I woke up with my nest beside Pinepaw's. I smiled, remembering how cold it had been last night. The tom had always been generous to the younger apprentices. I yawned and stretched which made Pinepaw stir.

"Sleep well?" I asked him. He stretched and nodded.

"Yeah, although it was kind of cold last night, don't you think?" Pinepaw asked with a smile.

I nodded and smiled. "Yeah, thanks for that. If it weren't for you I would've been shivering all night. Then what would I have told Skybranch when I fell asleep during training?"

Pinepaw laughed. "You're welcome. Do you know what you're doing today?"

I nodded. "Skybranch wanted me to meet her in the training clearing at sunhigh. We're battle training today."

Pinepaw's eyes brightened. "That's great! I'm battle training today too, with Shadowpounce. Maybe we could train together?"

I nodded with a smile. "Yeah, then you could teach me a few things. Let me just go talk to Mosspaw and we can walk there together."

The reddish apprentice seemed pleased by this and nodded.

I padded over to the medicine den, and the scent of herbs immediately hit me like a slap across the face. I shook my head and padded inside. "I don't see how you can stand being stuck in here all day." I said, looking around at all the herbs.

"Lavenderpaw! What are you doing here?" I heard my brother ask from the back of the den.

"Just coming to see how you're doing. Did you have fun last night?" She asked.

Mosspaw emerged from the herb store and nodded, eyes shining. "It was amazing! I got to see the other medicine cats and apprentices. We discussed different herb techniques which helped with the journey. That wasn't even the best part because when I got to see Starclan it was the most wonderful-"

"Alright Mosspaw." Berrycloud said, emerging from a crevice. "You know you're not to share with anyone what you saw when you visited Starclan." She said with a smile.

Mosspaw ducked his head in embarrassment. "Right, sorry. It was just so amazing!"

I laughed. "I bet it was. I know you'll be a great medicine cat." I complimented.

"Thanks, Lavenderpaw, and I know you'll be a great warrior one day." He glanced outside to see it was almost sunrise. "Sorry to cut this short, but Berrycloud and I have to finish going over the herbs before we go collect some and sort them."

I nodded. "That's okay, I have to meet Skycloud at the training grounds, anyway. It was nice to see you!"

"Nice to see you!" Mosspaw said before padding to the back of the cave.

I walked out of the medicine den and breathed in the fresh air. Then I looked up to realize it was almost sunhigh! I was going to be late! I bounded over to Pinepaw. "We're going to be late, let's go!" She said urgently.

Pinepaw nodded. "Okay, race you there!" He said and raced for the camp entrance.

"Hey!" I said and laughed, dashing after the tom.

The forest flashed past us, pine needles under our paws. Stripes of light from the sun could be seen on the forest floor. I was having so much fun racing Pinepaw, I almost missed the training grounds! I had to skid to a stop and Pinepaw had already beat me, sitting down.

"What took you so long?" He asked with a playful smirk.

I rolled my eyes and smiled. "Not everyone can be as fast as you. Besides, your legs are longer which gives you the advantage."

Pinepaw raised his head. "I know, which is why I am your leader. Bow down to me."

I laughed. "Oh, but I am your deputy. Which means I will take your place!" I pounced onto the tom and we rolled around the clearing which ending up with Pinepaw pinning me to the ground.

"Still think you're worthy enough to take my place?" He asked with a smile.

I heard a chuckle from the edge of the clearing. "I see you two have already started."

I turned my head to see Skybranch and Shadowpounce watching us. Pinepaw got off me and if I didn't know any better I'd say he looked embarrassed.

"Pinepaw was just getting me started." I stepped in for him.

Skybranch purred and nodded. "I see that. Which move did he show you?"

Mousedung! I didn't know any moves! Luckily, Pinepaw returned the favor and answered for me.

"I was showing her the tuck and roll. She almost got me but I was able to pin her." He said and glanced sideways at me with a smile.

Shadowpounce nodded. "Can I see the two of you practice for myself?" She asked.

Pinepaw looked surprised but nodded. "Of course."

The reddish brown apprentice turned to me and gave me a look of assurance. He then feinted to one side and I immediately leaped towards him. He was too fast, though. Pinepaw managed to dodge by rolling out of the way. Once I landed, he pounced onto my back and pinned me down.

"You have to be fast, and have all of your senses be alert." He said.

I painted from the scuffle. It had all happened so fast! But, I had a move of my own which I had practiced on my littermates. I went limp and held my breath. Pinepaw looked down, concerned.

"Lavenderpaw? I didn't hurt you, did I?" He asked and got off of her.

As soon as I felt the weight lift off me, I leaped. Claws sheathed, I pummeled at his side and ducked underneath him to trip him up. Once the tom was unbalanced, I barged into him and ended up pinning him down.

"How's that for fast?" I asked Pinepaw smugly.

The apprentice looked surprised. "Lavenderpaw, don't scare me like that! I mean - I didn't see that coming! How did you work out a move like that so quickly?

I shrugged. "I used that move a lot on my littermates when we were kits. It's all in the tail." She waved her long, slick tail in triumph. "Now who's the leader?"

Pinepaw laughed. "You are, Lavenderstar. You are the greatest leader of all."

Skybranch padded over to them. "Good thinking, Lavenderpaw. That was fast, too. I just have a few tips. Try twisting your body when you're underneath your opponent. If you can't seem to unbalance them, this will help. You could be faster, but that will only happen with time. You just don't want to be trapped underneath your opponent from being too slow."

I nodded and climbed off of Pinepaw. "Thank you, Skybranch."

Shadowpounce looked at Pinepaw. "You should've kept your guard up. Even when you realized Lavenderpaw was using a move on you, you just stood there like a deer in the path of a monster.

Pinepaw ducked his head in embarrassment. "Sorry, Shadowpounce."

Shadowpounce nodded. "That's alright, you were just caught off guard. Why don't you two head back to camp? If you come across any prey, bring it back to camp. Leaf-bare will be upon us before we know it."

I nodded and motioned to Pinepaw with my tail. "Come on, Pinepaw!"

Pinepaw purred and got up to pad beside me as we headed back to camp.

He was so close that our fur almost touched, and it felt warm. I always felt safe with Pinepaw, even when I had been just a kit. I remember when he became an apprentice, and he promised to visit the nursery every day. He kept that promise, too.

I heard something and stopped. My ears swiveled towards a pile of pine needles and I dropped into the hunting crouch. I slowly crept forward in the shadow of the trees before pouncing. The creature saw my shadow though, and darted away. Fortunately, it was right in the direction of where Pinepaw is and the tom swiftly killed the squirrel with a nip to its spine.

"Sorry, I'm not very good at hunting, yet." I said.

Pinepaw dropped the squirrel. "Don't be sorry, I know I didn't catch a thing until at least my fifth try." He said. "Here, you can carry it."

I shook my head. "You caught it, so it's your catch."

Pinepaw nodded. "Then you'll have to catch something, too."

I sighed. "Okay, but we'd better hurry. The light is already fading from the sky."

Pinepaw grinned. "Don't worry, we'll be back in time."

So we took a detour, looking for prey. The sky barely held any light when we returned to camp. Pinepaw was carrying his squirrel and a crow. I had a thrush in my jaws which I proudly dropped on the freshkill pile.

"Thanks for helping me." I thanked Pinepaw.

He purred. "You're welcome. See? I knew you could do it."

I smiled sweetly but turned to see Cloverpaw waving me over. I gave Pinepaw an apologetic look. "Thanks again." I said and bounded over to my sister who sat outside the apprentice's den.

"Where have you been all day?" Cloverpaw asked.

I sat down. "I went to the training hollow with Pinepaw and trained for a bit. Then he took me hunting and I caught a thrush."

Cloverpaw smiled and gave me a look. "So you've been with him all day?"

I looked at her and rolled my eyes. "It's not like that." I said.

"Sure it isn't. I've seen how he looks at you. Especially now that you're in the same den as him again. And this morning I saw his nest pushed up against yours! You can't tell me nothing's going on."

I sighed. "It was cold last night, so he warmed me up. He's just being nice." I said but glanced over at him."

Cloverpaw shook her head. "We should get some rest, but I won't let it go. I know there's something connected between you two."

I just padded into the den and curled up in my nest. Cloverpaw did the same, and soon fell asleep. I shivered, it was another cold night.

Then I felt something press against me. I raised my head to see Pinepaw beside me and smiled before lowering my head.

The warmth was nice.

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//Word count: 1707//