A.N: Sorry about posting the wrong chapter! I have no idea how that happened! Thank you to the people who asked how my vacation went. It wasn't anything too special, just a family reunion. But here we go, finally back to Moon and Otter here. Hope you enjoy and leave some comments! ~12HockeyChick21


P.O.V. Of Moonshadow

"Moonshadow." The familiar voice welcomed the dark gray tom, yet it still wasn't the voice he was expecting. Moonshadow looked up from his mouse to see his father standing next to him.

"Hey father, you're looking a lot better than when you came back to camp." Moonshadow teased. His father had come back about a quarter moon ago looking a bit battered and Leafpool told the clan about the small scuffle with the rogues. She had send out a patrol to try and follow their scent back to camp, but with the rain having washed it away it had been less than helpful. In those next few days the rain had turned to snow and the precipitation was not letting up one bit.

"Moonshadow, I have a request of you..." Spiderstar began, sounding serious. Moonshadow tilted his head and stood up.

"What is it?"

"I'd like to come battle train with you, Softpaw, Sootpaw, and Fuzzytail." When his father said this, Moonshadow couldn't help but let his jaw drop open in surprise.

"What? Why?"

"My skills... I'm not what I used to be. I've grown soft. I decided I need a good refresh session and what better than with the brand new apprentices?" Spiderstar meowed. Moonshadow looked over his father's face, trying to find any hint that the leader was joking. But before either of them could say anything more, along came the others.

"Ready to go to the training area, Moonshadow?" Fuzzytail padded up with Softpaw and Sootpaw at his heels. Before Moonshadow could respond, Spiderstar stepped forward.

"Yes, and I shall be joining the training session today."

When he said this, the border patrol made up of Nightjay, Branchpaw, Spottedfern, Flypaw, and Redsplash all turned to look.

"Oh, did you hear that? Spiderstar is gonna be part of the training this morning!" Branchpaw murmured.

"Can we go train with them Redsplash, please please please?!" Flypaw begged. But his mentor whisked around promptly toward the camp entrance.

"No. You have border patrol duty. We will train later."

"Awww." Came both older apprentices mews of disappointment.

"Come on, Redsplash, please! Spiderstar can show us awesome technics!" Flypaw put in. His mentor swung back around and put his muzzle in the smaller cat's face.

"Anything that old cat could teach you, I could teach you better! Now you and your bother are the older apprentices, so start acting like it." Redsplash spat, then looked up, realizing that Moonshadow and his group had fallen silent. Moonshadow glanced at his father to see that he was glaring at Redsplash, tail twitching in anger. Redsplash dipped his head.

"Sorry, Spiderstar."

"Redsplash, your apprentice is just like you when you were his age. I should know, for my current deputy was your mentor. I remember watching Fallen Leaves huffing and puffing as you ran circles around him. But that doesn't make you the better cat. Step down a few paces from that great mountain you sit atop or perhaps take a moment to look down on all of us small cats down here who were so kind to you before your ego got inflated by StarClan knows what. You're lucky my son attacked you and not me because I wouldn't have given you a fleas chance." Spiderstar sniffed. Redsplash seemed taken aback, sputtering in shock.

"I-I... I'm-"

"Enough, Nightjay please lead the patrol and make sure that stone-headed fluff-brain doesn't anger ShadowClan to the point where they attack him as well." Spiderstar flicked his tail in dismissal to the calico tom and turned back to Moonshadow, who felt speechless himself.

"Well Spiderstar, what can I say? You may not even need to come practice with us. You could probably just talk your way out of a battle..." Fuzzytail laughed. Spiderstar rolled his eyes with a sly grin and turned toward the training area.

"Come on." He meowed and the four followed.


"Come on Softpaw! Use your size and speed!" Moonshadow yowled as he watched his apprentice leap at his father and swipe before running around him. His father flung around, eyes wild. Softpaw lunged at his paws, tripping the larger tom and getting tangled in his long legs. Moonshadow watched in awe as his father slid on the snow slush and landed with a plop.

"Great job, Softpaw!" Sootpaw cheered his sister. Spiderstar struggled to his paws, Softpaw watching him with a smile.

"Good job Spiderstar, you're a great partner." She purred.

"Thanks, but I'm getting too old for this. Which is exactly why I want to be your mentor." Moonshadow felt his heart drop to his paws.

"What?" He asked, staring at his father.

"Moonshadow, I'd like to mentor Softpaw to keep myself agile."

"Are you serious? Can you just wait for a new apprentice? How can you just take away mine?!" Moonshadow exclaimed as his father padded slowly over to him.

"I need this now Moonshadow, I need to be ready for the rogues again." Spiderstar mewed and Moonshadow couldn't help but bristle.

"Fine. Then be my guest, continue without me." He growled, turning and racing away.

"Moonshadow! Wait!" Softpaw called after him. But he ignored her. She wasn't his apprentice anymore...


P.O.V. Of Otterstrike

Otterstrike stood by the lake, letting the breeze ruffle through his fur. He breathed in the cold air, fighting back the chill as he reveled in the fresh air. As he sat, all he could think about was Russetshade and the kits... His kits. He hadn't even spoken to her since the patrol where he realized her kits were his and he wished there was some way for him to see her. But he assumed by now that she was in the nursery...

His ears pricked as he heard yowls back in the trees. He turned, concern taking over those thoughts. He had to go see what was going on, worried the rogues were attacking again. Otterstrike took off running towards the yowls as they turned to shrill shrieks. That was when he realized... it was only one cat. He ducked in and out of the trees, leaping to avoid rocks and roots. The blood was pounding in his ears as he searched.

As he broke through some bushes he was shocked by what he saw. His brother's apprentice Softpaw was being attacked by a huge tom.

"SOFTPAW!" Otterstrike yowled, leaping at the top with claws outstretched. He pulled the tom off of the small she-cat and swiped down his flank. He felt the tom's claws rake his ear and down the side of his face, causing Otterstrike to yowl in pain. Otterstrike was blinded as his blood dripped into his eyes and he had to fight only with his remaining senses. The tom pulled away from him, but Otterstrike felt his stinky fur brush against his muzzle. Otterstrike let out a hiss and bit down, expecting perhaps a tail, but he was wrong. An earsplitting yowl hit his ears and then nothing. Otterstrike stood, panting for a moment before shaking his head and blinking to try as get the blood out of his eyes.

"Softpaw...? Softpaw." Otterstrike mewed, stumbling slightly. He felt warm liquid at his paws and, vision still blurred, he noticed a lump of black and white fur. The warmth at his paws was blood pooling around the tom's body. Otterstrike blinked once more, still trying to clear his vision while he continued trying to catch his breath.

"Softpaw? Softpaw..." He repeated, turning to look over for the white and gray she-cat. He saw her, still laying where she had been attacked, blood pooling around her as well.

"Oh StarClan, Softpaw... Softpaw please." Otterstrike pawed her softly, but the young she-cat didn't stir. Otterstrike grunted as he took the she-cat by her scruff and tried to carry her. He had to get her back to camp to see Fawnheart and Silverberry.


"FAWNHEART?! SILVERBERRY!?" Otterstrike yelled as he limped into camp, collapsing with Softpaw. His vision clouded more again and he heard his clanmates cries of shock as they raced over.

"Otterstrike! Otterstrike you found Softpaw!"

"StarClan what happened!?"

The tabby struggled to differentiate the voices over the sound of his racing heartrate, but he believed it was his father and his brother.

"She was attacked..." Otterstrike gasped between breathes.

"BECAUSE SHE RAN OUT AFTER YOU!" His father's voice hissed.

"She wasn't my responsibility anymore." Came his brother's voice.

What? And Otterstrike passed out.


When Otterstrike woke up he realized he was in a nest in the medicine cat den.

"Oh Otterstrike... you're awake." Silverberry turned from where she was tending to the sleeping shape of Softpaw, Jaysong laying beside her.

"How is she?" Otterstrike asked worriedly.

"She hasn't woken up yet... but the damage she has coincides with forced-" Jaysong stopped Silverberry's sentence.

"Please... don't say it again." Softpaw's mother sounded ready to cry. Otterstrike frowned, sitting up in his nest.

"I'm so sorry Jaysong..." He murmured. She nodded to him.

"Please, don't be. You saved her life. If you hadn't found her... she wouldn't be here."

A familiar mew came from the opening of the medicine cat den and they all turned to see Spiderstar padding in.

"Any news yet...?" Spiderstar asked. Silverberry shook her head sadly.

"No, she's not awake yet. But I'm going to need you all to clear out and give her some space. Don't worry, your apprentice will be fine." Silverberry told him. Jaysong stood.

"I'll leave too. Whitehawk and Sootpaw have been waiting." She mewed. Spiderstar put his tail on her shoulder.

"Come on, I'll walk with you." He whispered and the two padded out. Silverberry turned to Otterstrike.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine, but is it true? Spiderstar is Softpaw's mentor now? What happened?" Otterstrike asked. Silverberry started changing the dressing on the tabby's face, her breath warming his face as she spoke.

"After Spiderstar... Well..." She took a moment to try and figure out how to explain. "Not many are supposed to know, but your father is on his last life since the rogue attack and sometimes leaders go through strange phases of sort of denial when they realize they have only one life left. Spiderstar feels he is... rusty and believes an apprentice will sharpen them."

"So he took Softpaw from Moonshadow?" Otterstrike asked, surprised. Silverberry nodded, her paws moving methodically across his muzzle. He flinched in pain and looked up into her concentrating blue eyes.

"Everything alright?" He asked. The tabby sat back once she was finished.

"Yes... it's just, apparently Puddleshine over in ShadowClan needs help. Apparently many of the ShadowClan cats are getting sick with fevers and he's running out of herbs to help ease it. I'd bring him some borage because that's all I have... but I'm so busy here." She sighed.

"I can do it." Otterstrike mewed, struggling to his paws.

"What? No, you're still recovering."

"It's just a small cut." Otterstrike mewed, climbing out of his nest.

"It goes from your ear down your jaw, you need to stay here so it doesn't get infected!" Silverberry argued.

"I'll be fine, I want to help you. Just keep helping Softpaw. Where's the borage?" Otterstrike looked around. Silverberry sighed and padded over to a cracked rock and reached in. She pulled out some small blue flowers and wrapped them up in some large leaves.

"Here... Be careful, please. And hurry back." Silverberry placed the package at Otterstrike's paws. Otterstrike nodded and dipped his head to pick it up.

'I will, I promise." And Otterstrike cast one last glance at Softpaw before padding out. As he left the camp he was planning out a possible way he could see Russetshade.


A.N.: Hope you enjoyed! Don't forget the list of cats to vote for. Softpaw, Silverberry, Fawnheart, Adderstrike, and Graybird. Let me know what you thought of the chapter and who you'd like to hear about next! ~12HockeyChick21