Hollypaw arched her back and leapt at Tawnypaw. They rolled around and pawed playfully at each other, with claws seethed.
"Now it's my turn," Foxpaw exclaimed and pounced towards Tawnypaw and Hollypaw.
Together they tumbled until they were stopped by Silverstripe.
"Hollypaw, Tawnypaw, Foxpaw, you guys are going on a hunting patrol with Crowfeather and the rest of the apprentices." Silverstripe announced.
She strode off and called, while she was walking away, "Could you find Harvestpaw for me? I've been looking everywhere."
"Hmm," Hollypaw said, "I wonder where she could be. Don't worry guys, I'll find her."
They nodded and continued to tussle while Hollypaw searched for Harvestpaw. Hollypaw walked around camp and decided to look in the nursery. Luckily, Hollypaw found her with their mother, Ferncloud.
Hollypaw walked into the all so familiar nursery and saw that Harvestpaw was playing with Owlkit.
"Now, now Harvestpaw," Ferncloud said, "Be careful with Owlkit."
She turned her head and meowed to Hollypaw, "Hello dear, how are you?"
"I'm fine Ferncloud," Hollypaw said, "Harvestpaw, we've got to go on a hunting patrol."
"A hunting patrol," Owlkit squeaked, "Oh, I want to go, Ferncloud can I go, please?"
"Not 'till you're an apprentice," Ferncloud said sternly.
Owlkit sadly sat down and pouted, "But I want to learn some hunting moves."
Harvestpaw gave Owlkit a quick lick on the ear and said, "Don't worry, I'll teach you some moves when we get back, okay."
Owlkit, looking much more cheerful, happily said good-bye as they walked out of the nursery.
"What were you doing in the nursery," Hollypaw asked.
"I wanted to see Owlkit," Harvestpaw said lightly.
Hollypaw looked skeptically at Harvestpaw.
"Okay," Harvestpaw admitted, "I wanted to talk to Ferncloud about Foxpaw."
Hollypaw nodded understandingly and met up with Crowfeather and the rest of the apprentices.
"Good," Crowfeather said anxiously, "Come on everybody, it's time to go."
Hollypaw ran up to Tawnypaw, with a glum Harvestpaw at her side, and followed Crowfeather out of the camp and into the woods.
"Come on Cinderpaw," Leafpool said hastily, "Keep up with me."
Cinderpaw nodded, she couldn't say anything because she was panting so hard. Why is Leafpool so eager, Cinderpaw thought, any faster she'd be able to outrun StarClan? She mustered the little strength she had left, and bolted up to Leafpool and kept her pace.
"You're getting faster, Cinderpaw," Leafpool said happily.
Cinderpaw was not only struggling to keep up with Leafpool, Firestar must have been given SkyClan-like speed. She could barely see Firestar's flame colored pelt, because she was so far ahead.
"I found some," Firestar exclaimed.
"Come on Cinderpaw," Leafpool slowed to a steady trot and Cinderpaw sighed a sigh of relief.
They found Firestar standing next to a bush of wild catmint.
"Great find Firestar," Leafpool said, gleaming.
"Yeah, thanks," Firestar said happily, "I could smell this as soon as we left camp."
Cinderpaw looked at Firestar, impressed. Quick as a flash, a dark brown cat bolted from the bushes. Firestar let out a yowl and jumped on top of the strange cat.
"Hey, Firestar," the cat hissed, "Get off me!"
"Sorry Runningwind," Firestar said and let him up, "You should know by now not to surprise me like that."
"So you could smell the catmint, but not me," he said and snorted, then added playfully, "You know I can't help myself when it comes to you."
Firestar gave him a cuff around the ear and Runningwind left, heading back to camp. Firestar snorted and started to gather some catmint.
At the same time, Leafpool said, "I think I smell some dock nearby, Cinderpaw, stay here and help Firestar gather some catmint."
"Err, Firestar," Cinderpaw said nervously, "I need to talk to you."
Firestar spat out the catmint, and said, "Okay, what do you want to talk about."
"I'm not sure how to say this," Cinderpaw said shyly, "I'll say it as simply as I can, what do you do when someone likes you, but you don't and you don't want to hurt his feelings?"
"Well," Firestar said slowly, "do nothing."
"That's all," Cinderpaw said, confused.
"There is nothing else you can do without hurting someone's feelings," Firestar said, "Trust me, Cinderpaw, this is the best way to avoid hurting someone."
Feeling relieved, Cinderpaw said, "Thank you Firestar, I don't know what I would do without your advice."
Cinderpaw dipped her head respectively and started to gather some catmint. Then Leafpool came back with her mouth full of dock.
"Leafpool, I think we have enough supplies, don't you think," Firestar asked.
Leafpool nodded and walked towards the camp.
"Great catch Harvestpaw," Hollypaw said happily, "Your catch is twice the size of mine."
Harvestpaw lifted her head triumphantly with her large vole dangling from her mouth.
Foxpaw and Tawnypaw looked at Harvestpaw's catch with awe. Harvestpaw's eyes sparkled with glee from Foxpaw's attention.
"This seems like enough," Crowfeather said, his voice muffled by his rabbit he was carrying, "Let's head back home."
Everyone had made an excellent catch, including Sunpaw and Shadowpaw, who had each caught a plump squirrel. Hollypaw felt a great satisfaction from today's hunting patrol, Harvestpaw even had a good time, because Foxpaw had complemented her on her amazing kill and the size of her catch. Then they saw Firestar walk up to them, carrying on her a sweet scent of catmint. Leafpool and Cinderpaw followed right behind her, their mouths were full of herbs.
Firestar stopped in front of the patrol and said happily, "What wonderful catches, the clan will be stuffed full tonight. Since we're together, let us proceed in company of each other."
Firestar continued on and everyone followed behind her. Leafpool and Crowfeather were in the very back, their tails twined together.
As soon as they entered the camp, Silverstripe rushed over to see Firestar.
"See Silverstripe," Firestar said, "I told I would be fine."
"I am glad to hear it," Silverstripe said, relieved, "It is nice to see you come back with the hunting patrol I sent."
"Good idea, Silverstripe," Firestar said slyly, "You found a way to send at least one warrior to me."
Silverstripe and Firestar continued on, and Leafpool said to Cinderpaw, "Come now Cinderpaw, let's put these herbs away."
Cinderpaw nodded and followed Leafpool to her den.
They put the herbs away, and then Leafpool asked, "How did it go?"
"It went good, I know exactly what I am going to do," Cinderpaw said calmly.
Leafpool, to Cinderpaw's relief, changed the subject and said, "Tonight is the half-moon. Go and get something to eat to sustain yourself."
Cinderpaw nodded, excitement coursing through her, and walked over to the fresh-kill pile. She picked out a vole and sat next to Hollypaw.
"I see the hunting patrol went well," Cinderpaw said, through a mouth full of vole, swallowed and added anxiously, "How is Harvestpaw?"
"She's doing fine," Hollypaw replied, "She's really happy because that vole you're eating got her a complement from Foxpaw."
Cinderpaw looked down at her food, with an impressed look in her eye.
"I thought that maybe Braveheart had made this kill," Cinderpaw said surprised, because Braveheart was the best hunter in the clan, and this was an impressive kill.
"Be sure to tell Harvestpaw that," Hollypaw said lightly.
"Tonight Leafpool and I are going to Sun-drown Island," Cinderpaw burst excitedly.
"I hope you have a safe journey," Hollypaw meowed, but Cinderpaw could tell Hollypaw was dying to go too, though she couldn't. "Are you ready Cinderpaw," Leafpool asked.
"Yes, Leafpool," Cinderpaw meowed excitedly. She could hardly keep still at the anticipation of sharing tongues with StarClan. Leafpool strode out of camp, with Cinderpaw on her tail.