Brightpaw moved carefully though the under growth. Her eyes, ears, and nose alert for any signs of trouble. She was on a patrol with Rabbitskip and Grayfoot who was leading. The gray senor warrior walked with a limp. Brightpaw could tell she would have to retire soon. The sent of brookclan hit her nose. Without waiting for a command Brightpaw lunched herself forward and landed on the gray tom's back. She slashed his side. Leaving a deep cut. The tom tried to shift in order to rake her belly but brighpaw shifted and knocked him on his side claws unsheathed at his throat.

"Well done brightpaw." Grayfoot rasped. " You have captured a very important brookclan cat. Do you know who he is?" Brigthpaw had no idea so she just shook her head. Grayfoot's eye glowed with excitement and pride." he is stonefoot the brookclan deputy." Brigthpaw could not believe it. The Brookclan deputy!

" Beaten by an apprentice." Rabbitskip purred with amusement. "We have to take him with us."

"I agree." Grayfoot said leading the way back to camp.

"Cats of Fernclan!" Silverstar announced once he learned of the very important prisoner. "Grayfoot's patrol have brought us Stonefoot the deputy of Brookclan. We know have a advantage and it is thanks to Brightpaw. Brightpaw took down the deputy of another clan. Grayfoot says she fought like a warrior. She still have bit more training though." Silverstar's speech was cut of by a yowl. The sent of blood filled the clearing. In ran Brackenrunner torn and bloody but alive. In his jaws he held the limp, unmoveing form of Rosepaw. Her tortoiseshell and white fur was torn. Her green eyes which were once bright were now cloudy, vacant. Brackenrunner layed her down in the middle of the clan.

"What happened Brackenrunner?" Silverstar asked.

"we were hunting and she took off after a rabbit. She ran straight into Stormstar. She was dead before I could reach her." Brackenrunner paused shaking. " He said this is a warring. If we did not leave than we would end up like Rosepaw." Brightpaw wanted to rip Backenrunner's ear's off, But why he was not the one to do it. Just to be sure she looked at her friend's claw and true to his story they held the gray fur of Stormstar. Yowls of outrage came from the surrounding cats.

"We should kill Stonefoot!" Dustclaw yowled stocking up the the Gary tom who was being treated by Sagecloud.

"No we need him alive."Silverstar ordered.

It took awhile for the clan to settle down and all to soon it was time to gather to sit vigil for Rosepaw.

Rosepaw had been laid out as if she were sleeping. She was covered in herbs, but to Brightpw that did little to cover the smell of death. She gave her friend's cold ear a lick.

"Goodbye Rosepaw. I'll miss training with you. I know you watch us from starclan." The night dragged on. Brightpaw remembered each moment she had spent with her friend.

OoOoOoOoO

"Even though we are not in our camp we still need to continue your training." Silverstar said as he stood with the other three mentors." Now more than ever." Brightpaw could only just make out what he was saying as if he said it any louder the small hope that this was just a dream would vanish. Every cat was in denial since no one wanted to admit it.

"Let's work on your stalking." Eagleclaw said. Now what should we keep in mind when stalking different types of prey?"

" For mice step lightly with your weight on your haunches not your paws, because they will hear you before anything else." Brightpaw said to the now surprised group of cats.

"That's right, how?" Silverstar stammered in amazement. This was her first hunting lesson after all.

"I guess all the time I spent watching Nightstar." The white apprentice said. Her mentor beamed.

"Well since you know how to hunt how about you split up into groups of two and work on group hunting. Remember to work as a team. Brightpaw and Rosepaw you two will head north as far as the Ravine. Be careful though the water is low and it would be easy to fall if you are not careful. Mistpaw and Snakepaw you will take the fields around the horse barn. You will have till sunhigh to catch as much prey as you can."

Brightpaw let Rosepaw lead the way into the forest. She kept her senses alert for signs of prey. She spotted a brown shape bounding along and signaled with her tail to her friend who circled around to help block his path. Brightpaw stalked forward and when she was about a fox-length away she sprang after the rabbit. Brightpaw is not the fastest cat struggling to keep up with the rabbit when Rosepaw leaped and killed the prey.

"Mousedug." Brightpaw spat clawing the ground. When it came to strength and fighting she could beat any of the apprentices and ever some of the warriors. Speed however was another thing, her short legs made it hard to cover more distance with each stride and her heavy, stocky body did not help. She was built for fighting not hunting. Rosepaw caught on to her friends fowl mood.

"How will I ever be a warrior if can't catch a rabbit." Brightpaw said looking at the fresh kill and if it were crow-food.

"So what if you can't catch a sill rabbit. The way you jump you are bound to be the best bird hunter in the clan." Rosepaw said as she gave Brightpaw's head a reassuring lick.

OooOoOo

Rosepaw had been right about Brightpaw's ability to hunt birds. Her friend always knew just what to say and was kind to everyone. And as the sun started to rise the more Brightpaw found it hard to accept this goodbye. She and Mistpaw helped dig the hole where their friend would rest and by the end the claw had been cracked and broken, but the pain was nothing compared to the pain in their hearts.