Sorry... I interrupted the story at such a moment (but I "needed" to change the cat who was narrating and there must be some suspense... isn't it?)

Brightpaw: I see I see... Hopeless...

me: ?

Brightpaw: You really are hopeless... Anyway I don't want to keep you waiting so: ~BrightSun~ does not claim or own Warriors. Erin Hunter does.

Chapter 7

"Hide! Quick!" Brightpaw mewed, jumping to her paw. Wetpaw stood there as if he hadn't heard.

"Quick!" she urged. It will be bad if they see us.

She ran to the nearest thick bush and dived in it, soon followed by Wetpaw. Suddenly the patrol appeared. Scarletflame was leading it, the other members were Raindrop -Snowheart's sister- and Birdsong –Cloudwhisker's sister. Brightpaw felt the tom pressing closer to her, their fur touching. The patrol stopped and smelled the air. I hope they don't smell Wetpaw! she told herself. At least there's no way they would smell me.

Scarletflame came to closer to the bush. The apprentices held their breath and stood as still as possible.

"Let's remark the border quickly." mewed Raindrop. "So we can back into our nests."

"In other words you mean that you don't want to stay under the rain." teased Birdsong.

The patrol soon left after, to Brightpaw's relief. When they were gone, Wetpaw slid out from the bush. Brightpaw followed him.

"You knew the patrol was coming?" he asked.

"Yes." she answered. She had heard Silverwing asking Scarletflame to lead a night patrol along the WindClan border.

"Thank you." he said, dipping his head.

Brightpaw stood there, looking at her paws.

"I think it is time for me to go. Dawn is approaching." observed Wetpaw. He began walking toward the border.

"Wait!" she mewed, already regretting that she had spoken that word.

"Tomorrow maybe?" he proposed, turning his head to meet her gaze. She felt drown into his grayish eyes.

"I can't." she mewed. "Tomorrow I mean."

"Then see you in two nights!" he mewed not letting her time to reply, vanishing back into his territory. WindClan's territory.

Brightpaw let the sun warm her fur, the storm had cleared. She was standing in front of the apprentices' den, enjoying the dawn. Then see you in two nights! Wetpaw's words echoed in her mind. She felt like bursting with joy. If only things weren't so complicated! She would be breaking the warrior code, but most importantly she couldn't put Wetpaw in any danger. She didn't want any more trouble. Then tell the truth? She sighed, already knowing the answer. I don't know anything! She tried to convince herself. Yet, what is already happening is enough to announce some trouble ahead.

"Hi Brightpaw!" squealed a cat behind her. Brightpaw turned around and saw Fernkit and her littermates.

"Hi!" she mewed, smoothing the fur between Fernkit's ears. "Does Nightflower knows you are here?"

It was Berrykit who answered. "Of course. She was the one who told us that we could come."

"We wanted to see the apprentice's den!" put in Fernkit.

"Yeah, we are nearly old enough to become apprentices!" added Ivykit.

Brightpaw purred. "You still have two months to wait, you are still too young."

"It's not fair." mewed Fernkit indignantly, immediately joined by Berrykit and Ivykit.

Brightpaw saw Cloudwhisker exiting the warriors' den. "I've got to go." she said to the kits.

"Can you play with us later?" begged Fernkit.

"Of course! I'll come when I've finished my duties." promised Brightpaw.

Fernkit's green eyes lightened up. "Thanks!" she mewed and the kits raced back to the nursery.

Brightpaw then padded up to her mentor.

"You seem in a good mood today." Cloudwhisker observed as she approached. "Is it because of my kits?"

She shrugged. "I guess."

"Anyway, today we are battle training." he announced.

Brightpaw stiffened. Please, not battle training! Though all she said was: "Ok. Are we going now?"

"We are leaving when Nutpaw and Ashwhisker come back with the dawn patrol. We are training with them today." he answered. "Though they should come back any time by now."

Brightpaw sat down to wait, she then decided to groom herself. She smoothed her fur, and calmed down her racing heart. Good. Always stay calm. echoed another voice in her mind. She shut it out. Just then she saw the dawn patrol entering the camp.

"You see?" mewed her mentor. "We didn't have to wait long."

She nodded in agreement and padded up with Cloudwhisker to Nutpaw and his mentor, Ashwhisker.

"We are battle training with them?" asked Nutpaw.

"Yes. And we are leaving now." answered Ashwhiker.

"Now? We just came back."

"Don't tell me you are already tired!" scolded Ashwhisker.

Nutpaw muttered. "Well, why would you be tired after marking every single tree of the WindClan's border?" He looked away in embarrassment as he realized that Brightpaw had heard him.

They left the camp and raced through the forest. Soon the battle training clearing came into sight.

"First, let's train some basics moves." mewed Cloudwhisker.

Brightpaw looked at Nutpaw who was already practicing some advanced moves at the other side of the clearing. "You said we were training together." she commented.

"Later. First I want to see how much you've improved." answered her mentor. "Let's see if you can pass by me."

"Ok." Brightpaw leaned on her hindpaws. Always use the unexpected, even if it is the most mousebrained thing. She closed her eyes and tried to shut the voice. She opened her eyes slowly, taking her time because it wasn't a real battle. Take as much time as you need, as long as it doesn't endanger yourself said the voice. Shut up she snapped to it.

"We don't have all day." mewed Cloudwhisker, lashing his tail to show his annoyance. There! she saw her opportunity and immediately jumped. She landed half a foxtail in front of her mentor and raced past him without him having time to do anything.

"It was great!" he prized her. "You rushed so fast, and I didn't have time to stop you."

"Because you lashed your tail."

Cloudwhisker looked at her, his head tilt. "I mean." she explained. "You lashed your tail, and it unbalanced you for a heartbeat and you didn't have any time to balance yourself again to stop me if I passed on that side. And also you didn't expect me to jump right in front of you, it startles you and slowed your time reaction."

Her mentor looked at her in astonishment. Fox dung! she told herself. I got carried away. I'm not supposed to be able to tell such things.

After a moment of awkward silence, Cloudwhisker mewed: "Impressive. Anyway, you didn't use any battle moves so let's try those now."

"What move do I do?" she asked.

"Use what do you think is the best. Fight me as if I were an enemy warrior invading our territory."

Brightpaw crouched and prepared to jump. He expects me to do the same thing as last time, so change of plan. Suddenly she rushed right in front of her. Cloudwhisker raised himself on his hindpaws, ready to meet her this time. So he is finally fighting more seriously. After all, it was known that her mentor was an outstanding fighter.

As she approached to knock him off his paws, he jumped. She had already foresaw it and was moving aside. Cloudwhisker landed in front of her, ready to face her. She cuffed his ears the heartbeat he took to balance himself and she jumped behind to avoid his blows.

"Not bad." he mewed, jumping again.

"Thanks!" said Brightpaw, also jumping. They met in the air where she knocked him, even though she was half his size. Didn't I told you? Use the unexpected. echoed the voice. I know! she answered. However, she knew that her mentor had intentionally exposed his belly when he had leaped.

Cloudwhiker landed on his back and she immediately took the chance to try to pine him down. But he got free from her grasp without much effort. He is too big for me to hold him down she realized.

Her mentor sat down. "That was really good!" he mewed.

"Those that mean that the fight is finished?" she asked, ready to leap. "There was no winner."

"Battling is not about winning. It's about protecting the Clan in case it's needed." answered Cloudwhisker. "Battles without purpose are already lost."

"So you mean you did your purpose of testing me and there was no need to fight any longer." she commented, sitting down.

Her mentor nodded "Exactly."

"So how was the fight?" asked Ashwhisker. He had just padded up to them, followed by Nutpaw.

"Very good! Brightpaw was brilliant!" explained Cloudwhisker, while Brightpaw washed off some bits of dirt of her fur. "She is an excellent fighter. I'm always amazed by her fast progress."

Brightpaw almost winced at his last prize, as the voice echoed again in her head: Training always pays off. Isn't it?

"I'd like to see how Nutpaw fights against her." mewed Ashwhisker. "He is already too used in fighting Grasspaw."

"Fighting her? She had less training and battle experience than me." exclaimed Nutpaw. Yeah right thought Brightpaw.

"I think you may be surprised." answered Cloudwhisker. "She is an outstanding fighter for her age."

"Let's see." challenged Nutpaw. He stood still and watched her, waiting for her to make the first move. What did- began to echo the voice. Shut up! she snapped to it. She crouched and launched herself on Grasspaw.

The older apprentice was already moving aside and Brightpaw landed on the bare ground. She quickly spun around to face him. He was already on top of her. She rolled to her side to avoid him but he pinned her to the ground.

"Is that all you've got?" he asked.

"Of course not!" she mewed indignantly. As she said those words, Brightpaw wriggled free and jumped back to put some distance between her and Nutpaw. You can do it she encouraged herself You already put up quit a fight with Cloudwhisker.

She rushed forward and as expected, Nutpaw leaped above her. She rolled out of the way just before he landed and she launched herself at him while he was still unbalanced. She ducked her head, knocking Nutpaw's forepaw from under with her muzzle, then she rolled and thrust a powerful kick that send him flying.

Before Nutpaw had any time to scramble to his paw, she was already on top of him. She sank her teeth, careful not to draw blood, in his scruff, pressing him into the ground. He tried to get free but didn't manage to get free from her grasp.

"The fight is finished." announced Cloudwhiker. "And Brightpaw is the winner!"

Brightpaw let Nutpaw scramble to his paw.

"Are you hurt?" she asked, worried she might have injured him.

He narrowed his eyes. "Of course not!"

I was just trying to be nice! she sighed. "Don't worry Brightpaw." mewed Ashwhisker. "He is just upset he lost the fight. You fought really great."

"Thanks!" she said, feeling her chest burst with pride. Yet deep within her, she still heard that voice. This was one win among many others. She tried not to think of that cat, of its voice. StarClan help me! Will I ever get free from that cat? she thought. I don't want any more troubles! she added. Suddenly Wetpaw's words echoed in her mind. Then see you in two nights! She shivered, hoping that that cat would never hear about it. For her and Wetpaw's sake.

Next chapter is coming soon! (just need to chack spelling mistakes etc.)

~BrightSun~