A/N: This is actually chapter 7/8, because the Prologue was recorded as chapter 1. Trying to fix formatting weirdness. Don't mind me -.-

A paw prodded Moonpaw's shoulder. She squeezed her eyes shut tighter, trying to cling to the last heartbeats of sleep.

"Moonpaw!" A voice hissed loudly. Poke, poke. "MOONPAW!" Ow! That one had unsheathed claws.

"Go away, Stormpaw!" Moonpaw growled, bolting upright. "Oh," she meowed as she realized that the cat in front of her was definitely NOT her brother. He ran a licked paw over his ruffled ginger fur. "Sorry about that," Firepaw said, twitching his ears slightly. "What do you want?" Moonpaw sighed.

"I...I just wanted to apologize for what happened to Cinderheart," Firepaw said quietly, lowering his eyes. "If it weren't for me—" Moonpaw gently laid her tail across his muzzle. "Shut it. It isn't your fault. Get that straight," she said firmly, but not unkindly. Her eyes were glazed, but she continued, "Cinderheart knew best what the value of a warrior's life is, and she would have rather given up hers than have yours stolen from you before it even began."

Firepaw licked her ear gratefully. "I'm glad we're kin," he said. "It's nice to have someone to...confide in." Moonpaw knew he had something else to say, and she looked at him expectantly. Firepaw stared hard at the ground. "That day, when I stood on the Highledge, I looked down on the Clan. I felt that I was above them all, just because the Clan leader was my father and mentor, and the great Firestar was my grandfather and namesake...but I did feel something else that made me uncomfortable, and that came from my bloodline as well."

He looked up at Moonpaw, and she saw dark fear in his eyes. "Brambleclaw is a great leader. He overcame the darkness of his lineage, and I wanted to be as brave a warrior as him one day...but I don't ever want to be leader! To watch over a Clan, to have them listen to your every word as if it were the warrior code, to hold that much power—I can't do that!" Moonpaw nudged his shoulder. "And no one expects that of you," she said softly. "Just because you come from a line of leaders doesn't mean you have to be one. That's what deputyship is for."

Green eyes met green eyes, and Firepaw saw the ambition that had haunted him reflected in Moonpaw's gaze. But her eyes looked strangely...strained. There was age and wisdom far beyond her moons. Before he could say anything, Moonpaw continued quietly, "And...you don't have to worry about taking the leadership. Because there was a prophecy—"

"Shh!" Firepaw hissed playfully, "Don't tell me. I don't want to be Firestar, listening to the prophecies that whispered around his ears. I can tell...you will be a great leader one day, Moonpaw."

She ducked her head and let out a soft purr. Firepaw nudged her and meowed, "Come on, it's nearly sunhigh. Let's go see if our mentors need anything."

"Where's Nightpaw?" Shadepaw called over her shoulder. Icecloud shrugged. "Foxleap said he was gathering stuff for the elders," she meowed. Moonpaw snickered. "Yeah," she purred, "I think Stormpaw is with them."

Moonpaw, Shadepaw, and Amberpaw had gone to the training hollow with their mentors. Firepaw was taken on a hunting lesson.

"Shadepaw," Amberpaw hissed under his breath, beckoning his sister to come closer. Moonpaw unwillingly pricked her ears to listen.

"Why is she training with us?" the tabby growled. "She's almost six moons younger, and just started her training three days ago!" Shadepaw shoved her brother playfully. "Give her a chance," she meowed lightly. "Icecloud and Cherryblossom probably want us to teach her something." Amberpaw continued muttering under his breath and stalked off.

Arrogant tom! Moonpaw bristled. I'm TWICE the fighter that he—Lionblaze crouched next to her and hissed in her ear, "Don't let him get away with that—show them what you've got!" His eyes sparkled with mischief. Moonpaw straightened up in delight that her father's sullen mood had lifted since last night's meeting. "But what about-" he cut her off again, "Don't worry. If anyone asks, I've been training you in my spare time." Moonpaw touched noses with her father affectionately. "I won't let you down," she promised.

The six cats reached the sandy training hollow. "Moonpaw," Icecloud began, "how much has Lionblaze taught you?" Moonpaw raised her head proudly. "He has lots to teach, but I think I'm already a better warrior than he is," she said jokingly. The mentors purred in amusement. Shadepaw joined in, but her brother felt obliged to put in, "Let's see how good you are, then!"

"Now, now, Amberpaw," Icecloud chided, but Lionblaze interrupted. "No, let him be. It's okay for them to spar for a bit," he meowed, casting a sideways glance at Moonpaw. She gave a minute nod in response. "Go easy on her, Amberpaw!" Shadepaw warned, casting a look of sympathy towards the younger apprentice.

Amberpaw narrowed his eyes and dropped into a crouch, starting to stalk towards Moonpaw. She mirrored his position and hissed in his face, then leapt backwards, maintaining a tail-length between herself and her opponent. She could almost hear Bluestar's words echoing through her mind.

"The first lesson in a head-to-head battle is to wait for your opponent's first move, unless you have the element of surprise."

I don't think I really have the 'element of surprise', Moonpaw thought, He's expecting me to be clumsy. I should—

Before she could complete her thought, Amberpaw was leaping towards her. She ducked and rolled onto her back and under him at the peak of his leap, kicking out with her hind legs and unbalancing him. He landed clumsily, struggling back to his feet.

How's that for the element of surprise, Bluestar?

She leapt forward and onto his back before he was properly balanced. Growling, Amberpaw reared up and prepared to crush her to the ground.

A winded warrior is bound to become a wounded warrior.

Moonpaw pushed down hard and jumped back as Amberpaw crashed to the ground, exposing his belly.

Assess an opening before exploiting it—is it a trap?

The silver apprentice eyed Amberpaw. Several heartbeats had past, but he was lying on the ground still, legs in the air. Moonpaw feinted forward, causing him to lash out and roll to the side. While he was whipping his head around to face her, she was already on his other side and on top of him, pinning him to the sandy floor.

"Amnggngst thmmm, kmmmph!" Amberpaw growled. "What?" Moonpaw meowed. While she was pondering what he was trying to say, Amberpaw gave a mighty heave upwards, knocking her off and sending her skidding across the side.

"Almost there, kit. You're not heavy enough to hold me down" Amberpaw repeated. "Unfortunately, it's a bit harder to fight an apprentice than your kit brother," Anger surged in Moonpaw's chest. "Don't you dare—" That's it! Stormpaw!

Expect the unexpected.

Amberpaw thought he had won. His guard was down. It might work, Moonpaw thought, her mind racing as she rolled onto her feet slowly. Before Amberpaw could continue his lecture, she darted low under him and pushed her paws hard into the ground, surging upwards and knocking Amberpaw off-balance, then pinning him to the ground by his shoulders.

"Almost there, apprentice, but if I were a warrior, you would be finished," she meowed, placing a paw on his exposed belly and stepping gracefully off, shaking the dust from her pelt.

And that's how it's done.

Next chapter will probably pick up right after this, but I don't want a really really long chapter, sooo yeah...

Anyhway.

R&R plz

May StarClan light your path ^_^