I groan as a paw prods my side.

"Wake up, Eclipsepaw!" a tom pleads.

"No."

"C'mon! We gotta go on patrooool!"

"Too early!" I mewl, turning over and covering my ears.

"That's why it's called a dawn patro-"

"Stop! Some of us are trying to sleep!" a she-cat snaps irritably.

I jump to my paws, growling.

"Shut up, Irispaw!" I hiss at the gray spotted she-cat.

She cracks open an eye and glares at me.

"Eclipsepaw, everyone's waiting on you! If you don't hurry you might-"

"Have to check the elders for fleas." Ghostsong finishes, peeking into the apprentices' den.

Yelping, I bolt to the group of cats waiting at the entrance. Soulpaw, the black tom with red markings and stormy-ice-blue eyes, pads out after me, sighing. His mentor, a sandy-colored tom named Drystream, rolls his eyes. Two other warriors, a blue-gray tom named Rainmist and a black tabby she-cat named Tigershade, flick their tails, sharing annoyed glances with eachother. Then we're padding out of camp. I fall into step beside Ghostsong at the end of the patrol, yawning.

"Eclipsepaw, you really need to get moving around more." she says flatly, eyes focused ahead.

"I know.... I-I'm sorry, it won't happen again."

"I hope not. After we check the borders, I want you to come on a hunting patrol with me and catch three pieces of prey for the elders. Then you are to check them for fleas and ticks."

I just barely hold in a yowl of anguish.

"U-understood, Ghostsong." I manage.

"Thank you." she nods, padding back to the other warriors.

After a bit of dragging my paws, Soulpaw falls into step beside me, his eyes not meeting mine.

"I... Heard what happened.... You, maybe, want me to help? I-I could help you search the elders and hunt..." he mews nervously.

I glance at him from the corner of my eye. Is he serious?

"I don't want your pity." I growl, eyes narrowing.

"I-I'm not pitying you! I-I just thought that... Since you're new to being an apprentice..."

"That I what!? That I'm dumb?!" I hiss angrily, tail lashing.

"No! O-of course not! I just wanted to-"

"Soulpaw! Eclipsepaw! Stop bickering!" Rainmist snaps, turning to glare at us.

"Soulpaw, if you like chatting with Eclipsepaw so much, why don't you join in her punishment?" Drystream growls, green eyes narrowed.

Soulpaw hangs his head, nodding. After a few moments, the patrol continues. Fur bristling, I feel my fur heat up at the fact he offered to help me with the worst job ever. He keeps his head down for the rest of the patrol, not looking at me. Guilt nags at my mind. Maybe he really did just want to help. When we return to camp, Ghostsong motions me over, a small smirk on her face. Nervously, I pad over to her.

"You know... I'm exaughsted from the patrol. I think you and Soulpaw should go out hunting... Alone."

My jaw drops.

"You little..."

She leans closer, chuckling.

"Eclipsepaw, look. I was just like you when I was an apprentice. I hated getting up. But I don't really want to be too hard on you. It's obvious he likes you and I hear he's been begging to go hunting with you." she whispers, purring.

For a moment, I'm in absolute shock. Then I smile nervously.

"T-thanks, Ghostsong. But... Why are you being so nice?"

"Because you remind me so much of myself."

"Thank you..." I whisper, dipping my head to her.

Then I turn and trot over to the black tom. He's deep in conversation with a lovely silver tabby she-cat named Silverdusk. My dark gaze hardens as the young warrior brushes her long tail along his cheek. A growl reverberates in my throat as I pad over to them.

"Soulpaw, we have to go hunting, remember?" I snap, my tail lashing.

He jumps, eyes widening as I stalk closer.

"E-Eclipsepaw! I-I didn't know you were ready to go!" he mews.

I turn to glare at Silverdusk.

"And you. I thought you had a patrol or something."

The silver she-cat's green eyes widen before narrowing with hatred. A sneer makes it's way onto her face.

"I asked Cheetahblaze if I could skip the patrol. She said I could." she smirks.

"Well, you can't come hunting with us." I growl.

"And why not?"

"Because it's Eclipsepaw and Soulpaw's punishment." Drystream growls, stalking over towards us.

I catch Ghostsong nodding to me, her eyes holding a mishevious glint. I stifle a sigh of relief, nodding back to her. Turning to Silverdusk, my eyes harden.

"But-"

"Maybe you were made a warrior too soon." Ghostsong says coldly.

For a moment, the silver she-cat's eyes darken with hatred before she turns tail and stomps away. Soulpaw just stands there, bewildered at everything that just happened. For a moment, I stare triumphantly after the she-cat's receeding form before trotting out of camp, my tail held high. As I pad through the lichen entrance, I hear pawsteps follow after me.

"Well... That was..."

"You shouldn't trust her." I snap, cutting him off.

He stops.

"Wh-what?"

I whip around, hissing and lashing my tail.

"She's a fox-heart. A mousebrain. And I don't want her to hurt you!"

Soulpaw's eyes widen before narrowing in anger.

"Actually, she's a very, very kind she-cat who's willing to put up with you, of all kits." he hisses.

My blood turns icy and my ears flatten. Then, slowly, I take a step back. My dark eyes wide, I turn tail and pelt away. Tears blur my vision. Vaguely, I'm aware of pain spiking in my pads. Suddenly, a yowl erupts from somewhere in the nearby area. But I pay no attention to it as I keep pelting. Thick forest fades to strange, flat ground. Finally, after what feels like moons, I am unable to run any more. My paws aching, I crumple to the ground. I cough, unable to keep my eyes open.

Vaguely, I'm aware of other cats. Growls reverberate all around me.

"What is she doing here?" one voice snarls, voice dripping with hatred.

My eyes snap open to find a black-and-white tom hovering over me. His ragged pelt is transparent. Another transparent cat, this one a white splashed tabby she-cat, pads to beside him. She gives me a disdainful sniff before scrunching up her nose.

"A pathetic, puny kit from the Clans." she sneers.

Dark mist swirls around them. Another cat steps from within the shadows. This one is a black tom with one white paw. He's unusually small, and his pelt is extremely faded, but you'd have to be mousebrained not to realize the power he radiates. His claws are unnervingly long and sharp -- and it takes me a moment to realize those aren't his claws. He grins, baring sharp teeth. Padding forward, he narrows his ice-blue eyes. I watch his tail flick, motioning more cats from the shadows.

My eyes widen in fear as the territory around me fades into a shadowed forest, thick with the metallic scent of blood. The dark tom grins broader, leaning closer, all others disappearing.

"Hello, my young kit. Had enough of running?"

My eyes widen even further and I shake uncontrolably. The tom lays beside me, purring darkly.

"Ah, speechless I see. Well, my beautiful young apprentice, I shall take you under my wing."

"W-who are you?"

"My name? Ah, long forgotten, my dear. But if you wish to know, my name was once Tiny. Do not fear... I will not hurt you." he purrs, giving my ear a lick.

"I-I-"

"Go to your Clan, kit. Your Clan awaits you. Oh, and take the thrush you find beside you to your Clan. Tell them you caught it."

And like that, my encounter with Tiny was over and he faded from my vision. Then the forest and everything does, as well.