A/N ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I got a story deleted on my account! Can you believe it? For doing a songfic! It was one of my favorites! I lost 9 reviews and a great story! And I can't get it back because it's on the old computer! Meep! This is infuriating! Tons of other people do songfics, why pick on me? Geez!

Oh, and about the story (I really needed to ran there) you will see how our Peaches can fight so well and why Bluestar let Duskpaw go. You will see… oh, and here's some free stuff. :gives stuff to readers and anonymous-cat for reviewing: Use your imagination… it can be anything. :smile:

Disclaimer::wailing as cats pull her down: I don't own Warriors! Ahhhh! BAD KITTIES!

(Begin chapter four)

Russetpaw stared at the black she-cat. "Duskpaw, if you're playing a joke, this a is sore time to do it!" he murmured, taking a step back.

Duskpaw meowed to her brother, "No, really. I bet if you asked our father he would agree!"

Peaches stepped up to greet her son, but a furious yowling came from the other side of camp. "What is this? Duskpaw, Russetpaw, get away from that cat!"

Tigerclaw came bounding into the grouped cats. "A kittypet? In our camp?" he snarled, flexing his long, sharp claws. "Move, kittypet, back to your Twolegs!"

Duskpaw leapt in front of the huge brown tabby. "You're not the leader or deputy!" she snapped, brave for a new apprentice. "So let Bluestar or Redtail decide what to do!"

Tigerclaw's amber eyes flashed, and he whirled around. "Redtail, Bluestar!" he voice mocking. "We have a kittypet in camp, and this apprentice is defending it!" The word "Apprentice" was laid thick with fury.

Out of her den, with Grassclaw and Mousefur flanking her, Bluestar padded out, blue-silver head held high. "What is the meaning of this, Tigerclaw?" she said, eyes straying to Peaches, and her eyes widened slightly. "Peaches-"

"You know this kittypet?" asked Tigerclaw in disbelief. "You can't-"

Bluestar ignored the outraged warrior and touched noses with a startled Peaches. "Are you here to see your kits?" she asked softly, and the kittypet nodded.

Bluestar turned. "Grassclaw, please get Rootpelt for me."

The warrior dipped his head and quickly sped off towards the warrior's den, where the light brown cat was sleeping, for his hunting duty was after the sunhigh patrol.

The leader turned back to her problem. "I heard that you were attacked by ShadowClan, and several of you wounded. I also have heard-" she flashed a glance at Peaches- "That you came along and fought off a ShadowClan warrior. A strong feat for a kittypet, I must admit."

Peaches gave her chest a lick, feeling full of pride for being complimented. "I was taught by a kittypet in the garden next to mine- he was once a forest cat, who became crippled and was cast out."

Bluestar pricked up her ears at that. "A cat? What was his name?"

The kittypet replied, "His kittypet name is Bandit, but he says he was Coarsefoot, and was in…" the kittypet trailed off, remembering, then said, "ShadowClan."

Bluestar stepped back. "A cat cast out of one of the clans… and no new from the Gathering?" she murmured. "ShadowClan is hiding something."

Duskpaw padded back to her vole she had caught earlier. "Bluestar, I caught this vole earlier. Can I give it to the elders?" she asked in a muffled voice.

Bluestar snapped out of her thoughts. "Yes, and Russetpaw, go with her."

The two apprentices ran off to the elder's den, while Rootpelt and Grassclaw exited the warrior's den. "Peaches?" gasped Rootpelt. "What-"

The she-cat lifted her head. "I wasn't about to wait for you to bring the kits," she said. "So I came. And saved our daughter from at least a nasty wound."

"And we thank you for that," said Bluestar quickly. "You two can visit, but Ebonstreak, Lionheart… I need you two to come with me."

The pair of mentors exchanged curious looks and walked after their leader. Tigerclaw, fuming, stalked off towards the fresh-kill pile, throwing furious looks at the kittypet and warrior conversing.

Bluestar settled down in her bedding in her den. "Ebonstreak, I suppose you are wondering why I let Duskpaw, a fresh apprentice, go on a patrol," she murmured.

Ebonstreak kneaded the ground. "Well, yes," she admitted.

Bluestar sighed, no longer the strong, young leader, but a warrior whose wisdom overpowered her sometimes. "These six moons, I have been searching the kits for any sign of kittypet weakness- and found none. So I gave them mentors, when apprentices, that would suit their personalities, and see their own flaws inside themselves, and to fix them."

Seeing Ebonstreak open her mouth indignantly, and Lionheart let out a small growl of surprise, Bluestar added, "Did you not notice that you are like your apprentice, or extremely like them when you were younger? Both of you are trusted warriors who fixed your flaws before it affected you. Ebonstreak, your eagerness and energy, Lionheart, your sometimes harmful caution- both of you have fixed your ways, and I wish that you two would be good models to your apprentices."

Ebonstreak looked down at the ground, amber eyes bashful. "So… this was a test? To see whether or not Duskpaw could live up to Clan standards? She fought well in the battle… did you know it was going to happen?" asked the she-cat, worried.

The leader of ThunderClan shook her head, cerulean eyes worried. "No, I didn't. The last Gathering… from what Mousefur and Grassclaw told me of what Nightpelt said, then he was lying. There was no mention of the Thunderpath belonging to ShadowClan. If there was, it was very discreet." She stood up, shaking bits of moss off of her. "I hope you understand."

Both mentors dipped their heads and exited the den, commenting to one another what had just happened.

"Duskpaw fought well, she really did!" exclaimed Ebonstreak. "There wasn't a bit of softness in her."

Lionheart nodded. "I taught Russetpaw how to hunt in the training clearing- his timing is accurate and body posture even better than some warriors. Maybe the kittypet in them helps, or at least the knowledge."

Both warriors padded over to where Rootpelt and Peaches were talking. "Hi there!" said Lionheart to Rootpelt. "Peaches, right?"

The she-cat nodded. "Yes. Rootpelt said you were a mentor to Russetpaw- what's he like?"

Lionheart pawed at the ground. "He does well at hunting skills- I was planning to take him out to the Sunningrocks to find some prey there. Very serious, and cautious."

Peaches nodded. "I'll try to see him later- if he is at the elder's den, I can wait." Tossing uneasy glances about her, she added, "I might leave soon-"

"The sooner the better, kittypet!" snapped a harsh voice. Tigerclaw padded towards the four cats. "If Bluestar wouldn't have my tail if I did, I would chase you out myself." He threw a spiteful glare at Rootpelt. "A kittypet… you couldn't of chosen worse!" With that the warrior stamped off again, a deep growl echoing in his throat.

Rootpelt gave Peaches a quick lick on the shoulder. "Don't listen to him."

Another warrior, Thistleclaw, padded up. His bright green eyes scanned the kittypet up, and without a word, he walked away, tail twitching.

"I'm not welcome here- I'd better go back to my housefolk," said Peaches.

Rootpelt sidled up to her, purring. "I'll try to see you soon, Peaches," he murmured.

She purred back, and with a dip of her head to the other cats, she turned around and walked back into the forest, head held high.

Rootpelt looked after her, slightly mournful. "She didn't get any time with Russetpaw and almost no time with Duskpaw!" he wailed softly. "I wouldn't wish that on any queen!"

Ebonstreak looked after the strong she-cat, brave in protecting her kits. "But she saved Duskpaw… and I'm sure she'll meet Russetpaw in some patrol later. We'll send him on the patrol near the Twoleg houses."

Lionheart widened his eyes, in a mark of respect. "Well, this is sly, Ebonstreak!"

The silvery-black cat threw back her head and cackled. "Oh, wait, there's more."

"Then do tell us," urged Rootpelt, trying to shove away his sadness at seeing Peaches leave.

Ebonstreak checked for anybody around. "Does anybody else think that Peaches is hiding something?"

Rootpelt exchanged uneasy glances with Lionheart. "Like…"

Ebonstreak shook her head. "Did you notice that her coat is not quite as pure and clean as a normal kittypet? Or she wear no collar? The only way you can tell is by her scent, and even though she's covered in so many forest smells that she must spend more time in the forest than in her kittypet nest?"

Rootpelt shrugged. "So she's a bit more adventurous than most kittypets. And the collar thing… her Twolegs just don't make her wear one. And after that battle, I noticed you're no StarClan shining warrior either."

Lionheart agreed with Rootpelt. "Besides, if there is something strange with her, it's probably that she's a kittypet, and we're forest cats- naturally suspicious of these cats."

Ebonstreak, still slightly skeptical of this kittypet, nodded and left to the warrior's den for next hunting patrol to come back. She needed less time to think- these strange ideas come up fast!

(Elder's den)

Russetpaw widened his eyes. "Wow! Did the WolfClan attack ThunderClan? Really?"

Rosetail nodded and licked her paw free of dust. "Yes. A very long time ago, when the forest was full of them."

"What's a wolf again?" asked Duskpaw, who was listening to One-eye, a fresh elder from the warrior's den who retired because of coming bad sight, tell her about LeopardClan stalking a TigerClan warrior in battle.

A rough laugh came from a corner, and a creaky old cat, fur convulsing with laughter, crept out. "A wolf, kit, a giant dog, with huge, sharp teeth that can crush a rabbit in one bite. Forget the Twoleg dogs- this thing is a vicious attacker. No cat can stand up to it- only a full Clan, elders, kits, warriors- can take on a wolf!"

Rosetail threw a disapproving look at the elder. "Rockfoot, must you tell them such frightening tales?"

Rockfoot gave another half-shudder-half-guffaw and replied, "Of course. These kits must know the forest dangers!"

"WolfClan is still here?" asked Duskpaw, eager. She twitched her ears, to check for the heavy panting of a WolfClan warrior nearby. "I didn't see any on our patrol. And I think I would've noticed them."

Rosetail shook her head. "No, the Twolegs either chased or killed them out of the forest. Only a few live, but not in this forest."

One-eye peered out the den with her good eye and sighed. "Since I really can't see that well, I'm guessing it's time for your training, Russetpaw, Duskpaw."

The two bounded out, enthusiaticly chatting about the tales the elders told.

"And thank you for the fresh-kill!" called Rockfoot, "I think I'll have the whole thing to myself…"

As the elders disputed about who should have what, the day went on, and Duskpaw, along with their brother, were eager about their first training lesson for Duskpaw, another one for Russetpaw.

(End chapter four)

A/N Lame ending, but the plot has thickened! Like pudding after it sits out. But this is a different type of thickening. Like a storm! Yes. That's good. I'm rambling. I know. I'd better shut up now.

A grammatical note- I'm going to say anyBODY instead of anyCAT because it's easy to write and I think 'anybody' was used in the books.

I had to add WolfClan in there because I am a wolf lover. So sue me. Just check my username and website (complete with a Wolf Shrine!) and see why I looooove wolves!

Please review!