3 Moons later...

Shadedpaw was just barely curling up in her nest when she heard Ivypaw and Dovepaw outside of the apprentice den, arguing. She shifted, flattening her ears as to block out some of the angry hisses and snarls that drifted through the bracken walls. Forcing her eyes shut, she attempted to fall asleep. The growling grew louder, and she heaved herself to her paws, gazing around over at the other apprentices to see if they were annoyed by the racket at all. To her surprise, they were sound asleep.

Padding lightly out of the den, she walked up to the two, opening her mouth to say something, but stopping with her maw half open at the scene before her.

The cats' fur was brushed up threateningly, and their mouths opened in the beginnings of a snarl. Dovepaw was backing away slightly, with Ivypaw advancing. Ivypaw's claws glinted in the sandy floor, gripping it as if she was holding herself back from attacking.

But then her gaze. Full of malice and anger, they held an uncontrolled menace captured within them.

Dovepaw spoke. "Ivypaw, look what it is doing to you, you must stop going there, please!"

"You know what? You don't understand, Dovepaw, OK? You were chosen for the water patrol to get the water back, and you talk to Firestar all the time, as if you are a medicine cat! You have a secret, I know you do, so can't I keep my own?" Ivypaw yowled back.

"That's different, Ivypaw!"

Ivypaw was getting worked up and angry. Her claws kneaded the ground, and her nostrils flared as she tried to gain self control.

Shadedpaw growled and ran to the two cats, trying a soft, "Please stop." It didn't work, so she forced herself in between the two, making them break up. "Just stop, ok? You don't want to wake up the others, do you? Someone will get hurt if this continues!"

The two cats shook themselves, and glaring, padded back inside the den.

Shadedpaw breathed a sigh of relief, then padded after them into the den. Walking over to her nest, she collapsed into it, falling asleep nearly instantly.

Shadedpaw awoke to find herself in a large meadow. She poked the ground and was delighted to find that it was soft and springy, perfect for training. She realized that there was a deep covering of soft moss everywhere. She smiled happily, crouching into her best fighting crouch, then squeaked in terror as she saw a huge, lumbering beast. It made a strange neighing sound, then clopped away. Shadedpaw shook herself. Whatever that was, hopefully it wouldn't hurt her. She got into her fighting stance again. She then leaped, trying a move that had been in her mind since she had been a kit. While she was in the air, she twisted, or a least tried to, to get onto an imaginary enemy's back and confuse them. She failed, miserably. Landing on her shoulder before she could twist midair, pain shot through her shoulder. She gasped in pain.

"That's too bad, it's a good move, but an expert one." A voice came from behind her.

Shadedpaw sprang up, wanting to screech in pain.

"Are you okay? That looked like it hurt, a lot." A tom slunk out of the grass. He was a tabby with ice-blue eyes.

"Y-yeah, I'll be alright." Shadedpaw stared at the tom.

"Are you sure? You look like you hurt yourself pretty badly."

"I'll be fine. Who are you?" Shadedpaw flexed her leg while she waited for an answer.

"My name's Hawkfrost. What's your's?"

"Wait, Hawkfrost? I've heard of you." Shadedpaw growled accusingly.

He flinched. "The past is the past, and I regret everything."

Shadedpaw instantly felt bad.

"Sorry…" She said

He grinned a little bit. "It's alright. Anyways, you need to leap even higher. That move only works when you're pretty far away from your enemy."

Shadedpaw was shocked. Here, in a strange place, with a strange cat, she was learning! And a move she thought she had made up, no less!

Hawkfrost dropped into a fighting crouch, then leaped high into the air. Shadedpaw gasped as he gracefully executed the move perfectly, landing softly with his sharp claws out. He sat, licking his paw, until he said, "Now you try. Make sure to be careful when you spin."

She nodded, still like a deer in headlights from sheer awe. She shook her head to clear the mist. Dropping into a crouch, she took off once again.

It happened so fast, but before she knew it, she was lying among the tall grass. Hawkfrost's blue eyes bored into her, filled with worry.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"Somewhat." Shadedpaw answered, her back aching.

She got up, looking down with embarrassment. She gasped as she realized she couldn't see her paws. If she looked closely, she could see a faint outline.

"Looks like you're waking up. See you later, said Hawkfrost.

Shadedpaw opened her mouth to say bye, but suddenly she was back in her nest.

She stretched, wincing. Strange, her body was sore. Maybe it wasn't just a dream.

Walking out of her nest and leaving behind Ivypaw and Dovepaw, who were still sleeping, she picked out a vole, then sat alone.

Ever since the patrol to get the water came back, and it rained, the clans had been getting much better weather. Shadedpaw still wonded why, of all the great warriors of ThunderClan, Dovepaw had been chosen.

Shadedpaw pricked her ears as she heard Sorreltail calling. She sighed and trotted over to begin her training for the day.