Forgot to mention this before. Thorntail, the dark forest cat, belongs to @Fanimations101. I added her into the book as a prize :3

The dark forest had gathered in a clearing. Shadepaw glanced around, proud of the two new followers that he had recently gained.

"You've finally agreed to come." Frozenstar was staring at Blurrypelt with curiosity in her eyes. "Why?"

"Morningpaw convinced me." Blurrypelt admitted. He drew his tail closer to himself. He was scared.

"That's no reason!" Featherfur spat. He rose to his paws, the fur on his shoulders bristling.

Blurrypelt took a step back. "I never meant to be here, Frozenwater-"

"What did you say?" Frozenstar flattened her ears. Beside her, Fawnfrost's tail fluffed up and Pinefeather growled. "I am Frozenstar here."

"M-My bad." Blurrypelt took a step closer to Sparkle. The kittypet was trembling.

"Do you wish to rule the Clans?" Rainfern asked. The silver tom hardly talked; Shadepaw had nearly forgotten that he was there.

"I wish to serve MudClan." Blurrypelt narrowed his eyes. "I am not power thirsty."

"Fool. Don't you know that ruling the Clans is serving them? Imagine how much better it will be when there is only one Clan. No cats will have to fight for food. We'll live in harmony. I am offering you the chance to be the deputy, the second in power. Don't you want the best for the cats on the island?" Frozenstar tempted.

"Think about it." Fawnfrost said. She had always been calmer than Frozenstar. "Your apprentice will never have to battle. He'll never have to fear for his life."

Blurrypelt blinked slowly. Shadepaw could see the realisation in his eyes. "Fine." He muttered, "I'll join you. But this is for the good of the Clans, not my own thirst for power."

Thorntail purred, "Good. Let's start training. Nightwing, you go with Rainfern. Morningpaw, go with Pinefeather. Blurrypelt with Fawnfrost. Spark, come with me. And Bloodshed... Er, Shadepaw...? You go with Featherfur."

"And I'll watch." Frozenstar said. She jumped into a low branch in a tree. "Begin."

Shadepaw padded over to Featherfur. The gray tom narrowed his eyes. "Hello apprentice."

Shadepaw waved his tail. Featherfur wasn't going to surprise him this time; He and Jaytail had worked hard to perfect his fighting skills. He wasn't far from being a warrior now.

He ducked his head as Featherfur lashed out with his claws. He just barely missed. Shadepaw leaped forward, crashing into his opponent. Soon they were a hissing, screeching ball of fighting. They only broke apart when another cat was hurled into them.

"What in StarClan?" Shadepaw demanded. The cat scrambled to his paws. It was Blurrypelt. His ear was torn, and several clumps of fur were missing from his pelt.

"I'm sorry." He said quickly, "It was an accident."

"Accident?" Frozenstar laughed. "I saw everything. You can't fight!"

"I'm a much better hunter." Blurrypelt shuffled his paws.

"Well good, then you aren't completely useless." Frozenstar huffed. "Get back to fighting."

*

All that night, the cats trained and trained. When Shadepaw woke, he felt the familiar feeling that he hadn't slept at all.

He dragged himself to his paws, groaning at an ache in his ear. Rainpaw poked his head in the den, "Shadepaw! Come quick!"

"What?" Shadepaw's heart raced. Was Rainpaw becoming a warrior? Was the camp being attacked? GreenClan trespassing? Elders dying? Kits being born?

"Echopaw's caught in the rocks. It's so funny!"

"Oh." Shadepaw sighed. He followed his brother out of the cave and towards the mooncave. There, Brownfur was applying a gooey pulp to Echopaw's fur.

Flamepaw was beside them, laughing his whiskers off. Owlpaw was a little ways away, yelling at Snowpaw that Echopaw being stuck wasn't funny. Shadepaw felt a little bit better, glad that he wasn't in his sister's situation.

"How did this happen?" Brownfur demanded.

"I was hunting a crow.." Echopaw muttered, "It was in between the rocks. I tried to jump through them, but I got stuck. The crow got away." She added with a sigh.

Shadepaw heard Rainpaw's muffled laugh. He turned to see his brother laying on his belly with his muzzle tucked under one paw. His eyes gleamed with laughter.

"Try to wiggle your way out." Brownfur suggested. "Or I might have to leave you here."

"Really?" Echopaw's eyes went wide. "You're going to leave me?!"

"Maybe if she starved she'll be skinny enough to leave." Snowpaw suggested with a laugh.

"Quiet, Snowpaw!" Sunflower and Jaytail were headed toward them. Sunflower, Snowpaw's mentor, looked unhappy. "You have your training assessment today. If all goes well, you'll be a warrior. Or do you want to wait a moon for your behavior?"

Snowpaw rolled his eyes. "I'm just joking."

"Jokes are meant to be funny. Come on, let's get started." She turned away, ignoring Snowpaw's mew of protest.

"You too, Shadepaw." Jaytail said. "You should join the assessment."

"Does that mean I'll be a warrior too?" Shadepaw jumped up.

"Maybe." Jaytail's eyes gleamed. "If you do well today."