Disclaimer: Warriors does not belong to me but the new cats that arrive do :]

Thanks to AudreyheartsWarriors so much for sending me a message and encouraging me to write more tonight. Sorry if the chapters take a while, school takes up a lot of time.

Please read and review!

Chapter 11

"For StarClan's sake, get your claws out of my back!" Dovepaw heard Ivypaw hiss and watched the brown tabby roll over to glare at Leafpool.

"Sorry, Ivypaw, bad dream," Leafpool mewed softly, dropping her amber eyes. Ever since Leafpool became an apprentice three sunrises ago she had been insecure and shy. Berrynose being her mentor didn't help.

"Relax, Ivypaw. Leafpool, it's okay, Ivypaw is always grumpy in the mornings." Dovepaw meowed kindly to Leafpool, stretching.

"Oh, like you are never a grump in the morning!" Ivypaw snapped, tearing at the moss.

"Ivypaw, enough!" Leafpool snapped, some of her old self returning.

"You're not the medicine cat anymore. You're just an apprentice like us!" Ivypaw spat, raising to her paws and stalking out of the den. Leafpool's ears were pressed against her head, her eyes sad and ashamed.

"Don't feel bad, Leafpool. Come on, let's go hunting, Hazeltail expects the snow to start soon." Dovepaw decided, flicking Leafpool's shoulder and trotting out of the den, Leafpool following. Dovepaw glanced at Leafpool and saw the tabby staring at the fresh-kill pile with longing.

"We can't eat yet, Leafpool, we haven't done any work." Dovepaw bounded over to Hazeltail who was eating with Thornclaw. "Hazeltail, Leafpool and I are going hunting. We'll be back by sunhigh!" Hazeltail nodded in approval. With a flick of her ears, Dovepaw raced away, yowling for Leafpool to follow.

[x]

"Leafpool, you have to be downwind!" Dovepaw exclaimed, lashing her tail in annoyance. Leafpool had just lost the first prey they had seen, a plump mouse.

"I know, Dovepaw, I'm trying. When I was medicine cat I was an okay hunter but now…Now I just feel pressured, I guess." Leafpool meowed, whimpering slightly.

"You'll get the hang of it, Leafpool. Your crouch is great you just forget about the simple things like staying downwind and watching out for bracken!" Dovepaw purred in amusement and Leafpool ducked her head in embarrassment. "Shrew!" Dovepaw mewed suddenly, flicking her ears towards the tiny creature a few fox-lengths away.

"Got it," Leafpool muttered, dropping into a crouch and creeping up on the shrew. At the last moment the shrew heard her but Leafpool had it pinned beneath her paws before it could run and nipped it quickly on the neck.

"Great catch!" Dovepaw exclaimed and Leafpool lifted her head, her eyes shining were pride and her tail high in the air.

[x]

Ivypaw licked her paws, laying on the cool ground near the apprentice den. The tabby's head shot up when she heard the rustling of brambles and saw Dovepaw and Leafpool entering the camp, both of them with their jaws full of fresh-kill.

"Looks like hunting's been good!" Brightheart purred, nodding to Dovepaw and Leafpool.

"For them, anyways," Cloudtail added, lashing his tail in frustration. "When we went out there wasn't even a sniff of a mouse." The white tom growled, his blue eyes narrowed.

"Probably because they saw you're snow white pelt coming!" Sandstorm laughed, coming to stand next to Cloudtail. Cloudtail batted at her ears, mocking anger but his whiskers twitching with amusement.

"Nice catch," Hazeltail called, padding over to the group of cats. "You've obviously worked hard, you may both eat." Dovepaw nodded, and followed Leafpool to the fresh-kill pile, dropping her catch and picking out a thrush while Leafpool snatched up a plump vole.

"Leafpool, I see you helped yourself to the fresh-kill pile," Came Berrynose's disapproving voice. "I expect you to be up by the time the dawn patrol comes back tomorrow and cleaning out the elders den."

"I'll help you, Leafpool," Ivypaw offered, probably to apologize after what happened in the morning.

"I would help but Brackenfur has an early training session planned for me," Dovepaw meowed, blinking apologetically.

[x]

"What's that?" Dovepaw growled, jumping to her paws, her gray fur fluffed out and flecked with moss.

"What's what?" Ivypaw asked, lazily opening one eye.

"I heard something!" Dovepaw said urgently, twitching her tail.

"I don't hear…" Ivypaw began, looking annoyed now.

"I hear it too!" Leafpool whispered, cutting Ivypaw off. Ivypaw sat up, alert now. On the side of the apprentices den came a barely audible scuffling.

"Let's go check it out!" Dovepaw decided, stalking forward.

"Dovepaw, wait. Maybe we should alert Thornclaw." Leafpool said hesitantly, her amber eyes worried.

"Leafpool, stop thinking like a kit. This is our chance to prove we are worthy to be warriors. All of us." That hit the spot, making Leafpool freeze. After a long heartbeat the former medicine cat nodded.

"Good. I'll lead." Ivypaw challenged, staring at the other two apprentices and causing Leafpool and Dovepaw to exchange an amused look.

"It smells like…Lionblaze," Dovepaw murmured, startled, and inhaling deeply again. It obviously wasn't midnight hunting or else he wouldn't have snuck out.

"Let's go," Ivypaw whispered and led the way through the dirtplace. For a heartbeat it looked like Leafpool would object but an expression entered her amber eyes and she followed Ivypaw, leaving Dovepaw to take up the rear.

The scent trail led towards the WindClan border. Was Lionblaze meeting up with someone? Dovepaw glanced at Leafpool and guessed the she-cat was wondering the same thing. Ivypaw abruptly stopped, causing Leafpool to nearly crash into her. Lionblaze was just ahead, crouched on the ThunderClan side of the border, a couple fox-lengths away, and staring sadly over the border. He didn't look like he was waiting for anyone.

"Stay here," Leafpool ordered and stalked out of the bushes without a second glance at the apprentices. "Is everything all right, Lionblaze?" Lionblaze turned his head slowly to look at Leafpool.

"It's just so hard, Leafpool. I have kits now and so does she. She betrayed me." Lionblaze whispered, causing Dovepaw and Ivypaw to look at each other in confusion. Who was this she-cat Lionblaze spoke of? And what Clan was she from?

"You wanted to be a loyal warrior, Lionblaze, and made the decision I did not. But I don't regret my decision, it gave me you, Jayfeather, and Hollystar." Leafpool trailed off but Dovepaw knew the unspoken name. "She has Breezepelt now and you have Cinderheart." Breezepelt…They must be talking about Heathertail! Dovepaw had never known that Lionblaze had loved the WindClan cat that Dovepaw had never seen.

"It's amazing that you still feel that way about Hollystar, Leafpool. And I'm sure you know what will happen if Hollystar doesn't find you fit to be a warrior." Lionblaze prompted and Leafpool's eyes widened with sorrow.

"Exile. She expects me to fail, this is her way of revenge and upholding the warrior code at the same time." Exile? This piece of information shocked Dovepaw but it made sense. Hollystar was determined to fix the wrongs done to the warrior code seasons ago.

[x]

Ivypaw watched Leafpool and Lionblaze talk. She was utterly shocked by nearly everything talked about. Suddenly, a new scent reached Ivypaw's glands, and she jumped to her half-asleep paws.

"What's that?" Dovepaw hissed from beside her. Obviously, Lionblaze and Leafpool had also scented it.

Lionblaze paced to the border and staring across WindClan territory. From the moorlands two shapes raced towards them. One was a broad, strong gray tom that reminded Ivypaw of Graystripe and the other was a lithe brown tabby, running side by side with their pelts brushing.

"Stormfur! Brook!"

[x]

I decided at the last moment to have Stormfur and Brook appear in this chapter. I missed them oh so much and I'm glad to have them back. But why did they come back? How long will they stay? Find out in the next chapter!

Please read and review. Post your opinions, crits, whatever, just nothing mean, please. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll try to get the next chapter up tomorrow.