A/N: Okay here's Chapter 12! It didn't take me to long did it? Well anyway I wrote this one in between classes this morning, I just started online school yesterday, its really cool! Hopefully I'll get more writing done tonight and post some more chapters tommorow. But on Thursday I'm starting a job at the Chinese Restaurant across the street from me, so updates may be slower! Thanks and do you think I could make it to 65 reviews? Thats only six people to review! :)

~Leo~

CHAPTER 12

Dusk shaded the outside of the apprentice den. Emberpaw sat at the edge of the water, keeping his eyes on the final warrior who was about to call it a night.

Acorntail stood pacing around the clearing, pouncing as something distracted him from the corner of his eyes.

Emberpaw shook his head as Acorntail realized it was his own tail, and looked nervously to make sure no one was watching.

Not the brightest cat of RiverClan, the gray apprentice smiled as the warrior padded softly back into the warriors den, finally it was clear.

Careful not to wake either of his den mates, the gray apprentice carefully stepped over the plump Blizzardpaw, who was snoring loudly next to his sister.

The bright moon hung low in the sky, barely two nights away from the half-moon.

Berryshade and Sandpaw will be going to the moonpool, he thought, gazing over towards the small Medicine Cat home.

Emberpaw had heard the elderly Medicine Cat saying that Sandpaw would receive her full name, and that would mean Timberpaw and Eelpaw would receive their warrior names as well.

I wish I could be a warrior, but how could he learn the ways of the warrior code if he didn't have a mentor yet!

Fernstar had said for the past few days that she would give him a mentor, but still nothing. Finally Flametree and Cloudstorm reminded her this morning, and the leader had agreed to hold the ceremony at Sun-High tomorrow.

As the apprentice padded through the silver glowing forest, he wondered who in RiverClan could be his mentor. It could be Cloudstorm, he was one of the senior warriors, not to mention Fernstar's brother.

But Emberpaw didn't want some old warrior to be his mentor, he wanted someone young like Troutstream or Ivythorn.

Or Aquashine.

His eyes lit ablaze with a burning feeling, she just had to be his mentor! Her beautiful sapphire-like eyes, and her pelt that gleamed like rippling water underneath silver moonlight.

Wait a second! Emberpaw paused and shook his head, he couldn't be in love with Aquashine!

Or could I?

He had never felt that feeling before, not since Emberpaw first set his eyes on the beautiful young warrior.

But I'm just an apprentice, and she's a warrior! And even if for some odd reason, Aquashine felt the same about him. They still couldn't be mates until Emberpaw became a warrior, and he didn't even have a mentor yet!

As the young apprentice's thoughts drifted to what cute kits the two of them would have, he didn't notice a branch underneath his paws, and tripped over it clumsily.

"Ow!" that hurt! Feeling the crackled dry Leaf-Fall leaves underneath his pelt, Emberpaw pushed with his paws to sit up.

As he groomed his leaf-ridden tail, the gray apprentice didn't notice a pelt stalking among the trees. But as a leaf crunched a few fox-lengths away, he rose his gaze.

"Hello?" he asked into the darkness, his pelt rising in fear.

What if a warrior caught him? Fernstar would for sure punish him for being out in the middle of the night for no reason! But what if it wasn't a RiverClan warrior, he was awfully close to the ShadowClan border!

Peering closer into the brambles, he noticed a pelt among the bushes. And then all at once the figure came leaping towards him, pummeling him to the ground.

"Don't hurt me!" he yowled, cowering to the ground like a scared kit.

"Hey Goose-Brain" a voice meowed from on top of him. Suddenly realizing the sarcasm in the voice, Emberpaw looked behind him.

"Dovepaw! Thank StarClan its you, I thought a warrior was going to kill me!".

The white she-cat leapt onto the ground, and rolled her eyes. "Honestly Emberpaw, I think your more dramatic then the queens sometimes" and then she rose her eyes as something clicked.

"Are you a queen Emberpaw? Is that why your so dramatic? But where are your kits!? Oh I see your still expecting them, well don't worry we'll get you to the nursery straight away!".

Emberpaw scowled as she began to lead him away back towards ShadowClan camp.

"Haha, very funny" he meowed as Dovepaw turned with a smile spread across her face. "Now what did you have to tell me? Do you have a plan to stop Lightningcloud?".

The ShadowClan apprentice curled her tail and plopped down onto the leaves and bracken. "I have more than a plan! I have news!" she meowed while eyes became round, "You'll never guess who visited ShadowClan camp last night".

The gray apprentice turned his head to the side, "Who?".

Dovepaw sighed, "Lightningcloud you twit! He came to ShadowClan camp and went to talk with Moonclaw and Smokestar. The whole clan was shocked!".

This changed everything! Not only was Lightningcloud an evil cat, but he was entering ShadowClan territory and speaking with the leader and deputy!

"Did you hear what they said?" he asked urgently, padding closer to Dovepaw.

"Oh yes I heard everything, I just ran right into Smokestar's cave and let me listen to their whole conversation!" Dovepaw snapped, rolling her eyes.

Looking at Emberpaw for a short moment, the apprentice sighed.

"No. I didn't hear what they said, but Smokestar made it clear that Lightningcloud was welcome in camp. A few warriors weren't happy though."

The she-cat heightened her gaze, "You remember Venomfang and Cougartooth?".

Those were the two cats Emberpaw met when he first ventured into the forest, he remembered them.

"Well they're on apprentice duties now because they said a RiverClan cat shouldn't be in ShadowClan camp. I mean I know they're annoying, but thats a little harsh."

Dovepaw began to ramble on for a short moment about how annoying most of the cats in ShadowClan were, especially her brother Thistlepaw. Finally Emberpaw just couldn't take it anymore, she talked more than the elders!

"You said you had a plan?" the gray tom meowed, interrupting the white apprentice in mid ramble.

Hopefully he didn't risk venturing out here in the middle of the night for nothing, but deep down Emberpaw knew Dovepaw's brain was working up something.

"Oh yeah I have one!" she exclaimed while turning to him. "So the reason you hate him so much is because he left your mother when she was pregnant with you right?" she asked while looking at him with her blue gaze.

Emberpaw nodded, "And that he's evil and trying...".

"Yes, Yes. We know, he's evil and trying to take over RiverClan" Dovepaw interrupted. "But the thing you have to realize, is that Lightningcloud doesn't seem evil to the rest of your clan. To them he's the strong, moody deputy!".

What she was saying was true, though some of the cats like Berryshade knew deep down his heart was black.

"So what do I do?" Emberpaw twitched his whiskers, laying down onto the cool bracken floor.

"Okay" Dovepaw inched closer, "You have to show Fernstar and the rest of the clan, who Lightningcloud really is on the inside! You have to try and get him to attack you in front of the clan, then they might believe you!".

Emberpaw had to admit the plan was a good one, but how was he going to do it?

"I can't just very well ask him to attack me in front of the whole clan! He needs a reason to!" didn't Dovepaw understand that.

A smile spread across the white she-cats face as she curled her tail, "Then give him a reason."