A cold and refreshing leaf-fall breeze blew straight to Snowpaw's face. A gust of wind like that was different from the ones he felt inside the camp. The camp was surrounded by trees, bushes and brambles, unlike the ravine, where one can freely sense the wind. Snowpaw took a glance back at the ThunderClan camp. This will be their first time out of it and surely, they will have a good time exploring the forest they once only dreamed to see.

Snowpaw looked at his sister, Frostpaw, to see how she had reacted. An eager smile formed on her face, something that happens rarely. Her whiskers twitched with excitement and her tail was held up high. He was happy to see that both of them would be visiting their Clan's borders together. It would only be a matter of time before their mentors will teach them about other Clans like RiverClan and ShadowClan, as well as the good places for hunting in their territory.

"Okay, let's get moving!" Badgerfang told the rest of the group. "We do not have the rest of the day to keep waiting here." The warrior rounded up the apprentices from the top of the ravine and started to lead the patrol towards their destination. The warrior looked up in the sky before going, trying to figure out if there would any chances of rain. By the signal of his tail, all of them began walking, with the mentors leading them and the apprentices behind.

"We're going to the Snakerocks first, right?" Snowpaw asked to his mentor as she led the way, together with Badgerfang.

"Yes," Fluffypelt replied. "Remember that we will not be hunting for adders today and you should not be charging straight into trouble without our permission. "

"Do adders kill cats?" the pesky apprentice asked again.

"Yes, if you aren't careful," Fluffypelt answered.

"Is it true that there are badgers living there?" Snowpaw asked further.

"Sometimes, they do. Sometimes, not," his mentor answered.

"Why is it a part of our territory if it is dangerous?" Snowpaw pestered.

"Because it gives us prey," Fluffypelt answered, beginning to get annoyed by the apprentice's continuous questions.

"How can there be prey in a place full like Snakerocks?"

"How can an apprentice like you keep on talking like that?" Snowpaw heard his sister, Frostpaw, interrupted. She, too, had probably been annoyed with his Snowpaw's unending questions. The apprentice glanced around the patrol. Fluffypelt just sighed with her apprentice's actions and Badgerfang, who kept on letting out a giggle, was trying to hide his amusement. Embarassed by his actions, Snowpaw just kept his mouth shut.

"...and we're here!" Badgerfang announced. Snowpaw rushed forward to see the Snakerocks, pushing Fluffypelt and Badgerfang in the process. Their territory they have only heard from the warriors and apprentices was finally in front of him. If he was to learn their territory, Snakerocks would be his first step. He began running straight towards the adder-infested area, wishing to find a snake or two to mark the occasion.

"Snowpaw, stop!" came a halting cry. Snowpaw froze from his paws, his tail and whiskers not moving an inch. After a moment of waiting, the apprentice turned his head around and saw his sister frozen in fear with Fluffypelt running towards him. Like Frostpaw, he got scared. Why is there a scared look in Frostpaw and Fluffypelt's faces?

A loud thump woke Snowpaw's senses. The apprentice turned his head back again and saw a dead snake, blood flowing from all over its head. Above it, Badgerfang, with the adder's tail nipped firmly in his teeth, puffed his chest with great pride swelling on him. Snowpaw's heartbeat beat faster. Fear filled him as quick as an escaping rabbit. He would be so close in joining the StarClan cats if Badgerfang was not there to save him.

"Are you alright, Snowpaw?" come a concerned voice of Fluffypelt as she was followed by Frostpaw. Both she-cats showed signs of worry, but Fluffypelt looked more distraught. Soon, she was sniffing her apprentice's fur for wounds, but fortunately, there wasn't. "A warrior should learn how to follow orders from a more experienced warrior," she scolded, taking a break from inspecting Snowpaw. "That's why I said that you shouldn't be hunting adders."

"Here, take this," Badgerfang said, dropping the dead adder in front of Snowpaw's paws. "I save you from it while you carry it home for me to brag about. It's a win-win situation."

"Badgerfang! This isn't something to be joked about," Fluffypelt scolded. "Can't you see Snowpaw had been scared already?"

"Sorry, but Snowpaw needs some sort of punishment, right?" Badgerfang argued.

"You're right, but..."

Their conversation faded in Snowpaw's ears. His eyes were as wide as the moon with fright. This event isn't something that can be forgotten easily, especially to a cat as young as him. He even had to be saved by a warrior. At least I'm still alive, right? He tried to convince himself. Even if I had to carry this heavy piece of fresh-kill, at least I can still be a warrior.

A gentle nudge from his sister got him aware of his surroundings once again. "Hey, it's not that bad?" his sister remarked. She pawed his face like she always did in the nursery. "What happened to your 'always-happy-even-if-something-bad-happens attitude? I liked you that way." She turned silent, before adding something else to her comment. "On second thought, I think I like your name to be changed into Gloomypaw."

"No, you'd not!" Snowpaw screamed. How dare she try to change my name? Snowpaw is fine as it is. "I'd allow you to change my name if you allow yours to be changed to Frostkit again. Being Gloomypaw is better than waiting for six moons again." A smile formed on his face again, as if he had already forgotten the earlier incident with the adder.

"Waiting for six moons again is worth it. I'd rather be Frostkit again than to have a ridiculous warrior name like Gloomyheart or Gloomyfur," Frostpaw retorted.

"Oh, look! Here they go again!" Badgerfang commented. Frostpaw and Snowpaw were once famous to be the only littermates to argue over anything since birth. Their quarrel only means that Snowpaw had gotten over the adder too soon. Badgerfang smiled as he turned to Fluffypelt. "Good luck with Snowpaw. He's going to be a pawful."

"You're lucky to have Frostpaw," Fluffypelt answered. "You'll have someone to watch you now."

"Hey, that's too much!" Badgerfang argued. "Besides, you'll need not to worry about me. Worry about yourself when Snowpaw rushes into the Thunderpath."

Fluffypelt sighed. "You're right."

"Shall we get going?" Badgerfang asked. The apprentices had stopped bickering with each other and started to attentively listen to their mentors. "Okay, let's head to the Thunderpath for now," he instructed. "Don't forget to stay close to us and don't rush in unexpectedly into unfamiliar places. And also, beware stay nowhere near the black stuff."

As the patrol left, Snowpaw picked up the adder and followed his mentor, who was leading with Badgerfang. Although the adder kept on tripping his feet, he couldn't help but get excited about the Thunderpath. Furthermore, he kept on imagining himself, learning about other things and even taking an adventure, in the future.