It's OK, Poppywhisker - I'm fine, and this story is fine, too. I've just been swamped working on getting myself ready for commissions and doing art for various things and also writing what I can of Celestial Ascendance. I want to get as much of it done as I can before I finish Dark Fever so I have a nice buffer to allow me to work on my other stories, this one's sequel included. Chapters of this story will come up as regularly as I can get them to.

P.S. - your letter format is nice.

Chapter 20

"Hawkpaw, pay attention!" Tigerheart snapped. The tabby's muzzle was right in Hawkpaw's face, with narrowed amber eyes glaring at the apprentice.

Hawkpaw shook his head. "S-Sorry!" he sputtered.

Ever since Sol had given his warning two days ago, Hawkpaw had been finding it hard to focus on training. The thought of some sort of unspeakable danger looming over his Clan – his friends, the cats who had taken him in – was terrifying.

Not only that, but Hawkpaw's strange dreams had been persistent – the past nights had been filled with Hawkpaw wandering through his dreamworld, following a scent he didn't recognize with urgent whispers in his ears that he couldn't understand. Everywhere he looked he saw hidden threats – eyes gleaming between the trees, filled with darkness and malice. Every time he got too close to the source of the scent, he was awakened.

ThunderClan was a problem, too – the border still had not been remarked, and the Gathering was tomorrow night. Hawkpaw feared there would be a fight over the boundary if something wasn't done soon… and ThunderClan greatly outnumbered ShadowClan.

Tigerheart sighed, his amber eyes flashing with sympathy. "Your head's been in a cloud all morning," he mewed. "You haven't been paying attention."

"I'm sorry," Hawkpaw repeated.

"I'm guessing that what's bothering you are the same things that are bothering all of us," Tigerheart decided. He flicked his tail. "You'll never be able to focus on your training with your mind occupied."

Hawkpaw flattened his ears, embarrassed.

"Go hunt," Tigerheart ordered. "Clear your head. I'll see you around mealtime."

Hawkpaw pricked his ears. "R-Really?" he asked.

Tigerheart nodded. "I know you, Hawkpaw," he mewed, twitching his whiskers. "Your worrying about the Clan is a sign of real loyalty… but it really isn't something you ought to fret about. You're just an apprentice – you need to focus. I'll let it slide for today, but if you keep daydreaming during training I'll give you a real walloping. Understand?"

Hawkpaw nodded. "Thank you, Tigerheart," he offered.

"Don't mention it," Tigerheart replied. "Now get to hunting – now that the prey's back, Snaketail's developed a real appetite."

Hawkpaw nodded once more and turn away from his temporary mentor. He opened his jaws to check the scents in the air, and then he padded off into the woods, hot on the trail of prey.

"Mouse-dung!" Hawkpaw exclaimed.

He wished he was hunting with Softpaw. She had so much more experience tracking prey than he did – she wouldn't have lost her third mouse. Hawkpaw watched the creature race into the trees, taking its life with it.

So this is what hunting alone is like, Hawkpaw decided. Since being made an apprentice almost a whole moon ago, he had never been hunting alone. Softpaw or Tigerheart had always been with him, teaching and helping him. Hunting alone gave him an empty feeling – like there should be someone beside him, telling him what he should be doing.

He smacked a paw against the ground in frustration.

I can't give up, he decided.

He opened his jaws and found another prey-scent. He followed it through the trees and towards the ThunderClan border. It was a vole, and Hawkpaw saw it scurrying to and fro to gather seeds for itself. It saw, washing its face on a root, about three tail-lengths from the ThunderClan border.

Hawkpaw immediately dropped into a hunting crouch and began to creep forward, grateful that ShadowClan territory had little undergrowth for him to trip over. His dark pelt blended in with his surroundings, and his amber eyes gleaming with anticipation – this would be a vole he could not, would not, miss!

I just have to make sure it doesn't cross the border, Hawkpaw thought.

He took a step forward.

The vole was unaware of his presence.

One more step.

The vole was still washing.

Hawkpaw felt excitement fill his body. His first catch of the day, finally!

A twig snapped somewhere in the forest.

The vole's ear twitched once and it was off – heading straight for its burrow. Before Hawkpaw could so much as twitch after it, the vole was already huddled in the safety of its earthen hole. Hawkpaw, stunned, stared at the spot where the vole had been with his mouth open.

Its official, he decided. I have the worst luck.

Another twig snapped.

"I can't believe we're doing this!" exclaimed an irritated voice.

Hawkpaw's ear twitched. That wasn't any voice he recognized, and it was coming from the ThunderClan side of the border. He quickly drew himself up against a pine tree, pressing his pelt into the wood and praying to StarClan that he would blend in.

"Bramblestar is nutty," the voice went on complaining.

"Will you stuff it, Toadstep?" snapped another voice. "If you don't, you'll be eating my tail!"

They're ThunderClan cats! Hawkpaw realized. He hazarded to look out from his hiding place. There they were, on their side of the border, being led by Squirrelflight. The ginger deputy was looking angrily at one of her warriors – a white tom with black patches. The golden-brown warrior Brackenfur was with them, along with a small gray-and-white she-cat and a cream-and-brown tom.

"What're we doing here, anyway?" the cream-and-brown tom wondered. "I thought we were changing the border?"

"We are, Molepelt," Brackenfur mewed. "But we need to leave someone here to send a message to Rowanstar that it's been done."

"That'd be me," Squirrelflight mewed. "While I'm explaining it to ShadowClan, Brackenfur will lead you all to re-mark the border."

"I still can't believe we're doing this," Toadstep grumbled. "We should be fighting to keep it."

"Enough," Squirrelflight growled. "Bramblestar's decision is final."

Toadstep closed his mouth, but still looked upset about the decision. The gray-and-white she-cat rolled her eyes, as if exasperated at her Clanmate's behavior.

The dark ginger she-cat padded over the border, then looked back at Brackenfur. "Take them and re-mark the border. Do it quick, OK? I'll be back before sundown."

Brackenfur dipped his head in acknowledgement. Then, he turned and led the patrol back through the undergrowth. Hawkpaw watched them disappear into the undergrowth of their territory – soon to be ShadowClan land. His heart filled with hope – so that was one problem solved.

Squirrelflight settled herself in a patch of ferns, as if she were waiting for a patrol. Hawkpaw, however, knew that the sunhigh patrol was long gone now. He stepped out of his hiding space.

"H-Hello," he stammered. How do I speak to the deputy of another Clan?

Squirrelflight sat up, her green eyes sparkling. "Ah!" she mewed. "I wasn't expecting company so quickly. You're a ShadowClan apprentice, aren't you? I've seen you before."

Hawkpaw nodded. "I was hunting around here," he admitted. "You need to come back to my camp?"

"So you heard that, eh?" Squirrelflight sighed. "Toadstep needs to learn to keep his mouth shut… but yes, I do need to see Rowanstar. Can you take me?"

Hawkpaw nodded.

Squirrelflight flicked her bushy tail. "Lead the way!" she said, chipper.

Hawkpaw swallowed and led her through the trees.

"Hawkpaw! What're you doing back here so soon?" demanded Tigerheart.

Hawkpaw was just squeezing through the entrance to the camp. Squirrelflight was pawsteps behind him. Tigerheart's dark fur was fluffed up with irritation.

"You were supposed to be hunting!" Tigerheart scolded.

"Don't be too hard on him," Squirrelflight mewed, pushing through the barrier. "He can keep hunting if you want."

"Squirrelflight!" Tigerheart gasped. "What're you doing here?"

Squirrelflight flicked her tail. "I need to speak with Rowanstar," she announced. By now, her scent was flowing through the camp and those who were done with their daily duties were looking up and beginning to gather around her with lashing tails. Leafpool poked her head out of the medicine cat's den and let out a gasp at the sight of her sister.

"Very well," Tigerheart mewed. "Come with me." He glanced at Leafpool. "You can speak with her later."

Looking back at Hawkpaw, he ordered, "Get back to hunting, Hawkpaw."

"But…" Hawkpaw began. He wanted to see the meeting! He wanted to participate!

"I ordered you to hunt," Tigerheart mewed sternly. "Get to it. You'll get caught up later."

Hawkpaw sighed. Tigerheart led Squirrelflight to the hollow hazel tree, leaving a gossiping Clan in their wake. Hawkpaw sighed and turned away, knowing he would miss an announcement important to the survival of his Clan.

He turned away and pushed through the entrance again, padding out into the open territory.

Just as his luck had been about to turn around, Hawkpaw found himself cursed again. Hawkpaw had caught a mouse and a frog, burying them by the roots of a cedar tree near the camp. The marshlands were welling up with water around him, soaking his paws as he snorted – the prey-scent he had been following was lost in the stink of the murk.

One more piece! He thought. Just one more!

He opened his jaws, but only smelled marshland. Sighing, he turned back. Hopefully drier territory would mean more prey.

As his paws began to dry, he found himself nearer to the lake than he had thought he was. The trees were neatly cut off in a Twoleg-made line by the lake's pebbly shore, and Hawkpaw was out in the open. The lake glittered before him in the light of the coming sunset, turning orange and purple and dazzling his eyes.

He realized that he was not the only one marveling at its beauty.

"Hello, little apprentice," purred Sol. "I knew you would find me here."