Chapter 3

Snowpaw stretched out in the dawns light, enjoying the warmth. She pulled herself upright as Rubyheart padded toward her. "Had a good rest?" he asked.

"I guess." she meowed, stretching again.

The scarlet warrior nodded. "When you're ready, we will head out on dawn patrol with Pinepelt and Drizzlepaw."

"Alright..." meowed Snowpaw sleepily.

In a few moments, a young blue and silver apprentice and a pale gray and brown tabby tom who had cold gray eyes. Very familiar gray eyes... "Let's head out!" Rubyheart yowled to the group, and Snowpaw followed the scarlet tabby through the gorse tunnel.

After passing the clearing in which Snowpaw had defeated Flamestar, Rubyheart turned to the left and into a group of bracken. The scarlet warrior passed through the bracken with barely a crackle. Pinepelt and Snowpaw also passed through noiselessly, but Drizzlepaw leapt through with a loud crunch.

"Sorry!" he mewed as all three cats looked around at him.

"Keep quiet!" Pinepelt snarled, glaring at the small apprentice. Rubyheart looked like he was about to say something harsh, but thought better of it.

"This is the ThunderClan border." Rubyheart said, pausing by a stream that trickled through two raised banks.

"What's on the other side?" Snowpaw asked, gazing over the whirling waters.

"ShadowClan territory." growled Pinepelt.

"ShadowClan?" Snowpaw asked.

"Filthy, scavenging rouges." Pinepelt growled.

"Another of the four clans around the lake." Rubyheart explained, glaring at Pinepelt.

"There are four clans?" Snowpaw asked, amazed.

"Yes," Rubyheart meowed, looking across the river as well. "We belong to ThunderClan, and we are the forest hunters." Rubyheart meowed. "Across the river are ShadowClan, the dark-hearted night hunters. WindClan are the fleet-footed warriors of the moor, and RiverClan, the sleek and water-loving hunters of the streams."

"Don't the clans fight, if there are so many of them?" Snowpaw asked.

"Sometimes." Rubyheart meowed. "All four clans gather in peace on one night only, and on the night of the full moon." He paused, still gazing across the river. "That night is the night of the Gathering." he meowed.

Pinepelt gazed across the river for a few heartbeats, and then growled. "Let's get going." "Alright." meowed Rubyheart, turning to follow the river.

The patrol had been walking quite a while, with Rubyheart pointing out the scent markers, and significant locations. Soon they reached the lakeshore and Pinepelt warned the group to keep to the bushes as much as possible. "Twolegs often walk these shores." he growled. "And with your collar, you might as well be asking them to pick you up and cuddle you." He directed these words at Snowpaw, who understood that she should keep herself hidden.

The patrol padded carefully through the undergrowth, keeping their ears pricked for any sound of twolegs. When Snowpaw saw the lake, she stopped dead in her tracks, causing Rubyheart to walk into her. It was huge! It appeared to be an endless expanse of water, but Snowpaw could see the distant shore, along with an island on the opposite shore.

"That island is where the Gathering takes place." Rubyheart meowed, seeing where she was looking. "You're a bit young, but I will ask Flamestar if you can go tomorrow night."

"Real-"

"Hurry up!" Pinepelt snarled.

"Coming!" Rubyheart meowed, and as the patrol moved on, Snowpaw found herself happy, despite Pinepelt's scathing behavior.

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On the way back to camp, Pinepelt walked beside Snowpaw. There was something forbidding about the look he kept giving her, and when they reached the clearing where she fought Flamestar, he told her to stay back for a quick word.

"My son told me what you did to him." he growled as the tip of Rubyheart's tail vanished into the undergrowth.

"He-"

"Silence!" the pale tabby spat, his fur bristling. "If you so much as lay a hair on my son again, I shall ensure that is the last thing you ever do!" And with that, Pinepelt turned and stalked back into the undergrowth.

Snowpaw found Stormpaw outside the nursery, a bundle of fresh moss in his jaws. "Hey!" he meowed, putting down the moss. "How was dawn patrol?"

"It was okay," Snowpaw mewed. "Your father got on my case about Rainpaw."

"Oh..." he mewed, looking ashamed. "I tried to talk to him about that, but he just told me to brush off, as usual." He shook his head, and looked down at the moss he had been carrying. "Do you want to help me bring in fresh moss for the elders?"

"Sure." Snowpaw mewed, picking up some of the moss and turning to pad to the elders den.

The ThunderClan elders were highly respected figures in the clan. Everyone looked up to them, even Flamestar. Apprentices were not allowed to eat until they had hunted for the elders or done some other task for them. Elders also had the reputation of being grumpy grouches.

However, this was not true of Amberfang and Graybite, the elderly she-cats who invited them to listen to a tale of how the great Firestar defeated Scourge, the evil leader of Bloodclan, over a piece of fresh-kill. "Yes, that would be great!" mewed Snowpaw.

"You might as well invite the other apprentices, they might want to hear." Graybite rasped, stretching out her claws.

"Alright!" Stormpaw meowed to the three she-cats, standing up. "I will go get them, and please don't start without me!"

"No worries." Snowpaw mewed, moving herself into a more comfortable position. Once Stormpaw was out of sight, Graybite rasped. "For a kittypet, you're rather polite."

"Um..." Snowpaw didn't want to offend the elderly cat, but she wasn't sure what to say.

"Graybite doesn't mean anything offensive." Amberfang mewed, looking apologetic.

"I just thought it was strange, considering most kittypets are selfish, vulgar and conceited." Graybite rasped, swiping a paw over a wrinkled ear.

Snowpaw was about to say something, but was distracted by the arrival of Stormpaw, along with Oakpaw, Thistlepaw, Barkpaw, the still shuddering Moonpaw, Darkpaw, Drizzlepaw, and to Snowpaw's dismay, Rainpaw.

"Well, well!" Graybite looked mildly surprised as the apprentices sat down to listen. "I didn't know my stories were so popular!"

"Of course, Graybite!" Oakpaw mewed, settling down to next to the gray she-cat. "Let's hear it!"

"Alright. Alright..." Graybite began to speak, and Snowpaw found herself engrossed in the elder's words...

"When the clans lived in the Old Forest, in the time of the great Firestar, there was a grave peril that threatened the life of many cats. From the distant Twolegplace, there came a group of cats that were an affront to everything the warrior code stands for. This group of cats called themselves Bloodclan, and their leader was the evil cat Scourge."

"Scourge was a ruthless leader, and incredibly strong, despite his small stature. With one blow, he had destroyed the feared Tigerstar, ripping all nine lives from him in one sweep. Then he had intended to rule the forest as well as Twolegplace."

"Uniting the four clans of the forest into Lionclan, Firestar faced Scourge. Their battle was fierce, and Scourge was a deadly opponent. Fortunately, Firestar was a leader with nine lives who fought beside Starclan, and, though Scourge took his first life, Firestar defeated, and killed the cat that had caused so many deaths. The battle was won, but not without its costs. Whitestorm, Firestar's loyal deputy was killed by the Bloodclan deputy, Bone, along with many others who had died defending the forest from a terrible enemy."

"Firestar was renowned as a hero, who had united the four clans of the forest, and brought a time of peace and prosperity to the forest."

Graybite put her head down on her paws and closed her eyes. When she did not stir for several moments, Oakpaw mewed. "I think she went to sleep."

Oakpaw got quietly to her paws, and padded out of the den. Her two brothers followed, and the rest of the apprentices went after them.

"That was a good story." Mewed Snowpaw, settling herself down in the shade of the ferns by the medicine cat's den.

"It was." Meowed Stormpaw, stretching out next to her. "Would you like to meet Cloudbush?" Stormpaw asked, swiping his paw over his ear.

"Who?" Snowpaw mewed.

"Cloudbush. She's Moonpaw's mother, and she just had a new litter the day before you came." Stormpaw explained, washing the base of his tail.

"Sure." mewed Snowpaw, getting to her feet. Stormpaw tried to do the same, but tangled himself up in the ferns and slipped. Snowpaw giggled, and Stormpaw blushed so scarlet, he might have passed for a smaller Rubyheart.

Cloudbush, as it transpired, was being visited by Moonpaw, with the result that the nursery was rather crowded. Snowpaw squeezed into the corner where the pure white she-cat lay on her side, three small scraps of fur at her belly. Moonpaw was looking at the kits with as much pride as if they were her own.

"Hello, you two." Purred Cloudbush, licking her kits fondly.

"Hello, Cloudbush." mewed Snowpaw, bowing her head respectfully. "Your kits are beautiful!"

"Thank you, Snowpaw, that's very kind." the white queen meowed. Suddenly, another cat entered the nursery. It wasn't one of the queens, it was a black tom. His cold eyes surveyed the den, lingering on Moonpaw, who shrunk into a corner, her blue eyes wide and fearful.

"Crowclaw!" Cloudbush mewed, looking surprised.

"Hello Cloudbush. I came to hear what names you chose for my children." the black tom meowed, his amber eyes fixed on Moonpaw.

"Oh, of course." Cloudbush mewed, looking down at the kits. "Twilightkit, for the black one with the white ear. Shadekit, for the kit with the two white ears. And Whitekit, which speaks for itself."

"Two young toms fit to carry on my legacy. Thank you, Cloudbush." Crowclaw meowed, turning to pad out of the den.

"Um, Crowclaw?" Cloudbush looked wary, almost frightened.

"Yes?" he answered, turning his head.

"Twilightkit and Shadekit are she-kits. It's Whitekit who is a tom." Cloudbush mewed. For a moment Crowclaw did not even seem to breathe. His eyes widened in shock and rage.

"The black kits are she-cats?" he breathed, his voice deadly quiet.

"Yes." Cloudbush mewed timidly, shrinking closer around the black kits. Crowclaw looked furious, almost demented.

"Only one tom?!" he shrieked, his eyes popping out of his head. "How dare you bring me she-kits, you piece of crowfood?! How dare you?!"

"Leave them alone!" for a moment, Snowpaw did not know who had spoken, until she saw Moonpaw rise up out of her crouch, her eyes full of rage. "It's not Mother's fault they are she-kits! Leave them alone!"

"You dare?" hissed Crowclaw, now deadly quiet again. "Have you forgotten the lesson I had to teach you? She-cats are not fit to be warriors, much less be able to pass on my legacy! Or do you need another lesson?" His eyes became chips of flint, filled with such a rage that it was no surprise Moonpaw shrank into a corner again, trembling from ear to tail.

Crowclaw glared for a moment at his daughter, then his cold amber eyes found Snowpaw and Stormpaw. Apparently he didn't dare continue his tirade in front of two witnesses. The black tom gave a low snarl and stalked out of the nursery.

"Come on." Stormpaw meowed to Snowpaw, nodding toward the exit.

"What was that about?" Snowpaw mewed, once they were across the clearing.

"Crowclaw has this belief, if you can call it that, that she-cats are unfit to be warriors." Stormpaw meowed, looking a little sick. "It's mouse-brained nonsense. She-cats are just as good, if not better, at hunting, fighting, and all other clan tasks as toms."

"Why does he think that, anyway?" Snowpaw asked, looking over at the entrance to the warrior's den, where Crowclaw was crouching, his cold eyes fixed on a point somewhere on the rocky wall.

"His father had the belief, and so he grew up with the idea that he was superior to she-cats because he was a tom." Stormpaw meowed, looking at Crowclaw as well.

"That is mouse-brained." Mewed Snowpaw, looking around the camp. Already the tangy scent of ThunderClan was beginning to seem familiar to her.

"Stormpaw! Snowpaw!" Both apprentices looked around. Rubyheart was padding toward them. "I wanted to teach you both some hunting techniques. And yes, I know you can hunt, Snowpaw." He meowed, seeing Snowpaw about to protest. "Flamestar wants you to learn some of Thunderclan's hunting techniques. Come on, both of you!"

The two apprentices followed Rubyheart into a sandy clearing, surrounded by trees. "This is the training hollow." He meowed to them. "Apprentices practice fighting and hunting moves here, where the sand makes it less easy to damage yourself if you slip and fall."

Turning to Snowpaw, he meowed. "When you lived alone, you must have learned to hunt using some form of crouch. Show me them."

Snowpaw jumped down into the center of the hollow. She dropped into her preferred hunting crouch. "How's this?" she asked, tensing her muscles.

"You have good form, and you have the basics down, but you seem to be favoring your right side." Meowed Rubyheart, circling her and looking her over.

"My right?" Snowpaw mewed, shifting her weight so she was more centered. However, she was not used to the pressure it exerted on her muscles and she collapsed.

"Sorry!" she mewed, standing up hurriedly.

"Nothing to worry about. I was worse when I was your age." Meowed Rubyheart, padding closer. "Try again, this time putting your weight on your left side."

Snowpaw dropped into a crouch, this time leaning to the left. Once again, she overbalanced and fell into the sandy ground.

"Better, but you still need improvement." Rubyheart meowed, prodding her with the tip of his tail. "Let's try some stalking techniques. Stormpaw, come down here!"

Stormpaw jumped down next to Snowpaw, brimming with confidence. "What's the trick to hunting rabbits, Stormpaw?" Rubyheart asked, sitting down.

"Be as quiet as possible, as rabbits have sensitive ears, and don't brush against bracken or grass." Stormpaw recited, dropping into a crouch and demonstrating.

"Excellent. Now, Snowpaw, how would you stalk a bird?" Rubyheart meowed, turning his amber gaze onto her.

"Birds. Right." Snowpaw once again dropped into a crouch. She moved forward a few steps, keeping her body low, barely moving a muscle, tensing her rear legs in preparation to spring.

"That's good." Meowed Rubyheart, and Snowpaw stood up, turning to face her mentor. She still could not believe that the cat who had called her a kittypet was now treating her as nicely as if she were clanborn like Stormpaw. It seemed rather odd.

Rubyheart continued to train the two of them in various hunting techniques until the sun had sunk low in the sky. All three were exhausted, and when they returned to the camp, Rubyheart told the two apprentices to get some fresh-kill and get some sleep.

"I will ask Flamestar about the gathering tomorrow." He meowed, padding away.

"The gathering?" Stormpaw meowed, selecting a vole from the pile.

"Oh yeah! He said he would ask to take me to the gathering tomorrow night." Snowpaw mewed, picking up a mouse and padding over to the apprentice's den.

Stormpaw followed her. "I know he likes you, but I don't think we are going to be able to go yet. We have to be older. If anything, Oakpaw and Thistlepaw are going to go. They are the oldest."

"Speaking of liking me," Snowpaw mewed, biting into her mouse. "Rubyheart wasn't nearly as kind when I first met him. He wanted to rip me apart!"

"Yeah, I was wondering about that too." Stormpaw mumbled through a huge mouthful of vole.

"I think I can explain." The voice of Thistlepaw startled them, as the dark tabby moved out of the shadows inside the apprentice's den.

"Really?" Snowpaw mewed, recovering from the shock of his sudden appearance.

"Rubyheart is a young warrior, not as old or experienced as Crowclaw or Lionmane." Thistlepaw meowed, sinking into a sitting position. "Still, he longed for an apprentice with unnatural talent. When he met you in the forest, Rubyheart was convinced that you were special; especially after he saw you fight. You were a cat with special abilities, the apprentice he had been dreaming of for moons, despite your kittypet origin."

Thistlepaw stretched his claws, and gazed amusedly at the stunned expressions on Stormpaw and Snowpaw's faces.

"I never suspected…" mewed Snowpaw, finishing her mouse, and yawning widely.

"Get some sleep!" Yowled Rubyheart from the other side of the clearing. "We are going hunting tomorrow!"

"Well, better do as he said." Yawned Stormpaw, padding into his favorite spot and curling up.

Snowpaw followed suit, and dreamed once again of swirling mists, and mysterious voices…

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