"And what is the apprentice called again?" Silkpaw asked, excitedly.

"Moonpaw," mewed Shadepaw for the third time.

"Moonpaw," sighed the medicine cat apprentice. "That's such a nice name; it sounds so connected to StarClan."

"Silkpaw, you've said that already." Shadepaw clawed at a piece of moss underneath her paw.

It was the day after the gathering. Shadepaw had spent the majority of the day on patrol with Shrewfur and Ratclaw and had hated it. The first thing was she hated patrol. The second was she had not had a chance to speak with Fembrook, as the silver cat had been avoiding her. Thirdly she had the added worry about Talltail's dark words.

She had stumbled into camp in early afternoon and had been asked by Icestorm to go hunting. So with aching paws, she had set off for the gorge. She had not caught a frog but had chased a rabbit across the log bridge and had brought down a hawk, showing balance, agility and accuracy. She had given the hawk to the queens in the nursery and had taken the rabbit to Silkpaw.

"I'm sure I haven't said that," protested Silkpaw, slicing the ear off her rabbit.

"You have." Shadepaw nudged her littermate gently, before tucking into a mouse.

Silkpaw looked embarrassed. "Oh, I'm sorry. I've just had a really busy day. I had an assessment on different types of herbs."

Shadepaw blinked in surprise. "How did it go?"

"I think it went ok, but you can never be sure."

Shadepaw licked her adoptive sister's ear. "I'm sure you've done fine."

Silkpaw gave her a grateful glance.

Shadepaw took a large bite out of her mouse, savouring the juicy flavour in her mouth. Chewing contently, she gazed around the medicine cats den. It was a small clearing, sheltered by willow trees and holly bushes. There was a rocky overhang near the back of the clearing where Swallowfeather had her nest and kept her supplies in nooks and crannies on the rock face.

There was a rustle in the holly bushes near to where Silkpaw and Shadepaw were sitting, and Swallowfeather stepped through. Seeing the apprentices, she mewed, "Hello you two. I've just been to see Lilyface in the nursery. She asked me to thank you for the hawk, Shadepaw."

Shadepaw dipped her head in acknowledgment as the medicine cat went on, "You did very well in your assessment Silkpaw. You're shaping up well."

Silkpaw purred in delight and Shadepaw wound her tail with her littermate's.

Swallowfeather settled herself next to the apprentices. Silkpaw pushed the remains of her rabbit toward her mentor. "You must be hungry Swallowfeather."

"Yes, I am. Thank you Silkpaw."

"Don't thank me, thank Shadepaw. She's the one who caught the rabbit. She chased it almost all the way over the log bridge."

Shadepaw shuffled her paws in embarrassment as Swallowfeather meowed, "Did you really? My, my, Shadepaw, you're getting as good as Sootwhisker."

"Sootwhisker taught me well how to hunt well, that's all." Shadepaw flicked the piece of moss from between her claws.

Swallowfeather changed the subject. "Breezewing came and saw me today. She had stomach pains. Silkpaw, what do you think this means?"
Silkpaw stared at her paws for a moment, deep in thought. Then she looked up, her eyes wide. "Is she expecting kits?"

The medicine cat nodded at her apprentice. "Yes, she is going to have kits. But not just any kits. Fallenstar's kits"

Shadepaw stared at the medicine cat, her eyes wide. Breezewing was a swift and agile cat and Fallenstar was one of the best fighters in the forest. "They're going to be some kits," she mewed. "The children of Fallenstar and Breezewing..."

Swallowfeather nodded enthusiastically. "They should be arriving in about early leaf-bare."

Shadepaw felt the excitement rise in her belly and she finished her mouse in a few quick bites. Then she said goodbye to Swallowfeather and Silkpaw and raced out of the den.

Once in the camp clearing, Shadepaw spotted Breezewing basking in the sun outside the warriors den. She ran over to her. "Breezewing, Swallowfeather told me you were going to have kits," she mewed as she approached. "Aren't you excited?"
Breezewing lifted her head to look at Shadepaw. "Of course I am mousebrain," she mewed flicking the apprentice over the ear with her paw.

"I bet they're going to be the best kits ever," purred Shadepaw, licking the older cat's ears.

Breezewing blinked at the black and white cat gratefully. "They do make you feel ever so tired though," she mewed, nosing Shadepaw's fur. "I'm going to get some sleep and I will see you in the morning."

With that the pale grey she-cat padded into the warriors den.

Shadepaw felt her spirits soaring until a mew sounded behind her. "Just because most of the cats in this clan have accepted you rouge, doesn't mean that all of them will."

The apprentice turned to see Rootheart sitting behind her. I'm not going to put up with this, she thought, what gives him the right to torment me?

She strode over to the brown warrior, calmly mewing, "At least I can get on with your son, unlike you. I've never met a cat who couldn't get on with kin."

Rootheart leapt to his paws, his fur bristling. "Do you think that I am going to put up with a rouge apprentice teasing me?" He leapt at Shadepaw, claws extended . The attack came so suddenly that Shadepaw couldn't defend herself. Her furious yowl was cut off by Rootheart pressing his paw against her throat. Struggling to breathe, Shadepaw tried vainly to claw at the warrior's face, but her forelegs weren't long enough.

Rootheart looked at her, his eyes full of hatred, as he snarled, "I'm not going to kill you this time, Rougepaw, but if you put one claw out place again I swear; I will!"

The tom slashed her across the shoulder and slid off the apprentice, spitting in her face before heading for the warriors den.

Shadepaw felt blood trickle down her shoulder and lay still on the floor of the clearing, shaking hard. Then she pushed herself to her paws and raced through the hollowed out trunk and into the forest. She needed to get away from Rootheart and Swiftclaw, for now at least.