CHAPTER 3

Dawnpaw had been an apprentice for two moons. The whole of MistClan were recovering from a battle caused by TreeClan. Moonpaw was badly shaken, as Moonclaw had died when he tried to save his son. Nowadays, Dawnpaw sometimes talked to him and comforted him. Moonpaw would appreciate her attempts to be friendly but he wouldn't say much, just hang his head in grief.

Dawnpaw had a claw swipe on her under side, Bluepaw had a wounded paw and Cinderpaw had a nick in her ear. They were all healing well. Dawnpaw got less and less painful and was able to successfully hunt and battle train. Bluepaw's wounded paw got better and better, just about two weeks after the battle, she was almost back to normal. Cinderpaw, on the other hand, will have a small scar, but she was really proud of it.

On a summer morning, Dawnpaw walked outside to meet up with Summerleaf. "What will we do today?" "Border patrol. Stormclaw said to make sure not a single whisker of TreeClan scent was over the border." Summerleaf mewed, humor in her eyes. Dawnpaw followed Summerleaf, Moonpaw, Flamefur, Shademoon and Darkshadow for the patrol.

"Dawnpaw, you and Moonpaw check the StreamClan border. Flamefur and I will check the TreeClan border and Shademoon and Darkshadow will see to the RavenClan border. Meet back here." Summerleaf instructed. Dawnpaw and Moonpaw padded together. When their pelts brushed together, they jumped apart, embarrassed. "So...I'll check this side and you check that side?" Moonpaw pointed with his tail. Dawnpaw nodded. A shiver-like feeling went through her spine as they brushed pelts again, accidentally.

"All clear. How about yours?" Dawnpaw called. No one answered. "Moonpaw?" Dawnpaw walked closer to the StreamClan border. Suddenly, a shape sprang at her. Dawnpaw prepared to scream for help but it was just Moonpaw, his eyes glimmering with amusement as he pinned his denmate down. "Hey!" Dawnpaw mewed, bolting away, laughing. "I thought you were an enemy warrior!"

"Ha! And you said your senses were better than mine!" Moonpaw mewed teasingly but a hint of amusement was still in his eyes. Dawnpaw crouched, baring her teeth in a mock snarl. She sprang at Moonpaw, claws sheathed. Moonpaw ducked easily as Dawnpaw almost flew over the border. Growling mockingly, she leapt at Moonpaw, missing him again by a whisker.

"Hey, no fair! You're older than me!" Dawnpaw complained. Moonpaw jumped at her, giving her barely any time to think. "Got you!" Moonpaw mewed triumphly. "Nevermind, let's go back now." The two apprentices padded back, unaware that their tails twined together.

"The borders are all set," Moonpaw reported, un-twining their tails. "TreeClan borders are okay. Just a few dirfts of their scent on our territory." Flamefur reported. "No signs of danger from the RavenClan border." Shademoon mewed.

"Good. Dawnpaw and Moonpaw, come with us for some training." Flamefur mewed at the two apprentices. Dawnpaw and Moonpaw both nodded. "We'll hunt for a while before battle training." Summerleaf told them. Dawnpaw crouched, spotting a rabbit munching on a leaf. She pounced but the rabbit was too quick, dashing away at the last possible heartbeat.

"Mouse dung!" Dawnpaw cursed, watching the rabbit running into RavenClan territory. "Don't worry, Dawnpaw." Summerleaf assured her. Dawnpaw nodded, seeing a vole. Moonpaw caught it before she could leap. "Good catch." Flamefur praised. Dawnpaw finally saw a mouse. She sprang at it, using her claws to send it into the air and back onto the ground. She killed it with a quite bite on it's neck.

"That was a nice catch," Moonpaw mumbled, his vole in his mouth. "Thanks." Dawnpaw turned to look at Moonpaw. She saw an emotion in his eyes mirrored in hers. As Dawnpaw and Moonpaw went for battle training, they can't help but stare at each other with the exact same emotion until Dawnpaw turned away, her pelt hot with embarrassment. She felt a tingling feeling along her spine as Moonpaw's eyes burned into her pelt.

Am I falling in love? Dawnpaw asked herself as they arrived at the training hollow. The apprentices put their prey beside a tree and padded to their mentors. "Okay, attack each other." Flamefur mewed. Moonpaw leapt at Dawnpaw, who dodged away quickly, baring her teeth in a snarl. Moonpaw hissed and aimed for Dawnpaw's shoulders. Dawnpaw ducked but Moonpaw grasped her scruff in his mouth.

"Good fight!" Summerleaf prasied as Moonpaw let go off Dawnpaw, amusement dancing in his eyes at the dusty silver apprentice. Dawnpaw shook the dust off her pelt as they continued training.

"Dawnpaw...you look...different." Bluepaw commented as she, Dawnpaw and Cinderpaw shared a squirrel. "Different? What do you mean?" Dawnpaw asked. "Your eyes...look moony," Cinderpaw observed. "Moony? I don't get it." Dawnpaw wondered aloud. Why would I moon over anyone? I'm only an apprentice, becoming a warrior after another 3 moons. Dawnpaw thought.

"Who is it? Burningpaw?" Bluepaw guessed. Burningpaw? Dawnpaw thought. Why in StarClan would I moon over that arrogant furball? "I don't moon over anyone!" Dawnpaw hedged, unable to keep her pelt from burning. Cinderpaw smiled, a curious but determined look in her eyes.

END OF CHAPTER 3! Please rate it and review it if you like/love it! New chapters will be posted daily! Thanks! ~Bluefeather