Anyone excited? Its the second to last chapter, things are about to get wrapped up!

Chapter 23

Batpaw was awoken by the sunlight tickling her fur. The air was surprisingly warm, and the underside of her whole body was wet from melted snow. The spots around her were empty, and the moss beds of the other apprentices were nearly soaked through. Batpaw could see why the cats might want to leave their dens early.

Stretching, her whole mouth shaped in a yawn, she padded out of the apprentice den, realizing that almost all of the apprentices had already left.

The clearing was warm and brown, nearly empty. Its colors were dull from leafbare, but the air was bright and crisp, fresh with the smell of the tiny bits of frost that still clung to the bark of the trees.

Even though the sun shone brightly, it was a brisk and chilly day. Outside, the forest looked inviting and fresh. Water dripped off branches and leaves, and there was not a speck of white to be seen. The air smelled fresh and clean, like after a good rain. Batpaw began to feel safe and happy, despite her worries from the night before. The dream seemed much more like a dream, and less like reality. After all, what was reality other than this bright startling world, making her tingle all over.

Eaglewing was out of the camp, on a morning patrol, so Batpaw decided to go hunting in the fresh cold air, hoping that the suddenly warm weather would attract prey. She padded out of the gorse tunnel undisturbed, and set out to enjoy the late morning on her own.

The forest was everything she had thought it would be. Though the trees were brown, and the ground was bare, it was still beautiful. It almost reminded her of her first day in the forest, when she had been scared of the "savage wildcats"! Now she snorted at the thought.

Immediately, Batpaw scented mouse, a young one, from the smell of it. Probably come to relieve itself from the past snow. That meant that there would be lots of prey today!

Batpaw sniffed around, making sure she knew exactly where the mouse was. The wind was blowing against her, so she was undetected. Batpaw slunk into a hunting crouch and slithered forward, getting ready to pounce. Then... Wham! The mouse was all hers.

Satisfied and content, Batpaw scuffed dirt onto her catch, leaving it for her trip back.

"Wow!"

Batpaw whirled around, her eyes wide with surprise. One of the kittypets who had joined Thunderclan, Mimi, was watching her with admiration. "You're such a good hunter," she mewed. "I wish that I could hunt that well!"

Batpaw beamed. "You really think so?"

Mimi laughed. "Of course! That was amazing! I've never seen any of your clanmates hunt that well!"

A warm feeling trickled into Batpaw, as Mimi praised her skill. For a second she paused, feeling as if she had already experienced what was happening. A memory of a name "Peaches" was all that she could think of though, and so she dismissed the idea. "Thanks," she said shyly. "Eaglewing does say that I have a natural talent."

Mimi nodded. "Well, it was nice to talk to you, but I've got to go. I promised that I would meet, um, Addertooth at Fourtrees."

Batpaw looked at her curiously, causing Mimi to duck her head shyly in embarrassment. "He wanted to go hunting with me," she mumbled, flicking her eyes upward. Mimi muttered something else under her breath and then clumsily raced away.

Batpaw paused for a moment, slightly amused, and then she walked on, climbing up the ravine, and venturing deeper into the forest, continuing to hunt.

She had been right about her prediction for prey. The forest was alive and moving, full of the rich scent of vole and bird. Soon Batpaw had buried a squirrel and a small bird, and still the prey kept coming. To her, it seemed like it was running right into her paws. Batpaw hadn't had such a good day in a long time. She thought back to when she was a hungry abandoned stray, walking among alleys and twolegs. Now look at her! Almost a warrior.

Batpaw traveled deeper and deeper into the forest. Maybe while she was out, she would add her own scent markers to the border. It really felt good to hunt for her clan and patrol the border. Since Thunderclan had given her so much, Batpaw though that she really should give something back to it.

The border was a little ways away, so Batpaw pranced ahead, happy to be out and about. Leaves crunched under her paws. Batpaw had thought they were all gone, but the melting of the snow had proved otherwise.

A scent started to waft into her nose just as she began to near the Shadowclan border. It was a harsh and dirty scent, smelling like a cat who just washed in a puddle of dirty water. It blocked out the smell of the rich prey Batpaw had been enjoying a moment before.

No fear scent accompanied this cat, and Batpaw suspected that he lay just opposite her, behind the Shadowclan border.

Batpaw swallowed hard, wondering what this cat wanted. Slowly, she crept forward, fear coursing through her blood.

A loud crackle and crash sounded as the tomcat leaped from the bushes, landing right on top of Batpaw.

She had been right. The cat's fur was streaked with mud, making him unrecognizable. Batpaw was sure that she had seen him before, but she could not place who he was.

His claws dug into her fur, and she shrieked as he sunk his teeth into her leg. "You're going to die, Batpaw, I'm going to see to it," the tom hissed in her ear.

Batpaw cried out in terror and tried to slither out from underneath him. Adrenaline was pumping into her brain, making her feel hot headed, and not noticing that she had a pounding headache from the blood that was seeping away out of her body. Scrabbling away, Batpaw pounced on him, only to be crushed to the ground as he rolled over. Blood dribbled onto her fur as he made a slashed open a long gash.

Teeth positioned at her neck, Batpaw was sure that his glinting fangs would bring an end to her life when the sound of cat's voice rang through the air.

The sound was music to Batpaw's ears as the tom leaped to his paws, and with one menacing glance back at her, raced way into the bushes.

A patrol of Thunderclan cats came into view. Eaglewing was at the head of it, with Addertooth, Pantherpaw and Blizzardtail right behind her.

Seeing Batpaw's dazed and shocked expression, Eaglewing rushed over. "Are you okay?" she asked, eyes wide. "You're bleeding!"

Batpaw stared up into Eaglewing's worried amber gaze and found only compassion. Relief rushed through her, and then, with a moan, she collapsed.

"Loss of blood, no wonder she collapsed." Dewpelt shook her head in wonder. "Things used to be so quiet around here until she came, it's like she's injury prone."

Nightclaw cracked a smile, his eyes flicking around, trying to escape this conversation. "I wonder why," he muttered, smirking. "She just gets her sticky paws into other cat's business." His words were barely audible on the quiet day, the sun high in the sky, and Dewpelt just missed them.

"I guess that I'll be going now," Nightclaw said quickly. He bounded away before Dewpelt could get out another word. He bumped into Eaglewing on his way out of the camp and she stopped him with a worried glance. "Is Batpaw okay?" she asked, staring into his eyes.

Nightclaw squirmed uncomfortably. Eaglewing had never asked him a question directly in a long time without an insult or angry remark. "I uh, just saw her and um, she looks fine." Nightclaw ducked his head, his cheeks burning with surprise and embarrassment. "Nina," he muttered, under his breath. "Nina, Nina, Nina." But however many times he repeated his mate's name, he couldn't get Eaglewing's face out of his mind, even as she bounded away, looking back at him, confused.

"Trying to start over?" Blizzardtail was watching Nightclaw, faintly amused. "It's about time. You two have been mad at each other for too long."

Nightclaw spun around, his green eyes blazing. "I don't know what you're talking about," he snapped. "Just keep your paws out of my business."

Blizzardtail drew back, surprised. Shaking his head in disapproval, Blizzardtail mewed, "Hold onto what you have now, Nightclaw, or it won't be there later."

Nightclaw shot a furious glare at the senior warrior and stomped away, his expression livid. Suddenly he heard a cat whisper his name, her tone stony. He turned around to face Eaglewing, her face cold.

"Nightclaw," mewed the deputy, trying to keep her cool. "Why did you tell me that Batpaw was fine?"

Nightclaw looked up at her, confused. "What do you mean? She's going to be okay."

"She's unconscious!" Eaglewing cried. "And she hasn't woken up yet! That's not fine!"

Nightclaw looked at the ground. "But she's going to be fine," he insisted. "It doesn't matter if she's unconscious. Dewpelt said that she should wake up soon."

Eaglewing glared at him and then whirled around and stalked away.

Nightclaw groaned and resumed to bounding out of the camp and dropping into a hunting crouch. He pounced on the mouse and sliced his claws through its stomach. How could Eaglewing be so annoyed with him? Batpaw was going to be better soon, which meant that Crookedwhisker had failed. He remembered Eaglewing's hurt and angry eyes and they bored into his mind.

"Nightclaw!"

Nightclaw whirled around and looked up at Goldenfoot guiltily. "Yes?" he muttered.

"Don't waste prey like that! Look what you did!"

Nightclaw looked down at the mouse and to his shock, found that it was a bloody mess of fur and bones. While he had been fuming at Eaglewing he had torn it to pieces! "Sorry," he growled, turning away. Nightclaw knew that Nina would be furious if she knew about him and Eaglewing and what was starting to emerge between them. He pictured her chocolate brown fur and piercing golden eyes that were filled with gentleness but also daring brave feelings. That was what had made him fall in love with her, her bravery and fierceness, her heart of a warrior. That was how they had met, he had been in trouble and she had-

"Will you?" Goldenfoot was looking at him, inquiringly. "Nightclaw, were you even paying attention to me?"

Nightclaw's head jerked upward. "W-what?" he stammered.

Goldenfoot sighed, her eyes snapping towards him. "I said, Eaglewing would like you to go on her patrol, can you come?"

Nightclaw felt like he might explode with surprise and happiness as he mewed, "Sure, o-of course."

Goldenfoot purred in satisfaction and padded away into the trees. "She wants you to come now," Goldenfoot called over her shoulder.

Nightclaw's face was radiating with warmth as he raced after Goldenfoot and reached the camp just in time.

"Nightclaw!" Eaglewing mewed, dipping her head in satisfaction. "There you are, come one, we're not going to wait!"

Nightclaw nodded in relief, thankful that she wasn't still mad at him. He followed the patrol into the forest, drinking in this moment. Just as he was thinking that things couldn't get any better, the leaves on a tree began to ripple and an image of a dark brown she-cat mesmerized before him. She stared at Nightclaw with solemn and mournful eyes, that could have broken any cat's heart, no matter how cruel or mean.

Nightclaw let out a cry of horror and then he fled back to camp, trembling.

When Batpaw awoke, all of her wounds were nothing but small scratches. The bright colors of approaching spring showed how long she had been unconscious. Batpaw tasted a small salty seed that lay in her mouth and spat out a tiny poppy seed. "How long have I been asleep?" she asked Dewpelt.

"For two weeks," Dewpelt mewed, not looking up from her work, where she was dabbing Pantherpaw's leg with some water soaked moss.

Batpaw looked at her in horror. "That's impossible, I couldn't have been unconscious for that long!"

Dewpelt shook her head. "It wasn't really that long. I was feeding you poppy seeds to keep you asleep. I couldn't have you waking up and start to bug me about leaving my den."

Batpaw rolled her eyes, knowing that Dewpelt was right. "I guess, but still, it just felt like a day or even less."

Dewpelt smiled. "I hope you weren't looking forward to the gathering. The full moon was yesterday."

Batpaw's face's dropped. She had been looking forward to the gathering. Although she and Startail were best friends, she had begun to grow a special bond with Dawnpaw. The medicine cat apprentice seemed to understand her better than anyone else, and Batpaw always looked forward to seeing her at each gathering.

"Batpaw!"

Dewpelt turned and smiled in amusement. "Rabbitfoot, Startail! Back for the fifth time today?"

Batpaw greeted the two happily and then processed what Dewpelt had just said. "Rabbitfoot? What do you mean, Rabbitfoot?"

"Oh, you kind of, um, missed my warrior ceremony." Rabbitfoot looked at Startail, nervously. "But I bet that you'll be having yours soon," she said brightly.

Batpaw looked up at her two friends, feeling sick. "So I'm the only apprentice besides Pantherpaw and Leappaw?" She stared at the ground, wishing that she could disappear. "I can't believe this! I'm never going to be a warrior!"

"That's not true!" mewed Startail hastily; "I bet you would be a warrior right now if you hadn't been attacked!"

"Yeah!" mewed Rabbitfoot, "You're a great hunter, the best that I've ever seen."

"And a great fighter?" Batpaw mewed dejectedly. She knew that her friends were trying to brighten her spirits, and that her fighting skills were the real reason why she wasn't a warrior.

"We-ll." Rabbitfoot squirmed like a cornered mouse. But there was no need to answer the question. Batpaw already knew that neither of the two cats who sat in front of her, sharing worried glances, would be able to answer it, they couldn't lie to her.

"I'm sure you'll be a warrior soon!" Startail said, breaking the silence that had followed. She was as cheery as she could be, seeing her friend like this. "You'll be sleeping with me in no time!"

"Alright, that's enough!" Dewpelt hurried over and stared to shoo the warriors out of the cave. "She can't chat all day!"

As Rabbitfoot and Startail walked out the door, calling over their shoulders and bounding into the sunlight, Batpaw continued to stare at her paws.

I'm never going to be a warrior and they know it, she thought miserably. My hunting skills can never make up for the loss of fighting that I've got. I really am just a good for nothing rogue, or loner, it doesn't matter. Either way, I'll never be a warrior and I might as well just leave.

With these thoughts all muddled up in her mind, Batpaw settled down, curled up and fell asleep.