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Chapter Three

"From this day forward," Morningstar meowed, gazing down at the little blue-gray kit, "until she has earned her warrior name, this apprentice will be called Bluepaw." The she-cat's fur had been cleaned to the point of glowing and her ice-blue eyes shined. Her tail tip twitched excitedly and she repressed a mewl of joy.

"One-eye, you are ready for your first apprentice. Your mentor trained you well and I expect you to pass all you know into Bluepaw." At the end of these words, the newly named apprentice stepped to the pale gray she-cat and touched noses formally. One-eye seemed bursting with pride. She was a slender, quick warrior who had shoved her mentor out of the way of an angry badger and lost an eye from its powerful claws.

"One-eye! I want to-" Bluepaw began urgently but received a gentle pat on the head. Then she realized there was still one more kit to be named apprentice.

"Softkit, from this moment on, till you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Softpaw." The gentle kit's dark blue eyes glowed with happiness. He was eager to learn, maybe not fight though. His mentor was his father, who had made Dapplepaw into a fine warrior.

The chanting of the three new apprentice's names filled the chilly air as the sun's golden light began to fade into the horizon. Thistlepaw, Softpaw and Bluepaw settled comfortably in the apprentice's den for the first time and looked forward to a interesting morning of training.

Little did they know, there was a pair of jealous eyes watching menacingly from a thick, bramble entryway.

The next morning seemed like a blur to the three newest apprentices, and Softpaw surprisingly did the best. He was able to memorize and recall all the rival clan scents and most of the boundaries. Thistlepaw was extremely envious.

When the sun was at its highest and hottest, the apprentices returned to camp, hungry and weary, and settled around the tree stump for lunch. With tired paws, the three companions vividly retold their tour while the four other warriors-in-training settled a small way's away.

The next month's gathering was the three youngest apprentice's first. All had been surprised in how they had grown so much. Bluepaw had grown, not only physically, but more dignified and polite as well. Softpaw was beginning to show some back bone but most knew that he would never fight unless it was absolutely necessary. Thistlepaw's shoulders had become more broad and his sharp amber eyes were gaining the light of knowledge. The clan agreed he was destined for great things.

Bluepaw kneading the ground soundlessly as she waited in the familiar undergrowth before the Gathering clearing. The young she-cat's mind was buzzing with thoughts of the other clans. She had never encountered them before and could scent their presence in the air.

Morningstar signaled for the clan to go forward. The healthy clan streamed forward, proud to show how well they were surviving. Bluepaw was accompanied by Softpaw as she always was as her silvery body moved into the clowder of cats. Her light blue eyes glittered in the bright, milky moonlight.So manycats' scent so close around was disorienting.

"Are you from ThunderClan?" a kindly tom's voice asked her. Bluepaw gave a small jump and whirled around as RiverClan scent filled her senses. The tom was a reddish brown color with deep, dark blue eyes. Bluepaw's stomach fluttered and her paws nearly shook.

"Y-yes," she managed to reply. "This is my first gathering." The young apprentice felt like she needed an excuse for being so nervous.

"Me too," the young RiverClan-scented tom meowed. "I'm Oakpaw, from RiverClan."

Bluepaw swallowed and swiped her tongue around her dry mouth. "Nice to meet you. I am Bluepaw, from ThunderClan." Mouse brain! She snapped at herself. He had already established that he knew that.

To the apprentice's relief he didn't seem to notice for he seemed preoccupied by something. Oakpaw blinked with a look of confusion hidden. The brown tom told himself that he was being stupid and that his brain was working properly.

Bluepaw was about to stammer something more but a thunderous caterwaul from the Great Rock silenced the four clans in the clearing. The exchanging of news between the leaders began. ThunderClan had taken on a loner which had been named Rosetail. RiverClan had named four new apprentices. The kind leader of ShadowClan reported two new litters of kits. WindClan had a dried up stream that had been resurrected from the recent rain.

As the cats left the clearing, Bluepaw glanced back, locked eyes with the reddish-brown apprentice Oakpaw then looked down shyly as her paws carried her home.

Tigerkit set his gaze on Thistlepaw. Both young, ambitious toms knew an enemy when they saw one. They met each other's eyes for a moment and fierce rivalry flared in their amber orbs.

-:-;Five Moons Later;-:-

The darkness was fading into dawn's first light. Bluefur shuddered with teeth chattering, sending the snow that had settled on her head and shoulders flying. Softheart was the receiver of the frozen water.

"Hey!" he meowed shaking the snow from his thick pelt. Thistleclaw's hard face gave a look of disgust. The broad-shouldered tom had become strong and huge. His answer to everything was a fight and that was one thing he was good at. Anything that wasn't strictly business was 'kit's play,' or something like that.

Thistleclaw let out a hardly repressed yawn, revealing abnormally sharp canines then trudged to the warrior's den. It was morning and their night vigil was over. Morningstar appeared beside the other two nodding and Bluefur followed by Softheart walked wearily into the warm den. Once curled up comfortably, they were asleep until after sun-high.

Unfortunately, the deputy decided that was enough sleep to replenish their energy, saying how he had gotten only a wink of sleep before his deputy awakened him. Bluefur sat up, blinking her ice-blue eyes and licking her lips hungrily. She and her dear brother, Softheart trotted out the den to the fresh kill pile.

They settled over a rabbit while Thistleclaw took a plump mouse for himself. With her stomach filled adequately, Bluefur looked up at her deputy who was waiting patently.

"Now that you lazy creatures are awake, I want Softheart to go on a patrol around all of our borders an refresh the scent markers. Thistleclaw and Bluefur, you two go on the hunting patrol with Dappletail and Smallear. Now on with you!"

With a dismissive wave of the tail, Bluefur and Thistleclaw padded hurriedly over to the elder warriors. When Bluefur approached, she was surprised to see Dappletail staring cloudy-eyed at the burial grounds beyond Highrock. Then the victorious but still sad fight from two days before made the silvery queen's ears droop a bit.

Bluefur padded beside Dappletail and gave her a comforting nudge with her nose. "I'm sorry about Swiftstream."

The pretty tabby jumped, grief raw in her eyes. "Oh, and I'm sorry about your father." The two queens sat reflecting Hawkeyes and the younger lean, black-and-gray tom for a moment.

"Come on, Bluefur!" Thistleclaw's deep voice snapped Bluefur away from memories and made her stride back to the patrol. They set off quickly, hoping a nice hunt would distract them from their losses for a while.

Later that quarter-moon, a desperate silvery warrior slipped from the fern tunnel without a sound. She raced to Fourtrees, each pawstep seemingly magnified from the forbidden act she was committing. The great oaks loomed higher as Bluefur leapt closer and closer.

Oakheart stood regally with the thin wisp of a moon reflecting its light off his smooth pelt. Bluefur literally fell against her love from fatigue and felt the weight of stress float away. His resonant purring lifted her spirits every time they met.

"What's worrying you, my love?" Oakheart meowed kindly.

Bluefur blinked. "Nothing, Oakheart, nothing really."

"Oh, don't try to fool me. You seem to have been washing your left ear excessively and you always do that when you're anxious."

"Impressive," the silvery queen murmured, entwining her tail with his. "I didn't think you would notice."

"I did so tell me what's bothering you," Oakheart demanded.

"It's the same old thing. It feels so wrong to be here with you," Bluefur mewed. "But I must come. Without you, I'm sure I'd go insane!" She gave a light amused purr as Oakheart sat against her and sighed.

"Do you think anyone has found out?"

"None so far," his love replied. "I hope no one ever does."

"Well, let's just forget about all these troubles for a moment," Oakheart began. "Let's just take this peaceful moment together now." And peaceful it was. The chatter of bugs and soft sound of wind in the chilly forest. Silverpelt glittered boldly, distant stars defying the endless, dark universe around them.

Bluefur let a cold breeze carry her melodious sigh of contentment away. The queen's form was as relaxed as possible.

Oakheart tenderly rasped his tongue over his mate's ears. She nestled closer, allowing herself to fall into a light sleep as the moon sank further towards the horizon.

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