Hey, people. Here's the seventh chapter! Also, below it says that five moons have passed. Sorry about that; my reviewers have said that I've been rushing through some stuff, but I can't help it. Sorry. : (

Chapter Seven

About five moons from that one Gathering, the Clan had been doing terribly. Sharpclaw and Gingerpelt had both gotten so weak that they had died. The Clan had held a nice ceremony for their deaths. But now Bladenail, my father, had become sick as well, and he did not look as though he would make it.

But at least, soon, the kits would be apprenticed. I had not had an apprentice yet because there had been so few kits in the Clan and I was surprised when Eaglestar gave Darkpaw to Tigerclaw. But maybe he figured that it was because I was so upset about Goldencrest that it would get in the way of my mentoring. But now I was determined not to let that show. I would receive an apprentice very soon.

The season was late leaf-bare, and the ground was covered with snow. The Clan was doing all right, I suppose, even though prey was a bit short and most of the Clan was sick.

I never caught the greencough, thank StarCLan, but one of the kits, Goldenkit, did. She stayed in Spottedleaf's den for quite a while with Bladenail. I prayed that she would make it.

Early that morning, I took Tigerclaw, Runningwind, Redtail, and Darkpaw out on a patrol through the snow. Eaglestar had wanted us to check by the Thunderpath, just in case ShadowClan had been lurking around.

"Everything's clear, Bluefur," reported Redtail. "No sign of ShadowClan."

"Good," I mewed, opening my mouth and inhaling the scent just to be sure. I could smell mostly the horrible stench of the Thunderpath, but no other Clan. I nodded to the others. "Let's go."

"I'd have liked to get in my first fight," commented Darkpaw as we walked back to camp. "I have never fought a battle before."

"The warrior code is not about battling," meowed Tigerclaw. "It is about your Clan. If you do not serve your Clan, you will never be a true warrior."

My eyes narrowed thoughtfully at the large dark brown tabby. Tigerclaw would definitely make an excellent warrior one day – maybe even deputy, for those words. He could most certainly be trusted.

Darkpaw started to reply but just let out a startled gasp – in front of us was a wide badger hole. The horrible stench of the black and white animal filled my nostrils, making me cough.

"Gross," commented Darkpaw.

"I can't believe a badger is this close!" exclaimed Runningwind. "We'll have to warn the Clan about this."

Darkpaw blinked. "Why? Badgers can't be that bad."

"They can kill a cat with a single bite or with a wave of their paw," answered Tigerclaw. "They are experts at killing kits."

I nodded. "Right. Let's go."

We walked hastily back to ThunderClan camp through the snow, sniffing intently for any signs of the badger. As soon as we were home, I padded quickly to Eaglestar's den beneath the Highrock.

"Yes, Bluefur?" called out Eaglestar. I entered hastily.

"A badger was found close to the Thunderpath, Eaglestar," I reported.

The brown leader's fur bristled angrily. "A badger! Was it in its nest?"

"Um, no," I answered, "we just found the hole, but the scents were fresh."

Eaglestar nodded thoughtfully and walked out of the den, leaping onto the Highrock. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join me beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting."

I watched as my Clan walked sleepily out of their dens, yawning and stretching.

"Bluefur's patrol has just warned me that a badger has made its nest close to the Thunderpath," he mewed, and the Clan let out shocked gasps. "I advise you to keep a close watch on the kits. Especially Goldenkit, Spottedleaf," he added to the tortoiseshell she-cat. "She is the most vulnerable."

Spottedleaf nodded. "I'll be sure to do that, Eaglestar."

"Thank you, Spottedleaf," the brown leader replied. And with that, he leapt down from the Highrock.

The next day was an important one – Willowkit and Goldenkit were going to be made apprentices. Actually, just the pale-gray she-cat, because her Goldenkit was much too sick to go anywhere.

After I had come back from hunting, I saw Eaglestar leap up to the Highrock and yowl the familiar phrase for bringing cats beneath it. I padded quickly forward and put the squirrel in the fresh-kill pile, then sat behind Runningwind.

I spotted Willowkit padding eagerly forward as Eaglestar beckoned her with his tail. She looked a bit nervous like I had been, but no less excited.

"Bluefur," mewed Eaglestar, just as I had expected, "you have not had your first apprentice. I apoligise for not giving you Darkpaw, but the situation was different. I am sorry."

I dipped my head to my leader. "I understand, Eaglestar," I mewed.

The leader nodded. "Willowpaw, your mentor is Bluefur. Bluefur, share all Waterpool has taught you to this young apprentice."

"Certainly," I answered, as Willowpaw came bounding forward. I bent down to touch noses with her.

Eaglestar leapt down from the Highrock. I looked down at my new apprentice and saw that she looked sad.

"What's the matter?"

"It's Goldenkit," she answered bitterly. "She should be an apprentice like me, and have a mentor…"

I nudged Willowpaw affectionately. "I know. But Goldenkit will pull through. Don't worry."

Willowpaw looked up at me with gratitude in her eyes. She never knew Goldencrest, I thought. She has no idea…

"Gingerpelt should be here as well," she added grimly, looking terribly sad. I thought quickly of something to cheer her up.

"Tomorrow, I'll take you on a tour of the territory," I promised and Willowpaw's eyes lit up. That was the first thing Waterpool had taught me when I was her apprentice. "But get some rest, okay, Willowpaw?"

"Sure!" The apprentice bounded over to her den.

"Bluefur, great StarClan, wake up!"

My eyes snapped quickly open. It was Redtail, prodding me awake. I sat up.

"What?"

"Goldenkit!" he exclaimed. "She pulled through. She's going to be fine!"

"Yes!" I mewed, extremely relieved. "Does Willowpaw know?"

"Not yet," he answered. "I'll tell her now."

"I'll do it," I offered. "She's my apprentice, after all."

Redtail nodded. "Fine." He exited the den.

I padded out of the warriors' den and winced at the bright ground in front of me. There was still snow everywhere, and my paws were freezing. I walked hastily over to the apprentices' den. There were only two young cats there: Darkpaw and Wilowpaw. Hopefully, Mousekit and Longkit would be old enough to become apprentices as well. They had been born just hours after the first litter had, after all.

I nudged Willowpaw awake with my nose. "Willowpaw…"

The pale-gray she-cat leapt quickly to her feet. "I'm awake! Oh, Bluefur! Hi. We're going to look at the territory, right?"

I purred with amusement. "Right. But guess what, Wilowpaw? Goldenkit is awake. Spottedleaf says she's going to make it."

Willowpaw did a somersault with excitement and faced me, her eyes wide. "Oh, StarClan!" she exclaimed, raising her eyes to the sky. "Thank you…"

"Go see her now," I suggested, nudging her.

"Of course, Bluefur!" answered my apprentice, and bounded hastily over to the medicine cat's den.

I let out one more purr of amusement before heading over to the warriors' den to set up patrols. ThunderClan's warriors were waiting patiently inside. I sat in front of them.

"Whitestorm can lead the dawn patrol," I mewed, "and take Tigerclaw, Frostfur, and Darkpaw with you." The white warrior nodded to me and took the dark tabby tom and beautiful white she-cat with her in search of the apprentice. "Let's see…Lionheart can take the evening patrol, with Halftail, Speckletail, Steelfur, Flowerpetal, and Patchpelt." The named cats hastily left. "The rest of you, go and hunt, okay? Leaf-bare is always short on prey; we need all the help we can get."

Runningwind nodded. He and Redtail exited the Clan.

Glad that that was over, I headed out to the fresh-kill pile and gladly ate my breakfast. Spottedleaf padded over to me.

"Bladenail's condition has worsened," she murmured grimly. "I don't know if he'll pull out of it like Goldenkit."

I sighed. Just what I wanted to hear. "Great."
She licked me affectionately on the shoulder and left for her den to check on Bladenail. I finished my magpie and padded to Eaglestar's den to tell him about Goldenkit.

"Eaglestar," I called. The brown tabby tom turned around, facing me. He looked exhausted.

"Yes?"

"Goldenkit is fine!" I exclaimed. "Spottedleaf says she's going to be okay."

"Good," mewed Eaglestar. "Is she fit to be made an apprentice?"

"I don't know."

"Can you ask Spottedleaf? No, wait, you were going to take Willowpaw out on a patrol…I'll do it then. All right, Bluefur. You may leave."

I sniffed inside the leader's den before leaving. It's true, I thought bitterly as I left. Eaglestar has greencough!

"And this, Willowpaw," I mewed, coming to a halt, "is the Thunderpath."

"Wow!" exclaimed my apprentice. "It's so…stinky."

I purred with amusement. "The monsters carry Twolegs in their belly," I explained. "It's very strange, but then again, all Twolegs are mad."

Willowpaw twitched her whiskers with amusement. "They sure are."

I was out on patrol a little later that same day. I had already shown her the Sandy Hollow, Sunningrocks, RiverClan territory, the falls, the Owl Tree, and now the Thunderpath. The only place we had left to see was the Tallpines and Twolegplace.

"Sniff for signs of ShadowClan," I instructed my apprentice. "They don't smell pleasant."

Willowpaw tilted her head and inhaled the scents across the Thunderpath – she winced as she smelled ShadowClan.

"Yuck."

"Are they close?"

Willowpaw sniffed again. "No," she answered. "Pretty far away."

"Good," I replied. "That means they are minding their own business. But they'll probably attack after leaf-bare is over. Scared of catching the sickness, the cowards."

Willowpaw looked at me with fear in her eyes. I purred and nudged her.

"Don't worry; we'll be ready for them," I mewed. "Come on, I'll show you Tallpines and Twolegplace."

"Great!" she meowed, and followed me through the trees.

It was a quick run to Twolegplace from the Thunderpath, but Willowpaw looked completely exhausted. I wasn't surprised; when I had gone out on my first apprentice mission, I thought I could sleep for a moon. We padded close to Twolegplace and rested on the fence.

"Look!" whispered Willowpaw. "It's a kittypet."

I squinted and saw a ginger-colored she-cat step into the clearing. Her pelt was like flame and she was obviously pregnant. I narrowed my eyes at her, wondering why I felt something strange about this she-cat.

"Let's go," I mewed abruptly, and leapt down from the fence.

"Should we have chased her away?" wondered Willowpaw.

"I don't think so," I answered. "She was not on our territory. Noble warriors don't terrify others for the fun of it."
"Okay," replied Willowpaw.

When we returned to camp, Eaglestar was just calling the Clan to sit beneath the Highrock. It was then when I noticed Goldenkit slip out into the clearing. She looked perfectly fine; her pale ginger coat was lively instead of dull. She was going to be made an apprentice.

"Dappletail," continued Eaglestar, "you can mentor Goldenpaw. Icefur was a wonderful mentor to you, and you should share everything he taught you with this young apprentice."

"Sure," answered the older tortoiseshell she-cat. I was sure that this would be her last apprentice because she was getting awfully old. She touched noses with Goldenpaw as Eaglestar leapt down from the Highrock.

"Go congradulate her," I encouraged Willowpaw, and she nodded to me and bounded over to her sister.

Instead of thanking her for saying that, Goldenpaw leapt upon Willowpaw, biting playfully at her neck. I purred with laughter as they wrestled happily with each other.

Okay, kind of boring chapter, but oh well. And you get your first sign of Firepaw! Also, check out chapter three. I completely forgot about the apprentice trip to the Moonstone and had to write it in. - -;; Yeah…until next time!