"Come on, sleepy hedgehog! You and I are on the dawn hunting patrol. Wake up!"

Spotpaw groaned and batted at her sister's paw. "Tell them to take someone else."

Brightpaw kept up with the insistent prods. "Don't be ridiculous, Stormclaw said you have to go."

Spotpaw sighed and got up. Stretching, she meowed, "And I thought the deputy being my mentor might benefit me. But now I have to wake up so early."

About a half moon ago, Featherberry had finally gone too far, trying to exile Pebblepelt without Flashstar's approval.

It was common knowledge that the two she-cats hated each other with a passion. Featherberry always looked like she couldn't stand looking at the black she-cat, so she tried to banish her.

Needless to say, Flashstar was furious with his deputy when he found out. So furious, in fact, that he took away her position and gave it to Stormclaw, just as he said he would.

Now Stormclaw was aware that should he ever try to act like the leader like Featherberry did, he would also be stripped of his position. Something he did not want.

Brightpaw led the way out of the apprentices' den.

Mosscloud was sitting at the camp entrance, her tail flicking impatiently. At the sight of the two apprentices, she stood up. "You two took your time. Let's go."

As they neared the stream, Brightpaw hissed in Spotpaw's ear, "Who made dirt in her fresh-kill?"

Indeed, Mosscloud looked grumpy, and her usually pretty and well-groomed fur was ruffled.

Mosscloud called over her shoulder, "Be quiet. You'll frighten the prey from a territory away."

She had barely finished speaking when a vole ran straight in front of her. Surprised, she instinctively slammed down a paw and killed it. Then her eyes narrowed. "Someone's on our territory."

Spotpaw's fur bushed out.

Mosscloud snarled, "Come out, mange-pelt. How dare you try to hunt on our territory?"

A familiar scent bathed Spotpaw's nose.

Foxpaw.

Rage overtook her. She had tried to be nice to him! She almost went over to make conversation with him! And yet he was still the rude and arrogant ShadowClan apprentice.

How dare he come on RiverClan territory!

Mosscloud hissed as the dark ginger tom quietly padded out of the foliage. "Why did you cross the border?"

Foxpaw looked at his paws. "I wanted to talk to someone."

Mosscloud laughed humorlessly. "No one in RiverClan is interested in hearing a ShadowClan apprentice babble away."

Foxpaw looked straight at Mosscloud. "I've come to talk to one of your apprentices."

Brightpaw let out a little gasp, looking suddenly a little flustered.

Spotpaw glared at the ShadowClan apprentice, confusion flooding her as Foxpaw turned his head and stared at Spotpaw. "I need to talk to you."

The tortoiseshell and white she-cat took a step back. She blinked in confusion.

Me?

Mosscloud's voice spoke sharply. "Whatever you can say in front of Spotpaw, you can say in front of me."

Foxpaw shook his head. "No, I can't. I have to tell her."

Without another word, Foxpaw stepped past the silver and white she-cat and beckoned to Spotpaw after he had distanced himself from the rest of the patrol.

Looking over her shoulder nervously, Spotpaw saw Mosscloud looking concerned and Brightpaw upset.

With a deep breath, she stepped over to the ginger tom. "What is it?"

Foxpaw looked around urgently, then leaned forward and whispered, "ShadowClan's planning to stretch their boundaries for hunting, and they'll attack any cat who thinks it's still theirs."

He blinked apologetically. "For RiverClan, they're expanding it up to the edge of the river."

Spotpaw's eyes widened. That's a lot of our territory!

She stared at Foxpaw defiantly. "Why should I believe you, of all the cats?"

He shrugged. "You don't have to. I just told you to warn you. But if you'd rather you lose territory, your choice."

He turned and made to leave.

"Wait!"

He turned back to her. "Yes?"

Spotpaw sighed. "Give me more details. When are they making new boundaries?"

"Tomorrow on the dawn patrol."

She gasped. "That's so soon!"

Gathering herself, she meowed, "You know that by telling me this, I'm going to tell Flashstar and he's going to send a patrol to attack your Clanmates? Why did you do that?"

Foxpaw looked down. "I don't support the idea of raiding other Clan territory. Everyone else probably needs the hunting grounds."

For the first time, Spotpaw noticed how thin Foxpaw looked.

She sighed again. "Meet me at our border at moonhigh."

Without another word, she turned back to her Clanmates.

Mosscloud hissed at Foxpaw again. "You told Spotpaw whatever was so important. Now leave our territory!"

Foxpaw gave Spotpaw a confused glance at her instructions, then turned and pelted back to ShadowClan territory.

Checking to make sure he had gone, Mosscloud turned to Spotpaw. "What in StarClan did he want?"