Lionpaw's POV

I'm about to become a warrior with my sister, Hollypaw, and her closest friend, Cinderpaw. Poor Cinderpaw. She would've become a warrior with her sisters, Honeyfern and Poppyfrost, but she injured her leg falling from a tree trying to save Mousewhisker (Mousepaw then) so her warrior training had to be delayed. At least it healed so she wouldn't have to spend the rest of her life in Leafpool and Jaypaw's den.

After the ceremony

"Hi Lionblaze want to go hunt?" Cinderheart came out of nowhere and asked me. I got a bubbly feeling, like when I met Heatherpaw as a young apprentice, but stronger. I immediately answered "Yes!" then tried to calm down and re-answered "Yeah sure Cinderheart". It took all my energy not to bounce in excitement. We walked into the forest and tasted the air for prey scent. I immediately found the strong scent of mouse and stalked it while Cinderheart walked the other way, stalking a squirrel, from what it looked like. I got close enough to pounce when Thornclaw rambled in from the bushes and scared away the mouse. "What did you do that for?" I hissed at him. "There's a fox near camp!" he loudly explained. I immediately ran to camp, knowing I should face it because of my power. I follow the scent of fox and find Brambleclaw, Berrynose, Sorreltail and Greystripe fighting the fox. I yowl and jump in, immediately biting its hind leg when I came close enough. Berrynose looks at me in shock of the ferocity in my bite then snaps out of it and continues slashing the fox's face. Brackenfur then jumps into the fight with Squirrelflight at his side, along with Sandstorm. While the fox is pushing away Greystripe I take the chance and pounce at it, using all my strength to pin it before it counters and bite its neck. The fox whines then pushes my fiercely off, making me slam into a tree then it runs off. I start feeling dizzy and faint.

I open my eyes to see Leafpool and Cinderheart talking. "Will he be okay?" Cinderheart asks Leafpool with worry edged in her voice. "I'm trying my best don't rush me!" Leafpool hissed. Cinderheart looked taken back then saw me up and yelled out "Lionblaze you're okay! Thank StarClan you got up I nearly thought you left for good!". "Yeah, nearly thought, huh" Leafpool snorted. Jaypaw came in then raced to my side. "Lionblaze, what happened?" Jaypaw screeched. "He fought a fox and was thrown against a tree" Cinderheart quickly answered. I still felt a little dizzy, but good enough to get up and get some prey. Cinderheart then hurriedly padded next to me, so close are pelts were brushing and I slightly blushed. As we neared the fresh-kill pile, I saw Sorreltail and Brackenfur sharing tongues with their tails entwined. That'll be me one day…. I thought, then glanced at Cinderheart next to me, also staring at her parents with a longing look in her eyes. She wants it too…maybe she's the one… I then shook my head, clearing the thought from my head. Now wasn't the time to think about taking mates with the prophecy still on mine and my littermates' shoulders. Then a thought came to me. What if the prophecy kills everyone but Hollyleaf, Jaypaw and I? I knew I wouldn't let that happen. I cared too much about my Clan mates. I glanced at Berrynose, then at Cinderheart. Some more than others… I slightly snickered at my thought. Cinderheart picked out a vole, and before I could take prey for myself, she asked me "Would you like to share?" I try not to look too excited as I nodded. The prophecy can wait. Cinderheart won't be here forever, and she might not always feel this way about me, I decided. I licked her ear and saw her blush lightly and heard a very small purr. I smiled and ate more of our vole.

Cinderheart's POV

I looked around the unfamiliar area, and then saw Lionblaze racing toward me. I tried to get up, but felt pain searing in my hind leg. I looked down and realized I was lying on a Thunder path. As Lionblaze neared, I then saw it wasn't Lionblaze at all, but a younger Firestar! I tried to get up, but couldn't move. Firestar finally got to me and said "Cinderpaw, are you okay?" I fought the urge to reply my name is Cinderheart! You were the one to give me my warrior name! Greystripe came up and talked to Firestar. "Fireheart, she was run over by a monster. We need to take her to Yellowfang to check her up.". I nearly froze in my place when I heard Greystripe call Firestar "Fireheart". Then a thought came to me. This must've been before Firestar became leader! I must be in the body of Cinderpelt! Then I woke up.

It was a clear night, and my dream still lingered in my mind. Did Cinderpelt show her memory to me? If she did, why? I tried to clear my head, so I went out of camp for a walk. I tried not to disturb anyone as I walked out of the warrior's den. I nearly woke the whole den when I heard Cloudtail's snoring and almost laughed so loud I would've bet RiverClan heard me. I finally got to the exit when I heard Honeyfern's mew. "Trouble sleeping?" "No I just need some fresh air" I replied. She just shrugged then lied back down in her nest next to Berrynose. Treat her well or I'll rip your pelt off! I hoped I wasn't too protective of Honeyfern. She's just so believing and so easy to be used. If Berrynose ever even thought of leaving her, I'd set a pack of badgers on him. I walked out of the den and headed out of the tunnel entrance. I dipped my head to Whitewing, who was on guard duty tonight. I continued walking till I got to the lakeshore. I sat down and looked into my reflection, when Cinderpelt's image replaced my own. I gasped and backed away, tripping over a root and accidentally falling onto Lionblaze, who seemed to have followed me out here. I got up and immediately started rambling. "Lionblaze I am so sorry I didn't see you there I thought you were in the den with everyone else." He seemed amused and purred. "You don't need to apologize. I shouldn't have been following you". He started laughing and I did too. I tackled him when he was distracted and we started rolling down a hill. When he stopped rolling he ended up on top of me. I cuffed his ear with sheathed claw and lightly pushed me off me. I shook the sand off my pelt and nuzzled him, but then realized this was too sudden and backed away. I saw Lionblaze looking down and wondered what was wrong. He looked up and his eyes were dim. "Let's head back. The dusk patrol might head out soon and we'll miss it." I wondered if I did something to upset him but he walked away too soon so I couldn't ask. I caught up with him and questioned "Is there anything wrong?" I wasn't convinced when he answered "No I'm just tired"

I was dreaming that Lionblaze and I were out of camp and we were mates now. Then Lionblaze turned to me, hate blazing in his amber eyes. "We can't be together, Cinderheart." Then his gaze softened as he said "I don't want to hurt you…" then he faded away and my whole world crumbled around me. Then I shot up out of my nest. I saw the dawn patrol heading out and went looking for Brambleclaw. I found him by Highrock talking too Firestar and…..Lionbaze! I walked past them to see what was going on. "… Stale fox scent" is all I heard from Firestar. "Gladly Lionblaze and the others chased the fox off." Brambleclaw said with a proud gleam in his eyes when he spoke of his son.

Lion's POV

I was talking with Brambleclaw and Firestar about going on dawn patrol. I saw Cinderheart padding by and thought I should explain what happened last night. The image still lingered in my mind.

*Lionblaze's memory*

She really nuzzled me. This must mean she feels the same I had thought. Then I saw the WindClan border. Heathertail and Breezepelt were together. He knew they were in love. He remembered all the good timed him and Heathertail had spent together in the tunnels and the hurt in her eyes when he told her they had to stop meeting each other. Then her betrayal of revealing the tunnels to her Clanmates to attack. Now she just forgot about their time together with Breezepelt. He felt anger smothered by sadness and just looked down and walked back to camp with Cinderheart.

*End of memory*

He finished his conversation with his father and Firestar. He walked up to Cinderheart to explain but realized he couldn't without revealing how he secretly met Heathertail and once had feelings for her. He decided it should be better a secret. "Cinderheart, would you hunt with me?" Cinderheart looked like she was a little relieved. "You mean I didn't upset you last night?" Cinderheart was confused but excited. "Of course not I just…" He tried to think of a good reason. "No it's fine you would've told me if it was important, right?" She cut me off, though I was relieved. "Yeah it's nothing important. Let's go hunting now." So we walked into the woods. I smelled fox scent and hoped it wasn't the fox he chased off coming back for revenge. He walked closer to Cinderheart to make sure she wasn't attacked. Then Cinderheart suddenly stopped. She sniffed the air and said "I smell bird." She started walking in the other direction and pounced, killing the prey. I realized the fox scent was stale and started my own hunt. I stalked toward Cinderheart then took a left, following the scent of squirrel. I finally saw my prey scuffling around for nuts. I crept a bit closer then pounced. The squirrel heard my last footstep and ran right into Cinderheart's paws. Then she purred. "Nice catch. Here, you deserve it" she offered. "No, no. You caught it fair and square. I should have been more careful" I denied it, trying to be polite. She purred louder and buried her prey. We then went off to continue the hunt.

We padded back to camp with our kill in our jaws. I caught two mice and Cinderheart got a vole, the squirrel I surprised and a blackbird. When we went through the tunnel entrance the camp was almost completely deserted, other than Bumblekit and Briarkit playing a moss ball and Millie worrying over them. "Where is everyone?" We asked in unison. "Ferncloud and Daisy are in the nursery. Everyone else is doing border patrols or hunting." I wondered why even Firestar was out and could tell Cinderheart felt the same. I decided to forget about it and put my prey in the fresh kill pile. Cinderheart followed and did the same, walking close but not close enough our pelts brushed. I wondered if she felt awkward since the WindClan border hunt and she still thinks she upset me somehow. I was about to ask when Poppyfrost raced into camp. "Ashfur's been hurt!" she screamed.

Cinder's POV

Worry stabbed my stomach. Ashfur was hurt! Someone (Or someTHING!) must've attacked him! What if that fox came back and he's dead? Poppyfrost continued reporting to us. "He was patrolling ShadowClan border when a group of rogues came and attacked him. Whitewing and Birchfall were hunting so he had to fight them off himself." Lionblaze and I exchanged a worried look and raced off to help Ashfur. By the time we got there, Ashfur's limp, unconscious body was surrounded by Sorreltail, Whitewing, Birchfall, and Squirrelflight. I raced next to Sorreltail and licked his body. I felt warmth and sighed in relief. He was alive and breathing. Just then Jayfeather came, carrying marigold, cobwebs and other herbs I couldn't recognize. I took some marigold and chewed it into a poultice and rubbed it on his wounds. Then I took some cobwebs and covered his wounds in them. I saw Lionblaze and the others staring at me in disbelief, expect for Jayfeather. He had a gleam of suspicion in his blue, sightless eyes. I backed away and let Jayfeather take care of Ashfur. I stood next to Lionblaze with deep worry in my eyes. Lionblaze set his tail on my shoulder as a sign that everything will be okay. I looked into his amber eyes and I knew I could believe him. Jayfeather was his brother, and he would never doubt him. Flickers of memory from when Jayfeather taught me how to swim so I could use my hurt leg without as much pain came to my mind. Jayfeather wouldn't let us down.

Ferncloud and Squirrelflight helped Ashfur into his nest. Ferncloud leaned over her brother and licked his pelt. She gave a warning glance at Jayfeather that said I'll rip your pelt off if you let him die. I shivered from the protection she had for her brother. Am I that fierce about Honeyfern? I can't help it. She's too kind and would easily get taken advantage of. Lionblaze was very protective of his brother when they were kits and apprentices, when he was teased for being blind. I was proud of Lionblaze. He took care of everyone around him. He'll be a great father one day I looked at Lionblaze with hope maybe father of my kits. She wondered if Lionblaze felt the same about me. If he's even looking for a mate I shook the thought from my head. It was too soon. They only become warriors a few moons ago. Just let fate take his course. I walked over to Lionblaze after picking up a shrew from the fresh kill pile. "Would you like to share?" I asked him. He nodded happily and took a bite. I ate some too and we eventually finished it. I looked into his strong amber eyes and saw my dream from a few nights ago all over again.