Chapter One:

Dovepaw flicked her tail, creeping up on a large rabbit. Her tail swished behind her, rustling the leaves. The rabbit took off, but was stopped by a flurry of silver fur.

"Who in the world are you?" exclaimed Dovepaw, "I didn't see you!"

"Rainpaw," meowed the cat innocently, "I'm sorry, I was so hungry I didn't think. My clan, ShadowClan, chased me out for arguing with Blackstar. I couldn't stand their attitudes anymore."

"Oh, I see. Do you want me to take you to Firestar?" Dovepaw asked.

"It'd be nice."

A large ginger tom stopped Dovepaw with a hiss. "Who is this?"

"She is all alone and I'm taking her to Firestar!"

He turned and glared at Rainpaw warningly with a snarl.

"Lionblaze, knock it off!" snapped Dovepaw, "She isn't going to hurt you!"

Rainpaw shrunk back nervously.

"Jayfeather'd like to talk to you," Lionblaze growled, turning back to Dovepaw as they reached the camp.

Dovepaw and Rainpaw walked up to Firestar's den. "Dovepaw? With a ShadowClan apprentice?"

"Yes," Dovepaw replied, "She was chased out of ShadowClan and she couldn't stand their attitude."

"You wish to join?" the bright flame-colored leader stood, "I can announce your new mentor right now."

"Thank you, sir," mewed Rainpaw, "I greatly appreciate it."

Firestar motioned them out and climbed eagerly onto the high ledge. "All cats who are old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the high ledge for a clan meeting!"

Cats jumped to their paws so quickly that Rainpaw barely had time to reach Firestar.

"This new cat, Rainpaw is joining ThunderClan. She will need a mentor. Lionblaze, I've decided you to mentor her."

The large ginger tom stood, but his face was frozen with rage. He walked stiff-legged up to Rainpaw and touched his nose to hers. Rainpaw shrunk back slightly.

There was a strange silence, and a cat hissed, "Lionblaze! Behave yourself!"

"Hush, Leafpool," snapped a gray tom angrily, also stiff-legged.

Firestar glared at them, and started cheering half-heartedly. "Rainpaw!"

Cats caught on quickly and started cheering.

"Lionblaze, show her around and be nice for StarClan's sake!" snarled Firestar, "I expect you to act better than that!"

Dovepaw smiled at Rainpaw encouragingly.

"Come on," growled Lionblaze, still walking stiffly as he led her out of camp. "I'm going to show you around the territory."

She followed with complete silence until he thrust his paw out and stopped her.

"Look there, the mouse." Lionblaze sat down silently. "go get it."

Rainpaw crept quickly and jumped, killing the mouse instantly. She turned around for praise, but Lionblaze still had the frozen expression of rage.

"Terrible," he growled, "Your tail was rustling the leaves, you're incorrectly positioned. You nearly alerted it your presence!"

"I'm not used to this forest!" she snapped angrily, "The other forest has evergreen trees-not many leaves on the ground!"

"Well, than get used to it! You need desperate practice on your hunting skills!" he turned and stalked off.

"Lionblaze, wait!" she cried out, running after him. Her tail drooped and her ears were flat. "Please, will you teach me to do it right?" She was desperate to please him, but he was rude to her.

"Not like any teaching will help you do it right. Maybe a bit of fight-practice will help."

"Do you think so?"

"Yes." He stopped in the middle of the fighting practice clearing. "Attack me. Try to pin me."

She gaped at him in horror. He was so much bigger. Breathing deeply, she bunched her muscles and leapt at him, trying to knock him over. Lion was like a rock, his paws planted deep in the ground.

"You won't be able to knock me over by jumping at me," he snapped, pushing her away, "You've got a lot to learn."

"Who doesn't?" she hissed angrily.

"Watch your temper, kit."

"I'm an apprentice!" she snapped.

"Nice to know. Back to camp. You need to clean out the elders den."

She followed silently. Lionblaze walked into the medicine den, and Rainpaw crept after him without him noticing.

"I know, Lionblaze…" meowed Dovepaw, "But you haven't been very nice to her…"

"I don't like how she manages to block out me like Leafpool can," Jayfeather muttered.

"She's pretty good at hunting," grunted Lionblaze, "I was probably too mean to her."

"I'm sure," Jayfeather meowed coldly, "I was watching you two."

"Come on, Jayfeather, I don't need you to follow me!" snapped Lionblaze, "And I don't appreciate you listening in! Come get what you need from Jayfeather or leave!"

Rainpaw flattened her ears and crept into the den. "I'm sorry, Lionblaze."

He glared at her, and she shrunk back.

"Knock it off, Lionblaze," hissed Jayfeather. He softened when he turned to Rainpaw, "Please excuse my brother's behavior. What would you like?"

"Some moss for the elder's den," she squeaked.

"Here," he dropped a pile of moss in front of her, "Rainpaw, do you like honey?"

She nodded, but he didn't seem to notice.

"She does!" meowed Dovepaw brightly.

"Here," he dropped a comb of honey in front of her, "The kits didn't finish."

She purred, her eyes were round marbles of delight. "Thank you, Jayfeather!"

Lionblaze glared shrewdly at her. "I suppose you can have it."

"Well, not like we'd let you take it away," grunted Jayfeather, "Go finish the dens when you are finished, okay, Rainpaw?"

"Okay!"