The camp was quiet. Leafkit and Sparrowkit had somehow been settled down by Rockwind and were sleeping in the nursery. Appleflight, belly now swollen with kits, was sitting outside the nursery speaking with Yarrowpelt. Willownose was out gathering herbs while Birdpaw was sorting through the fresh herbs and tossing the old ones outside every few heartbeats. Redstar was speaking on highledge with Raventail and Featherleg. Warriors that were not on patrol were out of their dens sharing tongues.
Badgerpaw was sitting with the other apprentices. Palepaw, Harepaw, Berrypaw, and Thistlepaw as well as she had all training for the day, and they were sitting talking quietly.
Badgerpaw sneezed quite suddenly at a slight tickle to her nose. She shook her head and looked up. Small white specks were drifting slowly from the sky, twirling idly until they touched the cold ground.
"Snow," she mewed quietly, then a little louder, "It's snowing!"
The other apprentices looked up.
"I don't remember the last time I saw snow," Harepaw meowed, his voice filled with kit-like wonder. "It may make it harder to hunt, but StarClan, it looks beautiful!"
Berrypaw nodded. "You can say that again!"
Thistlepaw's brow furrowed. "I don't see what's so cool about it. There's hardly anything."
Badgerpaw joined Palepaw in a murmur of agreement.
"But it piles up," Berrypaw explained. "And then there's these huge hills of it that you can run through, but it makes your paws really cold." Her eyes were bright. "I remember Whiteflower used to get so frustrated with us! We were shivering and covered in ice, but we always had so much fun."
Harepaw nodded. "She used to curl close around us and scold us for tracking it into the nursery," he added.
Palepaw sat up and batted at one of the flakes as it fell. "They're so light," she meowed. "How can they form piles when they melt in my paw?"
Berrypaw shrugged. "Does it matter?"
"I guess not," Palepaw mewed, sitting back down.
"Amberbreeze told me that the whole lake will freeze over in leafbare!" Harepaw meowed. "It gets so solid that you can walk on it."
Thistlepaw scoffed. "No way! You made that up." Her mew had a hint of curiosity hidden behind the disbelief. "The whole lake? Impossible."
"Well, I haven't seen it, obviously," Harepaw meowed, "but I bet it will freeze soon. If it does, you owe me a mouse."
Thistlepaw rolled her eyes. "And I get one if it doesn't freeze."
"You're on!" Harepaw purred.
"You two are so immature," Palepaw grumbled.
Badgerpaw nudged the other apprentice. "Oh, lighten up," she purred. "They're having a bit of fun, is all. No need to be a grump."
Palepaw shrugged. "It's just that I don't see why we're all being so cheerful," she mewed. "It's leafbare, and it's snowing, which means there won't be much prey or herbs. Birdpaw says that lots of cats catch greencough this time of year, and the situation with WindClan has yet to be resolved." Palepaw shook her head. "We shouldn't be acting like kits right now."
"We have every right to be cheerful," Berrypaw mewed, and Badgerpaw's ears twitched at the sharpness of her voice. "It's been ages since Harepaw and I saw snow, and it's the first time for Badgerpaw and Thistlepaw- and you too, I believe. There will be new kits in the Clan soon, thanks to Appleflight, and chances are that ThunderClan will end up beating out WindClan in this whole skirmish, since ShadowClan's on our side." The tortoiseshell rolled her eyes. "You may be the voice of reason, but sometimes you need to lighten up a bit."
Palepaw opened and closed her mouth, but didn't speak. Badgerpaw couldn't help but feel impressed- Berrypaw had spoken very matter-of-factly and it seemed to shut Palepaw up.
But now the apprentices were left with an uncomfortable silence, until Harepaw batted a ball of moss in front of all of them, and the all began a game of moss ball, purring like kits- even Palepaw.
Badgerpaw shot the plant into the air with a flick of her paw, and Thistlepaw batted it to the side. Harepaw and Berrypaw scrambled after it, and began rolling around each other in a fight for it. Palepaw got to it before either of them and swiped it back towards Badgerpaw, who let out a happy purr as she launched herself onto it.
Suddenly, a pair of brown pass had pushed hers aside and Birdpaw's head ducked down to grab the wad of mouse, and she trotted off with it, looking over her shoulder to Badgerpaw with a teasing gaze.
"Birdpaw!" Badgerpaw cried. "No fair!"
"Alright, Birdpaw!" Berrypaw cheered.
"I've got it!" Thistlepaw shouted, racing after the brown tabby and knocking into her. Birdpaw fell on her side, dropping the moss ball. Palepaw grabbed it and ran back towards Badgerpaw, pride in her eyes.
"Good job, Palepaw!" Badgerpaw purred.
"It was easy," Palepaw mewed. "Thistlepaw knocked her over for me."
Badgerpaw saw Thistlepaw and Birdpaw doubled over laughing, their fur brushing together, and she felt an unexpected pang of jealousy. Seeing her sister and Birdpaw that close made her belly churn, as though she was worried one would replace her with the other, despite her knowing that it was ridiculous.
"Guys, come back over here!" Badgerpaw called. "Let's do something else."
Birdpaw and Thistlepaw stood, but still looked breathless from laughing.
"Alright," her sister mewed. "Like what?"
Harepaw and Berrypaw came trotting back over, too.
"Well, I dunno," Badgerpaw meowed, feeling a bit embarrassed. She had only called the cats over to seperate Birdpaw and Thistlepaw, and now she had no idea what. "I was thinking, since we finished our game, that we should move on or something."
"Ooh!" Berrypaw mewed. "Let's ask each other questions, and then we have to answer honestly."
"Okay!" Harepaw meowed. "Me first. What's the easiest catch you ever missed? I missed a mouse that literally scurried right by me."
Badgerpaw purred in amusement. She was relieved that someone else had suggested a game. "I missed a bird even after I had grabbed a hold of one of its wings," she admitted.
"A vole ran right between my legs," Berrypaw laughed. "I honestly don't know how I missed it."
Thistlepaw scuffed her paws. "Well, I had a mouse in my jaws, but before I bit down, it wiggled out and ran away."
The group burst out laughing. "How'd you even do that?" Harepaw choked.
Thistlepaw shrugged. "I don't know," she admitted. "C'mon, stop laughing at me. It's Palepaw and Birdpaw's turns to answer."
"Well, I've only made about three catches," Birdpaw admitted, "seeing as that's not my main focus. Palepaw?" She turned to her sister.
"I chased a mouse right across the ShadowClan border," the tabby meowed. "I didn't follow it, but I had nearly caught up with it."
"Okay, I'll ask now!" Berrypaw meowed. "What do you really think of your mentors?"
The apprentices went through several more questions before it was Palepaw's turn to ask.
"Do you like anyone?" the tabby asked, looking around at the circle. "And if so, who? I don't like anyone."
Badgerpaw groaned inwardly before she even thought about it. Did she even like anyone?
"I like Mottleheart," Harepaw mewed quietly. "Not a lot, I just think she's really kind, y'know?"
"I don't really," Thistlepaw mewed. "Wish I did."
"You want to like someone?" Badgerpaw asked, a bit confused. "But it's such a hassle!"
"Well who do you like?" Thistlepaw asked.
"I don't like anyone," Badgerpaw responded quickly. "I just meant that it seems way too complicated!"
"Alright then," Thistlepaw mewed. "Birdpaw?"
The brown tabby's eyes darted over to Badgerpaw for an instant before saying, "I'm not aloud to."
"That just leaves you, Berrypaw," Palepaw meowed. "Who do you like?"
"I don't- I mean, well, I-" Berrypaw looked incredibly flustered. "It's just well, I don't know, maybe, but-"
"C'mon, just spit it out!" Harepaw meowed. "I did, it's not that hard!"
"Well, um, I, can't say-" Berrypaw started.
Suddenly, Quickstorm's yowl broke across the camp. "WindClan has crossed the border!" the tom cried.
All of the apprentices turned their gazes to the gray warrior. His pelt had scratches cut across it and his fur was ruffled. His eyes were wide, and Badgerpaw could tell that the storm had finally, truly broke.
