The Raiding party to attack Skyclan was already about to leave when he and the other apprentices returned. Sunset was approaching fast, and it felt like sunhigh moments ago. The Sky was however being slowly covered by clouds, with their gray colors contrasting heavily with the colors that appeared by sunset. The Moon was nearly full and its small disk was already rising above the distant mountains.

"You're back!" Applefern said, her cream colored fur ruffled in the wind as she met them at the camp entrance. The Cats in the Raiding party were gathering near the entrance, and Brackenstar stood there in the center of it all, the Dark Brown Tabby Tom seemed troubled, for his uneasy expression was staring off into the sky at a point containing nothing but a cloud. The Chatter of the Cats was loud however, and he thought he heard Brackenstar mutter something but it couldn't be discernible among the chatter of the cats.

"Yeah, we had so much fun!" Dawnpaw said her ginger pelt shined in the sunlight, and even though they were just in a ditch it still seemed well groomed.

"Uhhh yes, it was…fun." Shrewpaw said.

"You're just upset you lost." Frostpaw said playfully, Viperpaw and Shrewpaw huffed at that.

"Only because our spot was closer to him!" Viperpaw said

"Should have picked a better spot then?" Dawnpaw meowed.

"All right, that's enough." Applefern said, standing close to Frostpaw and towering over them. "We are leaving in a few, so I expect a lot of you to be good while we are gone, and no more waking cats up in the middle of the night." She threw a glance at Dawnpaw, who gave an exasperated sigh.

"Anyway, Frostpaw, I will not be going easy on you tomorrow so I expect you to bring your A Game." Applefern said.

"Yes, Applefern." Frostpaw meowed.

"Good." She said, smiling.

"Flamewing." She said, looking at the Ginger tom. He nodded, his Blue eyes flashing in the setting Sunlight.

"You're coming with us." She said, Flamewing seemed surprised at this news, and rightfully so. His eyes portrayed a confused expression.

"Really? I thought Brackenstar ordered me to stay in camp?" He asked.

"He changed his mind, he wants an extra cat on the raiding Patrol." She said, her tail swung from side to side as she talked.

"Really? Well if it's for the good of the clan." Flamewing said.

Applefern nodded, and the 2 of them stalked off to the group of cats gathered nearby. The Apprentices watched them as they stalked off.

"What do we do now?" Shrewpaw asked.

"Grab some food and rest." Graypaw said, given he was probably about to be made a warrior, Frostpaw and the other apprentices decided to listen to him. They all headed to the Fresh-Kill pile, each grabbing a piece of prey and munching down on it. There was a time when apprentices had to ask before eating, no matter the elders or clan being fed first. Now if it was late in the day it was just the norm that you could eat, no matter who you were. The Warrior code remained the same, although the waves of time, as they had created it, had allowed for it to grow a bit more lenient to the cats of Thunderclan.

As they ate, Frostpaw watched as the cats of the raiding party chattered and listened to them. He couldn't make out words, but he could hear the length of their sentences, and he could tell there were some serious conversations~with some lighthearted ones mixed in too. The Lighthearted ones, although hardly intelligible, made him confused. Did warriors really have such conversations before battle?

He looked at Graypaw, given the Cat was older than him and had experience he would assume he had some sort of understanding of warriors.

"Graypaw, can I ask you something?" The Apprentice asked.

"Sure." Graypaw answered, his fluffy gray fur still seemed like that of a kit, despite being nearly twice the age of Frostpaw.

"Why do Warriors often have such jokes and light hearts before battle? Wouldn't they fight worse?" Frostpaw asked.

Graypaw sighed, he hung his head low suddenly, his eyes invisible under the shadows and at the angle to Frostpaw.

"Frostpaw, do you really want to hear the answer? It's something I wish wasn't true myself and could very well apply to us later." Graypaw said, his Green eyes suddenly turned towards him, a stare that penetrated him deep like Fallen Icicles to an unlucky squirrel.

"Yes." Frostpaw meowed, his gaze didn't waver. If it was to apply to him it was only fair he knew it after all.

Graypaw took another long sigh, his gaze seemed to grow blank for a moment before he spoke. "Frostpaw, Flamewing told me this when I asked the same question when he led a raid on a fox den. The reason why such happy conversations are held before battle is so when a Warrior dies, his last thoughts are those of that conversation."

Frostpaws heart sank, surely that couldn't be true! "But why would they do that?"

"I just told you." Graypaw answered, "Not all Warriors get the luxuries that such a conversation would give, sometimes…Cats don't get to say goodbye, Sometimes a Warriors duty doesn't allow that, and when you get a chance you should NEVER miss out."

Now Frostpaw understood, he had an unfortunate first experience. Had his father gone out alone? How much pain did he feel, and did he get those happy thoughts before death? He didn't get those exact questions before, and now he was having regrets asking the questions.

"I get it now…T-Thanks." He said, stumbling away. He heard Dawnpaw mumble something and Graypaw say something in response, but he didn't stay to listen. By the time they had their discussions he had retreated out of earshot towards the Den.

Suddenly there was a loud set of words spoken by Brackenstar that echoed across the camp.

"Cats of Thunderclan!" The Thunderclan leader yowled, "We depart at once for the Skyclanian Border, hear me when I say we will attain Victory and exact justice!" The Leader yowled.

Cheers rang up from the clearing as cats gave support, and as he watched them depart he could only hope they would make it home.


I have plans...big plans.