"All cats who can hunt for themselves, gather around me!"

I looked up from sharing tongues with Cloudypaw and hurried to get a good spot. Excitement and expectation fizzed in the air. Fogkit and Dapplekit were both well-groomed and it was half a moon past their due time to become an apprentice. Tortoisekit nudged them playfully, pride shining in her emerald eyes.

There was no surprise, only approval as Mistystar declared, "It is past time that I should make you apprentices. Dapplekit, come forward."

The white, brown and black she-kit bounced forward, eyes shining.

Mistystar continued, "Swanwind, you will be Dapplekit's mentor when she becomes an apprentice. You are brave and cunning, your own mentor taught you well."

The she-cat dipped her head, petals showering from her fur, "Thank you, I am honoured."

Mistystar then turned to Fogkit, who had already rushed up beside her sister, "Your mentor shall be Spiderfur. He has shown his courage and undying loyalty to Mistyclan many times over. I am sure he will teach you well."

Spiderfur's eyes widened and Swanwind purred encouragingly as he promised, "I will, Fogkit, I will."

Then, Mistyclan's leader declared, "I present two new apprentices to the clan. From now on, you will be named Fogpaw and Dapplepaw!"

Every cat raised their voice to cheer for the new addition, "Fogpaw! Dapplepaw!"

Suddenly, Cloudypaw stood up from beside me, yowling, "Stop! Listen to me!"

Startled, I hissed, "What are you doing?"

She looked at me sadly, "I am doing what is right." Then, to everyone else, Cloudypaw explained, "I had a vision last night."

There were several reproachfully sceptical murmurs and glares. Liontail objected, "Only medicine cats can have visions. You were having a dream."

Several cats nodded in agreement, and Pearlstorm said sourly, "Is this what you interrupted an apprenticeship ceremony for?"

Fallenleaf rolled his eyes, "Apprentices, always looking for attention."

I felt myself bristle defensively for Cloudypaw. I trusted her, if she was interrupting, it must be for something important.

My sister drew herself up and let her voice ring across the gathered cats, "I AM looking for attention. It is only through getting your attention will I know you are listening. I just thought this was important." With a worried glance at me, she explained, "In the vision - or dream - I saw a moon tree."

Tropicpalm sat up in anticipation, "What happened?"

At the approval of their medicine cat, the whole clan looked to Cloudypaw, interest finally dawning on their face.

She took a breath and said, "The tree shone and glittered and it was at the foot of the mountains."

Mistyclan clamoured impatiently, but Tropicpalm simply prompted, 'There's more, isn't there?"

My sister seemed surprised, "Yes, Stonetail, my grandpa, reached out to me. He told me that I should become a..." She glanced at me once again, "I should become a medicine cat."

I kept my gaze firmly locked on her, not daring to blink. It seemed, that if I blinked, I would lose control completely. I opened my mouth but no sound came out, my throat was suddenly so dry.

Beestripe came forward comfortingly, "Only if you want to, my dear daughter. I won't let them force you into it."

At this, I managed to croak out, "Yeah, you shouldn't become a medicine cat just because of a vision."

Somehow, I already knew her answer, "Actually, I've been interested in becoming a medicine cat for a long time already. I just never told you."

I straightened and nodded, "But you'll always have time to go hunting with me, right? Or I can accompany you in picking herbs!"

Cloudypaw only shrugged, her mind already on other things, "Maybe."

No! She was already falling away. I tried to seem like it couldn't bother me, giving her a shrug back and going to sit beside Berrypaw instead. He immediately curled his tail around mine, old argument completely forgotten, "Are you okay?"

Tears suddenly swam in my eyes, as if hearing someone else say it might suddenly make it not okay. Instead of answering, I leaned closer to Berrypaw as the rest of the clan argued over what to do.

Tropicpalm stood up on her hind legs, "I shall teach Cloudypaw herbs in the meanwhile before we get to the Moon Tree. I am sure Starclan will accept her. After all, she received a vision being told to become my apprentice."

Yellowbelly spoke up for the first time, "Um, excuse me? Don't you mean my apprentice?"

Tropicpalm gave her a blankly innocent look, "I'm sorry, Yellowbelly, but I feel like I should take on this one. In the future, you will get your own apprentice. When you are ready."

Her apprentice insisted, "I am ready NOW."

Lilypad, unexpectedly, stood up, "I think, Yellowbelly, what she is trying to say is that you will train your apprentice into a much better medicine cat if you have more experience. Tropicpalm is simply waiting for the right cat and moment to give you an apprentice."

Surprised and a little embarrassed that a senior warrior had just contradicted her, Yellowbelly dipped her head in admission, "Of course, I understand."

However, even I could see the sour expression on her face as she sat back down.

"All right, Honeypaw and Berrypaw, I'd like you two to go looking for some fresh moss." Mistystar requested, her eyes glinting knowingly, "Cloudypaw will sort this out alone with Tropicpalm. Meanwhile, Swanwind and Spiderfur should take their apprentices out to explore. Don't get lost!"

Recognising her tact, Berrypaw agreed swiftly and herded me out of camp. As we made our way over and around several shrubs and bushes, I completely forgot what we were supposed to do.

Deciding to forget about Cloudypaw for the moment, I took the time to sort out my relationship with Berrypaw, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you, Berrypaw. Are we friends?"

He smiled kindly, "Of course. By the way, I take back what I may have said about Cream before."

I blinked, caught off guard, "Oh, I haven't thought about that in ages. But I am starting to agree with what you said before. Why are you taking it back now?"

Berrypaw's eyes suddenly hardened in a sort of fierce loyalty, "She saved me when I was a kit. She brought me to Mistyclan. Cream is the reason why I am here right now." He ended on a soft note, "She is why I have gotten to know you so well."

I purred, satisfied, even though my own doubts tugged at my mind, "Yes, you are right."

He pulled away sharply, studying my face, "Honeypaw, stop it."

Bewildered, I couldn't stop some annoyance in entering my voice, "What? For Starclan's sake, I was agreeing with you! What else do you want me to do?"

With a roll of his eyes, Berrypaw sighed, "Have your own opinions, that's what!"

This time, I didn't regret the hostility that fizzed in my stomach and came out with my voice, "Excuse me? Unless I am mistaken, I believe that having my own opinions means making my own choices! And I am choosing to agree with you!"

I gasped incredulously, "No! You want me to argue with you, don't you?"

Berrypaw shook his head and when he spoke, there was none of the gentleness that was there earlier, "Honeypaw, you're so frustrating sometimes! I'm just trying to support you! Don't you realise how much you own brother controls you? Can't you think for yourself... for once?!"

I bushed up my fur furiously, voice lowered to a growl, "Obviously not. Without someone - someone like YOU - trying to take advantage of me." Pushing further, I snarled, "Where you only pretending to like me?"

Berrypaw's eyes widened, aghast, "No! Of course not!" Hurt shone in his eyes but his voice dripped with venom, "I thought we had something. Obviously not."

The last mocking words hunting in the air as he turned around and headed back towards camp. When I knew he was out of range, I threw my head back in an angry howl of emotion. 

How had that happened so quickly? 

How had I lost such an important friend of mine? 

But, then again, how could I ever love him again? 

At that moment, encouraged by my emotional thoughts, I was sure of it. I had loved Berrypaw, much more than a friend or a foster brother. Our relationship, something built out of weakly made spider webs and decorated with glittering feathers, had been broken in just one conversation. 

Nothing was left except for a gaping hole that stood between us, where our friendship once was.