Chapter 1

Lightningpaw felt something prod him on his flank. He shifted in his nest but did not stir. He felt the thing poked him again except harder this time. "Stop it," Lightningpaw mumbled while he shifted again turning his back to the source of the prodding.

"Wake up!"

Lightningpaw eyes shot open as he scrambled onto his paws flinging scraps of moss across the apprentice's den. Early morning light was streaming through the bramble tendrils that hung over the entrance to the cave where the apprentice den was made. A dark flecked she-cat stood at the entrance parting the brambles with her body.

"Come on lazy-head remember we are needed for the dawn patrol?" she meowed.

"Okay I'm coming, Pepperflight, but there is no need to yowl in my ear." Lightningpaw meowed crossly while rubbing his sore ear against his shoulder.

"Sorry," mewed Pepperflight as she gave Lightningpaw's ear an apologetic lick. She turned around and padded out of the apprentice's den beckoning with her tail for Lightningpaw to follow. Lightningpaw ducked under the bramble tendrils and padded out into the main clearing. The thorn wall that lined the top of the stone hollow where ThunderClan has made their camp was lined with frost. Lightningpaw fluffed out his pelt against the cold and padded down to meet the group of his clan mates who have assembled for the dawn patrol.

"Is everyone here?" meowed Stonefang sweeping his amber gaze around the assembled cats.

"I'm not so sure where's Thornfoot?" asked Frosteyes, a white she-cat.

"You're right and Adderpaw is not here either…," Stonefang trailed off.

"He left the warrior's den before sunrise he said that he wanted to see Tinyroot about something," meowed Frosteyes, a white she-cat.

"Interesting," Stonefang mewed. "Lightningpaw can you go to the medicine den and check if Thornfoot is still there?"

"Okay Stonefang," meowed Lightningpaw briskly as he padded off towards the medicine den. The golden tom pushed through the bramble screen that covered the entrance to the medicine den and wrinkled his nose at the sharp stench of herbs.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Thornfoot, whenever you step on a thorn you should let me remove it immediately." Tinyroot mewed irritably at a black warrior lying in a nest of moss. "But you just had to let it get infected."

"I didn't mean to," meowed Thornfoot. "It just that it hurts a lot when you pull it out," he mewed while giving his injured paw a few swift licks, "Besides you are not that gentle."

"Then next time you can go bawling to the queens the next time you step on a thorn," Tinyroot mewed cynically. "Now stay still," he said while scooping a green paste with his paw onto a beech leaf.

"What is it?" mewed Thornfoot giving the paste a sniff.

"Its marigold, it will stop the infection," Tinyroot explained.

"Oh well looks like I got all the information I needed." Lightningpaw thought as he padded out of the medicine den without Tinyroot noticing.

"Do you know where Thornfoot is?" asked Stonefang as Lightningpaw joined the circle.

"In the medicine den," meowed Lightningpaw, "He has an infected wound," the golden apprentice explained.

"So he won't be able to join us?" mewed Stonefang.

"I think so," answered Lightningpaw.

"Okay then, in that case I'll be joining you on the patrol," meowed Stonefang. "Frosteyes can you please fetch Adderpaw? It will do you good to see what it is like having an apprentice of your own."

"Certainly," mewed the white warrior, excitement gleaming in her blue eyes as she dashed off towards the apprentice's den and returned a few heartbeats later with Adderpaw alongside her.

"Overslept too, huh?" asked Lightningpaw.

"Yeah, I guess so," meowed Adderpaw giving his rumpled chest fur a few swift licks.

"Okay everyone we will remark the boarder ahead," meowed Stonefang.

Lightningpaw looked ahead at the bare twoleg path ahead of them and the stretch of woods ahead, after that they will reach the ShadowClan boarder

"Wait, do you smell that?" Adderpaw asked.

Lightningpaw raised his nose to the air and drew in a deep breath. He instantly recoiled as he recognized the foul stench. ShadowClan! What are they doing here? This is ThunderClan territory!

"Well, looks like we have invaders trespassing on ShadowClan territory!" a new voice sneered.