Thanks so much for reviewing! I will check out your stories, Silver's Fang, and thanks for the feedback!

Hazeltail

I slide down the railing, not heeding the angry glances of other students as I go whizzing past. But I just laugh it off and slide down the next banister. Don't get me wrong, I'm no rebel, but once you've had to deal with an entire student body whispering about how you don't belong, a few angry glances don't really stop you anymore.

Going into Warriors High and not being born in one of the four neighborhoods was not an easy task. Of course, my neighborhood accepted me, but the other three wouldn' school, the Shadow, River, and Wind kids always picked on me, and some kids from Thunder did too. I proved myself though, and I outdid all of them.

Now, I'm captain of the soccer and dance teams, and I'm taking Advanced English, which is normally for tenth graders. Serves them right for talking crap about me behind my back - now I'm kicking butt.

Over time, people began to trust me and my siblings, but only a few people have stayed true to me from the beginning, including my closest friends, Hollyleaf and Honeyfern. They're with me now, sliding down the banister with me. Honeyfern squeals and grips my hand, her caramel-colored curls blowing around her face, as we go around a bend. On my other side, Hollyleaf is calm, chin lifted and eyes closed against the rushing wind around us.

We slide down the final railing and Hollyleaf stumbles and loses her balance, sending all of us falling into a silly, laughing heap. Older students sidestep our heap and give us pointed looks until we finally get up, dusting ourselves off.

"Wow," says Hollyleaf, straightening her headband. "That was awesome." I almost forgot that this was her first time sliding with me and Honeyfern. Hollyleaf is always calm in the face of fear, never letting on that she's afraid.

I admire her, but I also like Honeyfern's openness, whether it's about her fears or whatever.

Breathless, we sit at the foot of the stairs, still laughing. I look from Honeyfern's bright blue eyes to Hollyleaf's lucid green ones and picture my own dark eyes, like black coffee. We are a group of three girls who are completely different but complement each other perfectly, and I feel a rush of gratitude for these two amazing people. I take a mental snapshot of this moment, capturing the pure essence of our crazy friendship.

"Hey Hazeltail," says Honeyfern. "Do you have any homework left?" Her eyes are sparkling - she has a plan for tonight, I'm sure.

"No," I reply. "Well, I just have to read one more chapter of A Midsummer Night's Dream and then I'm done."

"Great!" cries Honeyfern, attracting glances from the crowded stairway. It's Sunday, yet the halls are still crowded. Unfazed by the attention, Honeyfern explains her idea to us in a hushed, gleeful voice. "I invited a bunch of the boys to come with our group to Dustpelt's Diner."

My heartbeat quickens - Honeyfern's good with boys, flirting, and just talking to them really, but I often find myself tongue-tied. What are you supposed to do when a boy just whips out his phone and starts playing Clash of Clans anyway?

Hollyleaf doesn't look uncomfortable, but I can tell by the way she brushes her bangs out of her face that she's a bit nervous as well. I slip my hand into hers and she squeezes it, offering me comfort.

"Come on guys," Honeyfern pleads. "It'll be fun! Cinderheart and Lionblaze will be there, and Dovewing and Bumblestripe - "

"So she's actually settled on Bumblestripe this time. For good. She's not going back to Tigerheart," Hollyleaf interrupts. Her tone is still calm, but firm, and with a slight hint of sarcasm, as if she doesn't believe that Dovewing isn't going to switch back to her old crush. I can't blame her. Dovewing's been oscillating between the two boys for the last two months, dating first one, then the other.

"Hopefully," Honeyfern sighs. "We don't need anymore drama. There'll also be Breezepelt and Ivypool and Jayfeather and Poppyfrost and Icecloud and… what's her brother's name?"

"Foxleap?" I ask, trying to ignore the way my heart skips when I say his name. Foxleap… whenever I think of him, I picture his goofy grin and his mischievous, brown eyes. And I remember how kind he was, even when most people thought of me as an outsider. He and his best friend, Breezepelt, defended me when Thornclaw and Blossomfall bullied me… Still, he's just one of my classmates, and I find it hard to believe that he would feel the same way about me. Sigh…

"Earth to Hazeltail…?" asks Honeyfern, jokingly waving her hand in front of my eyes.

"Oh! Sorry," I say. Shit. Soon, I'll be just as moony as Honeyfern. Don't get me wrong, I love her, but she never shuts up about her boyfriend, Berrynose. "I was just distracted."

Honeyfern shrugs, but Hollyleaf is studying me with those green eyes. She knows that something is on my mind - Hollyleaf is extremely perceptive. I look away, feeling my cheeks redden. I'm not ready to tell her, not just yet.

"So are you guys in?" Honeyfern presses us, widening her eyes.

"Puppy-dog eyes aren't going to help," Hollyleaf teases, "but of course we'll come. Right?" she asks me. I nod, and my stomach squirms slightly. Stop being so scared, I scold myself. They're boys. They're just as human as you are. So I push my misgivings away and follow Honeyfern down the hall to get ready.