Hey, this chapter is longer. Yay!!

Shadepaw grunted as she was thrown into the dust for the third time running. Shadowpaw stepped off her, grinning. "If I got a mouse for the number of times I've floored you today," she mewed. "My stomach would be full to the brim."
Shadepaw scowled. It had not been a good day. So far, she had not beaten one cat in combat. It would be an utter disaster if she lost to Lynxpaw, who she was due to fight soon.

She pushed herself to her paws, hissing as the long gash that Rootheart had inflicted pained her. She padded over to Shrewfur on heavy paws. "I lost," she sighed, adding Shadowpaw to Rustpaw and Finchpaw, who were already on her list of defeats.

Shrewfur shook his head. "These wounds have had more of an effect on you than I thought. You pinned Shadowpaw down with minimum effort last time that you were set against her."

"I'm sorry Shrewfur." Shadepaw hung her head.

"It's okay." Shrewfur flicked her ear with his tail. "Well let's not give up. You're fighting Venompaw next. I know that you are weakened physically but I hope that you are not mentally. Remember, Venompaw is bigger and stronger than you so it will do no good trying to overpower him with force."

Shadepaw nodded, an idea forming in her mind.

Venompaw approached her. "Ratclaw says I am to fight you now." He batted her ear with his paw. "Ready to be pinned in the dust again, Shadepaw?"

"You wish!" she hissed.

The two of them descended into the training hollow, where they circled each other, each waiting on the other to make the first move. Shadepaw took the time to analyse Venompaw. The tom was tall and muscular, the same build as his father, Shrewfur. As Shrewfur himself had said, it would be useless trying to overpower him. She needed to use her speed and agility to win.

Venompaw let a hiss escape from between his bared teeth and a moment later he leapt at Shadepaw. She dodged the attack easily, using a classic sidestep but Venompaw was obviously prepared for this, for the moment he landed he pivoted on the spot and sprung at her again. Shadepaw only just jumped aside before the gray tom landed on top of what would have been her.

She needed a new tactic.

She barely had time to think before Venompaw ran at her again. This time they met with a thump and scrabbled on the ground for what seemed like a moon, before Shadepaw managed to throw the other apprentice off. Her energy depleted by the fight, she knew that Venompaw would easily win if she didn't do something now. She thought back to her first training session with Shrewfur and a move that he had taught her sprung into her head. It would be risky, as Venompaw had already proved himself quite an agile cat, but Shadepaw was out of options.

Planting her feet, she waited for the tom to attack. He didn't keep her waiting long. With a snarl, Venompaw raced towards her, paws outstretched. Shadepaw waited until he was a mouse-length away from her and then bunched her muscles and leapt high above his head. Venompaw skidded to a halt with a gasp as Shadepaw twisted in the air before plummeting down upon her fellow apprentice. The tabby tom was flattened underneath her and Shadepaw pressed his head into the ground, hissing, "Who's pinned down in the dirt now?"

"Grroff' me Shadepaw," Venompaw mumbled.

Once she had let him go, Shadepaw allowed herself a small smile. Maybe this day wasn't so bad after all.

Shadepaw entered the camp with Lynxpaw. Since her victory over Venompaw, the training session had gone well. Shadepaw had beaten Lynxpaw and Lilacpaw with her tactics but she was still disappointed at her performance.

Her stomach growled, distracting her. Beside her, Lynxpaw heard the sound. "Are you hungry Shadepaw?"

Shadepaw nodded. "Do you want to get some fresh kill?"

Lynxpaw shook his head. "I will a bit later. I want to see Emberkit first."

"Just Emberkit?"

The golden tom coughed and frowned. "No, of course I want to see the others," he stumbled, obviously embarrassed. "It's not as if I only go to the nursery to see Emberkit." His eyes shifted from side to side.

"You like her, don't you?" Shadepaw poked him with a claw.

"No," he exclaimed, his voice hoarse. "Don't be silly Shadepaw."

"But you do!"

"Do not!"

"So do."

"I do not."

"Yes you do."

"I swear on my fresh-kill tonight that I don't."

"Well, you're going to go hungry tonight then."

Lynxpaw blinked, as if realising what he had said. "You can think whatever you want Shadepaw but me and Emberkit are just friends." He shoved her with his paw. "Anyway you like Foxwhisker."

"So what if I do." She shoved him back. "At least I've got the courage to say it."

"Ok ok." Lynxpaw claws some moss underneath his claws. "I think she's pretty and she had nice eyes." He ran towards the nursery, shouting over his shoulder, "But that's all!"

Shadepaw let out a mrrow of laughter at Lynxpaw's futile attempts to deny his love for Emberkit. He's so sweet, she thought, when she's older Emberkit will be lucky to have him.

Her stomach rumbled again and she headed towards the fresh-kill pile.

Creekfall was already there, twirling the tail of his mouse around one of his curved claws. A shaft of sunlight shone on his flecked fur making it shine brilliantly. He was a truly magnificent cat but he was obviously sad and Shadepaw thought she could kill Finchpaw for making him give up his clan and then making his feel this way. However, she decided to keep her claws sheathed for the time being, at least until she found out what had made Finchpaw so angry with Creekfall.

Picking up a sparrow, she made her way over to the tom, nodding at Daisypelt and Minkclaw when she passed them. Settling beside him, she mewed, "Hey Creekfall. How is life as a warrior?"

"It's good." Creekfall sliced the tail off the mouse. "I get more freedom and I think a few more cats respect me now."

For a while, Shadepaw watched him cut various parts of his mouse and then asked, "Are you going to eat that? It's the only piece you'll get before next sundown."

"I'll get round to it."

Concerned, Shadepaw meowed, "Have you spoken to Finchpaw yet?"

Creekfall nodded. "Yeah, I spoke with her at dawn, when Fallenstar had released me from my vigil but she told me that she was tired and did not wish to talk." He nibbled and ear off the mouse.

"I don't understand." Shadepaw crunched on the sparrow's wing.

"Understand what?"

"I don't see why she is so upset with you. What have you done that is so bad?"
Creekfall did not answer for a while, just munched on the mouse's innards. Then he said, "The day before the gathering, Finchpaw came to the medicine cat den to see me. It was there that we realized that that may be the last time we spent together. We promised certain things, such as if we ended up in different clans, we would not see each other and I told her how much I loved her. Then we cuddled up in my nest and just before we drifted off to sleep, Finchpaw whispered in my ear, "Creekpaw, promise me that you will never keep stuff from me," and I said, "I promise.""

Shadepaw frowned, unsure why that made Finchpaw so upset. "So?"

Creekfall sighed and rose to his feet. "I don't expect you to understand Shadepaw. It's between me and Finchpaw." Then, he padded off towards the warrior's den, his tail drooping.

Shadepaw watched his tail disappear into the den, before finishing her sparrow and heading towards her own den. On the way, she was intercepted by Ratclaw. "Shadepaw!" he cried, his fur bristling and his eyes worried. "You've got to help me."
Shadepaw looked at him. "What's wrong?"

"It's Fembrook," he wailed. "I can't find her anywhere."

Oooo! I just realised I haven't thanked all the awesome people that have reviewed this story. So thanks loads and plz keep reveiwing:)