"What do you mean we do nothing?" Raventail spat at Redstar. "They crossed the border! The caught prey on our side!"

Badgerpaw watched in shock as the deputy confronted the leader in the middle of camp. Surely he would be punished for this!

But Redstar remained calm. "The evidence suggests they went no more than a tail length over," he mewed. "It was probably just an apprentice making a mistake."

Raventail's eyes widened. "Do you now what would have happened if Badgerpaw or Thistlepaw had been a step closer to the border than they were yesterday?" he snapped. "Ashstar would've started a border fight right there! We have clear evidence that they hunted on our side, and you want to do nothing?"

Badgerpaw winced as her name was brought up. She didn't want to be involved in this in any way. Unfortunately, she had helped find the evidence, so there was no way to remove herself.

"We will wait," Redstar meowed firmly. "If we scent them more, or catch them, we will fight. For now, we wait until the gathering."

"The gathering?" Raventail gasped. "It's half a moon away!"

"Exactly," Redstar meowed. "It gives us time to see if the crossing continues."

Raventail continued to bristle, when Featherleg walked up to him and draped his tail on the tom's shoulders. "Clan leader's word is law," he told the tom.

Raventail cast a glare at him but dipped his head to Redstar. "Very well."

Badgerpaw let out a sigh of relief, before Featherleg walked up to her. "C'mon. Time to work on hunting."

"But we just got back from patrol," Badgerpaw meowed.

"Yes, but you need to learn to hunt," Featherleg mewed. "Providing for your Clan is placed above all else."

Badgerpaw nodded, though she was quite tired. "Is Thistlepaw coming with us?"

"No," Featherleg meowed. "Raventail took her out while we were on dawn patrol. Come." He turned to the entrance of camp and trotted out.

Badgerpaw followed him. Despite her exhaustion, she felt excitement in her paws. Hunting! She had been looking forward to it for moons, and now she was about to begin.

She followed her mentor to a clearing covered in moss. "For cushioning," Featherleg explained as she pushed her paws against the spongy plant.

He turned to her. "I suppose we should start with your stance," he decided. "You've seen the other apprentices in camp. Let me see what you can do."

Nervously, Badgerpaw sank into a crouch. She felt awkward in the position.

"Stick out your tail," Featherleg instructed. "Low, but not too close to the ground. It will help you balance."

Badgerpaw did as she was told.

Featherleg nodded. "Good." He placed his tail on her shoulders. "Lower yourself. You want power in your spring."

To Badgerpaw, it felt like moons as they worked on her crouch. Her shoulders ached from holding the position for so long. Finally, Featherleg nodded. "You can stand now."

Badgerpaw sighed in relief and stood. "Thanks, Featherleg."

"That's the crouch down," he meowed. "But now for tracking. You showed me this morning that you can sometimes pick out slightly stronger scents, but now you must learn to find the prey mixed in with the forest."

Badgerpaw nodded.

Featherleg scented the air for a moment. "What prey do you smell? Tell me specifically."

Nervously, Badgerpaw took a whiff of the air. Scents flooded in, and she searched through for a specific one.

"Squirrel," she decided. "And there might be a mouse close by, too."

"Very good," Featherleg meowed. "You're right, there was a mouse passing through the area. There are also squirrels around this area a lot, too. Obviously, we'll go for a mouse first. Squirrels are too quick."

Badgerpaw murmured agreement, but wondered how quick squirrels really were. She had never seen one run before.

"Be very quiet when you stalk your prey," Featherleg meowed. "Almost slide your paws along the ground. And always remain downwind of them. Now come," he meowed. "Let's find you a mouse. Don't speak at all."

Badgerpaw dipped her head and followed her mentor out of the clearing, treading as quietly as she could. They walked for a few moments through the trees until Featherleg held up his tail and they stopped. The silver tom nodded forward, where a small brown mouse was grooming itself.

Badgerpaw sank low and crept forward nervously. She shifted her paws carefully across the forest floor. Bunching her muscles, she leapt forward. She landed clumsily, but with a paw on its tail. She moved to strike her fangs into its neck as it scrambled free. Badgerpaw let out a mewl of disappointment. "No!"

"That was an impressive first try," Featherleg mewed. "Obviously, you're landing needs work, but you were very close to the catch."

"I had it," Badgerpaw meowed sadly. "I was so close to getting it!"

"You did very well, though," her mentor meowed. "It took Quickstorm ages to be still enough to get even close to a mouse."

"Really?" Badgerpaw asked, hope fluttering in her chest. She knew that the tom was an impressive hunter.

Featherleg nodded. "It's rare that an apprentice ever makes their first catch on their first try. Don't be too hard on yourself."

"Okay," Badgerpaw mewed. "Could you help me with getting the leap forward right? I feel like I could have caught that mouse if I had just landed right."

"Of course," Featherleg meowed. "You have to be careful with how you spread your legs when you jump…"

Once again, Badgerpaw was on the hunt for a mouse, with Featherleg's help. She had practiced jumping forward for the kill many times, and her muscles ached. She felt like she needed to make this next catch. She knew she could do it, too, she had been so close with the last one.

Featherleg motioned with his tail to a mouse, nibbling seeds from the ground. Badgerpaw felt her heart beat faster with excitement. It was distracted. She would surely be able to catch it now.

The black and white she-cat sank into her crouch and stalked forward. Her amber eyes stayed fixed on her prey until her instinct told her she was just close enough. She bunched down, then jumped forward. This time, her paw slammed down on the mouse's back. It was too stunned to move away as she sank her teeth into its neck. She said a quick, silent prayer to StarClan for the meal that she would provide the Clan.

"Very good! Featherleg praised, his eyes gleaming in pride. "Not the cleanest kill, but on your second hunt!"

Badgerpaw's chest soared at the praise. She'd done it! "Are we going to go back to camp now and give this to the elders?"

Featherleg nodded. "I'd say that's deserving."
By the time they headed back to camp, the sun was dipping low in the sky. Badgerpaw felt tired but content, and she padded into the elders den to deliver her catch.

"Badgerpaw!" Russetpatch purred. "Come to feed us, eh?"

Badgerpaw nodded. "I've brought you my first catch."

"Well isn't this an honor," Longclaw meowed. "The first catch of what is sure to be a great warrior."

The she-cat felt her pelt grow hot. "It's only one mouse," she meowed.

"Would you like this first bite?" asked Longclaw. "Your first catch is a big deal, after all."

Badgerpaw set the mouse down and looked at it longingly, but uneasily. "I'm not supposed to eat until you all have been fed."

"Don't worry," Duststripe purred. "We've already shared a blackbird and a mouse. We'll just take a taste of this."

Badgerpaw dipped her head. "Thank you," she purred, and she took a bite of her kill. It tasted wonderful- still fresh, and added to it was the feeling of pride that she had caught the animal. She pushed the rest towards the elders.

"You know, I remember when you were just a tiny kit," Russetpatch purred, "always coming in to hear stories of our time as warriors. And now look at you. You're an apprentice and you've already caught a mouse."

"You young cats grow up so fast," Duststripe meowed. "I only hope I'll be around to see you get your warrior name."

"Don't talk like that!" Badgerpaw protested. "You've got plenty of time."

Duststripe chuckled. "You're too kind, 'paw. But I'm old. So are those two."

"Speak for yourself," Russetpatch mewed. "I could still catch my own prey if I wanted."

Duststripe rolled his eyes. "Anyway, Badgerpaw," he meowed. "You'll do great things. I can tell."

"Thanks, Duststripe," she meowed. "If I could end up being half the warrior you were, I'll be proud."

"You flatter me," Duststripe meowed.

"Don't say it too much," Russetpatch meowed. "His head will get so big that he'll float right up to StarClan tonight."