The mud squelched beneath her paws as she moved across camp, still yawning though the last traces of dawn were quickly fleeing from the sky. Rain always made her sleepy and it had been storming since moonhigh. The clouds were finally clearing now but the result of a night's rain showed prominently.

    Most notably in the muck now sticking to her white underbelly. Lightpaw had just gotten out of her den and she already wished it were dusk.

    "Doing alright there?" Lightpaw stifled her yawn as the amused purr reached her and she looked up to see Skunknose and Rowanstorm, two senior warriors. Like her, Skunknose had picked up a few patches on his black and white coat; Rowanstorm, on the other hand, regarded both of them with scorn. His tabby coat was pristine.

    "Is it true our warrior assessments are coming up?" Lightpaw asked excitedly, knowing Rowanstorm was renowned for his mentorship. He had been Flamestrike's mentor, after all.

    Before Skunknose could respond, the tabby cut in. "Only your mentor is allowed to disclose that information." His amber eyes were hard, letting her know he would not yield to pestering.

    She cut her losses. "Guess I should just keep up my training." The tortoiseshell left the two senior warriors quickly but felt the scrutiny of Rowanstorm's gaze all the same. Some members of DarkClan really knew how to get under her fur.

    "Need help licking yourself clean already?" Speaking of.

    Lightpaw rolled her hazel eyes. "Maybe later tonight," she replied, deciding to be civil. "I still have lots to do today. I'm hoping for a hunting patrol."

    "Hunting?" Beetlepaw scoffed. "I'm working on my leap-and-hold with Dapplefrost and Rowanstorm."

    Which I've already perfected, Lightpaw thought sullenly. "I need to work on my stealth," she said instead, shrugging.

    For once, the black she-cat did not respond, seeming to have nothing to pick on. The pale tortoiseshell nearly breathed a sigh of relief. Before either could continue the conversation, Spiderthorn approached them.

    "Nice to see you two getting along," he mewed. Lightpaw flicked an ear, trying to look the part. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Beetlepaw bare her teeth.

    "Beetlepaw, Dapplefrost decided you should clear out the nursery and warriors' den before training," the deputy continued. "Last night's rain seeped in and the nests are wet. Rainpaw will be helping you. Lightpaw, hunting patrol – Oakshade will direct you."

    The she-cats exchanged a look, Lightpaw's triumphant and Beetlepaw's downright murderous.

    "Have fun training!" Lightpaw called as she bounded off.

    //

    As it turned out, being stealthy following a rainstorm was impossible. Nearly everywhere Lightpaw stepped, mud bubbled up between her toes, accompanied by all manner of gurgling, splashing, and squelching. Yewpaw was not having much luck either.

    "We either need to coat ourselves in this gunk," he hissed between his teeth as he pushed his belly closer to the ground, "or put up with all the noise."

    "I don't think we have much of a choice," the she-cat replied, lowering her body. Her belly fur was already coated in brown, what could a few more splatters do?

    The golden tom remained silent, putting his full concentration into placing one paw in front of the other without making a sound. Lightpaw followed suit.

    By the time they reached the forest ravine, both of their pelts were mottled with chocolate and Lightpaw's claws felt heavy as stones with the mud clinging to them. Her shoulder, still not completely healed, ached from pushing against the unsteady ground.

    Both apprentices, however, still had not managed to be silent.

    "We're going to be here all day," Duskwhisker announced, flicking his tail at Yewpaw. "You both need to be silent as owls by the time we leave."

    "Why isn't Flamestrike here to mentor me if this is so important?" Lightpaw huffed, stretching out her sore limbs.

    She nearly jumped back at the stare Duskwhisker fixed her with. "Flamestrike had more important things to attend to."

    The pale tortoiseshell nodded, not wishing to cross the dark tom. He was disagreeable at the best of times. She wondered how Yewpaw, generally quiet and somewhat skittish, put up with him.

    "Duskwhisker, no need to be rude," Thistleshade admonished him. Lightpaw marvelled at the she-cat's bravery but, to her surprise, the black tom only bowed his head.

    "Perhaps we should hunt," Oakshade suggested. "That is, after all, why we're here. You two can practice your stealth while hunting, I trust?"

    Both Lightpaw and Yewpaw nodded their heads enthusiastically. His friendliness made him easy to be around and neither wanted to let him down.

    They split up, Yewpaw following Duskwhisker off to the east and she to the west, right behind Thistleshade and Oakshade. Last night's rain still clung to the forest like burrs and the soft drip, drip of water became the only sound besides her pawsteps.

    She focussed her hearing. The dripping receded and the otherwise silent forest enveloped her senses, the silence so heavy she felt it pushing her deeper into the mud underpaw. How could it be that not a single critter stirred now that the rain had stopped?

    Her ears pricked, she prowled forward, clenching her teeth in concentration. Paw up quickly and then back down slowly, creating as little noise as possible. Leaves rustled above her, dull and brown – a squirrel, or maybe a bird.

    But the sound that caught her attention were two voices, somewhere in the undergrowth ahead. A wall of bramble kept her from seeing their owners, but her nose quickly identified them. She was downwind, thankfully.

    "Rainpaw and Reedpaw are both fine apprentices," she heard Oakshade murmur. "Perhaps we should make good use of our life-long pairing."

    Thistleshade purred in response. "Perhaps. But..." She paused, as if checking for eavesdroppers and Lightpaw tensed, alibi on the tip of her tongue.

    "But?"

    "Do you really want our next litter to grow up here?" Through a gap in the brambles, the pale tortoiseshell saw the warrior she-cat wave her tail at the surrounding trees.

    Here. Lightpaw gazed up at the nearly bare branches, the last brown and orange leaves holding on for dear life. What was so bad about here?

    Oakshade paused. "No, I don't."

    The grey she-cat breathed a sigh of relief. "I don't either. I want them to be born free, away from this madness, where we can be with them as true parents. Where they can choose their own paths."

    The pale tortoiseshell felt her teeth grit with shock. Surely, Reedpaw and Rainpaw had chosen their own paths? Antkit would choose his own when he grew to apprentice age too.

    She couldn't be sure, but the longer she listened the more their conversation sounded like treason.

    "Oakshade, you know I love you and that I desperately want more kits," Thistleshade continued quietly.

    "But now is not the time," her mate finished for her.

    Love? Life-long pairings were meant to produce strong kits and nothing more. Her hazel eyes wide, she backed away, no longer caring about her level of stealth, and turned tail. The wind had just turned and she hoped dearly the two warriors would not pick up on her scent.

    //

    The single mouse she managed to catch by dusk was too thin to make a good meal. She had stumbled upon a red-breasted robin after overhearing Oakshade and Thistleshade speaking, but their conversation continued to distract her. The robin flew away without a scratch.

    Yewpaw, however, had managed to catch two robins, both decently large. He did not boast about his catch but he was not apologetic either. Lightpaw supposed he had earned his silent pride today.

    Her own silence stemmed not from embarrassment but from her inner turmoil. The words 'path', 'love', and 'free' swirled about her head like bees, buzzing incessantly and refusing to abate. They were all treasonous in one way or another – was her knowledge of them treasonous as well?

    She glanced up through hooded eyes at the pair in front of her, pawsteps synchronized with the other and bodies slightly closer than most would be comfortable with. Their tails swished as they moved, knocking against each other.

    Something in her chest clenched. If she told anyone the words she overheard, terrible consequences would result. Would she be able to stand the guilt as it trailed her? Or would guilt shadow her regardless?

    Lightpaw shook her head. Nothing good ever came of secrets – Flamestrike told her that her first day of training. She intended to take her mentor's advice.

    I know my duty to the Clan.

    Yet, as she entered the camp and spotted Rainpaw and Reedpaw sharing a vole near the entrance to the medic's den, she once again felt the cloud of doubt descend. Would the two apprentices be punished too?

    "Good catch," she heard Stormpaw say as he passed her by, heading straight for Yewpaw. The two brothers had always been close, even after Stormpaw began to spend more time with Rainpaw. The golden tom never once complained, content to spend time on his own and just as happy to be with Stormpaw once the grey tom returned.

    "What about yours?" Lightpaw glanced at the two littermates by the medic's den one more time before turning to Stormpaw.

    "Just a mouse," she said, placing it on the freshkill pile. Across the camp, Flamestrike looked her way before turning back to Newtfang and Smoketalon.

    "Mud get you down?" Stormpaw replied teasingly, flicking his tabby tail over the dark patches mottling her otherwise pale coat.

    The tortoiseshell shrugged. "Not my best day." They both knew she was a decent hunter on her worst days. She had never been so absentminded before.

    Stormpaw nodded. "Next time, right?" She nodded back, glad for his support. Unlike her, he could always find the positivity in a situation.

    "At least you get a next time." Reedpaw's appearance startled the two toms, as the medic hardly ever joined the other apprentices. "How's your shoulder?"

    Lightpaw gave the healing wound a lick. "Almost as good as new."

    Reedpaw's copper eyes reflected relief.

    "Reedpaw is aggravated by his inability to hunt or fight," Rainpaw explained, taking a seat between Yewpaw and Stormpaw. Yewpaw shifted over good-naturedly.

    Stormpaw's face took on a puzzled look. His question never reached the surface.

    "Why would a medic need to know how to fight?" Beetlepaw padded up, fur covered in sludge. A hard day of training had not even so much as made a dent in her attitude.

    "I was going to ask why he hasn't asked to join our training sessions," Stormpaw said under his breath, only loud enough for Lightpaw and Rainpaw, sitting on either side, to hear. "Nightchaser trained with the others as an apprentice."

    A jolt ran through Lightpaw. "Nightchaser?" she whispered. Above her, Reedpaw patiently explained to Beetlepaw why hunting and fighting were good skills to have, even as a medic.

    Stormpaw nodded. "He even asked Flamestrike to train him some nights so he could get better. Like Acornstar."

    The tortoiseshell blinked. Of course, how could she have forgotten about Acornstar and Martenclaw and Pinefrost?

    "Where did you hear that from?" she asked, too loudly.

    "Oh, pay attention, will you?" Beetlepaw growled. "Smoketalon told me so."

    "Told you what?" Lightpaw asked.

    "That medics are a waste of prey and not worth the time to train," the she-cat replied. "Have you even been listening?"

    The pale she-cat glanced between her littermate and the medic. Reedpaw looked ready to fall into himself, his copper eyes full of hurt. Beetlepaw looked twice her size, gleaming with triumph.

    "Smoketalon doesn't know anything," Lightpaw hissed, padding over to the tabby tom. "Without Reedpaw we wouldn't survive."

    The tom flashed her a grateful look but remained hunched over, as if waiting for Beetlepaw's next barb. Rainpaw's fur had risen and only Stormpaw's tail over her shoulders seemed to be holding her back from throwing herself at the black she-cat. Yewpaw looked uncomfortable; he never liked it when the peace was disrupted.

    "Medics are important." The voice was thoughtful, sweet yet full of poison at the same time. "Not as important as warriors, of course, but they play their part."

    The apprentices parted – Lightpaw and Reedpaw on one side, and the rest on the other – as Dawnstar walked into their midst. She made Lightpaw feel so small, so insignificant, and by the way Reedpaw shivered beside her he felt the same way.

    "Apprentices have their part as well," the DarkClan leader noted. "I believe that part is not bickering in the middle of my camp. If you don't find something useful to do I will be forced to assign you to cleaning dens."

    Stormpaw got to his paws immediately, taking Rainpaw with him. Beetlepaw and Yewpaw exchanged a glance before slinking away. Reedpaw gave Lightpaw an apologetic look before taking off at a suspiciously quick pace. The tortoiseshell moved to follow the rest, thinking she might ask Flamestrike for some battle training now that her shoulder was feeling better.

    "Not you," Dawnstar said. Her voice held no coldness but Lightpaw felt a shiver run down her spine. "We have something to speak about."

    Path. Love. Free. Dread washed over her.

// I know this is a little later than usual, but here's my Sunday update! I actually just finished typing this out so if you notice any mistakes please point them out (it's completely unedited).