I'm feeling generous today, so I'll give you another chapter!

And remember Ratfur's kit names. I already thought of a few of them so i'm covered…you know, kit… wise? but more names would be cool too!

The silence was awkward on the way home to ThunderClan territory. The two kittypets were talking amongst themselves occasionally, but overall there was no noise from the two.

The sounds of a woodpecker hacking at the wood broke the silence, but still no cat talked as they padded gallantly through the forest with two kittypets nervously trailing behind. Runningpaw wondered what was going through their heads right now other than how they were going to join.

Runningpaw himself was surprised that Ashstar was letting the two join ThunderClan. Perhaps she had something in mind for the two of them for when they got back.

The scent of ThunderClan flooded the roof of Runningpaw's mouth as he opened his mouth to smell where they were. The four cats had arrived at the border of ThunderClan territory, but Ashstar had stopped.

"Okay, did you two make it here fine?" She asked the two new cats curiously.

They nodded even though they were huffing for breath. They were still a bit weak and had to get used to living in the rough forest.

"Well, you look like you need a rest. If you want to join ThunderClan and become a warrior here, then you'll have to get used to traveling long distances, even longer than this," Ashstar remarked defiantly. Apparently she was starting to regret the idea of letting the two into the Clan.

Runningpaw knew that she was talking about the journey to the Highstones. That was where apprentices went before they were made warriors. They had to travel the long journey to test their endurance (and tolerance of herbs for that matter) and only that would tell if they were ready.

"Well, we-" Brian started.

"Listen, I am not sure about this," Ashstar admitted. "But if you two are ready, you shall prove it. Today will not be the day that you will join ThunderClan, but the day that you will be tested," Ashstar reminded.

"Yes Ashstar," They said together, Brian talking this time.

Runningpaw swore that he saw Ashstar roll her eyes at their reply. They did seem to have generic replies, and only StarClan knew if they really were ready for joining the Clan.

Ashstar gestured to Runningpaw to start through the gorse tunnel. He nodded and started to duck his head through the tunnel that led to ThunderClan. Pure sympathy rushed through him as he saw the nervous and anxious looks on the kittypets. But he shrugged it off and made his way through the entrance to the Clan camp.

Slowly, numbly, Runningpaw slid down the slope. He ducked through the hanging birch branch that protected the camp along with the thorn bushes and started to look for cats other than Ashstar, Molly and Brian (who he was getting sick of)

He beamed as he caught sight of Skypaw waltzing through camp, carrying a load of prey and setting down gingerly on the fresh-kill pile. It felt like Runningpaw hadn't been back here for moons instead of one day, especially when he saw Skypaw.

"Skypaw!" He called happily. He trotted to the fresh-kill pile to sit beside his friend. "Skypaw!" He repeated. "So good to see you again!"

Skypaw looked down at Runningpaw and smiled faintly. "Oh, hey!" He mewed perkily. "Runningpaw, it feels like forever since you left!" He purred and dug his muzzle into Runningpaw's shoulder in a friendly embrace. He frowned. "Um, Runningpaw?" He asked nervously.

Runningpaw instantly frowned. "What's wrong?" He asked. Something was wrong, he knew it.

"Well, Runningpaw, it's Skycloud now."

The brown apprentice growled. "You-you're a warrior?" He asked. Runningpaw felt tears start to well up in his eyes. "B-but how?"

"Well, there was a ShadowClan invasion here." Skycloud mewed. "And I was the one that alerted the Clan about it. I also fought like TigerClan, at least Cinderhope says," Skycloud mewed sadly.

"Cinderhope made you a warrior?" Runningpaw asked skeptically.

"Yup!" Skycloud mewed. "I- I'm sorry, Runningpaw."

"It-it's fine," Runningpaw replied. But no, it wasn't fine. He felt nothing but pure jealousy and sadness in his heart, and he couldn't help but let a tear slide down his face and drop in the soil. Hopefully Skycloud didn't see.

"B-but I'm sure that you are going to be made a warrior like me soon!" Skycloud tried to cheer Runningpaw up.

"Yeah, probably never," Runningpaw replied miserably.

For a while there was a long silence between the two friends.

"Skycloud, how was the Clan like without Ashstar?" Runningpaw asked, changing the subject and breaking the silence.

Skycloud sighed and looked down at the ground. "Well…not good."

"B-but Cinderhope was in charge!" Runningpaw gasped. "Wasn't he?"

"No," Skycloud simply replied. "No, he wasn't. It was Mudpelt that was in charge. What a control freak," He spat. "He organized more patrols than I've been on in my life."

"WHAT?" Runningpaw hissed. "But- but how did he get to take over Cinderhope?" He asked incredibly.

Skycloud sighed. "Well," He whispered, looking from side to side before whispering again, "Well, he gave Cinderhope the little… 'hurt him until he gets out of the way' treatment."

Runningpaw gasped. "No way!" Runningpaw hissed. "W-where is Cinderhope now?" He asked anxiously.

Skycloud pointed over to the medicine cat's den with his tail without a word, as if he didn't want to discuss the deputy's status. "But whatever you do, don't tell Ashstar," Skycloud mewed reproachfully. "Mudpelt will kill you. Literally."

Runningpaw nervously trotted through the fern tunnel that usually lead to the medicine cat's den, the huge split rock in the middle of a small clearing.

He saw Cinnamonpaw near the entrance, with Deerpaw right behind her, and for a second didn't dare to go on. But he sighed, told himself that he had to do this, and went on straight to the den.

He tried to make his profile low and headed straight for Mossflower, staying on the very tips of his paw pads as he quietly tip-pawed past Cinnamonpaw.

Trying not to groan, Runningpaw realized that Cinnamonpaw had recognized him. She gave him a warm smile. All he did was give her a crooked smile that was sort of like, "uhhhhhh…hi?"

She giggled and went on looking over Ratfur, detecting how many kits she was going to have once again, but still kept an eye on Runningpaw bashfully.

He finally caught sight of a black and white pelt, which he knew was Mossflower. She was trying to sit on her belly for some reason and refused to get up in the presence of any cat (A.N. you find out why this is in book 2).

Mossflower looked up at Runningpaw. "Who are you here to see?" She asked. "You don't look very hurt or ill to me."

Runningpaw straightened his posture. "Cinderhope." Was all he said.

Mossflower gave him a very saddened look and parted a curtain of ferns that led to a darker part of the den that was secluded from the other cats.

Runningpaw quietly poked his head into the smaller den. Why hadn't he seen this before? Well of course, it was the point of the den!

Cinderhope's back was turned to the apprentice and he didn't look very good. There were many scars scored down his back and on his haunches. Runningpaw winced. Mudpelt must have really done some damage to the deputy.

"I see you're back, Runningpaw," Cinderhope mewed. He didn't dare turn around to face the apprentice. "How is Ashstar?"

Runningpaw gulped, almost afraid to talk to the injured cat. "G-good," He mewed, trying not to stammer. "Um…how was leading the Clan?"

Cinderhope finally turned himself around. It looked like it pained him very much, but he was trying to ignore it as he faced Runningpaw. "You heard, didn't you?" He asked.

Runningpaw nodded. "Yes, but how do you-"

"Why else would you be in the medicine cat's den looking for me? Any usual apprentice would go straight to the leader's den and ask what they were supposed to do." The gray tom examined Runningpaw's hurt glance and suddenly mewed, "Sorry, Runningpaw. I didn't mean it that way."

Runningpaw shrugged. "It's fine."

Cinderhope continued. "Anyway, I am really sorry that I made Skypaw a warrior and not you. But he was fighting so fiercely, with all the moves that…" He twisted his face in thought. "Who was Skypaw's mentor again?"

"Newtfrost," Runningpaw replied obediently, instantly remembering the tortoiseshell she-cat.

"Ah yes, her. She needs a mate," He mewed thoughtfully. "Pineclaw is looking for a good mate. Newtfrost would be a good choice."

"Yes, sir," Runningpaw mewed. Why was Cinderhope being so off-topic? Was he avoiding conversation with him?

"Anyway, he was such a good fighter. I was the one that decided to make him a warrior, not Mudpelt. And, speaking of which," Cinderhope mewed thoughtfully, "I have something to tell you about him." He gestured Runningpaw closer with a flick of his ear.

Runningpaw said nothing but leaned in closer to Cinderhope. He nodded showing that he was ready to listen.

"Mudpelt, believe it or not, isn't a good cat. He has had a murderous past. Not only did he kill the son of the great Silverfoot."