frostpaw, Mossfur, Grayfire, Stormclaw and Raintail were around him. Raintail and Frostpaw were grimly silent and the other three were sadly speaking about their nursery years. Rocktooth had died, his belly was badly slashed and his shoulder was worse. Featherpelt and a terrified Nightpaw were trying vainly to stop Blackpaw's bleeding legs, and were having some success.

After some time, when dawn had nearly reached, some of the warriors and apprentices lined up in front of Nightpaw who applied herbs and cobwebs to their wounds. By sunhigh, everyone had cobwebs plastered to him or her and a small fresh-kill pile was growing. Blackpaw had been moved to the medicine cat's den and somehow had survived.

Rocktooth and Dewkit had been buried and the cats were permitted to sleep for a while, some hunting while others slept. Spottedstar had only four lives left. Sootpaw felt exhausted and welcomed the sleep gratefully.

Chapter Twenty

Sootpaw came back from a hunting patrol to Spottedstar calling the summons for a Clan meeting. The Clan had healed quite well, though Blackpaw looked as if she would never be a warrior and was barely surviving. Frostpaw's new mentor was proclaimed Specklefur and the young she-cat was eager to take her first apprentice but sad for Rocktooth's death.

Sootpaw bounded out of the entrance and into the clearing, Swiftfoot, Mossfur and Sparrow following. It was just evening and most the Clan were gathering underneath the Cave Mouth. Sootpaw deposited his mouse and vole then joined the other apprentices quickly.

"There shall be a Gathering tonight," Spottedstar boomed over all the rest of the hushed meows, "and the delegation is Stormclaw, Specklefur, Mossfur, Dawntail, Willowtail, Featherpelt, Russetfang, Nightpaw, Whitepaw, Frostpaw and Gingerpaw. Yes I plan to question OakClan of their attack and plan to be fierce about it.

"Though I have some changes to make to the Clan," Spottedstar continued, his amber eyes sweeping the crowd gathered below him, "Would Sootpaw and Sparrow come to the Cave Mouth."

Sootpaw was shocked to here his name called and Sparrow looked equally so. He padded slowly to the front, excitement bubbling up inside him now, this could mean only one thing: he was going to be made a warrior!

"Both of these apprentices have shown courage, loyalty and excellent fighting skills to the Clan in the past battle, and I shall reward them with their warrior names," Spottedstar said, and stepped in front of Sparrow, "Sparrow, will you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect your clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I-I will," Sparrow stuttered happily, then Spottedstar continued, "You shall now be know as Sparrowclaw, may StarClan honor your fighting abilities and courage."

Sparrow dipped her head and licked Spottedstar respectfully on the shoulder like she had saw Russetfang do nearly a moon ago. Spottedstar padded to Sootpaw and meowed, "Sootpaw, will you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect your clan even at the risk of losing your life?"

"I will," Sootpaw said strongly and loudly, imagining the look on his mother's proud face, Spottedstar meowed, "You will now be know as Sootpelt, may StarClan honor your loyalty and readiness (and don't forget teh fluffiness :D). We welcome you both as full-fledged warriors of LeafClan, you will both sit your vigil tonight."

Sootpelt could hear Nightpaw's voice as the cheering of their names began. Sootpelt thought he hadn't felt prouder in his life, and looked to Sparrowclaw who looked as though she thought she might finally belong as Russetfang ran up to them as congratulated them heartily. Sootpaw was surprised as Gingerpaw congratulated him, nearly knocking him over as the rest of the crowd swarmed around them.

Then cats left for the Gathering and Sootpelt and Sparrowclaw preformed their silent vigil in the center of camp, listening in the nearly noiseless camp. It was incredibly cold and Sootpelt was very tempted to just get up and crawl into the warm warriors den. But he didn't move a muscle.

Finally, the Gathering delegation came back, meowing quietly to themselves, all of them looked fairly pleased to curl up in their nests and go to sleep. Then the camp was silent again, and Sootpelt and Sparrowclaw sat silently for the rest of the night.

Snow starting falling gently littering the ground as the sun rose and some warriors began to come out of their nests. As Spottedstar came out he dismissed the two frozen cats and they went immediately to their new den and curled up to sleep.

Sootpelt slept well that morning, until sunhigh when he was immediately called out to a hunting patrol, catching two scrawny voles and a mouse. Sootpelt was glad to be relieved of the apprentice duties all the cats hated. Nightpaw and Specklefur were very proud of him, so was Russetfang. Sootpelt felt increasingly happy as he ate his recently caught mouse. Nothing had tasted so good.

Sootpelt then looked to the nursery. It felt like many seasons ago that he had last stayed in there. Snowflower came out, still a bit sad looking from Dewkit's death and it seemed to blight Stonekit and Flowerkit behind her as well, though they still had energy to play. Sootpelt wondered absent-mindedly if anyone had fed Brightpelt yet. Iceclaw would, but he had been called for dawn patrol then a long hunting patrol. Sootpelt grabbed a mouse for her and bounded swiftly to the nursery.

It still had a familiar feeling to it as he squeezed through the entrance. Brightpelt looked up from her kits and said gratefully, "Oh good, finally, I'm starving. I had thought everyone forgot me! Snowflower was going out to get me something."

"I think she saw me coming in," Sootpelt meowed eyeing the kits with interest, "what have you named them?"

"The big white and orange one is Spottedkit," Brightpelt mewed, looking fondly at him as she spoke. Though but a day old, he had a sort of Russetfang-like air to him, like one day he'd be adventurous and attempt to journey outside camp. Sootpelt hoped nothing would happen to him, like it had to Russetfang.

"The brown and white one's name is Patchkit, he looks just like my dear brother did," Brightpelt said next. The kit was mainly brown, with white patches here and there. He didn't mewl as much as his littermates, but he seemed healthy all the same.

"The other orange kit is Vixenkit, she reminds me of a fox," Brightpelt said, indicating the ginger kit with brown paws and belly. Sootpelt felt one day she's grow more brown fur but now, she looked mainly orange. She looked as strong as Spottedkit and just as healthy, mewling loudly in-between squiggling into her mother's belly.

"The white one's Snowkit," Brightpelt concluded at last. The last she-kit was pure white, and quite a bit smaller than the others, but a kind of aura around her made Sootpelt think she'd turn out fine.

"All fitting names, I'm sure they'll be a great addition to the clan one day," Sootpelt said genuinely, and he felt that they honestly would. As he padded out of the den he shook his fluffy pelt of the moss clinging to it and looked around camp. It wasn't too busy; Redpelt and Spottedstar speaking by the Cave Mouth, Blacktail and Swiftfoot sharing a vole the brown cat had just caught. Stormclaw, Nightfur, Iceclaw and Willowtail came in from a hunting patrol. Gingerpaw had recently padded out of the medicine cat's den from visiting with her sister. Her ginger pelt smelt faintly of herbs and gleamed beautifully in the late day sunlight, her shiny leaf-green eyes looking sad. Sootpelt had never noticed how wonderful looking she was.

He gave his head another shake. She was an apprentice! He was a warrior now. Just wait a few moons, a tiny meow came from the back of his head; she's an excellent fighter. He shook his head again and cleared all thoughts of Gingerpaw then set off into the heart of camp; suddenly uncomfortably aware her exquisite eyes were staring at him.

His thoughts wondered back to the kits as he began to groom himself. He really had a good feeling about them. They were going to be memorable warriors to the Clan.

And on that happy note, he set out into the cold, frosting evening on patrol, with Blacktail and an oddly giddy Gingerpaw.

One Hundred Days

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