I hate dawn patrol, thought Dawnpaw, as she trudged through the dew-soaked grass. Tanglebrook, Dawnpaw, and Ferntail had just crossed the stream, and now they could see the sun slowly rising over the hills of WindClan. Ahead of her, she could see the thunderpath, and the pines of ShadowClan territory stretching behind it.

Ferntail quickened his pace, his white paws against the green grass. Tanglebrook started running as well, and Dawnpaw pricked her ears in alarm. She could see, on RiverClan territory, a patrol of ShadowClan cats. Their white and black pelts contrasted with the RiverClan environment, making them easy to spot.

"ShadowClan!" Dawnpaw spat, and the RiverClan cats galloped closer. "The fox-hearts!" The dawn patrol approached the ShadowClan cats, with their fur puffed up and ears flattened.

"What are you doing on RiverClan territory?" hissed Tanglebrook, at the lead. Ferntail stood a little behind him, shielding Dawnpaw, his kit, behind him. He let out a ferocious warning growl.

The leader of the ShadowClan patrol, a white she-cat with her left eye shredded and scratched looked at the RiverClan cats with contempt in her eyes. As she spoke, Dawnpaw resisted the urge to flee. Behind the white warrior, she could see six other battle-ready warriors, growling and loosening their muscles.

I'm going to be ripped apart! Dawnpaw screamed inside of her mind. Frantically, she tried to remember what Tanglebrook had taught her. But her mind was empty, the only thoughts saying," Run, you fish-brained fool!"

Unintentionally, Dawnpaw let out a small whimper.

"This may have been RiverClan territory yesterday," snarled the ShadowClan warrior," but today it will be ShadowClan's." Her lip curled as she saw Dawnpaw, eyes wide, behind Ferntail. "I'll give you one chance to surrender and go back to your camp."Tanglebrook took a step forward.

"You better believe that we won't, Lighteye," he spat. His black and white tail lashed from side to side angrily. Ferntail let out a growl.

"Very well," said Lighteye. She looked back to the other warriors. "Destroy them!" Shrieking with rage, Tanglebrook bowled Lighteye over, gripped her in his claws. Ferntail leapt into the fray, as three battle-hungry warriors surrounded her. Dawnpaw looked at the battle. She almost passed out as two warriors, a brown and black tom and a beige she-cat approached her.

"RiverClan brought a kit!" the she-cat jeered, circling Dawnpaw.

"How old are you? Three moons?" growled the tom. Dawnpaw stared at them, then remembered what she was. You're a warrior apprentice. Fight! Fight, you fish-brained fool!

Letting out a screech, Dawnpaw leapt at the she-cat and landed on her back. The she-cat bucked, but Dawnpaw held onto her fur, unsheathing her claws to leave deep scratches in the warrior's back.

The black and brown tom lashed out at Dawnpaw, sending her tumbling to the ground. He raised his paw and took a swipe at her face. Dawnpaw could feel his sharp claw narrowly missing her eyes.

He almost blinded me! she thought, and gritted her teeth as she rolled on the ground. Tanglebrook told her that being mad in a battle could get you killed, but sometimes being furious was the only way to win.

Yowling, Dawnpaw rose onto her hind legs and swiped at the larger cats. The she-cat struck first, knocking the apprentice over from her precious perch. Dawnpaw tumbled to the ground, and looked at the ShadowClan cats.

"Get off RiverClan territory," she said, gasping. The she-cat pinned Dawnpaw down to the ground, revealing her spotted orange and black belly. The ShadowClan cat curled her lip.

"Lucky for you, I don't kill kits," she said. Then she took her paw and slashed it against Dawnpaw's face. Blood quickly oozed out of the wound, and Dawnpaw screeched. The metallic tang of blood filled her mouth and nose, preventing her from taking deep breaths.

A triumphant yowl burst out from in front of Dawnpaw. Her vision blurry and red, she could see the ShadowClan cats racing back to the trees, leaving two limp bodies on the grass. Dawnpaw stumbled to her feet and walked to the two bodies.

"Dad?" she said, blood dripping into her eyes," Ferntail? Tanglebrook?" First, she stumbled over a heap of black, white, and bloody fur. The mound moved, and Dawnpaw screeched in fright.

"Dawnpaw?" Tanglebrook said weakly," Ferntail and I can't get back to camp." He coughed, and soon Dawnpaw saw that there was a spot of red growing in both his neck and stomach.

"Tanglebrook..." Dawnpaw mewed, and sat down with shaky legs. She looked to Ferntail, who wasn't moving.

"Dawnpaw!" Tanglebrook growled, back to his old harsh mentor self," you MUST get back to camp. Tell them what's happened, and get Aspencloud, okay?"

"StarClan help me," Dawnpaw muttered, and ran unsteadily to camp.

The bedraggled apprentice broke into the camp in a mess of fur and blood dripping from her face.

"ShadowClan border," Dawnpaw said. "Go there."

The RiverClan warriors were speechless.