For a heartbeat Squirrelpaw half-dangled off the side of the path, two paws on nothing but air before teeth were in her scruff and Tawnypelt had hauled her back to safety.

"Taking after Brambleclaw are you?" She asked, giving her a quick series of sniffs. Now that she was back on solid ground Squirrelpaw kind of enjoyed the thrill. She wouldn't do it again, but it had been exciting.

"I'm alright," she assured Tawnypelt, "thanks."

The tortoiseshell warrior nodded, "alright, now stay away from the edge, we might not get so lucky next time."

Squirrelpaw nodded, looking ahead to where the others had continued, "yeah." She started off again, more careful this time, even as she attempted to catch up to Stormfur. The dark gray tom had halted and gently pressed his muzzle to her when she caught up to him.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah!" She glanced at Tawnypelt and waved her tail, "just gotta watch where I'm putting my paws."

"Not a bad idea in general," Crowpaw's voice made her flatten her ears but the dark gray tom was staring up at the looming mountains above them, as she watched a shiver passed through him and his short fur fluffed out as best as he could.

"Brambleclaw," Stormfur called, he halted from his spot at the front, twisting around to look at him, "we should look for a place to rest a few heartbeats."

"I'm fine!" Squirrelpaw hissed quietly at him, Stormfur's ears twitched and he glanced over his shoulder at Tawnypelt, Squirrelpaw glanced to her as well, and winced. Tawnypelt was starting to limp again, and she glared at the two of them.

"I can keep going," she insisted, Feathertail carefully wove her way through them and back along the path to Tawnypelt, gently she touched her nose to Tawnypelt's.

"We know you can, but we're worried about you. And you'd be doing the same thing if it were any of us that got hurt."

Tawnypelt sighed, Squirrelpaw could almost see her breath, "alright fine. But only a brief rest."

"We might be able to hunt while we rest," Crowpaw mused, his eyes on the sky still, "especially if we can find a river."

Squirrelpaw looked to Stormfur, who pricked his ears up, "what are you thinking Crowpaw?"

The older apprentice jerked in surprise, Squirrelpaw fought back a snicker at his look of surprise as he realized they were all staring at him. "Well most of us don't know how to hunt up here, and we don't want to get lost chasing prey. So, if we can find a river or stream, there must be fish up here right?" He looked between Feathertail and Stormfur, "right?"

"He makes a good point," Tawnypelt agreed, stepping forward, "and I can't say I'm eager to eat fish, but that's probably the best choice."

Brambleclaw nodded, he looked to Stormfur and Squirrelpaw and then his sister, "alright, we'll find a place to rest and then we'll worry about hunting."

They continued along in silence, Squirrelpaw and Stormfur glancing back at Tawnypelt occasionally, who half-hearted glared at them every time they did so. Squirrelpaw twitched her whiskers in amusement and next time Tawnypelt tried to glare stuck her tongue out at the warrior.

Tawnypelt snorted and shook her head, "cheeky apprentice."

"Stubborn furball."

Stormfur gave a soft huff of laughter, Squirrelpaw gently brushed against him, she would've normally shoved him but she was worried about accidentally pushing him off the narrow ledge, and having personally peered down she doubted he would be able to survive if he lost his balance.

Stormfur blinked in surprise at her before he brushed against her with a fond slow blink. They came to a halt though behind Crowpaw and Feathertail, Squirrelpaw tried to squeeze between them but Crowpaw shoved her back.

"There's a chasm," he told her, "you could've just asked."

"Yes, but I wanted to see!"

"You'll get to see it soon enough," Brambleclaw turned, "Stormfur, what do you think?"

"Me?" Oh, Crowpaw let him pass through just fine, she and the WindClan apprentice shared dirty looks before their whiskers twitched while Stormfur padded up to the edge of the chasm next to Brambleclaw.

"I think we could jump across," he mused, he glanced back at Tawnypelt and then to Brambleclaw, "Tawnypelt's a strong jumper."

Brambleclaw nodded and squared his shoulders, "alright, then I should-"

Squirrelpaw had seen Crowpaw bunching up his muscles and thus was only amused when he went flying past Brambleclaw to land on the other side, he turned around to call back, "it's a bit narrow over here, you'll need to be careful."

Brambleclaw growled softly, "which is why I was going to go first…"

Feathertail rested her tail on his side, "it's alright. We're all nervous and you know how badly he wants to get home."

Brambleclaw flattened his ears and nodded, "right. I'll go next. Stormfur, can you go last? We need a strong cat to watch our backs."

Stormfur's eyes lit up and Squirrelpaw shook her head fondly, before watching Brambleclaw jump nervously. He made the jump easily though to Squirrelpaw's relief, he and Crowpaw shared a few quick words and shifted to make space.

"Tawnypelt, do you want to go next?" Brambleclaw's voice trembled slightly and Squirrelpaw didn't think it was from the distance.

Tawnypelt shook her head, "he worries too much." She shot forward, like her brother she had an impressive leap, but her shoulder clearly gave her trouble as she landed, stumbling as Crowpaw and Brambleclaw steadied her.

Stormfur looked between Squirrelpaw and Feathertail, "alright, who's next?"

Squirelpaw trotted forward, "I'll go, since I have a big strong warrior watching my back." She playfully winked at him, Feathertail laughing softly as her brother ducked his head in embarrassment. She flicked her whiskers at him, "alright, now watch this."

She bunched her muscles up and sprang, she had never leapt like this and for a heartbeat she felt like she was flying. She grunted as she landed, the rocks underpaw digging into her pads and she moved to join Tawnypelt off to the side as Brambleclaw and Crowpaw got ready to help Feathertail if she needed it.

"Great, I'll be picking grit out of my pads for the next moon," she muttered, Tawnypelt grunted in agreement, Squirrelpaw's tongue pulled most of the grit out of one paw as Feathertail joined them, nuzzling into Crowpaw.

"StarClan," Tawnypelt's voice made her head snap up, eyes widening in alarm as she spotted the danger as well.

"Stormfur, jump!"

He went shooting forward in a frantic leap as the biggest bird Squirrelpaw had ever seen dove down, talons barely a mouse length from snagging him. He crashed into the cliff, paws scrambling to pull him up, Squirrelpaw leapt forward but Brambleclaw and Feathertail had him, hauling him up onto the ledge.

Her heart stayed in her throat as she looked back to where the bird was righting itself and flying away with a few powerful flaps of its wings, and back to Stormfur, who had bristled his fur out to twice his size, flattened against the path and staring in horror at what had very nearly eaten him.

"What in StarClan's name was that?" Tawnypelt's fur bristled, Squirrelpaw took an odd amount of comfort that even she looked rattled by Stormfur's close call.

"I heard it," Stormfur shuddered and pressed into Brambleclaw before pulling himself to his paws, "just as you called Squirrelpaw, I heard it overhead."

Crowpaw nodded, the fur along his spine stood on end, "an eagle." He glanced over at them, "they're like hawks, but much bigger. Stagleap told me about them once, he said they used to come to WindClan territory occasionally when he was young, and that they could carry off lambs."

Squirrelpaw shuddered and watched as Feathertail and Brambleclaw gently soothed Stormfur, slowly his fur flattening.

"Let's shelter under here for a little bit," Tawnypelt nodded to an overhang nearby, "I can hear water, and that'll give the eagle time to look for food elsewhere."

It didn't take more than that for all of them to move over, as Tawnypelt had said, there was a small stream on the other side, when Squirrelpaw stuck her paw in it went numb within a few heartbeats.

"I don't think there's fish here," she remarked, before ducking her head to get a drink, "but the water's fresh."

"I'll be the judge of that," Tawnypelt flicked her tail over Squirrelpaw's ears, and Stormfur managed a weak laugh. He was settled between Brambleclaw and Feathertail, who looked ready to fight anything that would threaten him and starting to look more like himself.

"See," He glanced to Tawnypelt, "Feathertail told you that you'd fuss over us just as much."

"Go back to cuddling my brother," Tawnypelt called back, before ducking her head to lap at the stream. Squirrelpaw kept having to drag her eye away from Stormfur, where Feathertail and Brambleclaw fussed over him. She watched as Brambleclaw buried his muzzle into Stormfur's scruff and swallowed hard. Now that the danger had passed and they were settling down she was feeling restless, even as her eyes drifted once again to Stormfur and Brambleclaw.

"Crowpaw? Do you want to go look for rabbits or something?" she asked, desperate for something to do.

Crowpaw looked up from where he'd been drinking, tongue swiping his jaws. "Sure. You know how to watch for hawks right?"

Squirrelpaw started to snap at him, she wasn't a kit, but swallowed it back, making an odd sound as she reworded her response, "Dustpelt taught me to watch for owls."

Crowpaw's ears twitched, "large birds, so long as you know how to make sure it doesn't eat us."

"You can't go out there," Brambleclaw started to object, "you two are just apprentices-"

"We're all warriors out here." Crowpaw glanced at Tawnypelt who muttered something about using her words. Squirrelpaw twitched her whiskers and looked to Brambleclaw.

"Relax alright? We need to eat, and we'll be careful."

Crowpaw crept to the edge of the overhang and peered out, ears pricked, Squirrelpaw joined him.

"I don't see it."

"It could be perched somewhere," he mused, "but I think it left." Slowly he slunk out, still watching the sky, after a heartbeat he flicked his tail.

"Alright, it's gone. But it might be hunting rabbits like us."

Squirrelpaw rolled her eyes and shoved him forward, "you don't have to try act responsible for them."

"I'm trying to be careful," Crowpaw shot back, before he took off at a trot.

Squirrelpaw scrambled after him, envying his long legs for a moment, they continued along the path, Squirrelpaw was relieved to see it widened as they continued away from the others, until Crowpaw halted dropping into a crouch.

Squirrelpaw dropped down to come up around him, nibbling on the sparse grass was a large rabbit, oblivious to the pair of apprentices. Her mouth watered as the scent blew towards them.

"Make sure an eagle doesn't eat me, alright?"

"I've already got the speech to Feathertail planned."

Crowpaw paused. Squirrelpaw thought he was fighting his urge to smack her before she realized his shoulders were shaking with laughter and he was trying not to laugh out loud and alert the rabbit. That was more amusing to her than the joke and she had to smoother her own laughter at his struggle.

"You're terrible," Crowpaw muttered finally before he shot forward, the rabbit didn't have time to react before he fell on it, Squirrelpaw was impressed with how clean the kill was.

"Well done!" She looked up quickly, but no sign of anything but empty sky.

Crowpaw nodded, "do you think we should take this back, or keep looking for more?"

Squirrelpaw drew in a breath, "I'm not sure we'll find much else up here, and they're probably worrying about us."

"We haven't been gone that long," Crowpaw flicked his ears impatiently, Squirrelpaw could sympathize but she wanted to get back to Stormfur, to make sure he was okay. Crowpaw was scenting the air so she had a moment to gather thoughts, the ones she had come out here to get away from.

Seeing Stormfur almost be killed had confirmed that yes, she was very fond of him. But he was with Brambleclaw, or as good as mates with Brambleclaw. Not to mention from a different Clan.

Shrewpaw and Whitepaw would tell her that she shouldn't think about him like that, Stormfur was a friend but they were from other Clans. They could never be more than that. Spiderpaw would huff and probably some smart comment about her being Firestar's daughter.

She felt a pang of concern, Leafpaw had sensed she was troubled, she startled and tried to soothe her sister as best she could through their connection.

There was a wave of relief, and then support, as though Leafpaw and pressed her muzzle against her shoulder. No matter what her heart chose, she knew her sister would support her.

"Crowpaw?"

He looked up, "oh, you planning to help carry this?"

Squirrelpaw moved to help him grab the rabbit so it didn't drag over the ground. Through the fur she asked, "how did you know you were into Feathertail?"

He paused and looked at her curiously, before tugging on the rabbit again, "I liked her from when I met her, she was pretty." He flattened his ears, "and then she was always nice to me and just felt a connection to her." He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.

"What made you, ya know, decide to become mates?"

"Why are you asking me this?"

"I'm just curious!" Squirrelpaw insisted, she dropped the rabbit and Crowpaw stumbled a heartbeat, she lashed her tail, "can't I ask questions?"

Crowpaw gave her a dirty look, "I don't have answers for you Squirrelpaw. Sometimes you just… match with someone, and you realize that what you're feeling-" he snapped his jaws shut and looked away, ears flattened.

Squirrelpaw's chest tightened, "oh. Sorry."

Crowpaw blinked and shook his head, "it's- I just don't know what we're going to do." He admitted quietly, Squirrelpaw moved to sit next to him, gently pressing into him, "I love her. But my Clan would never accept that. And neither would hers."

Squirrelpaw wasn't sure what to say, "Crowpaw…"

"But what we're doing…" He got to his paws, shaking himself off, "we're changing everything."

Squirrelpaw nodded, "yeah." She flattened her ears slightly as he looked at her curiously, but all he did was grab the rabbit again.

"Come on, let's get going."

They took a bit longer to rest after they ate the rabbit, catching their breath and pulling themselves together a bit more. Squirrelpaw took the chance to watch Brambleclaw and Stormfur a few heartbeats, before she reached out to Leafpaw again.

Her sister seemed troubled, though Squirrelpaw felt a familiar comfort and her paws stirred, Leafpaw was sorting herbs, something she often did when worried. After a heartbeat Squirrelpaw pulled away, glad to know her sister was okay, if worried.

"We should start moving again," Crowpaw was peering out at the sky, "it looks safe and I don't think we'll be that safe under here." He shook one paw as he stared up at the sky, crouching to peer out past the overhang.

"We'd be away from eagles," Tawnypelt pointed out with a flick of her tail, "though it's a little cramped under here."

Squirrelpaw realized she was the only one that didn't have to crouch to fit under the overhang, and even her ears were brushing against the roof in places, she looked to the others with her head tilted.

"He's right, it's slick under here, and that stream might flood," Feathertail glanced to it nervously, "you mentioned that earlier Stormfur."

Stormfur nodded, "the streams around here could be dangerous, we have no idea how the rivers in mountains work or if they have Greenleaf floods as well."

"Well let's go find out," Squirrelpaw suggested, she couldn't bounce on her paws but she did wiggle her tail, "we can't guide the Clans through them if we don't know."

She heard Brambleclaw sigh, but he nodded, "if we're all ready to move, we can get going."

After a few more heartbeats of muttering and getting to their paws, they were off again, Squirrelpaw shoved in the back, Feathertail and Crowpaw behind her, Brambleclaw in the lead with Stormfur right behind him.

As they passed the place she had hunted with Crowpaw earlier, Squirrelpaw thought she caught a hint of a strange noise, her ears flicking around, "What is that?"

"What?" Tawnypelt halted, ther she-cat tilted her head, "I don't hear anything?"

Stormfur's hackles had risen and his gaze shot upwards but after a heartbeat they lowered again, "I don't hear or see any eagles."

"I hear it," Crowpaw replied from where he stood next to Feathertail, Squirrelpaw looked to him in relief, thank StarClan someone else could, "sounds like the gorge on WindClan territory."

Squirrelpaw had heard about that from Shrewpaw and Spiderpaw, who had seen it on their trip to the moonstone, a large chasm with a surging river cutting through it, she perked her ears curiously, "let's go see then."

Tawnypelt barred her way with her tail, "hold on, don't go running up to a gorge."

"Obviously," Squirrelpaw rolled her eyes, she wasn't an idiot, she just wanted to see things. How else would they bring their Clan through her if they didn't know what was up here? Wasn't that whole point of coming through the mountains? She looked to Brambleclaw and Stormfur, "what are we waiting for?"

They shared a look, before Brambleclaw gave her a fond look, and if anyone asked, she would deny the way it warmed her under her pelt, "alright Squirrelpaw, keep your fur on. We're going."

A twinge of amusement from Leafpaw made her felt a flash of indignation that settled into fond amusement. She hoped her sister told their parents that she was okay.

I am still alive and so is this fic, I'm just slowly chewing through it. My goal was to get through Moonrise before the year ended and then well everything happened.