Squirrelflight woke the next day with a gentle prod on her back. She turned and murmured a random word from her dream.
"Yes," she mumbled. "I would like that fat vole Brambleclaw. Thank you for asking," she opened her eyes slightly and than closed them again. Dustpelt began to chuckle softly and played along.
"Oh Squirrelflight," he meowed making his voice as much like Brambleclaw's as he could. "You can have that juicy, fat vole right after you are finished training with Dustpelt,"
At this Squirrelflight stopped snoring and wrinkled her nose, eyes still shut. She sniffed the air and than jumped up, alarm in her green eyes.
"So sorry I over slept Dustpelt," she mumbled as if she were still asleep. "I'll pick ticks from the elders fur for being late for training,"
Dustpelt muffled his laughter.
"That would be my idea," he mewed at last. "But you aren't the apprentice. You are the mentor,"
Squirrelflight tilted her head as if she didn't understand and than her eyes lit with wake ness and she shook her head. She glared at Dustpelt and than hissed.
"You interrupted a very good dream," she meowed. Dustpelt roared with laughter.
"Y-y-you were having a very good d-dream about Brambleclaw!" he teased while howling with laughter. A few new heads popped up out of the group of sleeping cats. One was Brambleclaw who looked puzzled and tired and the other was Cloudtail who just looked annoyed.
"Will you two ever be quiet!" he yowled making more heads popped up. "Some of us just got back from the dawn patrol,"
"Who said my name," Brambleclaw meowed at last.
"Go back to sleep Brambleclaw," Dustpelt meowed with a glance of amusement at Squirrelflight who sneered.
As they left some cats stood up and stretched and walked into the camp. It was already Sun high and the three new apprentices were waiting for their mentors.
"Good morning Sunpaw," Dustpelt meowed to his apprentice. Sparkpaw nodded and grinned at her mentor.
"Where's Brambleclaw?" meowed Sparkpaw after waiting to make sure her mentor did not fall behind the other two warriors.
"I'll go get him," Squirrelflight meowed at once. Before anyone could stop her she raced into the warriors den. She walked over, on and between the sleeping cats.
"Ow," meowed Cloudtail as she stepped on his ear. "Watch it!"
"Sorry," she meowed and finally reached Brambleclaw. "Brambleclaw? Brambleclaw your apprentice is waiting!"
Brambleclaw opened his eyes and stood up while yawning.
"Good day Squirrelflight," he meowed and touched noses with her. Squirrelflight returned his kindness with a lick on his ear.
When they had reached the clearing with Dustpelt and the apprentices Sparkpaw raced over to Brambleclaw.
"What are we doing first Brambleclaw," she meowed excitedly.
"All in good time," he replied. "Are we training together?"
Squirrelflight hesitated but Dustpelt nodded. They decided to show the apprentices the borders of their territory and go down to the lake to show the area of each camp.
When they returned to camp the apprentices were exhausted. They took a piece of fresh kill each and went to sit with the elders to hear stories. Their mentors escorted them back to camp and than went back for fresh kill they caught while showing the borders.
When they returned they went and fetched pieces of fresh kill. Dustpelt went to sit with Ferncloud, his mate and Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight sat together. Squirrelflight was tense and Brambleclaw was quiet.
Foxpaw and Squirrelflight weren't getting along very well during the lesson. Squirrelflight was treating her like a kit and Foxpaw was acting like she was the one training Squirrelflight.
"You know you didn't have to snap at her like that," Brambleclaw meowed at last.
"Oh," she sneered with tears reflecting in her eyes. "So you're taking Foxpaw's side," she spat Foxpaw's name out.
"Squirrelflight, I didn't mean that its just," he hesitated and than went on. "She's just an apprentice. Barely an apprentice!"
"Exactly," she whispered stared at Brambleclaw with watery gleaming eyes. "She's the apprentice NOT me,"
"I'm sorry Squirrelflight," Bramble mewed and touched noses with her. "I know Foxpaw wasn't being respectful and I will go tell Firestar about it," he left and walked to Firestar's den.
Now Squirrelflight was sure Firestar had made the wrong choice. And still she was excited for Foxpaw.
She still had not told one cat about the way she felt of Foxpaw. Everyone said she hated Foxpaw. But that wasn't true. She didn't feel that Foxpaw was her favorite but she didn't hate her. No, she didn't treat Foxpaw like her other sisters because she had a message from StarClan.
Squirrelflight fell asleep and found herself in the old Thunderclan camp in their old forest.
Bluestar, the former Thunderclan leader came and started to speak.
"Squirrelflight, Foxpaw will betray. She will betray you all and blood will be spilt," she whispered. "You must watch her closely and make sure she doesn't get what she wants or get too close to Firestar," Squirrelflight was so shocked and scared that she couldn't speak so she nodded instead. When she found her voice she answered.
"Will she hurt my father," her voice shook as she spoke and than she stopped. "Wait a minute wait a minute!"
Bluestar tilted her head and waited for Squirrelflight to go on.
"StarClan isn't s'pose to be so clear about this kind of stuff," she yowled. "Why are you telling me this information so clearly?"
Bluestar shrugged.
"I don't pick the messages I just deliver them," she answered. "But you have to tell Firestar this. He is in danger,"
"Why? What is Foxpaw going to do to him," Squirrelflight yowled. But Bluestar had left. She was left alone wondering what Foxpaw could possibly do to Firestar. She had to find out the answer. Firestar and Sandstorm could not have bred something with such a cold heart when both of them were so loyal and brave. She was going to get every answer she could.
And she will do as Bluestar said and protect Firestar with her life.