As Squirrelpaw and Hazelpaw entered Goldenwing's den, supporting Reedfur between them, Goldenwing turned around, startled.
"Oh!" she gasped. "Here, lay him down in this nest. Silverpaw, get some moss, cobwebs, and some marigold please."
Her silver tabby apprentice hurried towards their stores, while Goldenwing turned back to Reedfur.
"You may want to report this to Meadowstar," she mewed as she began to treat Reedfur.
"I'll go tell Mosswing," Hazelpaw announced. Squirrelpaw glared after her sister as she disappeared out of the medicine cat's den.
Goldenwing looked at Squirrelpaw. "So then you can tell Meadowstar?" she inquired, looking at Squirrelpaw with her green eyes.
"Alright," Squirrelpaw mewed. "But of course Hazelpaw gets the easy job of telling Reedfur's mate." Before Goldenwing could reply, Squirrelpaw stomped out of the medicine cat's den, causing the ferns surrounding it to rustle. She headed over towards Meadowstar's den, and climbed up the rocky path leading into it. She paused for a minute, then entered the den.
"What worries me is that the Twolegs are-" Morningclaw froze and stopped speaking as Squirrelpaw padded in.
Looking at Meadowstar's and Morningclaw's expressions, Squirrelpaw realized that she had interrupted an important discussion. "Oh, um, sorry." She muttered. "But I needed to tell you that a fox attacked me and Reedfur while we were out hunting. Falconflight chased it into Forestclan's territory."
Meadowstar's eyes flared when she heard about the fox on their territory, while Morningclaw's tail lashed back and forth.
"Foxes don't usually attack cats, unless they're really hungry…" Morningclaw muttered.
"Thank you Squirrelpaw," Meadowstar mewed to Squirrelpaw. "You may get something to eat, and then you can rest."
"Yes, thank you Meadowstar." Squirrelpaw dipped her head, then turned and headed out of the den. She headed towards the fresh-kill pile, and picked up a mouse from the top of the pile, then padded towards the apprentices den. She walked in through the entrance, and stopped, startled to find her sister sitting in her nest, looking worried.
"Hey Hazelpaw, do you want to share this mouse with me?" Squirrelpaw could barely talk with the mouse in her jaws. She dropped it at her paws so she could speak more clearly.
"What? Oh sure, thanks Squirrelpaw." Hazelpaw replied distractedly.
Squirrelpaw pushed the mouse towards her sister, watching her with a curious look. After Hazelpaw had eaten half of the mouse, Squirrelpaw finished it. She paused once she was done eating, then glanced around the mossy den nervously.
"Hazelpaw? Are you okay? You've been acting really strange today." Squirrelpaw questioned with an anxious look.
Hazelpaw just stared at her sister before replying "I'm fine." But her eyes showed that something was bothering her. Quickly changing the subject, she mewe, "When do you think Meadowstar will make us warriors? We've been training longer than Gingerpaw and Leopardpaw, so it should be soon."
Squirrelpaw stared at her sister with narrowed eyes. Hazelpaw never kept secrets, and it was obvious that she was lying right now. Not letting on to her suspicions, she replied casually, "Well, hopefully soon, especially because DesertClan needs more warriors, especially after today with the fox."
Hazelpaw nodded, "Yes, I suppose you're right."
"Okay, Hazelpaw, just tell me! I know you're keeping something important from me!" Squirrelpaw leapt to her paws, lashing her tail angrily. "First you tell our mentors about me sleeping bad, you barely talk to me, and now you're lying to me! I thought we trusted each other!"
Hazelpaw flinched, her tabby fur starting to bristle at her sister's angry outburst. "Please Squirrelpaw! Don't make so much noise." She looked at Squirrelpaw desperately, her amber eyes showing how desperate she was.
Squirrelpaw instantly felt guilty about making her sister feel so bad. "I'm sorry Hazelpaw, it's just that I'm worried about you."
"Well, I guess I should tell you now." Hazelpaw looked at her paws before continuing. "I think I'm expecting Sandpaw's kits."
Squirrelpaw stared at her sister in shock. "What?"
"You heard me," Hazelpaw snapped angrily. "Now do you see why I want our warrior ceremony to be soon?"
"Does Sandpaw know?" Squirrelpaw mewed quietly. It was a little bit of a shock, but every cat in DesertClan could see that Sandpaw and Hazelpaw were good friends.
Hazelpaw sighed. "No, I don't think so. I haven't told him yet. But Snowcrystal's and Nightflower's kits should be apprentices soon, so that means our warrior ceremony will be before that."
Before Squirrelpaw could reply, another cat popped its head into the den. Both apprentices recognized Sandpaw's light brown head.
"Hey Squirrelpaw and Hazelpaw! We're going to have an assessment today!" he announced excitedly. Before either sister could speak, he continued. "I know it's so soon after the fox attack, but Meadowstar just spoke to Reedfur, and they think you're ready to become a warrior. And so does Falconflight. And since Reedfur will be in Goldenleaf's den for a while, it doesn't make sense to postpone your training. Or at least that's what Brightpool told me after she spoke with Meadowstar."
"Okay, thanks Sandpaw. Tell Brightpool we'll be right out." Squirrelpaw mewed looking at her sister, who was staring at Sandpaw.
As Sandpaw left the den, she turned to her sister. "I guess it's your lucky day today! Or maybe StarClan pities you," she mewed jokingly.
Hazelpaw playfully cuffed her sister over the ears. Come on, we don't want to keep them waiting." Then together they padded out of the apprentice's den.