Chapter 2

I sat down on my mossy bed gazing at my den mates in the darkness. It was hard to make them out, but after a while the room adjusted. I could see Swiftpaw stand next to me looking very angry and frustrated. Thornpaw was standing to my left, one of his ears tilted. I looked to see Ashpaw and Fernpaw sitting next to one another near the entrance. Both eager to listen to what Swiftpaw hade to say.

Swiftpaw gazed around our home and at every single apprentice. As if he was waiting for something.

"Swiftpaw, we are all here." Fernpaw whispered trying not to wake any of her clan mates. "What do you need to tell us?"

Swiftpaw paused and looked to the ground. I began to question if he knew what to say. Swiftpaw let out a long sigh and his tail twitched.

"This isn't right, guys," He began. "We can deny it anymore, Bluestar is ignoring us."

Fernpaw's eyes grew huge.

"N-no! She can't! Why would she do that?" She asked.

"Swiftpaw, I'm with Fernpaw," Ashpaw said. "There must be some other reason."

Swiftpaw gazed angrily at him.

"I don't know what it is but she is not going to let us become warriors." Swiftpaw growled. "We have done everything anyone asked us to do, yet we are still apprentices. Cloudtail doesn't even believe in Starclan and he is a warrior." I thought over and over again that this was because of the fight with Riverclan this morning. It was hard to tell. All she knew was Swiftpaw wasn't happy and she hade to fix that. She couldn't have him… or…well… a friend, be sad.

All the apprentices thought hard about what Swiftpaw was saying, but I knew none of them where buying it.

"What can we do?" I finally asked.

"There is only one thing to do," Swiftpaw whispered. "We must go and do something so brave, so honorable, that Bluestar will have to make us warriors." The idea sounded scary to me, yet I choose to listen on.

"What would that be Swiftpaw?" Thornpaw finally asked.

"I…I think we should…" Swiftpaw took a moment to think. "I think we should go and find out what is eating pray over at Snakerocks."

The apprentices and I thought it was a terrible idea. If the warriors haven't done it, there must be some danger. I saw some apprentices shake their heads.

"Swiftpaw… we should take a warrior with us." Fernpaw said. "It would be to dangerous."

"They would stop us! The clan is turning against us!" Swiftpaw whispered stopping his paw. "We have to do this for the good of our clan."

"The good of our clan?" Thornpaw asked. "Why don't we just wait and see what happens tomorrow. Challenges will show for us to prove ourselves worthy to our clan."

Swiftpaw looked like he was going to cry. He walked paw by paw to the entrance of the den. He looked up at the moon and I could see it shine in his amber eyes.

"Well… let's take this one." Swiftpaw. "We should leave now. Whatever is there wont be as active late into the night."

"But what if it is?" Fernpaw asked. Swiftpaw turned to her.

"We have to take that chance. I'm going to snakerocks to find out what cat is stealing our pray. Then I will face it and report back to the clan. However will come can come."

I looked around to see all the apprentices deep into thought. Finally Thornpaw shook his head.

"I'm not coming. I'm going to respect my mentor, do as told, and wait to see what happens."

"I'll come." The words blurt out of my mouth without me thinking. The truth is, I will do anything for Swiftpaw. I really…love him. He has always been something to me. I admit, I do think it's a bad idea. We all want to be warriors but not this way. I saw Ashpaw give me a look. Swiftpaw smiled at me, not feeling alone… none of us.

Ashpaw's tail twitched.

"I do want to become a warrior…" He said. "But… we should take a warrior with us. Maybe we should ask Cloudtail to come with us. After all… he is our den mate."

"Cloudtail is a warrior now. What would he care?" Swiftpaw frowned. "None of them care. They don't care about us."

We all gazed at Swiftpaw.

"We all want to be warriors, Swiftpaw. We dreamed of it since we where kits." Ashpaw whispered. "… but… this isn't the way to do it. I'm not coming."

"Ashpaw is right." Fernpaw finally said. "This isn't the right… this isn't the honorable way, to become warriors. We shall wait. The day will come. I'm not going. I'm going to obey the warrior code and stay to protect my clan whatever way it presents to me."

Ashpaw gave his sister a tap of his tail to acknowledge her words. Swiftpaw stood up.

"Very well then… tonight… Brightpaw and I become warriors while you three wait for something that is never coming."

Swiftpaw twitched his tail to signal me to come with him. I padded ahead to him. We turned and started to walk away.

"Swiftpaw, Brightpaw." Fernpaw said. "What about Cloudtail?"

"What about him?" Swiftpaw asked.

"Isn't he… you know… guarding the camp?"

"Cloudtail wont notice a twoleg monster roaring through camp." Swiftpaw responded almost harshly. "I'll see you tomorrow. Have a nice night in the apprentices den."

Swiftpaw walked out the door and I followed after him. We walked away from our den mates. I felt so terrible doing this to them, but for Swiftpaw it's all worth it. Is it? All of a sudden someone ran to the apprentices door.

"Wait!" I turned to see Ashpaw standing in the entrance of the den his ears low and tail straight as if he feared what was about to happen.

"Please… I don't think this is such a good idea." He whispered. Then it hit me. What was I doing? This is stupid. I'm doing wrong. How could that lead Bluestar to think I'm doing right. Swiftpaw walked up to Ashpaw and gazed angrily at him.

"Whatever Ashpaw." He growled. "If you are too chicken, we will just go alone."

He turned and walked away he snuck around the back of our den and through the trees. I stood still for a long time. A paw on each place, the unbalanced world. I was so confused. Stuck between love and what's right. I looked up at Ashpaw's blue pleading eyes. I sighed turned and ran through the bushes leaving my friends in the den with blank, terrified looks on their face.

Authors Note: Did you like it? I really liked writing it.

First thing I want to point out is that in my mind Brightheart loves Swiftpaw and would do anything for him, even go on this crazy quest.