"Oh, we just wondered what Jayfeather meant when he was talking about herbs to us. We got completely lost." Skypaw said quickly. I mentally groaned. Seriously? That's the best she could come up with?

Thankfully, Cherrypaw seemed to buy it.

"Okay, then. He does go on about them alot doesn't he?" she said, still slightly confused.

"Yea, he does." I meowed, wishing that Cherrypaw would go away.

"Oh yea, Cinderheart and Lionblaze want you two outside for something. I don't know what." Cherrypaw added before withdrawing her head from the den.

Skypaw and I exchanged glances. "I wonder what they want." Skypaw said.

I shrugged. "Who knows."

We got up and padded outside the den, and made our way over to where Cinderheart and Lionblaze were waiting.

"So, Flamepaw, is your paw alright now?" Lionblaze asked me.

I nodded. "Yep. It's still slightly sore, but I can walk now."

"Good." Cinderheart said briskly. "Because we're going out on border patrol along the WindClan border. Just tell us if you can't keep up and we'll slow down."

Both Skypaw and I nodded.

"Come on then." Cinderheart flicked her tail and we followed her out of camp.

We reached the WindClan border and Lionblaze showed us how to mark the border.

"Now, since you two don't have ThunderClan scent yet, you'll have to wait till next time to mark the border." Cinderheart explained to us.

We nodded. I didn't mind in the slightest. Just being a ThunderClan apprentice was enough for me!

Suddenly, Lionblaze and Cinderheart stiffened. We could hear thundering pawsteps coming towards us.

It was a WindCLan patrol. I heard Skypaw gasp when she saw the leader of the patrol.

It was Crowfeather. We had heard so much about him, about how he and Leafpool fell in love and ran away, then Leafpool had kits.

"What are you doing so close to the border?" He growled. He seemed to be glaring straight at Lionblaze, and Lionblaze was glaring right back at him.

Right, Lionblaze is Crowfeather's kit.

"We're the border patrol. Of course we'd be right by the border, wouldn't we?" Lionblaze growled back.

Crowfeather's gaze flitted to Skypaw and I. He curled his lip.

"Is ThunderClan so desperate that they have to recruit outsiders now?"

Cinderheart stepped forwards. "Skypaw and Flamepaw have already proven their worth as warrior apprentices. Beisdes, if you would remember, Firestsar was an outsider and he ended up saving all the Clans more than once."

Crowfeather snorted, but didn't reply.

Lionblaze flicked his tail and turned back. "Come on, we're done here. Let's go back to camp."

He leaned down low and whispered in my ear. "There's a huge crow in the tree over there. Do you think you could jump high enough to catch it to show those WindClan scum that you and Skypaw are worthy to be apprentices?"

I glanced up at the tree and spotted the crow. Then I glanced back at the WindClan patrol, who was still glaring at us. I nodded.

"Skypaw, can you go and scare that crow up in the air, but towards me please?" I whispered.

Skypaw flicked her tail and dropped into the hunting crouch. She went around the base of the tree, and started running really fast towards the crow. She jumped, but fell short, and the crow took to the air, but was coming towards me.

I could hear the jeers of the WindClan warriors as Lionblaze gave me a slight nod, letting me know that I could jump now. I took a run up and then leapt high in the air.

I actually jumped slightly higher than the crow, and my front paws landed on it's back.

We both fell to the ground, and I quickly snapped it's neck.

I sneakily glanced at the WindClan warriors and felt a surge of satisfaction at the sight of them staring at Skypaw and I with their jaws on the ground.

"Good catch, Flamepaw!" Cinderheart exclaimed. I ducked my head.

"I only caught it because Skypaw chased it towards me." I mumbled through the crow.

Skypaw shook her head. "Nonsense it was a good cat-"

She broke off as a rabbit raced by her and she immediately took off after it. She really was fast. Whenever there was sprinting races at school, she would always win.

She overtook the rabbit in a few quick strides and pounced on it, then snapped it's neck.

She padded back to us proudly with the rabbit between her jaws.

Lionblaze shook his head. "You two have barely been with us for a day and already you're proving to be some of the Clan's best hunters. Now, that's enough hunting for today, we need to go back to camp."

With that he disappeared into the forest, with the rest of us following.

When we arrived back at camp, we placed our prey on the fresh-kill pile. Once again, we attracted stares from the other warrios at the size of our prey.

It was quite unnerving, having cats that you practically worshipped all your human life staring at you.

We quickly and quietly made our way to the den, where we collapsed from exhuastion.

"Well, that was a very exciting first day of being a warrior cat apprentice." Skypaw mewed tiredly.

I nodded in agreement, too tired to talk. We curled up in our nests then fell asleep.

*Flamepaw's Dream*

I was running thhrough a forest. It was black and the earth was wet and soggy. I couldn't see the stars, or the sky. I skidded to a stop. I knew where this place was. The Dark Forest, the Place of No Stars. I glanced around frantically, trying to find a way out. I didn't want to be stuck here.

Dark laughter ran through the forest.

"So, this is the special Flamepaw. You're not even a proper cat, just a no-good twoleg who's under a spell.

Cats started appearing all around me. Evil cats. The ones that have been banished from StarClan because of what they did in the Clans.

Their eyes glittered as the slowly crept closer towards me. Suddenly one of them let out a blood curling scream and leapt towards me. The other Dark Forest Warriors followed his lead.

They crashed into me eand started slashing with their claws anyplace they could find. I whimpered as claws raked through my pelt, over and over again...

*End of Dream*

"Flamepaw! Flamepaw, wake up!" Skypaw's urgent and frightened yowling pulled me out of my blood soaked dream.

I opened my eyes and the first thing I saw was Skypaw's concerned face hovering in front of me.

"Are you alright? You were shaking and crying out in your sleep." She mewed.

I uncurled myself and found that I was actually shaking. "Yea, I'm alright. It was just a really really bad dream."

Skypaw looked at me like she didn't believe that. I knew she wanted me to tell her what the dream was about, but I wasn't ready, not yet.

"I'm just going to go back to sleep." I muttered and settled down in my nest again. Just before I fell asleep, I saw a pair of bright amber eyes watching me from the shadows. The cat padded forwards then disappeared into the air.

My throat caught with fear. I would recognised that cat anywhere.

It was Tigerstar.

A/N I know that Tigerstar is actually dead for good in the books, but for the purpose of this book I need him and the other Dark Forest leaders alive and kicking in the Dark Forest. So yea, that was chapter 4. Maybe 3 votes for the next chapter?

Oh, and I'm going to New Plymouth! Yippee! See, I'm a competitive sailor and I'm competing in the Optimist North Island Championships next week. I so excited/nervous! I have no idea if the house that we're going to be staying in has internet, so I might not be able to update. But I will try!

Luv

Tess