Though the two had only met earlier that day, Goldenpaw felt that she could trust Leaf. Really, there was something about her that... well... that invited her to confide everything in her. While the rest of the camp grieved the death of a kit by deathberry poisoning, earlier this morning, Leaf radiated warmth, and comfort. It was odd. Still, Goldenpaw knew that there was more to Leaf than she was letting on.

And it pained her that Leaf didn't trust her enough to tell her.

Goldenpaw padded towards the fresh-kill pile, almost charging straight into her father, Rockflame, who jumped away, a little startled. But as Goldenpaw tore off a clump from a small vole, Rockflame padded towards her, his amber eyes soft and caring. Goldenpaw's mother, Cloudfur, had died in a battle with WindClan, a few moons before.

And then, there was Moonriver, a rogue who had joined the clan about a moon before Cloudfur died. But Goldenpaw didn't think there was anything related between Leaf and Moonriver, though. Anyway, she didn't know Moonriver well at all.

But she didn't know what to make of Leaf.

"What are you thinking about?" Rockflame, a dark brown tabby tom, blinked warm amber eyes.

Goldenpaw turned away after picking at the vole's bones. "Nothing."

"You're thinking about Leaf, aren't you?"

"How did you find out about-"

Rockflame rolled his eyes, cutting her off. "The entire clan, or, at least, most of it, saw you, Duskfire, and Pebblestorm bring that loner into camp earlier. And Pebblestorm told me that her name was Leaf." He flicked his tail. "Anyway, you're thinking about her, aren't you?"

"What if I am?" Goldenpaw retorted, meeting his amber gaze with her challenging blue stare.

"What do you think about her?" Rockflame asked, ignoring her sharpness.

Goldenpaw shrugged. "She's a decent cat, even if she's not a ThunderClan warrior. I got to know her a little on the way back from the patrol, and she's friendly." She jumped to her paws, padding away, not wanting to give any of her thoughts away, not even to her father.

And at that moment, Leaf padded out of Cinderstar's den, looking happy, but under that happiness, there was... relief... in her gaze. Was joining the clan so important to her? Goldenpaw thought, narrowing her eyes thoughtfully. If so, why?

Leaf bounded over to greet her, her dark ginger fur catching the sunlight. "Guess what? Cinderstar agreed to let me stay in the clan!" Goldenpaw brightened immediately, then pressed against her, which she returned by touching her nose to hers. Goldenpaw didn't know why she felt so relieved. Normally, she wouldn't care if a former loner got to stay in the clan... but Leaf was different. It was a feeling that Leaf would benefit her somehow.

"Great!" Goldenpaw mewed warmly.

Leaf looked solemly into her eyes. "Can you show me around camp? Cinderstar said she'll hold a meeting soon!"

"Of course!" Goldenpaw beckoned to her with her golden tail, padding ahead of Leaf, her heart light. Leaf padded after her, purring, her tail high as she caught up to the golden apprentice. Goldenpaw padded towards the apprentices' den, her den, as there were no other apprentices at the moment. Of course, that would change once Leaf joined her. "This is the apprentices' den!" she mewed brightly. "It's where you'll sleep, and I sleep. There aren't any other apprentices, though."

"That must be lonely," Leaf remarked.

Goldenpaw narrowed her eyes. "It must be lonelier to live as a loner, though," she mewed slyly. Now, maybe I can find something new out about her. For a heartbeat, she thought Leaf stiffen, but then, she relaxed, and shrugged.

"This is the warriors' den," Goldenpaw announced. "And over there's the nursery. That's where the queens and kits stay. The kits move to the apprentices' den when they're six moons old." Leaf nodded, looking intrigued.

"So will I become an apprentice?" Leaf asked wonderingly.

"Yeah." Goldenpaw dipped her head, then padded on. "That's the elders' den. Smoketail is kind enough, but Dappleflower is rather-" Leaf had already pushed past her, and heartbeats later, there came a long snarl. "-grumpy," she finished glumly, and Leaf slipped back out, looking rather worried.

"Why do they stay there?"

"They're too old to be warriors, so they retired. And as an apprentice, it's my job to look after them," Goldenpaw huffed. Her lowered her voice. "Unfortunately."

Leaf purred in amusement. "Do they have ticks?"

"Only too many," Goldenpaw growled. "StarClan knows where they pick up so many."

Leaf frowned. "StarClan?"

Goldenpaw jumped back. She doesn't know StarClan! "That's our word for the spirits of our warrior ancestors. What do you say, instead?"

"I say the Sun's Shadow," Leaf mewed slowly. "But it means about the same as yours."

Goldenpaw shrugged padding past her. "This is the medicine den, and the medicine cats are the ones who heal the clan. Poppyheart's a nice cat, but the only reason she's a medicine cat is because she had some accident when she was an apprentice, and she would never be able to breathe properly again."

Leaf made a sympathetic sound.

"And her apprentice, Twistpaw, was born with a twisted paw."

Leaf looked incredulous. "Are only injured cats allowed to be medicine cats?"

Goldenpaw flicked her tail under Leaf's nose, purring in amusement. "No. If a cat wants to become a medicine cat, he can. Anyway, you're not planning on becoming a medicine cat if something happens to Twistpaw or Poppyheart, right?"

Leaf shook her head. "No, I'm not."

"Yeah, so that's it-" Goldenpaw began, but a she-cat's yowl cut her off, and both she and Leaf swung their heads toward the Highledge to see Cinderstar let out a call.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a clan meeting!" Goldenpaw shot Leaf an excited glance, with she returned with one of anticipation and nervousness. Goldenpaw paused for a few heartbeats, then bounded towards the base of the Highledge, her eyes gleaming with happiness for her friend. "As you know, a former loner wishes to join the ranks of ThunderClan."

Was it her imagination, or did Cinderstar slightly hesitate before the words former loner?

"Leaf is about the same age as Goldenpaw, so if she works hard enough, she may be able to receive her warrior name around the same time as Goldenpaw." A bit of murmuring broke out through the crowd, and one cat, a jet-black tom with white paws, pushed his way to the front.

"Cinderstar, you're taking too many rogues into ThunderClan! Soon enough, there won't be such a thing as Clan blood!"

Goldenpaw leaned toward Leaf. "That's Whitefoot," she murmured. "He... he's not the most amiable cat." Leaf didn't reply. Goldenpaw followed her gaze to where Cinderstar answered Whitefoot.

"And have you forgotten that the great leaders, Thunder, Shadow, River, Wind, and Sky, were formerly rogues or loners?" Cinderstar retorted, not even bothering to stop her fur from bristling as she glared at the black tom.

Whitefoot said nothing, just shot Leaf a small glare before sitting down again.

Leaf's fur bristled beside her. Goldenpaw placed her tail on Leaf's back. "Don't worry, Whitefoot may not be a friend, but he's completely loyal to the clan." Leaf nodded, and anxiety flared in her green eyes as Cinderstar continued to speak.

"Leaf, step forward."

Goldenpaw shot her an encouraging look as Leaf padded forward.

"From this moment onward, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Leafpaw." Leaf - no, Leafpaw - seemed to be pleased with her new name. Cinderstar's next words startled Goldenpaw. "I believe Leafpaw will need very careful guidance on her path to becoming a warrior, thus I will mentor her myself."

Lucky! Goldenpaw thought, but she was rather glad she didn't have Cinderstar as a mentor. Cinderstar's probably going to be a really strict mentor. I'm glad she's not my mentor. Goldenpaw watched as Cinderstar leaped down from the Highledge to gently touch her nose to Leafpaw's.

Goldenpaw was one of the first cats to yowl Leafpaw's name to the skies, and then, the clan joined in. "Leafpaw! Leafpaw!"

Leafpaw shook out her dark ginger fur, then leaned in to whisper to Goldenpaw. "That wasn't so bad. I thought she'd be testing me or something."

Goldenpaw purred. "Congratulations, Leafpaw."

And the two of them touched noses for a long heartbeat.