Morning came swiftly, and when Snowpaw woke up, he felt a chilly breeze sweep through the camp. He shivered and nestled closer into the moss.

"There's no sleeping for warriors. Get up," came the gruff voice of Redleg. Snowpaw looked up at the mackerel tabby tomcat before gaping his jaws in a huge yawn. He knew it was rude to yawn when a senior warrior talked to him, but he didn't care.

He stood up lazily, stretching his limbs before turning to face his mentor, who was giving him narrowed eyes. "I did say I would go easy on you today. Don't make me regret it," Redleg mewed before padding out. Snowpaw huffed; he wanted to improve today, but not just because Redleg was going easy on him. He wanted it for himself.

With clenched jaws, he padded out of the apprentice den after his mentor and headed to the training hollow covered in a layer of dewy snow. Snowpaw had seen this before; he was named after it. Despite his sore paws, it felt good to feel the cold on his fur.

"This snow will be thicker than in Newleaf and normal days, so pay extra attention," Redleg meowed, stopping just outside the circle of heavy branches.

Snowpaw wiggled his haunches and, without warning, sprang at his mentor, who yowled and tried to dart away. But it was too late, and Redleg fell face-first into the snow. Snowpaw let out a snort of laughter and jumped off, flicking snow from his paws as he landed.

"Hmph," Redleg huffed as he rose, shaking his body free from the melting snow. "Not bad, but I wasn't ready. When I give you my signal, you try the same."

Snowpaw rolled his eyes but kept his words to himself. A battle doesn't announce when it's ready to be attacked; it just happens. But it would be better to stay quiet. He was already in enough trouble as it was.

The duo trained until sunhigh.

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When the training session ended, Snowpaw found himself sore all over, feeling grumpier than he had been that morning. He wearily went to the medicine den, where Cootwhisker, a sleek black-furred she-cat, was diligently sorting herbs into neat piles, her breath forming frosty clouds in the chilly air.

"Hello, Snowpaw," Cootwhisker mewed, lifting her head from her paws and offering him a warm smile. Snowpaw dipped his head in acknowledgment and settled into a nest, patiently waiting for the medicine cat to finish her duties and assist him.

It didn't take long before Cootwhisker turned her attention to his scratches. Tending to his wounds, she gently reminded him, "You must be more careful, Snowpaw. Don't let Redleg push you too hard. It's leaf-bare, and you're just an apprentice. There will be plenty of opportunities for training."

Snowpaw, however, couldn't accept her advice, growling in frustration. "I can't control my mentor, Cootwhisker. I have to let him do whatever he deems fit," he grumbled, stubbornly refusing to take her words to heart.

Cootwhisker gave Snowpaw a sidelong glance, her expression concerned before she walked over to her bundle of herbs. She plucked a few poppy seeds and approached Snowpaw, nudging them toward him. "Now, take these," she instructed gently, and Snowpaw obediently swallowed them without question.

Soon, a drowsy sensation began to wash over him as the poppy seeds took effect. Snowpaw settled back into his nest, his eyelids growing heavy as he succumbed to sleep. In his dreams, he was surrounded by battles and watched over by starry warriors.