A/N - Sorry I haven't updated lately. I've been caught up in other fics that it's been taking up almost all of my time. Anyway, here's chapter 3! R&R please.

Chapter Three

Another bark followed the first one, making her jolt back from her thoughts. She took one last glance at the cat's figure who began fleeing away. She quickly turned and sprinted through the trees as another bark and snarl echoed through the forest.

A dog!?! she thought alarmed. The image of a dog on ThunderClan territory had gotten everything else out of her mind. She quickened her pace as fast as she could, following the strong odor of dog and the echo of the battle. She quickly found her clanmates who appeared almost beaten but were still fighting fiercely. Although the surroundings were an advantage on their part, they were no match for this powerful dog who barely had a mark on itself. Brackenpelt had moved forward and swiped both forepaws at the dog.

For a heartbeat, she held her breath as she realized that a cat was missing. The thought chilled her, making her blood feel as though it froze right there. Tornpaw wasn't anywhere in sight and the dog was easily winning the battle with hardly an effort fighting Brackenpelt. She didn't see Tornpaw until he limped back to the fight, and then she noticed scratches marks along his side. She drew out a sharp sigh of relief that he wasn't dead.

After a quick thought, Moonkit hurried on an overhanging branch right above Tornpaw. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Brackenpelt thrown in the air far away from the dog. Tornpaw had fallen on the ground moments ago and obviously didn't have enough strength to even move. But Brackenpelt was thrown to far to come to the rescue and the dog started charging straight towards Tornpaw! At the instant the dog was a tail-length away from Tornpaw, she quickly jumped off the branch and landed right on the dog's head.

Moonkit struggled to hold on as the dog shook its massive head from side to side. As she dug her claws deeper on its face for a better grip, the dog let out a yelp of pain and shook its powerful head one last time before fleeing. Moonkit was flung in the air and landed hard on her side.

"Moonkit! What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in the nursery!" meowed Brackenpelt's voice. There wasn't anger in his voice but worry. He had just gotten up but was still struggling to support himself. But that didn't stop him from anything.

"So this was what you meant by 'showing me,' " meowed a voice from behind her, startling her. It was Tornpaw. He had a gleam of amusement in his eyes and he pushed himself up. Although he had been badly injured, his eyes shone with the pride of defeating the dog. There was something new in his voice, too. Maybe it's respect, Moonkit guessed. Instantly, Tornpaw returned to his arrogant self again.

"You were just lucky we wore it down." he meowed as he began to head under a shaded spot under a tree, but he was starting to limp again.

Moonkit struggled to sit up but soon began grooming herself. She let her thoughts wander as she began to lay down again. Today she had caught a mouse, but most importantly, she helped chase a dog off ThunderClan territory. Then she remembered that she had saved Tornpaw's life. She shook her head to take her mind off him but then realized that her gaze had shifted towards the apprentice's pale amber eyes. She quickly looked down at her paws, for some reason, embarrassed. He had done the same.

Brackenpelt padded towards Moonkit and gazed down on her. "You fought well," he meowed, his brown eyes glittering with pride and he continued. "You have your father's courage."

At the mention of her father, her ears perked. She did not know her father or had a chance to know him because of his early death when she had only been two moons. She brought herself back from her thoughts and asked, "You knew my father?"

"Of course," he meowed gently. "He was Froststorm, my mentor."

Moonkit looked at him in shock, unable to speak. Her mother had always tried to avoid the subject about her father, but finally she has a chance to know much more. Brackenpelt continued with a gleam in his eyes, "And you have your father's eyes too." He paused and looked up at the lowering sun that started casting a light pink glow in the sky. " We should be getting back now. We'll report the dog to Silverstar."

On the way back, Moonkit had lent Tornpaw her shoulder for support. She noticed he had looked away when she turned his way to ask him something. She looked down at her paws and couldn't understand why she felt disappointed when she couldn't get a chance to speak with him. She shook her head slightly to clear her mind.

As they passed a familiar tree stump, she remembered that she buried her fresh kill near there. She had paused and told Tornpaw that she would be right back. She dashed from Tornpaw's side and jumped over a small bush but quickly picked up the mouse. With the prey in her jaw, she hurried back over to Tornpaw.

"You caught a mouse?" Brackenpelt asked, impressed as he started to set the pace more slower.

"Right before - " Moonkit stopped herself before she could mention the other cat. "Before I heard the battle." She decided to keep the story of the unknown cat to herself, at least until she had more accurate information. She still wasn't sure why only she had seen that cat and why no one else saw him. But her dream the night of the encounter was not just a dream, it was a message - a warning.

She learned that her father, Froststorm , had been killed by trespassing rogues but had saved Brackenpelt's life in the process. "Your father was a brave cat. The bravest I've seen." Brackenpelt finished.

"Once we get back to camp, you realize that you might get in trouble for sneaking out again," Tornpaw meowed softly. Trouble? She thought miserably. But I helped t-. Then she suddenly realized what he had just said.

"Wait!" Moonkit snapped and then stopped, making Tornpaw tumble slightly. "What makes you think I've done it again?" she meowed, staring angrily at Tornpaw and feeling her tail bristle.

Tornpaw got up and just looked down at his paws. "I, um, used to followed you." he finally meowed.

"Follow?" she exclaimed, feeling her anger grow and dropped her mouse from her jaw. "Since when?"

"Before I became an apprentice" he explained quickly, looking into her eyes. She could see that his face had become serious and he was really nervous too. "I . . . I , um, think I might . . ." he hesitated for while and began to walk on as Brackenpelt signaled him to hurry.

Moonkit caught up to him to help support him when she saw how bad he was limping. Moonkit's anger completely faded but now she was anxious to hear what he was going to say. She looked at him expectantly.

He looked down at his paws and stopped. "I . . . I . . ." he started. But then shook his head. "It's nothing." he whispered, closing his eyes. Moonkit listened for a harsh tone in his voice, but there was none. But there was something else.

a/n - I'll try to update more often from now on.