Okay, I skipped some time here!

Remember, I have a new poll up! Please go check it out! And does everyone know my penname changed to Lightstreak59?

Chapter 7

Dewpaw yawned and curled up in her nest, tucking her paws under her chest. "Those was some nice battle moves out there, Lightpaw." Earlier in the day, she and Lightpaw had gone battle training.

Lightpaw purred. "Thanks. It was pretty fun, and you were good, too."

"Thanks," Dewpaw replied. Then she glanced up at Cloverpaw and Cloudpaw. "What did you two do today?"

Cloverpaw shrugged. "Just some hunting, and a border patrol." She made a face and added, "Then Smokestar made me clean out the nursery and elders den."

Cloudpaw purred. "Ha! I went on a border patrol, then went hunting. After that, I went with Frostpaw to collect herbs." His eyes brightened at the mention of the white she-cat.

Dewpaw noticed, and purred softly to herself. I think he likes Frostpaw. But I'm sure he'll grow out of it soon, he should know that medicine cats can't have mates.

"Oh, tomorrow is the Gathering!" Lightpaw announced.

"I almost forgot!" Dewpaw meowed. "I hope I get to go."

"I'm sure you will," Cloudpaw assured. "Maybe Smokestar will let all of us go again, this time."

Cloverpaw purred. "I've been doing well in training, so I hope I can go."

Dewpaw rolled her eyes. She thinks she's so great! "Well, I'm tired. Good night."

"Good night," the other apprentices chorused.

~oOoOoOoOoOo~

Dewpaw stepped lightly on her paws, trying to keep her haunches down. Keeping her tail stiff and straight out behind her, she took a step forward, her whiskers twitching with anticipation. Behind her, she could sense eyes watching her. She had come out to hunt with her mentor Hazelstep, Cloverpaw, and Smokestar. Watch this, Smokestar, and please let me go to the Gathering! she pleaded silently as she gathered her feet underneath her and prepared to leap.

Suddenly, the mouse she was hunting rose, standing straight up, then began to scurry away. With a hiss, Dewpaw raced after it, her paws scrabbling on the ground, kicking up dirt. She grasped the mouse in her claws, then bit its neck quickly. She held it up proudly and carried it back to where the other three cats waited.

"Great job," Hazelstep purred. Her eyes were shining proudly.

Dewpaw glanced at Smokestar, who nodded approvingly. "Well done. Nice catch."

Dewpaw murmured a shy thank you and glanced at her sister. Cloverpaw nodded encouragingly, but there was a competitive gleam in her eyes. Dewpaw returned the look, silently saying, Let's see who catches the most fresh-kill!

Cloverpaw gave a tiny nod, then turned to Smokestar. "Let's go to another hunting ground."

Smokestar nodded and turned to Hazelstep. "Where should we go next?"

Hazelstep shrugged. "The Sky Oak? Or we can hunt by the stream."

Smokestar nodded. "The Sky Oak."

Before the smoky-grey tom could utter another word, Cloverpaw jumped up to her paws and mewed, "Can I lead the way?" Without waiting for an answer, she hurtled past them, beckoning with her tail for them to follow.

Hazelstep purred good-naturedly and got up to follow. So did Smokestar. Dewpaw raced to catch up with her sister. She wouldn't let Cloverpaw best her this time!

Dewpaw was right behind her sister when the thick branches of the Sky Oak came into view. She slowed to a stop and dropped to a hunter's crouch, keeping her senses open. A smell filled the air, and she thought, Vole. She spied it, hidden partly under some leaves, and began to creep toward it. When she was close enough, she leaped and snagged the creature with her claws. By now, Smokestar and Hazelstep had caught up, and watched her return with the vole.

Hazelstep nodded, purring, then went to hunt a squirrel nearby. As Dewpaw stepped forward to bury the fresh-kill, Smokestar approached her, his tail swishing.

"Good catch," he mewed.

"Thank you," Dewpaw purred, flicking her tail nervously.

Smokestar looked down at her with a thoughtful expression on his face, then mewed, "You will go to the Gathering tonight, Dewpaw. You've proved yourself an efficient hunter, and Hazelstep tells me that your training is going along very well."

Dewpaw purred. "Really? Thank you, Smokestar!" Then, surprised at her own outburst, she flattened her ears and muttered, "Sorry."

Smokestar purred and gave the apprentice a lick on the forehead.

Dewpaw looked up at him, surprised at his show of affection.

Smokestar purred again. "Feathercloud was my second apprentice," he explained. "My previous never even lived to be eight moons old. She made me very proud, and I'm fond of her kits, no matter what their---" he stopped short, hesitating, then mewed, "I'm very fond of her kits."

Dewpaw dipped her head respectfully. By then, Cloverpaw had caught something, and was rushing back with a thrush.

"Look, Smokestar! I caught a thrush!" Cloverpaw exclaimed. "I've never caught a thrush before!"

"Good job," Smokestar mewed. "You may attend the Gathering with Dewpaw tonight."

Cloverpaw's eyes shone proudly, but she glanced at Dewpaw as if to say, You got invited to the Gathering before me? That's not cool!

Dewpaw purred smugly. "Yeah, Cloverpaw, isn't that great?"

Cloverpaw nodded. "Yeah, sure." She flicked her tail and padded away, her ears twitching.

Dewpaw purred inwardly. I finally beat you at something, Cloverpaw! Hah!

Smokestar stood up. "I think I smell squirrel. I'll be right back." He stalked off into a thicket, and soon out of sight.

Dewpaw watched him leave and sniffed the air. She distinguished the smell of another mouse and dropped into a hunter's crouch. Making sure she stayed downwind of it, she crept toward the creature. Soon, its brown pelt came into view, and she leapt. Before her claws could reach the mouse, though, a yowl rang across the forestland. Dewpaw jumped and looked around, alert and stiff. The mouse had already scurried away.

After a moment or so, she raced toward the spot where she had last seen Smokestar. He wasn't there.

"Hazelstep?" she called softly. There was no reply. "Hazelstep!" she yowled.

She heard a faint reply and headed toward the voice. It was Cloverpaw, with a huge rabbit in her jaws. Her eyes were gleaming, but Dewpaw hissed.

"Cloverpaw, what was that noise?" Dewpaw demanded.

Before Cloverpaw could answer, Hazelstep and Smokestar rushed over, both worried. "What happened?"

Cloverpaw shrugged. "Look, I caught this huge rabbit! I think it was chased by a WindClan cat and ran over the border!"

Smokestar sighed. "Good job, but why did you yowl like that?"

Cloverpaw shrugged innocently. "I don't know. It was hard to catch this big lump, you know."

Hazelstep rolled her eyes. "Well, we can't hunt around here anymore. You scared away all the prey!"

"I almost caught a mouse, but you scared it away!" Dewpaw pouted, her tail lashing. She could bet that Cloverpaw had done this on purpose.

"That's right," Smokestar mewed. "I taught you never to do that. And you cost the Clan some fresh-kill," he added sternly. "Perhaps I was wrong in deciding to let you go to the Gathering."

Cloverpaw, who had looked so victorious a moment ago, cringed, her ears flattening and her tail slipping between her legs. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, Smokestar!"

The smoky-grey tom sighed. "Don't do it next time." He turned away from the black-furred apprentice and meowed, "Come on, let's go to hunt by the stream."

Dewpaw flashed her sister a sympathetic glance. For the privilege of attending the Gathering to be taken away was humiliating. But Cloverpaw only narrowed her eyes and looked the other way.

Dewpaw shrugged to herself and plodded on behind Hazelstep. Her ears perked when she heard the soft, rippling noises of the stream. They entered a small clearing of tall grass, where the stream ran straight through. On the other side, of course, was RiverClan territory. She sniffed the air, searching for prey. Carefully stalking through the grass, she managed to sniff out a squirrel. She leapt and snagged the ginger animal in her claws. After burying if swiftly, she looked around. Hazelstep had caught a finch, Smokestar had caught a mouse. Cloverpaw was still looking for prey.

Dewpaw had managed to catch a sparrow when Hazelstep suggested that they return to camp.

"Yes, let's go," Smokestar said. "We'll pick up the fresh-kill from the Sky Oak on the way."

Dewpaw dug up her sparrow and squirrel and grasped them firmly in her jaws. The other three cats did the same, and they slowly padded back toward camp.

~oOoOoOoOoOo~

"You did great, Dewpaw," Hazelstep purred. "Go and get some rest, and you're going to the Gathering tonight." She gave Dewpaw a gentle lick on the ear.

Dewpaw ducked her head, feeling her ear-tips grow warm. "Thank you," she replied shyly.

Hazelstep nodded and padded over to Berrytail, her brother, and began talking to him excitedly.

Dewpaw ate a small mouse, then padded into the apprentices den, yawning. Looking around, she realized that no one else was there. She curled up in her nest, tucking her paws beneath her chest, and closed her eyes.

It seems only seconds had passed when Cloverpaw excitedly prodded Dewpaw awake.

Dewpaw blinked sleepily, then purred. "Right, the Gathering," she mumbled. "Who else is coming?"

"Frostpaw is the only other apprentice coming," Cloverpaw announced. "Smokestar, Ashenfur, Mosspelt, Shadowclaw, Whitepelt, Berrytail, Leafdapple, Snowstorm, Forestlily, and Thistlefang are coming."

Dewpaw rose to her little black paws, yawning and shaking her fur. When she was fully awake, she bounced, excitedly, out of the den. Cloudpaw was nowhere to be seen, but without a doubt, he'd be jealous, or at least a little mad. Lightpaw was whispering with Frostpaw, and Smokestar was talking to Ashenfur, a serious expression on his face. Dewpaw spotted Mosspelt and Snowstorm conversing quietly.

"This is our second Gathering!" Cloverpaw mewled.

Dewpaw nodded. "I can't believe Smokestar let us go twice in a row!"

Cloverpaw got the same cocky look in her green eyes. "Well, I deserved it, you know, catching that huge hare!"

Dewpaw rolled her eyes. Yeah, sure. "Well, I can't wait!"

Cloverpaw purred and flicked her tail. Then she glanced impatiently at Smokestar. "When are we leaving?" she hissed.

Dewpaw looked up and saw Ashenfur nodding. Smokestar flicked his tail, then turned to the other ThunderClan cats. "I think we'll be leaving soon!"

I know, not really a cliffy. But I wanted to get this up! It's much shorter than the previous chapters. Please review!