Robinpaw was not looking forward to Training today.

She was dreading it, in fact.

Why do Hunters have to learn to fight?

She heaved a sigh as she answered her own question. Because we have to be able to defend ourselves...

That didn't really make it any easier, however. At least the last time she'd panicked had been a moon ago...

"Robinpaw? We...we need to go to the Training ground." Thrushpaw's mew was full of sympathy.

The silver she-cat stood up silently from her place in her nest, paws heavy. Thrushpaw exhaled and draped her tail over her friend.

"I"m sorry, Robinpaw," she mewed softly. "I wish we could excuse you from this. But to become a full member...you have to."

Robinpaw nodded mutely. "No claws?" she asked her approaching mentor.

"No claws," she agreed.

I can do this, Robinpaw mewed. These are my friends! They won't hurt me! And I won't have to see any blood...

"Swallowtooth?" Moletail's mew caused the golden Warrior to lift her head.

"Yes?" she asked, yawning. "Another patrol? I've already been on one tod--" She stopped, seeing Robinpaw and Thrushpaw standing patiently beside their mentors. "Oh."

She didn't have to ask why they were coming; she simply walked with them to the Training Ground. Robinpaw began to shake, and Thrushpaw gently led her on.

Dread crept into Robinpaw's body as they neared the plant-free area, filling her until she wanted to stop. No claws...no claws...

She didn't realize that she'd shut her eyes until her mentor stopped suddenly. "Fawnpaw? Oh, I'm sorry. We can wait..."

Robinpaw's eyes shot open as the name Fawnpaw registered in her brain. So this is who my brother likes...

The creamy-brown she-cat gave a small shiver of shock as she realized she wasn't alone. She turned away from the plant she'd been digging up and her yellow-green gaze fixed on Foxtail angrily before abruptly falling downward in submission.

"I apologize, Hunter. I will leave if you so wish." Her voice was monotone and emotionless, without any sort of sincerity.

Foxtail waved the apology aside. "It's alright. No need to be formal here, anyhow." She didn't seem to notice Moletail and Swallowtooth's suspicious glances in her direction, and Robinpaw's blood turned to ice.

From what she'd learned in this Clan, formality was very important. And Foxtail had just thrown that aside.

Fawnpaw had visibly balked as well, choosing her words carefully. "I don't think that would be wise, Hunter."

Foxtail blinked, confused, before noticing what she'd said. Her eyes widened, and her gaze dropped to the ground. "Oh."

Robinpaw turned to Thrushpaw, who looked just as worried as she did. Not Foxtail! She doesn't have a rebellious bone in her body! They can't kill her...they just can't...

Thrushpaw prodded her mentor's side softly. "Don't turn her in," she breathed. "It's one mistake..."

Swallowtooth blinked, eyeing both Thrushpaw and Moletail indecisively. A shiver went through them, and Thrushpaw backed away from her mentor.

Do I even know you anymore? wondered the silver she-cat, remembering her cheerful, energetic friend she'd raced and laughed with. What have they done to you?

Swallowtooth finally dropped her gaze. "I won't turn you in," she sighed. "But if this happens again..." She let the question hang in the air.

Foxtail's claws sheathed with a shink, and Robinpaw belatedly noted that she'd been digging her own into the ground. Fawnpaw relaxed as well, shooting Swallowtooth a grateful glance

"Right," mewed Foxtail, mew shaky. "Battle training."

~----------------------------------------~

"Dodge left! Roll! Attack right!"

Swallowtooth's orders snapped through the air, filling Robinpaw with a sense of confidence and trust she hadn't felt since tree hunting. She wasn't a bad fighter...but she was certain her "skill" would disappear as soon as blood was drawn.

Thrushpaw darted left to right, her white pelt popping out distractingly against the red and gold of leafbare. The leaves crackled as she rolled, and she took a moment to admire their beauty.

"Dodge!"

Unfortunately, the trainee's mind was still on the leaves, and the order took a moment to register. In a blur of white, suddenly the silver she-cat was on the ground, struggling to breathe.

Thrushpaw purred as she stood over Robinpaw triumphantly. "Ha!"

"Belly rake!"

This time, Robinpaw wasn't distracted as her paw shot up and mimed a rake down Thrushpaw stomach. The white trainee let out a fake cry of agony and toppled over, then jumped up to continue the fight.

Thrushpaw lunged toward her, a terrifying sight, and Robinpaw just barely ducked out of the way. Fighting was surprisingly easy for her, something she'd never even imagined could be remotely true. Still, she worried as she rolled to dodge another attack, as soon as claws came out, I'd be done for.

"Stop!"

Both cats froze, breathing hard.

"You're done for now," mewed Moletail. "You can go talk to each other while Swallowtooth and I have a talk with Foxtail."

Robinpaw dipped her head, following Thrushpaw off the Training Ground. She watched for a moment as Foxtail's head dipped in submission to her companions' words, then turned away awkwardly.

To her surprise, Fawnpaw was still there, digging up a plant on the edge of the clearing. She turned as she noticed Robinpaw's glance, and pulled the plant out with a final tug of her jaws.

"Hi," mewed Fawnpaw hesitantly. She'd undoubtedly noticed Robinpaw's awkwardness earlier with her mentor and didn't know how to approach her.

Of course, neither did Robinpaw, for that matter.

"Hi," she mewed. How do you talk to someone that your sibling likes? she wondered. "I'm, uh, Greypaw's sister."

Fawnpaw nodded. "I know," she mewed. "He talks about you, about how you're his favorite sibling."

Robinpaw purred at Fawnpaw's words. It didn't really shock her, of course, but it wasn't like she had much competition.

A silence stretched between them; a silence that neither wanted to break.

Thankfully, at that moment Thrushpaw joined them. "Fawnpaw! So you're the one that Greypaw likes!"

"Thrushpaw!" hissed Robinpaw.

Thrushpaw flicked her tail. "What? It's not like she doesn't know."

"He does?" asked Fawnpaw, licking her chest in embarrassment. "He likes me?"

Robinpaw sighed. "See! Look what you've done, Thrushpaw!"

"I don't mind," mewed Fawnpaw with a purr. The creamy-brown she-cat settled down comfortably on the ground, green eyes bright. "Tell me more!"

Thrushpaw opened her mouth to respond, but Robinpaw slapped her tail over it. "Enough," she purred. "If she really wants to know, have her ask him herself!"

Fawnpaw looked down shyly. "I'll do that," she mewed.

The three she-cats purred for a moment before falling into a more comfortable silence.

"So, why are you here alone?" asked Thurshpaw suddenly. Robinpaw wanted to rebuke her for being too prying, but secretly wanted to know herself.

Fawnpaw sighed, looking down t her paws. "Well, I'm in trouble," she mewed. "I was a little too informal with Tulippaw--" She froze suddenly. "By the Sun and Moon, I'm doing it again. You don't mind, do you?"

Both Robinpaw and Thrushpaw shook their heads.

"Of course not!" mewed Robinpaw.

"Yeah, we won't turn you in." At this, Thrushpaw lowered her voice, not wanting to let their mentors hear.

Fawnpaw's tense form relaxed. "Thank you."

"No problem," mewed the silver she-cat. She paused, then added: "So how informal was this?"

Fawnpaw purred nervously. "Well, I was joking with Tulippaw, and she asked for a bird the size of a rabbit. I purred and said 'Sorry, but there isn't one...' " She paused. "And a Leader happened to be walking by..."

Robinpaw winced. "So you 'refused an order'. "

"It could've been worse," pointed out Thrushpaw. "They could've exiled you for that."

The silver trainee blinked at her denmate's words. Exile her? Surely not...

Fawnpaw nodded. "True," she mewed. "But the most irritating part is that she's my littermate. Surely being 'informal' with your littermate is alright!"

Now Robinpaw was getting worried. Would she not be able to speak to Greypaw? It did seem strange to not be able to talk to littermates of different ranks...

Lost in thought, it wasn't until she heard paw steps that she realized their time of freedom was coming to an end.

Robinpaw whipped back towards the other trainees. "Thrushpaw, Fawnpaw," she hissed. "They're coming."

Immediately, the friendly banter halted, replaced by a cold formality. Moletail glanced at the tree trainees suspiciously, from Fawnpaw digging up another plant to the two young Hunters, before turning away. "It's time to go back," he said.

Thrushpaw and Robinpaw exchanged glances before complying, falling a little behind the others for a moment of solitude.

Robinpaw glanced at her friend. "I don't want to be a full Hunter," she sighed. "Don't you agree?"

Thrushpaw couldn't meet her eyes. "That's the thing, Robinpaw," she sighed. "I'm about to become one."

Well look here! A chapter!

How late is this thing...?

*sigh*

Exams. All I can say. Exams.

Anyway, what do you guys think of Fawnpaw? A bit..worried by the strictness of FloraClan? Also, how do you feel about Thrushpaw becoming a full member? Any guesses on her name? 

As always, thanks for reading and please tell me what you think.

Edited by WarriorCatMoon335 :)

(Also, sorry for the early update without the A/N. Whoops.)