It was a quarter moon since the attack, and I now have a taste of just how hard my apprenticeship is going to be. Ironstar is running me around like crazy during hunts, and his battle training is fierce and too advanced for my skill level. He is a hard cat, and the clan thinks he is just trying to teach me; but I know what he is really doing. He's setting me up to fail. He's trying to drive me out of the forest, so that every trace of Father is gone. Today we were going battle training again.

The bulky gray tom's large paw came flying at me, claws glinting in the sun. I ducked, my ears were grazed and I winced. He pounced and bowled me over, sinking his teeth into my scruff. I knew that trying to scrabble away from his powerful jaws would be futile, so I fought back.

For once, I was not on the defensive. I let all my aggression burst forward in a series of fierce moved. I didn't care that this was training I just wanted to hurt Ironstar. I wanted to hurt him like he's been hurting me since the day Father left the clans, not just physically but mentally as well. I have learned what nerves I could prod to do that.

I twisted and bit his leg with crushing force. He yowled, releasing my scruff in the process. Taking a mighty leap out from under him, I whirled around, nose just a mouse-length from his nose. I snarled, my thorn-sharp claws digging into his cheek, ripping his muzzle. The force of my blow stunned my entire leg, ratting my shoulder blade. I didn't care, hostility and the fire of battle pulsed through my muscles.

While he was dazed I leapt forward, the entirety of my strength forcing him to stumble. When he was unbalanced I butted his side with my head, knocking him over. I stood hunched, ready for his fierce, punishing claws to come flying. I would be ready to avoid him his time. Shockingly, Ironstar started to laugh.

I watched warily as he heaved himself to his feet, his eyes sparkling. He purred his praise, "Well done! That was great, we'll make a fighter out of you yet Badpaw." His eyes brimmed with shadows, as if that phrase had a deeper meaning to it. His eyes glossed over, I recognized the look by now. He was thinking of his apprentice days with Father. He smiled weakly, "Were done for today."

He was in a good mood, and I did not plan on letting that pass. "Ironstar, will I be allowed to attend the next gathering?" I knew it was not any time soon, but if he said yes now, maybe he would have to bring me at the full moon. He flicked his tail, shrugging me off. "Work hard until then and we will see." Hope fluttered in my chest. For him, that was a yes! He padded off and I shot into the forest. I would hunt and bring back tons of prey, he would be proud of me a second time today.

I opened my mouth, drawing in the scents. I could smell a raven up ahead. Hah, if I caught a crow even prickly Seedspot would have nothing scornful to say nothing. I crouched low, stalking through the ferns. A terrified screech and the crow's angry cry made my fur bristled. I bolted forward, all interest in the hunt gone. That screech was the wail of a kit!

Deerkit was cowering against a tree, trapped by brambles on either side. The crow pecked at him, barely missing. He yowled in terror. He was so small the crow could probably pick him up! And his cries would surely alert an owl he was here. I snarled and leapt on the black bird, sinking my teeth into its neck. It fell limp under my jaws. I shot a fierce glare at Deerkit, "Why aren't you with your mother?"

Deerkit's tide eyes looked into my blazing crimson ones and he flinched. He whimpered, "I was trying to find Pumakit." A boulder settled into my gut. My eyes grew wide; "She's out here alone?" Deerkit nodded, I demanded, "How long has it been since you left the camp?" The small tom quivered, he whimpered, "Sunhigh." I glanced up at the sky and saw that it was nearly nightfall. Pumakit's short kit-fur would not keep her warm much longer.

I had no time to take Deerkit back and find his sister. I snarled, "You better stay with me, if you wander off I will pluck your whiskers!" I bounded into the forest, scenting desperately. His little pawsteps sounded behind me. I raced through the timbers until we stumbled into a clearing. Pumakit's terrified caterwaul split the air.

Deerkit bounced, "I see her! She's in the water." Panic pulsed through my body. We were at the edge of the swamp, which the clan had been named for. I ordered, "Stay right there!" I splashed through the thick mud, running towards the large kit. She slipped from the stone she had been cowering on, splashing under the water. She did not emerge; she must have been sinking into the thick mud underpaw.

I saw a thrash and held my breath, sticking my face into the shoulder-deep water. I grasped her tiny scruff and pulled back with all my might. The precious bundle suctioned from the mud and we flung backwards. I carried her quickly over to her brother. She wasn't breathing, I almost died right there. I was no medicine cat, what did I know? How could I save her?

I heard a yowl and Redpaw and Littlepaw came flying towards me. Redpaw snarled at me accusingly, "What did you do to her?" Deerkit answered, "Badpaw saved her! She was stuck in the mud!" I glared furiously at Redpaw, how dare she call me a kit-killer? Littlepaw frowned, "She's swallowed mud. Hold her mouth open." Redpaw and I pried her little jaws apart. Littlepaw was the only calm one among us. "Deerkit, come and scoop it from her. My paw is too large, hurry!"

Deerkit scampered over and daintily, swiftly, pulled clumps of mud from his sister's throat. Littlepaw growled at Redpaw, "Lick!" The two she-cats began to rough Pumakit's fur, she spluttered swamp water and gasped for air.

Cinderstorm, Sevenpaw, and Dark Eyes came bursting from the trees, running over to us. Cinderstorm wailed, "My kit!" Littlepaw moved away as she wrapped herself around Pumakit. Littlepaw promised, "She's fine, but we need to get her home and treat her for shock and cold."

Dark Eyes asked, "What's happened?" Redpaw and Deerkit glanced at me, willing me to explain to this fierce she-cat what was going on. My fur bristled with unease, would she believe me? "I was hunting when I rescued Deerkit from a crow. I had to find Pumakit, she was sinking into the mud." My dirty body and soggy face proved I was not lying. Cinderstorm pulled Deerkit closer and purred, "Thank you Badpaw, you've saved them both!"

The bushes rustled and Ironstar came forward, strutting over to us quickly. He must have heard, he didn't ask what happened. He ordered, "Get the kits to Bluebell." The warriors, and Littlepaw, left. He smiled at me, "You did well. You can go to that gathering. Redpaw, your tracking was excellent. Let's go home." I bounded beside my mentor and denmate, pride swelling in my chest. Ironstar didn't hate me; he was praising me. Maybe he had finally seen past my father's image and looked at me for who I really was.

Small-leaf insisted she be check for any chills she might have gotten from the cold mud. Bluebell was in the nursery with Pumakit and Deerkit. Littlepaw was sitting beside the small tom. He was making her do all the work as he oversaw. "She's shivering but has no fever, what do you give her?" Littlepaw plopped some leaves in front of me. As I bent down toe at them she turned to the tom. "Borage?"

The medicine cat growled, clawing them out from under my nose. He scolded her fiercely, "No! Borage is for fevers! We've gone over this, you should have gotten that right." Littlepaw's ears flicked back and she crouched low. She whimpered, he hissed, "Think, she hasn't got all day." Littlepaw thought for a moment, her face brightened.

She bounded over to the herbs and carried back a sweet-smelling purple leaf. She dropped it and confidently reported, "We give her lavender to prevent the fever. The chill will go away if she stays warm tonight." Small-leaf purred, nodding to me. I ate the tangy herbs silently; they left an odd taste on my tongue.

"Badpaw!" A familiar voice shouted for me, Toadpaw came flying into the den. He tripped over Littlepaw and tumbled, landing on the herb piles and sending them flying. His spine fur prickled with embarrassment. Small-leaf snarled, "Your worse then three kits with the messes you make!" His words were stern, but his eyes glinted with an amused light. Toadpaw hopped beside me, "Sorry Small-leaf, Littlepaw." The medicine cats started resorting the herbs.

Toadpaw turned to me, his eyes wide and shining with worry. "Are you alright? Deerkit's making it sound like you almost died." I mrrowed with laughter and licked his ear. "Don't worry, I will live to be a warrior yet!" Littlepaw snickered, Toadpaw glared at her. My friend sat down, immediately relaxed. He reported, "Polarfur brought me on a patrol to chase off a fox! We clawed it right into Marshclan territory." He beamed with pride. I smiled, "That's great! Our kits will be safe now, if they can stay in the nursery."

Small-leaf turned and flicked Toadpaw. "Enough gossip, you. Come gather more juniper berries with me, you've squashed my supply." Toadpaw made a face and growled, "I'M not the medicine cat apprentice!" Small-leaf glared at him and snorted, "But this was your fault. Come along now." He stalked out of the den expectantly. Toadpaw sighed, "See you in the den, Badpaw." He bounced after the blue-gray tom.

I sat in silence for a while, watching Littlepaw work. My mind drifted back to the ominous words I heard a quarter moon ago. I didn't want to ask Bluebell or Small-leaf what it could be, but I trusted Littlepaw with my secret. She could tell I was thinking, she asked, "What's on your mind?"

I twitched my tail, checking outside to make sure we were alone. Turning to her with worry and confusion in my eyes I confessed. "Some suns ago I heard a voice. I don't know who it was, but it definitely was not any cat in the clan. It said something to me." My fur fluffed out as a sense on dread settled into my mind. She seemed suddenly interest, "You've had a prophecy from Starclan!" There was awe in her words; I assumed she was yet to experience her first prophecy, though she was a medicine cat apprentice.

I blinked at her, "Is that good?" She narrowed her eyes seriously, "It might be, but it might not be. It depends on what you heard. Can you tell me; to would you rather speak with Bluebell? She is much, much, more experienced." I shook my headed desperation seeping off my fur. "No! She can't know, Small-leaf can't know!" She whisked her tail over my shoulder soothingly, "Ok, tell me."

I had not forgotten the words; I hear them every night in my sleep. I shivered, "Seed of the apple must rise to drain the pond of ice. If winter lives, the clan shall fall." Littlepaw noted the seriousness and fear in my voice. She licked my shoulder once and we sat in silence for a while. She sighed hotly, "I'm sorry, Badpaw, I have no clue what it means. Let's both look for what seed of the apple and pond of ice is, thought. It may help clear it up a little."

I nodded, standing to leave. I asked just one last thing. "What do you think of it?" Littlepaw looked away, staring out of the den entrance and watching the bustle of the clan sadly. She suddenly seemed far away, wise beyond her years, and my understanding. "I think it's bad for our clan. It's a warning, Starclan is warning you that a great danger will come."