AN: Had an author's note typed up but it was deleted no thanks to FF Yeah, I'm pissed.

Chapter 6

Guilt washed over Snowfire as she had watched Snakepaw return to camp. She knew telling him about SkyClan had would be difficult. He was the only one of her kits with those long back legs. Ivypaw didn't need them because she could now fly. Foxpaw could simply turn into a fox and use her larger size to scare her enemies. Snakepaw on the other paw seemed to have no powers. He wasn't Marked like his siblings, which was odd.

Maybe because Spottedfur isn't Marked, Snowfire guessed as she surveyed the mouse he had caught for her. It made sense that only half of her litter had been Marked. Coppershine's kits were both Marked because their mother and father were. She already knew that Leafpool's kits would not be Marked.

Now was not the time to think about it however. With a new apprentice to train she needed to think like a real warrior rather than a worried mother. Ashpaw was a pawful like Coppershine had warned. His energy seemed never ending to Snowfire.

Her whiskers twitched in amusement as she watched him bounce around the apprentice's den. Ashpaw was busy chattering like a bird to Ivypaw and Foxpaw. Both apprentices looked annoyed by his constant energy. Snowfire knew that she would have to intervene soon before Foxpaw decided to scare him off. She quickly devoured the mouse and rose to her paws, shaking off bits of dirt from her flank.

"Come on Ashpaw, we're going to start battle training," she meowed when she approached him.

The little tom's eyes flashed with excitement before he nodded in agreement. "Maybe I can take on some rogues!" he growled as he tried pouncing on her tail.

Snowfire pulled her tail away and purred in amusement once more. "Not yet," she told him.

The two of them had reached the training clearing, where Dawnpaw and Spottedfur were already at the clearing. Snakepaw and Streamfur were also there, but they were further away. As an older apprentice Snowfire could understand why her son would want to be further away from Dawnpaw and Ashpaw. But it was more of the fact that Snakepaw wasn't Marked that made him put distance between himself and the two new apprentices.

She shook her head and tried not to think about it as she studied Ashpaw's movements. He had powerful front legs like his mother, Coppershine. Snowfire could already see the makings of a good warrior as Ashpaw managed to tackle a branch that had fallen into the clearing.

"Not bad, but your pouncing skills could use some work," she meowed after Ashpaw shook sand from his pelt. "Now try it like this." She dropped to a crouch and stealthily moved forward, creeping towards the branch that now lay between Dawnpaw and Spottedfur. Ashpaw watched with wide eyes when she pounced on the branch, sending it flying across the clearing. Spottedfur had jumped just in time to avoid getting smacked in the muzzle by the branch. "Sorry," she purred when he turned and glared at her.

"Can I try it now?" Ashpaw asked with an excited jump. He didn't have the same strong back legs as her, but she had a feeling his front legs would be just as useful.

"Sure, but you might want to-" She didn't get the chance to finish as Ashpaw charged after another branch. She sighed in frustration when he barely made the branch rattle with his back legs. "Why don't you try listening to me for a chance?" she grumbled when she approached him. Ashpaw looked at her endearingly. She knew how much he wanted to prove himself. "Try using your front legs instead of your back; they're stronger than mine," she explained when he finally gave her a chance.

Ashpaw looked at the branch doubtfully before doing what he was told. Snowfire watched with interest as he lunged forward, pouncing on the branch with his strong front legs. To her surprise and pleasure, the branch snapped in half under his weight.

"Now you're getting it," she purred in approval after Ashpaw shook scraps of wood out of his fur. His eyes glowed with happiness when he heard those words. "We should get back, it's getting late," she suddenly murmured when she looked at the darkening sky.

Sure enough it was past sunhigh by the time she had finished with Ashpaw's training. Even Spottedfur and Dawnpaw had retreated back to camp after Dawnpaw finished her training. Snowfire glanced at her apprentice before sighing. Tomorrow would bring another day of training.

Ashpaw was disappointed that they had stopped training earlier than usual. Snowfire wanted to get back before the moon came out. Her ears flicked back and forth as she listened to the sounds of the forest. Crickets were chirping in the distance, and the noises of Twolegplace could be heard as well.

"Come on," she meowed before bounding forward towards the direction of camp.

Snowfire kept an eye on the path ahead as they moved forward. Ashpaw's tail flicked from side to side while he trotted alongside her. She knew that rogues were always a constant threat to the border. But kittypets sometimes strayed in the forest. RockClan was not well-known in Twolegplace, and kittypets who were unaware of RockClan's presence felt the sting of their claws.

Her ears pricked forward when she heard a branch snap nearby. Ashpaw suddenly stopped when he heard the noise as well. Alarm coursed through Snowfire before she nudged the apprentice into one of the bushes. Ashpaw was far from ready for his first taste in battle if it came to that.

"Who goes there?" she demanded once Ashpaw was in a safe position.

"Relax." Snowfire's eyes narrowed when a tortoiseshell stepped forward. She recognized this cat from somewhere - the blue eyes and faint tabby markings were vaguely familiar. But she couldn't quite remember who this intruder was. "I need to speak with Stormstar," the tortoiseshell meowed in a calm voice.

Snowfire tilted her head to one side in confusion. What sort of kittypet or rogue would speak with a Clan leader? Then her eyes widened when she realized who this cat was.

"Xanadu?" she gasped. The tortoiseshell's eyes lit up at her odd name before she nodded. "Why is it so urgent that you can't share the news with me?"

"I must share this new with Stormstar, and Stormstar alone," the kittypet replied with an irritated lash of her tail. "And the apprentice you are hiding might as well come out." Her eyes fell upon the bushes where Ashpaw had been hiding.

Ashpaw stepped out of the bushes, his fur bristling slightly at the sight of Xanadu. He had never seen a kittypet before. Snowfire sighed in frustration when she realized she would have to tell him where this cat had come from.

"This cannot wait," Xanadu hissed.

Snowfire rolled her eyes and glared at the kittypet. "Very well, come with us," she muttered.

She doubted what ever Xanadu had to share with the Clan was anything new. The kittypet had tried to make herself sound unusual before. To Snowfire she was just another annoying kittypet begging for attention. But if the supposed news was urgent, Snowfire guessed that it was better not to argue.

Silence fell between them as she and Ashpaw led the kittypet back towards camp. Snowfire knew that she was going to get questioned for leading a kittypet right into camp. But Xanadu had seen RockClan's camp before. This was nothing new for the Clan.