Guess I'm having a rough first week of classes. It's nothing I can't power through though. I just need to hope that my teachers aren't complete a-holes.

Next chapter! Of which Firestar is not in this one. ;-;

I'm not good at writing battle scenes lol

Reviews are appreciated!

There was an awkward silence as the search and retrieve party of four trekked through Thunderclan territory, aiming on combing every part of the outskirts of clan territory until they got a whiff of Firestar's scent trail to lead them in his general direction.

Cherrypaw was uncharacteristically silent as she walked, a stoic but thoughtful look on her face. Squirrelflight was almost impressed at the level of seriousness the apprentice possessed; she was clearly trying her best to bring Firestar back to Thunderclan. Perhaps Cherrypaw still blamed herself for Firestar's transformation and current situation. If she had listened the first time, maybe Firestar would still be within Thunderclan, loved and revered by his clan instead of feared and hated.

Needless to say, all of Cherrypaw's hyperactivity had faded over the past moon.

Foxleap was also weirdly serious, the ginger tom having said not one joke or pun to lighten their spirits. His face was unreadable, and Squirrelflight had no idea what he could be thinking. Did he share his apprentice's regrets- the mentor who was unable to stop his apprentice from altering their leader? It wouldn't be fair to blame either of them for Firestar's state- Foxleap couldn't have known what Cherrypaw was going to do, and no one could have known what the stone was going to do to Firestar. Sure Foxleap could have curbed Cherrypaw's behavior, but Cherrypaw was his first apprentice. He still had much to learn himself- about how to be a proper mentor to his apprentice.

Hopefully he didn't feel as though he failed within the first few days of Cherrypaw's apprenticeship.

Squirrelflight cast a glance over at Hollyleaf, the black-furred she-cat staring ahead as her paws glided over the ground. Was their relationship ever going to be healed? Hollyleaf had taken to avoiding her and Leafpool when she had returned from the tunnels, pretending like Squirrelflight hadn't been her mother for the longest time. Squirrelflight was aware of just how much she screwed up- heck, even Brambleclaw is somewhat awkward around her!

Though after Firestar's transformation, Brambleclaw had stopped being cold to her. She didn't know if he was genuinely warming back up to her or if he was warming up to her to appease Firestar's feral side. She didn't want to admit it, but she really did enjoy the times when Firestar would trap them all in the den with him. She and Brambleclaw were forced to spend time together, and it showed.

If all her problems could have been solved by trapping the two in a den together, she would have asked some other cats to do it to them a long time ago.

They finally made it to the outskirts of Thunderclan territory, and the four cats wasted no time in attempting to sniff out Firestar's whereabouts.

"What's this weird scent here?" Cherrypaw called.

Foxleap bounded over, jaws hanging open to taste the air. He lashed his tail. "Smells like badger. It's not fresh but it's not exactly faint either," he reported.

"So that's what badger smells like. Got it," Cherrypaw muttered to herself.

Squirrelflight could have groaned out loud. There wasn't a medicine cat out here if anyone got injured! Except for Hollyleaf, but her knowledge of herbs was very limited; her apprenticeship to Leafpool had been moons ago, so who knows how much knowledge the she-cat retained over the seasons.

Jayfeather had given the few traveling herbs her had and let the four cats decide who would receive them. In the end, they all agreed that Cherrypaw would need them more. Jayfeather couldn't offer anything else besides advice to rest and eat often and show them what important herbs looked like.

They just had to hope for the best and not get hurt on the journey- and hopefully find Firestar and bring him back quickly.

Squirrelflight let out a tired sigh as they combed through a chunk of territory and found nothing. She glanced up at the sky, the moon's white glow piercing through the dark. "I think it's time we settled down for the night."

"But I can keep going!" Cherrypaw protested.

"We know you're determined to find Firestar, Cherrypaw. But we won't find his scent trail if we're too tired to do so. We'll resume in the morning, I promise," Squirrelflight meowed. The apprentice looked down, but didn't say a word as the four gathered whatever they could to build some temporary nests.

"I'll be guarding everyone for the first half of the night," Foxleap mumbled. The she-cats nodded and got comfortable. Squirrelflight watched Cherrypaw as the young apprentice yawned and finally nodded off to sleep before turning to Hollyleaf. She felt a twinge of annoyance as Hollyleaf was turned away from her.

"So, nice night out right?" Squirrelflight tried making small talk.

Hollyleaf only gave an annoyed huff. "I'm not here to bond with you Squirrelflight. I'm only here to bring back Firestar." With that the she-cat curled up and shut her eyes tightly.

Well that didn't go nearly as well as Squirrelflight hoped. Maybe later on Hollyleaf would warm up to Squirrelflight, just not now. Squirrelflight curled up into a ball, her thoughts wandering to her father. She really missed him. Firestar had tried so hard to make his family happy even with his weird changes, only to get chased out in the end. Even though she tried supporting her father, she hadn't really done anything to help him get used to his changes other than giving him her affections. It was really Sandstorm who helped Firestar adapt.

She would find her father and drag him back, and then maybe their family could be somewhat complete again.

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"Badger!" Foxleap screeched. All of the she-cat's eyes flew open and they scrambled out of their makeshift nests to see Foxleap grappling with a badger. They had to end this before someone got hurt. Hollyleaf rushed forward behind the badger and locked her fangs onto one of the badger's legs. The badger stopped focusing on Foxleap and tried shaking Hollyleaf off, to no avail. Her grip was too tight.

Foxleap and Squirrelflight took turns running and clawing at the badger, the badger howling in pain and confusion as it couldn't pinpoint one cat to attack.

Finally Cherrypaw leaped onto the badger's back from the tree she had climbed up when Foxleap sounded the alarm and started clawing it furiously. The badger shook her off and with a wail of pain, lumbered off away from Thunderclan territory. Hollyleaf let go of its leg as it went, panting in exhaustion.

"Is anyone hurt?" Squirrelflight inquired.

"I've got a few scratches, but nothing too bad," Foxleap reported.

Squirrelflight clicked her teeth. "We should find some cobwebs... maybe something to make sure the scratches don't get infected." She tried remembering what Jayfeather showed her before they left. Maybe dock or marigold- no marigold wasn't good; that was only found by water. Oh, oak leaves! Dried oak leaves would help!

As Squirrelflight gathered some fallen oak leaves and looked around for cobwebs, Hollyleaf turned to Cherrypaw. "That was reckless you know."

Cherrypaw gave a disappointed sigh. "I know..."

"But it was also brave, and it worked, so good job," Hollyleaf praised.

The apprentice beamed at the praise. She had just helped in chasing away a badger!

"Alright, if you're not injured, then get some sleep. We're probably going to have a lot of traveling ahead of us," Hollyleaf said. Cherrypaw nodded, yawning. She climbed back into her makeshift nest and let her tired eyelids drop.

She was happy that she was proving herself on this journey already.

Did I mention that I'm bad at writing battle scenes? Also it doesn't seem realistic that three warriors and an apprentice can send a single badger packing... but let's pretend that the badger was super young or super old and maybe it would make more sense.

Foxleap's got some super minor injuries that will heal in no time. I'd imagine that Leafpool taught Squirrelflight about herbs over the seasons after the events of A New Prophecy. I had to actually look up herbs that would be good for the situation and dried oak leaves are a thing- and oak leaves are pretty common. So they can be used to fight infection- I imagine they can be used to prevent it as well? Guess I'm not good with herbs either.

And oh look Cherrypaw is proving herself! Enough to be a warrior? ...Nah. She's way too young to get her warrior name right now.

Tell me how I did.