Redpaw crouched, her tail a whisker from the ground. She scented the air once more, taking in the smells off leaf-bare and a mouse.

The apprentice placed her paws down slowly, deliberately. She could feel the cold wind streaming through her whiskers and fur.

Suddenly, there was an explosion of noise as of black she-cat forced her way through a bramble bush and thumped on the ground.

Redpaw lunged for the mouse, hoping desperately to catch it, to not fail her assessment.

The mouse shot into a burrow. Redpaw frantically began to dig the frozen ground with her claws to no avail. The prey was lost.

Redpaw turned to the black apprentice. "What in StarClan's name made you do that, Hollypaw? You lost my prey!"

Hollypaw flicked an ear and sprawled on the leaf litter. She had been an apprentice for almost two moons now and her first gathering was approaching. She sniffed the air. "Do what?" She opened her green eyes wide. "I would never do anything like that, Redpaw. There was never even anything here."

Redpaw spat on the ground, "I know you did that on purpose you little piece of fox-dung! Now I can see why Bloodpaw won't let us talk to you… It's because you're a waste of space."

Hollypaw flinched as Redpaw, her sister, turned her back on her. "I'm telling Squirrelflight on you."

Hollypaw snarled, "You can't do that!" She swiped angrily at Bloodpaw's favourite sister.

Redpaw slammed Hollypaw's paw into the dirt, "I think you'll find I can."

XxX

Redpaw stalked into camp, her catch, a scrawny blackbird, clutched in her mouth. She flung the fresh-kill onto the pile as she passed and sat down next to a relaxing Bloodpaw.

"Want some, Redpaw?" She indicated her food, a plump mouse.

"No, thanks." She snorted and twisted to look around the camp. "Have you seen Squirrelflight?"

Bloodpaw rolled over, her dark red fur shining in the sun's weak rays. "I haven't seen her myself, but Lilypaw and Seedpaw told me they saw her go up to Bramblestar's den." She stared at Redpaw, her amber eyes glowing, "Why? What happened?"

Redpaw sighed and lay down next to her sister. "I was gonna catch this great mouse... I had everything right," She glared at the camp wall. "And then Hollypaw decided to crash through the bushes. I didn't even catch the mouse."

Bloodpaw turned her gaze to Redpaw. "I'd have clawed her eyes out if she did that to me." She sat up. "Did you?"

The apprentice glared at Bloodpaw. "No offensive, Bloodpaw, but I know that I'd have been banned from the gathering if I'd have done that. I actually think when it comes to Hollypaw."

Bloodpaw flicked her ear playfully, "Hey, you calling me a mouse-brain?"

"You bet I am!"

The two apprentices sprang up and began to wrestle with each other. They fought for a while but leapt apart as a shadow covered them.

"Hi, Squirrelflight," Bloodpaw mewed. "Redpaw was waiting for you."

Squirrelflight looked at her apprentice, "Why is that, Redpaw?"

Redpaw gazed at her paws. "I was hunting and Hollypaw sabotaged my catch. Then she tried to claw me when I threatened to tell you."

The clan deputy hissed quietly and lifted Redpaw's chin with her tail. "I'll make sure Hollypaw's punished, Redpaw, but don't expect too much." She flicked her gaze to Bloodpaw, "And don't go picking any fights!"

XxX

Redpaw sat with Lilypaw, Seedpaw and Amberpaw as they watched Hollypaw return to camp. Her pelt was as clean as a kittypet's, her eyes glowing strangely in their sockets.

She carried no prey.

Bramblestar stalked up to his apprentice. "Where have you been, Hollypaw?" His eyes flicked over her pelt. "You haven't even caught a sparrow!"

Amberpaw chuckled quietly with Seedpaw as Hollypaw dropped her gaze. "I… I was, erm, exploring the territory." Her whiskers twitched guiltily.

Lilypaw leaned over to murmur in Redpaw's ear, "I wonder what punishment Bramblestar will give her." Redpaw turned to look at her friend. Lilypaw's pelt was groomed to perfection, the white patches showing through her dark tabby fur like snowdrops. Her light blue eyes were wide.

Seedpaw nudged her sister. "I'll bet you a mouse's tail he'll make her clean out the elders' den."

"Exploring the territory! I gave you a tour on your first day. No other apprentice has explored the territory when they were meant to be hunting." Bramblestar snorted, "You'll be cleaning out the elders' den for a moon. You can't leave the camp for half a moon."

Seedpaw's green eyes gleamed. "I told you."

Redpaw rolled her own eyes, "It's not exactly hard to guess his punishments, Seedpaw, he always turns to look at the punishment."

Hollypaw turned and glared at the group of apprentices sitting together outside their den. Her teeth were bared.

Redpaw shivered.

Not very long… But I'm anxious for reviews. You guys know it snowed here in the south west of England, today? It was nice to wake up to a winter wonderland, even if it was on the 4th November. I also tried out that fancy line thing, so apologies for any weird gaps. _

So, I had no reviews. :c It made me sad.

See you guys! :3