When the two padded back into camp, fur dripping and eyes bright, they found Honeytail and Acornheart, Shellpaw's mentor, waiting. Honeytail had an uncharacteristic expression of fury in her usually friendly green eyes. Acornheart's eyes were narrowed in fury. He flicked his tail, and Shellpaw cast a farewell glance over her shoulder at Dawnpaw as she bounded away.
"Where have you been?" Honeytail hissed after they had gone.
Dawnpaw shrugged. "We were down by the stream."
"Why? And why weren't you back by dawn? You know how we have to start early now."
"I'm sorry, Honeytail. It won't happen again," the young apprentice said, bowing her head in shame. How could I have been so careless?
Honeytail's gaze softened. "It's good that you're making friends," she said gently, placing her tail on Dawnpaw's shoulder, "but you must remember and honor your duty to the clan above all others. I'm not upset, just… disappointed. I'd expected more from you, that's all. You're not in trouble, just don't let it happen again, alright?"
Dawnpaw nodded, head still bowed. She gave Honeytail an amethyst glance, gauging Honeytail's sincerity. The pale ginger smiled at her, and Dawnpaw looked away quickly, shuffling her paws awkwardly. Honeytail laughed, trotting out of camp. She beckoned to Dawnpaw with a ginger-tipped tail before turning and dashing through the tunnel.
Scrambling to get her footing, Dawnpaw ran after her, bounding through the tunnel at top speed. She followed Honeytail's fleeting form, always far enough away not to be caught but never close enough to ask to slow down. Dawnpaw gasped for breath, dodging tree trunks and rocks.
With what little navigational abilities she possessed Dawnpaw figured that she had to be nearing the Lakeclan border, the smell of fish and the lake flooding her nose. She sprinted on, paws pounding the earth beneath her. Gasping for breath, she came to a complete and sudden stop at the border.
Backing up quickly, Dawnpaw scanned the area for a pale ginger pelt. Nothing. She was alone in the forest, the Lakeclan scent markers less than a tail-length from her nose. She scented the air hopefully. All she could smell were the Lakeclan markers. Crestfallen, Dawnpaw turned and padded along the border, looking for her mentor. She didn't cross the border… did she?
Panicked, Dawnpaw broke out into a run again, calling for Honeytail. Honeytail didn't reply, if she heard her at all. Gasping now, Dawnpaw thought frantically of all her solutions. She could always go back to camp and get help, but there was always the chance that Honeytail was close. Swallowing nervously, Dawnpaw continued in her search, scenting the air as much as she could.
When she was just about to give up hope, a leaf fell right in front of her nose. Curious, Dawnpaw sniffed it. It smelled heavily of Rainclan and… Honeytail! Glancing up, Dawnpaw caught sight of a lithe, pale ginger form moving stealthily about the trees above her.
That's why I lost her scent and why I couldn't find her! She was above me! Continuing to pad along as though nothing had happened, Dawnpaw thought of a plan. She could bolt to the trees, attempting to climb for the first time and chasing Honeytail through unfamiliar territory, or she could go somewhere where the trees were less dense. She thought for a moment. Where are there fewer trees? She turned around in a circle, trying to remember the territory, Dawnpaw closed her eyes, deep in thought. Swiftclan!
At the border, the trees were the thinnest they would ever be on Rainclan territory. There was even a large clearing the side farthest away from camp. Honeytail would be forced out of the trees to still see her, and if she didn't, Dawnpaw could double back and follow her, waiting for her moment to strike. Trying not to grin at the brilliance of her plan, Dawnpaw took off at a light trot towards the Swiftclan border.
Every now and then, Dawnpaw would hear a rustle in the trees above her, signaling Honeytail's presence in the leafy canopy. The small stream came into view, and Dawnpaw veered away quickly, following its winding path at a distance so she wouldn't arouse Honeytail's suspicions. When the reeking scent of Swiftclan's scent markers reached Dawnpaw's nose, she screwed her face up in disgust.
Swiftclan and Rainclan had always been enemies, and Dawnpaw knew that she shouldn't mess around the border. Nursery tales spoke of the ruthlessness of Swiftlcan warriors, stealing kits and territory from Rainclan and the other clans. Dawnpaw shuddered, unsure of herself again.
Steeling her nerves, Dawnpaw bounded into the clearing, the stink of Swiftclan flooding her nose. Any chance of finding Honeytail's scent was already lost. With her nose crinkled up, Dawnpaw crossed the clearing, stopping when she was far enough away from the trees. A ginger form moved from tree to tree, trying to get closer. Dawnpaw grinned, calling for Honeytail one last time.
The she-cat slithered stealthily from a huge tree, and if Dawnpaw hadn't known she was there, she wouldn't have seen. Honeytail slunk around the edge of the clearing, watching her apprentice carefully. Dawnpaw spun slowly, acting as though she were looking for the pale ginger she-cat.
"Stop right there!"
Dawnpaw jumped, spinning around quickly to face the incoming Swiftclan patrol. She gulped, heart racing nervously. She dipped her head in respect. "G-greetings," she called to the patrol, failing to keep the quiver from her voice.
A large tom, the patrol leader, didn't answer. He stalked up to the border, not daring to cross, and spat, "Don't you know to stay on your side of the scent markings?"
"I am on my side!" Dawnpaw said, shrinking away from the tom. He was very, very big, with battle scars on his whole body. Dawnpaw crouched low, trying to hide in the grass.
"You were about to cross into Swiftclan territory! Don't Rainclan apprentices know better?" he snarled, getting as close to the frightened apprentice as he could without being hypocritical. "You'd best be on your guard," he growled.
A smaller tom peeked around the larger one's shoulder. "What are we gonna do, Hawkclaw?" he asked, his voice a soft murmur.
"This doesn't concern you, Stormpaw. Just watch; you'll learn how to deal with Rainclan fox-hearts soon enough."
An apprentice? Dawnpaw thought, He's big enough to be a warrior!
"But-"
"No buts!" Hawkclaw snarled, eyes trained on Dawnpaw. "Now, what are you doing this close to the border?"
Dawnpaw shook, not daring to speak. Chills ran across her body. I'm on my side, she thought, they can't hurt me. And Honeytail- Honeytail! Dawnpaw inhaled sharply as she remembered her mentor, hiding somewhere in the brush. Will she help me?
"I'm waiting," Hawkclaw meowed, his voice low and threatening.
"I-I'm on a training exercise," Dawnpaw answered, her voice barely audible. "I'm looking for my mentor; it's like hunting training, but for larger prey." She gulped loudly, quivering slightly. Her white-tipped tail lashed nervously, and her amethyst eyes were wide.
Hawkclaw quirked an eyebrow at her, kneading his claws in the dirt.
"Stormpaw, what do you think?" Stormpaw narrowed his bright green eyes. He was strong, especially for an apprentice, and muscles rippled beneath his gray pelt. The tip of his tail was a dark gray, as were his ears, chest, and paws. His paw marking extended halfway up his legs, and at the very tip, sharp claws scratched at the dirt and grass.
He cocked his head, ears pricked forward, swiveling around, as though he were listening for a juicy piece of prey. "I believe her," Stormpaw said, his voice soft and powerful.
"And why's that?"
Stormpaw scented the air. "I smell another cat nearby, Rainclan."
"And what makes you so sure it's her mentor?"
Stormpaw shrugged, green eyes locking with Dawnpaw's amethyst ones. "Why would she lie?"
Hawkclaw arched an eyebrow at his apprentice. He gestured with his tail for Stormpaw to provide a more sufficient explanation. "Why wouldn't she lie?"
"She's too scared. Watch her shake."
Hawkclaw grinned, showing off his long fangs. "Right you are, Stormpaw." He paused, scenting the air and glancing around. "Come out!"
Honeytail didn't show herself. Hawkclaw snarled at Dawnpaw, lashing his tail faster and with more venom. Dawnpaw closed her amethyst eyes, biting her lip. Starclan, please, please let Honeytail come. I need her help! But Honeytail stayed hidden in the trees.
Desperate, Dawnpaw glanced back behind her, in the direction she suspected Honeytail was hiding. The lithe ginger form stayed hidden, and Dawnpaw's heart rate spiked in terror. She turned back to the Swiftclan patrol. "Hawkclaw, please. I'm telling the truth. If I could find her, maybe she'd come out!"
Hawkclaw let out a bark of laughter. "You think we're just going to let you go?"
Dawnpaw shivered, crouching low to the ground. "If I run, you can't chase me," she said. "Then you'd cross the border."
Hawkclaw shoved himself up to the border, as close to the frightened apprentice as he could get. He snarled, the stench of rabbit on his hot breath. "Clever, aren't ya?"
What little courage Dawnpaw had shattered. She yowled, swiping a paw in the direction of Hawkclaw before spinning around her hind paws, bolting to the safety of the trees. She climbed it swiftly, her instincts taking over as she scented for Honeytail. Her ginger mentor approached her apprentice, nudging her to the next tree.
Dawnpaw breathed a sigh of relief at having found her mentor. She leaped across the outstretched branches into the next tree. Spinning around, Dawnpaw watched her mentor leap from the tree and into the clearing, approaching the snarling Hawkclaw and Stormpaw.
Hawkclaw pawed his muzzle, blood flowing from a fresh scratch. His brown eyes glowed with anger. He yowled, backing away, shaking his head. Droplets of crimson blood flew through the air. Stormpaw's eyes widened, his hackles raising as he prepared for a fight.
Honeytail flew to the border, shoving her nose up in Hawkclaw's face. "Do not… mess with my apprentice… ever… again." She bared her fangs threateningly. Hawkclaw snarled, backing away.
"We don't want a fight," he hissed, turning tail and bounding away. Stormpaw followed, green eyes glinting with anger.
"And stay away from the border!" Honeytail called after their retreating forms. A smug smile across her muzzle, she turned around to face her apprentice, cowering up in the trees. "You can come down, Dawnpaw," she said softly, green eyes smiling.
Slowly, cautiously, Dawnpaw slithered down from the tree, slinking towards her mentor. "Honeytail," she began, her voice soft and frightened, "I'm sorry I ran away. It wasn't very brave of me."
"No, no, no!" Honeytail cried, crouching down to look Dawnpaw in her amethyst eyes. "You were brave. Warriors don't need to fight to prove their courage. You were honest, fair, and patient. You were respectful, and didn't fight. Well, that is until you were threatened. Great swipe, by the way," she said with a smile.
"But I ran away!"
"That was the right call, Dawnpaw. You couldn't take both of them, especially Hawkclaw. It was right to come for help."
Dawnpaw shrugged, shuffling her paws.
"Not to mention the fact that you tracked me, and then had the brains to come to this clearing to draw me out. It was unfortunate that that patrol showed up at that moment. You're going to be a fine warrior, Dawnpaw."
With that, Honeytail draped her tail across Dawnpaw's shoulders, guiding the smaller cat away from the border and into the woods. They walked in companionable silence for a while, before the two of them heard a crashing through the brush.
"So close, Icepaw!" cried a voice.
"Windleap, Icepaw, that you?" Honeytail called, a smile framing her muzzle.
"Honeytail?" Windleap padded towards the pair, Icepaw, fur ruffled, followed.
"How about we join forces and do a bit of hunting training together?" Honeytail asked.
"Sure," Windleap replied, beckoning to Icepaw.