Hawkfire saw Russetclaw by the lake and cautiously approached. He smiled as she walked over, "glad to see you actually came."

"Whatever. Why am I here again?"

"I want to show you something." Hawkfire tilted her head as the ginger tabby tom got up and signaled for her to follow.

"This better be good," she muttered and plodded after him. They reached the ShadowClan border and she instantly shrunk back.

Russetclaw looked over his broad shoulder. "What's the matter?"

"I'm not going on your territory!" she spat with her eyes wide.

He smiled gently, "it's alright. I'll be beside you the whole time and all my Clanmates are asleep so no one will spot us." As if that's going to comfort me. Hawkfire struggled not to turn tail and flee as she stepped across into the pine trees. An image of Berrypelt crept into her mind and she shuddered as she continued through the unfamiliar forest. She was happy to fall behind Russetclaw, staying close enough to feel his tail-tip brush her cheek. Hawkfire's heart fluttered like a caught sparrow. What's up with me now? Calm down. Hawkfire could feel the immense darkness press around her and her throat tightened until the air seemed too thick to breathe. StarClan will keep you safe, she reminded herself.

Russetclaw's tail slid ahead and Hawkfire sped up, frightened of losing the feel of its soft tip on her nose. He must have sensed her unease because he whispered, "we're almost there." Cold air swirled around her, piercing her pelt. Steadying her breath, she focused on her paws instead when the distant echo of running water chimed suddenly. They emerged into a slender clearing where a ribbon of living turquoise boldly flowed amid the green of the forest. The river had a strength that was reflected in the trees. It flowed on with confidence, taking the form of the river bed, billions of drops moving together. The community of trees stood tall all the while.

"We're here," Russetclaw murmured, a forlorn look in his glistening eyes. He sat down by the stream bed and breathed in deeply, motioning for her to join him. Hawkfire gazed into the running water that quenched the thirst of the mighty beings rooted to the rich soil, the current dragging needles along with it. She glanced over at the ShadowClan warrior who was smiling to himself and had his eyes closed.

"This place is pretty special to you, huh?"

"Isn't it just wonderful?" he mewed and opened his eyes. "This is my favorite spot to relax and just listen to the forest. I find it very soothing and peaceful."

"I can't argue with that," she meowed. The scenery was, indeed, breathtaking.

Russetclaw sighed, "no matter the chatter of the trees the stream is steady, welcoming, refreshing. On quiet days it can be heard to whisper its wisdom, on stormy days it is lost to all but those who listen closely. The river always talks, always speaks the wisdom of the water to anyone who treasures its musical words. Even on the rainiest of days it can be heard beneath the splashes, a sacred melody, always moving, always present. None of my other Clanmates know about this place's existence. I was always tempted to show them, but decided it's my little secret haven. I haven't shared it with anyone until now, Hawkfire." She gulped nervously as he set his intense stare on her.

"Uh, well thanks for showing it to me. It is very lovely."

"I'm glad you think so," he purred happily.

"Listen, it's getting really late so I should head back now. Do you mind leading the way?"

"Of course." They walked in silence until they reached the border. Russetclaw hummed to himself in thought.

"I'll make sure to cover up your scent, so don't worry about being caught."

"Thanks once more." She smiled and dipped her head.

"Can I see you again?"

Hawkfire hesitated and met his hopeful gaze. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt anyone. Just make sure you aren't seen by your Clanmates."

"I know, I know. Well, I'll see you tomorrow night at the lake. Goodnight, Hawkfire." The warrior turned and swiftly padded away, his pelt vanishing as he was swallowed up by the darkness of the pines. Hawkfire returned to her own camp, her mind troubled. This isn't right, but yet, I don't want to stop meeting him. What is it about him that makes me so flustered! She hissed in annoyance and snuck into her nest, careful not to disturb her sleeping Clanmates. She shut her eyes and felt tiredness wash over her instantly.

"Little one, what do you think you're doing?" Hawkfire spun around as Thistleclaw's gray fur faded in. He narrowed his yellow eyes at her in disgust as he snarled, "I told you to stop meeting that ShadowClan warrior. He is only softening you and making you grow weaker. You will stop meeting him or else."

She sniffed disdainfully, "or else what? Do not forget that you are a dead cat whose job is to train me, not lecture me."

"How dare you speak to your ancestor that way! I have no obligation to help you, I am doing all this out of pure will. You should be more thankful towards me, unless you don't want to be a leader anymore." Hawkfire dug her claws in the ground and flicked her tail, heading to the clearing to join the training session. She froze as a mottled chocolate tabby-and-white she-cat blocked her path.

"Hello, you must be the destined one." The stranger purred in a bitter tone, almost as if forced.

"What's it to you?" Hawkfire growled. Her claws were itching for a fight to take her mind off things, and she wasn't too picky on whom to unleash them on.

"Oh, nothing much. I just wanted to see you for myself is all."

Just then, a gray she-cat with a dark gray stripe down her back and paws stepped out. "As if, I bet you're just jealous, Hollypine," she sneered.

Hollypine hissed at the other newcomer, "Quiet, Rainclaw! Like you're one to speak!"

"Oh come now, don't get in a hissy fit. It'll only makes things awkward." Hollypine huffed and glared at Hawkfire.

"I don't know what Thistleclaw sees in you."

"I can show you if you like," she replied calmly and sunk to the ground, her stomach brushing the cold dirt.

"Ha! I have no interest in fighting a inexperienced warrior!"

"Aww, don't be scared." Rainclaw mocked sympathy towards the she-cat which angered her even more.

"I just hate you!" she shrieked and stormed away. Rainclaw laughed to herself and turned back to Hawkfire.

"Hmm, so you're the destined cat. I'm curious to see what you can do."

Hawkfire blinked. "Is that an invitation?"

"Why? Do you need one?"

"Nope." She grinned and attacked the StarClan warrior, sinking her fangs into her leg. Rainclaw leaped back and made a neat twist in the air, taking Hawkfire by surprise when she rolled towards her and knocked her down. A grunt escaped her lips as Rainclaw raked her back with thorn-sharp claws. She flipped over to try and pin her down, but she wriggled free of her grasp and darted to her left to attack her from behind. Hawkfire was on the ground in an heartbeat, wincing as claws and teeth dug into her flesh. She bit Rainclaw's scruff and raked her snout as best as she could. The she-cat yowled and fell back in a flurry. Hawkfire sprung to her paws as Rainclaw darted forward and sliced her ear. Blood tickled the inside of her ear as she shook her head. She narrowed her eyes and lunged once more, grabbing her by the shoulders and pushing her down, scraping her belly furiously. Rainclaw struggled underneath her and managed to wriggle free. The two cats faced each other with backs arched and fur fluffed out. Then, all of a sudden, Rainclaw sat down and began grooming herself. Hawkfire gave her a puzzled look, not sure if she was trying to get her guard down or not.

"I'll admit, you're not half bad," Rainclaw mused and gazed at her curiously. "You may just surpass me soon."

Hawkfire relaxed and started cleaning herself. "Thanks."

"What is your ambition?"

"I want to become leader," she meowed. "Not just of ThunderClan though, but of all the Clans! I won't stop until I become the strongest." Rainclaw didn't say anything, just stared at her in thought.

"Well, you should wake up. Don't want to miss any patrols right? It was nice to finally meet you, chosen one."

Hawkfire awoke in her nest, blood still trickling down her ear. She shifted her position, accidentally bumping into Rabbitclaw. Her brother groaned and opened his eyes.

"Hawkfire? What happened to your ear?" He sat up and sniffed her scratch. "What happened?"

"There must be a thorn in my nest," she lied. "I'll take it out later."

"You should get that checked out by Duckfeather. You don't want an infection," he fretted. She rolled her eyes but lifted herself from her warm nest and ducked outside. She strode to the medicine cat's den where Fuzzypaw was sorting through some herbs.

"You're up early," she commented as Hawkfire entered.

"Yeah well, same goes for you, Dazedpaw."

"I'm always up early," she purred. "What do you need?"

"I have another scratch I would like you to check," she mumbled. Fuzzypaw narrowed her eyes but only grabbed some herbs and started chewing them up. As she was applying the poultice to her ear, Hawkfire spotted Duckfeather's dark pelt hunched in the far corner of the den. She felt uncomfortable under his suspicious glare and focused her attention on her paws. She inspected her claws, wondering whether she should sharpen them when Fuzzypaw sighed.

"Done. You know, nearly every morning you have some sort of wound, you should be more careful when making your nest."

"Yeah, yeah." Hawkfire swept out of the den and watched hungrily as Softpaw and Cherrypaw fetched the last two pieces of fresh-kill for the queens and elders. I'm so hungry. Why shouldn't I eat first? After all, it is the warriors who have to hunt to feed everyone. We should be the first to eat so we have more strength to protect everyone. Hawkfire swished her tail and slunk over to the crowd surrounding Flareheart who was already organizing patrols.

"Moonface, lead a border patrol by WindClan's border. Take your apprentice and Hawkfire with you."

"Yes, Flareheart," he dipped his head and squeezed out of the crowd, Cherrypaw's head popping out of the nursery.

"Border patrol?"

"Yup." He led the way and Hawkfire ended up taking the rear. They trekked through the forest until they reached the border. Moonface started marking the trees and Hawkfire copied him, spraying a clump of heather. After a while she began fidgeting restlessly, wishing to just go back and eat a juicy morsel. I hate border patrols! They're so boring. Why couldn't I have been picked for a hunting patrol? I need to sink my claws in something, anything! She moaned in exasperation when a rustling in a bush behind her caught her attention.

A flash of brown fur shot out and she yowled on instinct, "mouse!" She was about to give chase but Cherrypaw beat her to it. The apprentice hared after the critter, crashing through the forest. Moonface turned around and his eyes widened in panic as Cherrypaw neared the border, the mouse still just out of her reach.

"Cherrypaw! Watch out for the border!" She must have not heard him because she ran straight across onto WindClan territory. Uh, oh. Hawkfire bit her tongue as a patrol of WindClan cats cut the apprentice off. She tried to brake but ended up crashing into a sleek black tom - Crowfall. The mouse was swiftly caught by Ashbreeze while a young brown tabby tom fluffed out his pelt.

Cherrypaw rubbed her nose with her paw, "ouch! What do you think you're doing on ThunderClan territory with my prey!"

"Actually, you're on WindClan territory trying to catch our prey, rabbit-brain," the young tom spat.

"Hollowpaw, please be quiet." Ashbreeze scolded him and turned back to Cherrypaw with a hint of wariness in her mew. "Why are you crossing onto our land, apprentice?"

Cherrypaw was dumbfounded and kept looking back and forth from the border to the cats in front of her.

Moonface nudged Hawkfire with his shoulder, "come on." They bounded over and the WindClan cats glared at them. Moonface bowed to them and meowed, "I am very sorry about this. You see, my apprentice over here was attempting to catch that mouse but accidentally crossed the border in the process. This was all a big mistake so-"

"So maybe you should teach your young to be more mindful in the future of where they put their paws. I thought ThunderClan could handle that at least," Crowfall snarled.

Hawkfire intervened, "what's that supposed to mean? ThunderClan is more than capable of training our young, and I don't think we need any help from a bunch of rabbit-chasers!"

Crowfall arched his back and hissed threateningly, "are you trying to pick a fight with me?" Hawkfire unsheathed her claws and felt the fur along her spine rise. Cherrypaw watched in awe but Moonface stepped between them.

"Let's not fight over a minor issue such as this. I am very sorry for the disturbance. We shall take our leave now." Ashbreeze flicked Crowfall's flank with her tail.

The black warrior sighed, "fine. Make sure you're more careful next time or we might not go so easy on you!" Hawkfire gritted her teeth and forced the fur along her back to lie flat.

"Will do," Moonface meowed and signaled for them to leave. They walked in silence until they were a safe distance from the WindClan patrol. Moonface spun around and glared at Hawkfire and Cherrypaw sternly. "What were you two thinking?"

"Me?" Hawkfire mewed in shock. "What did I do?"

"You were about to start a war between ThunderClan and WindClan!" he meowed. "You are a warrior now so please try to act more like it. Don't go around picking unnecessary fights." Hawkfire hung her head, sulking. It's not like I would have lost or anything. Hold up, how come Moonface is ordering me around? He isn't much older than me!

Moonface faced his apprentice next who was shrinking in her own pelt. "I expected more out of you, Cherrypaw. I even called out to you but you ignored me."

"B-b-but-"

"No buts, that was careless of you. Please be more careful next time, we don't need more trouble during the cold season." Cherrypaw stared down at her paws and Moonface dropped his tense shoulders. "I'll let it pass this time though." The she-cat brightened up and started for the camp.

Hawkfire called out after her, "where do you think you're going?"

Cherrypaw twisted her head around, "aren't we going back to camp?"

"We haven't finished the border patrol yet." Cherrypaw groaned and trudged back over. Hawkfire twitched her whiskers, I know how you feel.

Moonface stretched, "let's hurry up so we can eat soon. I'm starving!"

"Same here," she mewed and went back to work, eager to finish so she could taste the warm tang of blood in her mouth again.