1Blazepaw awoke to a big reddish tom standing over her. She mewed softly in terror. Was this a rogue cat, come to kill her and eat her heart? "Sunpaw, back down. You're scaring her!" came a soft command. Sunpaw. That was a Clan cat name. Blazepaw relaxed, but only a little. A bluish-gray she-cat stepped up from behind the tomcat. "Hello," she meowed, "What's your name?"

"Bl-Blaze-p-paw," Blazepaw stammered, shaking violently.

"Who is your mentor, Blazepaw?" the queen asked.

"Quartz-f-fur."

The two cats nodded. The she-cat crouched lower to the floor of the den, flicking her tail for the tom to do the same. Blazepaw relaxed all the way. They weren't trying to hurt her. "Tell me, young Blazepaw, who are the apprentices?"

"It's me... Summerpaw ... Mousepaw ... Birdpaw ... Fishpaw ...and Heathpaw," Blazepaw mewed, "Why do you want to know? Who are you?"

The gray she cat licked Blazepaw's ear gently. "I'm Riversong. This is my apprentice, Sunpaw." She turned and left the den. Blazepaw shuddered at the scent of badger that clung to Riversong's fur.

Sunpaw shook himself outside the apprentices' den. "Quartzfur," he murmured, "You don't think...?"

"That's she's talking about Quartzpaw? Of course she is, Sunpaw. It's time all the apprentices you knew became warriors." Riversong paused. "And you too. You've trained enough. I'll talk to Brightstar about it as soon as I can."

"Where will we sleep, Riversong?" Sunpaw asked, his head to one side, "I mean, you saw how Blazekit...Blazepaw looked at me. No telling what the warriors would say about you!"

"We'll sleep outside the camp with Scars tonight. We need to stay beside him in case the moonhigh patrol finds him. Remember what Brightstar said the day you got apprenticed?"

Of course Sunpaw remembered. Brightstar had said it was because he needed more warriors to kill the badger who had 'murdered' Foxpelt. Namely, to kill Scars. Sunpaw and Riversong both had grown quite attached to the battered badger. They padded from the camp to where Scars lay in a cove of branches. "You see who you needed to see?" he asked when he saw the two cats, "That...Radiantpaw who you sought?"

Riversong shook her head. "Radiantpaw's a warrior now. There's a bunch of new apprentices that we knew when they were kits."

"You should be warrior too," Scars growled, looking at Sunpaw, "Too long have I known you as 'paw.' "

Sunpaw knew Scars was referring to the 'paw' after his name. When a cat was born into a Clan, it was given a name that suited it that ended with 'kit.' After they became some cat's apprentice, they took the name 'paw' in place of 'kit.' All apprentices kept that name until they were made warriors. Then they took on another name, such as 'pelt' or 'heart,' a name that suited who they were. If a cat became Clan leader, they shared tongues with StarClan and were granted nine lives. They also took on the name 'star' to show they had a special connection with their warriors ancestors. Riversong and Sunpaw had explained this whole tradition to Scars, which the badger found very interesting.

"He'll be a warrior soon, Scars," Riversong meowed, "I know what I'm going to say to Brightstar after Wingfoot is seen to. Sunpaw won't be Sunpaw for much longer."

Sunpaw scuffled his paws in the leafy plants and moss on the ground. He shrugged. "I dunno, Riversong," he muttered, "You're sure I'm ready?"

"Sunpaw, I've been training you for more than a year. You've been ready for moons."

Riversong curled up on the ground beside Scars. She closed her eyes. Sunpaw lay down next to her. "When the river rises to meet the sun, those called foes will be avenged from their falling at the paws of the celestial," Riversong murmured in his ear.

"When you and I become one, Wingfoot's murder of Foxpelt will be revenged," Sunpaw replied. Scars nodded.

"The river has risen," Scars rumbled. His voice vibrated through his companions' bodies like distant thunder. "It has touched the sun. Soon your foe shall fall."

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Sunpaw awoke to a familiar scent. He opened one light brown eye slowly. Standing over him was Creekpaw. Creekpaw and Sunpaw had been the best friends. Sleetfur often joked that they were joined at the tails. Creekpaw's vivid green eyes blazed down at him. "Sunpaw...?" he mewed softly.

Sunpaw sat up. "That's me. What're you doing here, Creekpaw?"

"I'm Creekflow now," Creekflow meowed with a tint of pride, "Are you okay? There was this huge badger sleeping right by you! I think it was the one that killed Foxpelt."

Sunpaw's heart skipped a beat or five. His eyes grew wide. "Scars!" he hissed, suddenly tackling Creekflow, "Where is he? Did you hurt him at all?"

"Calm down, Sunpaw!" Creekflow cried, "The badger is right over there! I didn't touch him, I swear! Ask him yourself!"

Sunpaw looked over his shoulder. Scars was seated behind him. "Be at peace, Big Reddy," the badger murmured, "The brownish one has not harmed neither Bluey nor me."

Sunpaw stepped off of Creekflow, whiskers twitching in embarrassment. "Sorry, Creekflow," he mumbled, "I...got ahead of myself..."

"It's okay," Creekflow soothed, getting to his paws, "I have no clue why you're so fond of that badger, but he seems nice enough to me."

"His name is Scars," Riversong meowed, stepping from her hiding place in the shade, "And he is the badger that was framed for killing Foxpelt. We must speak with Brightstar. Can you fetch him for us, Creekflow?"

Creekflow nodded and bounded away. Sunpaw sat by Riversong. A purr started to build in his chest. It was good to see his friend again. He sighed softly, gazing around him. Here was the tree he and Quartzpaw had dared Moonpaw to climb. She had gotten stuck and yowled for Blacktip, her new mentor, to rescue her. There was the rock mound he had challenged Heavenpaw and Timidpaw to race to the top of. Surprisingly, Timidpaw had won, with Heavenpaw in a close second. Sunpaw finished a miserable third place. It had been fun trying, though, and had given them all something to do while they waited for Riversong, Trueheart, and Longfang to arrive for training. He was jolted from his reveries by Creekflow's return. "Brightstar says you're going to have to come to him," he panted, "He also says that the badger will have to be kept under guard. You can pick who."

"I want Trueheart, Firebelly, and Sleetfur to do it," Riversong meowed, "They won't hurt Scars." Creekflow nodded and raced off towards the camp.

"Well, I guess that's that," Sunpaw muttered, following Creekflow, "Don't worry, Scars, Riversong picked the right cats. They'll understand you're our friend."

"May I talk to them while I wait?" the big badger asked.

"I suppose," Riversong replied with a shrug, "If they look like they're willing to listen."

The trio padded through the forest to the DuskClan camp. Riversong gazed up into the trees. Sunlight filtered down through the wide leaves, warming her pelt. Sleetfur, Riversong thought longingly, Trueheart...Firebelly...Longfang...Paleface...I'm coming home...

Sunpaw couldn't wait to see his old friends again. He wondered what their warrior names would be. I bet Radiantpaw turned into Radiantfur. That sounds like her. Heavenpaw might be something like Heavenvoice or Heavenfur. Moonpaw is probably Moonstripe or Moonfur. I wonder what my warrior name will be.

Scars snuffled. These cats for to 'guard' me. What will they be like? Kind and sweet? Bluey would not let me down by giving me cruel ones. They must be trustworthy.

Each of them thought their own thoughts. Riversong thought of her old friends and whether or not they had missed her at all. Sunpaw pondered warrior names for all the old apprentices. Scars merely wondered if he would be under the protection of thoughtful cats like the ones he had grown so accustomed to.