Thank you for the review, FreeEcho ! I really appreciated it!
I prefer Leaf x Crow for Crowfeather's ships, just like you!
Just a quick rant, Feather x Crow's a crush, and Night x Crow's... well, they used each other. Period. They didn't love each other... Leaf x Crow is my OTP.


"YOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWL!"

"Oh, ho, who's crying?" Nightpaw's sneer was heard.

Crowpaw blinked, blinking the water out. "Nightpaw!" he growled. He spotted moss beside the black apprentice.

Gorsepaw shoved her face in front of Crowpaw's. "Ohh," she purred. "Isn't it nice? Our water trick's great. It works every time... Oh. Wait. It's our first time." Her eyes gleamed. "Not a great opponent, but still."

"A nice one," Nightpaw purred. She threw the green moss in Crowpaw's face.

Crowpaw spluttered. "I'll tell it to Ashfoot!" he threatened.

Nightpaw snickered. "Are you still a kit, Crowkit?" she asked. "Oh, what a shame! Gorsepaw, do you think we should send him back to the nursery?"

Crowpaw bristled. "You can't!"

Maybe there was a fear-scent.

No one looked intimidated. "Oh!" Nightpaw purred. "So we can't? Gorsepaw. Let's go."

"Yeah. He doesn't deserve our attention anyway. Let's go and talk with our fathers about today's patrol. You heard? We're going to hunt with our fathers who, inconveniently, Crowpaw doesn't have!" Gorsepaw drawled. She flashed Crowpaw and evil glance and trotted lightly out of the den.

Whitetail peeked in. "Nightpaw? Gorsepaw? Your mentors say you're needed."

"Oh. Does Mudclaw say anything?" simpered Nightpaw.

"No," Whitetail mewed.

Gorsepaw burst into laughter. "Oh! Good."

Whitetail narrowed her eyes but said nothing. After Nightpaw and Gorsepaw had went away, she leaned in and asked, "Is everything okay?"

Crowpaw avoided her gaze. "Of course I am."

"If you say so. But you know, you have Ashfoot, Morningflower, and Onewhisker and me."

Crowpaw frowned. "So... you like Onewhisker."

"No – I mean, he's my mentor." Whitetail's mew turned brisk. "Now, stop these silly accusations and go find Mudclaw. Didn't Mudclaw say? He's going to train you today. Well, exploring the territory, at least. I remember when Onewhisker and I went..."

Crowpaw shuffled his paws. "Okay, Whitetail, I get that you're totally in love with him. Now let me go."

"Hmph."

Crowpaw squirmed his way out. Whitetail was wrong. He couldn't turn to Ashfoot when he needed. He had just attempted to, and what did it go to? Nightpaw and Gorsepaw had teased that he was still a kit.

Maybe he was, but he was an apprentice. He couldn't be pushed around like that!

He had to solve problems himself, briskly, and like a true warrior, without involving anyone else. He marched towards the warriors' den. He would convince Mudclaw to show him so moves. Then, he'd impress Nightpaw and Gorsepaw!

They always do. Now I'll do that for a change.

"Mudclaw!"

"Shush!" Thrushwing warned. "He's asleep."

"Yeah, while the others are all up," Webfoot snorted with laughter. "So don't wake him. He's really cranky when he doesn't get enough sleep."

Robinwing rolled her eyes. "So Crowpaw, you might be that way when you stand vigil. Mudclaw was just like that when he stood vigil, as Tallstar commented earlier!"

Crowpaw purred.

I may be only an apprentice, but one day I'll be a warrior, and I'll be standing guard in this very camp. So great! Who knows? After that, I might have a mate and kits! Ooh. Who'll it be? Not Nightpaw or Gorsepaw, anyway. It'll be strange, thinking...

Onewhisker jerked him out of his daydream. "Hey, have you seen Whitetail?"

Crowpaw purred. "Why? Confess your love?"

Onewhisker snorted. "No, I thought I might ask her to go hunt."

"Well, just saying. She's over there."

Onewhisker nodded briskly.

"Don't tease him," Ashfoot meowed. Her eyes were glittering. "Though, I must say, that might be true."

"Crowpaw. There you were."

Ashfoot narrowed her eyes as Crowpaw lifted his head eagerly. "Hi, Mudclaw! Are we going training? Please, please, please?"

Mudclaw eyed him coldly, and Crowpaw felt himself shrink back self-consciously. "No," he responded icily. "We are going to explore WindClan territory. Yesterday was just the borders. Today we will explore our moors from the camp. You see, knowing our land through and through will keep us safe. If you know your grounds better than the enemy, there is more chance that-"

"Hold your tongue, Mudclaw," Ashfoot meowed, sounding slightly amused. "Don't already lecture him."

Mudclaw snorted. "Early lesson," he snapped.

Ashfoot shrugged. "Fine." She rose to her paws. "Have a good time, Crowpaw! I'm going to check if Morningflower feels like hunting or going out."

"They can go out of camp?"

"Sure, if they want to."

"No time for gossiping," snipped Mudclaw. "Follow me. This is an important part of your journey to warriorhood. Your fighting skills may depend on your knowledge of your own territory. Come."

Crowpaw scrambled to his feet, and followed Mudclaw. The warrior instructed to look around the camp closely.

"You should use your advantage of fighting in your territory if you ever do; you know your land. Plan your strategy. Lead the enemy to a strange territory. It will confuse him for time's being. And that should be enough for your to attack and disarm. But you know the warrior code. You do not need to kill to win the battle."

Crowpaw frowned. "I understand, sure, and know the reason," he mewed, "but that's risky. I mean, you can't eliminate your enemy completely!"

Mudclaw glared at him. "An honorable warrior does not need to kill in order to win a battle!" he snarled. "That is an honorable act."

"Okay." Crowpaw grumbled. "No need to shout at me."

Mudclaw sighed. "You're difficult, Crowpaw. Very. Now, you must know your territory in order for that strategy. Look; the WindClan territory is different from the others'. Theirs are sheltered by trees, but we? We live on the open moors. It may be bad for sneak attacks, but that is not noble. We lunge freely, giving them a chance to defend themselves. It is their fault if they cannot avoid the blow.

"And because the trees don't shelter us, we are closer to StarClan than any Clan in the forest." Mudclaw's eyes glowed.

"Yeah, I know! That's amazing," Crowpaw gushed. His pelt warmed once more with pride for his Clan.

Mudclaw nodded approval. "You have loyalty and pride for your Clan. That will help shape you into a fine warrior." His eyes narrowed. "Now. What can you tell me about WindClan's prey?"

"We hunt rabbits and hares mostly," Crowpaw meowed.

"How do we hunt them, exactly?" Mudclaw pressed.

"Did you tell me? Or will you now?"

"No. And now we will explore the territory." A spark of amusement passed Mudclaw's eyes, and that helped Crowpaw relax a little bit with his new mentor. "This is different than the other Clans, I repeat. You may ask them at the Gathering."

That thought struck Crowpaw like a lightning bolt. "Will I be going to this moon's Gathering?" he asked.

The warrior gave the black cat an amused look. "If you train well."

"Fine."

Despite the grumpy retort, Crowpaw felt affection slowly rising for the deputy. He had been appointed deputy for a reason, after all. There was no reason to be bitter about him taking Deadfoot's place; Deadfoot had died, and Mudclaw was a good replacement. He could be difficult, but Crowpaw knew he himself wasn't the easiest cat on earth.

Purring loudly, he followed his mentor, who was talking about the moors and their advantage at being fleet-footed.