Dawnpaw sat in the clearing, tail curled around her paws. Her fellow apprentices have already gone out training for the day, each one chattering excitedly about what they were going to do. Cloudpaw and Goldenpaw were taking their final assessments before their warrior ceremony later this evening. Eaglepaw was out hunting with Whispersong, Flypaw and Nightwing. Spiderpaw was battle training with Icewing, who had asked Shadepelt to go with her. Dawnpaw had watched the two, wondering how they talked so easily with each other, before she realized that they had a similar body shape despite not having the same pelt colors. That was usually the mark of siblings.

Dawnpaw looked over at the medicine den, seeing Dapplepelt and Antpaw talking quietly as they laid out herbs in the sun to dry. Her paws itched to go over and join them, if not to help then to at least talk. Yet, Spiderpaw had told her that Flameclaw wanted her to wait for him by the apprentices' den. Dawnpaw flicked her tail irritably as she watched the elders emerging from their den, one by one. Talking to the elders' seemed like a good option as well and certainly much better than waiting for her mentor to show up from who knows where!

Dawnpaw let out a sigh and laid down, resting her head on her paws. She cast her gaze around the clearing, her tail still flicking irritably. Too bad there were no queens or kits in the nursery. She could go over and play with the kits. Dawnpaw rolled over onto her back, exposing her soft belly fur. She gazed up at the partly clouded sky. The sun still hadn't reached its zenith yet but at least she could spend her time cloud watching.

"Dawnpaw, how are you?"

Dawnpaw rolled back onto her belly and blinked. She sat up and met Fawnwing's gaze and dipped her head respectfully. "I'm good, Fawnwing. How are you?"

"Alright, I suppose." The she-cat responded as she glanced over at the elder's den. "Cloudeye seemed to have taken a bit of a chill overnight. Dapplespots and Antpaw don't think it's anything serious, but he's being monitored closely." The tip of her tail twitched before the elder switched her pale blue eyes back to Dawnpaw. "How are you?"

Dawnpaw blinked, hardly registering the question for a few moments. "I'm…fine," she meowed, glancing over at the elders' den. She hadn't known that Cloudeye was so sick. After all, he hadn't emerged from the elders' den and it explained why Dapplespots and Antpaw were drying herbs and sorting herbs and talking quietly to each other. A frown pulled at her muzzle as guilt flashed thorough her, but she met Fawnwing's gaze anyway.

Fawnwing nodded slightly and slowly sat down, curling her tail around her paws. The tip was tinged with gray and her muzzle was lightly flecked with gray fur. "How's training?"

Dawnpaw shrugged slightly, letting her gaze roam around the camp again, looking for a familiar flame-colored pelt. "Alright, I suppose. Flameclaw is supposed to take me out training, but I don't know when. Spiderpaw told me I have to sit here until he comes to fetch me."

Fawnwing tilted her head slightly, letting out a small hum. She stiffly got to her paws and turned towards the warriors' den. She didn't take another step, just simply watched the entrance. It wasn't long before the ferns quivered and Fawnwing let out a quick meow. "Snakefang!"

The ginger she-cat paused, one paw raised and looked over, ears pricked. Fawnwing flicked her tail, beckoning the warrior over, ever so slightly tilting her head towards Dawnpaw. Snakefang seemed to consider before she padded over, glancing at Dawnpaw curiously before looking at Fawnwing. "Is there a problem?" she asked, her tone crisp and business-like.

Fawnwing shook her head. "No," she meowed. "But do you know where Flameclaw is? He's supposed to take Dawnpaw training."

"Was he on a patrol by any chance?" Dawnpaw asked, wondering if he was on his way back.

"No," Snakefang responded. "And Moonstripe put him on the dusk patrol. Why he isn't here now, I haven't the slightest idea."

"Oh," Dawnpaw meowed quietly, looking at her paws. She raised her voice and looked at Snakefang. "Thanks anyway."

"No problem!" Snakefang responded cheerfully as she padded over to the fresh-kill pile, where Moonstripe padded over to meet her. The two touched noses briefly before moving off with a small bird.

Fawnwing turned back to Dawnpaw. "Well, why don't you head out and look for him then? He's obviously not in the camp."

Dawnpaw let out a sigh, figuring there was not much to lose in doing that. "Alright," she meowed. "I'll go and find him."

Fawnwing gave her a small nod before heading over to the elders' den, flicking her tail in greeting as she settled down beside Badgerflame.

Dawnpaw got to her paws and headed over to the entrance, soon slipping through the brambles. She paused outside the camp and looked around, trying to peer into the shadowy depths of the forest, wondering which way Flameclaw would've taken. Figuring that using the well-worn paths of the Clan would be best, Dawnpaw set off towards the lake. It was pretty and she liked watching the water ripple along the shore-line as the sun sparkled off the water.

She didn't have to go very far when her ears pricked at the sound of rushing paw steps. She stopped and stepped to the side as Raccoonpelt burst out of the trees. When he saw her, he slowed down, panting heavily with glazed amber eyes.

"What's wrong?" Dawnpaw asked, tilting her head slightly.

"Nothing," Raccoonpelt responded once he had caught his breath. "I've come to fetch you. Flameclaw wants you to meet him in the clearing by the lake. The one tinged with boulders."

Dawnpaw frowned, nose wrinkling in distaste. She hated that place. It had so many corners and reminded her of her kittypet life. "Why should I?" she challenged.

Raccoonpelt shrugged slightly. "I'm only following a senior's orders," he responded lightly. He padded away, flicking his tail in farewell. "Whether or not you go, doesn't matter to me. Though, I'm sure that your full name does."

Dawnpaw stiffened slightly and felt her pelt beginning to bristle. She curled her lips back slightly to reveal a hint of her sharp teeth. She wondered when she will ever be truly accepted into ShadowClan as she glared at the silver tabby tom. "I will be a great ShadowClan warrior!"

Raccoonpelt just twitched his whiskers. "Ok, pinecone," he meowed with a twinkle in his amber eyes. A lazy and goofy smile appeared on his muzzle. "Let me know when you stop looking like a cloud and see Flameclaw." His tone quickly turned serious and he half turned away. "Besides, a great warrior needs training." Then he padded away, his tail flicking contently behind him as he left Dawnpaw alone.

Dawnpaw blinked and turned away, forcing her bristling fur to flatten as she made her way over to the lake. She knew the clearing that Raccoonpelt had indicated and had accidentally wondered in there a few times only to bolt straight back out. Her tail twitched slightly as she paused and looked around, suddenly feeling alert. She was close to the clearing now, but something didn't seem quite right.

She slowed down and began to approach the clearing more cautiously, pausing to sniff the air and look around at her surroundings. She paused at the entrance to the clearing and sniffed the air, eyes narrowing when she didn't scent her mentor. Dawnpaw entered the clearing and looked around, wondering where Flameclaw could be. It wasn't like him to tell her to meet here and to just disappear. What's going on?

Dawnpaw didn't have time to dwell on the thought when a sudden weight landed on her back, squashing her to the ground. She couldn't see the intruder as she struggled to free herself from the blows being landed on her back. She twisted around and slapped a claw across the cat's muzzle, causing her attacker to stumble back in surprise. Dawnpaw leaped forward and pinned the attacker to the ground, not giving him a chance to recover or escape as she bared her teeth at him. "What are you doing on ShadowClan territory?" she demanded as she glared down at the seemingly black cat with amber eyes.

The cat didn't fight back to her surprise. Instead,backwards he wheezed and let out a cough before replying. "You fought well."

Dawnpaw froze and released the cat, taking a step backward, eyes narrowing with distrust. "What do you mean?"

The cat sat up and shook his pelt, shaking off clumps of dirt, mud, and dust from his fur. Underneath the seemingly black fur was a bright ginger tabby coat and the familiar amber gaze of Flameclaw. Dawnpaw looked at her paws and sheathed them, ashamed that she had given her mentor a few cuts. "Sorry," she mumbled out.

"It's ok," Flameclaw reassured her. "It was the reaction I was hoping for."

Dawnpaw pricked her ears in surprise. "Really?"

Flameclaw nodded in confirmation. "Really, besides you just need to get your blood flowing." He smiled slightly and leaped at her without warning.

Dawnpaw widened her eyes in surprise and immediately ducked out of the way, her tail flicking and her ears flattening. Flameclaw whirled around and stalked towards her, looking threating and she backed up, freezing with fear when she felt a boulder at her back. She was trapped and by the look in her mentor's eyes, he planned this.

Flameclaw swiped sheathed paws at her face, battering her muzzle and ears with well-timed strikes. Dawnpaw ducked but Flameclaw soon found a way to batter her shoulders and back just by shifting his position ever so slightly. Flameclaw let out a small growl. "Don't just stand there, frozen. Fight!"

Dawnpaw just gazed at him fearfully, unable to run to escape and unable to fight. Her legs wouldn't move, her brain wouldn't work, and she was just waiting for the inevitable. Her scars twitched with pain as she remembered her kittypet days. Though Flameclaw landed a heavy blow to the side of her head, making her shake her head in surprise, the thoughts quickly dissipating. She glared at Flameclaw, a small snarl appearing on her face. His blows were getting harder and he was shifting his position often so she couldn't hide from his strikes by crouching and looking submissive. She was getting tired of this and her pelt bristled as she straightened up and begin to duck each blow.

Dawnpaw narrowed her eyes, looking for an opening as her mentor continued to rain blows down on her. She reared up on her hind legs and swiped sheathed paws at his ears and as she fell to all fours, she landed a few on his muzzle. Her ears flattened and she began to match his blows, blow for blow. Dawnpaw darted her gaze around, looking for an opening to change the outcome and when Flameclaw ducked to keep his ears from being battered by her paws, she crouched and leaped, sailing over him. Quick as she could, she whirled around and hooked his paws out from underneath him, a satisfied smile crossing her features.

Now Flameclaw was the one trapped between her and the rock. Yet, he didn't look afraid, he looked pleased. Then he leaped forward and bowled her over, quickly pinning her to the ground and panting slightly. A pleased look gleamed in his amber eyes and he flicked his tail in satisfaction. "Finally!" he breathed out as he let Dawnpaw up. "We conquered your fear."

Dawnpaw blinked as she got to her paws and shook out her fur. "What do you mean?" she asked. "I just got tired of you raining blow after blow."

Flameclaw let out a laugh. "Tired enough to get over your fear and actually fight like a warrior."

Dawnpaw's eyes widened as she thought back to the moment and she couldn't help but purr. She had done it! How long it would last, she didn't know, but she did know that she was on her way to finally becoming a warrior.

Then what Flameclaw said next, made her purr even louder. "I think you're ready to face the other three Clans at the Gathering tomorrow night."

She bounced from paw to paw, her tail and whiskers quivering with excitement. "I can't wait!" she managed to say, happy to finally be allowed to go to a Gathering. After all, that was one of the perks of Clan life and she had heard the other cats speak about it often. She had a missed a few when she was first a guest a Clan and then when she was just starting her training. Dawnpaw bounded off in the direction of the camp, her tail held straight off in the air. She didn't mind if she left Flameclaw behind, besides training was over and she knew Flameclaw will follow.

Right now, she couldn't wait to get back to camp and scout out Shadepelt or one of her fellow apprentices. Perhaps Antpaw will have the time for a chat! After all, Dawnpaw was excited and she needed to let it out somehow. For some reason, she knew that her new clanmates will listen and continue to help her learn about the customs of the wild.

Never before have Dawnpaw felt so free, both in body and soul. She now considered herself a true Clan cat and her kittypet days will soon become a distant memory. In her mind, she knew that the adventure was only just beginning and who knows where her life will lead from here?