The next afternoon, after Gingerpaw had grumbled through training, Gingerpaw was replacing the warriors' old moss with fresh moss Cloverpelt had given her. It wasn't that hard, since there weren't that many warriors in the clan, but Gingerpaw still had to keep herself from ripping the moss to shreds in anger. The other apprentices stood impatiently, waiting for the hunting patrol to bring supper. When the hunting party of Sunstar, Skyclaw, and Rosepetal came in to camp, the apprentices rushed forward.
"Finally, food!" Waterpaw said. "I'm starved!" Rosepteal just shook her head and dropped off a small, pathetic sparrow, their only addition to the fresh-kill pile.
"That's it?" Cloverpelt cried in dismay.
"These kittypets are more of a problem then I had expected," growled Sunstar. "All the prey was scared off, and kittypet stench was everywhere. We were choking on it! We're lucky we found this dead sparrow, or we would have starved!" Gingerpaw pricked her ears. She had an idea.
"Well, the apprentices must be fed first. They can split the bird," decided Ivyblaze.
"But not Gingerpaw," mewed Rosepetal. "She's in trouble. She doesn't get food."
"Doesn't matter. I'm not hungry," snapped Gingerpaw, who wasn't willing to admit her stomach was growling louder than a lion's roar.
"Something must be done about these kittypets," declared Moonshine.
"I understand your concerns. I will have a plan by sunhigh," replied Sunstar.
"We don't have 'till sunhigh," thought Gingerpaw, digging her claws into the moss of a nest. Meanwhile, Cloverpelt sat down beside Rosepetal.
"Gingerpaw seems really upset," she sympathized.
"She deserves to be," muttered Rosepetal. Then, she sat up and yawned. "Well, we should all be getting to our nests."
"That I changed!" called out Gingerpaw. Rosepetal muttered something about ignorant apprentices and irritably started towards her den.
"Wait!" called out Moonshine, through a mouthful of herbs. "All the cats that haven't eaten eat these. They'll reduce your pangs of hunger."
"That's very kind of you Moonshine, but we can't use up your traveling herbs," said Ivyblaze. Moonshine flicked her tail.
"Well I don't suppose anyone will be traveling anywhere, will they?" she replied. Ivyblaze shrugged and ate the herbs with the rest of the warriors. Skyclaw bit into the herbs and gagged.
"They taste bitter!"
"Yes, but you'll be thankful for them when you're free of hunger pains during the night," Cloverpelt shot back. Moonshine took the left over herbs and took them to Gingerpaw.
"I know you didn't eat anything, so you can have these herbs," she offered.
"No thanks, I don't need them," Gingerpaw said.
"Alright, suit yourself then," Moonshine said, and slipped out of the den. Gingerpaw curled up in her nest and pretended to be asleep, but secretly kept one eye open that watched the other apprentices as they went to sleep. She waited for what seemed like forever as slowly, one by one, the warriors retreated to their dens. Soon, the camp was so quiet she could hear her own heart beating. Absolutely certain that every warrior was asleep, she sat up. There was no alternative to her plan.