"All right, Rainpaw," Rainface meowed "you're good. Now, all of you can go and get some fresh-kill from the pile. Just start a pile of our own in here. In fact, go ahead and take the whole pile." Rainpaw and the rest of the apprentices scampered off to the central clearing. The CloudClan camp's fresh kill pile was sheltered by a tree. The apprentices were surprised to see it so high. Even the MoonClan fresh kill pile was not so big.

"The whole thing?" Flowerpaw murmured uneasily "Well, if she says so." Flowerpaw bent down and picked up a few frogs, and padded toward the medicine den. Rainpaw copied her, and came back for a second load. As she did, she noticed Sandeyes padding out of a fallen hollow tree that Rainpaw had found out was Sandstar's den. Sandeyes saw her, and flicked his tail to summon her.

"Yes, Sandeyes?" Rainpaw meowed

"You, and the rest of the apprentices, excluding Bramblepaw, will go to the apprentice's den tonight," Sandeyes informed her

"The CloudClan apprentice den?" Rainpaw exclaimed, taken off guard. She hadn't expected this, and wasn't sure if she trusted the CloudClan cats yet.

"Why, of course," Sandeyes meowed as if this were perfectly normal.

"Yes, Sandeyes," Rainpaw answered, heading off to tell the others.

Of course, the other apprentices were shocked and anxious – uneasy that they might not be welcomed. Sandstar sent them off, with Mousesky's agreement, to hunt. She also sent Wildpaw and Swiftpaw to guide them. When Wildpaw and Swiftpaw led them out of the camp, to Rainpaw's relief and despair, they were moving swiftly away from the MoonClan borders. When they reached a clearing that was not quite so marshy, they stopped.

"This is the Training Hollow," Swiftpaw announced

"You will train alongside us here," Wildpaw added "and now, here we will split into two groups. Swiftpaw, you can chose your cats first."

Swiftpaw nodded to show his gratitude, and picked out Thornpaw, Hawkpaw, and Icepaw. That left Rainpaw, Scarpaw, and Flowerpaw for Wildpaw's hunting team. With a flick of his tail as a signal, Swiftpaw led his patrol back toward the camp.

"They," Wildpaw flicked his tail at Swiftpaw's general direction "will learn to hunt in marsh. We, however, are going to hunt in the forest. We will be near the scent markers, and you cannot be seen by the other clans." The other apprentices nodded their understanding. "Okay. Good. Follow me."

The three MoonClan cats let out long throaty purrs of relief when they were in the cover of the trees again. Rainpaw realized how much she had missed their comforting cover.

When the patrol returned, it was nearly sun down. Rainpaw was happy with the patrol. She had caught a mouse, and fledgling, and a vole. The other patrol had returned only a moment before, and the fresh-kill pile was huge. Sandeyes padded over to them.

"You can take that to Mousesky and Rainface," he meowed "they need more. You, too, Wildpaw."

The apprentices dipped their heads, and headed off to the medicine den. When they arrived, Rainpaw saw Fuzzypaw pacing, and padded over quickly, dropping the fresh-kill. "What is it?"

"Oh, Rainpaw, it's just you," Fuzzypaw sat down beside Rainpaw. Rainpaw licked her ears slightly, offering comfort.

"What is it?"

"Bluemask just had her kits," Fuzzypaw's meow was worried

"Are they okay?" Rainpaw asked anxiously

"Yes, and now Loudmask is giving birth to her kits." Fuzzypaw's mew was loud and near a howl.

"And you're worried," Rainpaw meowed, understanding.

"Well, yes," her voice raised slightly "and Mousesky won't let me in!" After a slight pause, Rainpaw licked Fuzzypaw's face reassuringly. "Have you eaten recently?"

"No," Fuzzypaw meowed, a bit quieter.

"Then eat," Rainpaw insisted "I'll get Icepaw and Flowerpaw to join us." Rainpaw padded away before Fuzzypaw could refuse, leaving the fresh kill there. She padded up to Flowerpaw and Icepaw. "You guys want to join Fuzzypaw and me?"

"Sure," they replied, picked the fresh-kill they were eating, and padded over to where Fuzzypaw had polished off the fledgling and was starting on the mouse. Rainpaw settled down beside Fuzzypaw, grabing the vole.

"So, how did Bluemask's kitting go?"Rainpaw asked curiously

Fuzzypaw allowed herself a purr of satisfaction. "She has five healthy kits. One girl." The other apprentices purred along with her.

"And Icetail," Fuzzypaw meowed between purrs "has two healthy kits, both boys."

"That's great," Flowerpaw meowed

"Absolutly!" Rainpaw agreed

"Funny their kitting and Loudmask's happened on the same day." Icepaw commented

"Yes, odd," Rainpaw agreed