Dawnpaw peeked out of the bushes, seeing that the patrol was coming back. She saw Troutclaw slowly following them, Skynose on his back. She gasped at the wounds. The fox had teared through some fur, and she saw a nasty bite on his back leg. Dawnpaw shook out her wet fur, and bounded over to Ripplewing. "What happened?!" Ripplewing shot her an annoyed look. "Didn't I tell you to go back to camp?" Dawnpaw sighed. "He's my mentor! Plus Stormpaw's my age, and he was in the patrol!"

Froststar padded out of his den. "What happened?" He mewed briskly, as he scanned he group. Ripplewing looked up, while Losteye padded out of the medicine den. "We chased the fox away, but there is something else we found..." She looked away, glancing uneasily at the Clan. Froststar nodded. "We'll talk about it in my den." He mewed, signalling with his tail for her to follow him. Dawnpaw watched them go curiously, before turning her attention to Losteye. "Is Skynose okay?" Losteye nodded. "He should be alright but it's the bleeding that worried me. His heartbeat is getting slower." Reedpaw shuffled over. "Hey Dawnpaw? Tell Skynose I'm sorry and grateful." She mewed quietly, her blue fur shining in the sunset. Dawnpaw nodded. "I will." Reedpaw sighed in relief, before going back to bandaging Skynose's wounds. Losteye looked over her shoulder at Dawnpaw. "Take some thyme. It helps shock. Then, go sleep. You'll need rest." Losteye pointed towards some herb leaves.

Dawnpaw grabbed them, heading out towards the nursery. It was only her first day as an apprentice, and her mentor was close to death. She noticed Foxpaw slinking out of camp, but dismissed it as nothing. Swiftdawn was with Troutclaw, checking him for wounds. Dawnpaw poked her head into the nursery, called softly to Moonkit. Her amber eyes poked out. "What's up?" She mewed curiously. "I dunno. Skynose took me swimming, because he wanted to see how well I swam. But then on our way back, we heard a yowl, and there was a fox about to attack Reedpaw. Skynose jumped into battle, but I didn't get a chance to help. I bet he wouldn't be so injured if I did." Moonkit rolled her eyes. "That's crazy. Besides, so what? He'll be fine." Dawnpaw nodded, not feeling any better, but padding out of the nursery. She heard loud meowing from Froststar's den, and moved a bit closer, straining her ears.

"You're certain it was ThunderClan scent?"

"Yes. The fox smelled like them as well."

"This is crazy. Why would ThunderClan goad us in a time of peace? During greenleaf especially?"

"Froststar, you know why. Streamfeather..."

"That's enough. My littermate's daughter has nothing to do with it. Or her mate."

"You know it wasn't a RiverClan cat who was the father of those kits."

"Leave Ripplewing. You've said things like this in the past. Don't make me regret my decision!"

Dawnpaw heard shuffling, and shuffled away spotting the entrance to camp and running for it. She kept running, as much as she could.
Stopping at the border, she looked up. ThunderClan. Dawnpaw clawed the soil. This didn't make sense. Streamfeather's mate died in a battle. That was what Swiftdawn and her mother both said. They couldn't be lying. Dawnpaw tensed as she heard voices on the other side of the border.

"It'll be fine, Clawfur. You worry too much."
"Redtail, you can't know that. The fox could've killed a cat. We would've been responsible."
"Those RiverClan cats deserved it. Taking up all the shoreline of the Lake. Our forest is there! We're starving, and yet those fish eaters are plump and sleek!"

Dawnpaw heard a sigh. She backed away, realizing that if she stayed, they'd see her. She turned, running towards camp. Dawnpaw sighed, looking up. Swiftdawn and Troutclaw were grooming each other, and Stonewhisker was talking to Cloudsky, his expression aggravated. she stopped nesr the puddle close to the nursery. She looked so normal. It was so strange. Dawnpaw shook her head, curling up outside the apprentice den.

*********

Dawnpaw woke to a relentless prod, and opened her eyes to seethe sun high in the sky. She jolted up, to see Moonkit's shining eyes. "Why didn't you wake me up?" Dawnpaw demanded. "I'll be late." Moonkit looked somewhat subdued now. "B-but..." Dawnpaw shook her head. "It's been a moon, and Skynose will finally be able to train with me!" She wrinkled her nose at the memory of training with Foxpaw. It was so awkward, even Cloudsky stopped them.
Moonkit watched her, her tone slightly hurt. "But I become an apprentice today..." Dawnpaw looked to her, sighing. "I'm sorry. I'm just really tense." Moonkit tilted her head questioningly. "Um, never mind." Dawnpaw mewed. "I'll be back in time, I promise." Without glancing back, Dawnpaw rushed past her towards the limping tom padding out of the medicine den.

"Hello." Skynose greeted her. "It's time to train." Skynose twitched his tail to her. "But first, talk. Cloudsky told me of your training." Dawnpaw narrowed her eyes. "It's nothing. I don't know what you're talking about."

Skynose sent her a look. "Why don't you like Foxpaw? You've known him since you were kits." Dawnpaw scoffed. "I've known him for two moons.That's it." Skynose watched her as she stalked ahead. "Oh really? Why do you hate him then? You don't know him enough correct?" Dawnpaw turned. "Just drop it!"

Skynose rolled his eyes. "I don't care about your personal problems, but this will become an issue for you training-wise, I'm fixing it. And guess what? It's become an issue. So, this training session will be entirely yo, talking. Go."

Dawnpaw plopped down, stubbornly setting her jaw. "There's nothing to talk about." Skynose tilted his head. "Do you have a crush on him?" He mewed suddenly. Dawnpaw felt he rpelt heat up and scarmbled back. "What, no! Of course not!" HEr voice rang with indignation. Skynose twitched hsi whiskers in amusement. "Mhm. Sure." Skynose mewed. "But why the hostiltiy?" Dawnpaw sat down, irritated. "I don't trust him. He pulls tricks on people. He pranked me a bunch of times. Plus..." She trailed off.

Skynose pricked his ears at that. "Plus what?"

Dawnpaw shook her head. "Nothing."

"Dawnpaw..."

"He's a drypaw...."

Skynose immediately blinked. "So? Why don't you like him? Is it because of that? Because-"

"No! No. It's the fact he asked me to hide it."

Skynose sat back down. "Explain. Now."

Dawnpaw sighed. "When you fought that badger, and Ripplewing sent a patrol, I was told to wait around. I wandered in territory, but I saw him in the water. He admitted he was a drypaw, and I offered to help him but he refused. Then it started a fight and he stalked off." Her tone was slightly carrying hurt.

Skynose nodded. "I have to tell Cloudsky about this. You need to own up. You're not a kit anymore who can hold on to a petty grudge. You're an apprentice now." Dawnpaw stubbornly stared ahead. "Now come on, we need to get back." He mewed.

Dawnpaw irritably followed her mentor. What happened to training after they'd talked? She internally sighed. This was just how it was.

As they neared camp, she could see Froststar on a slightly tall hill. "May all cats old enough to swim gather here for a Clan meeting!" He yowled, waiting a the Clan gathered. Skynose sat down next to a pretty tortoiseshell she-cat. Her name was Petaldust, Dawnpaw believed.

"Moonkit you are of six moons of age, and ready to learn the ways of RiverClan. Do you vow to learn the ways of your Clan an the warrior code whole-heartedly?" Moonkit looked up, her silver pelt sleeked down, her tabby stripes looking neat and aligned. She nodded solemnly. Dawnpaw felt a slight guilty feeling. She had been harsh with Moonkit, but she'd been in a hurry.

"Then from now until the day you recieve you warrior name, you shall be called Moonpaw. Your mentor will be Dusklight. I hope you pass on your knowledge and strategy to your apprentice, Dusklight." The Tom stepped forwards, his eyes shining. "I won't let you down." He mewed, touching noses with Moonpaw. She sat down next to her mentor, but she didn't look at Dawnpaw.

"Snowkit, you are of six moons as well, and are also ready to be apprenticed. Do you vow to learn the ways of RiverClan and the warrior code with all heart and spirit?" Snowkit nodded, his light gray pelt groomed and his black ears and tail bobbing. "I do." Froststar smiled. "Then from now on you shall be named Snowpaw, until you recieve your warrior name. I will be your mentor. I hope to pass on my good judgement and intuition to you." Froststar knelt slightly, touching noses with Snowpaw, before rising back up.

"Many of you have been wondering about the attack. We believe the predator was driven onto our territory." Murmurs of unease went through the Clan. "What do you mean, Froststar?" Swiftdawn asked, her tone worried. Troutclaw gently rested his tail reassuringly on her shoulder. "He means that someone purposefully endangered the Clan." A clear voice rang through the camp, adn Dawnpaw turned, curious as to who had said those words. It was Losteye. The medicine cat did not often participate, instead mediating over the meetings. Some mumbles of surprise could be heard. Dawnpaw saw Dusklight twitch his tail a bit nervously.

She straightened up and raised her rad high. "I think we should warn ThunderClan." She mewed clearly.

A moment of silence.

"You're just an apprentice, and a new one at that. What could you know about this?" Featherflight mewed, her tone slightly opposing. Skynose cleared his throat. "You weren't an apprentice all that long ago." He turned to Froststar. "The apprentice's idea isn't bad. We should warn them off."

Froststar tilted his head thoughtfully at this. "Indeed. I will speak with Willowstar, at ThunderClan camp. I'll take a small group with me, two to three cats at most. Ripplewing, you will stay here."

Ripplewing looked as though she were about to protest, an intense staredown between leader and deputy. Troutclaw shifted uncomfortably. Streamfeather pawed at the ground, glancing at each cat. Dawnpaw watched. Everyone could see the tension palpable on the air. "Yes, Froststar." Ripplewin mewed at last, backing off. Froststar continued. "We must make plans..." he mewed, dismissively waving his tail before nodding to the senior warriors, who followed and sat down in a circle, talking in hushed voices.

Skynose nudged Dawnpaw. "Go socialize with the others." He mewed, turning towards her and pausing as e was about to say something to Petaldust. She nodded, glancing one last time towards the group of warriors and the leader and deputy, before walking off.

"Moonpaw?"

The pretty silver she-cat turned. "What?" She mewed warily, not stepping away. Dawnpaw walked closer. "So apprentices." She mewed. Moonpaw rolled her eyes. "Yes, Dawnpaw. Not that you care." She turned on her paws, walking away from Dawnpaw.