Want to throw a quick thanks to my reviewers! As usual, now that I've started updating this one again, I will answer individual reviews again from this chapter on! I'm still in the market for a warrior name for Hollypaw, and kit suggestions for Sorreltail!

Anyways, thanks for reading and sticking with it! I look forward to hearing from you all soon, as I'll be updating this story much for frequently now that Light in the Darkness is complete. Enjoy!

Chapter 6

Hollypaw's muscles ached the next morning as she drug herself out of the apprentices' den. Whitepaw was already gone, but Birchpaw lay outside, devouring a vole.

"Morning," he mumbled as he swallowed. "Ashfur said we can both eat. Cloudtail took the dawn patrol, I guess he'll be training you afterward." The lighter tabby apprentice pushed a chaffinch towards her. "I saved you something, since the fresh-kill pile is low this morning."

"Thanks," Hollypaw muttered. She flopped down heavily beside her brother and began nibbling on her meal. Birchpaw finished his quickly.

"See you later!" With that, he bounded across the camp to meet Ashfur, who stood and led the way to the thorn tunnel. Hollypaw felt irritation pricking at her paws. Why didn't Cloudtail wake me for the dawn patrol? She tore at her chaffinch more viciously, swallowing it back in quick gulps. So I went to a Gathering, that doesn't mean I can sleep all day! By the time she had finished her meal she was fuming. She cast a quick glance around the hollow. Thornclaw and Spiderleg were both absent, and she assumed Cloudtail had taken them on the dawn patrol. Brambleclaw was leaving, followed closely by Sandstorm and Sootfur. They must be going hunting.

She pricked her ears, an idea coming to her suddenly. The dark tabby apprentice licked her paw and drew it over her whiskers a few times, keeping one amber eye on the hunting patrol as its members slipped through the thorn tunnel. Now! Keeping so low that her belly fur brushed the ground, Hollypaw skirted the edge of the hollow. Her dark tabby pelt melded with the shadows, and she slipped through the thorn tunnel unnoticed. Free, she straightened and tasted the air. The patrol's scent trail was strong and fresh, so easy to follow a kit could have done it. She tracked them carefully through the forest, silently celebrating their catches where she saw mouse blood and scattered feathers. A fresh squirrel scent wafted across her tongue. Hollypaw slid into a hunting crouch, searching for the small prey. She changed direction, following its scent trail instead of the hunting patrols'. Before long, she saw it nibbling on a nut at the base of a hazel thicket. It was the biggest squirrel she had seen, new-leaf plump and completely unaware of the danger approaching it. With a satisfied purr, Hollypaw pounced, killing it quickly and giving thanks to StarClan. She was about to bury her catch to come back for later when a new scent—rank and bitter—filled her nose.

"Hollypaw?!"

She started at the sound of a furious hiss. She whirled around to see Brambleclaw. The tabby warrior's hackles were raised, and for a moment, Hollypaw wondered if she had stolen his catch by accident. The she heard shuffling behind her. She turned slowly, her eyes growing wide as she saw a massive black and white head appear from the undergrowth.

"Move!" Sootfur barreled into her, throwing her aside as the badger thundered out of the shelter of the trees. Brambleclaw threw himself at the creature, his claws unsheathed and snarling furiously. Sandstorm was right behind him, her fur fluffed out until she seemed twice her size. Hollypaw dropped her catch as Sootfur joined the attack. Brambleclaw was knocked away by a huge paw, and Sandstorm was shaken from the badgers shoulder. Trembling with fear and adrenaline, Hollypaw rushed the badger. She heard Brambleclaw order her to run away, but she hardly heard him over the sound of the blood rushing in her ears. She swiped her claws across the badger's face, then darted in between its legs as it tried to swipe at her as it had Brambleclaw.

I'll get crushed under here! She barely avoided its massive paw as the badger stomped. She darted out between its forepaw and hind paw, whirling around with a hiss and biting into its hind leg. Fire erupted along her side as its sharp front claws tore through her flank. With a pained yowl, she let go and staggered backwards. She sank onto her haunches as Sootfur let out a fierce caterwaul and took her place. Shoulder to shoulder with Brambleclaw, they pushed the badger back towards the undergrowth. Finally, it seemed to have enough, letting out a piteous sound and lumbering away.

"You two," Sandstorm flicked her tail at Brambleclaw and Sootfur in turn. "Get this apprentice back to camp and tell Firestar what we've found. I'm going to keep following it. If you're right and she's got kits, we definitely want to make sure they're gone for good."

Brambleclaw nodded. "Good idea. Be careful—there's a chance it's just returning to its set to rest. If it's there with its kits don't attack it until we've got a bigger patrol."

Hollypaw could only stare as Sootfur padded up to her and nudged her to her paws. Blood was seeping from a shallow scratch on his shoulder, and his ear was torn. "Can you walk?" The gray warrior growled. His eyes were dark; Hollypaw shrank as she saw both fury and concern in their amber depths.

"I th-think so…" Hollypaw stammered. Her side was burning and she felt as if the ground was spinning beneath her paws. Her entire body trembled as she forced herself to take a step forward, only for her leg to give beneath her weight. Brambleclaw thrust his shoulder beneath her, keeping her from hitting the ground.

"We'll have to support her," he muttered darkly. "She's losing a lot of blood, and losing it fast."

Sootfur nodded, and took up a position on her other side. Stuck between the two warriors, Hollypaw had no choice but to try to keep up. They hardly slowed their pace, seeming to be in a great hurry.

"But what about… my squirrel…" Hollypaw rasped, looking back over her shoulder to where she had dropped it.

"We'll collect it later," Sootfur snorted, his ears going flat.

By the time the trio pushed emerged from the thorn tunnel, Hollypaw was hardly walking for herself, and her vision was blotted by inky dark spots. She lifted her head as they entered the camp. The first thing she saw was Cloutail, his tail lashing furiously as he spun to face them, then his blue eyes growing wide with concern as he hurried towards them. The apprentice lost consciousness before he reached her, slumping between Brambleclaw and Sootfur to lay panting in the blood-stained dirt.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!"

Hollypaw twitched her ear, groaning as she came to. She was lying on her side in a soft clump of bracken, and the once-fiery pain had dulled to a sharp, steady smolder. She forced her eyes open, blinking slowly and realizing she was in Cinderpelt's den.

"Thank StarClan you're awake," Leafpool—recently given her full medicine cat name after finding the Moonpool—sighed as she poked her head into the small apprentice's nest. "Cinderpelt," she called softly. "Hollypaw's awake."

"Good," Cinderpelt's tone was brisk and business-like. "You go see what Firestar wants, and I'll change the dressing on her wounds."

"Alright," Leafpool blinked sympathetically at Hollypaw and left. Cinderpelt took her place almost immediately.

"Well?" She growled. "How do you feel?"

Hollypaw averted her gaze. "My side hurts, but not nearly as badly as before."

"Is that it?" Cinderpelt's clear blue gaze was unrelenting, and finally Hollypaw caved.

"I didn't mean to get into trouble!" She wailed helplessly. "I couldn't just sit around and wait for Cloudtail to get back, he was taking forever on the dawn patrol, so when I saw Brambleclaw's hunting patrol leaving I thought I'd tag along, and…"

"And what?"

Hollypaw flinched. The cold meow had come from the entrance of the medicine den. She didn't need to look to know that it was Cloudtail. Cinderpelt set to work on the dressing as the white warrior stalked towards them. His legs were stiff with fury.

"Well?" He demanded. "What have you got to say for yourself?"

"I'm sorry," Hollypaw mumbled.

"You're sorry?" Cloudtail's eyes blazed. "Hollypaw, you could have been killed! You're not a warrior—not even close! You haven't even mastered the most basic battle training yet! You didn't have any business leaving the camp on your own, much less attacking a badger!" His claws scraped the ground, leaving large scours in the earth.

"Will I be punished…?" Hollypaw's voice squeaked as Cinderpelt licked a poultice into her wounds.

"Will you ever!" Cloutail snarled. "You are not to leave the camp until your wounds are completely healed. When you're strong on your paws, you will spend every waking moment tending to the elders' every need. If they have an itch, you'll scratch it."

Hollypaw opened her mouth to object, but Cloutail lashed his tail so furiously that she hesitated, and he continued, "Don't even open your mouth, Hollypaw, I'm not done yet. Once your wounds are healed, you'll continue taking care of the elders. You will hunt for them and change their bedding. You won't be permitted to leave camp unless I am with you."

"I'm not a kit!" Hollypaw finally erupted, glaring up at her mentor. "I don't need an escort to collect moss for the elders!"

"No?" Cloudtail meowed icily. "Well no apprentice of mine had been told to go out hunting on their own, but you did anyways. If you're not a kit, then stop acting like one." His eyes softened slightly as he watched the apprentice wince under Cinderpelt's care. "Hollypaw," he rumbled. "You broke the warrior code today, by not obeying orders and going off on your own. What's more, you put yourself and three other warriors in danger by being in the wrong place at the wrong time as a result."

"I know," mewed the small apprentice miserably. "I know, but I am sorry."

"Sorry doesn't heal wounds," Cloudtail snorted. "If it did Cinderpelt's job would be a lot easier." He bent and touched his nose to her ear. "The whole Clan was scared for you, Hollypaw. To make it up to them, don't apologize, but work hard at your punishment. Show them that you're sorry by fulfilling your duties well, even if they're not ideal. No leader can ask more from his warriors and apprentices."

Hollypaw sighed. "Yes, Cloudtail," she mumbled.

"Good." Her mentor straightened. "Now focus and resting and getting better. The sooner you start taking care of the elders, the sooner you'll be allowed to continue training." With that, he mewed a farewell to Cinderpelt and left.

As if that hadn't been bad enough, Dustpelt scolded her up and down as well, while Ferncloud fretted over her wounds. Firestar even came to express how disappointed he was. By the end of the day Hollypaw was convinced that she would have rather the badger managed to kill her. A gloom settled over her that showed no signs of breaking until Birchpaw came to see her at sundown, the huge squirrel she had managed to catch dangling from his jaws.

"Hungry?" He dropped the squirrel in front of her, his eyes shimmering with sympathy.

"I don't need your sympathy," Hollypaw quipped, turned her head away. Birchpaw went to sit beside her anyways, pulling the squirrel closer. Hollypaw sighed. "Sorry," she offered. "Thanks for coming to see me."

"No problem," Birchpaw shrugged. He dipped his head, offering to let her have first bite. Hollypaw took it gratefully. She realized suddenly how hungry she was. Her chaffinch seemed moons away, and she ate her share of the squirrel in ravenous bites. Birchpaw watched with twitching whiskers, eating his share more slowly.

Hollypaw swiped her tongue around her jaws as she finished, let out a content purr. She could nearly forget about the pain in her side with Birchpaw lying beside her, sharing the news of the badger. It did have kits, and Brambleclaw had led a second patrol to chase it off for good. Hollypaw flexed her claws as she listened, shame and determination battling in her chest. Next time I see a badger things will be different. She vowed silently. Next time I'll be the one chasing it away!