Smokepaw shifted in her nest, roused by the noise of Shadepaw and Hivepaw arguing.

"But Slimepelt said we were going hunting!" Shadepaw growled as she shoved Hivepaw with her forepaw.

"And Goldenbreeze said we were practicing our battle techniques!" Hivepaw retorted.

Smokepaw let out a soft sigh. As soon as the first rays of dawn had peeped in around the bush's leaves, she had not been able to sleep. It had felt weird to not share her nest with Starlingsong in the nursery.

But I'm an apprentice now, Smokepaw reminded herself. And that also meant that she had to get up early for training. She pushed herself to her paws and arched her back in a long stretch.

"Is Bonestar taking you to the training hollow today?" Shadepaw asked. Smokepaw glanced towards the siblings, surprised that they had stopped their bickering long enough to ask her a question.

"I'm not sure what we're doing today," she confessed. After their awkward outing the day before, she wasn't exactly sure what he would have planned.

Smokepaw didn't wait for them to ask her anything else. She trotted forward and pushed her way out from behind the bush's branches. Just outside, Bonestar sat a few paces away from the den entrance. He looked over at her as she emerged.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked, his tone guarded.

He's still acting weird, she thought in dismay. "Yes, I slept.. fine," she replied.

"That's good," he rumbled, "I figured we could join Slimepelt and Goldenbreeze at the training hollow. You can practice your fighting techniques with Hivepaw and Shadepaw."

Smokepaw held back a groan. She didn't see how she was going to learn anything if she was pitted against two trained apprentices. She noticed Bonestar glare towards the warrior's den, his eyes narrowed. "I'm not sure what's keeping Slimepelt and Goldenbreeze," he growled.

"Well, Hivepaw and Shadepaw are awake," Smokepaw mewed.

Bonestar kept his gaze on the warrior's den, his tail tip flicking. "We will wait a few more moments," he decided.

Smokepaw let her attention wander around the camp as they waited. Tornsky sat in his usual place beside the fresh-kill pile. As his Clanmates trudged from their dens, he started to organize the patrols for the day.

Silverclaw and Nectarsong made their way towards him as they slid out of the warrior's den. Nectarsong's orange fur was still ruffled with sleep. "You can both go on a border patrol," Tornsky mewed. Smokepaw could barely hear him from beside the apprentice's den. "You can take Duskwing with you."

Just as his name was mentioned, Duskwing shoved his way around the warrior den's outstretched branches. Silverclaw bounded over to him to relay their morning's duty. The two tom's pelts reflected the same dark gray tones.

As they padded away, two more warriors appeared from the depths of the massive bush. It was Cougarleap and Antlerheart. Smokepaw knew that the two brown coated toms were siblings. They, too, trotted over to Tornsky to see if they would be embarking on a morning patrol.

She and Bonestar sat for some time before Slimepelt and Goldenbreeze finally emerged. Hazestep, Vipersting, and Tulipshine had left on a hunting patrol; while Fallowfield and Starlingsong lounged in a weak shaft of light outside the nursery. Hivepaw and Shadepaw had also come out of their den to go and pick at the prey on the fresh-kill pile.

Bonestar stood as the two warriors appeared, and beckoned them with his tail. Goldenbreeze took a moment to shake out her luxuriously long, bright orange fur before she walked over. Slimepelt was equally as slow, his green eyes hazy with tiredness.

"I would have thought you were going to sleep all morning," Bonestar growled as they padded closer.

Goldenbreeze dipped her head, her ears flat against her head. "We just went to sleep late," she explained, "we didn't intend to stay in our nests for so long."

"Well go and fetch your apprentices so we can leave. We are already behind schedule," he ordered.

Smokepaw could tell that he was not pleased. His voice was stern, his muscles rigid as he watched Slimepelt slink away to gather Hivepaw and Shadepaw. The two apprentices had shifted away from the fresh-kill pile and had begun to stalk each other in the beginnings of a mock battle.

After only a few heartbeats, Slimepelt returned with Shadepaw and Hivepaw in tow. Without a single word, Bonestar swept his tail and led the way out of camp. Smokepaw remained close to his side, while Slimepelt and Goldenbreeze lingered just behind with their apprentices beside their flanks.

Her father's silence made her pelt prickle. She could tell a lecture bubbled on the tip of his tongue, but he held back. Smokepaw recalled the path to the training hollow from their journey yesterday. The same rotten trees and mushy earth surrounded her on all sides.

"Why couldn't we go hunting?" Shadepaw grumbled from her place next to Slimepelt.

"Bonestar wanted us to help Smokepaw with her battle training," Slimepelt replied, "it'd be best to practice with other cats around her age."

"But we are like four moons older than her!" Hivepaw groaned.

Smokepaw rolled her eyes. I didn't want to train with you either, she thought in frustration. Eventually, they pushed their way through the foliage that ringed the dirt clearing.

"We will have a face off," Bonestar stated, "Smokepaw will go against Shadepaw first."

In an instant, Shadepaw flicked her tail and bounded to the opposite side of the hollow. Smokepaw's pelt rippled as she dug her claws into the grainy soil.

"The first thing you need to know when you're fighting, is how to balance your weight on your paws," Bonestar meowed. He stepped close to Smokepaw, his eyes narrowed.

"You will want to crouch, but not far enough that your haunches stick in the air," he explained. Smokepaw lowered her head and crouched, her legs folded beneath her.

"Now take a few steps forward," Bonestar instructed. Smokepaw tried to extend a paw, but she was thrown off balance and had to straighten up to her full height once more.

"Try again," he demanded. She crouched back down, her muscles strained to keep herself upright. She reached out her forepaw again, surprised to find that she did not feel her weight shift from under her.

She paced forward for a few strides, her haunches low. She heard Bonestar purr in approval, "that looks great. Now get ready for the mock battle."

Smokepaw stood to her full height, which was still dwarfed in comparison to her father, and turned to face Shadepaw. The black she-cat watched with narrowed eyes from across the clearing, her muscles taut.

Smokepaw took a slow, deep breath and eased back down into a crouch. She began to creep towards Shadepaw, alert for any surprises from the other apprentice. But Shadepaw did not budge as Smokepaw drew closer.

She's waiting for something, Smokepaw thought with a wary suspicion. After a few more steps, the two she-cats were practically face-to-face. Their eyes locked, neither making a move to strike first.

But, finally Shadepaw let out a low hiss and dove forward, her belly fur brushing the ground as she knocked Smokepaw's paws out from beneath her. She fell with a hard thud, the breath knocked from her lungs.

"That's enough," Bonestar ordered, his claws working in and out of the dirt.

"But I barely even touched her," Shadepaw grumbled. Smokepaw gasped, trying in vain to fill her chest with air. She looked wildly towards Shadepaw, who returned her gaze with a panicked expression.

"I wasn't trying to do that!" she shouted, her voice shrill and tinged with fear. Goldenbreeze, Slimepelt, and Bonestar all surged towards Smokepaw in a matter of seconds. Shadepaw backed away a few paces, and Hivepaw padded over to join her.

"You have to calm down and breathe," Slimepelt urged her. But as hard as she tried, she could not suck any air into her lungs. With every passing heartbeat, her vision was growing darker.

"Don't worry, we'll get you back to camp. Spikedflower will take care of you," Bonestar soothed. Smokepaw knew his words should comfort her, but she couldn't help but panic as the darkness started to close even further around her sight and she felt herself slide into an unconscious state.