Rainpaw stumbled as Stormfire leaped at her. It had been two days since the first time she went with this strange cat, and she was exhausted from no sleep. "What's wrong with you?" He asked. "Did you not get enough sleep or something?"

She got up. "No.. I'm fine.." She responded tiredly.

"Then come on!" He said, his anger slowly growing.

Rainpaw leaped at him and dodged down as he swiped a paw at her. The same move she had done with the strange white cat. She swiftly crawled under his stomach and darted out the side, pawing his flank.

"Impressive! Where did you learn to dodge to avoid my paw?" He asked. "Oh, Uhm.. I made it up." She responded, trying not to give herself away. Stormfire nodded, only half believing her.

Rainpaw sighed. She couldn't keep her secret for much longer. The cat wanted to train her. Not Anyone else, but her. And there was something.. dark, something evil about the cat that Rainpaw liked.

"Alright." Stormfire said, looking up at the darkening sky. "Your warrior assessment is tomorrow, let's hope you can shape up by then." Rainpaw nodded tiredly and stumbled back to camp. When they reached camp, she padded into the apprentice den and flopped down, drifting into sleep.

She woke the next morning and and stretched. She hadn't gone to the dark oak forest with the strange cat that night. She got up out of her nest and shook her pelt free of any clinging moss. "Rainpaw, Sunpaw, Hopepaw!" She heard Redstar call. She padded out of the apprentice den and sat in the clearing.

"Alright. Rainpaw, You'll go to the rocky hills. Sunpaw, You can go to the small birch, and Hopepaw can go to the river. Remember, we will be following you to assess your hunting skill." All three nodded and headed off in the direction they were given.

Rainpaw sniffed the air, and picked up a strong scent of squirrel and rabbit. She headed toward the rabbit scent first, and spotted it hopping between the large stones that made rocky hill.

She crouched down and slowly stalked it. Rainpaw froze she stepped on a twig, breaking it in half. The small rabbits ears darted up, and it quickly hopped away. Mouse dung! She thought, chasing after it.

The rabbit gained speed, but Rainpaw quickly caught up to it. She nipped its neck and it quickly dropped down. She picked up her prey and padded back down the rocky ledges. As she neared the forest, she went to the closest tree and buried her prey next to it.

* * *

By the end of the assessment she had caught two rabbits and a squirrel. She grabbed her prey and headed back to camp.

Rainpaw dropped her prey in front of Redstar and sat down, waiting for her sisters to arrive.

Soon she saw the familiar golden pelt of Sunpaw, with Hopepaw following close behind. Both dropped their prey in small piles next to hers, and sat down.

Redstar studied the piles and nodded. "Good!" he said, looking up at the three mentors. "How are their battle skills?" he asked them. "Hopepaw is ready." Spottedoak said. "As is Sunpaw." Blackfrost added, looking over to Stormfire. Stormfire looked at Rainpaw, then back to Redstar. "She is ready." he said.

"Alright, their ceremony will be held tomorrow." Redstar said, making a short nod and heading off to his den. Hopepaw and Sunpaw did a little bounce of excitement before heading off to the apprentice den, leaving Rainpaw follow.

When she reached the den, she padded to her nest and curled up, drifting into sleep.

She woke in the forest again, and spotted the cat sitting a few tail lengths away. Rainpaw stood up and padded over. "Welcome Back Rainpaw." The cat said. "

"I-I'm sorry," Rainpaw said. "but I can't come here anymore. I hardly get any sleep."

The cat looked at her. "You'll get used to it." She responded. "

I ca-" Rainpaw was cut off as the she cat spoke.

"Oh, your in now." The cat said, her cold icy gaze seeming to stare into her soul. "There is no escape."