Chapter 1
"I'm so glad we finally get to go on a patrol ourselves." Oceanpaw said. "You know, some sibling time."
Dogpaw stood a little away from his siblings, Lavapaw, Oceanpaw, Coalpaw, and Stonepaw. Oceanpaw was lying, and it was obvious. That was what Oceanpaw was enjoying.
"Notice you didn't get to go alone until I showed up again." Lavapaw said. He'd finally recovered from his broken leg. Unfortunately. Dogpaw thought. Instantly he gave a little gasp at his own thoughts. He didn't get along with Lavapaw, and neither did Coalpaw considering how she bristled, but he didn't hate his siblings. He shouldn't.
"What about you Dogpaw?" Oceanpaw asked, bringing him out his thoughts. "Aren't you excited?"
Now she was just being mean, and she knew it. Dogpaw wasn't good at hunting, or fighting, he liked to avoid it. "Ecstatic." He replied sarcastically.
"I've got an idea." Coalpaw all but spat. "Why don't we stop talking, and just go on the patrol?"
"What, not having fun?" Lavapaw tormented. Still, he walked out of camp at that point, so they were saved from bickering anymore.
Dogpaw and his siblings were from Stormclan, which from what Dogpaw could figure out was most like the old Thunderclan. Ironically, they were Shadowclan's old swamp territory.
Lavapaw trotted ahead of them and turned around. "So I was thinking, we should make this special. Like a little . . . competition."
"Um, what?" Dogpaw said.
"Well I think that's a brilliant idea." Oceanpaw agreed. "And the three in last place can clean the winners' nests."
Coalpaw bristled. She like Dogpaw knew Oceanpaw had picked 'the three in last place' so she and Lavapaw could win. Then Coalpaw stood a little straight. "Sounds fun." She leered. "Want to join me Dogpaw? I found this place with a lot of prey in leaf-bare."
Dogpaw saw fear flicker across Lavapaw's face for a moment. If Coalpaw had a place where there was prey during leaf-bare, who knew how much there would be no that the snow was gone?
"Okay. I'll come." Dogpaw agreed. So he followed Coalpaw. The other three went their own ways, no one else making a team.
Once they were out of sight Dogpaw asked, "So where is this place?"
"Oh uh . . . It doesn't actually exist." Coalpaw explained, crouching a little lower in embarrassment.. "I figured lying would give us the best chance, since Lavapaw will probably spend the rest of our time trying to find a place like I was talking about."
Dogpaw blinked. "Wow, that's actually, brilliant."
Coalpaw smiled. "Thanks. Now let's go hunt!" The two dashed off.
Dragonflame walked past the nursery, a moss ball hit her as she passed. "Sorry Dragonflame." Thunderkit apologized.
"It was Windkit's fault, she missed the catch." Survivorkit, Dragonflame's kit, added. He leapt over and stood proudly. "I am the leader of the moss."
Dragonflame let out an amused purr. "Good job."
Shadowkit rolled her eyes. "We are smaller than you." She pointed out. "When we're bigger we'll do much better."
Dragonflame frowned. "Remember, when you're big you'll go live with your dad." Dragonflame reminded them. And that'll be soon. Their dad was Stormstar, but with their mom dead the only queen who could give them milk was Moonstar. Stormstar had visited several times so his kits knew they were his, but it still made things complicated.
His four kits looked at each other. "Oh yeah. . ." Windkit said.
Dragonflame nodded. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to make an announcement."
She walked off again. With Moonstar so close to having kits, Dragonflame was getting a taste of what being leader was like. Now she knew why Moonstar acted so tired all the time. She jumped up onto this camp's version of high rock. "May all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around high rock!" She shouted. She flopped down for a moment, waiting for cats to come out. "I understand I have never given a ceremony, but it is high time Survivorkit became an apprentice." She flicked her gaze to Moonstar. Moonstar gave a small nod. "So Survivorkit, from now on your name will be Survivorpaw." Despite how odd it was to be giving her own kit a ceremony, she beamed. "And your mentor will be Fadetail."
The clan cats cheered and Fadetail nodded shakily. "Thank you Dragonflame." He was Moonstar's mate, but he'd originally come from a group of evil rogues. Dragonflame had some experience with that, she couldn't blame his shock. I'd be shocked if I got an apprentice. She thought. Then she climbed down and started organizing patrols.
