Ok so I know it's been a while but please don't kill me! *holds up frying pan* I'm armed! Reviews!

Eaglestorm- thanks and glad you like the story! Hey good idea with your story ' Skyclan's Return' by the way

TheAwes0me1- thanks!

Onto the long ( too long ) awaited chapter!

Chapter 7

As we returned to camp, I looked at Cherryfall and meowed hesitantly," Are there conflicts going on with Thunderclan and Shadowclan?"

She nodded." They have accused us of trespassing. We keep telling them it's not us but they insist that it is."

" Oh."

That's all I could say. Was ' Oh.' Cause what was there to say about that piece of news? Cherryfall shook her pelt.

" Enough being serious and not fun. How did you like the territory?" She asked, eyes glimmering with curiosity and hope.

I waved my tail excitedly." It was amazing! The forest was so big and beautiful and alive with all sorts of things!"

Cherryfall purred in amusement and happiness." That's great! We're done for today so why don't you go and make a nest in the apprentices' den then get something to eat?"

There was no arguing with that! I could use a good meal and warm nest right now. My paws ached after such a long trek.

" Hey Ravenpaw, Blizzardpaw! Let's go get settled in our new den, shall we?" I mewed.

I made a dramatic show of padding to the apprentices' den, tail and head high. Blizzardpaw laughed and swatted my tail with soft paws while Ravenpaw shook his head, a smile on his face.

I turned around and cuffed Blizzardpaw softly." Hey you furball! Quit messing with my tail!" I purred playfully.

" I'll show you who the furball is!" She hissed, a mischievous gleam in her green eyes.

She bowled me over and we rolled in the dust, batting at each other and giving mock growls. Ravenpaw leaped out of the way as we rolled past and spit crossly. A golden brown she-cat padded out of the den, looking sleepy as she stretched.

Blizzardpaw tossed me away, and I sprayed dirt and sand up as I landed with a dull thump. The she-cat backed away but not before getting some of the sand on her pelt.

" Hey! Watch it!" She spat, glaring at us.

I picked myself up." Sorry."

She just kept glaring at me." Well maybe you should play fight away from the den!"

I'm not so sure I like this apprentice. She was pretty grumpy. A tortoiseshell followed the first apprentice out of the den. I groaned inwardly. Great. Another apprentice to give us an earful.

But she purred and nudged the golden she-cat." Oh Seedpaw! Quit messing around with the new apprentices!"

Seedpaw huffed." There's nothing to mess around about when you get dirt on your pelt."

The tortoiseshell turned kind amber eyes to us." Don't mind Seedpaw. She's always a bit grumpy when she wakes up."

She ducked to avoid a paw swipe from Seedpaw.

" I'm Lilypaw by the way. This mouse-brain is my sister, Seedpaw," Lilypaw continued.

Now this was a cat I could get along with! One who wouldn't try clawing my ears off!

I dipped my head." Nice to me you. And I really am sorry about your fur," I added.

Seedpaw just snorted.

" Hey! How about I help you three get your nests all set up?" Lilypaw offered.

Ravenpaw nodded." Yes please," he meowed politely.

I nudged Blizzardpaw, gesturing for her to look at Ravenpaw. I hadn't missed that awed look in his eyes! Wow. Was Ravenpaw really crushing on Lilypaw? I almost purred at the thought.

We followed Lilypaw inside the den. Outside it looked pretty small. Inside, it was actually very roomy, with nests around lined with moss and feathers. Lilypaw dragged a ball of bracken and moss from a corner of the den.

Ravenpaw opened his mouth but Blizzardpaw beat him to it." Need some help?"

Lilypaw blinked gratefully. Ravenpaw glared at Blizzardpaw as she padded forward and by the smirk on her face, she did it on purpose. I shook my head and rolled my eyes. Now Blizzardpaw was going to give poor Ravenpaw a hard time! I laughed softly.

Blizzardpaw helped Lilypaw spread out the bedding and she showed us how to make our nests so that they were nice and warm.

Lilypaw's face looked embarrassed." We don't have any more feathers. We weren't expecting more apprentices for another two moons, when Brightheart's kits will be apprentices. Of course Seedpaw and I will be half way through our training by then."

She gazed around the den thoughtfully." I wonder if I could just sneak some feathers from Seedpaw's nest."

A yowl came from outside." Don't you dare steal my feathers, Lilypaw!"

" Hehe. Oops. Spoke too loud," she mewed sheepishly.

Ravenpaw looked at Lilypaw." We'll be fine," he assured her.

After our nests were made, we left the den and approached the fresh-kill pile. I chose a plump mouse from the top of the pile. It was Firestar's first prey and he liked it. So why not?

I tentatively took a bite from the mouse, chewing slowly. I swallowed, surprised. It was delicious! The meat sang with flavor! I made quick work of the mouse, finishing it in a few more famished bites.

" Hungry?" Blizzardpaw purred teasingly, taking another bite from her own thrush.

I shrugged. Ravenpaw came toward us with a shrew in his mouth, glancing at Lilypaw uncertaintly. I flicked my ear.

" Go," I mouthed silently.

He blinked to show he understood. I watched as he padded to Lilypaw shyly and sat beside her. Lilypaw smiled and meowed something to him. Looks like they're getting along.

I lay down in a patch of sunlight and groomed my fur. I looked up as three kits scampered to me, tripping over their own paws.

' Brightheart's kits?'

The gray tom kit came to a stop in front of me." Are you the new apprentices?"

" Well, one of them," I replied.

The white kit piped up," What was it like?"

" What was what like?" I asked, forcing the annoyance out of my tone.

How can you ask a question like that and not say what it is your asking is like?

" Living as a loner!" The ginger she-kit meowed.

I thought for a moment. What could I tell them?" Well," I began," it was hard. But I had friends thankfully. We had to hunt for our own food in lands that weren't very prey rich and we had to fight off any cats that tried to fight us."

They listened with wide eyes.

" Wow!" The gray tom squeaked." You must've been so brave!"

The white tom spoke." My name is Snowkit. That's Dewkit," he flicked his tail toward the gray tom." And that's Amberkit."

" Hello," Amberkit mewed.

I purred." Well it's nice to meet you! Ready to become apprentices?"

Dewkit perked up." Yes!"

" What did the forest look like?" Snowkit asked eagerly.

A white and ginger she-cat strode our way. I saw the side of her face and knew who this was. Brightheart. She saw me looking at her. Her eye held an expecting, sad glimmer. She was waiting for me to flinch at her scars.

But I just blinked and meowed a greeting. She seemed surprised before she mewed," Come on, kits. You can ask Tigerpaw questions tomorrow. But I'm sure she's very tired now."

I nodded and got up, stretching the stiffness from my limbs. The sun was already sinking behind the tree tops. I should be getting to my nest.

" Awww but I don't wanna!" Snowkit wailed.

Brightheart picked him up by the scruff and carried him away, his siblings following close behind. Guess they didn't want to get carried too. I entered the apprentices' den where I found Ravenpaw, Lilypaw, and Blizzardpaw. Ravenpaw and Lilypaw were talking in hushed tones while Blizzardpaw lay in her nest with her eyes half closed.

" Where's Seedpaw?"I yawned.

" Still sharing tongues with the clan," Lilypaw replied.

I circled my nest before lying down in it. I shut my eyes and listened to Ravenpaw's and Lilypaw's quiet chatter. My ears perked slightly as Seedpaw entered but I didn't lift my head. I eventually fell asleep, the sounds of the forest in my ears.

Allegiances

Warriors:

Thunderclan

Leader:Bramblestar- dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Deputy:Squirrelflight- dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

Medicine cat: Jayfeather- gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes Leafpool- light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Warriors( toms and she-cats without kits)

Graystripe- long-haired gray tom

Dustpelt- dark brown tabby tom

Sandstorm- pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

Brackenfur- golden brown tabby tom

Sorreltail- tortoiseshell and white she-cat with amber eyes

Cloudtail- long-haired white tom with blue eyes

Poppyfrost- tortoiseshell she-cat Apprentice- Lilypaw

Millie- striped gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Spiderleg- long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes

Birchfall- light brown tabby tom Apprentice- Ravenpaw

Whitewing- white she-cat with green eyes

Berrynose- cream-colored tom

Hazeltail- small gray and white she-cat

Mousewhisker- gray and white tom

Cinderheart- gray tabby she-cat

Lionblaze- golden tabby tom with amber eyes

Foxleap- reddish tabby tom

Icecloud- white she-cat Apprentice- Blizzardpaw

Toadstep- black and white tom

Rosepetal- dark cream she-cat

Briarlight- dark brown she-cat

Blossomfall- tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Bumblestripe- very pale gray tom with black stripes Apprentice- Seedpaw

Dovewing- pale gray she-cat with blue eyes

Ivypool- silver and white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes

Cherryfall- ginger she-cat Apprentice- Tigerpaw

Molewhisker- brown and cream tom

Apprentices

Lilypaw- tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Seedpaw- golden brown she-cat

Ravenpaw- jet black tom with icy blue eyes

Blizzardpaw- white she-cat with gray tabby stripes and paws and stunning leaf green eyes

Tigerpaw-large, long-furred she-cat with warm amber eyes

Queens

Brightheart- white she-cat with ginger patches

Daisy- cream long-furred cat from the horseplace

Elders

Purdy- plump tabby former loner with a gray muzzle

Shadowclan

Leader: Blackstar- large white tom with one jet-black forepaw

Deputy: Rowanclaw- ginger tom

Medicine cat: Littlecloud- very small tabby tom

Warriors

Crowfrost- black and white tom

Tawnypelt- tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes Apprentice- Grasspaw

Owlclaw- light brown tabby tom

Scorchfur- dark gray tom

Tigerheart- dark brown tabby tom

Ferretclaw- black and gray tom Apprentice- Spikepaw

Pinenose- black she-cat

Stoatfur- tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Apprentices

Grasspaw- pale brown tabby she-cat

Spikepaw- dark brown tom

Queens

Snowbird- pure white she-cat

Dawnpelt- cream furred she-cat

Elders

Snaketail- dark brown tom with tabby-striped tail

Whitewater- white she-cat with long fur, blind in one eye

Ratscar- brown tom with long scar across his back

Oakfur- small brown tom

Smokefoot- black tom

Kinkfur- tabby she-cat, with long fur that sticks out at all angles

Ivytail- black, white, and tortoiseshell she-cat

Windclan

Leader: Onestar- brown tabby tom

Deputy: Harespring- brown and white tom

Medicine cat: Kestrelflight- mottled gray tom

Warriors

Crowfeather- dark gray tom Apprentice- Featherpaw

Nightcloud- black she-cat Apprentice- Hootpaw

Gorsetail- very pale gray and white tom with blue eyes

Weaselfur- ginger tom with white paws

Leaftail- dark tabby tom with amber eyes Apprentice- Oatpaw

Emberfoot- gray tom with two dark paws

Heathertail- light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Breezepelt- black tom with amber eyes

Furzepelt- gray and white she-cat

Crouchfoot- ginger tom

Larkwing- pale brown tabby she-cat

Apprentices

Featherpaw- gray tabby she-cat

Hootpaw- dark gray tom

Oatpaw- pale brown tabby tom

Queens

Sedgewhisker- light brown tabby she-cat

Elders

Whiskernose- light brown tom

Whitetail- small white she-cat

Riverclan

Leader: Mistystar- gray she-cat with blue eyes

Deputy: Reedwhisker- black tom Apprentice- Lizardpaw

Medicine cat: Mothwing- dappled golden she-cat Willowshine- gray tabby she-cat

Warriors

Mintfur- light gray tabby tom

Mallownose- light brown tabby tom Apprentice- Havenpaw

Grasspelt- light brown tom

Duskfur- brown tabby she-cat

Mosspelt- tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes Apprentice- Perchpaw

Shimmerpelt- silver she-cat

Lakeheart- gray tabby she-cat

Heronwing- dark gray and black tom

Apprentices

Lizardpaw- light brown tom

Havenpaw- black and white she-cat

Perchpaw- gray and white she-cat

Queens

Icewing- white she-cat with blue eyes

Petalfur- gray and white she-cat

Elders

Pouncetail- ginger and white tom

Pebblefoot- mottled gray tom

Rushtail- light brown tabby tom

Cats outside the Clans

Smoky- muscular gray and white tom who lives in a barn at the horseplace

Coriander- tortoiseshell and white she-cat who lives with Smoky