Chapter 1

"Thrushpaw's been caught by a bunny!" purred a small, sand-coloured tom as Thrushpaw stood up in the shallow stream with a dead rabbit on the grass nearby. He was stalking around on the outskirts of the woodlands, when three younger apprentices - Sandpaw, Brackenpaw and Flamepaw - chased the rabbit into the bushes and straight at him. Caught by surprise, he couldn't react in time and was knocked into the freezing waters by the collision with the poor fluffy creature; which had died from its horrific fright.

Hastily jumping out of the stream, Thrushpaw couldn't help but let out a growl of annoyance at the sight of his pelt. He felt somewhat happy when he woke up that morning, and was quite meticulous when he did his ritual grooming. Now his painstakingly licked pelt was drenched and had a little spot where some of his fur was shredded off. Thrushpaw glanced at the apprentices. The siblings were amused; with their loud purring and gleeful mewing, they did not show any signs of guilt. They must be taught a lesson!

Taking a great step forward, so that he stood in perfect distance from the unsuspecting trio; Thrushpaw prepared for his attack.
"Aargh!" they screeched, scurrying in different directions. Avoiding the spray coming from the shaking soaked Thrushpaw, who meowed mischievously in laughter.

Just as the last of the apprentices disappeared under a thicket, another cat arrived to the stream. She froze abruptly in her tracks and studied Thrushpaw, wide-eyed and with a strange expression on her face, "What in the name of StarClan is happening here?" Realizing that she was staring at him and that he looked rather like a dog in his current stance, Thrushpaw immediately stood up straight, "Oh hello Nighttail." Thrushpaw tried not to shiver as Nighttail approached to investigate, at the same time as a chilly wind blew across the moors.
"Did you kill that rabbit?" She meowed, sniffing the dead creature. Thrushpaw was about to answer when a sand-coloured ball of fluff whipped past him, nearly knocking him down.
"No, the bunny died when it rammed into Thrushpaw!" Sandpaw mewed as he slowed down to a trot; approaching Nighttail. Not far away, Brackenpaw followed. Emerging from the thicket where Sandpaw came from, "We chased it into him!" she shouted. Last to appear was Flamepaw, who let out a little mewl from behind a strip of tall grass, "Yeah."

The apprentices clearly hadn't expected a scolding, and were scared when Nighttail growled sternly, "That wasn't very funny, Thrushpaw could've been hurt The commotion could've also attracted a ThunderClan patrol, we're quite near the border." The siblings crouched low to the ground, looking like three little burrs with big sorry eyes. Thrushpaw felt a slight pity for them as he knew they meant no harm, "Nighttail, they were chasing the rabbit towards that thorn bush," He turned his head into the direction of a partially destroyed bush.
"They didn't know that the rabbit would jump through it, and I just happened to be behind the bush, hidden from them," Nighttail narrowed her eyes. Thinking. Then her ears were pricked, as if she saw something that interested her. Thrushpaw went to her side and followed her gaze.

Nighttail gave the apprentices another stern look. She eyeballed them, starting from Flamepaw to Brackenpaw, Sandpaw, and finally to a silver she-cat.
"Hiya!" Shimmerfur purred. The apprentices screeched and quickly ran behind Thrushpaw. Thrushpaw couldn't suppress him laughter any longer, and burst out mewling and purring. Then getting batted at and tackled by the whining trio. Nighttail and Shimmerfur stood purring, side by side; until Shimmerfur caught sight of the rabbit.
"That's one handsome rabbit," she chattered. Bounding up to the kill, she picked it up without another word. Nighttail trotted after her, "The apprentices chased it, and Thrushpaw kind of killed it." Shimerfur gave nighttail a puzzled look but said nothing. She drags it a few pawsteps then turns to the apprentices, "We've caught enough already, let's get back to camp," Thrushpaw and the trio disengaged themselves. Giving their pelts a quick licking, they padded up to the mentors.
"Hey, where's Sparrowfang?" Brackenpaw asked, looking around. Thrushpaw scanned the area too. Sparrowfang was his brother. Though he was from an earlier litter, nevertheless, they were still very close. With no sight of the brown tabby anywhere, the group had to leave or they wouldn't have time to collect all their prey before sundown.