Chapter Three

Lynxkit stood tall and proud next to his mother, Poppyspots. The red she-cat was purring furiously as she groomed the tom's fur, making sure there wasn't a tangle to be seen. The clan was gathered in camp. Several cats were watching, half in and half out of their dens in the ground, waiting for Runningstar to formally call the meeting.

I can't believe I'm becoming an apprentice! Lynxkit thought. His heart was nearly pumping out of his chest. Before the end of the day, he would have ran the entire prairie, climbed up the tallest pine tree in the pine fields, caught a prairie dog or even an owl-

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneat the tallhill for a clan meeting!"

It's happening! Lynxkit screamed mentally. His pelt prickled. Runningstar, his brown pelt shiny and his white chest flashing in the morning sun, stood atop the tallhill. He looked down proudly as the clan came to attention.

"Clanmates!" he yowled once they had all gathered. "It's time a kit begins his training as a noble warrior of SteppeClan."

The clown yowled back in wild agreement. Lynxkit puffed his chest. It's about time!

Runningstar waited for the clan to quiet before continuing. "Today, Lynxkit begins his warrior training!" he boomed. The leader's eyes met Lynxkit's, and he felt a combination of pride and intimidation. I'd hate to face Runningstar in battle, Lynxkit realized, and barely supressed a shudder.

"Lynxkit, step forward!"

The ruddy kit took a few steps towards his leader on sure paws.

Runningstar's eyes flashed. "Do you, Lynxkit of SteppeClan, swear to uphold the warrior code, and protect your clan with your life?"

"I do." Lynxkit was never so sure of anything in his life.

"Then by the power of StarClan, from now on you shall be called Lynxpaw. Your mentor shall be Cowfur." Runningstar turned to face his deputy, who was standing in the crowd close to Lynxpaw. "You trained Snakescale, and with his desertion, I think you deserve a new warrior to train."

A look of contented happiness was glued on Cowfur's face. He paced over to Lynxpaw and the two touched noses. "I can tell you're going to be a great apprentice," the tom rumbled.

"Lynxpaw! Lynxpaw!" the clan called racously. Lynxpaw was nearly bowled over by his clanmates as they pressed against his pelt in congratulations.

Finally the crowd died down. Runningstar, who had been waiting patiently, nodded. "Before this meeting comes to an end, I want to announce that patrols on the FloodClan border will be doubled. If any cat sees Snakescale attempting to return, he is to be turned back immediately." The large brown tom's ears slid back. "He is a traitor, and his presence will not be tolerated in SteppeClan territory."

Lynxpaw's own voice rose in agreement along with his clanmate's. He couldn't understand why any cat would want to leave the grass and sunlight of the steppes for the dank, dark wetness that FloodClan called their home.

"That ends this meeting," Runningstar meowed. "The patrols shall continue as normal." The large tom leapt from the tallhill, and the clan went back to their previous activities.

"So, Lynxpaw," Cowfur meowed. "Are you ready to see the territory?"

"Of course!" Lynxpaw replied. "Am I going to see the pine fields?"

Cowfur mreowed in amusement. "Yes. The pine fields border CoveClan, so we'll pass through them."

As the two exited the camp, Bubbleleap gave a wave of his tail. Lynxpaw and Cowfur waved back, and they exited the dirt hollow onto the prairie.

"The first thing you do when going into unfamiliar territory," Cowfur meowed, "is scent the air. It helps to have your mouth somewhat open." The shaggy black and white time crouched down next to Lynxpaw. "Tell me- what can you smell?"

This is my first lesson! Lynxpaw thought. He parted his jaws and scented the air. It was carrying a lush, salty smell on a dry wind. "It's hard to recognize..." Lynxpaw began. "Smells like... water? But it's different from the stream near camp. It's... salty."

"That'd be the sea," Cowfur replied patiently. "That means the wind is blowing from CoveClan's territory. We'll head that way first." Lynxpaw followed as his mentor led him through away from the camp through the prairie.

The steppes were a lot bigger than Lynxpaw could have ever expected. The fields stretched out on all directions, with some sort of forestry what must be a day's journey away. The apprentice had to watch his step to avoid gopher holes and sharp palm bushes, and for a moment he was afraid he wouldn't be able to make it all around the border. He couldn't remember ever having to walk for such a long period at a time, and he was panting by the time the pine trees became visible on the horizon.

"Are those the pine fields?" Lynxpaw asked breathlessly.

Cowfur nodded, his shaggy fur bobbing with the motion. "The trees look small from here, but just wait until we get closer."

The two continued their journey, and Lynxpaw saw how right Cowfur was. He stared at the trees as they grew closer. They seemed to touch the clouds, their rich sweet sappy smell getting stronger as they finally made it to the edge of the fields.

The pine trees, though tall, grew sparsely, with spaces the size of the camp between them. Ravens cawed from the trees, and the buzz of insects emanated from the branches.

"They're huge," Lynxpaw whispered. He remembered with slight embarassment how he had planned to climb to the top of one of the pines. As if!

"Has any cat ever climbed one of these?" he asked. There weren't even branches for many fox lengths up, and the ones that were there were far-between.

"Oh, yes," Cowfur answered. "Spottedowl is the most talented climber in SteppeClan- she's brought back hawks that fed the entire clan!" Cowfur purred fondly. "That'll ne part of your training, too, although there are many cats that don't bother climbing except in times of hunger."

"Huh." Lynxpaw continued to muse at the trees as they approached the CoveClan border.

The finally came to the end of the pine trees, and the grass made a stark change from sharp and dry to thin and green. There was a sharp, salty smell in the air, and the smell of other cats was heavy.

"Is this the border?" Lynxpaw asked.

Cowfur nodded. "This is sea grass, so it belongs to CoveClan. If you climb one of these trees, you'd be able to see the ocean, on a clear day."

"Can we try it?" Lynxpaw asked excitedly.

"Not right now," the deputy purred. "You'll need practice before you can climb that high!" Cowfur mreowed to himself and shook his pelt. "What you can do is refresh the border markings."

Lynxpaw did as Cowfur said, and then the two began following the border. For a good while they didn't see any other cats; then, in the distance, he saw a small hunting patrol bring down a seagull. It was sort of amazing, he thought, how the three cats managed to bring down the odd, flappy creature, and even more amazing than that was the sound the bird was making. The patrol pinned it down, wings flapping and feathers flying, and then it was dead. As the two continued their walk and the cats faded into the distance, Lynxpaw looked back and saw them standing erect with their tails and ears perked, curiously watching as they continued their journey.

Lynxpaw raised his nose. There was again the smell of water, but this time it smelled dewy and lush. It smells like the water back home, the tom thought.

As if reading his mind, Cowfur swung his tail and said, "we're coming to the river soon. It's the biggest one around here; we won't have to cross it now, but be careful. It'll sweep you away to sea if you can't get out."

Lynxpaw shivered at the idea. "I'll remember that," he meowed.

They got to the corner of SteppeClan territory, a sharp corner with CoveClan territory on one side and the river on the other.

"What's on the other side?" Lynxpaw wondered aloud.

Cowfur trotted over to the water and lapped at a calm eddy that had formed. It was a few moments before he spoke.

"Over there... that's FloodClan." Cowfur froze in place. Lynxpaw felt slightly uneasy as a ripple of agitation and anger coursed through Cowfur's pelt.

Lynxpaw stared over at the other side of the river. Trees grew into the bank, their roots gnarled and submerged, and there was a large snake basking in the branches. The smell of mud and swampwater drifted over from the other side. Lynxpaw wrinkled his nose.

"Why would Snakescale leave SteppeClan for that?" the ruddy tom asked in vague disgust.

Cowfur lashed his tail. "Snakes belong in the swamp," he growled. He shook his thick pelt and seemed to feel a little bit better. "Love, for some cats, is a powerful thing," he continued. "I just can't understand why Snakescale couldn't have found a mate within our clan."

Lynxpaw flicked his stub of a tail. "It seems selfish of him. We don't have a lot of warriors right now."

Cowfur nodded. "It was selfish." He gazed across the water for a moment. The snake slipped off its sunning place and into the water. The older tom flicked his ears in a done-with-the-conversation motion.

The two continued silently along the river, and the grove of the FloodClan territory turned into that of GladeClan's meadows. Lynxpaw breathed in the sweet scent of the flowers dotting the fields. He lifted his nose to the air and breathed in the smell of nectar, pollen, grass... and other cats.

Lynxpaw stood erect. He swivelled his ears towards the smell, further up the river, and could just barely make out the shape of several cats in the middle of the river, standing on the rocks that poked out of the water. "Who's that?" he whispered. Cowfur rushed to stand next to him, his jaws parted and his tail flicking in agitation.

"GladeClan," Cowfur answered. He took a small, anxious step forward. "They're allowed in the river, but..."

The deputy was interrupted by a yowl. One of the cats had scared a duck out of the brush, and had succeeded in pinning it down- on SteppeClan territory.

Lynxpaw was about to ask what the should do when his mentor let out a low growl. "Follow me," he said in a low voice. "Don't be the first to draw claws. And if it comes to a fight, I want you to run back to camp and tell Runningstar. There's a whole patrol over there; we won't be able to take them on on our own. Could you find your way home?"

The ruddy tom gulped and nodded. His heart was beating out of his chest, and his stomach felt like he had swallowed a bees nest; before he had a chance to prepare, Cowfur was barrelling across the grass. I wish I had some battle training, Lynxpaw wished vaguely as he set his legs into motion.

Cowfur let out a ferocious yowl. The GladeClan patrol looked up, their eyes wild and their pelts fluffed at the sight of the bulky black and white tom rushing them. There were three of them, all looking old enough to be warriors; an orange tabby tom with a kinked tail, a small, fluffy gray she-cat, and the cat who had caught the duck, a white she-cat with ginger patches. The cats seemed for a moment like they would flee, but the patched she-cat picked up the duck and leapt away from the bank onto one of the river stones.

"That's SteppeClan prey!" Cowfur barked at the warriors. The cat with the duck stood silent, holding her prey, and Lynxpaw's pads itched with anger at the mocking look in her eyes.

"Come now, Cowfur," the small gray she-cat meowed. She leapt onto a rock closer to the two SteppeClan cats. "That duck belongs to GladeClan. Any kit could tell you that ducks don't live in the desert!" The she-cats eyes sparkled smugly.

Cowfur growled. "You know very well that's now how the warrior code works, Skyfern," he snarled. "I expected more out of a deputy. It was on our territory. It belongs to SteppeClan."

Lynxpaw suddenly noticed that the lanky orange tom had approached and was standing on the rock next to the white she-cat. "What are you and your apprentice gonna' do?" he hissed. "He looks like a kit!"

Lynxpaw couldn't help but let a low growl rumble in his throat. Cowfur didn't bother with a reprimand. "Drop the duck and go back to your camp," he demanded.

"Is that a challenge?" she meowed innocently.

Cowfur dropped into a crouch. "Get other cats," Cowfur murmured to Lynxpaw. In a heartbeat, the deputy let out a screech and threw himself at Skyfern. The apprentice had just enough time to see them tumble into the water before he turned tail and raced through the prairie.

I need to get to camp, he thought as he sprinted. Cowfur can't win this fight on his own. And if he gets washed away, he could drown...

Lynxpaw's chest was burning. He worried he wouldn't be able to make it to camp before his lungs gave out, and he could feel his pawpads prickling as he flew over the prairie. Not even halfway back to camp he picked up on the smell of a SteppeClan patrol. Thank StarClan, he thought with relief nas he adjusted his path.

He released a yowl of triumph as the patrol came into view. Spottedowl, Watersplash. and his apprentice Grasspaw all looked up at his screech. Noticing something wrong, they ran to meet him.

"Where's Cowfur?" Watersplash asked with concern. Lynxpaw stood for a few moments, straining to regain his breath.

"GladeClan... stealing food... Cowfur challenged them." The tom coughed as his breathing racked his frame. Dear StarClan, it hurts...

Spottedowl stepped forward, her eyes full of concern. "Are you feeling alright?" she mewed. "Can you show us where they are?"

Lynxpaw nodded. "Yeah... I think so. Follow me!"

Again, the reddish tom sprinted across the prairie, this time with three cats around him, ready to fight.

The patrol came into sight. Cowfur had secured the duck somehow and had carried it back to the SteppeClan bank. He was defending it from the other three cats, and Lynxpaw was shocked to see that one of his ears was gushing blood, the tip flopping lifelessly in the wind.

"Attack!" Spottedowl screeched. She, Grasspaw, and Watersplash charged down the hill towards the intruders. Lynxpaw wondered for a moment if he should follow; then he remembered Cowfur's ear, and he followed his clanmates.

Watersplash and Grasspaw were dealing with the orange tom, and Spottedowl had bowled the thieving white and ginger she-cat away from Cowfur and was clawing her stomach with her back legs. Cowfur was still dealing with Skyfern, though, and despite the size difference between the two cats, the GladeClan deputy still seemed to have the upper paw. Cowfur was crouched with his belly to the ground, hissing at the smaller she-cat. Suddenly Skyfern reared up and came down hard on the tom, pressing her paws into his throat.

She's going to kill him! Lynxpaw panicked. Not thinking, he threw himself at the gray she-cat, leaping on her back and knocking her over. She screamed and rolled over, crushing him, but he managed to keep his claws hooked into her pelt. He gritted his teeth as she stood up and jumped around wildly, trying desperately to shake him off.

All this over a duck, he thought as he began to lose his grip. I can't hold on, and then GladeClan is going to kill me and Cowfur-

"GladeClan! Retreat!" Skyfern yowled. She bolted for the river; Lynxpaw slipped from her back, his claws aching and his ears ringing. In heartbeats, the GladeClan cats were bounding gracefully rock-to-rock across the river.

"Cowfur!" Lynxpaw meowed. He turned to look at his mentor. The large shaggy tom coughed and stood to his feet. "I'm fine," he croaked. "It looks worse than it is."

"You're lucky GladeClan cats are so small," Watersplash said , his eyes wide. "Three cats on one? GladeClan has no honor!"

"Come on," Spottedowl meowed, nudging Cowfur. "We need to get you to Mellowsong."

"Alright, alright," Cowfur mumbled. "I could really use a couple poppy seeds right now."

The patrol started their journey back, with Spottedowl in the lead, carrying the hard-earned duck, followed by Watersplash and Grasspaw, and Cowfur and Lynxpaw bringing up the rear. The apprentice supported the deputy, letting the injured tom lean on his shoulder.

"You did well today," Cowfur said quietly. His voice was still raspy from Skyfern's attempt to suffocate him. "I might be dead right now if you hadn't managed to find a patrol so quickly." He was silent for a moment before continuing. "I'm proud to call you my apprentice."

"I know I wasn't suppoed to fight," Lynxpaw meowed. He realized how sore his body was from the exercise of the day. "But I saw your ear bleeding, and..."

"You did the right thing," Cowfur said. There was an amount of confident certainty in his voice. "Any cat can follow the warrior code. It takes a true warrior to listen to intuition."

Suddenly Lynxpaw realized that the camp was in sight. Spottedowl yelped and ran towards it, calling the medicing cat, Mellowsong, out of his den. Cowfur nodded. "I'll be alright. Thank you, Lynxpaw. Get some prey; you've worked hard," he meowed.

Lynxpaw, still sore but overall satisfied, did as his mentor said and tucked into a mouse. I wonder if all clans are as vicious as GladeClan, he wondered with a shudder. Their deputy almost committed murder!