Drip… drip… drip… The sounds echoed around Grasspaw as he slept, rousing him slightly but not entirely waking him. He was warmer and cozier than he remembered being since he'd been a tiny kit in the nursery, snuggled up against Owlwing.

Then a water droplet smacked him right on the nose and he sneezed, disturbed from his slumber. He blinked open his eyes, trying hard to remember what had happened the previous night. Were they back at the lake yet?

A faint murmur from the cat beside him answered that question with a resounding no. Grasspaw's stomach sank all the way down to his paws when he remembered cuddling up with Waterpaw the previous night before going to sleep. The blue-gray she-cat was still pressed against him now, curling around him like a mother cat would curl around her kits- if her kits happened to be almost as big as her.

"Waterpaw," Grasspaw whispered, turning his head to see her sleeping face. She looked so lovely in repose, but Grasspaw couldn't help but think that he liked her better when she was awake- so lively and bright. "Are you awake yet?"

Waterpaw's only reply was a surprisingly loud snore. "I guess you're not," Grasspaw muttered, wriggling out from underneath her paws. He left her sleeping under the rain-soaked fern clump and surveyed their surroundings.

Other than a few scrubby patches of gorse, a few bushes, and the occasional clump of ferns, there wasn't really much of a forest here at all. The trees were all saplings, and they were few and far between. The forest on the other side of the thunderpath had been a lot thicker, but this tree line was only that- a tree line. When Grasspaw stuck his head out between two scraggly bramble bushes, he saw a wide open field with a large twoleg den and a fence off in the distance. When he squinted, he could just barely make out a few specks on the other side of the fence that must have been animals of some sort. Could it be the horseplace?

Grasspaw tasted the air for any familiar scents, but the wind wasn't blowing the right way for him to tell if there were any cats living nearby, let alone any he knew. Disappointed but not out of hope yet, Grasspaw headed back to where Waterpaw was sleeping. It took him a while to find the exact clump of ferns she'd been resting under, and when he got there, he was surprised to find that Waterpaw was now awake- and she wasn't alone.

Sitting next to Waterpaw, and appearing to be having a fairly one-sided conversation with her, was a small but stocky tom with a red collar that almost blended in with his fur.

The tom didn't seem to notice Grasspaw behind him until he cleared his throat and addressed him. "Um, hi," Grasspaw mewed cautiously, trying to sound brave despite inwardly panicking. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

The dark red tom swung his head around, his dark amber eyes wide. His fur was too short to stand on end, but his spine was arched and his claws slid out until he saw that Grasspaw was no threat and relaxed. "My name is Brick," he meowed, dipping his head politely but keeping his eyes on Grasspaw as he did so. Grasspaw also noticed that Brick didn't retract his claws, but it was understandable- he was a stranger, after all. "I happen to live around here, and when I came across this lovely little she-cat here I was worried that she might be injured."

"Well, you don't have to worry about Waterpaw," Grasspaw mewed curtly, pushing past Brick. "Are you okay?" he whispered to Waterpaw; she nodded, but Grasspaw's pads still prickled with suspicion at the look on Brick's face. He knew it would be better to give this cat the benefit of the doubt, but there was something about him that Grasspaw didn't like.

"Oh, I know I don't have to worry about her now," Brick agreed, licking his paw and drawing it over his ear; Grasspaw noticed that both his ears had tiny nicks in the tips. "But tell me you wouldn't have rather I been there to let you know if there was something wrong with her than not be there and you find out the hard way! I mean, come on, now; it's not very gentlemanly of you to go leaving your little friend here by herself, now is it?"

Grasspaw was called out by Brick's accusation; he had a point. Even so… "I was only gone for a minute," he reasoned, trying to repress the defensive edge to his tone and keep his fur lying flat. "What's the worst that could have happened to her in that time?"

Brick stared at Grasspaw with an unsettling degree of calmness. "You're right, of course," he said with a thin purr. "What's the worst that could really happen to a tiny little cat like you out here? It's perfectly safe, I'm sure."

It was obvious that Brick was trying to get some kind of reaction out of him. But Grasspaw wasn't about to give him the satisfaction!

"Well, thank you for your concern," Waterpaw mewed, dipping her head respectively to Brick. "But I really do think we can handle ourselves. We are warrior apprentices, after all." Grasspaw nodded in agreement.

"If you're sure…" Brick muttered, suddenly downcast. He fixed his gaze on Grasspaw. "Just promise me you'll take good care of yourselves, will you? I'd hate to think Waterpaw would be in any danger out here with only you to protect her."

Grasspaw tried his hardest not to take any offense to that statement, but he Waterpaw's pelt was already bristling. Grasspaw could understand her anger-she didn't need him to defend herself! In fact, she'd been the one trying to save him from the owl when they'd been captured, and she'd been the one to get them down, too. It was blindingly obvious to Grasspaw that Brick was only trying to provoke them, and the mangy furball had finally succeeded.

"Get away from us right now," he hissed, sliding out his claws. "I don't want you hanging around like this."

"And what will you do if I refuse?" Brick challenged, baring his fangs- Grasspaw observed that he was missing a couple. "Do you honestly think you can fight me if need be?"

Grasspaw wasn't sure that he could, but he was sure that Waterpaw would be able to. As long as she was beside him, he felt that he could take on anything.

"I don't know if I can fight you, but I'll be willing to try if you force me to," Waterpaw said, voicing Grasspaw's feelings. "But just leave while you can and it won't come to that."

"Oh, I don't plan on leaving for a while yet," Brick purred, leaning in to take a sniff of Waterpaw's pelt. She screeched, raising her paw, and the next thing Grasspaw knew there was a thin red line across Brick's cheek.

"Mouse dung," Brick spat, taking a step back as Waterpaw glowered at him. "You're a real tough one, aren't you? Well, maybe this will make you more cooperative!"

He coiled his muscles and Grasspaw expected him to attack Waterpaw. She must have been expecting that as well, because she jumped away so Brick couldn't reach her. But Brick didn't lunge at her at all. Instead, he pounced on Grasspaw, cutting off his shriek and knocking the air out of him. Waterpaw let out an alarmed yowl, rushing in to help, but Brick turned around and reared up on his hind legs and Waterpaw shrunk back, unnerved. Once he'd caught his breath, Grasspaw rose to his paws and struck Brick from behind, pushing at his back. He toppled forward, and Waterpaw jumped up from below him at the same time, sinking her claws into his belly. Brick let out a screech of pain and fury, bringing his claws down onto Waterpaw as he fell. "No!" Grasspaw cried, darting between Brick's legs to push her aside. She blinked gratefully at him, and then they nodded to each other; they had no time to appreciate each other's company now.

They had a battle to fight.

Together, they charged at Brick, letting out twin battlecries. Brick tensed up, taking in the two apprentices about to attack him, until they were right on top of him. At that point, he suddenly lashed out, striking out at Waterpaw with a powerful front paw. She was sent flying backward, landing facefirst in the dirt about a fox-length away. Grasspaw cried her name, letting go of Brick and turning his back on him to run to her side.

"Grasspaw, don't," Waterpaw warned as she saw Brick's muscles coil; he was preparing to leap. "He's going to-"

In a fluid motion, Brick struck, launching himself into the air and casting a shadow over Grasspaw for an instant before coming down on him- and hard. Grasspaw's shriek was cut off as Brick landed, and the greenish-gray apprentice vanished under the reddish-brown tom's claws.

Icy claws of horror dug into Waterpaw. She let out an enraged yowl, charging forward to knock Brick off of Grasspaw. But he intercepted her, jumping away from Grasspaw to lash out with claws and fangs at Waterpaw. His teeth connected with her neck and she screeched, pummeling his belly with kicks and trying not to let him get on top of her. But he overpowered her quickly, driving her to the ground where she lay on her back as he stood over her.

Behind them, Grasspaw was trying to stand up, but it was clearly quite a struggle for him. Waterpaw didn't see why it would be so hard; his legs all looked fine. She decided that maybe it would be better if he just left the fighting to her. She was the one with a prophecy about her, after all; that must mean she could handle herself better in combat than an ordinary cat like him.

Brick leaned down over Waterpaw, and she could smell crowfood on his breath. He might have been wearing a collar, but he was clearly not a kittypet- maybe he'd been one once, but not anymore. "Why are you making this so difficult?" he snarled, pressing his paws down on Waterpaw's shoulders so she couldn't break away. "I never even tried to start a fight with you."

Waterpaw wondered if that was true. She had heard Grasspaw arguing with somebody, but she'd assumed it had just been in her dream until he'd woken her up properly. Had Brick actually just been trying to have a pleasant conversation? Waterpaw glanced at Grasspaw again, who was still struggling to stand. He kept taking half a step and then collapsing. No, she decided; Brick must have been trying to start a fight with them. A cat who was just trying to get along wouldn't hurt another cat like that.

"You deserve better than him, you know," Brick pressed on. "I know plenty of rogues and loners like me who'd die for a cat like you. They could treat you splendidly, you know. Is it really fair for you to cheat all those poor, lonely cats out of love just because you'd rather tramp around the forest with that kit?"

At that, Waterpaw had had enough. She struck upward with her hind legs, throwing Brick off of her. "Grasspaw's not a kit," she hissed. "And for your information, I'm only a moon older than him. So if he's that young in your eyes, I think you need to reevaluate what's suitable for me, too."

Brick's eyes narrowed into amber slits. A crazed growl emerging from deep in his throat, he reared up on his hind paws again and took a swipe at Waterpaw from above. She ducked, jumping back, and then stood up on her hind legs as well to match his blows. She was a bit smaller than Brick, and significantly lighter, so he managed to knock her backward. She rolled to her paws and swerved to avoid another swipe. Just then, Grasspaw, who had finally managed to stand, rejoined Waterpaw in the battle. He jumped up to bite Brick's shoulder and the stock reddish-brown tom yowled with outrage.

"Are you okay, Waterpaw?" Grasspaw asked, his voice muffled by a mouthful of Brick's short fur.

"I'm fine," Waterpaw meowed, grateful for her friend's help. Even if she probably could have handled it on her own, it was always nice to have a cat fighting beside you. "Now, let's finish this!"

But just as she was about to tackle Brick to the ground, he twisted around and hooked his claws into Grasspaw's scruff. Grasspaw flailed for a moment before Brick swung his leg and he was flung through the air, his green eyes wide in panic.

"No!" Waterpaw cried. Her heart caught in her throat as Grasspaw sailed backward through the air, wailing, before crashing into a patch of brambles. Brick laughed and Waterpaw whipped around to face him. "You mange-pelt!"

She lunged at Brick, knocking him onto the ground, where she raked her claws down his sides ruthlessly. How dare Brick harm Grasspaw like that- and then laugh about it?! Rage coursed through Waterpaw, blocking out all other thoughts, senses, and emotions until all she could see was red and all she could hear was the blood roaring in her ears.

Waterpaw wasn't even fully aware of what was happening. It was like she had blacked out. She could almost feel Brick's retaliations, but… not really. In a strange way, it was almost like she wasn't even attacking him at all. It was just… happening without her even really knowing it. She was finally jerked back into reality when she felt Brick shudder and convulse beneath her, and then grow still.

Waterpaw's breath caught in her throat as she backed away, realizing with a sinking horror that Brick was dead, his throat torn open. She looked at her paws; they were soaked in blood. Had she really killed him?! Waterpaw's mind reeled. How could have killed a full-grown cat?

Now that Brick was dead, all the attacks Waterpaw hadn't registered before caught up with her. Pain burst through her nerves, and she realized that she had deep scratches on her flanks, a bite on the side of her neck that must have narrowly missed her throat, and a multitude of small cuts on her belly that have come from being pummeled by Brick's hind legs. She winced; this really wasn't good. She didn't know the first thing about herbs, and she had no idea how far away the lake was. And what about Grasspaw?

Waterpaw staggered over to the bramble patch where Grasspaw had landed. Although thorns snagged at every whisker-length of the apprentice's greenish-gray pelt, none of them appeared to have dug in too deep, and only a few had drawn any blood. Waterpaw sagged with relief to see the barely visible rise and fall of Grasspaw's chest. Not caring if the brambles pricked her, she dragged him out of the bush and hoisted him onto her back. He flopped across her, heavier than she'd expected, and Waterpaw grimaced at the prospect of having to carry him all the way back to the lake. She just hoped it was as close as she thought it was.

A monster roared past on the thunderpath, pulling another rectangular monster-nest thing behind it. With a renewed sense of confidence, Waterpaw continued on the trail on the edge of the thunderpath, putting one paw in front of the other until she couldn't walk any more.

A dull murmur lapped at the edges of Grasspaw's consciousness, like gentle waves slowly melting away a sheet of ice as leaf-bare became newleaf. He stirred, starting to become aware of his surroundings, and blinked open his eyes.

The world came into view around him, blurry and out of focus. Grasspaw was lying on his side on something soft and comfortable- a nest, but it wasn't as nice as the one he was used to. When he took a deep breath in, he was assailed with the sharp tang of herbs.

Grasspaw sat up, coughing. At this, Podtail rushed over to him, dropping the herbs he'd been chewing up, and Grasspaw realized he must be in the medicine den. He was home!

"Oh, thank StarClan, you're finally awake," the light brown medicine cat breathed. He hooked his claws into a clump of wet moss that was lying next to Grasspaw as pressed it to his forehead. "How do you feel?"

Feel? Grasspaw tried to process the question, but it seemed so out of place. Shouldn't it be obvious how he felt? "I'm… alive," he offered, not quite sure what Podtail was looking for in his answer.

Podtail's whiskers twitched in amusement, but his eyes remained grim. "Yes, you certainly are," he mewed dryly. "And it's a good thing, too, because you were very close to being dead."

"I was?"

"You were extremely lucky, you know- and not just because you survived whatever fight you got into on your way home," Podtail added, his serious tone grounding Grasspaw in the reality he'd been trying not to think of while he and Waterpaw had been trying to get back home. "After you turned up missing, Sandstar sent out a patrol to look for you. They came back empty-pawed, but they reported a very strong owl scent. The next day, the dawn patrol found owl feathers and signs of a struggle on the edge of WindClan territory."

Grasspaw gulped. He'd known that his Clanmates would probably think he was dead, of course, but hearing Podtail talk about it was still uncomfortable. It made him feel guilty for making everyone go through that, even if it wasn't even his fault.

"What about RiverClan?" he mewed, both in an effort to change the topic and because he wanted to know if Waterpaw was all right without asking about her out front. "One of their apprentices went missing at the same time I did, right?"

Podtail's long, thin tail twitched as he spoke. "Well, I think you should know," he meowed coolly. "We did find you lying next to her, after all."

"And what about-" Grasspaw swallowed. He didn't want Podtail to think he cared too much about a cat from another Clan, but he needed to know that Waterpaw was alive as well. "What happened to her? Is Waterpaw back in her Clan too?"

Claws of fear gripped at Grasspaw when Podtail hesitated. What was there he didn't want to tell him?! Then, to his relief, the medicine cat meowed simply, "Waterpaw is recovering."

Just then, Berrypaw poked her head into the den. "Who're you talking to?" she mewed. "Is it-?" She broke off, he face lighting up when she saw Grasspaw. "It is!" she purred, running over and burying her muzzle in Grasspaw's fur for a moment before pulling back. "Oh, I'm so glad you're finally awake! Applepaw and Owlwing and Rabbitleap and I were all really worried about you!"

"Well, you don't need to worry about me anymore," Grasspaw told her, overcome with emotion at the sight of his sister's sheer joy at seeing him. He gave her head a couple of gentle licks. "I'm going to be just fine, aren't I, Podtail?" He tried not to let any note of worry creep into his voice as he glanced up at the medicine cat.

"You've certainly had long enough to rest up," he meowed. "You had me worried for a bit there, but with any luck, you'll be back to your apprentice duties by the end of the week."

"You were sleeping for three whole days," Berrypaw informed him, her blue eyes wide. Grasspaw noticed that they were starting to become less blue and more green as she got older. "Podtail said an owl tried to eat you and some RiverClan cat, but you got away somehow! How'd you do it?!"

"Well, it was mostly Waterpaw," Grasspaw admitted, giving his chest fur a couple of embarrassed licks. "She's the one who saved us. You met Waterpaw at the Gathering, right? Blue-gray she-cat, fluffy tail, kind of full of herself? You have her to thank for us being able to have this conversation right now."

"Yes, that Waterpaw certainly is an outstanding young cat," Podtail muttered. "And you really should thank her, Berrypaw; I think your brother owes a lot to her- perhaps more than he should."

Grasspaw opened his mouth to ask him what that was supposed to mean, but Podtail simply turned and padded over to sort through his herb stores, even though they already looked perfectly tidy.

What does he care about who I spend my time with? Grasspaw thought indignantly as Berrypaw scampered around him, telling him about how scared she'd been while he was gone. I can owe Waterpaw as much as I want. I just hope I can pay her back one day…