Chapter One

"Honeypaw! Wait up!" Honeypaw sighed; Moonpaw had been her shadow ever since she had come to the clan. Well, that must be a good thing, considering her former kittypet status. The other apprentices were fond of her too, even if her mentor wasn't. Honeypaw didn't know what was up with Boulderface, other than a crappy warrior name that's easy to make fun of. He was always yelling at her for no reason. Sure, she did hide pebbles in his mouse once, but that was because he'd yelled at her for causing a pile of snow from a tree to fall on him and his mate while they were sharing tongues. But it was only a slight accident and a dare from Dewpaw.

"Uhm, hey Moonpaw." Honeypaw muttered, slightly annoyed. Moonpaw bounced toward her, the other apprentices tromping after her. Honeypaw growled quietly and mentally clawed off her ears. Honeypaw wasn't the oldest of the apprentices, but she was treated like it. What could she say? She was a natural born leader.

"Hey Honeypaw! The other apprentices and I were wondering if you could tell us the story of how you came to the clan!" Moonpaw mewed excitedly. The other apprentices nodded murmuring in agreement.
"What, that old story? Well fine, if you insist." Honeypaw mewed, harrumphing before she started. "Well, I used to be a kittypet. You all know that. So one day, I got bored and went out for a walk. My mouse brained two-legs called my old name, which was so stupid and uncreative, I almost scratched their eyes out every time they spoke to me. I can only understand a few words in two-leg, but that's not the point. So anyway, they called my old boring name and I just ignored them. I had heard rumors from the loner cats that there were wild cats so strong, not even a dog could chase them out. Of course, they've never seen me fight before, so I knew that wild cats weren't so special compared to me.

"But one day, I was dared to go into the woods by one of the scaredy-cat kittypets who thought I wasn't so hot. So to prove them wrong, I strut into the woods. That's the part when my two-legs tried to come get me, but I bounded into the woods and hid under a bush till they left.

"I was so pleased with myself; I decided to give me a reward for such cunning and agile moves. I went hunting for a mouse, only to be evaded by Raincloud, who attacked me and gave me this broken tail!" Honeypaw paused and waved her rear and broken tail for all the apprentices to see. This wasn't true of course, because along with blindness, the kit was born with the broken tail. She never admitted to being blind to Creekstar, because then she might not have been given a chance to join the Clan, and they needed Honeypaw!

All the apprentices gasped in horror. They glanced at Raincloud, who was sharing tongues with his mate, Mousetail. "Listen! Or else I'm not going to continue!" Honeypaw growled at the other apprentices. They all clamped their jaws shut and looked back at Honeypaw.

"So as I was saying, Raincloud attacked me! Having no training but double the skills than him, I avoided most of his attempts and gave him the notch in his ear. The others in the patrol were so impressed with me, that they begged Creekstar for me to become a Clan cat. Creekstar in turn asked me, and being the humble cat I am, accepted this offer with a graceful leap of approval. And thus, here I am now, almost a warrior in this awesome Clan!" Honeypaw finished. The other apprentices squealed with delight and awe for Honeypaw's great story. Honeypaw sensed movement behind her and turned, disappointed, to scent Boulderface.

"Honeypaw! What in the name of StarClan are you doing lazing around with the other apprentices?" He growled at her. Honeypaw grimaced and turned back around, pretending not to hear him.

Finally, she muttered, "They're the ones making me slack off, Boulderface. Besides, I've done everything you told me to do, so I believe I should have the rest of the day off."

"A warrior never gets to have the rest of the day off!" Boulderface snarled.

"So? I'm an apprentice, not a warrior. If I were a warrior I wouldn't have to take orders from you!" Honeypaw countered. Boulderface flattened his ears against his head, growling obscenities and slunk off, calling, "Fine, do whatever you want! You'll never become a true warrior, kittypet."

"Oh, how immature! A warrior, trying to bring down his own apprentice. I've never seen that happen before, Boulderface." Creekstar growled at Boulderface. Her deep blue eyes were ablaze with anger that made even Honeypaw flinch.

"I wish I knew you weren't ready for an apprentice, because then I would've assigned Honeypaw to a more deserving warrior." She continued, glaring at the tom. Boulderface flattened his ears again and looked at Honeypaw, who shrugged, not willing to help him.

"But, Creekstar, she's impossible to work with! She doesn't listen, she's always complaining about how I'm too hard on her, and she just doesn't like me!" Boulderface protested, bristling.

"Oh stop drawing attention to yourself. She's a kit! A young apprentice who just needs some praise for once and I can bet you a fat and juicy rabbit that you've never given her any at all! Sure, she might need discipline, but you're giving her way. Too. Much!" Creekstar growled.

Boulderface lowered his head. "I'm sorry Creekstar." He grumbled.

"Sorry doesn't raise apprentices right. I'm sorry, Boulderface, but for your punishment, you will not be training Honeypaw anymore, or any other apprentice until I know you can deal with attitude kindly and respectfully." Creekstar meowed, no sign of apology in her eyes.

"Wait, Creekstar! I don't want another mentor! I like Boulderface, and any other mentor will simply not mix. Boulderface just needs another chance; you don't have to punish him that bad!" Honeypaw intervened, her long fur that would cover her eyes swinging out of the way to reveal pale green eyes that didn't glow with any kind of emotion or light. This got Creekstar staring at the apprentice, her jaws hanging open.

"Honeypaw, are you…blind?"