"Silence!" Hawkstar's yowl broke the crowd. 'Oh, thank goodness. I don't know how much more Flea could take of that,' Honeypaw thought. The crowd dispersed besides three cats: Ivypaw, Blossompaw, and Silverpaw. Silverpaw sat to Honeypaw's left and Blossompaw quickly sat next to Rye, shielding him from the nosy Ivypaw. "Turtlefoot has told me that Honeypaw has brought a rogue to our territory…the rogue that has been stealing all our prey." His amber eyes drank Rye in, then flickered to Honeypaw, who forced herself not go shy away. "Yeah, that's right," Rye declared, stepping forward bravely. "I'm Rye, the rogue that 'has been stealing your prey'. Sorry, I had no idea it belonged to you." Honeypaw noticed him bite back a growl before continuing. "Bu- Honeypaw over here - " He flicked his tail to the pale ginger she-cat. She avoided Hawkstar's amber eyes and pawed at the grass. "was collecting some herbs or whatever when I got in her way. A dog chased us up a tree and we had to stay there for a while. I hurt my paw and, well, now we're here." Rye looked around defiantly, then stared back at Hawkstar.
Hawkstar flicked his tail, raised his head high, and glared at both Honeypaw and Rye. "We will heal you," he said at length. Relief flooded through Honeypaw and she realized just how nervous she'd been. "BUT," he added sternly, " you are severely in our debt. You will join the clan and hunt and fight for it." Rye opened his mouth to argue, but Honeypaw quickly stepped in. "Please," she begged quietly. Rye looked at the tiny apprentice, then nodded. "I accept." Hawkstar narrowed his yellow eyes and flicked his dark brown tail. "Very well. You shall be known as Fernpaw from now until you're a warrior. Fuzzywhiskers will mentor you." Fuzzywhiskers jumped in surprise at the mention of her name. Fernpaw flinched as she padded over to him and braced himself up to run away, but Honeypaw carefully pressed against him.
"Hold still, will you?" Honeypaw growled impatiently. Fernpaw kept fidgeting restlessly, flicking his black tail on her face. "Fernpaw!" Honeypaw yelled, "It won't get-" his tail tickled her nose and she broke into giggles. Cloudfrost cleared her throat and narrowed her amber eyes at them from where she sat in a corner, sorting herbs. Honeypaw quickly returned to her work, her face scrunched up with concentration. Fernpaw had already licked his paw clean of blood, and Honeypaw had already applied the poultice. She applied the cobwebs, then smiled in triumph. Fernpaw opened his mouth to say something, but Ivypaw burst into the medicine den. "Fernpaw!" She gasped, her dark green eyes gleaming. The brown apprentice rushed forward to the black tom, nearly knocking Honeypaw over. Fernpaw looked at her and Honeypaw flicked him with her tail for reassurance. "Remember me?" Ivypaw purred, "I didn't get to tell you my name! I'm Ivypaw and I'm wayyy more interesting than Honeypaw." She frowned at Honeypaw as Fernpaw shifted uncomfortably. "Hey, I don't think that's-" he was interrupted by Marshwhisker's yowl. "Ivypaw, c'mon!" The tall brown apprentice dashed after her mentor and turned back to smile at Fernpaw. Honeypaw barely had a moment to laugh at her strange antics, but Fuzzywhiskers should shyly padded into the den. "Hello," the soft gray tabby she-cat greeted. She dipped her head and looked around for Cloudfrost, who had resorted to napping. Honeypaw smiled my expectantly in the awkward few moments that passed. "So!'' Fuzzywhiskers finally said, her voice breaking. "Is Fernpaw okay for training?" Honeypaw thought for a moment, then turned to Cloudfrost in doubt. Her mentor pretended to be asleep, but kept one fluffy white ear up to hear. Honeypaw nodded unconfidently. "I think he can try short distances, but not too much. Go slowly when walking and stay close to camp just in case." She turned to Fernpaw, a playful fire glittering in her green eyes as she threatened: "But tell her IMMEDIATELY if anything bothers you. If I find out you didn't - and, mark my words, I will - I will personally claw your face off and hang it above the herb store, you flea-ridden no good rodent!" The friends both laughed and Honeypaw swore to herself that she saw Fernpaw look back at her before they disappeared through the exit.
Honeypaw spent a while in the medicine den, sorting herbs while Cloudfrost and Hibiscuspaw slept. Honeypaw smiled to herself as she curled in her own nest to finally get rest. "Psst!" A voice whispered. It sounded both eerie and hypnotizing. Honeypaw shot up, her green eyes wide with confusion and alarm. "Honeypaw." Now there were several whispers. She tilted her head and stared at nothingness. She was no longer in the medicine den, but, rather,a dark abyss. The small she-cat walked around in what seemed to be an endless circle for a bit, then growled with frustration. She dug her claws into the black floor, then gasped as she saw an opening beneath her. The darkness ripped around her like a scrap of paper to reveal blinding white, then she landed in a near-black pool of water. "Welcome, Honeypaw," an eerie voice greeted, sending a chill down Honeypaw's spine.
"Honeypaw!" Cloudfrost yelped. Honeypaw woke up to see her mentor standing over there, her yellow eyes wide with horror. Honeypaw shot up immediately. "Yes?" "Honeypaw, when you were asleep, did you- did you dream.. Like, at all?" Honeypaw hesitated, thinking it could be a prophecy. 'No, I should figure it out first, then tell her,' Honeypaw thought. She shook her head calmly at her mentor, who didn't seem convinced.