We all know those strange friendships or groups of people that act like best friends one second, and then the next, they're throwing each other under the bus to get out of trouble. Afterward, you see them grouped together laughing off their problems, and then they're back at it again; shoving each other or slamming one another to the ground. Somehow, they get along and are friends that are as thick as blood, but they also tease, slam, and punch each other. When time needs it, they all pull themselves together and show everyone they have the ability to work together, despite their constant attempts at out-showing the other one.

I'm unsure if you have a friendship like that, but I can say that I have one. My friend and I laugh, get along, work together like two work horses, and support each other when the other needs it. However, we also pick on each other, we point out the flaws and then joke, laugh when one trips over air - which between both of us, it's pretty common - and we get into fights that other people see. Most people don't bother asking how we're friends because what they see are two people throwing insults at one another until one runs out of insults, but deep down, we both know that we're too stubborn to leave each other. I can't explain this relationship very well, but I can say that whoever watches us, I bet they think we're two people with the mentality of two-year olds.

When two people start insulting each other and still stay together, how close are the two of them?

X X X

The bright, golden sun shined in the clear sky, casting the soft, warm glow on the traveling cats. White clouds floated lazily in the sky in different sizes and shapes, each a distinct one that was carried by the soft winds, a sign that leafbare would be arriving in time. Finches spread their short wingspan out to ride alongside the breeze, their tiny bodies twirling freely in the clear, open space in one direction. The green grass swayed as the group passed by, following the faint, invisible scent.

It was alluring and deceiving, the soft breeze telling the tale of an incoming change. For a brief moment, Mothpaw forgot that leafbare was getting closer, and then MeadowClan and CinderClan would have to face a harsh time coated in snow and ice. She shivered, imagining the cold touch that had the power to freeze. Seeing the first flakes fall from the sky and hearing Icekit's shriek at the temperature had given her a shock, but after that, the snow didn't fall, and the sky had returned to its normal blue and gray skies.

"It's honestly sad that we're busy keeping our borders in check that we don't take the risk and see what's outside," Aspenstar noted to Ashstar without turning her head. "Especially with leafbare coming up, we don't have enough time to explore because we're low on cats."

"Strange, my cats tend to finish up the border patrols quickly, whether they complete the task fully and accurately is unknown to me," Ashstar remarked, and his warriors straightened up, pretending they didn't hear his words. Aspenstar sneered at them, seeming to enjoy their torment. Mothpaw found walking behind the she-cat threatening, especially since she was in the front. Beside her, Olivepaw stayed next to her as support, keeping a close eye on the brown leader, all the while sticking to Ashstar's side like a leech.

"My warriors know if they don't complete the patrols, they're on hunting duty for the next moon," she said confidently, nodding toward Clearwhisker. The white deputy glanced in their direction, face unreadable. "I try to toughen them enough so if something happens to me they won't fall like birds." To that, the CinderClan deputy nodded.

"Why haven't you changed since the last time I saw you?" Ashstar demanded, flicking his tail. "Always saying they need to be strong enough to stand yet anytime I see you fight, you take the challenge head-on without hesitation?"

"That was moons ago, probably before Deerleaf even became an apprentice," she commented, wrinkling her nose. "That's the fight where we locked claws because you couldn't keep your warriors in check."

"A useless fight that resulted in us both dying," he growled. "If you hadn't dragged the argument out with Jayscar for so long, then we wouldn't have fought and you could've lost a life or two for something more reasonable than a fight over false assumptions."

"I only lost one life," she snarled, fur rising. "I took two of your lives so it should be you that feels more guilt, and it was not over false assumptions. Your cats were trespassing in our territory."

"Do you really think if my cats can't complete a border patrol now, do you think they'd risk their lives to cross the border and enter yours?" accused Ashstar. Before Aspenstar could fire a comment back, he waved his tail, silencing her protests. "Let's not bring up this right now when we all need our strength to fight the rogues."

"Who says we need to fight the rogues?" she claimed, unleashing her claws and spiking her fur out. Clearwhisker shook her head and carried on, dragging her paws across the meadow as the two leaders began to fight. Mothpaw found it enjoyable that her leader could be as defensive as her brother, and Aspenstar could be as stubborn as him. Beechpaw was grinning the entire time as they fought.

However, she took the time to study Aspenstar when she wasn't yelling at her or ordering her Clan around. Beechpaw had reluctantly agreed to her plan, but with both leaders this close, Mothpaw felt a small urge in her to speak out and ask Ashstar all her questions. Then, with the she-cat she wanted to get to know also in the picture, she could get more answers. Perhaps the leader had answers to the missing cat problem MeadowClan lacked.

Speaking up now when the two had a conversation going on was rude - not to mention they were both leaders. Mothpaw stayed silent and listened, but after their conversation began to drift toward who had the rights to punish Deerleaf when they found her, she began to tune the two out. Finding Deerleaf safe and unharmed was her main goal, along with Swiftbranch and Frostlight. If they lost all three of them, surviving leafbare with even fewer cats would be like picking specks of dirt from a flowing stream.

"Oh, would you look at that," Aspenstar said, halting. Mothpaw didn't stop in time and bumped into her. She pulled herself away and peered behind the leader. Stretched out before her eyes was a camp full of cats. Just from a glance, she saw that their numbers outnumbered theirs. However, most of the cats lazing around camp were skinny and looked like walking twigs with fur. They seemed unaware of them, and they carried on their day under the bright sun.

The camp was constructed of abandoned rabbit holes or fox dens tucked away in heaps of tall, dry blades of grass. The cats inside the camp didn't stir or move, making Mothpaw believe they weren't alive, but she would catch one cat exiting from a patch of grass. Aspenstar snorted to herself, turning around, nearly stomping on the silver apprentice. Stumbling back, she scrambled out of the way before the tall she-cat could trample her. Ashstar flicked his ear in disappointment at the camp's lack of hiding.

Is this going to be my first battle against a group of cats? What happened to the rogues' scent? It's not in there, it's like it disappeared, she pondered, frowning. Mothpaw kept her gaze on the camp below, eyes scanning through the crowd of pelts for any familiar ones. Her heart dropped when she couldn't identify Deerleaf's warm, brown pelt, Swiftbranch's cloud-like pelt, or Frostlight's pure white pelt.

"CinderClan, look at this," Aspenstar said in disgust, pointing her tail toward the exposed campsite. "They don't even try to hide the fact they're here, what a disgrace." She wrinkled her nose at them, unleashing her claws. "I will take no glory in defeating them."

The rest of CinderClan nodded.

"It's an advantage, Aspenstar," Ashstar reminded sharply. "If it was hidden, then we'd have trouble. With the camp being in the open, something MeadowClan specializes in, we're sure to have a victory." Rabbitbranch and Splashpelt puffed their chests out proudly, causing a gray and black tom to roll his eyes in disgust. Speckleflash bared her teeth, claws sliding out of place and sank into the dirt. Mothpaw felt her Clan's eagerness rise like the morning sun. CinderClan payed no attention to them and kept their eyes glued onto their leader.

"I say we charge," she commented. "It's a poor strategy, but it would give us the upperhand."

"We need to block the dens," Ashstar persuaded. "Or at least send some cats in to keep the cats in so they don't come out."

"Send the apprentices then," she reported. "An apprentice lacks fighting skills a warrior has, but combined, they might be able to do something."

"At least send a warrior with them." Speckleflash stepped up to the task, and Runningpaw sank behind her. Mothpaw saw the CinderClan apprentices weave away from their position and head toward their mentors. Aspenstar narrowed her eyes but said nothing. Ashstar turned toward the camp, pointing with his tail as he gave orders.

"Runningpaw and Olivepaw go with Speckleflash and Rabbitbranch into that den—"

"Cloudpaw and Lightningpaw, go with your mentors as well," Aspenstar snapped, directing her orders toward the white apprentice and a smokey gray tom. Both nodded curtly, and their mentors stayed with them.

"Beechpaw, Mothpaw, Splashpelt, and I'll need help with numbers." He gave the lithe she-cat an expectant look. Aspenstar nodded, facing the rest of her Clan.

"Slatepaw and Lakestalk, go with them. I want Wasppaw, Eveningpaw, Owlpaw, and all of your mentors to take that den. Harepaw, Goldenpaw, and your mentors take the last den," she commanded, and the groups began to separate. After they stood with their respective groups, Mothpaw noticed the lack of cats left. Aspenstar didn't seem concerned, and Ashstar looked ready to follow her orders. Beechpaw presses against her protectively when Slatepaw came closer with her mentor.

"Shouldn't we ask for somecat to go and ask them first?" Stonepaw piped up, bouncing in front of the two leaders. "What if they're friendly? I don't want to see a battle happen if they don't mean harm. Besides, if we barge in ready to battle, don't you think they'll think of us as an enemy?"

"They've already made themselves an enemy of mine," Aspenstar growled. "The scent's gone and all we have is this group of cats left. The rogues must've figured would've followed them." She flattened her ears to her skull, shaking her head. "Why didn't I think of that?"

"You were too busy—" Ashstar received a slap on his face, and Aspenstar's paw withdrew back to her side.

"I didn't need an answer," she commented with a low growl. The MeadowClan leader rolled his eyes, muttering something under his breath.

"We're seriously just attacking—" Stonepaw's voice got cut off right as a Ashstar grabbed the apprentice and shoved him to the ground, paws pressing his weight on the tom's head. Mothpaw and the others jumped back as a skinny, black she-cat hurled over the grass, missing her target just by her leader's quick timing. The she-cat crashed, but she was ready to attack. Unfortunately for her, Aspenstar launched herself at the rogue, claws digging into her sides. The CinderClan leader pinned the squirming black cat with ease.

Three more cats came out of the grass, catching Ashstar off guard. Speckleflash leaped into action, slamming her head into the side of a brown tom, knocking him off course. Rabbitbranch came behind her and tackled the cat, rendering one of the incomers useless. Splashpelt locked shoulders with a gray and black she-cat, the two dancing around the space as they fought to throw the other to the ground. The last one went for Olivepaw, and Mothpaw let out a yowl, and the MeadowClan apprentices all broke away to save their friend.

She threw herself on the back of the black tom, hooking her paws around his neck as she dug her back claws into his fur. Runningpaw forced his way under the tom's face, using his body as a shield for his little sister to wiggle out. Beechpaw lunged for the tom's hind legs, tiny claws scoring across the thick pelt. To her surprise, all the CinderClan apprentice's jumped into action, each surrounding the group with hostile flares and curled lips.

The first one was Slatepaw, who slammed her head into the side of the rogue, mimicking Speckleflash's attack. Cloudpaw and Lightningpaw circled around them, and then the gray apprentice sprang in the front, narrowly avoiding Runningpaw, and crashed onto the head of the cat, back legs forcing the rogue's eyes shut as they thrashed around. Mothpaw and the apprentice locked eyes for a few seconds as she was distracted, but he looked away and bit the neck of the cat. The other apprentices all copied Slatepaw and threw themselves at the rogue, hoping the force would be enough for him to fall over.

At last the rogue fell, and Mothpaw hopped off just as the CinderClan apprentices took over, covering the tom in a blanket of pelts.

"Just by this," Aspenstar shouted through clenched teeth, struggling to keep her captive still. "I say they're a threat. CinderClan! Attack!"

"MeadowClan! Stay in your designated groups until you've dealt with the cats!" commanded Ashstar just as he clashed the rogue Splashpelt was dealing with against the ground.

"Our first battle! Yay!" Olivepaw cheered, dashing back toward her brother. Pausing, she turned around and gave Beechpaw and Mothpaw a heartfelt look, but her face was about to burst into tears. Consumed with fear, she managed a weak, encouraging smile.

"Don't die, okay? I'm your future mate too, Beechpaw." Her voice quivered, and the tabby tom grimaced, shrinking back a few inches from the black she-cat.

"That might be the reason I'm dying in this field," he joked silently, amusing Olivepaw.

"Well then, live for Mothpaw," she replied, giving them one last sip of her head. "You live for her, I'll fight for Runningpaw."

"Deal."

"Go!"