Hollypaw was out on the territory, hunting alone once again. When Onestar had no time to train her, he would simply send her off with instructions for the day.

She had little luck today, though. It was cloudy and the air was humid. It felt as though rain would break at any moment, but it never came. She travelled along anyway, keeping her ears and eyes strained for any sign of prey.

Hollypaw settled down to rest a moment under an old beech tree. There were very few trees on WindClan territory outside of the strip of forest along the border, and she glanced up into the branches, hoping for any sign of birds. The branches held no prey, however, and she let out a heavy sigh.

Maybe there's something else I can practice, she thought, recalling the incident with Fern a few days ago. She had tried to ignore the nagging desire to try it again, but now… Hollypaw was alone, and there was no one around to watch.

What should I try to be? Hollypaw wondered. What's the strongest animal? She twitched her tail. How about… a big dog? She closed her eyes and tried to focus. Hollypaw had never seen a dog before, but she had heard stories of them. Big and powerful, with sharp teeth and strong jaws… But nothing happened.

Hollypaw frowned. Maybe I have to have really seen something to be it, she thought. She turned her mind to foxes instead. This I know I can do… come on! She pictured her square paws and dull claws, and imagined her muzzle lengthening into a long snout… And then, Hollypaw's pelt began to ripple and prick, and she almost kneaded her paws excitedly. Yes! It's working!

The feeling faded, and she looked herself over. How can it be so easy? She wondered, admiring her thick, bushy tail. This can't be normal.

Hollypaw leaped up and broke into a run, racing aimlessly. She ran up a slope and leaped as she reached the top, before she paused for a second to pant loudly. She gazed out over the top of the hill, and found herself staring down at the border stream and the strip of trees. I wonder if Fern is still around, she thought, feeling a flash of guilt. Is she still alone? I don't know what I would do if I had no Clan to be with. She trotted down the hillside, sniffing the air for any familiar scent.

A screech made her jump. Hollypaw whirled around to see Heatherpaw standing at the top of the hill, bristling. Oh, StarClan, no! Hollypaw thought, eyes wide. "Heatherpaw!" she called. "I'm not going to hurt you!"

Heatherpaw didn't seem to understand Hollypaw's bark. "Get out of here!" Heatherpaw yowled, as she began to race down the slope towards Hollypaw. "Fox!" she called. "There's a fox!"

Hollypaw swallowed. She doesn't know its me! She spun back around and raced for the stream. I have to get away! She wasn't ready to reveal her ability—who knew how Heatherpaw would react?

The stream was just within reach, but Heatherpaw was gaining on her. Hollypaw put on a burst of speed, then bunched her muscles before she leaped and cleared the stream. She landed sloppily on the other side and rolled over a few times.

"That's right!" Heatherpaw yowled. "Stay out, you stinking fox!" She stopped just short of the border, but was fixing Hollypaw with a fierce glare.

Hollypaw shook herself and scurried away into the undergrowth. She waited until she heard Heatherpaw's pawsteps heading away. Hollypaw sighed and relaxed. "Well, hare-dung," she swore. She was in ThunderClan territory now, and she felt uneasy as she thought of the code. I shouldn't be on another Clan's territory!

Hollypaw crept out from the bush she had hid in. But… the warrior code doesn't exactly cover turning into other animals and fleeing your own Clanmates.

Then she heard a familiarly shrill voice. "Who's there?"

Hollypaw lifted her chin. "Fern?" she called. "Is that you?"

"Hollypaw!" a fox burst out of the ferns. It's her! "I didn't think I would see you again."

Hollypaw shrugged. "I was trying out… well, this, and I got chased by one of my own Clanmates." She narrowed her eyes at Fern. "What are you doing back in the forest?"

Fern looked down at her paws. She looked distraught. "I tried to find my mother again," she whined. "But she's dead. I saw her body and… oh, it was horrible!" she gagged at the thought. "All torn about and chewed up…" she shuddered. "They just left her there."

"Who?" Hollypaw asked.

"Those cats!" Fern growled. "I told you cats are the worst, and I was right!" Her thick tail lashed. "I couldn't find my littermates. I bet they're dead, too."

Hollypaw felt a rush of sympathy. "I'm sorry, Fern," she said. "Were you all close?" She thought briefly of her own mother. I would be horrified if I found Nightcloud like that.

Fern glanced up at her, seeming confused by the question. "She fed me," she barked. "And gave me a nest. Now I don't have food or a home."

Hollypaw frowned. "Seriously?" she asked. "I'd be heartbroken if one of my parents died."

Fern sniffed. "So?" she asked. "You've got all those other cats to feed you. I barely know how to hunt! I have more important things than being sad about her."

Hollypaw twitched her ears. Deeper in the woods, she could hear low voices. It's a patrol! She thought. "Come on!" she yipped. "There's a ThunderClan patrol coming—those are the cats that killed your mother."

Fern lifted her head, and her eyes widened. "Help me fight them!" she demanded. "I need some territory of my own or I'll starve!"

"No!" Hollypaw growled. "Just follow me!" She turned and raced back towards the stream. There was no sign of Heatherpaw or any WindClan cats, so she splashed through to the other side. "They can't cross the stream!" she called. "Come on!"

"What?" Fern hurried after her. She flattened her ears. "Why can't they? That's stupid. You're going to get me killed!"

Hollypaw rolled her eyes. StarClan give me patience! "They follow the warrior code," she explained, as she stepped onto the shore and shook water from her legs. "They'd be breaking the rules if they crossed."

Fern jumped across the stream. After she landed, she glanced curiously at Hollypaw. "So the code doesn't apply to foxes, though?" she asked. "Because you seem to be jumping over whenever you feel like it!"

Hollypaw winced. I don't know! She thought. She didn't want to just go around strolling over borders… but she wasn't exactly in a usual situation. "Just follow me," she repeated.

Fern trotted after her obediently. The undergrowth on the other side of the stream rustled as a few cats appeared. A brown tabby sniffed at the air. "Look!" he meowed. "Two of the fox kits."

A gray tom shrugged. "They're WindClan's problem now," he replied. "Come on. Let's just mark the border and hope they don't come back."

Hollypaw and Fernpaw watched them go. That was almost too easy! Hollypaw thought. "Let's go into the trees," she said. "It'll give us some cover from both Clans."

Fern shrugged and followed as Hollypaw led them upstream and into the sparse stretch of forest. Hollypaw sighed and flopped down on her side to catch her breath. Fern sat down nearby and itched at her shoulder.

"So what exactly is a Clan?" Fern asked, after a stretch of silent. "I get you all hunt for each other and fight over territory or whatever… but why?"

Hollypaw blinked. "Well… that's just how it's always been," she replied. "We protect each other and help each other. We live by the warrior code—it's what sets us apart from rogues or loners."

"Yeah, but… why?" Fern repeated. She inclined her head curiously. "I mean, my littermates and I lived with my mother because we were protected by her and she brought us food… but we would have gone off to have our own kits eventually. Why live with a bunch of other cats?"

Hollypaw flipped her tail. I don't really know how to answer that, she thought. I can't imagine living alone. "We share a bond," she eventually replied. "The kind that only comes with living and hunting and fighting together… my Clan is like my family. But we never split up. We take care of our old and sick because it's the right thing to do."

"Huh." Fern frowned thoughtfully. "Okay." She moved to lie down and stretched out her legs. "So what's the 'code' thing all about?"

Now that's easy! Hollypaw straightened up. Imagine if Onestar were here to see this! She thought. I'm going to teach the warrior code to a fox of all things. "It's a set of laws passed down from the cats before us," she explained. "It guides us through life and gives a set of morals to stand by. Taking care of elders is part of the code, for instance."

Fern began to look interested. "Mother always said we'd just get old and die one day," she said. "Once you can't hunt for yourself, it's over. Unless something gets to you first." She frowned again. "She ended up going that way. Guess it's better than being old and weak and starving to death."

Hollypaw flattened her ears at the thought. "I've never had to wonder what would happen to me when I get old," she said. "I'm either going to die in battle, defending our borders, or I'll spend my final days resting with my fellow elders and passing on stories to kits. I know my Clan will be there for me."

Fern shifted slightly. "I kind of wish I had that security," she grunted. "But… I can't stand the thought of living with so many other foxes! My littermates were enough for me."

"But you're alone now," Hollypaw pointed out. "Surely it would help to find someone?"

Fern sniffed. "Well, I asked you, didn't I?" she retorted. "I don't exactly know of a bunch of fox groups hanging around like you cats do."

Hollypaw was thinking of what to say when a yowl startled her.

"Hollypaw! Hollypaw!"

Nightcloud! Hollypaw straightened up. There's cats out looking for me?

"Hollypaw!" That was Onestar's voice.

Fern flattened her ears. "What's with all the screeching?" she yipped.

"Those are my Clanmates!" Hollypaw exclaimed. She stood up. "I have to go back to them. They're looking for me."

Fern's eyes widened. "Wait!" she barked. "Don't leave me. I don't know where to go now!"

Hollypaw hesitated. What can I do? She wondered. Once again, she was unsure of what the warrior code demanded. Trespassers were to be challenged… but she had invited Fern into the territory. I brought her here. I can't just tell my Clanmates that! How would I even explain? She sighed. "Just stay here," she suggested. "I'll tell my Clanmates I followed your scent here but didn't see you."

Fern looked at her curiously. "Your Clanmates wouldn't be too happy if they knew I was here, would they?"

Hollypaw shook her head. "No. Please don't come back out until we're gone. I wouldn't know how to explain it to them." She turned away and closed her eyes, trying to will herself back into the form of a cat.

"Wait!" Fern yelped. Hollypaw glanced back at her. Fern sat back up. "Will you come back?" she asked. "To see me? I don't have anyone else to talk to." She tilted her head and pulled a sorrowful face. "Please?"

Hollypaw flicked her tail. I guess if no one finds out… it couldn't hurt. Maybe learning how to be a fox will make me a stronger warrior? She nodded. "I can't promise when," she said. "But I'll come back."

After Hollypaw shifted herself back to her natural state, she broke off into a run and went racing out of the woods.

"Hollypaw!" Nightcloud wailed. "Where are you?" She, Onestar, and Runningbrook were all standing at the top of a nearby slope.

"I'm here!" Hollypaw shouted. "I'm coming!"

The three cats turned to see her run towards them. "You're safe!" Nightcloud exclaimed. "Oh, thank StarClan."

Onestar sniffed at her as she joined them at the top of the hill. "Heatherpaw reported that she chased off a fox," he grunted. "Then I recalled I sent you out alone, and…" he sighed. "We feared the worst. I sent out patrols to all corners of the territory."

Runningbrook curled her lip. "You smell like you found a fox!"

Hollypaw nodded. "Oh, yes, I found a scent trail for a fox. It must have been the one Heatherpaw chased!" She quickly carried on, trying to sound earnest. "I found some spots the fox nested, but I didn't run into it."

Nightcloud straightened up. "Thank StarClan for that," she muttered. "Foxes on WindClan territory… I can't believe this." She unsheathed her claws. "To think of what could have happened..."

Runningbrook looked thoughtful. "Heatherpaw did say it was a young one… it must have gotten a good fright when she chased it. I doubt we'll see it for a while."

Onestar nodded. "Even so, we'll have to be careful. No apprentices out alone for the next moon."

Moon? Hollypaw thought, and her heart sank. That's so long! Fern will either think I lied or get attacked by a patrol by then… and besides that, how am I supposed to practice whatever this thing is if I'm stuck with other cats?

"Is that clear?" Onestar asked, turning his gaze to Hollypaw.

Hollypaw nodded bleakly. "Yes, Onestar." She could only hope that this gift wouldn't fade away in that time.