Author's Note: Thanks Panzeleche, I went back to edit the first chapter. Please R&R, I won't post next chapter until I have at least four reviews.
--Third Person Pov--
As the four apprentices entered the medicine cat's den, Yellowfang looked up from the herbs she was stocking and narrowed her eyes. "Were you mouse-brains fighting each other?" she asked, seeing the apprentices look shamefully to the ground she waved the question away and started sniffing their wounds. After she had inspected and put marigold poultice on all of the wounds she looked up at them and snapped, "Stop acting like scared mice, if you didn't want problems you should have never fought in the first place. Now go and face your punishment like warriors!"
"Yes, Yellowfang" The apprentices mewed as they filed out of the den, and went to sit in the High rock's base.
--Firepaw's Pov--
Firepaw looked around the camp; he could see that a couple of warriors were looking at them wondering what they were doing there. He glanced at the other apprentices, Graypaw was sniffing his tail where Dustpaw had bit him, Dustpaw was pawing the earth, Firepaw couldn't tell whether he was nervous or annoyed at sitting there doing nothing, Sandpaw was anxiously looking around the camp as well –probably looking for any signs of Whitestorm.
As if on cue, Whitestorm came out of the warrior's den and stretched. Firepaw heard Sandpaw muttering "Don't see us, don't see us. StarClan please don't let him see us" but her prayers weren't answered since Whitestorm spotted the apprentices and ran toward them.
"Sandpaw, what in StarClan happened?! Did you get attacked by another clan's patrol?" Whitestorm asked, his voice filled with worry. Sandpaw didn't answer though and just looked at her paws. Whitestorm urged Sandpaw "Well?" -Just tell him, it's better that you tell him than Bluestar.
"Go on,tell him." Bluestar's soft mew came from behind Whitestorm and everyone looked up at her, next to her was Lionheart. Firepaw saw Graypaw next to him stiffen a bit at the sight of his mentor. "Your mentors deserve to know, go on and tell them the full story" finished Bluestar.
Whitestorm looked from Bluestar and Lionheart to Sandpaw and the apprentices and a look of understanding came unto his face. He flicked his tail for Sandpaw to follow him and headed to the far end of camp; as he passed Bluestar, Firepaw heard his leader tell Whitestorm "Give no punishment, we must discuss this." The white warrior said nothing but nodded and kept going.
Bluestar watched as Whitestorm padded away, then looked back at the remaining apprentices. "Go to your mentors. Now." She commanded. Firepaw saw Dustpaw search the camp for Darkstripe and then padded over to him by the freshkill pile. "Follow me, Graypaw" mewed Lionheart who had been silent, Graypaw nodded.
He turned to Firepaw and whispered "Good luck!"
"You too!" Firepaw whispered back.
"Graypaw, go to your mentor." Bluestar mewed.
Graypaw flicked Fireheart's ear with his tail and ran toward his mentor. Unsure of what he was supposed to do, Firepaw stayed sitting and looked at his paws not wanting to meet Bluestar's eyes. I doubt that Graypaw thinks being her apprentice is the best thing that could happen to any cat now! Luckily the sun high patrol had just returned and Bluestar went to meet Runningwind and Mousefur.
After hearing the report and telling them something Firepaw couldn't hear she returned and stood about three mouse-lengths away from her him.
"Firepaw, you understand that what you did is against the warrior code?" Bluestar asked her apprentice.
"Yes Bluestar, I'm sorry…" Firepaw started.
"You've broken the warrior code twice in less than two moons" Bluestar cut him off. "You've been training for four moons, yet you're acting like a kit. This isn't acceptable behavior young Firepaw." She stared at him coldly. "You know you will be punished, and I won't be as lenient this time. Our need of warriors may be large, but not large enough to make apprentices who don't pay attention to the warrior code full warriors yet. " She warned. "Take fresh-kill to the elders then come back and wait with the others." She ordered
"Yes Bluestar" Firepaw bowed his head in respect and headed towards the fresh-kill pile. He could see the others were making their way back to the high rock. He was glad that he at least didn't have to explain the whole thing to Bluestar; he wouldn't have known what to say. He picked out a vole and three large mice to take to the elders; they were still warm, recently killed. One-eye was sharing tongues with Halftail and Smallear while Dappletail and Patchpelt were talking. "Hello young Firepaw, is that for us?" Halftail asked. Firepaw nodded, left the fresh-kill in front of them and turned to leave. "Don't want to hear a story today?" Halftail asked surprised.
"Sorry Halftail, I can't. I have to go wait with the others in the high rock's base" Firepaw mewed.
Halftail looked at the apprentices sitting in the high rock's base and understood. "Off you go then." He said.
--Bluestar's Pov--
Bluestar came out of her den, she saw the apprentices still sitting next to the high rock's base, heads down and staring at their paws. Close to them she saw Mousefur and Runningwind talking to each other with hushed voices yet still keeping a watchful eye on the apprentices. She sighed, she wished she could trust her own apprentices, and not treat them like prisoners, but she couldn't, not after what just happened. Something had to be done. She couldn't give them apprentice duties because they already had to do those seeing as they were apprentices... besides that wouldn't help the problem in hand; if they didn't get along, at least enough to stop fighting each other, they were going to become a weakness for ThunderClan. She sighed and prayed to StarClan to help her and motioned the mentors to her den.
"Something has to be done" She mewed when they were all there, "not liking each other is one thing, but fighting is another. It will weaken ThunderClan, having its own apprentices ripping their fur off." She looked around her den where Whitestorm, Lionheart, and Darkstripe were sitting. She noticed that Whitestorm and Lionheart were more concerned about the incident, while Darkstripe was mildly concerned as if it was a minor offence that the apprentices had committed and that it wasn't too important. Whitestorm and Lionheart are seasoned warriors, they know the depth of the problem, Darkstripe is a younger warrior and Dustpaw is his first apprentice, he'll learn with time. Still, his reaction concerns me; I'll have to keep a closer watch on Dustpaw's training.
Darkstripe opened his mouth to say something, but closed it as he glanced at the two senior warriors beside him and thought better about it. Instead it was Whitestorm that spoke, "We do need to do something but what? Send them hunting together and they'll end up hunting each other"
"Yes, the apprentices are loyal to ThunderClan and the warrior code, but I doubt that even that can stop them from fighting again" Lionheart added and looked at his leader with worry on his eyes.
Bluestar glanced at Darkstripe to see if he had anything to say, but the warrior just shook his head and said "I don't know what we can do, there has been no precedent for this, at least not in while I have been alive."
Bluestar stared into space thoughtfully, before finally saying "I know that you have been doing your best, and they are well rounded apprentices, who can hunt and fight competently; they know to say little but hear much in Gatherings. This is different though, they don't know how to behave with someone they don't like in their own clan. All of them have a strong character; a warrior should be able to take." She paused "I think that for the next quarter moon, the apprentices should have their training sessions together. Not a regular training session though, for this to work they need to be trained harder and longer, they'll have to do things that require team work between them, they'll also have to do various exercises each day such as running long distances, swimming and etc." Lionheart was about to interrupt but Bluestar raised her tail indicating for him to wait until she was done. "Yes, they'll be tired out by the end of the day, but that means they'll be too tired to fight each other. We'll make sure that they have enough to eat and drink, and stop the training when it seems that they can't take it. The training will at least help with their character. " she nodded to Lionheart indicating he could speak now.
Lionheart stood up to speak. "I see what you mean Bluestar, but it will be hard. Many things can go wrong; we don't how much the apprentices can take, so we must be cautious." He looked at Whitestorm and Darkstripe who both
nodded. "It also seems that changing their character won't be the only advantage that will be gained, if the training sessions will be harder and longer, then their endurance, strength, and speed will also grow." When he was finished he sat down, Whitestorm stood up next.
"I agree with Lionheart, many things can go wrong; we should assess their skills and endurance before we start, maybe on the first training session. This training will help their character, and it will be a punishment; but the apprentices need to start thinking about the clan before they think of themselves. It's just like you hunt for the clan before you hunt for yourself, you should think about the safety of the clan before doing anything to weaken it. They should be given some other sort of punishment, a passive one." He sat down to let Darkstripe speak.
Darkstripe quickly stood up, he looked at Lionheart and Whitestorm before finally saying "I agree with both Lionheart and Whitestorm, the training sessions will teach something but they should have another part of the punishment." He stopped to think before saying "Maybe confinement to camp and taking care of the other cat's ticks and needs might help."
Bluestar nodded to each of her warrior's suggestions. "Confinement to camp isn't necessary; they can look after the elders and the other cat's ticks and needs before, between, and after training. Mentors should be there in all of the training sessions, and the apprentices still need to keep up with the patrols they are assigned to, they will also not be allowed to go to Gatherings until further notice nor go out alone even if they ask permission. Does everyone agree?" The three mentors nodded. "Then let's go make an announcment" She mewed as she padded out of the den, the three mentors at her heels.
--Firepaw's Pov--
Bluestar leaped up unto the Highrock and yowled "Let all those cats old enough to catch their own prey meet here beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting!" Warriors began to come and sit in front of the Highrock, murmuring to each other what they thought the meeting was about. Firepaw looked at Bluestar, Is she going to tell us what our punishment is now? he wondered. Dustpaw who hadn't said a word since Bluestar found them whispered to Sandpaw "It shouldn't be too bad, I mean how bad can a little fight be?". Sandpaw opened her mouth to answer..
"Shh, youngster" Lionheart's voice came from behind them, and Sandpaw quickly closed her mouth.
"Today, four of our apprentices were found fighting each other with claws unsheathed" Bluestar began. The clan cats started murmuring to each other, and casting glances at the four apprentices sitting in the front. Firepaw's pelt felt really hot, he could see Graypaw next to him start flexing his claws anxiously. "Fighting clanmates is a very serious problem, it not only makes a clan seem weak, but make it weak. If our warriors start fighting among each other, then the other clans might think we are not capable of defending our borders and attack us."
Longtail shouted from behind "Let them! We'll show them differently!" Murmurs of agreement rose from the clan.
"They'll be right though, If our warriors do fight each other then there is no trust between them. To win a battle you must trust in others to stand beside you and fight." Bluestar's soft voice silenced the clan. "If you have no trust in your fellow warriors, then you won't be able to fight properly since you'll be looking behind you every couple of seconds to make sure no one comes near you. Instead if you do trust them then you'll know they are watching your back to make sure that no one can attack you from behind, and you can concentrate on the battle you're currently in." Most of the clan nodded in agreement, those words were wise. Firepaw felt even more ashamed and could hardly bear to look up at Bluestar.
"Who started the fight?" Mousefur asked.
"Yeah, and what will their punishment be?" Speckletail asked from the nursery's entrance.
"It does not matter who started the fight, what matters is that they chose to fight" Bluestar mewed calmly. "As for their punishment, their mentors and I have discussed this for a long time. Together we have decided that for at least the next quarter moon they will have special training sessions together, not regular training sessions though, they will be pushed hard unto the extent of their abilities and until they can't take it anymore. In addition, while they are not training they will be available for any need you may have such as taking care of your ticks or kits. You'll also be responsible for all the regular duties." Bluestar looked at the four apprentices who seemed shocked about their punishment. "Is that understood?"
"Yes, Bluestar" They responded and lowered their heads in submission. Special training! That doesn't sound like a punishment at all!; Firepaw thought -the second part however does sound like a punishment... we're going to be pulling ticks all day!
Bluestar jumped off the high rock and headed towards the apprentices followed by Darkstripe and Whitestorm, "You can get one mouse each" she pointed her tail at the fresh-skill pile. "Then go to sleep, you'll need it. We start at dawn tomorrow." Then she padded away.
Whitestorm mewed "Now, young ones."
Firepaw was grateful for the mouse they were allowed to eat, he was starving. He lowered his head in respect and said "Yes Whitestorm." then padded with Graypaw to get a mouse in the fresh-kill pile.
Graypaw sat down near the trunk, and started eating his mouse in quick bites. He looked around the camp and then said "I wonder where Ravenpaw is."
"Tigerclaw probably sent him hunting purple squirrels" Replied Firepaw.
Graypaw stared at Firepaw in confusion "There aren't any purple squirrels."
"Exactly. Let's go to sleep before Sandpaw and Dustpaw come and ruin the day even more." Firepaw suggested
Graypaw yawned, "Yeah. I can't wait for training though! Even if we have to do it with those too" He said excitedly
"Me neither." Firepaw agreed as they settled down and entered a deep sleep.