Maybe not having an apprentice wasn't that bad. Mousefur seemed to love the sense of responsibility it brought her, but having to train someone so small and inexperienced was vexing to Runningwind.

Occasionally, among the three new mentors— Mousefur, Fireheart, and Graystripe— Runningwind would be asked to help for the day. Being one of the best hunters in the clan, he was often sought after to share tips and tricks for how best to stalk a mouse, how to not startle birds, and of course chase after rabbits.

But apprentices were not always keen learners.

"Can't you even control your own apprentice?" Runningwind yelled over his shoulder at Fireheart. They dashed through the forest at high speed, trying to keep sight of Cinderpaw up ahead.

"It's not like I'm not trying!" Fireheart growled. "She just doesn't listen!"

"Maybe you need to try harder." Runningwind responded in a light-hearted tone, but internally? He was losing respect for Fireheart quickly. Just the other day Fireheart had been showing Brackenpaw and Cinderpaw how to stalk mice, but ended up using the technique for catching birds. Of course, once Runningwind had pointed out his mistake, he corrected himself, but seemed to lose heart, relinquishing leadership of the training session to Runningwind instead. He had been forced to teach two bored apprentices stalking skills that he still wasn't sure they'd retained.

Surging ahead of Fireheart, Runningwind allowed himself to get lost in running, the howl of the cold leafbare wind in his ears fading into the background as he entered a meditative state. His paws pounded upon the frozen ground, lighter than air.

He didn't need an apprentice. He'd never feel freedom like this again, chasing an unattainable dream. His only worry would be becoming faster, more agile, leaning farther into that state of peace that came with the rhythm of—

"Whoa, hey Runningwind!" Runningwind skidded to a halt at Cinderpaw's voice, panting.

The gray apprentice was sitting on Sunningrocks, squinting across the glistening river. "I'm so glad Sunningrocks belongs to ThunderClan. It's so nice to warm up from the cold up here!" She preened in the pale leafbare sunlight; her fur fluffed like a mane around her neck.

"I guess." Runningwind replied. He was annoyed that Cinderpaw had managed to stay ahead of him, but she clearly had a head start. If it had been fair, he would have beat her easily. "Shouldn't you be back with Fireheart?"

Cinderpaw shrugged. "He'll catch up eventually."

"He is pretty slow." Runningwind admitted, making the two of them snicker as Fireheart, disgruntled and panting, finally emerged from the undergrowth.

"Cinderpaw," Fireheart let out a long-suffering sigh. "Tell me, does this look anything like the ShadowClan border to you?"

Cinderpaw blinked at him owlishly with big blue eyes before letting out a soft gasp. "Omigosh. You said ShadowClan. Not RiverClan." In a move that surprised Runningwind, she immediately hopped off the rock that she was perching on and bowed her head in what seemed to be shame. "I'm sorry Fireheart." Her big fluffy tail drooped onto the ground like a sad squirrel's, and her face, still framed with kitten fluff, was a picture of convincing remorse.

Fireheart's stern gaze softened. "It's alright Cinderpaw. Now, this time—" Suddenly, the undergrowth rustled, and Cinderpaw's momentary focus dissipated. Within moments she had vanished into the forest yet again, making Fireheart shake his head in exasperation.

"Why do I even…" Fireheart paused, then turned to chase after his apprentice yet again. After hesitating a moment, he looked over his shoulder at Runningwind.

"You can leave the apprentice-chasing to me." Fireheart said, his feelings of defeat clear by the slump of his shoulders. "You'd be better off hunting around here so someone on this patrol could be doing something useful."

Runningwind was all for abandoning Fireheart and spending a lovely afternoon hunting by himself. But something about Fireheart's pitiful and weary expression made his fur prickle with guilt at the thought. Fireheart had more than enough weighing on him— Fireheart had taken over Brackenpaw's training as well while Graystripe was sick. Even though Brackenpaw was with Whitestorm and Brightpaw today, Cinderpaw was a challenge all on her own.

Runningwind sighed, his guilty conscience fighting against his better judgment. I suppose I'll have to help him out then.

"How about this," Runningwind meowed. "Since I'm a great tracker and faster on my paws, I'll see if I can catch Cinderpaw before she reaches the ShadowClan border, or wherever she thinks that might be. You can wait closer to say, the Twolegplace, if she wanders in that direction."

Fireheart bristled a little, but it seemed exhaustion won him over in the end. "Alright." He relented. "Your plan seems sound. Let's do it."

That was probably the most unenthusiastic 'let's do it' Runningwind had ever heard from Fireheart, but never mind that. He had an apprentice to catch!

He dashed into the undergrowth, blowing past Fireheart like a gust of wind.

Being as fluffy as she was, Cinderpaw was laughingly simple to track. Her fur caught onto nearly every leafy plant and thorny bush, and the apprentice certainly didn't take care to dodge any obstacles while she was hurtling toward the ShadowClan border like a bat out of the Dark Forest.

(Runningwind didn't really know where that saying came from or what it meant, only that his father said it a lot)

Abruptly, the snagged fur on branches and plants vanished, along with Cinderpaw's scent. Runningwind walked in a confused circle, trying to find where he lost the trail.

"Hey Runningwind! Up here!"

Of course she climbed a tree! Scolding himself for not thinking of that immediately, he squinted up at Cinderpaw. She was perched on one of the lower branches of a cherry tree. Her plumed tail, swishing with excitement, hung below her like a big gray feather.

"Has Fireheart taught you tree climbing already?" Without waiting for her answer, Runningwind leapt up the tree to join her. He wasn't big and muscular like some of the other ThunderClanners, but he was small and agile, which made climbing a breeze.

"Kinda! But this is the first time I've done it by myself." Cinderpaw admitted. Her gaze shifted ahead of her. "Not that I got scared or anything, but I thought I saw eyes watching me from across the Thunderpath. ShadowClan cat eyes."

Seeing her shudder, Runningwind knew Cinderpaw's bravado was just for show. "Don't worry. They should know better by now not to mess with us. We kicked their tails and rescued you and your littermates. I should know, since I was there."

Cinderpaw brightened at that. "And so was Fireheart! He even fought Brokenstar."

"Yes. Yes he did." Runningwind muttered.

The two of them sat in silence for a few moments, but silence and Cinderpaw didn't coexist easily.

"What's that big black thing in the middle of the forest anyway?"

Runningwind looked at her incredulously. "Fireheart hasn't told you about the thunderpath?"

"He tried to." Cinderpaw mewed, shuffling her paws. "I wasn't really listening that day though."

"I see."

"But now I really wanna know!"

"You do, do you?"

"YES."

"Should I tell you then?" Runningwind could barely hold back his smirk.

"PLEASE!"

Runningwind straightened his posture. "Alright, only because you said please. A thunderpath is what monsters use to travel."

Cinderpaw's eyes went wide. "Monsters?"

"Yes, monsters. They're huge, loud, stinking things that eat cats. But they only can eat you if you're standing on the thunderpath, because they don't like to leave it. Which is weird, because the black stones on there really hurt your paws."

"Maybe their paws are super strong or something." Cinderpaw guessed.

"Maybe. But as long as you stay off of the path, you'll be safe." He tapped Cinderpaw on the head with his tail. "You got that?"

"Got it." Cinderpaw seemed to realize something. "Oh! We should probably be getting back to Fireheart by now, right?"

"We should but…" Runningwind sniffed the air. Despite the leafbare chill, this part of the territory seemed to be rich with prey-scent. "…want to catch something first?"

Cinderpaw let out a deep inhale to squeal with delight, but Runningwind quickly hushed her.

"Yayyy…" Cinderpaw whispered.

Runningwind nodded with approval. Hopefully Fireheart wouldn't be too angry when they got back and he saw that Runningwind might be a better mentor than he was— oh, who said that?

With a smug grin he turned to follow Cinderpaw, who was looking around with a wild look in her eye, the fur along her back bristling. Runningwind knew that feeling too well.

Even during the colder moons, ThunderClan territory was rich with thousands of smells– decaying leaves and ferns, frozen soil and crisp mosses, not to mention the migratory birds that nested on the territory. A ThunderClan warrior's specialized training was learning the art of pinpointing an individual scent and focusing on it. He and Bluefur had spent countless days training in different parts of the territory, finding prey-scent or another warrior's scent and following the trail.

"Think about the scent you want to follow, and concentrate." Runningwind said, crouching down next to the apprentice. He observed her carefully, waiting to see how she'd react.

Cinderpaw looked like she was about to have an aneurysm, her brow was furrowed so hard. After a moment of furiously staring at the ground, her head popped up, and she shot a pleased look at Runningwind before starting a few paces forward.

"SQ— I mean, it's a squirrel. I'm gonna follow it!" She hesitated, looking back over her shoulder at Runningwind. "Right?"

"Following it would be good. Just make sure you're quiet. If you're running fast like you have been, the squirrel will sense you coming from a long way away."

"Okay!"

Runningwind watched as Cinderpaw disappeared into the undergrowth, then tasted the air for his own prey to chase. He was planning on catching three pieces of prey, at least.

Not that it's a competition, or that she's even aware it's a competition, but I am so going to win.

—

Fireheart seemed pleasantly surprised with the catch that Runningwind and Cinderpaw brought back. Cinderpaw had lost the squirrel she'd initially been tracking but had managed to snag a sparrow that had been idling a few tail-lengths away.

Runningwind, on the other hand, grumpily held two mice in his teeth by their tails, still sore that he hadn't caught as much as Fireheart: somehow the orange tom had managed to catch two birds and a vole that now sat proudly on the freshkill pile.

Fireheart thanked Runningwind profusely for hunting with Cinderpaw, the opposite of the tired tom that Runningwind had seen this morning. Had he magically recovered like the favorite warriors did, the ones like Whitestorm or Tigerclaw, who never faltered or fell ill and were there when you needed them most?

Eh, that's not fair. Runningwind sighed, watching Cinderpaw talk animatedly to Fireheart about her successful catch. I sound like a grouchy elder. Speaking of which…

He figured the elders' den might appreciate the mice.

The old tree stump that housed the elders, besides the nursery, was one of the most fortified dens in all of ThunderClan's camp. The interior of the den remained warm and cozy throughout leafbare, the scent of decaying leaves and oak clinging to the elders' fur as they snuggled deep into their nests to fully escape the chill.

Runningwind paused just before entering the elders' den, eyes narrowing in thought.

Would this be where he ended up one day? Too stiff in the winter to move beyond the dirtplace, younger warriors bringing them prey, feeling the same pity Runningwind did whenever he came within a few fox-lengths of their den?

"Is that you, Runningwind?" Smallear called from within the den. "Stop standing out there in the cold. Get in here youngin!"

Runningwind hurried in, just in time to hear Dappletail snickering to One-eye, who was curled beside her. "I swear, every time he enters the den I see the mental anguish cross his face."

"Wazzat?" One-eye mumbled, making Dappletail roll her eyes. One-eye's eye that was not clouded over brightened at the sight of her son. "Runningwind, so nice to see you dear! It's been so long since you last visited."

Runningwind opened his mouth, but Halftail beat him to it.

"He was just here yesterday, love." Halftail said patiently, tapping One-eye's side with a paw to make sure she was paying attention. Runningwind noticed the silent cues his parents had for one another sometimes, ones that they'd built over the time that they'd been mates. He supposed that's where he and Mousefur got their own silent sibling communication from, the exchanged looks, the slightest tapping of a tail on a shoulder.

But that didn't make them immune to screaming matches when they got on each other's nerves. After one of their more infamous feuds, Redtail had banned them from being on the same patrol for almost a moon. May he rest in peace. Huh, it really did feel like a lot of good patient cats were dying lately, first Redtail, then Lionheart...

"Pigeon for your thoughts, Runningwind?" Halftail meowed, his yellow eyes narrowing in amusement. "You're still not having delusions of getting old, are you?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Runningwind stammered. "I mean, uh! Look, I brought you some prey!" He gestured quickly to the two mice sitting on the den floor, stacked on top of one another awkwardly. Oops. He must've dropped them without noticing.

"No voles?" Dappletail trilled, her tone lowering in disappointment, then muttering to herself more quietly, "Not that I won't accept mice, but–"

"Stop your whining and just share the mouse, Dapple." One-eye said, her whiskers twitching as she hooked one of the mice with one of her blunt claws. "Patchpelt, dear, are you hungry?"

The only noise from Patchpelt from the darkest recesses of the den was a grumble, followed by a hoarse cough.

"Is Patchpelt okay?" Runningwind meowed. Leafbare was nearly– well, it was here now, if the biting cold air was any indicator. And with the cold weather came illness, and if there was something Runningwind feared more than getting old, it was getting sick.

"He might've caught a chill," Smallear observed, then his expression soured, "but if his coughing keeps me up at night, I'm sending him straight to the medicine den."

If the elders had their own leader, it would definitely be Smallear. He was certainly bossy enough for it, as he continued adding his own opinions to everyone's conversations.

Runningwind found himself growing weary of elderly cats who had nothing else to do but yammer on all day, and slowly exited the den after murmuring a quick goodbye to whoever might be listening.

The sun began to set on the ThunderClan camp, a pale gold casting cool shadows across camp. Frost grew in the darkness quickly, and successfully chased any last stragglers sharing prey into the warmth of their dens.

Just before entering the warriors' den himself, Runningwind couldn't help but send a stray glance toward High Rock, where Bluestar typically sat. Tonight the rock was empty, Bluestar likely keeping warm in the lichen-covered den below. It felt strange not to see her there, and Runningwind briefly thought back to before Bluestar was leader- no, she'd still be somewhere, even as a warrior, watching the stars.

Fireheart probably told her how good Cinderpaw is getting at hunting. Runningwind thought. I'd like to think I had a paw in that. I've even helped mentor Brackenpaw on occasion. I'm probably as good as any old mentor, imagine if I got to report to Bluestar all the time about how well I was mentoring. Then he thought about the elders, aimlessly chatting, waiting for prey. The cold feeling of realization coursed through him.

If he became an elder and never once had an apprentice, he'd have to lay down and die.

Throwing himself into his cozy nest beside Mousefur, who was snoring softly, Runningwind hissed to himself.

I can't believe this. I actually want an apprentice. I wanted one. It's like– what's it called– a perspective shift or great realization or something.

Argh. If Mousefur were awake, she'd definitely be making fun of him.

Whoaaa... it's been a while. But this story isn't abandoned! Just slow updates because I decided to write a thesis. Crazy.

Anyways, next chap will happen, whether that'll be in a month or five lol. Bye for now 3

- Misty