Applepaw was nudged awake, stirring quietly he blinked awake. Letting out a frightened gasp as the pale blue eyes of Reedpaw stared at him, a wide, toothy grin spread in her face.
      "Good morning sleepyhead!" The ginger tabby she-cat purred. Applepaw curled up into a tighter ball.
      "Can't I just sleep in??" He mumbled, his ear flicking. Icepaw, Rainwhisker son, snorted from across the den.
"Just wake up, you lazy dormouse! With my father as your mentor, he'll want you up bright and early!"

Applepaw uncurled, an annoyed expression clear on his face. 'Of course Icepaw's here... And not out with Sandstripe...'
As if Reedpaw could read his thoughts she looked over at Icepaw, tilting her head slightly to the side. "Shouldn't you be out with your mentor?"

Icepaw gave a deep, dramatic sigh, rolling over on his back, one of his white paws resting on his forehead. His tail twitched. "Nope." Reedpaw and Applepaw shared a confused glance.
"Well, actually yes. But Sandstripe went on patrol with my sister, Dawnpaw. Birdpaw and Silverfern tagged along, and I was still asleep when they left. So they didn't bother waking lil ol me."

Applepaw tilted his head, clearly confused about Icepaw's choice of wording. "They how'd you know all of them left while you where asleep?"
Icepaw smirked, mischief twinkled in his golden orbs. "It's very, very simple really." He purred, sitting up. "I just wasn't asleep. I was just pretending so Dawnpaw didn't wake me up. I need my beauty sleep after all~"

Applepaw gagged, 'he's so...so stupid! Beauty sleep? Hah! He needs way more that beauty sleep... he uglier than a badger... Acts like one too.'

Icepaw hauled himself to his paws, another loud, very fake dramatic sigh escaped his lips. The older apprentice twitched his whiskers, looking over his shoulder he looked at the newly made apprentices.
"Now if you excuse me, I need to go and act like I just woke up. You little kitfish are annoying me." Applepaw watched Icepaw pad out of the apprentices den with a flick of his tail.

Applepaw bristled, his pale holly-green eyes narrowed as he held his glare on Icepaw. "Sometimes he gets under my fur!" The young tom quietly hissed.
He felt Reedpaw press into him in a comforting manner. "Don't get to riled up about it, Applepaw! I bet he'll trip into a pile of fox-dung while out of patrol today!"
Applepaw snorted as he imaged Icepaw freaking out, wailing that his perfect snow-white pelt was ruined.
'We're annoying you? You act like a eel.'

Applepaw rose to his paws, his sleepiness evaporatkng. "Let's go find out mentors. Maybe we'll go and learn some battle moves!" He hesitated to say 'and beat those ThunderClan scum!' as the image of a crying Maplekit flashed in his head.
He forced down the threat twitched his whiskers, Reedpaw gave a bright smile and Applepaw returned it.
His eyes flicked to looks out towards the busy clearing. Maybe he'd see her at a gathering? The pretty calico molly would probably be an apprentice by now so maybe he could see how she was doing...

The way his parents and older warriors gossiped about it like they were elders made him wonder about it. 'Is it as fun as every-cat says it is?'
He remembered when he was a kit and one of the elders told him about a time when a few ShadowClan warriors started a fight with some ThunderClan warriors. Apparently the gathering had to be cut short because the sky was covered by dark clouds.

Applepaw shuddered at the thought of a dark clearing, being surrounded by cats from other clans he didn't know well. The thought made his stomach rumble and churn in nervousness.

"Applepaw! Come on!"

The apprentices ears perked up at his name being yelled from across the clearing. He recognized it as Rainwhisker and he immediately ran out of the apprentices den, forgetting to say goodbye to Reedpaw.
He saw Rainwhisker sitting next to Foxclaw and Rippleheart by the fresh-kill pile.

"Sorry Rainwhisker! You called me?"

Rainwhisker licked the fish blood off of his lips, a fat perch sat at his paws, half devoured. "You're late." He repeated, mid-chew. His long tail flicking in such a way that the sandy-brown tom was confused that he had lashed it.
The apprentice nervously blinked. His pale green eyes flickering around the clearing. 'The dawn patrol just left!' He thought, looking back at Rainwhisker.
"

If you aren't awake and out of that den before my son, then we have a problem. And we'll be fixing it soon."
Foxclaw chuckled at the statement. "Icepaw wakes up rather early, Rainwhisker."
"Exactly. I had my last two apprentices on the same very same schedule. I had both of them walking up early, sometimes even before dawn. They both turned into fine, lovely she-cats."
Rippleheart and Foxtail shared a look before continuing to eat the fish at their paws. Not commenting on what their denmate had said.

      The tall white tomcat was sitting up now, licking his paw and swiping it over his ears. "Alright." His mentor began, "we'll go by the river. I'll teach you some tricks that my mentor taught me to do when I was your age."
      Applepaw immediately felt excited, flicking his ear to tell his mentor he was still listening. What did his mentor teach him and what would Rainwhisker teach him in return?
Would they hide in a tree to catch water voles? Or would they sit by the stepping stones and catch fat fish for the clan? ...Or would he teach him how flirt with the she-cats?

Rainwhisker rose to his paws and began to walk towards the camp entrance, his muscles rippling through his sleek, short pale fur. Applepaw quickened his pace, now trotting beside him. He lifted high, trying to match the confident stride Rainwhisker had.
"What are we going to learn?" He mewed, buzzing with excitement as they pushed through the camp entrance. The smell of Dawn Patrol fresh in the air.
"Are we going to catch prey? Oh! Battle training in the water?" The thought of being taught a tough move made his paws tingle. He wanted and was going to be the best apprentice RiverClan's even had!
Rainwhisker said nothing, still walking carefully by the riverbanks edge.

"Hm... If we did go battle training, what move would you teach me first?" He questioned, his small tail waving from side to side. Rainwhisker still said nothing. Maybe he wanted Applepaw to keep guessing? Applepaw paused, what battle moves did he know? "What about a leap-and-hold!" Darkshadow had showed that off to Applepaw when he was still a kit!
Rainwhisker's long whiskers twitched, still staring straight ahead.

The small tan tom huffed, when was Rainwhisker going to say something? Was he not even on the right topic? Were they going hunting instead??

Rainwhisker's ears perked and his crouched low, "get down." The icy-white tom hissed, his head lifting ever to slightly to see Sunning Rocks in the distance. Applepaw got down, obeying his mentor's orders. Applepaw gazed through the tall dark reeds, the sound waves slapping against the stones that lined the river bank. Applepaw squinted, confused. What were they looking at?

"Look at them." Rainwhisker growled, his lip curling as his eyes narrowed into slits. "Those fat, squirrel-faced, mouse-eaters." Applepaw tilted his head, looking over at his mentor with a puzzled glare.
'Who was he talking about?' He thought. 'Surely it wasn't any RiverClan cat we know...'

"Applepaw look, see that calico she-cat with that grey speckled tom. They're patrolling their border on our rocks."

      Applepaw shifted closer, lifting his head higher. His pale green eyes widened in horror when he saw Maplekit- or well, maybe Maplepaw now.
      She was gazing around, anxiety filling her round amber eyes. She stood close to her supposed mentor.
      Suddenly a tall, golden-brown spotted she-cat burst from the greenery, her head was lifted high as she trotted over towards Maplepaw, a dark brown -almost black- tom following close behind. Applepaw stared with his mouth a gap. His eyes lingering on the almost black apprentice.

Before long two other ThunderClan warrior appeared from the bushes. A light brown she-cat, and a muscular dark ginger tom. Applepaw noticed a white shape on his head, he looked closer, eyes narrowing. He gasped.

'A star! That dark ginger tom must be ThunderClan's leader!'

Rainwhisker snarled, "the red tom is Redstar, ThunderClan's leader. Beside him is Fallowsong and the speckled tom father ahead is Bloomheart... I don't know who those apprentices are. Just more ThunderClan cats to defeat to regain Sunning Rocks. Nothing but obstacles."

Applepaw crawled back, looking down at the ground. Stomach churning.

He shouldn't be feeling like this. I mean, these are a rival clans warriors! He'll have to face them in battle one day! Fight tooth and claw over... something important he assumed. He shouldn't be feeling guilty for something he didn't cause.
He looked back up, Maplepaw was glancing over at RiverClan's side of the border, looking around at something or for someone.

Applepaw wanted to stand up, show her that he was there, but he also knew that doing that might get himself in trouble with Rainwhisker.

The snow colored tom looked over at his apprentice, ear flicking.
"Let's get out of here before the nauseating stench of ThunderClan clings to our fur. I'll have you do some chores back in camp." With that he stood up and raced away.
Applepaw stood up, still looking over at the ThunderClan patrol.

Maplepaw looked at him, he looked back, their eyes locking together. Her deep, amber eyes meeting his pale, holly green ones. She smiled and then turned and walked away when the speckled tom padded off, leading the patrol away. Applepaw hesitated, watching the patrol leave before he flinched as Rainwhisker yowled his name and scampered after his mentor.

He raced past a clump of reeds, the river running beside him. He slowed to the trot when he noticed Rainwhisker waiting impatiently for him, slim silver striped tail lashing.
"Took you long enough," he sniffed, "now come on. Your gonna clean out the nursery. Ebonystream was complaining about not having enough braken and moss to hold her bed together."

Applepaw sighed, ear flicking. "Alright." He meowed, padding into camp in front of his mentor.

•••

"Thank you, Applepaw." The black tabby queen let out a relieved sigh, shuffling in her new nest. Applepaw nodded, looking down at the queen's swollen belly before looking back up at the queen.
Her kits weren't due for another moon, though it looked like they were due any moment. Apprently she was having at least two kits.

"I'm sure Fogtail is excited to be a father." He purred, trying to be nice.
Ebonystream stretched her white hind-leg, nodding her head as her maw opened in a big yawn. "Oh yes." The black tabby meowed, shaking her fur out. "Very excited."

The pale brown flicked his ear, she didn't sound too enthusiastic about it.

"Aren't you happy?" He blurted out. She sighed, resting her head on her paws. "Of course I am!" She meowed, "I've always wanted to be a mother, and raise kits.. but I would appreciate it a bit more if Fogtail visited more often."
She shook her head, "if doesn't matter anyways. I shouldn't be telling this to you, go talk to your fellow apprentices and enjoy your training."
She purred, yellow eyes round. Applepaw nodded, getting to his paws and leaving the milky warm nursery.

"Applepaw! Patrol! Now!"

'Again? Well, I guess this morning wasn't really a patrol. I spent a lot of time in the nursery, it's sun-high now.'

He twitching his tail, looking over at Rainwhisker who was waiting with his father, Creeknose, Fogtail, Shellskip and—

      "Hey Reedpaw!" He greeted, Reedpaw spun around at the sound of her name, smiling brightly at the sound of his voice.
      "Applepaw! Hi! How's your day going? Anything fun happen?"
      He shook his fur out, shrugging. "It's alright." He meowed, "I had to clean out the nursery by myself."
      Reedpaw titled her head, blue eyes round. "You could've asked me to help! I would've loved to help!"

Rainwhisker scoffed, overhearing their conversation. "A real warrior doesn't need help for simple tasks." Creeknose shot the snow-white tom a glare but didn't mutter a word.

"So where are we going?" Reedpaw chirped, walking close beside him, their pawsteps in sync as they left camp. Shellskip flicked his tail, "ask Rainwhisker."
Reedpaw turned towards him, he hesitated before piping up. "Where are going?" He repeated Reedpaw's question with uncertainty.
"I'm glad you asked!" His mentor purred, "we're going to mark Sunning Rocks. ThunderClan seems to think it's all fun and games to just come across the river and rest their fat heads on our rocks."
Fogtail lashed his white tail. "They don't seem to remember that those rocks belong to us now."
Creeknose nodded, "Yes. And hopefully we won't need to use out claws the show them that either."

Reedpaw and him shared a glance, would they really have to fight over some dumb boulders? Why couldn't they just share them?

As the RiverClan patrol approached the large rocks, pelts from across the river were moving. Rainwhisker growled, speeding up and crossed the thick ice that covered the top of the river.
Rainwhisker then jumped onto the highest rock, glaring at the ThunderClan cats who emerged from the shady forest.
"Oakfur, Seedpelt, Wildflight." His spat their names as if they were all crow-food. "Remember these rocks are ours."
Shellskip, Creeknose and Fogtail leapt up to join their clanmate, flexing their muscles.

"Should we join them?" Reedpaw whispered, he looked over at her before looking back up at the rocks. He really didn't think he could make it in a single leap, but the ice was starting to make his paws go numb.

"I think so." He responded, with that he crouched low and leapt as high as he could, his hind-legs scrambling on the cold stone before he found his footing and padded over to be beside his father.
After a few quick heartbeats, Reedpaw hurriedly joined him at his side. Their pelts brushing together, but he shuffled away and closer to his dad.

"Rainwhisker." The gray she-cat meowed, tail lashing. "We will get those rocks back. They belong to ThunderClan."
Rainwhisker scoffed, chin raising high as he glared. "You and what army? We outnumber you."
Oakfur smirked, "are you certain?"
"Yes. I would re-think those words, Rainwhisker." The large white she-cat with heavy ginger patches meowed, taking a challenging step forward. Her long white tail swaying elegantly behind her.

Rainwhisker growled, neck fur bristling. Turning into sharp spikes at the sound of the challenge in the ThunderClan Warriors' voices.

Applepaw looked up at his father, Creeknose stared at the rival clan warriors, icy blue eyes narrowed into icy blue slits. He nervously copied his father, flexing his claws.
'But I don't know any battle moves beside the leap-and-hold! And even that I didn't master!' He felt more nervous than before, he felt as if a whole colony of small, fire ants were dancing in his fur, making his nose warm.

      "Because, I'm certain we outnumber you." The white and ginger she-cat let out a low purr, her voice as smooth as honey.

With that, many pairs of ThunderClan warriors emerged from the white, snow-covered forest. Their eyes were narrowed into glowing, battle-hungry slits. Tails lashing and sharp claws glimmering in the sparse sunlight. They had sick grins on their faces as they approached the large rocks.

"Applepaw, Reedpaw, run back to camp and try to get ask many warriors as you can. This is going to be a battle and we'll need all the help we can get..." Creeknose hissed quietly, his eyes landing on Applepaw.
Reedpaw didn't have to be told twice as she's spun around and jumped off the rock, pelting away towards camp. Applepaw nodded and followed suit, running until his legs were sore.

By the time he reached camp warriors were coming out of their dens, Sloefur padding over towards Reedpaw as she sat panting, Frostfoot comforting her kit.

"A battle!" He yowled, his flanks heaving. "There going to be a battle! And it's going to be over Sunning Rocks!"

•••

Words 2755

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N/A: I'm so sorry this took so long to come out. Shit is crazy irl rn. My house burned down and shit, plus the wifi's wack asf. Im fr using my public libraries wifi-

Anyways, to make up for my hella long hiatus, I gift you with a semi extra long chapter of Appledusk's Chance and a cliff hanger! I'm sorry again!

But, goodbye my peeps 🐣, creeps 🐜, and sickly sweets 🍬 and hopefully we'll meet again, in the next chapter. 💜💜