"Cherrypaw! Hey! Hey, Cherrypaw, wake up!" Rosepaw swatted the sleeping Cherrypaw with her claws sheathed. Cherrypaw opened her amber eyes sleepily. "Wha-... Why are we waking up so early?" She groaned. Rosepaw bounced excitedly. 

"Because Smalltail chose us to go on the morning patrol! Isn't that awesome?" Smalltail, a tabby she-cat with a really short tail, was Smokestar's deputy. Cherrypaw rose to her feet, hastily grooming her calico fur. She noticed the apprentice den was empty, except for Rosepaw and herself. 

"Where are the others?" She asked her sister. Rosepaw licked her shoulder, and said, 

"Jayclaw and Lionshadow took them to learn some new battle moves, and Berryleaf and Snowpaw are gathering herbs. Hurry up, or Smalltail might not wait for us!"

The sisters walked out of the den and into the clearing. Cherrypaw couldn't help feeling a little prideful at being chosen to go on a patrol with the Clan deputy. Outside, Rabbitnose, Cloudfoot, Smalltail, Ravenfur, and Soot stood by the fresh-kill pile. Ravenfur and Smalltail were finishing off a vole, while Rabbitnose groomed her pelt. Cloudfoot blinked at Rosepaw and Cherrypaw, amused. 

"It's about time you woke up! Ready for your first patrol?" He said. Cherrypaw bounced happily. 

"SO ready!" She practically shouted. Ravenfur scowled at her. 

"Tone it down." Cherrypaw dipped her head with respect. Ravenfur was one of the senior warriors. Smalltail stood up, picked up a rabbit and a mouse, and said,

"I'm going to take this to the elders, then we'll go." Her voice was muffled through all the fur. 

"So, how's being an apprentice going?" Soot meowed. Cherrypaw turned to him, and said, 

"It's going great! Though, I haven't been one for very long." 

Soot chuckled. 

"I'm sure Cloudfoot will teach you well. He's a great mentor." Soot said. Cherrypaw remembered when the Clan had found Soot. He was a fat, greedy, whiny young tom, but soon grew into a great Thunderclan warrior. Smalltail returned, and said,

"Well, let's get going." 

The cats re-marked the borders, then headed back to camp. Cloudfoot looked up at the sky, and said, 

"There's going to be a full moon tonight. You know what that means." He said. Cherrypaw nodded excitedly. 

"A Gathering! Do you think Smokestar will let us come?" She asked. Rosepaw head-butted Cherrypaw playfully.

"Of course he will, mouse-brain! New apprentices always get to go to the Gatherings." Rabbitnose shook her head. 

"Not always, Rosepaw. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't." Cherrypaw frowned. I really, really want to go! She thought. 

"What's a Gathering like?" She asked. 

"Boring." Ravenfur said. Rabbitnose rolled her eyes. 

"It's only boring for you because everyone knows how grumpy you are. If you were nicer, you'd like it more." She turned to Cherrypaw and Rosepaw. "Gatherings are a lot of fun, I promise."  Rosepaw pressed closer to Cherrypaw, and whispered, 

"I REALLY want to go! Maybe Smokestar would announce our names like Flowershine told us happened to her when she was made an apprentice!"

"I hope he doesn't. Imagine having your name said in front of all the clans!" Rosepaw shrugged at Cherrypaw's comment. 

"I'd like it." 

"Stop all that whispering." Ravenfur said sharply. "You'll scare all the prey in the forest off." Rabbitnose pushed Ravenfur gently. 

"I remember when we were both new apprentices, and you were chasing a mouse. Squirreltail told you to be careful, but you ignored him. You stepped on a big stick, which not only scared all the prey away, but you were frightened out of your fur, too!" Ravenfur rolled her eyes, and muttered something under her breath. 

Cherrypaw skipped beside the other warriors. She felt like a grown-up warrior herself, on the patrol, chatting with senior warriors. Soon I'll be a warrior, and I'll be the best one Thunderclan has ever seen!

                                                                                            ~*~

"Alright," Smokestar began, "the cats coming to the Gathering will be: Jayclaw, Brookpaw, Lionshadow, Spotpaw, Grayspot, Cloudfoot, Cherrypaw, Rabbitnose, Rosepaw, Redwhisker, Flamefall, Grassflight, Vinetail, Squirreltail, and Darkfur. The rest of you will stay behind and guard the camp." 

"We're going to the Gathering!" Rosepaw and Cherrypaw shouted at the same time.