Wavepaw padded up behind his mentor, Owlfur. The mottled brown queen gave him a gentle nuzzle. "It's all right to be wary, you know," she murmured. Wavepaw scoffed.

"Me? Wary? Hah! That's something to purr about, Owlfur," he meowed in what he thought to be a brave-sounding voice. "I'll have you know that when I was a kit back in LakeClan that I would swim around Midnightsky Lake on the night of the new moon!"

"I'm so sorry to have doubted you, O Brave One," Owlfur mewed, barely containing a purr of amusement at her apprentice's strut. She kicked a branch with a hind paw, causing it to rustle ominously. Wavepaw gave a mewl of fear and cowered under her belly.

"Hey, you two!" the voice of Sunface hissed. "Knock it off, whatever you're doing. I know moonhigh patrol is no fun, but it has to be done!"

Wavepaw felt his fur grow hot with shame. The silvery tom slipped out from underneath Owlfur's belly. He gazed up at the swatches of starry sky between the trees' branches. The air had the distinct chill of pre-leaf-fall, and a fine mist was starting to settle around the forest. It beaded up on Wavepaw's long fur, but did not soak through. One of the advantages of being from LakeClan: you don't get wet like other cats do! he thought smugly.

"Sunface, is there anywhere in particular we're going?" Owlfur asked. The warrior called Birdflight nodded her curiosity. Sunface turned to face the moonhigh patrol.

"I think there's something you should know. You all heard Riverstar talk about how rogues were scented around our territory?" Every cat nodded their heads. Sunface took a deep breath. Wavepaw could see the anxiety in his light eyes. "Riverstar believes we may know these rogues. Don't tell any cat, but she thinks the AoDs may be returning."

Wavepaw laughed, causing every other cat to startle and look at him. "Aw, come on, Sunface," he mewed. "We all know that they're gone. Just ask Longfang for the story. They're never gonna come back."

Owlfur nipped her apprentice's ear angrily. Birdflight looked about ready to claw her way up a tree and hide. Sunface stood, emanating waves of pure rage and anger. Wavepaw gave a soft mew of "Oh." The long-haired tom took a nervous step backwards. Uh-oh. Trying to soothe his Clanmates' fears: plus four points. Disrespect to the Clan deputy in the process: minus eight points. Remaining points: ...negative four. Not good.

"Wavepaw..."

Wavepaw's tail gave an embarrassed quirk. "Y-yes, Sunface?"

"You're on thin ice, young warrior. Thin ice." Sunface turned back to the path ahead. "Remember that, will you?"

Wavepaw's whiskers did a little twitch and another tide of shame crashed over his young body. All right, so maybe humor wasn't the best thing for this situation. How was he supposed to know that? He pranced forward to walk beside Owlfur. The mottled she-cat shook her head disapprovingly. "I can't believe some of the things you do, Wavepaw," she murmured. "You're lucky Sunface is so forgiving."

"Yeah, yeah," Wavepaw muttered, gazing up at the stars as he padded along. He paused in his steps, then continued to walk, this time more gracefully, with lithe waves of motion. It made the stars dance, and reminded him of home...back to the night...with...Snailpaw and Ripplepaw...watching the stars on the surface of Midnightsky Lake...and dropping rocks in...the stars of Silverpelt swirling around...the vow to remain friends forever...then leaf-bare...greencough...watching them both spiral down...two fresh graves by the LakeClan camp...Whitebelly...Icewind...running in the night...Snailpaw...Ripplepaw...gone...like stars on the water...

Wavepaw dropped back, his tail and head held low. No cat knew of his broken heart...how he felt so terrible for losing both of his best friends...He covered himself well, with random jokes and hyperactive behavior. But really...he was empty inside...

"Wavepaw...you're going to get left behind," Birdflight called. "Hurry up, you silver hairball!" Wavepaw lifted his head with a jolt and pounded the ground to catch up. He shook his head firmly. LakeClan was history. PromiseClan was his Clan now.

.-''-.-''-.-''-.

Wavepaw slipped into the den, shaking the cold beads of dew from his fur. Bearpaw groaned softly, covering his head with his paws as he rolled away from the moisture. The silver apprentice wove silently between his Clanmates to get to his nest on the far side of the den, right next to the stone wall. As he curled up, he gave the lonely bunch of moss beside him a sniff. Ashfire had been next to him when he had been an apprentice. The two tomcats were close buddies, but now there was a gap between them: the gap of warrior and apprentice.

I miss Ashfire sleeping here. He was always so fun to be with...All those night we spent telling jokes...And then Bearpaw and Nightpaw told us to stop gossiping like she-cats...That was fun. I can't wait until I'm a warrior. Oh, the other warriors better watch out when Ashfire and I share a den. Wonder what I'll be. Maybe Wavepelt or Wavetail...Wavefire doesn't sound like a good name, though. Maybe not that. But Ashfire's a great warrior name. I'm totally jealous.

Just then, Summerpaw rolled over in her sleep and batted Wavepaw directly on the nose. "Take that, ya evil rogue," she muttered sleepily. Her eyes were still shut. Summerpaw was sleep-talking yet again. Wavepaw rolled his green eyes.

"I'll get you next time, you fox-hearted dog!" the silver tom growled dramatically. Summerpaw opened one eye, which was still glassy. Hoo boy. Now she was going to start sleepwalking.

"Your mother was a hound and your father was a badger, rogue," she grumbled, heaving herself to her paws. Her eyes were glazed over, and her head lolled limply.

"Oh. I'm wounded." The young he-cat rolled his eyes. "Bearpaw! Greatpaw! Summerpaw's at it again!" hissed Wavepaw.

"Not my turn," Bearpaw's muffled voice meowed.

"'S Shadowpaw's turn, I think..."

"She's your sister, not mine!" Wavepaw groaned as Summerpaw started to stagger out of the den. "Shadowpaw, I suggest you hop to it. Remember the last time? She got into the nursery and almost attacked Icewind?"

Shadowpaw grunted. "Trickpaw should learn these things," she replied drowsily.

"Fine. Trickpaw! Wake Summerpaw up, will you? She's a somnambulist."

"Let Seedgrowth take care of it..."

Wavepaw groaned. "You know what? You guys are just lazy! I'll do it!"

"Three cheers for Wavepaw," Greatpaw muttered. "Hip-hip..."

Instead of "hooray," there was only a murmur of sleepy apprentices as they tried to forget the sleepwalking cat in their midst. Wavepaw grumbled "Why didn't I just roll over?" under his breath and started after Summerpaw, who had made it out of the den while the other apprentices were holding their mumbled debate.

He followed the stumbling she-cat out across the camp. Where in the name of holy StarClan is this cat going? Wavepaw glanced from Summerpaw's half-open eyes to follow her intended course. He flinched inwardly. Of course. Where else would Summerpaw go but Riverstar's den? "Summerpaw! It's Wavepaw! Stop!" Summerpaw plodded along in a steady course. Wavepaw tried again. "When I say 'StarClan,' you will sit down. StarClan!"

Summerpaw stopped dead and plopped down where she had previously stood. She gazed ahead with dull eyes and a limp neck. Wavepaw heaved a sigh of relief. "When I say 'StarClan,' you will walk back to the den. StarClan!" Summerpaw pushed herself up and staggered clumsily to the warriors den. "Ack! No! When I say 'StarClan,' you will walk back to the apprentices den! StarClan!" Summerpaw turned on her heel and padded slowly towards the apprentice den. Wavepaw sighed again and braced his shoulder against the she-cat's.

He led her back to her nest. "When I say 'StarClan,' you will lie down and go back to sleep, not waking up until someone says 'StarClan' to you a second time. StarClan!" Summerpaw flopped down and started to snore softly. Wavepaw looked around the den. "Don't overdo the thank-you's," he muttered darkly.

"We won't," Greatpaw mewed, a yawn edging her voice. Wavepaw snorted.

"I was being sarcastic."

"Good for you."

"Greatpaw, are you even listening to what I'm saying?"

"Yeah...But don't worry, Wavepaw...I'm sure there's enough fresh-kill for all of us."

"Let me rephrase that. Greatpaw, are you even listening to what you're saying?"

There was a few seconds of delay. "I've been talking, have I?"

"Yes. Yes, you have been." Wavepaw wasn't sure of what to make of the situation at paw. Summerpaw was asleep, and would remain that way until someone said "StarClan." Greatpaw was holding a somewhat coherent conversation—in her sleep, Wavepaw realized with a flash of insight. All he needed now was for Bearpaw to jump up and start imitating other cats, something he did sometimes when he was not quite asleep. The whole family's insane, I'll bet.

Well, he wasn't getting back to sleep tonight. Which wasn't all bad; Sunface didn't force apprentices who had gone out on moonhigh patrols to train the next day. Wide awake, the young tom padded out of the den to sit in the middle of the camp.

A warrior called Racefoot joined him. "Can't sleep?" he asked, his voice as cheery as always. Wavepaw shrugged.

"Summerpaw," he replied.

"Ah. She's at it again? I thought Seedgrowth gave her some herbs for that."

"Really? Promisepaw said it's something she'll grow out of and they can't cure it. Like you."

Racefoot laughed, winking at Wavepaw. "I've always been like this. My DuskClan mother, Froststare, always told the tale of how my brothers and sisters would all squirm and mew during the day while I slept. Then, in the dead of night, she'd wake up to me doing the exact same thing they had. I've always had it, and I'll never grow out of it." He sighed, not unhappily, and gazed upwards. "Insomnia, that's what it's called."

"So you're an insomniac and Summerpaw is a somnambulist. PromiseClan is not your average Clan, is it, Racefoot?"

"Not in the least, Wavepaw, not in the least. But that's what makes us important. We're not like the other Clans. All of our cats come from different birth-Clans, and we don't always get along as a result." Racefoot placed his black and white tail over Wavepaw's. "But the thing to remember is that we are special in StarClan's eyes. We are the Promised Clan."

Wavepaw gave a slight shiver. The Promised Clan! That's what Promisepaw's prophecy said! Hope, Shadows, Fire, and Water will come together and save the Promised Clan! But who are all the other parts of it: Hope, Shadow, Fire, and Water? Maybe..since I'm from LakeClan...maybe...I'm the Water! But what's everything else? With a thankful purr to Racefoot, he mewed, "I think I'll head back to the den. Maybe I'll be able to sleep." Racefoot nodded and padded off in the other direction, likely to hunt with Birdflight.

The silver tom pranced around the sleeping bodies of his fellow apprentice warriors and settled down in his own nest. With a deep sigh, Wavepaw laid his head on his paws. I wonder what's going to happen tomorrow...