Cherrypaw awoke to the sound of murmuring cats and the smell of RainClan mingled with the pungent smell of Coal Pack.

But they're RainClan now, too, she thought in reminder. They'll have to take on the RainClan scent soon.

Drowsily, the ginger apprentice got to her paws and stretched numbly. She scented fresh-kill, causing her mouth to water with hunger. She poked around until she found a juicy thrush in the pile and took it over to the clump of nettles once more and eat. Cassie was there with Bella, most likely her mentor.

"Cherrypaw," Bella meowed, munching on a starling, "I have a question."

Cherrypaw nodded and sat down. "Shoot."

"In RainClan, will I still be Cassie's…mentor?"

Cherrypaw looked up at the grey sky. She could tell rain would be coming soon. "That's a good question," she responded. "I think all of you will be apprentices, unless it only takes you two days to learn the whole of the warrior code."

Bella nodded. "Right," she meowed. "I almost forgot. The warrior code. So every former Coal Pack cat will be apprentices?"

"Most likely," Cherrypaw replied.

"I get to be an apprentice with Speck?" Cassie mewed delightfully. "Oh, that will be fun."

Cherrypaw chuckled, twitching the tip of her tail in amusement. Just last night, this very same cat was shy and soft-speaking. She probably warms up once you get to know her, Cherrypaw decided silently.

When the three cats were finished eating, they got to their paws and set out in different directions. Cherrypaw immediately set out to find Snowstorm.

She found the senior warrior still curled up in the clump of ferns beside the sugar river. "Snowstorm," she mewed lightly, prodding the white she-cat's side gently. "Every cat's awake. It's time to go."

Snowstorm blinked open her eyes and lifted her head dizzily. "Hmm?"

"Let's go," Cherrypaw meowed. "Every cat's waiting."

The two RainClan cats padded over to where the rest of the cats were waiting patiently.

"How come no cat woke me?" Snowstorm asked teasingly.

Speck, who was seated at the head of the others, chuckled softly. "We wanted you to get your rest before the big journey."

Snowstorm nodded. "And I am grateful," she meowed. "Now let's get going. It looks like it's going to rain soon, so we want to beat the weather."

As the RainClan cats mumbled their agreement, they all got to their paws and headed off down the sugar river, taking in its wonderful scent. Cherrypaw padded alongside it, staring down into the rushing water. Every now and then, a fish would slither past, and she restrained herself from reaching in and catching it.

"Hi, Cherrypaw," a light voice mewed warmly from beside the apprentice.

She looked up. "Hello, Alice. Did you sleep well?"

"Sure did," Alice replied. But an uncertain look clouded the brown she-cat's expression. "Well, I guess I can't really say that."

Cherrypaw's ears prickled. "Oh?"

"I had a dream," Alice mewed hesitantly as if she wasn't sure she should be telling Cherrypaw. "There was a silver she-cat, with another dark grey tom."

Skyfeather and Stormstar! "Really?" Cherrypaw murmured, trying to sound nonchalant. She didn't want to frighten the new Clan cat when they weren't even in the camp yet. "Did they speak to you?"

Alice shook her head. "They didn't speak. I simply saw a scene going on in my head. I think there was something about a Clan being in danger…Cherrypaw, I think it was RainClan! Could the silver cat possibly have been Skyfeather? Her belly was swollen, like she was bearing kits."

"Yes!" Cherrypaw blurted out, pride showing in her eyes. "That's Skyfeather! But…RainClan's in danger? How? Alice, you have to tell Snowstorm, quick!"

Alice nodded urgently and darted off to the front of the patrol, Cherrypaw hard on her heels.

"Snowstorm," Cherrypaw started, but Alice took it from there. The new RainClan cat told Snowstorm everything, including the parts she had failed to mention to Cherrypaw.

Snowstorm nodded intently, taking everything in. "You think that scene actually happened?"

Cherrypaw felt a tremendous amount of pressure fall on her shoulders as Snowstorm's gaze turned to her. Did Snowstorm honestly trust this mere apprentice's opinion? Was she seriously going to turn to her apprentice for advice?

Cherrypaw nodded, hiding her astonishment. "I think StarClan sent this dream to Alice, telling us to hurry and help RainClan."

Snowstorm nodded, her eyes flashing with worry. Cherrypaw realized that Silverwing and Darkstep could be in danger, Snowstorm's two other kits.

Snowstorm muttered something urgently to Speck, who nodded and fell back to the other RainClan cats.

"Cats of RainClan, the RainClan camp is in danger," Speck yowled above the clamour of talking cats. "If we want to help, we have to hurry and make it back to the camp as quick as possible."

The cats around her instantly stopped talking and concentrated on the task before them. Even in the dire situation, Cherrypaw couldn't stifle a purr of satisfaction. These cats really wanted to be a part of RainClan. They wanted to share the joy of Clan life.

Refocusing her thoughts, Cherrypaw found Alice and Snowstorm again and hurried along next to them. But after some time, Cherrypaw noticed that Snowstorm started to pant heavily, and she worried about her mentor.

"Snowstorm, are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm perfectly fine!" Snowstorm snapped breathlessly. "RainClan are in danger, and needs our help. We have to do something about it, not just leisurely travel into an attacked camp."

Cherrypaw nodded, and was silent for the rest of the trip. It wasn't all that long before the Thunderpath bordering EmberClan's territory came into view.

We're here! Cherrypaw rejoiced inside her head. We're finally home!

Snowstorm didn't hesitate before bolting across the wide grey path.

"Snowstorm, wait!" Cherrypaw called after her, but it was too late. The elderly warrior was already safely across the Thunderpath.

"I'll wait and go last," Speck meowed to Cherrypaw. "You and the other official RainClan cats go."

Cherrypaw nodded and gathered Frostfur, Dustcloud, and Whitepaw together. The group of cats pelted across the Thunderpath and landed safely next to Snowstorm.

A few moments later, followed by three screaming monsters, Butterfly, Bella, and Cassie crossed. After the noisy monsters, Sugar, Harriet, Star, and Alice crossed. Seaspray, Feather, and Speck were last.

"We're all safe?" Frostfur called out. When all the cats murmured a yes, the RainClan cats trudged on, straight through EmberClan territory.

"What happens if an EmberClan patrol finds us?" Alice asked impatiently, breathing heavily.

Cherrypaw shrugged. "We take them on," she replied with determination. "We must fight to protect our Clan. Besides. I'm quite sure Streamstar won't be that angry, especially when he sees our numbers."

Alice nodded and continued on in silence. The cats broke into a run as sounds of yowling and screeching filled the air. Cherrypaw stayed close to her mentor as she grew more and more exhausted with running.

"Halt!" Cherrypaw turned to look across the sugar river to see an EmberClan patrol leering at the passing cats.

"Let them go, Redclaw," a familiar voice meowed gently. Cherrypaw recognized the scent as Thistleclaw. "They seem to be in a hurry to leave."

"But they're trespassing!" Redclaw insisted.

Speck stopped and whispered to Cherrypaw, "You go ahead and help Snowstorm. I'll take care of them."

Cherrypaw nodded and trotted along, leaving Speck behind. She only hoped that the new RainClan cat would survive the meeting.

The rain started to drizzle as the RainClan cats neared the edge of EmberClan's territory. Snowstorm leaped on top of the fallen tree that symbolized the edge of the territory. She padded along the slippery surface to the other side of the sugar river, not stopping to even glance back at the following cats.

Speck caught up to Cherrypaw, breathless from running. "I explained everything," she breathed. "I'm sure they'll be questioning you at the next Gathering, but we'll cope with that later."

Cherrypaw nodded and followed the others across the log. When they reached the other side and crossed into RainClan territory, the yowls and screams grew louder until Cherrypaw could recognize each individual cry.

Gingerfoot!

…Skyfeather!

"No!" Cherrypaw cried out loud. She rushed forward blindly, tears blurring her vision. Skyfeather was screaming out in agony, which sounded like she was being tortured by some cat.

"Surely she isn't fighting," she heard Dustcloud mew desperately beside her. "She's bearing kits."

Suddenly, a thought pierced Cherrypaw's mind. "Dustcloud!" she hissed urgently. "What if she's having her kits?"

Dustcloud didn't respond; her eyes only grew wider as she sped up, leaping through the undergrowth, Cherrypaw hard on her heels. It wasn't long before she could scent the individual cats of RainClan in the clearing.

We're home! She felt like shouting, but she knew the rest of the cats were in too much distress and anxiety to rejoice that much. The Clan was in danger. What a great way to introduce the new RainClan cats to their new home.

But Cherrypaw couldn't contain her joy as she burst through the RainClan camp's boundary. She let out a yowl of triumph as the rest of the cats followed her in. But, to her surprise, they immediately leaped into battle, including the former Coal Pack cats. Even Whitepaw was battling ferociously for his new Clan.

Cherrypaw threw herself into the battle, lunging at a light grey she-cat with a torn ear. She raked her hind legs up and down the cat's sides, only seconds after realizing that these were rogues.

The camp was being attacked by rogues, just like in Alice's dream.

Thank you, StarClan, Cherrypaw thought silently after sending the rogue into the forest. Thank you for warning us.

Just then, another yowl sounded from the nursery. Cherrypaw heard Skyfeather muttering, with Icepool and Moonflower close.

Dread and excitement mixed together seeped through Cherrypaw's panting body. "Skyfeather!" she cried before feeling something hard knocking into her head and falling into blackness.