"Tigerstripe, wake up." I felt someone prodding my shoulder, startling me as my eyes snapped open to reveal that I was in the warrior's den. As my vision adjusted to the light of the shining sun, I could just make out the figure standing before me. "Shadewhisker." I mumbled to him. "What is it with you and waking me up so early?" Shadewhisker is my best friend, and I respect him and everything he does...but he's been waking me up in the morning ever since we were apprentices. It's always been somewhat aggravating. "Have you forgotten that you promised Whitepaw that you would take him hunting this morning?" Shadewhisker meowed, chuckling at my refusal to get up. My ears twitched at the mention of my apprentice, and then all memories from yesterday flooded back to my mind in an instant. I pulled myself off the ground and stretched luxuriously before yawning. "Right, I'm coming." The gray tom dipped his head, and padded out to the clearing with me following at a rather slow and tired pace. And there, in the center of the clearing stood our apprentices, Whitepaw and Timberpaw. Though he could be a little rambunctious at times, Whitepaw had to be the best apprentice that one could wish for. It always seemed like he was more loyal to the Clan than our own deputy, or maybe only I think that...because I've never really been too fond of Darkclaw. Either way though, I'm proud to serve as Whitepaw's mentor. "What took so long?" He asked. "I'm not the type of cat that enjoys mornings." I meowed in reply. "And usually Shadewhisker isn't either, but I suppose we got lucky today." Shadewhisker rolled his eyes, causing me to give a mrrow of laughter before he turned to Timberpaw. "So where is this hunting spot you told me about? Is it close to camp?" Timberpaw shook her head. "It's not close, but it's also not far. Follow me, I'll show you." She said. With Timberpaw ahead of us, we bounded out of our camp's entrance and straight across the borders of our territory. I could tell that Timberpaw was leading us to the Twoleg path, and that makes me very uneasy. They often come down on that path riding these things that they call bikes, and if we're unlucky enough...they'll scoop up one of us looking to make us their new kittypet. I know, because I witnessed it as an apprentice. My first mentor, Goldenstripe, was unfortunate enough to have it happen to him. We never saw him again. Icestar spent nights grieving for him, or rather...his lost son. I was without a mentor for a while, until Icestar volunteered to train me himself. It was then when he told me that when he looked at me, he saw a brave and fearsome warrior...that will stand up to any challenge, and give their life to protect their Clan. He told Goldenstripe the same thing, if I remember correctly...which leads me to thinking that I was named after him. Therefore, it's the last thing I want to get swept up by a Twoleg...if Icestar sees so much potential in me. My thoughts were interrupted by Timberpaw's voice. "Right here." Shadewhisker peeked his head out of the bushes, as did the rest of us when he gestured to us that it was safe with his tail.  "I recognize that this is the Twoleg path." He meowed gently. "It's not safe here, Timberpaw."
"Come on, Shadewhisker! Prey is scarce already, and when's the last time you saw a Twoleg here?" Timberpaw objected. "We don't come here that often...but I have to agree with her, Shadewhisker." I said. "Yeah, there isn't much prey on our territory. And Icestar did say that we go beyond our borders if necessary." Whitepaw added. Shadewhisker gave in, sighing as he realized that no one agreed with him. "Alright, but let's stay together. The last thing we want is to be taken away by Twolegs." He said. We padded out of the safety of the bush, and stood on the edge of the path...making sure that no Twolegs were coming. Then, when the coast was clear, I spotted a mouse sitting out in the middle of the path. "There." It was Whitepaw who spoke, and we went into a hunting crouch. "I thought I was the only one who saw it." I meowed. "Good eye, Whitepaw." The young tom blinked his gratitude at me, and slowly moved closer to the mouse...before dispatching it with one swift swipe of his paw. I heard Shadewhisker purr, "Well done!"
"He's turning into a fine warrior, isn't he?" I meowed. Shadewhisker nodded, and Timberpaw's eyes lit up in excitement. I could tell, she enjoyed watching one of her good friends shape up when it comes to training. We proceeded to scent the area for more prey, but soon...the light wind began to carry a familiar stench, one that we knew all too well. "Twolegs!" I hissed. "Get back in the bushes!" With all of our senses completely alert, we leaped back in the bushes and crouched down to stay hidden. But after counting heads to make sure we were all here, I noticed that one cat was missing. "Where's Timberpaw?" I asked. The ringing of a bell sounded off outside on the path, and the Twoleg scent was stronger than it was before we took cover. Shadewhisker briefly poked his head out of the bushes. "Timberpaw's still out there!" He said. She must have not heard me when I said to take cover, but...what do we do? Before any cat could lift a paw, we heard a yowl for help...and my instincts immediately told me to act quickly. I leapt out of the bushes to find Timberpaw being picked up by the Twoleg, and without thinking I sprinted towards the hideous creature...and before I knew it, I was scoring my claws down his leg. He dropped Timberpaw in alarm, and the young apprentice darted towards the bushes as soon as she hit the ground. I shortly followed behind, as the Twoleg got back on his bike and rode away. Shadewhisker's eyes were wide with astonishment. "That was amazing, Tigerstripe!" He meowed, happy that his apprentice was safe. "I understand why Icestar sees so much potential in you."
"After Goldenstripe, I don't plan on letting any cat out of my sight in this area." I said. "We need to get back to camp." Taking the single mouse that Whitepaw caught on the path, we bounded off through the thorns and vines. If the shortage of prey on our territory brings us to the Twoleg path again, there's no telling what could happen. I just hope we can make it through this incoming leaf-bare.

                             ***

We stopped to hunt again before we arrived back at camp, and managed to catch a vole or two to add to the fresh-kill pile. It appears that there is some hope after all, all we need is for more strength in our hunting parties. As we emerged from the gorse tunnel, a certain ginger she-cat roughly pushed past me and Shadewhisker. "Stonetail, where are you going?" Shadewhisker asked. Stonetail turned to face us, her amber eyes burning with anger. "Hunting."
"Alone? But what if you run into Twolegs?" Timberpaw added. "They don't come this far into the forest, Timberpaw." Stonetail said. Her tone of voice sounded irritated, as if someone just made her mad. "I can make it out on my own." She bounded off, disappearing in the forest as we dropped our prey in the fresh-kill pile. Knowing Stonetail as one of my other good friends, she's always been the most adventurous cat in the Clan. But judging by the way her fur stood up on her shoulders, she was going out by herself for more than one reason. "Stonetail! Stonetail, wait!" I directed my attention to the medicine cat den, where Blackstorm emerged...looking somewhat troubled. "She already left." I said. "What happened? She looked angry."
"Raggedfur said that her hunting skills aren't as good as they used to be. Now she wants to prove him wrong by hunting alone." Explained the dark tabby. I sighed, Stonetail has never had a great relationship with the scruffy medicine cat...and the majority of the Clan knows that all too well at this point. But I believe that they will work out their differences soon, especially when Raggedfur is cleaning her battle wounds. "If you ask me, I don't think he's wrong." We turned to face a certain black tom, who was stalking his way towards us. "Stonetail hasn't killed more than one mouse since her days as an apprentice."
"You could never be any more wrong than you are now, Darkclaw." I said, sternly. "I could say the same to you." Darkclaw meowed, narrowing his eyes. "But most of our cats always know when to defend their friends, I can see why you would think otherwise about Stonetail's hunting skills." I didn't take my eyes off him as he left, that cat really knows how to make my fur stand up. I could tell that Blackstorm noticed this as well. "You're definitely no better than Stonetail with Raggedfur." He meowed. "You always give Darkclaw that look when he finishes talking to you."
"I'll stop, when he fixes his attitude." I said, and under my breath, I added, "Someone needs to teach that cat how to respect his clanmates." At the corner of my eye, I spotted Icestar leaping on top of the Highrock. He must be calling a Clan meeting. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting." My clanmates, as well as myself, gathered underneath the Highrock to hear what our leader was going to announce. "Cats of DarknessClan, I trust that you are aware of the dangers that lurk beyond our territory, correct?" Several cats nodded their heads. "Well, I must inform you that these dangers have gotten worse. Suntail and his rouges from Twolegplace want to take our territory from us." Icestar said. Yowls of surprise and uneasiness erupted from the crowd. Suntail...I'm not surprised that the gray furred traitor would attempt to do such a treacherous thing. Though I don't understand how he survived so long out in Twolegplace, he doesn't know the slightest bit about them due to never being able to observe them properly. "Double the patrols, and train your apprentices well." Icestar continued. "Suntail might want us to meet to meet him in battle, and I would not be surprised if he set his rouges up for an ambush beforehand. That is all for now, Clan dismissed." He leaped off the Highrock, and padded off to the medicine cat den for a word with Raggedfur. I noticed the slim, lithe ginger body of Foxfur approaching me. "Does Suntail ever learn?" He asked. "Apparently not. But no matter what he does, it won't stop DarknessClan anytime soon." I said, giving his ear a reassuring lick. "Our territory is not his for the taking."