A/N: Well, this was a difficult chapter to write. Here's why some cats (I'm looking at you, Adderfang) don't like our friend Goosekit anymore. Oh wait. Try Goosepaw. One chapter 4, coming up!—
The next three moons went by quickly. Stonepelt and Stormtail had become warriors, and Lilysong's daughters; Swiftkit and Runningkit, had been born, healthy as a greenleaf rain. And, Moonpaw and Goosepaw had been apprenticed as well, though not to the cats Goosepaw had expected. He was the medicine apprentice! After receiving a vision of a lily by a fast-running stream, Fennelfern had asked him to be her apprentice, especially after Lilysong's kitting, which had been the day after he entered the medicine den with greencough. Meanwhile, Moonpaw had been apprenticed to Stormtalon, though after his early and tragic death, she was put under Starlingfeather's training.
It's been such a fun nine moons, Goosepaw thought, but with the battle tonight….
Earlier that moon, ShadowClan had killed Stormtalon in a border dispute, and Patchfang refused to be comforted. So ThunderClan was going to attack.
The patrol was made up of many of ThunderClan's warriors. Beestar, Twigtail, Silverhawk, Wolfcoat, Patchfang, Spottedpelt, Gorseclaw, Featherheart, Starlingfeather, Redstorm, Frostwhisker, Mallowpaw, Pinepaw, Sunpaw, and Moonpaw. Goosepaw was going to treat the wounded.
The plan was going fine. ThunderClan attacked ShadowClan, ripping through the camp, and warning them not to mess with ShadowClan. It was on the return trip when things went horribly wrong.
"We're approaching the Thunderpath," Goosepaw heard Twigtail whisper to Starlingfeather, her daughter, "we'll be home to Larksong soon.
"ShadowClan, attack!" Goosepaw swung around in horror. On a large, blackened tree stump stood a sleek black she-cat—Blackshade, the ShadowClan deputy, with bright pelted Blazestar beside her. In a split second, the air was rent with screams, ThunderClan cats falling all around as the dark-pelted cats attacked. Suddenly, Goosepaw saw Sunpaw's light brown and white head disappearing between two ShadowClan warriors, slashing at her young body.
That was when Goosepaw, who hadn't had a day of training in his entire life, went completely berserk.
Claws ripping and tearing, Goosepaw threw himself at the ShadowClan warriors. Taken aback at a medicine cat apprentice showing so much ferocity, he had them limping away within minutes.
"ShadowClan, retreat!" whipping his head around, Goosepaw saw Blazestar leading his cats back. The clearing was suddenly deserted. Only half of ThunderClan still stood.
"G-Goose-p-paw?"
"Sunpaw! You're alive!"
"H-Ha. N-not for l-l-long."
"Don't say that! You'll be fine."
"N-no, I w-w-won't. I'm going to StarClan. Goodbye."
With that, the little apprentice gave one last labored breath, then closed her eyes forever.
Many cats died that day, not including Sunpaw. Twigtail, Silverhawk, Wolfcoat, Patchfang, Featherheart, Gorseclaw, and even Beestar had not made it from the battle. But there was one problem.
"This is all your fault Goosepaw. You let Sunpaw die!" Goosepaw could feel the angry gazes looking down on him, Mumblefoot, Mosswillow, even Moonpaw, glared as Goosepaw watched Adderpaw cross the camp, his words ringing in the speckled apprentice's ears.