Chapter 2:
Clawstar smirked as he threw the helpless apprentice away "You can't do anything now...you're helpless...just give AutumnClan your territory and scram!" He hissed. Silverdust, a SpringClan Queen, rose to her paws and spat; "We will do anything to protect the clan!" She jumped onto Clawstar and bit him hard on the neck, as she did so the rest of the Clan leaped onto Clawstar. Clawstar struggled underneath the warriors "Help me you fool's!" he growled to his warriors. Blazepelt hissed at AutumnClan and they retreated without Clawstar's permission. Icestar looked down at him and spat; "Get out of my territory!" Immediately Clawstar skidded to the entrance and raced after his warriors.
"Good riddance!" Cried Icestar; jumping up to high rock. "I am proud of you all! And you should be proud to...but I can't be sure that Clawstar will not attempt to set an ambush, so...Blazepelt, Snakeheart and Faintclaw will guard the territory." Everyone nodded as she spoke. Faintclaw looked at Snakeheart in disgust and turned away. Snakeheart scowled at him "What's your problem?" He hissed. Faintclaw turned to him again and said calmly; "We have just fought for our lives, this is no time for picking fights..." He walked away, quite amused at how worked up Snakeheart gets.
Icestar headed towards the injured apprentice. "How are your wounds, little one?" Thornpaw looked up and sighed. "They hurt...but I'm sure they'll get better soon." She forced a grin on her face even though she was in terrible pain. Icestar's expression became more serious "Moontail?!" She cried. A grey cat with big green eyes peeped out of the medicine den "Yes, Icestar?" She meowed to the leader. Icestar looked down at Thornpaw and smiled softly "This young cat needs some attention, if that's fine with you..." Moontail nodded and led Thornpaw to the den. "Her wounds will heal in no time." She smiled to Icestar.
Roseheart appeared at the medicine den, brushing through the thick weeds that sheltered it. "My kit has greencough..." Moontail gasped and bowed her head. "I will care for your kit until it gets better...I have to say it is quite common for kits to have greencough in Greenleaf." Roseheart nodded and backed out the den. It was beginning to get dark and silverpelt covered the sky, some of the Clan gathered outside and stared up into the starry sky. "Beautiful isn't it?" Fernpaw sighed warmly, looking over to Pinepaw. Pinepaw looked back at her. "Yeah..." He smiled; his eyes were filled with the reflection of silverpelt. Lillypaw, an apprentice, sat next to both of them. "It's pretty...but I've seen better!" She protested. Pinepaw rolled his eyes. "Here we go again!" he puffed, falling onto his back and stretching.
Snakeheart yawned and turned to Blazepelt who was in a crouching position. "Face it guys, he's never coming back! Did you see his face when we ganged up on him like that?" He giggled, twitching his tail back and forth. Faintclaw was not amused. "You're acting like a kit! Anything could happen now and we have to be prepared." He growled. Snakeheart hissed, turning his head to face Faintclaw. "Kit? I'm far from a kit and you know it!" Faintclaw smirked and spat; "If it had been my choice you would have still an apprentice!" He laughed and turned to Blazepelt who was giving both of them a scowl. "Icestar told us to guard and what are you doing? You're arguing over stupid things!" He hissed, immediately getting back into a crouching position. The two of them shut up and continued to guard.
Fernpaw removed the tangled brambles in front of her, spotting her mentor at the other side of camp. She was delighted to see him and pelted towards the tom, smiling up at him with a great big smile "Hi Blazepelt!" Fernpaw mewled. Blazepelt looked down at his apprentice with stern eyes, watching her very closely while thinking about something. "Yes, yes very good..." He meowed without thinking, walking over to high rock. Fernpaw followed him closely, watching his every move. "Are you puzzled about something?" She asked, curiously to him. The great deputy looked down at Fernpaw again, thoughts whizzing in his mind. "Well...at the battle with AutumnClan I smelt a scent that was not from Clawstar's Clan or our own...wait, why am I telling you? You're just a kit!" He teased. Fernpaw growled deeply, crouching down on the soft ground "Oh yeah?" She challenged him. The deputy raised one eyebrow at the apprentice and looked around him to see if anyone was watching them, then he also crouched down. "Let's see what you've got!" he hissed playfully at her, the mature kit leaped onto him, nibbling Blazepelt's ear. Blazepelt smiled softly and pinned her on the ground "got ya!" he smirked, looking down at her with playful eyes. Fernpaw giggled and scented the air. Suddenly, her belly growled loudly, she blushed and pretended that it never happened. Blazepelt looked down at her sympathetically. "Hungry?" he chuckled, letting her go from under his paws. Fernpaw was truly embarrassed; she couldn't even look at him properly! "I guess..." she sighed, twirling her paw round and round on the soft earth. Blazepelt picked her up by the scruff and trotted towards the fresh kill pile. "Looks like everyone has eaten!" he sighed, looking at the empty hole in the ground where the kill was usually placed. Fernpaw was disappointed but she was eager to hunt. "Let's go catch some food...maybe a mouse or two? Greenleaf isn't short on prey this year." She announced, spotting Pinepaw plodding towards the two cats. Pinepaw smiled at Fernpaw then Blazepelt. "I overheard you two, and I'd like to go hunting to!" he giggled, looking at Fernpaw. "And that's not the only thing I heard!" he meowed, looking at Fernpaw's stomach.
Fernpaw sighed impatiently and tugged Pinepaw on the ear. "Shut-up and hunt!" she demanded, her eyes were like emeralds in the light of the day, and Pinepaw couldn't help but stare into them. Blazepelt chuckled slightly and nudged both of them along. "Where is Dawnshadow, Pinepaw? She's your mentor and she needs to act like one!" he growled to the warriors den where Dawnshadow was sleeping. "Wait here..." he told the apprentices, padding over to the warrior's den. He spotted Dawnshadow lying on the floor, her paws wrapped around her eyes and her teeth cutting into her lip. Blazepelt growled and spat; "how dare you sleep now! It's already past sunhigh!" Dawnshadow removed her paws from her eyes. "Wh-what?" she yawned, stretching out her stiff arms and legs. Blazepelt pushed her over onto the ground. "You're apprentice is waiting...and so am I!" he hissed, as she got up immediately. Dawnshadow gasped and ran out of the den towards Pinepaw. The deputy sighed deeply, slowly walking after her with his head hanging from his neck. Pinepaw greeted Dawnshadow with a small lick on the forehead, mewling; "Have a nice rest? Me, Blazepelt and Fernpaw are going hunting...do you want to come to?" Dawnshadow nodded, still warn out from a rough sleep."I think we should go to SpindleCave." She smirked at the two apprentices. Fernpaw gasped; "but there are loads of spiders there!" Pinepaw nudged her playfully, smiling at Blazepelt. "I think she is scared!" he giggled to Blazepelt. Blazepelt rose and nudged the mature kits out of the camp, making sure Dawnshadow was following them. "Sleepless night?" he asked her, wondering why she hadn't woken earlier. Dawnshadow looked at him sadly, twitching her tail. "Yes...I have been having the same dream for ages now..." Blazepelt looked at her curiously, still nudging the apprentices along. "Dreams?" he asked her. Dawnshadow sighed deeply and mumbled; "I dream about my mate...who died 7 moons ago..." Blazepelt bowed his head. "I'm sorry...I shouldn't have asked. Dawnshadow smiled at him. "It's fine Blaze-"she was suddenly interrupted by a large squeal. The deputy instantly ran towards the noise and Dawnshadow followed behind. The two apprentices were not with them and Blazepelt suspected it was them. The two cats stopped suddenly, gasping at what they saw. Dawnshadow's pupils grew lager as she mewed; "Could it be..."