Pine branches whipped past over Frostpaw's head as she ran through the forest. A cool leaf-fall breeze stirred her fur, playfully flicking around her ears, but her pelt was warmed by the rising, morning sun. Autumnpaw was only a tail-length away, at her side, matching her with every stride. They had been sent out on their own today; it was a final hunting test on how much prey they could bring back to camp without a warrior's help.

The half moon until the attack ShadowClan had planned with ThunderClan had almost come to pass, but Frostpaw tried to put those thoughts and worries out of her mind, at least for this hunt. Instead, she let herself enjoy the feeling of supple strength in her muscles. They stretched and flexed as she raced through the trees. Her wounds from the battle in ThunderClan's camp had healed fully, so every step was easy. A limber reach forward, followed by a powerful kick backward to propel herself onwards. There was something empowering and satisfying about it. Frostpaw asked her legs to run, and they did so, every motion tireless. She felt like she could run to the moon if she needed.

Frostpaw raised her nose, taking a deep breath of the forest, but she didn't search the air for prey. Instead she just let the sharp, familiar scent of the pines wash over her. Even though leaf-fall was now here, the evergreen color of the pine needles above her were unchanging and as vibrant as they were in green-leaf. The only hint of autumn in ShadowClan's woods was the foggy breath that panted from Frostpaw's and Autumnpaw's mouths and drifted up towards the sky.

Frostpaw shot a glance over at Autumnpaw. She blinked, noticing, somehow for the first time, how grown-up he looked. Frostpaw, Autumnpaw and his litter-mates might have been almost adult sized since they were six-moons old, but it wasn't until now that they were approaching the end of their apprenticeships that they were starting to look like true warriors. As the weather turned cooler, Autumnpaw's fluffy auburn and white coat had filled out. His muzzle also appeared broader and stronger, making his face look a lot like his father's, Weaseltail's. And, as he had put on muscle from all of the training they've done for moons, he had lost the gangly lankiness he used to have as a young apprentice, filling out into a powerful silhouette.

Frostpaw glanced back forward. She knew many similar changes must have happened to her too. Her coat had certainly thickened into a long pelt that swirled around her like a grey and creamy-white cloud, and her body had also become lean and muscular.

But, the biggest change though, Frostpaw thought, was the comfortableness that she felt in her own skin. Even with the threat of SkyClan, and the battle that was coming quickly, for maybe for the first time in her life, Frostpaw felt… content. As she ran, the sweet, sharp scent of pine in her nose, the cool breeze through her fur, the silent companionship of Autumnpaw at her side, Frostpaw couldn't shake the deep sense of belonging that permeated down into her bones.

Frostpaw raised her muzzle, taking a deep breath of the cool air surrounding her, feeling the springiness of the pine needle covered ground under her paws.

Who cares about SkyClan. Or, Paledusk.

This. This is all I need.

After a while, Autumnpaw slowed his pace, so Frostpaw did too, the two coming to the stop in the thick of the pine forest.

"Should we hunt here?" Autumnpaw asked, tail flicking eagerly behind him.

"This place seems as good as any to me," Frostpaw said.

Autumnpaw led the way, padding off into the trees. Frostpaw followed, right behind him.

"What do you think Beeclaw and Swoopstrike would do to us if we come back empty-pawed?" Autumnpaw asked from over his shoulder, his amber eyes sparkling with mischief.

Frostpaw heaved a dramatic sigh.

"Well, of course, Beeclaw will look disappointed in you, but say that you'll do better next time. While Swoopstrike will tell me that if I don't go back out there and catch something, he'll cut me up and feed me to the elders instead," Frostpaw said, her tail flicking playfully.

Autumnpaw snickered.

"That's a good one. Hm, but I'd guess that Swoopstrike would actually say that you hunt worse than a new-born kit," Autumnpaw said.

"I think I know my mentor well enough to know what insult he'd use against me," Frostpaw joked, a purr in her voice.

Autumnpaw's eyes lit up.

"Want to bet on it? Once we're done hunting, we should hide our prey outside the thorn barrier and walk into the camp and pretend like we didn't get any," Autumnpaw said with a purr. "Just to see which of us is right. And, the winner can get all of the softest feathers from the loser's nest!"

"What! No way!" Frostpaw huffed, mockingly outraged.

"What? Why not? It'll just be a harmless prank," Autumnpaw said, slowing to walk by her side and widening his eyes at her. "Unless you care about your nest's feathers so much?"

"Maybe it'd be harmless for you," Frostpaw purred. "But, are you trying to get me killed by Swoopstrike?!"

Autumnpaw bumped her shoulder with his affectionately.

"Aw come on now," he purred. "Swoopstrike would only threaten to kill you. He'd never actually go through with it. Think about it. How many times now has he said he'd kill you but instead risked his own neck to rescue you from all sorts of trouble you got yourself in? Rabbitstar, various fights, the river…"

"Hey! I've never gotten myself into trouble!" Frostpaw protested, whirling on him with an air of playful indignation. "Trouble just finds me!"

Autumnpaw purred.

"Okay. Okay," he said, backing away to show he conceded. "You don't cause trouble. Still, my point is: After he's gone through all this effort to train you and to save your sorry hide, you really think he'd waste all that hard work now on killing you? When you're nearly ready to be a proper warrior and be out of his fur for good?"

"My 'sorry hide!'" Frostpaw squeaked offendedly, ignoring the questions and jumping straight to the insult.

"What?" Autumnpaw asked, his tail flicking playfully behind him as his eyes gleamed with mischief. "I bet your hide was very sorry all those times it was being attacked or when it almost drowned in the river."

"You take that back!" Frostpaw huffed, head-butting his shoulder.

Autumnpaw stood firm against her shove, not moving a whisker, still purring.

"But, it's true!" Autumnpaw said.

He twitched his whiskers, tilting an ear towards her in a playfully arrogant way as he remained unyielding.

"You're insufferable," Frostpaw grumbled, stomping around him and starting to walk off into the trees.

"Then why do you keep hanging out with me?" he quipped from behind her.

"Being forced to spend so much time with Swoopstrike has made me masochistic," Frostpaw said, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she looked back at him from over her shoulder.

Autumnpaw laughed hard, his purrs ringing loudly through the trees. He bounded up to her side

"Don't you dare compare me to Swoopstrike. I don't think I've ever seen him happy," Autumnpaw said, his amber eyes sparkling. "I'm an absolute ray of sunshine compared to him."

"Oh? So, you can talk about my pathetic hide in need of constant rescue. But, when I make one comparison between you and Swoopstrike, who, as you pointed out just moments ago, is a good warrior who has often saved me despite risk to himself. That's going too far?" Frostpaw teased, widening her eyes at Autumnpaw.

"Well, er— that's not exactly what I meant," Autumnpaw said, back-pedaling quickly. "I mean. I'm gonna be a good warrior too, and of course I'll be there for you if you ever need me—"

"Nope, you're right," Frostpaw said, cutting him off, her tail flicking mischievously behind her. "Thanks for letting me see your real character now. Truly, it's a relief to know. Now I know if I'm ever in trouble, I should find someone else to help me!"

"You know that's not what I meant!" Autumnpaw protested, flattening his ears into a grumpy expression.

Frostpaw just purred, flicked her tail and didn't respond. Instead she took off into the forest, her feet flying.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Autumnpaw shouted after her.

"We're supposed to be hunting right?" Frostpaw said over her shoulder. "But, I'm sure your yowling scared off everything around here! Let's go!"

Autumnpaw caught up to her quickly, his amber eyes bright with competition as he doubled down, putting on a burst of speed. Frostpaw twitched her tail, but she slowed her pace slightly, letting him pass her, watching his paws as his stride crept ahead of hers. The ground was soft and springy under their feet from the layers of moss and pine needles that coated the forest floor. Frostpaw could almost imagine the spring from every step helped propel them forward faster. As Autumnpaw drew ahead of her, he raised his chin in pride, but Frostpaw flashed out a forepaw, swiping his hind-legs out from under him. Autumnpaw let out a yelp as he tumbled across the spongey ground, head over tail. Frostpaw purred as she out-stripped him, but she came to a stop only a few fox-lengths away from his sprawled form to make sure he hadn't gotten hurt. She turned to see him stumbling back to his paws.

"You snake-heart!" Autumnpaw sputtered as he rose to his feet.

"'In battle, surprise is often more valuable than strength,'" Frostpaw said, twitching her whiskers.

"Don't quote Grovepelt to me!" Autumnpaw growled, flicking moss off of his ears.

Frostpaw searched his expression, making sure that she hadn't gone too far and actually made him angry at her, and she was relieved to see his amber eyes still glowed with warmth.

"Hmph," Autumnpaw grumbled as he padded back over to Frostpaw. "I don't know how cats like Dampfang can be so cotton-brained. Because you're clearly the most black-hearted, ShadowClan-natured cat of us all."

Frostpaw knew Autumnpaw was teasing, but still hearing that he thought she was ShadowClan-natured touched Frostpaw deeply, more deeply even than she suspected he intended. She felt a rush of warm pride in her chest, and she raised her chin. Autumnpaw nudged her shoulder with his muzzle.

"You're a sneaky snake," he said, his voice teasing.

"At least I'm not a slow-tail," Frostpaw shot back, poking his fluffy chest with a paw.

"What! I was winning before you tripped me!" Autumnpaw protested.

"I let you pass me so I could trip you," Frostpaw responded, her blue eyes glinting.

Autumnpaw groaned.

"Out of all the cats in the forest, why does my best friend have to the most heartless?" he lamented.

Frostpaw just purred in response, giving a shrug. They stood for a moment together in companionable silence. Frostpaw gazed out into the forest around her, feeling the slight chill in the breeze on her whiskers. Her gaze flickered back to Autumnpaw, to see him already staring at her. He blinked at her as their eyes met. He opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but Frostpaw beat him to it.

"Well, we better actually get hunting," Frostpaw said her voice taking back on a serious tone. "Or, else we'll be stuck out here all day."

Autumnpaw tilted his head.

"But, the weather is beautiful. It feels like it's just the two of us and the whole forest. Would being stuck out here together all day be so bad?" he asked, his amber eyes searching hers.

Frostpaw's brow furrowed in confusion.

"But, I told Swoopstrike—"

Autumnpaw looked away from her, his ears flattening.

"I know, Frostpaw," he said quickly, interrupting her.

There was a hint of something, frustration or impatience or even hurt maybe, in his voice. Frostpaw knew Autumnpaw could be hot-tempered, just like his mother Redclaw and his sister Pinepaw. She had seen his temper flare countless times when he got into spats with Dampfang or Poolpaw or Pinepaw. But, he always seemed to have an infinite supply of patience for her. Frostpaw's ears flattened, feeling her chest tighten as her uncertainty deepened.

What did I do wrong?

Autumnpaw glanced back over to her, and his eyes softened as he read her expression. He touched his nose to her ear in a reassuring way.

"Never mind; you're right. Let's get hunting," he said, drawing away, his tail perking up as he seemed to return to his normal cheerful self.

Frostpaw hesitated for a moment, but then she followed him, putting the strange encounter out of her mind.

They returned to camp with jaws full of prey. There weren't many reptiles to be seen, but the weather had not yet turned cool enough to scare away the mice, squirrels and birds that lived in the ShadowClan forest. As they padded through the thorn barrier surrounding camp, Frostpaw was surprised to see many cats gathering in the clearing and Sedgestar standing on top of the Clanrock. Swoopstrike padded up to Frostpaw, giving a curt nod at the prey in her jaws.

"Well done. Put that down, then come over. Sedgestar's called a clan meeting to talk about the SkyClan battle," he meowed.

Frostpaw and Autumnpaw nodded as Swoopstrike turned and walked back over to the crowd of cats. Autumnpaw and Frostpaw quickly put their prey in the fresh-kill pile and headed over to take a seat. Sedgestar waited until they had settled before speaking.

"It's almost been a half moon since the battle in ThunderClan's camp. Morningstar is eager to retaliate against SkyClan, and requests our help with an attack on SkyClan's camp," Sedgestar said.

His words were met with silence. All of the clan was well aware of this. They had spent all the precious time they had since the ThunderClan camp battle preparing for it.

"This will be the last battle we will aid ThunderClan with," Sedgestar said. "I know some of you aren't pleased with all the help we've had to give them, but I promised Morningstar three battles in three moons. And, I intend to keep my word. Of course battles are dangerous, but we are the strongest Clan in the forest. I don't think we need to fear SkyClan."

Frostpaw gazed up at Sedgestar, wondering how much of his words he truly believed.

In the ThunderClan camp battle, Frostpaw knew SkyClan had killed at least three ThunderClan cats, and she knew those deaths could very well happen to ShadowClan cats instead. ShadowClan wasn't invulnerable.

Frostpaw shuddered. The line between life and death sometimes seemed so thin. Autumnpaw studied her face, shooting her a concerned look, but Frostpaw just gave a small head shake at him, waiting for Sedgestar to finish.

"I spoke with Morningstar on the border a few sunrises ago, and we agreed that we will launch the attack this evening, at sunset," Sedgestar said. "I will personally lead the ShadowClan battle patrol."

Grovepelt, who had been calmly sitting at the base of Clanrock next to Clearstream and Elmclaw, rose to his paws then, his ears pricked in surprise.

"Sedgestar, may I please interrupt for a moment?" Grovepelt meowed.

Sedgestar dipped his head to his deputy.

"Of course, Grovepelt," he meowed, his voice deep with respect.

"I wasn't aware that you were planning on leading the patrol yourself, and I must object," Grovepelt said, his green eyes staring intently at Sedgestar. "Although we've been allied with Morningstar, we mustn't forget that this is still ultimately a war between ThunderClan and SkyClan. Don't you think it would send the wrong message to Fennelstar if a ShadowClan patrol led by you attacks his camp? Is Morningstar even planning on being there, leading the ThunderClan patrol?"

Sedgestar flicked his ears dismissively.

"Who Morningstar chooses to be on his patrol is his own business," Sedgestar meowed before, in a rare public display of emotion, his face softened with fondness as he looked down at Grovepelt. "And, my old friend, I didn't discuss this with you because I knew you were sure to make a sensible point like this. But, unfortunately, I've already made up my mind. As you know, fighting a clan in their own camp is very different than fighting out in their territory. Cats are more desperate to defend their dens, kits, and elders. They're more dangerous. I'm asking my warriors to risk greater harm, and not just for our clan's sake, but ThunderClan's too. What kind of leader would I be if I was not willing to do the same?"

Grovepelt dipped his head in concession to Sedgestar, clearly seeing that he would not change the stubborn ShadowClan's leader's mind.

"Noble frog-brain," Clearstream murmured just loud enough for the crowd to hear and a wave of mrrows rippled through ShadowClan.

Sedgestar twitched his whiskers good-naturedly as his Clan laughed, their mood lightened at least for a moment.

"Just a warning; if any one of you, of course, besides my medicine cats or my lovely mate, tries to call me 'frog-brain,' you'll be on tick patrol for a moon," Sedgestar said, a purr in his voice.

Sedgestar waited until the purring dissipated, the mood sobering once more.

"This clan meeting is over, but don't go anywhere yet. I will speak to the cats that I've chosen to join me on the battle patrol," Sedgestar said.

He bounded down from the Clanrock, padding into the crowd of clan-mates that quickly gathered around him. Autumnpaw flicked his ears towards the fresh-kill pile, drawing Frostpaw's attention to him.

"Want to grab a bite while Sedgestar is making the rounds? I'm sure someone else already fed the queens and elders while we were out this morning. And, I think we've earned a meal after all the hunting we did," Autumnpaw said.

Frostpaw's stomach growled in agreement, and she nodded. They padded across camp to the fresh-kill pile, and spotted Pinepaw and Poolpaw heading their way too, evidently having the same idea. Poolpaw waved his fluffy black-and-white tail in greeting to Autumnpaw and Frostpaw.

"Hey! How went your hunt this morning?" Poolpaw asked, his eyes taking on a playful gleam. "After Pinepaw's and my hunt last evening, I'd be surprised if there was any prey left in the forest for you two."

"It was pretty good," Frostpaw meowed quietly, trying to hold on to the peaceful feeling that she had this morning before her mind had been once more filled with thoughts of battle.

"It went perfect. See for yourself," Autumnpaw boasted, puffing his chest out as he gestured to the large fresh-kill pile. "All the prey here is freshly caught by me and Frostpaw."

Poolpaw wrinkled his nose, bending down to give the pile a deep sniff.

"I don't know… some of these mice smell pretty stale to me," Poolpaw teased.

"Stale? You must just be smelling your own breath," Autumnpaw said, giving Poolpaw a shove.

"You're one to talk," Poolpaw shot back. "I have to hold my breath anytime you so much as speak to me. I think you need to see Clearstream because you have a problem."

Autumnpaw gave a playful growl, falling into a crouch and wiggling his hindquarters as he readied himself to spring. Pinepaw heaved an exaggerated sigh.

"Will you two knock it off?" she huffed. "We may be fighting in a battle later today; don't waste your energy shoving each other into the dirt!"

Frostpaw twitched an ear, privately agreeing with Pinepaw.

Autumnpaw growled again, but irritably this time. He did straighten though, apparently having seen the wisdom in her words.

"Well the mighty Pinepaw has spoken, so we must obey," Poolpaw said, turning back to Autumnpaw with eyes wide with mock seriousness. "Truce?"

"Truce," Autumnpaw agreed.

Frostpaw purred softly to herself. She knew the "truce" wouldn't last. In fact, she wondered if Poolpaw and Autumnpaw would ever outgrow their mock fights. She could imagine them in the elders den together, squabbling over who gets the best basking spot in the sunlight.

The focus shifting back towards food, each apprentice chose a piece of fresh-kill for themselves and settled down near the fresh-kill pile to eat. Frostpaw munched quietly on the mouse she picked, half-listening to Poolpaw and Autumnpaw continue their now subdued banter, and half-thinking about the impending battle. It wasn't until she was close to done with her meal that Frostpaw realized Pinepaw was being unusually quiet. The dark apprentice was eating a robin in silence, her brow furrowed. Although Pinepaw had rebuked Autumnpaw and Poolpaw once, normally by now she would have at least told them to put a mouse in it again, or gotten in on the argument, informing them that, actually, they both have entirely repulsive breath.

"Are you thinking about something?" Frostpaw murmured, not loud enough to interrupt Autumnpaw and Poolpaw's conversation, but loud enough for Pinepaw to hear.

Pinepaw pricked her ears in surprise.

"…Thinking about cuffing them both if they don't shut up," Pinepaw growled, flicking her tail at Autumnpaw and Poolpaw, her eyes gleaming wickedly.

Frostpaw gave a quiet purr.

There's the Pinepaw I know.

But, then Pinepaw's brow furrowed again. Her face turned serious, and she glanced away from Frostpaw.

"I was also thinking about the battle actually," she murmured in a low voice, down at the robin between her paws. "I think we're doing too much for ThunderClan. I know Sedgestar promised to help them, but he promised to help them defend their land. Not launch an attack in another clan's camp. I've just been thinking about what Grovepelt said. How it'll send a bad message to SkyClan."

Frostpaw felt cold worry stirring in her chest at Pinepaw's words.

"Do you think this'll start a war between ShadowClan and SkyClan?" Frostpaw whispered.

Pinepaw shrugged.

"Maybe. I don't know," she muttered.

Pinepaw sighed. She stared out into camp. Pinepaw's face still seemed troubled, like she had more to say, but empty silence stretched out between them again. Frostpaw looked away from her, and down at the scraps of mouse between her grey-striped paws. Pinepaw had said more than Frostpaw had expected at least. It was a good effort.

"There's no good way out of it anyway," Pinepaw continued suddenly, making Frostpaw's ears prick in surprise. "If Sedgestar refuses to attack SkyClan's camp, Morningstar calls him a snake-hearted oath-breaker, and then we've got ThunderClan and maybe SkyClan to contend with…"

Pinepaw's voice trailed off.

"And, if we attack, we make SkyClan furious," Frostpaw added for her.

"Yeah… Either way, someone is going to be really pissed at us. So, I guess, why worry?" Pinepaw said, giving a bitter purr.

Frostpaw twitched her tail, but her attention was drawn away from Pinepaw as Sedgestar and Grovepelt came padding over to the group of apprentices. Autumnpaw and Poolpaw quickly silenced their conversation as the leader and deputy approached.

"Grovepelt and Fogfur told me that you two did excellent on your hunts last night," Sedgestar said to Poolpaw and Pinepaw, who both dipped their heads respectfully to him.

"And, I heard from Beeclaw and Swoopstrike that you two did exemplary as well," Sedgestar said, turning to Frostpaw and Autumnpaw.

Autumnpaw and Frostpaw bowed their heads to him as well. Frostpaw's pelt warmed at his praise, despite the worry about SkyClan nesting in her chest. Grovepelt was nodding along with Sedgestar's words.

"There is little more that we can teach them," Grovepelt added, his old, green eyes bright. "They have proven themselves to have true ShadowClan spirits— fierce, shrewd, strong and clever. I am very proud of you all."

Frostpaw could almost feel the ripple of joy that went through Pinepaw's pelt at her mentor's words. Pinepaw raised her chin, her amber eyes shining. Frostpaw studied her from out of the corner of her eye.

She hardly seems like the same cat who, the day that she was apprenticed, complained about being given a mentor "as old as dirt."

Sedgestar gave a deep, pleased purr.

"That's very good. Then it's decided. Your last act as apprentices will be to join me on this battle patrol. When we get back to camp, I will hold your warriors' ceremonies. As is ShadowClan tradition, you will be given your names under the light of Silverpelt," Sedgestar said.

"Is the battle a final test?" Poolpaw asked, his tail-tip twitching a bit anxiously.

Sedgestar shook his head.

"I like to give our apprentices the ability to prove their merits in battle before their warrior ceremonies, but it isn't a test because there's no way to fail," Sedgestar said with a soft purr. "I know you all will fight valiantly."

Sedgestar turned and began to walk away, Grovepelt following.

"Grovepelt?" Pinepaw asked, and the deputy paused, turning to glance back at her. "Will you be on the battle patrol with us?"

Grovepelt shook his head.

"Sedgestar wants me to stay here, in charge of the cats left in camp," Grovepelt meowed.

"Oh. Okay," Pinepaw meowed, her ears drooping slightly.

Frostpaw glanced at her, detecting a hint of disappointment in her tone.

Maybe she wanted her mentor see her fight in her last battle as an apprentice.

Grovepelt's green gaze softened as he looked down at Pinepaw.

"You don't need me there. I know you are capable," Grovepelt meowed.

Pinepaw pricked her ears again, her jaw setting determinedly.

"Still, the stories that the elders tell about your battles as a young warrior are legendary!" Poolpaw interrupted. "It's a shame we won't be able to see you fight in a real battle."

Grovepelt glanced at Sedgestar, who had paused and turned back to wait for Grovepelt. The deputy leaned in towards the apprentices confidentially.

"I think Sedgestar thinks I'm too old and frail now to risk being sent into battle," Grovepelt said with a quiet purr.

"I would never dare call you old," Sedgestar said quickly, his brow furrowed.

Grovepelt gave a rough purr as he straightened again.

"You may not say it, but your actions make clear that you think it," Grovepelt meowed as he padded back over to Sedgestar.

Sedgestar opened his mouth as if to protest, but Grovepelt just laid his tail over his shoulders.

"Peace, Sedgestar. I'm only teasing. There's no need for you to say it because I know it's true, and I have no problem saying it," Grovepelt meowed. "Truthfully, my old bones are grateful you told them to stay in camp."

Sedgestar shook his head, giving a purr that sounded half amused and half exasperated.

"You know, staying in camp is an important job. We can't leave the kits and elders vulnerable to attack," Sedgestar said as the two of them padded away together. "I'm not just leaving you here so you can rest."

"Of course," Grovepelt said a purr in his voice, as the apprentices watched them leave.

Poolpaw took another bite of his food, chewing thoughtfully.

"They're funny together," Poolpaw said once the leader and deputy were out of earshot. "You know, I think Grovepelt's right. Sedgestar does fret around him like a worried mother goose. He just tries really hard to hide it."

"Grovepelt knows more about the forest and the other clans than any other cat in this camp," Pinepaw snapped at her brother. "He's one of ShadowClan's most valuable assets, of course Sedgestar wants to make sure he stays safe!"

"Woah, hey, calm down," Poolpaw said holding a paw up in surrender. "I wasn't saying that Grovepelt's not."

Pinepaw glared sourly at Poolpaw, her tail-tip twitching.

"Frostpaw."

Frostpaw's ears pricked, her attention pulled from Pinepaw and Poolpaw. She turned to see Swoopstrike padding up to her. He jerked his chin sharply to the side, indicating for her to follow him a bit aways from the other apprentices. Frostpaw quickly scraped some earth over the scraps of her meal, and rose to her paws. With a tail-wave of farewell to Autumnpaw, Poolpaw, and Pinepaw, she followed Swoopstrike away from them and across the camp, to a secluded area under an overhang of the thorn barrier. In the shadows beneath the thorns, Swoopstrike took a seat at her side and turned to look out over the camp.

"What's up?" Frostpaw asked, settling down in a crouch beside him, tucking her paws underneath her.

"Did Sedgestar tell you the news?" Swoopstrike said, his green gaze unreadable and still fixed straight ahead.

"About the battle? Yeah," Frostpaw meowed.

"And, about today being your last day as an apprentice?" Swoopstrike asked with an impatient eye-roll.

"Oh, yeah... That too," Frostpaw amended, giving a small purr.

She fell into silence for a moment.

Last day as an apprentice…

Something about the way Swoopstrike said that stuck in her head. It suddenly felt so real, so imminent. She would be a full ShadowClan warrior before the next sunrise. She would finally catch the thing she had chased for so long. That she worked so hard for, more so than even her den-mates, that she had finally proven herself worthy of…

"My last day as an apprentice," Frostpaw echoed quietly, as she also stared out into camp, her mind far away from her body.

But, her attention was drawn back to the moment as she felt Swoopstrike fidgeting beside her, shifting his weight from paw to paw like he was sitting on a stinging ant pile. He was still staring out into camp, but his expression was uncomfortable and pinched. Frostpaw glanced at him, furrowing her brow at his twitching. But, before she could ask if he was okay, her mentor suddenly heaved a sigh.

"Alright. So, Snakeeyes and Dappledpelt might actually flay me alive if I don't tell you this while you're still my apprentice," Swoopstrike said haltingly, looking like each word was painfully dragged out of his throat like a stinging nettle. "And, today's your last day… so, I… just— here it goes—"

"I was wrong."

Frostpaw blinked rapidly, utterly nonplussed.

"I… I don't understand," she said, almost apologetically because Swoopstrike's pained expression made him look like he'd rather pull out his own claws than elaborate.

Swoopstrike sighed again, his ears flattening. Frostpaw felt another jolt of surprise when she detected an emotion in his expression that she'd never seen on his face before— regret.

"The way I treated you as a kit, and then when you first became my apprentice," Swoopstrike said, his eyes locked straight ahead of him, as if he couldn't bare to make himself look at her. "I was wrong. I'm... sorry."

Dumbfounded, Frostpaw's jaw opened, but no sound came out. Truthfully, out of all of the things on this vast earth, the last thing she ever expected to come out of Swoopstrike's mouth was an apology. It shocked her so much, she didn't even know how to respond. Did she say it was okay? Did she say that she forgave him? Or, ask him if he had hit his head really hard this morning?

But, she was spared from answering when Swoopstrike continued.

"You're a good cat," he said in a rough mumble. "And, a ShadowClan cat in every way that counts."

Frostpaw felt her throat close up in emotion, her chest tightening. She glanced up at him, searching Swoopstrike's face, but he still wouldn't look at her. Swoopstrike stood brusquely then.

"Get some rest. I'll see you at the battle patrol," he said, striding off.

"I— um— okay…" Frostpaw finally managed to meow.

He had already walked away.

Author's Note:

Hi everyone! Since this chapter hints pretty strongly at Autumnpaw having romantic feelings for Frostpaw, I just wanted to put a note here addressing it, in case anyone feels weird about it, considering that Redclaw was involved with raising both of them. Honestly, it took me a while to decide if I wanted to include any romantic elements between those two for that reason, and in real life, I definitely wouldn't advocate for a romantic relationship between adoptive siblings because I definitely view adoptive siblings as "real" siblings, and obviously, it's weird to date your brother or sister haha.

In the case of this story, though, I think it's important to note that the clans' cultures are quite different from our own in some notable ways:

Firstly, in the Clans, I envision the queens raising their kits rather communally (as cats do in real-life.) So, since they all live together in the same den, younger litters look up to older litters, and the older litters protect and guide the younger ones, and the queens act as maternal figures to all the kits. They nurse/feed them and watch over them, although the queens do take greater responsibility when it comes to caring for their biological kits. Since Frostpaw wasn't the biological kit of any of them though, she kind of just got passed around by the queens as they took turns caring for her, although, Frostpaw and Redclaw did bond the most closely. (Which I think was because of several different reasons: Redclaw had kits the closest in age to Frostpaw so Frost was going through all of the same developmental stages as them as she grew. Redclaw was also the first one to step forward and comfort Frostpaw after May died, and she's the only one of the queens that knows the truth about Frostpaw's SkyClan heritage.)

Because of this though, Autumnpaw, Pinepaw, and Poolpaw grew up viewing and treating Frostpaw in the same way they view and treat the other cats that they were raised with in the nursery (Mosspaw, Murmurpaw, Dampfang, and Dewleaf.) Which, in human terms, would be more like "the girl next door," (so like a neighbor who they grew up with and who was over hanging out at their house practically all the time) rather than a sibling.

The second big reason is a more negative aspect of Clan culture: Since the Clans have such a big stigma against outsiders and put so much emphasis on blood purity, as Frostpaw was brought into ShadowClan and started growing up, she constantly was told: "You're a rogue. You don't belong here. You're not one of us," etc, even by cats like Pinepaw and Dampfang (kits in the nursery with her.) Frostpaw internalized that message, leading to her thinking that May was her only "real" family, since May was the only one related to her by blood. That in addition to the fact that Frostpaw was very depressed and withdrawn as a kit basically stopped her from bonding super closely with any one cat or family.

The Clan's negative view on adoption is definitely something I'm planning on addressing in this story since a major theme here is community, "finding your family," and family not being defined solely by blood-relation. In that sense, this story is completely about Frostpaw realizing that cats like Redclaw, Autumnpaw, Pinepaw, Poolpaw, Weaseltail, Swoopstrike, and so on, are her family. But, not in the "gross, dating your sibling" kind of way haha.

Now that I've finished explaining my perspective, I also wanted to say that if you are uncomfortable with the idea of them having any kind of romantic feelings for each other, no matter the circumstances surrounding the situation, then you are totally within your right to feel that way. Although, I will have to warn you that the Autumnpaw/Frostpaw relationship is not something that is going to disappear, and cats in the story aren't going to talk about it as if it is taboo or weird, so continue reading only if you are okay with that.

Anyway, now that's that's out of the way, thank you for reading and reviewing! I hope you enjoyed the more relaxed atmosphere of this chapter because the battle's coming next!

Reviews:

Brian.H.H: No worries about any delay with reviewing! I'm just always happy to see that you've left a review, regardless of when it comes :) Haha yeah, Frostpaw is pretty cool with Pinepaw now, and deep down, Pinepaw is cool with her too. But, Pinepaw won't admit it! (At least, not yet.) They did have their first actual deep conversation this chapter though, with Pinepaw opening up about her thoughts, so they're getting there! And, about Rockstorm, yeah, I was imagining that he was Morningstar's son :(

Warrior names are coming soon! (But not quite yet.) And, I was able to include the whole gang this chapter! You are right though, that Autumnpaw has more of a serious side Poolpaw doesn't have. Poolpaw is can get a bit anxious at times, but he's generally mellow and happy-go-lucky, and he likes having fun, especially teasing his siblings and Frostpaw. Autumnpaw is very extroverted, goofy, and generally quite friendly, but he's also hot-tempered and can get broody and serious when he's bothered by something. Autumnpaw also holds grudges much more than Poolpaw does. And, you're spot on about Pinepaw's personality haha.

Swoopstrike likes being a dick for no reason in general, but he especially likes being a dick for no reason to Acornear haha.

And, I wonder if you were thinking about the story recently!

Kitty-Guardian Hootryd: Thanks for the review! And, another fight will be coming soon! Also, I'm glad you liked Morningstar's rage. Beyond even losing some clan-mates, with him I've really been trying to capture his anger, desperation and fear of another horrible leaf-bare will destroy ThunderClan if SkyClan keeps chipping away at them.

SavvySpirit: Hey, thanks for reading and reviewing! I really appreciate it! Also, you are right that in the Warriors canon, they use the term leaf-fall instead of autumn. Honestly that was an error on my part: I thought "Autumn" was a nice, nature-related sounding name, and forgot that they don't use the term. After I realized my mistake, I was too attached to the name and I had already written a lot, so it would have been too much work to go back and change it. To make up from my error, I've been imagining that Redclaw has kitty-pet ancestry, and that's how she knew the word "Autumn" haha.

About Pinepaw's crush on Dampfang; I know we haven't seen Dampfang in a couple of chapters, but the Pinepaw/Dampfang stuff definitely has not been totally resolved yet. As of right now, Dampfang has been a bit more of a jerk to Pinepaw recently since he thinks, that as a warrior, he shouldn't spend as much time being friendly with apprentices, which has hurt Pinepaw's feelings since he's never outright refused to hang out with her before. But, the distance between her and Dampfang has allowed her to become more friendly with Frostpaw. Although, Pinepaw's crush on Dampfang definitely hasn't totally gone away yet though!

And, as for Autumnpaw and Frostpaw, please see my explanation above!