The day after Streampaw's third Gathering, the blue-gray apprentice was hunting near the Great Sychamore. Swiftblaze had sent her on her second solo hunt and she was determined to catch plenty of prey.
She spotted a huge hare sniffing at the ground a few paces away. She crouched down and began to stalk over to it. She accidentally stepped on a twig. The hare looked up, startled. It turned and bolted. With a snarl of frustration, Streampaw followed it, determined to catch it.
She admitted defeat after a few minutes. The hare bounded away, unaware that its pursuer had halted. As Streampaw stood panting, she slowly realized where she was. The hare had led her straight to the Thunderpath, where ThunderClan and ShadowClan territory met.
She was about to get back to her hunting when she heard a snarl. She turned to see a ShadowClan apprentice glaring at her from over the border. From the looks of him, he was a few moons younger than Streampaw, and he looked terrified. "Wh-what are you doing so close to ShadowClan territory?" He demanded fearfully.
Streampaw sat down, wrapping her tail around her paws calmly. "I was hunting nearby and got caught up in chasing a hare." She mewed in a friendly tone. "What are you doing so far out into your territory alone? You look pretty young to be without your mentor."
The apprentice seemed baffled by her friendly manner. He mewed hesitently, "Blackstar sent me on a solo hunt."
Streampaw pricked her ears. "You're Blackstar's apprentice?" As the apprentice nodded, she mewed, "Congradulations. I'm Streampaw, Swiftblaze's apprentice."
The young ShadowClan cat began to look more at ease. "I'm Smokepaw."
Streampaw tipped her head in question. "I thought Smokepaw was a large black tom, Oakfur's apprentice."
Smokepaw sat down slowly, uncertainly. "There's two of us." He seemed downcast. "I've only been training a half-moon, and Blackstar sent me on my first solo hunt. My mom's expecting so much, especially since my brother died."
Streampaw let out a mew of sympathy. "Have you caught anything yet?"
Smokepaw shook his head, his fur fluffed out anxiously. "Not so much as a lizard. Blackstar's gonna kill me." He looked totally dejected.
The ThunderClan apprentice looked at the younger tom thoughtfully. He was far too young to be expected to perform well in a solo hunt, and yet his Clanmates were expecting him to bring prey back.
Streampaw got to her paws. "Listen, I want to help. I'll give you something I caught earlier, and you can take it back to your camp."
The smoky gray tom looked astounded. "Really? You'd do that?"
Streampaw nodded. "Wait here." She bounded away towards the Great Sycamore. She sniffed around, finally finding the spot where she burried her prey. The apprentice dug up a somewhat dusty thrush she had caught earlier.
Streampaw grasped the thrush in her jaws and turned back towards the Thunderpath. Smokepaw was still there, waiting on the other side. His eyes widened as he saw her coming. "I didn't think you would actually come back."
Streampaw bounded quickly across the Thunderpath, dropping the thrush by Smokepaw's paws. "I said I would, didn't I?" She pushed the thrush closer with her paw. "Rub it against the border to make it smell like ShadowClan."
Smokepaw let out a grateful purr, his fur beginning to lay flat. "I don't know how to thank you."
The blue-gray she-cat mewed, "No problem. See you at the next Gathering." She watched as the ShadowClan apprentice picked up the thrush away, then she hurried over to her side of the Thunderpath.
Streampaw was about to make her way back to the camp when a scornful voice sounded. "Well done, Streampaw. Your great kittypet father will be so proud."
She turned to see Sandstorm slink out of the shadows, her green eyes glittering with sadistic glee. "You're in trouble now, halfClan." She hissed.
Streampaw looked at the ginger queen, baffled. "What are you talking about?"
Sandstorm's eyes flashed with fierce joy. "I saw you! Giving away our prey to that ShadowClan scum! Like father, like daughter! Filth!" She turned towards the camp, calling out over her shoulder, "Follow me!"
Streampaw followed the warrior back to camp, her mind whirling. What was Sandstorm talking about? All she'd done was help a fellow apprentice. Sure, he was from another Clan, but what difference did that make?
Sandstorm led the apprentice into the camp, smirking cruelly the whole time. She stood in front of the High Rock and yowled, "Let all cats gather to hear what I have witnessed."
Cats began to filter out of their dens, looking warily at the warrior who had summoned them. Willowpelt called out, "What are you doing Sandstorm? It isn't your place to call Clan meetings."
Firestar padded out of his den, his expression unreadable. "I was just going to ask the same thing."
Sandstorm turned to face him, smirking. "Are you saying you are forbidding your warriors from speaking freely?" She asked smugly.
The flame-colored tom stared cooly at Sandstorm for a long moment. Finally, he dipped his head. "Very well. This better be good."
The pale ginger warrior lashed her tail once, her smirk widening. "Oh, it is." She turned to face the Clan. "You see, I have witnessed betrayal from one of our Clanmates." She glanced back at the leader eagerly, trying to see his reaction. "Firestar's precious daughter Streampaw has broken the warrior code!"
Cries of disbelief rippled through the crowd. Sandstorm continued triumphantly. "I saw her speaking to a ShadowClan apprentice. First she spoke with him like a friend, then she took prey from our territory, and gave it to him freely! She stole prey that is rightfully ours and gave it to that ShadowClan scum! She must be punished!"
Firestar closed his eyes, his expression pained. He opened them again after a long moment, looking straight at his daughter. "Streampaw, is this true?" He asked calmly.
Streampaw looked around nervously, concious of all the gazes fixed on her. "Well, yes. The poor apprentice was only a half-moon into training, and his mentor sent him out on a solo hunt. He was scared to come back empty-pawed."
Shock flashed in Firestar's eyes, soon fading to disapoint and maybe a hint of understanding. The Clan fell silent, shocked by Streampaw's admission. Swiftblaze padded out of the crowd. "Streampaw, why did you do this?"
The apprentice fluffed up her fur nervously. "He was so nervous. I had to help him. I would have done the same for any of my Clanmates. Why not him?"
Firestar's voice sounded behind her. "Because he's not your Clanmate." She turned to face him, surprised by the disapointment in his eyes. "Loyalty to your Clan comes before anything else. That prey should have been given to our elders, not a cat from another Clan."
Swiftblaze looked reproachfully at his apprentice. "Streampaw, have you and this ShadowClan apprentice... met before?"
Streampaw had to think for a moment before realizing what he was suggesting. "Of course not. I would have told some cat if I had a mate, wouldn't I?"
One-eye's voice came from the crowd. "Is this true, Sandstorm?"
The ginger queen looked disgruntled as she relunctantly admitted, "They introduced themselves as if they hadn't met before, and Streampaw didn't know that I was watching."
Swiftblaze dipped his head, accepting Sandstorm's answer. The Clan's stunned and distrustful glances burned into Streampaw's fur. What was wrong with what she had done? She'd helped a fellow apprentice.
Ashfur spoke up. "Streampaw is a loyal apprentice. Why are we questioning her now?" Streampaw threw him a grateful glance.
Firestar was silent for several long moments. Finally, he spoke. "Steeampaw, you must never do this again. The prey in this territory belongs to this Clan, and no other. The warrior code permits you to have friends in other Clans, but when it comes to prey and territory, you must fight to defend it, not give it away. As punishement, you are confined to the camp for the next ten days. You will care for the queens and elders and learn the meaning of Clan loyalty."
Streampaw was horrified. Ten days stuck in camp? Over a friendly chat between two apprentices? She dipped her head with a resigned sigh. "Yes Firestar."
As the meeting dispersed, Streampaw felt dread wash through her. Was there no one who understood what she had done?
