The gray tabby placed one paw delicately in front of the other, careful not to rustle anything that would scare her prey. A light breeze spiraled downwind through the trees, carrying with it the scent of mouse.

...Just a stride closer...

She glided forward silently. Once within pouncing range, she shifted the weight to her hind paws while keeping herself low to the ground. She timed it so the mouse wasn't paying mind to its surroundings.

The small apprentice bunched up her muscles then soared into the air, claws outstretched.

Though her stalking had been formidable, she misjudged the sun's position. Her shadow fell over the mouse before she landed and the little rodent tried to scurry away.

Oh no you don't!

The she-cat flashed her paws out and caught the mouse, swiftly killing it with a sharp nip. She thanked StarClan before covering it up with stiff dirt to be retrieved for later.

Dry leaves crackled as another cat approached. "Well done, Willowpaw! I'm glad you didn't give up when the mouse spotted you." A pretty white she-cat with different colored eyes padded up.

Willowpaw glowed with pride as she finished scraping soil over her kill. She thanked her mentor and continued hunting.

As the two cats entered camp, laden with their bounty, a violent cough rattled the walls of the gorge. All the cats started and glanced around for its source.

Brightblossom and Willowpaw deposited their fresh-kill atop the meager pile. The apprentice noticed that besides what they had brought, only a thin sparrow and mouse had consisted it.

Another cough sounded and this time Raggedclaw was seen speedily limping away from the medicine den.

Behind him scampered Pondpaw, who was insisting that he return to the den.

"Fawndapple told me to give you catmint! She won't be happy if you don't take it!" She tried to coax the elder, but the orange tabby was having none of it. "Fawndapple---"

He quickened his pace to that of a lopsided gallop. "—I don't take orders from apprentices. If Fawndapple wants me to do something she---"

He broke off as a cough forced him to stop dead in his tracks and hunch over.

Pondpaw froze. Then in the next moment she was at his side supporting him.

Willowpaw rushed over. "Do you need any help?" She offered. Pondpaw looked up at her with relief shining in her eyes. She nodded and together the two came on either side of Raggedclaw.

The old tom was now trembling and trying to catch his breath. "C'mon," Pondpaw said gently and began to lead him back. He didn't object this time as they guided him to a soft nest.

"I don't need to be in here," Raggedclaw croaked again. The apprentices exchanged a sarcastic glance.

"Thanks for the help. I don't think I could have dragged Raggedclaw back here on my own." Pondpaw mewed, laying a leaf of catmint in front of the ornery elder.

Willowpaw dipped her head and padded out, just missing Raggedclaw's complaints about the moss being too wet.

She immediately noticed Ashpelt and Fadedleaf sharing prey in a patch of sunlight, sitting closer together than usual. She watched as affection glimmered in Ashpelt's eyes as he listened to Fadedleaf's story.

The thought of food made her belly rumble, but she wasn't feeling hungry just yet. Her paws itched for another outing in the woods. Another adventure. She would never admit to Frostpaw that she secretly enjoyed the thrill of sneaking out.

The deputy caught her attention as she organized a hunting patrol. Having her partner in crime out training, Willowpaw had nothing better to do than join. Driftbreeze acknowledged her with a nod and waved her tail to lead the cats out.

"Haven't you already been hunting today?" She asked over her shoulder.

Willowpaw nodded, then realizing that the deputy couldn't see her, said "Yes, but Frostpaw isn't around."

Driftbreeze twitched her whiskers in amusement before addressing the entire patrol. "Let us try near the abandoned twoleg nest."

Willowpaw fell into step beside Larksong and her father, Oakfur. Once they reached the twoleg nest, a reasonable amount of prey was caught. She was sure that it would feed the Clan for another sunrise.

Her assumption was correct as they returned and there was enough for each cat, with some left over.

Just as Willowpaw was about to breathe a sigh of content, a hacking cough bounced off the gorge walls. It reverberated through the young apprentice and sent a bolt of fear down her spine. The last thing ThunderClan needed was a bout of sickness.

"Eat up, Willowpaw. You don't want to catch greencough,"

Willowpaw jumped as her father appeared beside her to take his share of the food. She nodded, and chose a wren. The thought of her laying ill and helpless in the medicine den scared her into taking the plumpest bird on the pile.

After all, I did hunt quite a bit today, she reasoned.

As Willowpaw settled down by the apprentice den and ate, her mind began to wander. It ventured back to the encounter at the ShadowClan border; the scene replaying itself until the apprentice flicked her tail to rid her thoughts.

It won't happen again.

She ran through the battle again but this time Willowpaw countered the ShadowClan cat's strikes using foreknowledge. Though ripping of her claws against skin still sent shudders down her spine, she mentally steeled herself. I'm to be a warrior. I'm doing it for ThunderClan.

"You alright over there?" an amused meow startled her. Sunpaw padded up, whiskers twitching.

"What? Oh erm, yeah." Willowpaw felt her ear tips grow warm. The red tom smirked before continuing to the apprentices' den.

Once Sunpaw had left, Willowpaw took a sizeable amount of food and savored the rich meaty flavor. Despite being stiff with cold, it felt good against her empty stomach.

She spotted her mentor emerging from the medicine den and bidding farewell to Fawndapple. Most likely getting a follow-up visit for her old injury. The medicine cat was very thorough with her patients and made sure each one left her care better than they had ever been before.

Brightblossom caught Willowpaw's lingering eyes and twitched her whiskers warmly. "What's up?" she said, approaching.

"Could we practice fighting tomorrow...you know, before regular training?" Willowpaw lowered her voice to a whisper.

Her mentor nodded. "Sure. Be up before dawn and we can head out to the lake. For privacy."

Willowpaw breathed a relieved thanks then made her way to the apprentices' den, where she buried herself deep into her nest. Before sweet sleep could overtake her, the thought of her deceased siblings crept into her mind.

Even if they were still alive, could they have survived the harsh leaf-bare to come? Was it a good thing they were sent to StarClan now rather than suffer longer?

I wonder what they think of me. Willowpaw wondered. I never really knew them. They were sick for as long as I can remember.

Inevitably, she thought, would things have been different if they had lived?

But Willowpaw was asleep before her mind could drift any longer.

The following morning, Willowpaw was up and waiting for her mentor to awaken.

The sky had not yet lightened and glittering stars twinkled from their places among silverpelt. Not even the birds were awake, still sleeping soundly in their nests.

Willowpaw stifled a yawn. She sat in the center of camp, letting her chin rest against her chest. Her eyelids threatened to fall at any moment and it took all of her willpower to stay conscious.

It was then that the heavy fog of silence was broken. A rustling. No more than the swishing of leaves and scraping of moss. In another occasion, a suitable excuse would be the wind, or stirrings of a warrior in his nest. But the air was still and it was louder and more consistent than the average toss and turn.

Willowpaw was instantly brought to wakefulness and swiveled her ears. Somebody else was up and about the camp. Intruders?

More scuffling. She located the sound's source to be coming from the apprentices' den, not from enemy cats. Hushed voices added to the rustlings.

If they're trying to be quiet, they're not doing a very good job. Willowpaw observed.

She rose and slipped into a corner of the hollow, where the deepest shadows lay.

No sooner had she hidden, Sunpaw poked his head from the mouth of the den. Willowpaw could see his eyes flashing in the moonlight as he scanned the camp.

"All clear!" He hissed behind his shoulder and popped out into the open, keeping low to the ground. Woodpaw and Birdpaw followed.

Now what in StarClan could they be up to? Willowpaw made herself as small as possible. What could make them act so secretive? She remembered when she and Frostpaw had bumped into the posse and they behaved remarkably suspicious. Now her imagination ran wild with all sorts of scenarios that the three could be getting themselves into.

A voice snapped her thoughts back to the shifty apprentices.

"So where is Willowpaw then? She obviously wasn't in her nest," Woodpaw pointed out.

Her breath caught in her throat as he swept his eyes around the darkness.

Once their search found nothing except shadows, Sunpaw led them to the camps entrance.

"Well you know that Willowpaw and Frostpaw are inseparable, so she can't be out on some crazy adventure. Not like she would anyway. Scared of everything." Birdpaw snorted.

Sunpaw slapped his tail across her mouth and received a scathing glare.

Willowpaw felt grateful at his quick defense of her, but it was short lived.

Sunpaw hissed, "Hush! Someone's going to hear you. That's if the whole camp wasn't already woken by Woodpaw's blundering." He cuffed his brother over the ear.

But they lowered their voices as they snuck past the half-asleep camp guarder, Volefur.

Willowpaw was left in the darkness, hunched and indignant. Birdpaw's words had hit her in a vulnerable spot. I'm not a fraidy-mouse, am I? She could think up several occasions where she had went out of her comfort zone. 

But deep down, she knew that Frostpaw was the only reason for her bravery.

As the camp sank back into its previous, silent state, Willowpaw could feel her chances slipping away.

I could follow them. It's time for my own adventure.

A gnawing urge to go was eating at her conscious.

This is the second time they have been sneaking out! That I know of... Scrunching her nose, Willowpaw stood and resolved to push herself – without Frostpaw.

An idea began to formulate in her mind.

rR