"Wake up, Phoenixpaw." Early morning sunlight fell on Phoenixpaw's coat. The sound of Petaldust's voice awoke the young apprentice. Phoenixpaw stretched out, opening her mouth to let out a long, loud sigh.

"It's so... early..." mewed Phoenixpaw, "Let me sleeeeeeep..."

"You're the one who wanted to take the dawn patrol, not me." hissed Petaldust indignantly. "Seriously, you should be better than this two moons into your training."

Phoenixpaw got to her feet, hitting Growlpaw in the face with her tail. He hissed indignantly but said nothing.

Sandpaw and Bluepaw were already out in the camp, sharing tongues. "Why are you up so early?" Phoenixpaw asked.

"We have our assessment today!" Sandpaw said, eyes glittering with excitement.

"I'm gonna rock it so hard!" yowled Bluepaw, the spiky fur on his head bobbing up and down.

"Good luck! Hope you pass!" Phoenixpaw mewed, but inwardly thought, I won't miss you. Why does DragonClan have to have so many toms, anyways?

"You ready for the dawn patrol?" purred Starheart warmly.

"You bet I am!" Phoenixpaw responded.

"For the dawn patrol today, we'll have Trunkthorn, Darkshadow, Phoenixpaw, and Riverpaw." Lightningstrike announced from one of the lower branches of the Hightree, where everyone gathered. "For hunting, I'll lead a patrol with Petaldust, Growlpaw, Ivypaw, and Silentpelt. Clawpelt and Nightsky will be managing the assessments.. Flamepaw, you're on bedding duty."

Flamepaw groaned. Young apprentices were always stuck with more duties than their older counterparts.

Phoenixpaw looked across the clearing at Rainpaw, who was gently tucking away herbs. Like always, the pain of loneliness crept through her heart.

Darkshadow was already cleaning himself at the front of the camp. Trunkthorn joined him just minutes after. "Where's Riverpaw?" asked Phoenixpaw.

"Where IS Riverpaw?" Trunkthorn asked, "I haven't seen him all day."

"That's because you just got up. He's probably still asleep." Darkshadow replied, "Someone should go check the apprentice den."

"He's not there!" announced Nightsky.

"Wait a second." muttered Moonstar, lifting her nose, "I can smell him. He went... out of camp!"

"By himself?" asked Stormmind.

"How could he?!" exclaimed Longclaw, her kits peeking out of the nursery.

Moonstar silenced them with one twitch of her ear. "Okay, patrols can wait. Darkshadow and Trunkthorn, you have good noses- come with me." They dashed away into the forest.

The camp erupted into chatter. "He couldn't have!"

"He's always been so loyal."

"Well, they all go astray eventually."

Phoenixpaw decided to go talk to Rainpaw. Rainpaw was sorting herbs with Swallowfern. "Rainpaw?"

"Yes, yes, what is it?"

"You don't even know what's going on anymore, do you?"

Her eyes were bloodshot. "I've been up all night taking care of Silverkit. She has greencough."

"That stinks."

Phoenixpaw sat in silence for a while, holding back all the things she wanted to say.

Just then, Trunkthorn came into the camp, his ear nicked in multiple places. Riverpaw guiltily followed behind him, his claws tipped with blood, ears back, tail swishing against the ground. He held a flower, bruised and with petals long fallen.

"We found him." announced Darkshadow. "He was in RainClan territory. We met with a RainClan patrol getting him out."

"Well, someone has to answer for himself, now doesn't he?" Moonstar snapped.

"I-I-I wanted to find Jayclaw." he mewed, "I wanted to ask him why."

"Why what?" asked Silentpelt.

"Why he left us."

Trunkthorn opened his mouth to say something, and then closed it again.

"What's with the flower, then?"

"I grabbed it on the way out. I thought it might be useful for... medicine. You know, greencough and stuff?"

"Even a kit would know that red lillies have no value."

Red... lillies. The flowers on Fire's grave. Phoenixpaw squinted at Riverpaw. What was he really going to do with that precious blossom?

"Never mind. I will talk to him in private. Sandpaw, Bluepaw, continue your assessment." The cats nodded and left camp together, Clawpelt and Nightsky watching them.

"We also noticed some scent trails around the edge of our territory. RainClan has been hunting in the forest again." noted Trunkthorn.

Moonstar nodded. "You are not well enough to patrol again, so we will not be marking borders today. Instead, I want Darkshadow and every other warrior not hunting to see me. We have... something to discuss."

With a dismissive flick, Moonstar jumped down from. A few warriors followed her into the bushes behind her den, which lay at the heart of the Hightree.

Phoenixpaw snarled, "Great, I have nothing to do for the rest of the day." She stomped like a badger into the apprentice den, settling down onto the moss with a huff.