Chapter One, Part Three

The camp darkened quickly, much to Lilypaw and her Clanmates’ dismay. A chilly breeze weaved through the air every once in a while, and ThunderClan was forced to shelter inside their dens. Squirrelflight organized night patrols in the warriors’ den- the assigned cats ran out and checked borders as fast as they could. Hunting patrols from earlier bounded into the den quickly, shivering and fur cold. Mates or friends would groom them and warm them. No cat went on patrol twice that evening.

            At one point, the deputy stuck her head inside the den and called, “Any apprentices want to check the ShadowClan border?”         

            Lilypaw and Seedpaw were trembling from the freezing air, and they hastily shook their heads no. At least we have our day off as an excuse, she thought with relief.

            However, poor Snowpaw was lumbering out of the den to go on patrol, as he was told to sharply by his mentor, Foxleap. “He’s always nice around his kits,” the white tom muttered angrily as he left.

            Lilypaw forgot most of the rest of the night. Outside of the apprentices’ den, she heard some faint murmurings, with paws pounding on the earth as patrols returned and as they departed. At some point, just when the sky had streaks of light in it, Lilypaw noticed some cats sneaking out to steal dead prey for the kits, queens, and elder from the fresh-kill pile.

            She licked her lips and watched Cloudtail drag a half-frozen squirrel away, his teeth cracking through the thin layer of ice over the cold body. It was from last night, but to Lilypaw it would easily top off her quick meal of a sparrow.

            Then, pawsteps crunching on the slowly thawing sheet of ice over the ground sounded near Lilypaw’s den.

            Lilypaw’s eyes perked up to the noise as it got closer. Finally she could see gray tabby paws and white and ginger paws. Oh, no! Millie and Brightheart! They’re late…

            “Seedpaw, Seedpaw!” Furiously Lilypaw prodded her sister awake.

            “Mmph, what is it?” Seedpaw groaned and rolled onto her back, belly rising and falling softly with each breath she took.

            Lilypaw felt the panic level inside her rising. What if it’s me? Oh, it can’t be me! “Brightheart and Millie are here. We have to be prepared.”

            In a heartbeat Seedpaw was up and grooming herself, Lilypaw doing the same.

            Millie and Brightheart were getting closer by the instant. Soon enough Brightheart poked her head inside the entrance. “Lilypaw, Seedpaw, just who we wanted to see,” the scarred warrior said with a slight purr, nodding a brief greeting to Dewpaw, who was the only cat that remained of his siblings, who were outside.

            Lilypaw and Seedpaw shuffled closer to each other, Seedpaw biting her lip and Lilypaw feeling sick to her stomach.

            “Come on out,” Millie said, stepping aside to let them pass. Once the four were out of the den, the mentors led their apprentices over to the side of the clearing. Lilypaw shivered in the nippy cold as it scampered through her fur continuously.

            Brightheart and Millie explained very nicely and carefully that they would first say the name of the sister that was doing alright. So I should be mentioned first, Lilypaw confirmed to herself.

            Millie took a deep breath, and then announced, “Lilypaw.”

                What? By instinct, at first Lilypaw thought she was the failing apprentice. Then she remembered: Millie told us that the name said first belongs to the winning cat. Holding back a smile in spite of herself, Lilypaw backed into her den.

            She turned to Amberpaw, who was alone in her and her brothers’ corner of the den, licking down a patch of spiky fur on her chest. “Amberpaw,” Lilypaw whispered, deciding that the gray-and-white she-cat could be her closest friend at the moment.

            “Oh, hi, Lilypaw,” Amberpaw mewed, glancing up from her strong breast. “What’s up?”

            Lilypaw bounced over and smiled into Brightheart’s daughter’s amber eyes. “I’m not failing in my training!” she exclaimed, tail lashing excitedly. All of a sudden, Lilypaw’s whole body sagged, and in respect for her sister she bowed her head and stared at her paws sullenly for a couple heartbeats. “But Seedpaw is dropping low. I guess I’ll have to cheer her up.”

            It appeared Amberpaw only cared about the first piece of news. “That’s awesome!” she cried once Lilypaw was finished speaking.

            The dark tabby apprentice was shrugging just as Seedpaw entered the den, sulking at the ground.

            “Seedpaw?” Lilypaw shuffled forward, Amberpaw by her side.

            “What?” Seedpaw snapped, neck jerking up to reveal an enraged gaze. “Don’t even talk to me. I’m being held back in my training for a moon. A moon, Lilypaw! While you become a proud warrior- how about with the name Lilyperfect- I stay as a stupid apprentice with the younger cats!”

            Lilypaw staggered, taken aback by her littermate’s words. Amberpaw stumbled back to her nest, feelings hurt.

            Those were the last words for the entire morning.

            “All apprentices come to be assigned to a patrol with a mentor!” Squirrelflight’s yowl echoed around the camp, and right away mentors, apprentices, and warriors slowly removing a newly fallen tree piece by piece rushed over to the deputy.

            Lilypaw walked confidently next to Millie, watching the pouting Seedpaw stomp behind Brightheart.

            Soon Lilypaw, Brightheart, Thornclaw, and Leafpool were walking out in the forest, eyes peeled for any prey as well as the WindClan border, which they were checking.

            “Sh!” Thornclaw silenced Brightheart and Leafpool, who were chatting, and he froze, ears pointing straight toward the tree tops. “A stray rabbit from WindClan territory,” he muttered. The golden brown warrior inched to the left, green eyes quietly wild as he listened.

            The three she-cats stood and waited, the air deadened without their voices added to it. Nostrils flared, Thornclaw disappeared into the bushes, brush shaking behind him. As a holly leaf fluttered to the ground, Lilypaw heard a shrill cry that was cut off abruptly. Thornclaw had killed the rabbit before a bird could sound its alarm to the rest of the forest.

“Two in one!” Thornclaw haughtily annunciated, returning to the small clearing they had stopped in. Leafpool and Lilypaw attentively dipped their heads to the older warrior, and Brightheart congratulated her brother with a smile. “Hazeltail and Icecloud will appreciate those!” she purred, taking the larger rabbit for Icecloud.

            The four cats walked along a bit more. Just when hints of WindClan scent hit Lilypaw’s nose, Leafpool asked if they could split up. “I’d like to take Lilypaw and hunt with her privately, if you don’t mind,” she requested to Brightheart, who allowed her with a nod.

            Once Thornclaw and Brightheart had vanished into the undergrowth, Leafpool spun and faced Lilypaw. Lilypaw knew that Leafpool was distant kin of hers, and worry shined in the tabby’s eyes. Can she feel my emotions? Lilypaw wondered.

            “What’s on your mind?” Leafpool inquired, stepping a pace forward to lick Lilypaw’s cheek. “Please tell me… you can trust I won’t tell anyone else, not even Squirrelflight, and I’m very close to he…”

            “Well,” Lilypaw cut in, staring at her paws instead of deep into the former medicine cat’s amber eyes. Lilypaw knew that Leafpool had broken the warrior code once by falling in love with a WindClan tom, Crowfeather, and having his kits, who happened to be Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and the late Hollyleaf. At this moment Lilypaw felt hauntingly close to the WindClan border. Leafpool’s fur was bristling too, as if she feared a patrol consisting of Crowfeather and his mangy son with Nightcloud, Breezepelt, would come.

            Still not completely trusting of Leafpool, Lilypaw told her the whole story: Seedpaw’s behavior toward her, and then Seedpaw having to stay as an apprentice for an extra moon.

            “I feel terrible,” Lilypaw admitted in conclusion. “Now I’m sure that Seedpaw hates me even more than she did before.”

            Leafpool sighed softly and Lilypaw let the tabby’s long tail trail along her flank. “I ask of you, don’t worry. When Squirrelflight and I were apprentices, we had minor skirmishes like this all the time.”

            Lilypaw furrowed her barely visible eyebrows. “But, Leafpool! This isn’t minor. This is major. She despises my guts, my every move, I tell you! What can I do?”

            The tabby hesitated, clearly thinking hard as her pupils rolled to the treetops. “You must talk to her,” Leafpool settled on that answer, refocusing her gaze to meet Lilypaw’s delicate face. “Don’t acquiesce your thoughts overtake the truth.”

            “Fine. I’ll try to speak to her. But I’ve tried before, and we’re either interrupted, or Seedpaw doesn’t listen. How about just checking the border and forgetting we ever had this conversation?”

            Lilypaw’s outburst intensely silenced Leafpool during their trot to the border. For the rest of their partnership alone, Lilypaw and Leafpool did not meow a thing to each other.