This may or may not apply to you:

So this story is undergoing a plot change so I'm changing the genres or whatever they're called from friendship/adventure to friendship/drama until I decided some more things. I originally planned for this to have more adventure but I'm going to do something different. The action will take place a couple moons later, but I decided Stormpaw's apprenticeship is a great time to build relationships and all that good stuff. But, I am almost positive there's going to be a sequel! I have also decided to name my chapters.

Reviews:

Leaf4004-Yeah, I try to read over my work, but when I finish a chapter, I'm usually too anxious to post it to take a lot of time and edit it :D

The Moon's Song-Thanks! I lack experience in chapter endings, so I took the opportunity when it was offered.

I'm really sorry about the time it took to update. I don't have a ton of excuses other than my computer time has been limited and it's really hard to write from a kindle. Also, I can never be satisfied with my work. It drives me crazy, having to give in to the urge to read over the chapter I'm working on every time I go to write.

Chapter 8: Fox?

"What are you doing here?" the cat repeated, growling softly. Now the initial fear and surprise was gone, Stormpaw took the time to take a couple breaths. The amber eyed cat had a familiar scent, but it was to dark to see him or her and Stormpaw's nose was still clogged with other cat scents from the Gathering.

"Can you at least let us up?" Stormpaw grumbled. Her chest had begun to ache from the pressure. The cat nodded and hopped sideways. The cat's backfeet were pinning Willowpaw to the ground so he/she removed those as well.

"Well?"

Beside her, Willowpaw meowed in a surprised voice, "Sunfall, why are you here?" Sunfall? thought Stormpaw. She tilted her head to catch the light of the full moon. The medicine cat's golden fur glinted with moonlight.

"What did you hear?" Sunfall snapped. Her meow was anxious though veiled in anger

"Everything," Stormpaw meowed in a low voice, ducking her head. What had seemed like a good idea a first, now seemed stupid and mousebrained.

"We're really sorry," Willowpaw murmured. Her green eyes were ashamed. But Stormpaw had a question.

"Why are you here?" she asked.

Sunfall sighed and the old she-cat seemed exhausted. "As you know, Graywater and Firetail fell in love. When she got pregnant, she asked Lightflower to care for her kits to hide them from suspicious eyes, but she also needed the help of a medicine cat: me. When the kits were born, I took one to Firetail, as he asked. That kit was Emberstar. Since I knew, I decided to keep a lookout for them. Turns out I failed," she said grimly. "Now you know, keep your mouths shut. It won't do for word of this to get out before it's time."

Stormpaw nodded and promised, along with Willowpaw to keep silent. They completed the walk back to the apprentice den with Sunfall watching them warily. In her nest, Stormpaw continued thinking about what she and her sister learned. However it had been a long night and she quickly feel asleep.

O-o-O

The air was sharp with frost and the clean, clear smell of ice. Wafting toward her was the mouth-watering scent of mouse. Stormpaw forced her tail to keep still, for the fear of it scaring her prey away.

Just one more step, she pleaded silently... thud! The hard crusted snow gave way beneath the blue-gray tabby's white paw and she sunk in half way to her shoulder.

"Mousedung!" she hissed. Wasting no time, Stormpaw scrambled for the little rodent but it skittered away on light paws. She was about to give up when a silver blur streaked toward the quickly escaping mouse.

When she looked up, her green eyes were bright. "Here you go, it should be your mouse, and it wasn't your fault your paw broke through," Willowpaw's voice was light and cheerful. Stormpaw looked at her sister, bemused. Not that Willowpaw was depressed on a daily basis or anything of the sort, but she generally kept her feelings to herself, as did Stormpaw. Stormpaw caught a whiff of Falconpaw as she came closer to receive the mouse. Ah... so that's it. Stormpaw felt faintly amused. It would be interesting how this played out, but if Falconpaw in any way hurt her sister...

"Thanks. Have you caught your own prey?" Stormpaw meowed, focusing on the silver tabby once more. Willowpaw's tail fluffed up and from her throat came a soft purr.

"Of course! I met Falconpaw while hunting with Birchtail and he said he was on an assignment but he asked me to hunt with him afterward!" Willowpaw's words came out in a rush. "Do you think he likes me? Oh, I hope I don't mess up or anything-" Willowpaw worried on but Stormpaw wasn't listening. She guessed they wouldn't end up as mates, but they would probably drift apart when Falconpaw became a warrior. Stormpaw decided to talk to Falconpaw, when Willowpaw wasn't aware. She would give him a little "talk" on how to treat Willowpaw.

Behind her, Firelight came crashing toward her. Snow dusted her flanks and it looked like she had fallen through several soft spots in the snow. "There you are! Hurry, Dappleleaf's kits are being apprenticed!" This piece of news was accompanied by several shallow breaths on Firelight's part. She drew herself up to set off again.

"What! Oh no, I promised I would be there!" Willowpaw groaned. Stormpaw felt the same way. They had befriended the younger litter and missing their first ceremony was something of an offense.

"Then let's go!" Firelight urged before breaking in a ragged run, kicking up snow as she went.

Stormpaw gripped the mouse tightly in her jaws and sprung after her mentor.

They arrived in the hollow just as Leafkit was being apprenticed. The apprentices slunk over to Silvermist while Firelight padded over to sit by Oakfur.

"Leafkit, from this day on until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Leafpaw. Blizzardpelt, you trained Oakfur into a fine warrior. I trust you will train Leafpaw as well as you did your previous apprentices and teach her the warrior code in turn. Mousekit, from this day on until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Mousepaw. Owltalon, you are ready for your first apprentice. I trust you will pass your patience and courage down to Mousepaw and teach him the warrior code in turn." Now she turned to Lichenkit. While Leafpaw was bouncing with excitement and Mousepaw's eyes portrayed his nervousness, Lichenkit was outwardly calm, though her tail twitched with an untold emotion.

Sunfall stepped forward, "Cats of Dawnclan, I will not be around forever. Indeed I am growing old," at this scattered purrs were heard among the gathered cats. "It is time for me to take an apprentice and Lichenkit has shown promise. I have selected her to be your next medicine cat."

"Lichenpaw, do accept the post of the medicne cat?" Pinestar meowed.

Lichenpaw's voice was loud and clear, "I do."

"Then at the halfmoon you will travel to be accepted by Starclan," Sunfall finished.

"Leafpaw, Mousepaw, Lichenpaw! Leafpaw, Mousepaw, Lichenpaw!" the clan cheered. Stormpaw yowled her new denmates´ names.

"Come on, let's show them where they're going to sleep," Stormpaw said eagerly. But before they could even begin walking their mother put a paw on their tails.

"Not so fast," she meowed sternly. "See if their mentors don't need them to do something first."

Stormpaw nodded and slipped through the assembled cats who were quickly dispersing. When she and Willowpaw arrived next to Owltalon and Blizzardpelt, the blue-eyed tabby asked, "Can Willowpaw and I show Leafpaw and Mousepaw where they're sleeping? Sunfall has extra moss in her den that we can use." Since Lichenpaw was training to be a medicine cat, she was going to be sleeping where she was closest to the herbs and her mentor in case of an emergency.

Owltalon glanced at Blizzardpelt. Blizzardpelt was the oldest warrior in Dawnclan and Stormpaw guessed after he finished training Leafpaw he would move into the warrior's den. It was a pity, the old white warrior was wise and provided great assistance in decision making. It was well known that Pinestar and Stoneclaw often included him in discussions concerning the clan. It was natural that Owltalon, a younger warrior looked to him for something like this.

But Blizzardpelt wasn't going to let Owltalon depend on him. "What do you think? Should they make their nests first? Or should they go through training first?"

Owltalon though for a moment. "You can go make your nests, but be back here as quick as you can." All the apprentices looked happy at that.

"Come on! We can even see if Lichenpaw can help get us the moss," Stormpaw trotted over to the crack in the rock wall where the medicine cat den was made. Stormpaw stuck her head in. Sunfall was already showing her new apprentice where everything was. "Sunfall?" Stormpaw meowed to get her attention.

"What? Can't you see I'm teaching Lichenpaw?" Sunfall sounded grumpy. Stormpaw rolled her eyes. "Well, what do you need. Hurry, up. I don't want to spend any more time with you staring at us like an owlet that just fell from it's nest." And I suppose I want to spend my time in this smelly hole? Stormpaw wanted to snap back.

"Do you have any extra moss and bracken that Leafpaw and Mousepaw can use?" she asked quickly.

"Lichenpaw can show you," Sunfall nodded to Lichenpaw. Her amber eyes were narrowed and Stormpaw realized that the medicine cat was testing her apprentice. Lichenpaw seemed to notice too.

"It's over there, in the space between those rocks," Lichenpaw pointed with her tail to a hollowed out hole in the wall. It was stuffed with dry moss and bracken so Stormpaw beckoned Leafpaw and Mousepaw in. Stormpaw showed them how to carry the nest materials in their jaws and tuck under their chins.

In the apprentice den, Stormpaw and Willowpaw showed the newest apprentices where to make their nests. "Should we tell them about Fireclan?" Willowpaw murmured but Stormpaw shook her head. They would tell them with Foxpaw, Falconpaw and Sparrowpaw present. "Then let's get some fresh-kill, I'm starving," Willowpaw jumped from the edge of the den into the snow. Then Stormpaw remembered, the rest of my catch! Stormpaw had a vole and a sparrow buried beneath a skeletal bush which she had caught earlier this morning.

"Hey, Willowpaw, I forgot to bring back the rest of my catch," Stormpaw meowed.

"Do you want me to come with?" Willowpaw asked. Stormpaw nodded.

"It would be nice. In fact, if we get permission we can join a patrol and pick it up on the way," Stormpaw looked over to where Stoneclaw was organizing the sun-high border patrols.

"Birchtail said we weren't training until later," Willowpaw said. "What about Firelight?"

Stormpaw answered, "She's over by Stoneclaw, I'll go ask her." Stormpaw made her way to her mentor.

"Firelight, I caught some other pieces of prey when I was hunting earlier and I was thinking that I could go on a patrol and pick it up on the way," she meowed.

Firelight nodded, "sure, I'll ask Stoneclaw."

Stormpaw's tail swished in the deep snow. Over three quarters of a moon, there had been an abundance of snowfall. The older warriors and elders were mystified at how quick and sudden the snow had come. And Stormpaw had found that snow was made of frozen water and that it was delicious to lick up a couple flakes. Stormpaw did that now while pondering how the water got up in the clouds to freeze in the first place.

Willowpaw brought her littermate out of her thoughts by shoving her, albeit not so hard she fell over, just firm enough to get her attention. "Come one! The rest of the patrol is waiting," she nodded toward the entrance tunnel where Firelight and Oakfur stood, quietly talking. They were so close Stormpaw would swear their fur was brushing.

Stormpaw snorted, "It doesn't look like we've been missed that much."

Smirking, Willowpaw replied, "They're too moony over each other to notice that we're still over here."

"Just like you and Falconpaw," Stormpaw playfully nudged her sister.

"Hey!" Willowpaw raised a paw to swat at Stormpaw but she was already streaking toward her mentor and Oakfur.

"Are we going to go yet?" Stormpaw asked impatiently. Immediately Stormpaw realized she had made both of the them very uncomfortable. Stormpaw made a mental note to tease Firelight about this later.

"Of course, um, where's Willowpaw?" Oakfur meowed quickly. In an instant, Willowpaw appeared at Stormpaw's side.

"Reporting for duty!" Willowpaw meowed solemnly, causing Stormpaw to choke back a laugh. If it had been any other pair of cats, the fact that they were sitting in a corner taking, it wouldn't be as funny. But Firelight and Oakfur had been growing closer in the past moons, and not in the friendly clanmate sense.

"Well then, let's go," Firelight set of through the tunnel and into the forest of birch trees, the rest of the patrol behind her. Stormpaw stretched out her long legs, feeling a bit awkward with them. Her legs had always been a bit longer than the normal apprentices, which added to her superior height, but now they seemed much too lengthy and disproportionate.

The snow's hard crust allowed them to run on top of it for the most part. Sometimes they would hit a soft spot and sink in which slowed their progress considerably. Willowpaw was the lightest and she fell in the least, Stormpaw only counting twice, but that was when she was beside Oakfur, who seemed to have a knack for finding soft spots.

Stormpaw gazed, impressed when they reached the Rippleclan border. What was once a gently swaying field of grass became a rippling current of frost and snow. Frosted blades of grass waved and whipped in a almost river-like manner.

"That is why Rippleclan is named like it is," Firelight meowed. "Without snow, it's even better." Stormpaw nodded, satisfied that her question about why Rippleclan was named Rippleclan was finally answered.

"Where's the prey you caught earlier?" Firelight asked her after they finished marking the border without any incidents.

"I'll show you," Stormpaw replied. She bounded to the skeletal bush she buried her prey under, but it was gone. She turned to her clanmates, puzzled. Under closer examination, she saw that it looked like someone had dug it up. "It was here, I can smell the vole and sparrow. I can also scent..." she trailed off, even more confused. It smelled similar to a cat, but not quite. It was also quite revolting, almost like crow-food. She wrinkled her nose in disgust at the stench and wondered how she could have missed it up until now.

"Fox!" Firelight exclaimed. Shock and fear entered Willowpaw's green eyes while Stormpaw's hackles rose.

"Really? I don't think so. It smells a bit like a fox, but also a cat," Oakfur meowed. "Do you think they fought over it? Or were companions?"

Willowpaw stepped forward, "Why would a fox and a cat be working together? And even if that was the case, it doesn't smell like that, the scent is mixed, like a fox-cat."

Oakfur shook his head. "We must report this to Pinstar. The clan must be on the look out for foxes and the rouge we scented here. Firelight, stay in the rear and watch for danger. We need to hurry, who knows where the fox, cat, whatever it is, could be." Firelight, nodded and took the place that she was assigned. Oakfur turned to the apprentices, "Keep up and don't be afraid to say something if you hear, see or scent anything." Stormpaw and Willowpaw also nodded, and Stormpaw felt excitment creeping up her paws. She couldn't wait to try out her battle moves on an invading fox. Practicing was all very well, and she had come a long way since the last skirmish.

But as much as she wanted to fight and help her clan in a time of need, Stormpaw feared for the lives of her clanmates and herself. She remembered the elders recounting stories of the reddish brutes, huge, snapping jaws and thick, choking fur. If the fox thing caught one of them off-guard, it could be deadly for the cat.

Random POV change because the author is really bored and needs variety

Willowpaw's POV:

Fox?! The word echoed in her mind. No cat hadn't heard of the frightening creatures. Every noise and rustle of a bush when someone brushed it made her jump. Finally, Willowpaw lost it when she stepped on a twig and scared herself. She was about to take off toward camp when Stormpaw's flank pressed against her own. Stormpaw's deep blue eyes searched Willowpaw's leaf green ones and layed her tail across Willowpaw's silver tabby shoulders. Concern appeared in her gestures as clear as the snow before her.

Willowpaw relaxed ever so slightly against her sister's side. It seemed like ages, but they finally made it to camp. The apprentices were told to go to their den while Oakfur and Firelight reported their news to Pinestar.

"Foxes aren't that scary," Stormpaw meowed quietly once they were comfortably seated in the apprentice den. Willowpaw ducked her head, ashamed that she was so scared about the fox. "As long as you are with a couple more cats, you're pretty safe. The fox is one and if you're fighting in a group of three or four, confusing it is pretty easy. Two could go for the head while the others attack the rump and back. "

Willowpaw felt rather stupid for overreacting. In an attempt to regain her dignity, she argued, "but we don't train to fight foxes, all of our moves are designed for cats."

"What about that trick where you dart in and hit painful areas, like the nose and stomach areas? Though I guess foxes have thicker fur then we do. But still, fighting a fox isn't that much different than fighting a giant cat. It's the badgers that are dangerous."

Stormpaw opened her mouth to say something more but was cut off by Pinestar's summons, "All those old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the High-Stump!"

AN: I'm really sorry about the lame chapter endings. I just couldn't have it going on for any longer. This chapter is long as it is. Remember, take the little time it takes and write a review, if only it says something along the lines of, "that chapter met my standards".

If you have any idea for a better name for this story, please present it in a review!