Wolfpaw moaned and shuffled in her sleep, then woke abruptly on the animal skins in the apprentice den, and accidentaly kicked Scarletpaw, who mumbled something about small birds and went back to sleep. She had had odd dreams that night.

Wolfpaw had to admit, it had been hard falling asleep without her mother. For her entire life, she had been right there, guiding her, encouraging her, teaching her, and loving her. And now... she was gone.

"Oh, stop it!" Wolfpaw muttered as she walked out of the den.

"May I ask who you are talking to?"

Wolfpaw jumped backwards as she realized she had almost run into Lynxpaw. Lynxpaw was named well, his dappled dark brown an light brown fur the exact coloring of that of a lynx. His large, fuzzy ear tips completed the picture, and some were even convinced he was descended from a lynx.

"Oh- I was- Well I was just kind, well, talking to you know... well- um-"

Lynxpaw smiled with amusement. "Yourself?"

"No! Um. Well. Actually, Yes." Wolfpaw quietly cursed herself. She sounded like a complete idiot. She always did around toms.

Lynxpaw's smile grew wider. "Don't worry. Back when it was just me and Scarletpaw, I started talking to myself to. Have you gotten to see the forest yet?"

"No. After the annual gathering and feast, I was kinda tired, so we just, you know. Headed back. To camp."

Lynxpaw nodded. "Well believe me, your going to love it. Besides the pine trees over the camp, there is almost no vegetation, but when you get into the pine forest..." He sighed. "It really is beautiful."

Wolfpaw nodded vigerously now. She had longed for the day when she could finally see the world outside the camp... and that day had finally come!

"Wolfpaw! Ready to see the territory?" Silversun was trotting over to her, her silver and gold tail held high in the air.

Wolfpaw grinned. "I have been ready since i opened my eyes! Let's go! Bye Lynxpaw!"

Wolfpaw scampered towards Silversun, and the two slid out the ice tunnel and into the crisp morning air. Wolfpaw had seen glimpses of the forest the previous night when they were heading to Starclan's paw, but now, with freshly fallen snow and crisp green needles and all it's glory, the forest was even more beautiful then she had remembered.

The day was a blur. They saw The Fishing Pool, The Mountain Clan Border, The Fox Stop, Frozen Falls... eventually, Wolfpaw lost track of time and location. But eventually, the sun had turned blood red and was slowly setting below the mountains. 

Wolfpaw only realized where they were when Silversun nudged her and gestured to the Ice Tunnel. The apprentices all met up together to eat, and Wolfpaw's sisters began sharing their accounts of the day.

"... and the entire thing was frozen over! And guess what? Come on, Wolfpaw, guess?" Wingpaw said with excitment.

Wolfpaw swallowed a bite of lemming then frowned. "What are you talking about again?"

Wingpaw rolled her eyes. "Wolfpaw, that is the third time you have asked that! I was just telling you guys about the Frozen Falls!"

"Oh. Well, I have no guesses."

Wingpaw grinned. "Owlwings let me climb to the top!"

Jelousy. A wave of it. Owlwings was known for her excellent climbing and jumping skills, and all her apprentices so far had inherited them.

"Cool." Wolfpaw said flatly.

Wingpaw nodded eagerly. "And then, we went and met a Pineclan patrol! And the deputy was there, Sparrowwing! She was really nice, and she showed me where to get these really cool chewy sap ball thingies! Bet you can't beat that, Wolfpaw!" Wingpaw smiled in a challenging way.

Snowpaw looked at them with worry. "I am sure Wolfpaw did some pretty cool things to."

Feeling a wave of anger, Wolfpaw stood, and began quietly grooming herself. "Oh, I probably shouldn't tell you..." she said casualy, feeling guilt run through her at the same time.

It had the intended effect.

"Wait, what do you mean?" Wingpaw said with intrest. "What did you do?"

Wolfpaw shook her head with feigned reluctance. "I am sorry, but I don't want everyone knowing about it."

She even had Snowpaw's attention now. "Please tell us Wolfpaw! We promise we won't tell anyone at all!" Wing begged. "Right, Snowpaw?"

Snowpaw nodded.

"Well... alright. Today, me and Silversun were walking by The Passege by Mountainclan border, when we saw..." Wolpaw's voice had gotten very quiet, and she leaned forwards until she blocked the fading light that had been pooling around her sisters.

"A wolf."

Her sisters both gasped loudly, causing a few amused glances in their direction.

Wolfpaw was not totally lying-- they had gone by the Mountainclan border that day, by the passege through the mountains into lands unknown-- but she had only seen the wolf in her dreams.

"It was six cats tall, and black as soot, and it's eyes were slanted and liquid amber..." Her sisters were staring at her with wide open mouths now, their eyes stretching larger and larger as her tale continued,

"It had too many teeth to count, and they were all the size of my paw, and tinted with blood.  It was all hunched over, stalking through The Passege, but just for a moment... and then, it was gone!" Wolfpaw finished dramatically.

"Wow. I sure hope that wasn't a cat you were describing."

Wolfpaw jumped, and fell backwards into Lynxpaw. 

"Oh gosh, I am so sorry!" Wolfpaw yelped, as she tried to struggle up. Lynxpaw grinned.

"It's ok. It's my fault for startling you." He gently pushed her off, and shook himself lightly. "May I ask what you were talking about?"

Wolfpaw gave him an amused glance as she smoothed down her fur. "You know, you don't need permission to ask a question. And, well, don't tell anyone, but I saw a wolf at The Passege today."

Lynxpaw's eyes widened. "A wolf? Wow. Did... did it come into the territory?"

"Nope. Headed right back out the way it came. It won't be coming back, don't worry."

Lynxpaw still looked uncertain, and her sister's mouths were still hanging, but just then, Owlwings called "You guys should probably get to bed now, I know Lynxpaw had a Dawn Patrol tomorrow."

They nodded reluctantly, and began to head back into the apprentice den. As Wolfpaw closed her eyes, waves of guilt washed over her at her lie. And the worst part was that she had done it for attention.

But as she closed her eyes and listened to the sound of her sisters and den mates gentle breathing, she thought, what harm could such a little lie do?