#moon high

The moon washed the beach in silver light, glistening white sand churning under pawpads with every step. Hazepaw moved silently across the open stretch of land, hoping not to be spotted by the returning sundown patrol. He was on his way to meet Moonpaw. Eagerness put urgency in his pace. He was excited to see the beautiful she-cat after spending some time apart.

The more Hazepaw thought about catching her scent--of fresh green leaves and earthy plant mulch--the more nostalgic he felt. And it'd only been two nights since they last saw each other. Perhaps a small portion of it was from missing the Forest Patch, and all he'd come to enjoy about it. But Hazepaw knew deep down his emotions were linked purely to Moonpaw.

What had she been up to since they last met, he wondered. He couldn't wait to tell her about the move, and the day he had fishing with his friends. Moonpaw would be intrigued to hear what little Hazepaw had heard about Silverpelt and her relationship with the ocean, too. Excitement prickled every fur strand on Hazepaw's pelt as he caught the line of trees on the horizon. He sped up to a steady gate, until he padded right alongside of the edge of the forest. Leaves rustled in the steady breeze that had picked up come evening. They shivered and swayed, pointing in the direction Hazepaw was going. Perhaps it was a sign from Starclan itself that visiting tonight was a good idea. The thought only served to thrill Hazepaw more.

Soon a jagged, unorganized cluster of rocks came within sight, warning the fluffy white tom to rely on his senses and take things slow.

Hazepaw came to a halt three bear-lengths from the Rubble Path, parting his jaws to taste the air. He drew the smells of the woods over his scent glands, searching deeply for anything familiar in the air. At first there was nothing. But then the wind shifted, and Hazepaw recognized something. Moonpaw! His heart leaped as he waited in place, listening for the soft mew of his friend calling him over.

"...Are you out there?" He heard Moonpaw mew, her voice hushed and laced with what Hazepaw swore was sadness and hesitation. Hazepaw trilled, walking toward the silver and white she-cat's line of sight.

"Hey," he purred, smiling up at her. He paused near the base of the Rubble Path, front paws placed upon a stones. It was from this distance he noticed a look on Moonpaw's face; something negative melting into relief.

"Hazepaw..!" Moonpaw breathed, practically flying down the cluster of rocks to reach him. "I thought you wouldn't show up again!"

"Why wouldn't I? I don't plan on missing our meetings anytime soon."

"But you didn't show up to the Gathering," she pointed out. "I was worried you wouldn't come tonight either."

"Well I'm here," Hazepaw proclaimed with a purr. "I had something important to take care of at camp that night."

"But you couldn't have come yesterday instead to tell me?"

"I didn't think you'd come out last night. We usually meet every other."

"Right," she agreed, "but with you missing out on the Gathering, I thought you'd want to make up for it. I'd hoped...I really wish you would have." There was a quiver in her mew, a tone he hadn't heard since Moonpaw had lost her brother. Had something important happened?

"I'm sorry." He moved to sit with her, wrapping his fluffy tail around her body to pull her in. "You needed me, didn't you?"

Moonpaw gave a nod. "Something terrible happened...." her expression looked haunted. Hazepaw began to groom between her ears to encourage her to talk about it. "...One of my denmates was struck and killed by a monster during our assessment yesterday. I...I was almost attacked too."

Shock struck through his pelt, straight to his heart. Hazepaw pulled back. "You...what? Stars, Moonpaw! I had no idea...! I..." he trailed off, flashes of Moonpaw as the victim of a car attack filling his mind. Her long silver fur splayed on the black stone, splattered in blood. Her body torn apart and crushed by the strength of the monster. Her face contorted in agony and fear. The hypothetical after image was too much to handle.

Hazepaw immediately wrapped his forepaws around Moonpaw, pulling the molly closer to himself. He trembled, trying to rid himself of the sudden fear that'd overcome him. He'd almost lost her, and he was nowhere to be found when it happened! Guilt started to eat at Hazepaw's belly, but he tried push it away.

What could he have done, if something did happen? They lived clans apart, and now an entire territory-length. He might not have known Moonpaw was gone until the next Gathering. Then he would feel even worse, missing out on meeting her the past two days. Hazepaw would never forgive himself if that happened. He knew it was a part of life--the risk of living wild and free, and being a warrior--but the thought of his dear friend dying was just....

Hazepaw shook his head, dipping it to bury his face in Moonpaw's fur. It was at that moment Hazepaw realized he felt something stronger for Moonpaw than he'd ever felt for anyone else. But he still couldn't place what the feeling was. All he knew was that he cared for this she-cat deeply, and he didn't want any terrible harm to come to her.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here for you," he whispered, nuzzling her, "but I'm here now. And I'll keep being here from now on. I won't skip any of our meetings ever again, if I can help it."

"You mean it..?" Moonpaw asked.

Hazepaw nodded, finding a lump had formed in his throat.

Moonpaw sighed, "Thank you....I really missed you."

"I missed you too," Hazepaw mewed softly, pulling back to look at her. He studied her features for a few heartbeats, searching for any signs of distress or anguish. Yet none were reflected on her pretty silver face. Only relief. Hazepaw sighed, bringing himself closer to the pretty she-cat once more.

They sat quietly together like this for a while. The only sounds echoing around them were the swaying trees and their soft purrs. It was peaceful. For a few moments, the two of them could pretend everything was alright. But Hazepaw knew deep down it wasn't.

"...Your clan's been losing so many apprentices lately. How is anybody able to stand it?" He piped after some thought.

Moonpaw perked her ears. "I was talking to Badgerface about it this morning, actually. He said it's to be expected in any apprentice class. Treeclan is good at keeping its kits safe. But once they leave the safety of camp....their survival rate drops significantly. " she explained. Moonpaw looked away, as if she were ashamed to divulge such information. Hazepaw doubted it was a Treeclan secret, though. Blazestar would have to announce the deaths at Gatherings. Even if it was a secret, it must have been an open one.

"My clanmate, Fogpaw, has experienced it personally. Every cat in his apprentice class has died, except for him."

"I thought he had those two she-cats in his class who are still around?" Hazepaw recalled. He'd seen three similarly aged Treeclan apprentices at one of the recent Gatherings. He remembered Fogpaw, for his striking smoke gray coat and large stature. And the she-cats had been acting too obnoxious to ignore.

"You mean Meadowpaw and Emberpaw? They came to Treeclan a few moons ago. They were rogues. Without them, Fogpaw would be alone."

"So even his littermates...?" Hazepaw trailed off.

Moonpaw nodded. "One starved in Leafbare. The other caught greencough. That's what he said, at least."

"No wonder why Treeclan's always having so many kittens," Hazepaw muttered, moreso to himself.

"Badgerface said its Starclan's way of balancing things out." Moonpaw lowered her head, voice soft.

Hazepaw growled. "It's cruel."

Moonpaw gave a small shrug. "It's life...." That sounded more like something he would say, not sweet caring Moonpaw! The weight of her words really spoke of the effect her clanmate's death was having on her.

Hazepaw snarled, lashing his tail. Silverpelt really is selfish, then, he realized, recalling what he'd heard from the tale of The Moon and Ocean earlier in the day.

"If it's all the same to you," Moonpaw cut into his thoughts, "I'd rather not talk about this subject anymore..."

"Of course," Hazepaw agreed, nuzzling her. Silence fell over the apprentices once again, but it felt a little uncomfortable now. There had to be something to brighten their spirits back up.

Hazepaw thought for a while, grooming Moonpaw as he did. Moonpaw leaned into him, smelling so sweetly of tree sap and forest mulch. Her scent almost put him into a trance. She was so alluring, so wonderful. As his focus honed in on her sweet smell, a plan finally popped into his mind. Something to lift the mood off of the morbid topics they'd found themselves discussing, Hazepaw nudged Moonpaw to run an idea by her.

"Hey, how about you teach me something from Treeclan?" He suggested.

Moonpaw hummed. "Like what?"

"Liiiike....How to climb trees?" He proposed, hopeful. It was a bizarre request, he knew. But the ability could probably serve to be useful someday. Utilize the skills of your enemies when you can, he'd remembered Sea Breeze telling him before.

Moonpaw perked with surprise. "You mean you don't know how?"

Hazepaw snorted playfully. That wasn't a question he expected her to ask. He thought she'd question why he'd want to learn, or how it would even benefit him. "Do I look like I've ever set a claw into a tree before? I live by the ocean, remember?"

"But you were in the Forest Patch for a moon! I'm shocked that your clan didn't try using the trees to their advantage."

"Half of my clan is too lazy. The other half have too much pride to try."

"Do you not?" Moonpaw teased.

Hazepaw puffed out his chest. "I've got plenty of pride! But I also know climbing would be smart to learn. So, will you teach me?"

Humming again in contemplation, Moonpaw rose to her paws. "Alright," she agreed, beckoning the white apprentice to follow her with a swish of her tail.

The pair picked their way up the Rubble Path, and into the forest. They'd done it before, during their other meetings, but Moonpaw seemed more uneasy inviting him into the territory this time. Her pawsteps were more cautious the further they tredded past Treeclan's border.

"Um, before we begin, would you roll in this mint patch?" She requested after a pause, pointing to a cluster of plants close by with her tail.

Hazepaw drew back his top lip in distaste. "Why would I do that?"

"To disguise your scent," Moonpaw clarified. "Flamepath and Thrushmask taught my apprentice class about it today. I also think its a good idea, because Blazestar mentioned smelling Oceanclan across the border during the Gathering."

"Do you think anyone caught my scent?"

Moonpaw twitched her ears. "Probably. So, we have to be more careful now."

Hazepaw gulped, looking at the mint patch as if it were filled with searing thorns. At least he hoped it wasn't filled with thorns. He didn't know much about plants. But Hazepaw doubted Moonpaw would do anything to hurt him. She wasn't the type to pull a mean prank, either. That would be something Otterpaw might do. So, Hazepaw flopped himself between the mint leaves, rolling around to cover his entire body. The smell was incredibly strong, especially when laying in the plant itself. Hazepaw could only describe the scent as cold, and sharp. But it wasn't nasty, just very unpleasant.

When he figured he'd covered himself enough, Hazepaw rose to his paws and followed Moonpaw over a thick group of oak trees. He tilted his head back, trying to see how far up they went. The oaks had to be at least a ten bear-lengths high. How in Starclan can Treeclan stand to be that high up? He wondered, his nervousness growing. Regret began to tingle in his paws. He felt like retracting his climbling request and running back to the familiarity of the beach. But he didn't want to embarrass himself in front of Moonpaw. Besides, he knew Sea Breeze would chastise him for running away from a challenge if he did. So, he put on a brave face, awaiting Moonpaw's instructions.

Moonpaw looked thoughtful. As if she were trying to figure out the best words to say. She walked up to one of the smaller trees in the area with a prrp of excitement. "This should be an easy one for you," she told Hazepaw, lifting a paw and placing it onto the oak's trunk. "Do what I do, ok?"

Hazepaw moved to stand beside her, placing his paw on the tree like she had. He was a fast learner, surely following in Moonpaw's pawprints would allow him to pick up the necessary skills.

Hazepaw flexed his claws, fitting them into the ridges of the wood. He felt how good of a foothold they would provide and felt calmer knowing he wouldn't easily slip.

Moonpaw took a pace back after a heartbeat, crouching down. Her focus pointed towards their selected tree before she suddenly sprang onto it. All four paws gripped the bark in front of her. The Treeclan apprentice clung to it like a squirrel, lifting one paw then the next as she made her ascent into the branches above. A few scraps of wood chipped and sprinkled onto Hazepaw pelt as he observed her technique.

"You want to dig your claws into the grooves of the bark. But not too deep, or it'll be hard to move," Moonpaw instructed as she climbed.

Seems simple enough, Hazepaw figured, readying himself to follow her up.

Stepping back to gather his haunches, Hazepaw leaped at the tree from beneath Moonpaw, clinging to it with forepaws spread wide. He felt so awkward clinging to the trunk and felt a slight burning from how far out his limbs stretched.

By this point, Moonpaw had already made her way to a branch, observing him from above. She looked like a Starclan warrior with the moonlight sparkling on her fur. Hazepaw felt in awe, but the sensation quickly dissipated with her teasing laughter.

"You look like a kit!" she commented, cheeks lifted with her beautiful smile. "Only kittens cling to trees the way you are!"

Embarrassment began to burn beneath his pelt. "Shut up!" Hazepaw hissed. "I don't know what I'm doing!"

"I can tell," Moonpaw giggled, jumping down from the tree branch back into the undergrowth below. "Come down, let's try this together," she requested.

Hazepaw moved his legs awkwardly, trying to figure out how to get down from where he was. Should he climb the way he'd gotten up?

"Just let go and land on your paws. You're not too far up, you should be safe, " Moonpaw reassure him. Hazepaw sighed to quell his nerves, trusting the pretty silver she-cat. He released his grip, falling to the earth below. His legs burned slightly upon impact, but otherwise he was unscathed.

Moonpaw padded up to him and pressed her side against his.

"Great try," she praised, "this time follow my moves more closely. We'll climb at the same time."

Hazepaw nodded, following her a pace back from the small oak. Moonpaw dropped once again into a crouch, springing from her place onto the tree bark. Hazepaw noticed how closely inward she kept her limbs. It was the same position one would hold while stalking on the ground. Hazepaw copied her, landing on the tree a mouse-length beside her. He dug his claws into the tree's grooves trying not to go too deep. But from the way he'd landed he felt like he'd slip off. Moonpaw didn't seem worried, though.

"You've got it, now move one paw after another and pull up. Dominate side first." She took a pace or two upwards. Her left paws pulled her higher before the right followed along. Hazepaw mimicked her movements. "Keep your eyes on the bark just above you, so you know where your next foothold will be. Your focus should always remain on the tree, so you won't get dizzy or scared from the height."

Hazepaw took in her words, putting them to practice. He paid close attention to where the best place to put his paws was, hoisting himself higher and higher into the tree. Moonpaw was beside him the whole way.

Hazepaw's pawpads began to sting from the rough texture of the tree. But they were nearly to the top. As they closed in on a branch, Moonpaw extended a paw towards it, pulling herself onto it with a twist of her body and a good pull. Hazepaw copied with his own branch, his back paws slipping slightly as he pulled himself onto it. A slight shock of panic ran through him, before he finally managed to steady himself on the thick tree's limb. He chuckled slightly, if only as an outlet to release his anxiety. Moonpaw seemed to think he did it out of confidence.

"There you go!" She cheered. "Soon you'll be an expert at this!"

"Heh, you think so?" Hazepaw mused. Moonpaw shimmied across the tree's trunk to get onto the branch he sat upon. She pressed her shoulder into his affectionately, rubbing the side of her muzzle on his.

"Definitely," she purred. "You ready for the next step?"

"Next step?" Hazepaw echoed. They were already in the tree, what else was there to do?

Moonpaw carefully moved past him, balancing her way towards the end of the branch. She looked dainty doing it, her tail held in the air for balance. "The next step is learning how to cross!" She meowed, crouching. With a strong leap, she hurdled herself over to the branch of an adjacent tree. The limb shook with the force of her weight, yet Moonpaw appeared unaffected by the motion.

Hazepaw felt unsure after watching what she'd done. His own branch felt unsteady now with the tremble her leap had created. Hazepaw was afraid he might fall off from the movement. But after a heartbeat the branch stilled, easing the white tom a little.

Taking a deep breath, Hazepaw stalked his way across the branch, as far a he dared. He could hear the wood creaking under his heft.

"Make sure you don't go out too far. The branch may break if you do," Moonpaw warned, walking back to make way for Hazepaw to come forward.

Hazepaw heeded her cautious words, deciding where he stood would be a safe enough launching point. He awkwardly crouched on the tree's end, before pushing off and flinging himself towards Moonpaw. Her branch bounced with his landing, so hard that Hazepaw had to hold on with all four paws. Only when it stilled again did he dare to rise to meet his friend. Moonpaw trilled at him, walking backwards to create space for him once more. Hazepaw smiled at her, then looked over his shoulder at where he'd come from. There was a rabbit-length sized gap between the two branches, and for a heartbeat Hazepaw thought about what if he hadn't jumped far enough. Would he have fallen? He shook out his pelt, trying to rid himself of the image that came along with it. Moonpaw giggled at him, rubbing her muzzle on his again.

"You did great," she praised. "We'll practice this again another night. How about we get you down from here?" She suggested. She could probably smell his fear-scent. Hazepaw nodded, following her to the new tree's trunk. "Climb down backwards, the same way you had climbing up." The silver molly demonstrated. Hazepaw was sure he could do the same. Turning to face upward on the trunk was a little awkward, though. But he managed to get himself down without any issues. Relief flooded through him when he felt soft earth beneath his pawpads. He'd never been so happy to be in the mulch than he had at that moment.

"This was fun," he chuckled. Though he hadn't realized the experience would be so frightening. Hazepaw always prided himself on his bravery. But he supposed even the greatest warriors had things to fear. Perhaps heights were one of his.

"It was! I never thought you'd want to climb with me. I can't wait to do it again," Moonpaw purred, licking his cheek. Hazepaw didn't know if he wanted to try climbing again. But Moonpaw's excitement was infectious. For her, Hazepaw decided he could put himself through that again. Probably. He chuckled, nuzzling into her. Then he paused, a familiar smell catching in his scent glands. Moonpaw's pelt prickled, clearly she'd picked up on what he had as well.

"Quick," she whisper-hissed, crouching, "you need to hi-"

But it was too late. A Treeclan warrior made their presence known to them. She emerged from the undergrowth with tail wagging and ears lowered, her ginger pelt bristling.

"What do you think you two are doing?" The warrior challenged, marching over to them. Hazepaw recognized her as Moonpaw's clanmate, Flamepath.

"We...were just...-" Moonpaw tried to justify, but the ginger warrior interjected.

"I knew something strange was going on with you," Flamepath meowed. "Emberpaw said she'd noticed some nights you'd be missing from your nest. I thought it was odd, too. But I brushed her off, because you're always such a well behaved apprentice. Now I see I should have been more suspicious!"

"Flamepath, I..I'm sorry, I-" Moonpaw tried again to explain herself.

Then she was cut off by a mrrow of laughter from another cat. A mysterious warrior came out from the bushes closeby, walking to Flamepath's side. "Oh, Flamey, don't be so harsh. They're startled enough as it is."

"Well I can't help being a little mad! These clumsy furballs could end up getting us all in trouble!" The ginger molly explained, her attention solely fixated on the tabby beside her. Flamepath leaned into the fluffy tom, purring softly. The warrior in turn licked her cheek, affection glowing in his eyes.

Hazepaw's pelt bushed in surprise. He knew he recognized that scent! "Minnowjaw?!" Hazepaw almost yowled his clanmate's name. "You're meeting with Flamepath!?"

Minnowjaw snorted cockily. "That's right, and I ain't ashamed of it, either!" He boasted.

"Hang on--does Blazestar know about you two?" Moonpaw questioned, standing back up. Now it was her turn to be suspicious. Serves these fish-brains right, Hazepaw thought with a smirk.

Flamepath groomed down her chest fur. "Uh, well, not yet..." she admitted almost bashfully. "We've been talking about how to introduce each other to our leaders, though. But we didn't expect to get caught before our relationship became public."

"We didn't catch you, though." Moonpaw tilted her head.

"You smelled us, didn't you? It was only a matter of heartbeats before you noticed us hiding out. We figured what use was there in remaining unseen?" Minnowjaw answered.

"Why are you even out here at this time of night?" Flamepath turned her attention back onto the apprentices, clearly deflecting.

"Isn't it obvious?" Hazepaw deadpanned, his tone mocking. "We're hanging out." Hazepaw thought the molly's question was stupid. How could she not see they were all here for the same reason?

"But you shouldn't be, given you're still 'Paws. Apprentices can't take mates. Especially cross-clan mates. If anyone else were to find out you'd be mocked for it. And if Blazestar or Wavestar were to know..."

"Well it's a good thing it wasn't somebody else!" Hazepaw interjected. Moonpaw nudged him with her rear flank.

"You're right," Minnowjaw agreed. "But you should try to be careful from now on."

"We are," Moonpaw mewed, ducking her head. "We tried to disguise Hazepaw's scent before we started spending time together."

"That was smart of you," Flamepath praised.

"Ah, gull-dung, look at the time," Minnowjaw prompted his mate, pointing her attention upwards. The inky blackness of the sky was starting to bloom into violet light. Dawn was approaching.

"We should get going," Flamepath agreed, wrapping her tail around him. "We'll meet again soon. Moonpaw, say goodnight and come home with me now."

"Aww, do I have to?" Moonpaw whined a little. Flamepath fixed her with a glare. Moonpaw lowered her head, then turned to press herself against Hazepaw. "I'm sorry...Please come see me soon," she whispered into his ear.

Hazepaw licked her cheek and purred. He wished the night didn't have to end already. "I will, on our usual night. I promise," he whispered in return. He pulled back to look into her soft green eyes.

"May the branches hold your weight, both of you" Flamepath meowed, guiding Moonpaw away into the forest with a whisk of her tail.

The shrill squawking of seagulls in the sky disturbed the slumber of the newly settled Oceanclan. Hazepaw roused from his nest, groggy and a little annoyed by the noise. But when he stretched and felt sand brush the sides of his paws, a bubble of excitement grew in his chest. That's right, we're back on the beach! He remembered and celebrated internally as he sat up to tidy his pelt. Grains of sand met his tongue, salty and earthy all at once. It felt like forever since he had so much sediment in his fur. It was comforting in a way. A sensation Hazepaw never knew he'd miss. But he'd never admit that to anyone. Instead it would remain his private joy as he got up and ready for whatever the day would bring. The sunlight outside the apprentice's den was shaded over by the protection of the Twoleg Settlement Bridge. Only the smallest of sunbeams managed to sneak their way through the cracks of the wooden ceiling. Hazepaw settled into one of those spots for a heartbeat, allowing the warmth to soak on his face and wake him. Once he was sufficiently alert, the fluffy white tom made his way to the fresh-kill pile. A few small fish and rodents lay within it. It was rather pitiful looking, and meant cats would need to go out and hunt soon. For now, Hazepaw chose three mice and carried them to the elder's den. Though he hated dealing with the old fools, he knew he'd have to feed them before taking anything for himself. Dolphintail was the first to be alerted of his presence underneath the old boat, the scent of prey luring her over. Though she didn't seem at all pleased that it was Hazepaw delivering today's breakfast. Still, the eldest of Oceanclan's ranks accepted the food she was offered, and carried it to another part of the den to be consumed. Closeby, Whisperpaw was working on taking ticks off of Chloe. The elders had gathered many during their time in the Forest Patch. Now that they were home, the old cats could be properly cleansed of the nasty little parasites. It seemed Whisperpaw was just finishing up as Hazepaw dropped a mouse at the elderly kittypet's paws.

"You couldn'ta brought a gull instead?" Chloe griped with an indignant tail lash. Hazepaw growled at the old she-cat in frustration, glaring at her sharply. Whisperpaw shook her head, silently begging him not to start a fight. After a heartbeat and a huff, Hazepaw backed away, delivering his last mouse to Oystersplash.

"Thank you," the elder mewed gratefully as he tucked into his meal. Hazepaw dipped his head to the old warrior, pleased to know at least one cat was satisfied. Then he padded back to where Whisperpaw was working. He still needed to speak with her and apologize, like Otterpaw wanted. Now was as good a time as any to make up.

"...I'm surprised you can stand to be in the same den as me right now," he remarked after watching Whisperpaw clean up for a few quiet moments. "You've been so skittish whenever I'm around."

Whisperpaw jolted at the sound of his voice, the fur on her spine standing a little. She continued to tidy up as they carried on a conversation, as if she were trying to distract herself. "Well, I can't avoid you forever..." she responded, her voice as quiet as ever. She glanced over her shoulder then back to a mousebile and tick soiled mossball she'd rolled up. "Besides. Otterpaw told me about the talk you two had."

"She did?" Hazepaw ears perked. Perhaps Otterpaw had done some of the hard part and talked Whisperpaw into hearing him out. "I...don't suppose she told you how sorry I am on my behalf, though, did she?" Hazepaw lifted his chin hopefully. Whisperpaw turned, tilting her head at him, unamused. She knew well what Hazepaw was talking about. But she clearly wanted to hear the words come out of his own muzzle. Hazepaw gave a disgruntled sigh. "Right. Ok. Well listen, Whisperpaw. I'm sorry for the way I treated you. It was uncalled for, and I really didn't mean any harm. I just wanted to help you since you've been struggling with your warrior training. But I see now the way I went about it was harsh. I hope you can find it in yourself to forgive me."

For a few heartbeats, Whisperpaw sat silently, expression unreadable. "I've always liked you, Hazepaw," she started, tail-tip wiggling anxiously, "but it scared me that you'd turned your bullying onto me. It hurt worse than the lashes you gave, I think. It's hard to forgive you."

Hazepaw lowered his head, shame and a bit of frustration burning beneath his pelt. "I know. I really didn't mean any harm though, honest. You're my friend. Probably my first ever," he confessed. He glanced between the elders, daring them to chime in. Luckily none of them spoke, instead ignoring the apprentices so they could have their moment in peace. "I just want you to be a great warrior. Especially with the huge pawprints you have to fill." He shifted to face the gray tabby she-cat. Then he lowered his voice so only she could hear him. "You're better than your littermates, and I know you can be a great leader for Oceanclan someday. I thought I could help you get there, by giving you some tough training. But it wasn't my place, and I hurt you. I regret it. I just want my friend back..." All of Hazepaw's words were spoken from the heart. But there was a small seed of gain planted in his speech. Though he did want Whisperpaw back as his friend, he also needed to stay in her good graces. If he upset Whisperpaw too greatly, he'd blow his chance at ever being Oceanclan's deputy. Then all the hard work he was putting in with Sea Breeze would be for nothing.

Whisperpaw twitched her whiskers. "I understand. But it doesn't erase the mistrust I feel for you. However, I don't want to lose your friendship either... I care for you, Hazepaw. But I need some time."

"I get it..." Hazepaw deflated, the hope inside him for reconciliation nearly snuffed out. He sat in silence for a few heartbeats, letting Whisperpaw's words soak in. She still liked him, at least. Not all was lost. Hazepaw would just have to work to prove he meant the words he'd spoken. Determination blazed in his belly, making the fluffy white tom swish his tail. I'll gain her trust back soon enough, Hazepaw thought confidently. He gave Whisperpaw a small smile, receiving a quiet yet apprehensive purr in return from her as she went back to caring for the elders. Not wanting to overstay his welcome, Hazepaw finally excused himself from the boat and emerged into the clearing of camp. Sandybreeze was padding nearby, her head moving in search of something. When her gaze fell upon Hazepaw, she trotted over to him. A heartbeat later, Otterpaw joined them.

"Just the cat I was looking for! You're coming with me to lead a fishing patrol." Fishing patrol? Excitement sprung up inside of Hazepaw at the prospect of fishing for the first time in what felt like forever.

"I'm coming too!" Otterpaw boasted, her joy nearly bursting out of her. Perhaps she was hyped up for the same reason. Or maybe she was looking forward to spending time with her aunt. Whisperpaw suddenly emerged from the elder's den; ears pricked, probably because of the tone in Otterpaw's voice.

"Can I...come too? Luckysong taught me a little about fishing," she mewed, glancing at Hazepaw apprehensively. She looked as though she were giving the request a second thought, regret on her features. Otterpaw brushed her tail along her friend's flank to reassure her.

Sandybreeze gave her whiskers a twitch. "I don't see why not. More paws catch more fish, after all. Come along, you three. Let's meet with the rest of the patrol."

The Oceanclan deputy led them to a pole at the edge of the Twoleg Settlement Bridge, towards the awaiting warriors. Urchinpaw was the first cat Hazepaw spotted. More importantly Troutwhisker, Seaweedfang, and Ripplesnout were there, too. They were the best fishers in Oceanclan. Surely the patrol would be bringing home lots of prey today! Hazepaw smirked with excitement, kneading his paws into the sand beneath them in anticipation.

"Looks like all of 'em," Ripplesnout, noted. Sandybreeze nodded in agreement then flicked her ear, prompting the patrol to head across the beach. A strong breeze ruffled their pelts as they walked, the chill making Hazepaw shiver. Though every day Greenleaf drew closer, Newleaf kept its grip on the world with stone strengthened claws. Hazepaw wished to feel warmth soak his fur at last, in the way cats described the hottest season doing. Then it would make swimming and fishing in the ocean more fun. Though the sand felt nice and hot, with the sun beating down upon the shore. If they'd had a moment, Hazepaw would have rolled around on it to heat him up. He knew once he got in the water the world would feel cold again. Maybe he could do it later, to prepare himself for swimming. For now, though, Hazepaw kept pace with his clanmates, straining his ears to catch the sound of the nearing ocean. As they padded along, Urchinpaw, Otterpaw, and Whisperpaw chatted idly beside him.

"Do you think we'll see any Twolegs while we're out here..?" Whisperpaw wondered, voice quivering a little.

"Doubt it." Urchinpaw shook out his pelt. "It's still too cold for them. Without any fur, the ocean is too much for them to handle in Newleaf."

"But look." Otterpaw gestured to some prints in the sand, leading up to then away from the shoreline. They were close in shape to Twoleg's lower paws. Yet there were none of the creatures in sight. "Appears two were here."

"Well they're long gone now," Minnowjaw assured in with his muzzle in the air. "They musta realized they weren't cut out for the beach beyond the Twoleg Madness season."

"And thank the Moon for that! We don't want those bumbling beasts around when we hunt. They'll scare off all the fish with their splashing," added Troutwhisker. The other cats nodded in agreement, pressing forward on their journey. Hazepaw smelled it before he saw it. The crisp, salty, tangy scent of the ocean was a glorious and unmistakable aroma. It made his mouth water. Energy surged through the fluffy white tom's limbs as he restrained himself from rushing to the seafoam. But Otterpaw beat him to the lunge, bursting away from the patrol to chase the strangely docile waves nearby.

"Race you to the water!" She called over her shoulder to her denmates. A darkness loomed within this part of ocean--something eerie that Hazepaw had never experienced before. In a flash, Sandybreeze rushed after her niece, rounding her to block the way just before Otterpaw managed to touch the water. She ushered the brown she-cat back to the approaching patrol, receiving an earful upon return.

"Are you fish-brained?" Snapped Minnowjaw.

"What made you think you could just run over and dive into the ocean like that? Have you no sense!?" Ripplesnout spat. Otterpaw lowered her ears in shame.

"Pipe down! These 'Paws still have a lot to learn about ocean safety," Sandybreeze growled at the warriors. Then her attention returned to Otterpaw. "From now on, be wary of calm, dark water. And never try to swim in it," she warned her niece more placidly. She didn't seem as angered by Otterpaw's actions as the other warriors.

"But why?" Asked Otterpaw, voice a bit wobbly. Whisperpaw moved to flank her.

"The ocean will pull you in and drown you, if you do. It's because of its jealousy, you see. The ocean is in love with the Moon. But they separated long ago. And so, sometimes the ocean takes out its resentment on us." Hazepaw recalled fables about Silverpelt, sometimes referred to simply as Moon. She was a mother-like figure to cats in most. While in some, she was a stubborn, vain character who only focused on herself. But she was an important figure in the Land's Star's history. Especially for Oceanclan. She was the reason cats existed in the first place.

"But why would it do that?" Urchinpaw lashed his tail with curiosity. "And why do we swim in the ocean if it just wants to kill us?"

"Because the ocean is part of our history. Just as it is part of Silverpelt's. And though it can be a great threat; the ocean is also our greatest ally. Swimming in it builds muscle, making us stronger than the other clans. It also provides us an endless supply of food, so that we never go hungry," Sandybreeze explained. "The ocean loves us as much as the Moon does. It just allows its resentment to cloud its judgment at times. That's why the water is dark, when the ocean aims to suck a cat under."

Hazepaw let out a thoughtful hum. This sounded like something Moonpaw would be interested in. Perhaps he could find out more about the ocean and Moon, so he could have a story to bring back to her? "Why is the ocean jealous of us?" Hazepaw questioned.

Sandybreeze let out a small purr. "Its more jealous of the partnership between the Sun and Moon than us. But because cats are a byproduct of that alliance, the ocean tends to hold resentment towards us as well."

"Can you tell me more? About the ocean and Moon?" Hazepaw's voice was hopeful. Tonight he planned to bring the story back Moonpaw, if he could.

"That's an elder's job. If you want to hear tales of ancient spirits, ask some of them later." Hazepaw was disappointed by Sandybreeze's response. He thought by the way she was explaining things, that she would be more interested in sharing her knowledge of ancient drama. But Sandybreeze was nothing if not a serious cat. Though she believed the stories told to her in youth, she wasn't the sort to waste time discussing useless information. She'd rather teach Hazepaw the truly important lessons of life. And though Hazepaw was grateful for his mentor's teachings, he did wish she could be a little more relaxed on some occasions. Still, there was no use getting his pelt ruffled now, over her not indulging him with some tale of whimsy. The patrol moved on from the shadowy area of the ocean, to a part of the beach where the waves acted more typically. Here the water was bright and blue. If they drew close enough, they may even be able to see to the bottom through the froth.

"You 'Paws go and fish over that way. The three of us will be fishing in the less rocky parts of the shore," Troutwhisker instructed expertly, gesturing with her smokey tail.

"How come we can't go swimming with you?" Hazepaw complained.

"Because you aren't strong enough yet to withstand the waves. You'll practice when Greenleaf comes. For now, work of perfecting your form," Sandybreeze responded, nodding her head to her companions to lead them away. Hazepaw growled, lashing his tail in frustration. He was sure he was strong enough to fish with the warriors! As he moved to follow after them, pain suddenly rippled through his muscles. Hazepaw cursed under his breath. Between cleaning up the temporary camp, the journey back home, and training with Sea Breeze in dreams last night, Hazepaw's body had grown a bit achey and sore. The walk to the beach hadn't helped his muscles much either. If he hadn't been pushing himself so hard, he'd be strong enough now to prove his mentor wrong. Instead, he conceded to his own limits and followed Otterpaw, Whisperpaw, and Urchinpaw over to the rocks. The waves crashed rhythmically against them, spraying the boulders with the momentum. The water was at the perfect level, deep enough to be inviting to fish, but low enough that it would not consume the rocks with each rolling wave. Hazepaw was the first to climb onto one of the slippery stones, beckoning his companions with a swish of his tail. Otterpaw jumped to join Hazepaw on his rock. While Urchinpaw settled on one of his own closeby. Whisperpaw perched on a stone between them. In the ocean surrounding the rocks, little fish swam with the current; weaving in and out of crevices, in-between seaweed and other little plants. They had no idea that they were being hunted. The conditions were perfect for a successful catch. Otterpaw was the first to give it a try, her paw raised and poised for an attack. Hazepaw observed her with delayed breath as the brown molly's lightning fast reflexes led to her successful strike. A pretty silver fish flopped on the stone between them, it's mouth gaped and shut as it tried to take breath from the air. Hazepaw grabbed it by its gills and bit hard, tasting it's delicious juices gush over his tongue. He had to resist the urge to bite down harder, realizing now he hadn't eaten before they went out today. As he sat up with a lick of his lips, the fluffy white tom wished he could take this fish as his own. But on a hunting patrol, warriors were not permitted to eat. So he slid the now deceased creature aside, taking his turn to make a catch. Hazepaw watched the water carefully, narrowing his eyes to focus on the scaly critters below. As another paddled closer to the rock, Hazepaw struck out, hooking the fish and pulling it to the surface. This time Otterpaw made the killing blow, thanking Starclan quietly for the prey before casting a paw out again. The two apprentices took turns like this for a while, successfully snagging quite a few fish between them by the time Hazepaw turned to check on Urchinpaw. The wiry black tom appeared to be struggling. Though his pelt was moist and his fishing paw soggy, not a single fish was set beside him on his rock. His face was twisted in frustration as he glared down at the water, before he once again tried to scoop something. This time he managed to pull up a fish, but he fumbled as the creature flopped for it's life. It managed to flip out of Urchinpaw's paws in the air, hurtling back down to the water. Urchinpaw scrambled to grab it, before it inevitably escaped back into the deep blue depts. With a splash, Hazepaw watched as the fish disappeared beneath the current. Urchinpaw cursed to himself and thrashed his tail, muttering something about giving up already. Whisperpaw giggled at his attempt. Hazepaw and Otterpaw exchanged a look. Then he stood, leaping onto the stone beside Urchinpaw.

"Let me show you how it's done," Hazepaw offered, shaping his paw like a hook with claws extended. He flicked an ear, urging Urchinpaw to copy. Urchinpaw did as instructed, mimicking his friend's moves. "I saw you leaning while you hunted. The fish will get spooked by your shadow if you do that. Even if they just see your fur, it'll startle them," Hazepaw explained.

"I saw you do it, though," Urchinpaw growled.

"That's 'cause fish are too stupid to differentiate objects from their colors. They see white and think clouds. Black, however? Means predator." Urchinpaw let out a chirp of understanding and nodded.

"Kinkfoot taught me darker colored cats have to be more strategic. Instead of striking the closest fish to your rock, you have to judge which fish will swim into your range," Otterpaw chimed in. She motioned for Hazepaw to switch places with her, then jumped to Urchinpaw's side. "Watch me." Otterpaw demonstrated what she had spoken of, stalking a rather large blue-ish colored fish as it swam into her reach. Carefully Otterpaw eyed the creature until she determined it was close enough to scoop. With an expert paw, Otterpaw pulled the fish out of the sea, leaving it beside Urchinpaw to kill. The wiry black tom gladly nipped it, then sat upright to try the technique for himself. It took two more tries before he was successful. But after finally getting a fish of his own, Urchinpaw seemed to find his groove. The four apprentices together managed to catch a sizable pile of ocean prey. Otterpaw had caught the biggest; the blue-ish one from her demonstration. Though Whisperpaw had surprised them all with the bonefish she'd snagged. Their fishing patrol would surely be pleased to see how successful they'd all been. Though their next challenge was figuring out how to carry all their fish to the warriors.

"I saw some Twoleg netting float past not long ago," Urchinpaw mentioned, running off to track it down. Hazepaw, Whisperpaw, and Otterpaw followed.

"Oh sweet," Hazepaw mewed.

"Well done!" Otterpaw commended once the oddly weaved vines had been found. The net was partially washed on the sand, making it easier for them to grab. Hazepaw stepped into the water to untangle the rest from the rocks, dipping his muzzle under the ocean's surface. As he did so, he felt a searing pain on his nose and shot up with a screech. A crab had clamped down on him with it's claw. Otterpaw and Urchinpaw laughed as he struggled for freedom, while Whisperpaw watched on with concern. Though the cackles of the others were infectious enough to have her stifling some giggles of her own. Hazepaw pawed at the brownish-red crustacean, trying to force it to release it's grip. Instead the crab pinched harder. Hazepaw laid down and shook his head, trying to pull it off himself with both paws. As he yanked, a rock fell suddenly on the creature; once, then twice, cracking open it's shell and killing it. Hazepaw looked up. Whisperpaw was holding the rock between her paws, glaring down at the crab to ensure it was dead. Hazepaw sat up.

"Uh, thanks," he mumbled.

"Don't mention it," was all that the gray tabby said in response, turning away to drag the net and crab back to their prey with Urchinpaw. Otterpaw came over to Hazepaw to lick the pain away from his nose. She purred, too, as if trying to soothe him. Heat instantly rose in Hazepaw's pelt from the gesture. It was sweet; almost too sweet for someone like Otterpaw. Moonpaw was more likely to show him such a kindness, especially after they'd spend some time apart. Maybe that was how Otterpaw felt too. Since she hadn't been speaking with Hazepaw for nearly a half moon, perhaps she felt a need to make up for it; by showing she still cared. Or maybe she was making up for the curtness of Whisperpaw. Still, Hazepaw wasn't going to question her actions, even if they did confuse him a little. This is... nice, Hazepaw thought. Then after a few moments he jerked away, too flustered to handle anymore.

"Feel better?" Otterpaw tilted her head. Her eyes sparkled in the sunlight, and Hazepaw thought he felt his heart skip a beat.

"Ye..yeah," he murmured. Then he turned with a rush, motioning for Otterpaw to follow back to the rocks. The warriors were waiting for them upon their return. They were already singing the praises of Whisperpaw as she showed off the crab she'd killed, and the net Urchinpaw found. Sandybreeze approached Hazepaw, commending him on his efforts.

"I can smell which of the fish you caught. You've learned well, it seems," she praised. "And that also goes for you three," she added then whisked her tail. "Though, Urchinpaw, I will have to speak with Silverdrop about giving you another lesson or two." Urchinpaw lowered his head respectfully, grumbling in frustration under his breath. Hazepaw nudged him with a shoulder to warn him to be quiet. Otterpaw moved to touch noses with her aunt then sat beside Whisperpaw who was putting fish into the net.

"We best be heading home, before the sun starts to make the fish rot," Troutwhisker grunted. Seaweedfang nodded in agreement, helping load prey into the net.

Dew dripped from the trees, sunshine reflecting beautifully within them. After a light drizzle in the early morning, the rest of the day promised warmth and light. Moonpaw shook out her pelt to clear it of moisture as she stood alongside several other apprentices.

Sunpaw and his littermates were to one side of Moonpaw. Beside them were Smokepaw, Magpiepaw, Tigerpaw and her siblings. On Moonpaw's opposite side were Blackpaw and Beepaw. They were all standing along the edge of Tree Dome, their mentors on the opposite side. Between the divided groups was Thornberry, pacing around the sandy clearing to give instructions.

"'Paws," he started, "the first things you will be tested on today are your fighting skills. Each of you will be put up against another of your peers, and judged by your mentors as you spar. Winning isn't necessary to pass this part of your assessment. Rather, a good show of what you have learned will determine if you are prepared to move onto the next level of training." The deputy's gaze swept over each young cat as he spoke, an air of authority radiating from his coat. "Moonpaw, you're up first. Beepaw will be your opponent." Thornberry flicked his ear, prompting the named apprentices forward. Moonpaw's heart began to pound in her chest as she stepped forward to meet with Beepaw. Excitement and apprehension began to swirl in the apprentice's belly, causing it to ache and already begin to distract her. I hope I will do well, she thought as she lifted her chin to size up her opponent. Beepaw gave her a surprised look, as if she'd never expected her to act that way.

It wasn't common for cats in Treeclan to size up others in battle, Moonpaw had almost forgotten. But she'd gotten used to the concept because of Hazepaw. It was something he'd told her that Oceanclan warriors did. He said it made a cat appear stronger and more intimidating to a foe, which could throw them off. Especially if the cat doing it wasn't as large or capable as their opponent might be. Moonpaw thought it could be interesting to try for herself, especially since she still wasn't confident in her fighting skills. But it seemed that was the wrong move to make.

Flinching, Moonpaw gave her head a quick dip in apology before moving into a more traditional fighting stance. Beepaw did the same, charging at the other apprentice when Thornberry gave the signal to start. The silver and black tabby was fast, too fast to evade. Moonpaw decided to take the she-cat head on as she came within striking distance.

Moonpaw threw a front paw blow, slapping Beepaw across the jaw. Beepaw recoiled at the hit then threw one of her own, knocking the other apprentice over with her strength. Moonpaw yelped in surprise as the older molly came upon her, trying to force her onto her back. But Moonpaw resisted, kicking out her back legs to trip up Beepaw. With a stumble, the tabby apprentice moved away just enough for Moonpaw to rise. Moonpaw's confidence was growing as the battle waged on, though she could feel the mentors' judgment upon her. With all the strength she could muster, the silver and white molly retaliated and pressed her own weight against the older apprentice. She wrapped her forepaws around her neck and grabbed for Beepaw's scruff; anything to incapacitate her and force her into surrender. Beepaw struggled beneath her denmate and soon fell to the floor, particles of sand and dust clouding around them. Moonpaw continued to push the silver tabby she-cat down, pretending to give her an injuring bite to the back of her neck. Beepaw let out a hiss, and finally went limp beneath her opponent. Moonpaw held her there for a few heartbeats more, until Thornberry called an end to the spar.

"Excellent work, both of you," he praised, prompting Moonpaw to yield her grip and step back. Beepaw rose to her paws with a full body shake. She gave Moonpaw a friendly smile, clearly impressed by the other molly's skills. Moonpaw felt warmth pool in her chest. She was glad to have beaten the older she-cat. More importantly, though, she was glad Beepaw was such a good sport about it.

After dipping their heads respectfully to one another, the two she-cats rejoined their peers at the edge of the tree-crowded hollow. Another pair of apprentices stepped forward; this time Foxpaw and Tinypaw. They both had an air of confidence about them, though Foxpaw seemed more assured of victory than Tinypaw did. Still, the undersized apprentice had determination blazing in her amber eyes, promising a good fight.

Upon Thornberry's signal, the apprentices met with a wave of paws. Tinypaw was the first to strike, at first crouching to the floor before springing up at Foxpaw from beneath his chin. Foxpaw retaliated by throwing blows at Tinypaw's head and shoulders; strikes that would be painful, if the two were to fight with unsheathed claws. Tinypaw however seemed undeterred by the ginger tom's efforts of attack, using her forepaws to wrap around his neck. She tried with all her might to flip the tom over, but to no avail. Instead, Foxpaw flipped her, after grabbing her by the scruff.

Tinypaw was forced to lay belly up. But she smirked, as if this had been part of her plan all along. When Foxpaw moved to feign scratches to her delicate area, Tinypaw countered by swinging all four paws at him. Her hindpaws struck Foxpaw along his throat, while the front pretended to scratch his eyes and nose. Foxpaw backed away with a fake squeak of pain, shaking out his pelt before glaring at his opponent. Tinypaw managed to scramble back onto her feet, arching her back to look more menacing. After a couple heartbeats of posturing, the apprentices met again. Foxpaw made a move to strike, which Tinypaw easily evaded. She ran around the tom's side, aiming to get behind him. Foxpaw whipped around to stop her, swiping again. Tinypaw barely dodged the second blow, rounding the ginger tom again. This happened several more times, until it seemed that Foxpaw was growing tired. She's trying to use her size and speed to her advantage, Moonpaw realized.

Foxpaw was panting at this point, his eyes intensely trained on his opponent. When Tinypaw made her move to go around him once more, Foxpaw had a hard time keeping up. Tinypaw finally succeeded with her plan of jumping on his back from behind. She grabbed his scruffed, trying to force the other apprentice to the floor. She was doing so good! Moonpaw griped internally. Tinypaw knows she doesn't have the weight necessary to push him down.

Then, Foxpaw bucked his hindquarters, throwing Tinypaw off himself unceremoniously. With a shriek, Tinypaw came falling towards the forest floor. But it was calculated, as she kicked out her hindlegs and spun once she landed in front of Foxpaw. Foxpaw's feet were stolen out from under him, forcing the tom to crash to the ground. Again, Tinypaw grabbed his scruff, shoving a paw onto his face. Then, Thornberry called the match.

"Great work. Your choice of moves were unique to say the least. But nonetheless you both did well," the deputy complimented, sending the apprentices back to their ranks.

The rest of the battles went similarly. Flamepaw and Blackpaw were called forward next. They were almost evenly matched, and the spar went on longer than any cat expected. Both apprentices' techniques were aggressive, and Flamepaw accidentally bit his opponent's ear in the heat of their brawl. Though he drew blood, the injury was luckily minor. Still, that didn't stop Thornberry and Thrushmask from scolding the tom for his error. Thornberry decided to call the match after that and sent the toms to stand with their peers again.

Then it was Sunpaw and Magpiepaw's turn. Though he had an extra moon of training over her, Sunpaw was no match for Moonpaw's sister. She won pretty quickly, as Sunpaw had stumbled his way through the fight. He looked a little embarrassed once they were sent back to the sidelines. Moonpaw purred at him, giving her friend a warm smile.

Adderpaw fought against Tigerpaw. The two seemed to have the most fun during their mock battle, throwing witty banter between them as they threw paws and jumped at one another. In the end, Tigerpaw ended up being the winner, which she happily and loudly gloated about before being silenced and sent to sit beside Moonpaw. Moonpaw shouldered her best friend playfully as Tigerpaw giggled at her with glee.

Lastly, Deerpaw was called forward. He was a Code Keeper apprentice, and not meant to know how to fight. But he was expected to be able to defend himself. So, Thornberry called Smokepaw up to face him. The fight was pretty one sided the whole time. Though he wanted to show off his skills, Smokepaw was delicate with Deerpaw. He kept him on the defensive, but left openings for Deerpaw to strike if he wanted. The brown tabby's timid nature got the better of himself though, which gave Smokepaw a clear advantage. He managed to win, but not without feeling some guilt for it. Moonpaw tilted her head for him sympathetically, and Smokepaw gave her a small, regret filled smile in return.

"That brings the end of the battle portion of your assessment," Thornberry decided. "Your next task is to hunt. Bring home as much prey as you can. All will be judged on their technique, form, and speed, rather than amount caught. But- yes, Tigerpaw- you may be given extra points depending on the type of prey you catch. You have until sundown to complete this assignment." Once again Thornberry looked at each apprentice in turn. Blinking slowly, he added; "May the branches hold your weight."

Then, with a flick of his stubby tail, Treeclan's deputy dismissed the group. Adderpaw was the first to take off into the woods, Magpiepaw not far behind. One by one, each apprentice picked their own direction to stalk in. Moonpaw decided to turn around and head west. She'd hunt as far away from the Tree Dome and Treeclan's camp as possible, to ensure she'd find plentiful amounts of prey.

At this time of day, the forest was alive with activity. Birds chittered as they flew from branch to branch, singing their mating songs. The trees slowly blossomed as the warmth of the Newleaf sun shined upon them. Steam rose from the grass underpaw as dew evaporated with the growing heat. Mushrooms overtook fallen logs. Spiderwebs spread like gray film over ferns, and insects buzzed around fresh plant growths. Most importantly the sounds of tiny creatures skittering through the undergrowth made their presence known. Moonpaw opened her mouth to taste the air and see what was available. There was a quail digging about, around two fox-lengths away. A shrew crawled out from it's burrow a tail-length and a half in the opposite direction. But the scent of cat overwhelmed the delectable smell of prey closeby. One of Treeclan's other apprentices was hunting here. I'll have a hard time catching anything with competition around, Moonpaw decided, continuing westward until she could no longer scent any clanmates around.

Allowing the sounds and vibrations of the forest to guide her, the silver and white apprentice closed her eyes; getting a good feeling of the area surrounding her. A twig suddenly snapped nearby, grabbing Moonpaw's attention. An inexperienced young rabbit was making its way through the bushes. Its tiny twitchy nose snuffled through some fallen flower petals, detecting fresh sprigs of grass hidden beneath. It munched on its meal, unbothered, and most importantly unaware of the predator that lurked close by. Moonpaw quickly dropped into a crouch, prowling through the undergrowth with as little noise as possible. Her pelt briefly brushed along some shrubs, drawing the rabbit's attention. It sat upright, staring straight at Moonpaw. But the silver and white molly was too well hidden for its weak eyes to detect. So after another tense heartbeat, the rabbit relaxed and returned to its grazing. Moonpaw let out a silent sigh, then pressed on to close the gap between herself and her prey. When she was only a tail-length away, Moonpaw shot out of the undergrowth and lauched right onto the rabbit. She felt the lilthe creature gasp beneath her as her teeth fastened to the back of its neck. Before it could cry out or feel any suffering, Moonpaw snapped its spinal cord, ending its life. The rabbit went limp in her jaws, and Moonpaw silently thanked Starclan for its life.

After hiding it beneath a thick clump of sticks and mulch, Moonpaw went on to catch a mouse and a pigeon to add to her fresh-kill pile. But the sounds of prey died away in her area after the fact, prompting her to press forward in her search for food. As she stalked along, Moonpaw swore she saw a pair of intense amber eyes observing her through the trees.

Further ahead, a sharp acidic tang passed through Moonpaw's scent glands, nearly causing her to gag. She recognized the smell from one of her first tours of Treeclan's territory. It was the Thunder Path. She must not be to far from it, she figured. Prey would become more scarce the closer she drew. So Moonpaw decided to turn around and hunt elsewhere. But before she left, she spotted Flamepaw nearby, tracking a very fat squirrel. His form was flawless, and he moved as silent as a owl as he stalked. He'll catch the squirrel for sure! Moonpaw bet, tucking herself behind a mulberry bush to watch him make the catch. As Flamepaw readied himself to pounce, a hefty gust of wind kicked up, blowing downwind of him. The fuzzy creature sat up as it caught the scent of cat on the breeze. Its pupils grew wide and it scampered off without a moment of hesitation. Tough luck! Moonpaw pouted.

Flamepaw stood upright as his prey got away, chattering his teeth. His tail lashed with frustration, too. Moonpaw was just about to turn around to allow him to go back to hunting, when she heard a cat hiss out; "What are you doing!?"

Moonpaw jolted, crouching further behind her bush. The cat meowed again, only this time Moonpaw was sure they were addressing Flamepaw. She couldn't see who it was though, nor could she recognize their voice from this distance. The wind was blowing opposite of Moonpaw's direction, so she couldn't scent them either.

"Do you want to fail your assessment?" The cat threatened. Flamepaw shook his head. "Then go after it!"

"But-" Flamepaw whipped his head from the cat, towards his prey's direction, and back.

"Go now!" The cat yowled, scaring the squirrel into running faster. Flamepaw groaned and sprinted away from the unidentified feline, hurrying after the squirrel as fast as his legs could carry him. Moonpaw decided to follow from a safe distance, interested in seeing if Flamepaw could catch his prey before it was too far from reach.

The scent of the Thunder Path grew stronger as Moonpaw made her way along, until the black stone river came into view at the bottom of the hill. The squirrel was headed right for it. And so was Flamepaw. Worry began to creep its way into Moonpaw's belly. But she pushed it back, assuring herself that Flamepaw wouldn't be stupid enough to try and pursue the creature once it touched the monster path. But to her dismay, Flamepaw didn't seem to be slowing down. Moonpaw's heart clenched. She pushed her paws to move faster, pelting her way towards her denmate to stop him before it was too late.

The squirrel soon made it to the edge of the Thunder Path, and paused to look over its shoulder. Spotting Flamepaw, the lengthy rodent took the risk and scampered across. Moonpaw was certain this was where Flamepaw was stop. But he didn't. Her heart began to pound faster as she watched the ginger tom race after the squirrel, his claws nearly scraping its tail. A rumbling sound was rounding the nearby corner; a warning of danger approaching.

"Flamepaw!" Moonpaw yowled as she drew close to the Thunder Path's edge. But her cry was left unheard.

As her pawpads made contact with the unnaturally warm stone, Flamepaw had managed to snatch up the squirrel. Moonpaw wanted so desperately to celebrate her clanmate's triumph at that moment; but she couldn't. A monster had come roaring along the path, speeding past Moonpaw like a spark of lightning. It'd missed her by a whisker-length, striking Flamepaw instead. Red and gray flashed across Moonpaw's vision; her fur swept aside with the rush of wind and smoke the monster left behind in its wake. Moonpaw shut her eyes and coughed, just as the blood curdling cry of her clanmate ran out. Then, just as quickly, everything fell into silence.

Shaking, Moonpaw spared herself of the sight she knew she was about to see for a moment more. She took a few pawsteps back. Then, bravely, she peeked open her eyes.

Flamepaw had been thrown across to the other bank of the Thunder Path, his blood steaked vibrantly across it.

Moonpaw gasped. She backed up to the safety of the forest's edge in her panic. Then, she hurried to check on her clanmate before she had time to stop herself. He could still be alive, some optimistic part of her mind yowled.

Moonpaw climbed up a tree near the Thunder Path. She balanced her way to the edge of one branch, then bravely leaped across to another. The second branch bounced as it took on her weight, steadying after a few heartbeats. Moonpaw sucked in a breath as she crawled across it over towards the other side of the path.

"Flamepaw! Flamepaw, can you hear me?" She cried out again, trying to gauge the tom's level of consciousness. But her call was never answered. Moonpaw climbed down from the second tree to inspect her clanmate. But as soon as she touched down onto the grass, she wished she hadn't. From the other side, all Moonpaw had been able to see was a large river of blood, and Flamepaw's back. But from this angle she got to see all of Flamepaw.

She first caught his expression. His eyes were as wide as a full moon, and jaws gaped at an awkward angle. The squirrel lay only a nose's length from his open mouth.

Flamepaw's entrails were the next thing to catch Moonpaw's attention. They were completely exposed, leaking partially on the grass, but mostly on the stone. His abdomen was caved in from the weight of the monster running over him. His smell had almost instantly become pungent as it mixed with the odor of the Thunder Path itself.

Finally, Moonpaw noticed the blood and body matter. It was everywhere; splattered all over the ground, seeping into the grass, and now it was all over her paws. She'd been too flabbergasted by what happened to realize she'd been stepping in it. But once she did, Moonpaw jumped back, shaking her paws as if she'd just gotten it out of the creek. A brief moment of panic washed over her, before another bout of determination took its place. She had to get help. There was no time to stand around and cry.

With body quaking, Moonpaw turned and went back the way she came, clambering up one tree, crossing into another, and coming down on the other side. When she got there she spotted Darkfire standing nearby, staring at Flamepaw. Her eyes were wide, but nothing else gave away the emotions she might be feeling at that moment. Then, the tortoiseshell warrior looked to Moonpaw.

"Call out for help," she commanded before turning away. Moonpaw hoped she was going to get Mothsong, or Blazestar. But she didn't have any time to make sure. Instead she ran through the forest, yowling out to grab the attention of any other clanmates she could.

Leafheart was the first to emerge from the woods, worry etching her every feature. Moonpaw had hoped her mentor would not be the cat to answer her cries. Then Thornberry came along, followed by Blackpaw and Smokepaw. Each cat looked to Moonpaw for answers. The only thing she could do at that moment was look at Leafheart and mewl;

"Fl..Flamepaw...."

That's all Leafheart needed to hear. Between the haunted look of her apprentice, the scent of blood, and the name of her son, the ginger tabby she-cat was eager to follow. She wanted to see what had become of Flamepaw. Moonpaw led her clanmates to him, standing back a bear-length from the edge of the Thunder Path. The thought of another monster rolling past her like the previous one gave her chills. Moonpaw would be certain never to step foot on the black stone ever again.

"No..." she heard Leafheart whisper, as Thornberry made the climb to check on the orange tom. Smokepaw followed him, while Blackpaw remained pressed to Leafheart's side. Moonpaw moved to flank her other side as Thornberry made it to Flamepaw. His fluffy brownish-black pelt bushed with alarm when he saw the state the apprentice was in. Smokepaw gagged at the sight, turning to vomit into the grass. Then Leafheart began to sob, relying on the apprentices beside her to keep her upright.

The moon was nearly at its peak in the sky by the time Treeclan reached the Gathering Clearing. At the front of the chosen cats, Blazestar stood, with a stern expression fixed on his face. Clearly he had something on his mind, something he'd soon come to make everyone else's problem too. Moonpaw wasn't too far from him, seeing the anger blazing in his eyes as the orange tom turned to dismiss his clan. Moonpaw crouched a little as she passed him, not wanting to be caught in his path and bother him. She followed the tail of her elder friend, Badgerface, moving up to his side to match pace with him as he mixed into the crowd. 

"So what happened to the Moon after the argument with the ocean? I have to know!" Moonpaw insisted, wanting Badgerface to continue a story he'd been telling on the way to the Gathering. 

“Ah. Well, you see…” the elder started as they walked. 

Moonpaw nodded along to the old tom's words, searching the clearing with her eyes as they padded along. Slowly, Badgerface's fable faded into background noise. Soon, Moonpaw realized she'd drowned it out entirely. She was too occupied looking for Hazepaw to focus. She was eager for the white tom to pop out and surprise her–like he'd done at the last full moon meeting. Though many white pelts mingled through the clearing, none belonged to her dear friend. Disappointment began to worm its way into Moonpaw's chest. It must have shown on her face, too, as Badgerface gave pause.

“Moon, I think you should go mingle with some cats your own age now," he meowed, resting his tail on her back. 

A pang of guilt suddenly gripped Moonpaw. She parted her jaws, ready to apologize for losing interest in the elder's story. Then the crackly mrrrp of another cat split through the air. A trio of old warriors appeared a bear-length ahead. Oh, perhaps it wasn't her sullen expression that had made Badgerface stop speaking. Instead, the arrival of his friends must have prompted him to set the task aside, for now. A golden tom, a long haired spotted molly, and a white mangled faced tom trotted up to Badgerface. Moonpaw looked at them in awe as they greeted her elder friend. Their pelts were littered with scars, which spoke of battles Moonpaw would love to hear tales of.

Badgerface laughed with sarcasm as one of the elders quipped at him. Something about bothering young apprentices with helping him get around in his old age. Then Badgerface moved to cuff the old she-cat over the ears. Afterwards, he pushed the golden tom to the ground playfully, displaying how capable and strong he still was as a counter-argument. The scarred white tom simply shook his head with a smile at the display.

Moonpaw mrrowed with laughter as she watched the old cats tussling as though they were kits. It made her heart feel warm to see them so lively, even at their age. But it was clear Moonpaw wouldn't fit in with this group, so she allowed Badgerface to go on ahead without her.

Moonpaw's gaze flitted over the throng of cats, still looking for that familiar pelt. One did emerge, but it didn't belong to Hazepaw. Instead it was Deerpaw, Tigerpaw's brother. He looked a little skittish with enemy warriors pressed around him on all sides. 

Despite being a moon older than Moonpaw, this was Deerpaw's first Gathering. He'd been too nervous to attend his first few. But he swore he could handle going this time around. Moonpaw could practically smell his fear. Clearly, Deerpaw had lied. It was sad to see him in such a state. So Moonpaw made her presence known to him, gently pressing her flank to his. Though he jolted a little, the tom instantly relaxed, realizing a clanmate had come to his aid. Moonpaw urged him to follow her to a less crowded part of the clearing, where he could feel more secure. Upon receiving the space he so desperately craved, Deerpaw heaved a sigh. He sat back on his haunches, then looked to Moonpaw almost teary eyed.

"Thanks," he murmured before wrapping his fluffy tail around himself. 

"It's no trouble." Moonpaw twitched her ears. "Are you sure you were ready to be here tonight, chipmunk? You know you could always go home."

Deerpaw lowered his ears. "Don't want to..." 

Moonpaw tilted her head curiously. Deerpaw looked as though he were ready to pass out with so many strangers around. Why did he push himself to deal with such anxiety?

"I'm too grown to be scared of Gatherings. That's what Tinypaw said. I want to be braver, to make her proud," Deerpaw elaborated.

Moonpaw nodded, understanding his choice now. Tinypaw was his favorite littermate. It made sense he'd want to face his fear for her. Especially so they could enjoy Gatherings together, like tonight.

"Deerpaw!" 

Moonpaw swung around when she heard the high pitched mew of the pale tortoiseshell molly. Tinypaw came bounding over to them. Relief washed over her features when she saw her brother safe. Her tail raised in greetings as she got closer.

"There you are! I was starting to worry about you." Tinypaw rubbed her muzzle against Deerpaw's. Then she turned to Moonpaw. "Thanks for guiding him from the crowd. I'm sure the stupid furball was getting overwhelmed by the amount of cats around."

"...don't like strangers..." Deerpaw pouted and slumped his shoulders. Tinypaw moved closer to him, licking the tom over the ears. She was exactly his height, when he was sitting. 

“It really was no trouble,” Moonpaw assured with a tail sway, left ignored as Tinypaw fussed over her brother. Though she wished to carry on a conversation with her denmates–perhaps to distract herself from looking for Hazepaw more–it was clear she wouldn't get much out of the pair. After trying and failing again to catch Tinypaw's attention, Moonpaw padded back into the crowd. 

She mewed small "hellos” to cats she passed as she went back to searching for Hazepaw. Along the way she walked by Nightpaw, who was standing beside Wolfheart. Moonpaw's father was boasting about the apprentice to some of his friends, praising her quick wit and skills. Nightpaw was practically glowing with pride as her mentor spoke of her accomplishments. She looked up to him, it seemed, as she added in how good Wolfheart was as a teacher. Moonpaw had never seen the she-cat so happy before. 

Not far away, Nightpaw's mother, Darkfire, was standing beside two other tough looking warriors. Her claws were unsheathed as she told them about a recent Oceanclan skirmish she'd helped win. A close by sand speckled warrior had his eyes narrowed at her, clearly agitated by her recount of the event. 

There were others from Moonpaw's clan nearby as well, and cats she recognized from patrols and the previous Gathering. But none of them were Hazepaw. For a short while more, Moonpaw continued looking for him. But it did not seem like he was present tonight. Defeat weighed down Moonpaw's heart like a heavy stone. He promised he'd make it to the Gathering. Has something happened? She wondered. 

Moonpaw paused to look at Split Rock. Four of the five leaders were present atop the ancient cracked boulder. They'd be calling the gathered cats together soon, for sure. It looked like they were waiting for Brightstar to arrive. Moonpaw supposed she could wait in her place alone until the announcements began. It was a good spot to listen and be out of everyone's way. Then, someone called out to her;

"Hi, Moonpaw!"

For a heartbeat she perked up, turning around to see who'd called. Yet disappointment greeted her again as Sunpaw stood in front of her. 

"Oh, Hi Sunny.” Moonpaw deflated.

"You look a little down." Sunpaw blinked. Moonpaw gave a shrug. "Is it because you're lonely? I could keep you company, if you'd like?" 

Moonpaw thought for a heartbeat. Though she'd like to stay where she was, in case Hazepaw finally decided to show his face, she had to admit she was feeling lonesome. Perhaps spending time with Sunpaw could cheer her up. 

"I would like that, actually," she admitted. 

Sunpaw lit up. "Great!" He made a small hop. "Come with me!" Before Moonpaw could say anything about going elsewhere, Sunpaw was leading her through the crowd. 

Near a fallen branch, a few other cats appeared to be waiting for them. Moonpaw glanced at Sunpaw, confused. He seemed excited to meet with these other cats, his tail held high as he led her towards them.

"Hi everyone!" He chirped. 

“There you are, Sunpaw!” Purred a longhaired tabby with the scent of the mountains on her pelt. Beside her sat two Oceanclan mollies, sand dusted fur. Sitting opposite of them was a young muddy Marshclan warrior. And next to her were two slender Grassclan she-cats. They all mewed various greetings to Sunpaw, a couple stepping up to touch noses with him. Gee, Sunpaw's really popular with she-cats, Moonpaw discovered as she observed his group of friends. 

“‘Bout time you showed up,” grunted the only tom of the group, sitting off to the sidelines. Moonpaw couldn't pull her gaze from him once she looked over. Something about the tom seemed familiar to her. When she sniffed, his scent brought her an odd sense of nostalgia; the same way thinking about Skunkpaw or Rainkit did. But that was silly! How could she feel that way about a cat she'd never met? Was it a crush? Certainly not! But Moonpaw's head felt fuzzy the more she stared at the stranger. It was as if she'd met him before; like the tom had come from a dream. But Moonpaw was sure she'd never seen him until now. 

“I found my clanmate sitting by herself. Otherwise I would have been here sooner.” Sunpaw's voice drew Moonpaw out of her thoughts. Then his head tilted in her direction. “Everyone, this is Moonpaw. Moonpaw, this is Pinepaw of Mountainclan, Stemflower of Marshclan, Otterpaw and Whisperpaw of Oceanclan, and Heatherpaw, Quailpaw, and Rabbitpaw of Grassclan,” he introduced, pointing his muzzle to each named cat. 

Moonpaw nodded her head respectfully to them. “It's nice to meet you all.”

“So you are the fated moon spoken of so often.” Whisperpaw stared, her voice hushed and monotone. It was almost eerie, the way that she spoke.

“Does Sunpaw talk about me..?” Moonpaw blinked curiously, the fur on the back of her neck rising slightly.

“Sometimes he doesn't shut up about you,” Rabbitpaw snorted. Sunpaw's pelt bristled at the lynx point tom's comment. While Heatherpaw jabbed her denmate in the side with her elbow to be quiet. Moonpaw looked to Sunpaw, seeking an explanation. But he refused to give one, instead opting to lick down his chest fur. It was if he were trying to wash away the flustered feelings he was experiencing. Moonpaw resisted the urge to giggle. 

"Anyways! Uhm, last time we met up, Stemflower was telling us about what it's like to be a warrior," Sunpaw mentioned, trying to change the subject. 

"That's right." Stemflower flicked an ear, motioning to Rabbitpaw. "Rabbitpaw said he was interested in the duties I've taken up. I chose to be a Spy and a Gardener."

"What's a Gardener?" Quailpaw, a light brown tabby molly asked. 

"They grow plants on the dry land Mountainclan gave to Marshclan, in the pine tree forest," Pinepaw explained.

"I've never heard of such a job." Rabbitpaw swayed his tail.

"Us either," Moonpaw added while Sunpaw nodded in agreement. 

"I don't think the other clans are taught what Gardeners are. Considering they aren't needed out on the meadow, or in the forest," Stemflower told Pinepaw. 

"Why do Gardeners grow plants?" Sunpaw wondered. 

"For our medicine cats, mostly," the dark gray tabby she-cat responded. "Some herbs have a difficult time growing in the marsh. So we need to cultivate them ourselves. We also like to have plants for our dens; for construction and decoration. And we occasionally like to mix herbs in with our prey." 

"Mixing herbs with prey?" Otterpaw wrinkled her nose. 

Nasty! Moonpaw stuck out her tongue. She could almost taste the bitterness of the plants as she thought about having to eat them with her meals.

"Herbs can have nutritional value, besides those for healing," Rabbitpaw spoke up, "or so my sister, Mistypaw, says. So I guess cats are told to eat them to help make Marshclan's warriors stronger, right?"

Stemflower purred, looking amused. "Something like that. The plants we eat also happen to taste good with the prey we catch. Brightstar isn't ordering us to take herbs so we can be stronger than normal warriors, in case that's what you're implying."

Speaking of the Marshclan leader, Moonpaw began to scent the strong odor of mud and saltwater beside her, as the flame point she-cat walked passed. Her shoulder brushed against Moonpaw's accidentally, catching the Treeclan apprentice's attention. Brightstar turned for a heartbeat and flashed an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, 'Paw, didn't mean to bother you. Just have to get past to start the meeting!" 

Moonpaw smiled and stepped aside. "It's alright! I understand." It was almost awe-striking to interact with a clan leader besides her own. Most leaders would not mingle among the crowd for long after arriving at the Gathering clearing. But Brightstar seemed different. Though her clan was usually on time, she was almost always late to join her peers on Split Rock, it seemed. Moonpaw supposed she liked to spend time with her outer clan friends first. Or perhaps she liked meeting random cats, the way she was right now.

"It's an honor to meet you, Brightstar!" Moonpaw couldn't help but blurt out. 

Brightstar blinked, then let out a small mrrow of laughter. She flicked her tail with good nature, receiving a respectful head dip from Moonpaw in return. The other apprentices with her mimicked her motion. Moonpaw noticed her new friends looking just as excited as she felt when meeting Brightstar. 

Stemflower, on the other paw, nodded curtly to her leader, who brushed her tail along the warrior's shoulder. Then the Marshclan leader scurried off, taking her place beside Blazestar and the others.

"Let the Gathering begin!" Fogstar declared, looking down at the cats who gathered beneath Split Rock. Moonpaw made herself comfortable in a spot beside her new companions, tilting her head back to listen to the news of the evening. Sunpaw settled himself at her side, pressing their flanks together while they listened for news. 

Fogstar glanced between the other leaders seated beside him. They nodded, granting him the opportunity to speak first, once the crowd settled. 

"Welcome, everyone," he greeted, sounding as though he were in a better mood this moon than the last. "I come with much to report from Mountainclan. Firstly, my son, Darkpaw, has been accepted by Starclan, and will be training under Hawkfern as a medicine cat. Meanwhile our Code Keeper, Rockfall, has taken on Skypaw as his successor. Mountainclan welcomes these new apprentices, and hope Starclan will guide their paws on their journeys to become high ranking members of society." A pause was given so cats may call out the names of Darkpaw and Skypaw in celebration. Then, as silence returned, Fogstar continued; "Secondly, one of our warriors, Briarleaf, will be moving into the nursery after tonight. Her kits should come as Greenleaf arrives, and we are thrilled to welcome them into our ranks. Finally, Talonstrike has chosen to retire. He has served Mountainclan as a warrior for many years, and we are honored to care for him now, as he has cared for us. That is all I have to share this evening. Brightstar?"

Next, Brightstar stepped up to speak. "Marshclan also has big news to share, although not as joyus as yours, Fogstar. Coyotes have been spotted on the marsh. They're usually careful around clan cats. But this new bunch seems to be more tenacious than other families we've seen." Brightstar gave a moment of pause to allow cats to quiet down their murmurs of concern. "They also appear to be seeking territory to claim. My warriors have been doing their best to drive them out, so they will not stake claim on our land. But I believe this may push these beasts onto other territories in the Land's Star. So I urge you all to be cautious." Then Brightstar turned to the other leaders. Her expression shone with regret. But none of her peers seemed too upset by what she'd determined best for her clan.

"Which clan are they headed towards?" Blazestar decided to ask, his expression calmer than the other leaders'. Treeclan was the furthest from Marshclan. Moonpaw was certain that Blazestar was unbothered by the news of these unusual predators. Still, he seemed to care enough about the wellbeing of others to ask that question anyways.

"They'll likely turn to Mountainclan territory. With the upcoming warm weather, they'll probaby enjoy the cool air the higher altitude provides," the flame point she-cat answered

Fogstar grunted. "In that case, Mountainclan will increase it's border patrols." 

Another murmur broke out among the crowd. Moonpaw glanced between all the cats around her, gauging their reactions. Not too far off she saw Nightpaw. Her eyes were narrowed with interest, ears pricked and eager to hear more about the coyotes. Moonpaw then looked beside her to Sunpaw, who seemed to also have noticed their clanmate. He looked concerned for a heartbeat. Then he blinked and his expression settled. Moonpaw decided she'd ask him his thoughts later. 

Brightstar nodded. "Beyond that startling news, Marshclan has fared well this moon. Prey has increased, our clan is strong, and we look forward to Greenleaf. That's all I have to report." 

Following her, Blazestar stepped up to share whatever had been bothering him all night. "Treeclan is strong and continues to thrive as Greenleaf makes it approach. Though last moon we lost Skunkpaw, one of our apprentices. Twolegs kitnapped him. Our efforts to bring him home have yielded no results, but Treeclan remains hardy in the face of this tragedy. We've also been handling the pressures at our borders with diligence, and will continue to do so as long as Grassclan and Oceanclan keep pushing."

"What do you mean by that?" Oceanclan's leader, Wavestar, challenged. Whitestar of Grassclan nodded along. 

With a tail lash, the blazing orange leader continued; "Grassclan and Oceanclan scents have been caught beyond our borders. The stench of Grassclan has come particularly far into the forest. While Oceanclan remains close enough to the edge that they seem to be trying to act sneaky, still. But rest assured, my warriors are aware of your trespassing."

Dread struck through Moonpaw like lightning. Had some of her clanmates caught Hazepaw's scent on the Rubble Path from their meetings? Had they noticed hers there as well? Moonpaw's heartbeat quickened. She looked up to Blazestar, checking if he was eyeing her. But his focus was being held up by the enemy leaders instead. We'll have to be more careful from now on, she decided. Sunpaw pressed into her more, sensing her discomfort. 

"It's rich of you to accuse my cats of trespassing." Whitestar's ears narrowed. "Have you seen any of my warriors on your land? No? Because we've certainly seen yours on our territory! A warrior caught a Treeclan apprentice prowling around the Forest Patch without cause, just today!"

Gasping, Moonpaw whipped her head, looking around for her denmates. Sunpaw was of course the first apprentice she saw. His pelt was bristled and he shook his head at her, silently swearing he was not the guilty cat. Next, Moonpaw looked over at Nightpaw. The black she-cat appeared unbothered, busying herself whispering with Wolfheart. Then, Moonpaw spotted Tinypaw and Deerpaw in the distance--right where she'd left them earlier. Tinypaw was standing protectively in front of her brother; her body too small to act as a proper shield. Closer-by was Magpiepaw, who sat with some of her own cross clan friends. She was crouched, ears lowered a little. She looked frightened, guilty even. Was it her? Moonpaw wondered, finally returning her attention back to the leaders.

"There were other Treeclan cats with her," Whitestar continued, "all fully grown warriors. What do you have to say about that, Blazestar?"

Fury burned in Blazestar orange eyes. He grit his teeth, clearly holding back a growl. Then he shut his eyes, lowering his head a little with a slow shake. When he looked up again, he seemed calmer. "My warriors were only carrying out their duty to mark the border, nothing more. I will speak with all of Treeclan's apprentices, to ensure no border crossing occurs again. But I will not correct the cats who knew what they were doing."

"So you admit that you sent your cats to mark further into the Forest Patch than they should?" Though Whitestar's voice was calm, it held sharp accusation. 

"I've said no such thing!" Blazestar snarled. "My warriors know where Treeclan's territory is!”

With an indignant hrrumph, Grassclan's leader lifted a paw to lick. "See to it that they know what land rightfully belongs to Grassclan, as well. Or we will be forced to remind them ourselves." After glaring at Blazestar a heartbeat more, Whitestar faced the crowd. "Grassclan is and will remain strong despite the adversity. We have Cricketsong's newly named kits, who are quickly growing each day. We also have many strong apprentices; two of which will soon join us as full warriors. That is all I have to say this Gathering. Unless you've something else to accuse my clan of, Blazestar?"

Blazestar bared his teeth but bit back his tongue. He forced himself to sit further back onto his piece on Split Rock. Then he tucked his paws beneath his waggling tail. "No," he finally growled. 

Wavestar stepped forward. "Then I suppose I should speak my news," he decided. "Oceanclan is doing better, now that the Newleaf storms are subsiding. We've begun venturing back to the beach. We are also reconstructing our original camp, which was wrecked by the waves in the bad weather. I believe within the next moon, Oceanclan should be moving back to the Twoleg Settlement Bridge. That should bring you some peace of mind, Blazestar."

"I'll have peace of mind when your clan stops fighting for the Rubble Path," the ginger tom hissed. 

"I won't promise anything," Wavestar grunted. 

Blazestar snarled at him in turn, moving to get in the silver and white tabby's face. But Brightstar butted in, piping;

"It seems that's everything that needs to be said at this Gathering!"

"Yes," Fogstar agreed, "let's end this now, before you lot break the full moon truce."

Though the two toms appeared ready to continue their quarrel, they agreed. With a nod, the leaders went their separate ways, weaving through the crowd to gather their warriors. 

A half moon passed. The day ahead was warm; the sun sneaking beams through gaps in the trees above Oceanclan's heads. They heated Hazepaw's shoulders, lulling him into relaxation. The clan was still stuck in the Forest Patch. Hazepaw had come to tolerate living there by this point. There were plenty of good hunting opportunities, and he supposed living on soil instead of sand wasn't as terrible as he'd originally thought. Having the chance to battle Treeclan every now and then was an added, invigorating bonus. The other Oceanclan apprentices had taken to their new camp just as well, if not better. Even the self-conscious Whisperpaw seemed to train better in the woods than on the shore.

Today, Hazepaw was sitting beside Otterpaw, watching as she coached Whisperpaw on how to preform some basic fighting stances. They'd all gotten along since Urchinpaw's call for truce a while back. Otterpaw became fast friends with Whisperpaw. And Hazepaw was especially nicer; instead of growing hostile or defensive towards his denmates, he now welcomed their company. He felt honored to be included in any if their activities. Even if the other cats annoyed him sometimes. He only hoped that he would not mess things up.

"Make sure you place your paws apart," Otterpaw meowed, pulling Hazepaw from his daydreaming, "but not too wide. You don't want to give your enemies any room to pull them out from under you."

"I'll try..." Whisperpaw mumbled doing her best to follow instructions.

"Good. But try to keep your body low along with your leg stance." Otterpaw rose to her paws, demonstrating what she was explaining. "Like this."

Whisperpaw tried to copy, then allowed herself to sink to the forest floor with a sigh. It was as if she were giving up on trying already.

"What's wrong, Whisperpaw?" Hazepaw decided to ask. It wasn't like pretty grey tabby to act so glum.

"I don't want to do this anymore..." she mumbled in response.

"That's alright. We can practice something else. How about I show you the way we stand to hook a fish?" Otterpaw suggested. Whisperpaw shook her head. "I could teach you how to crack open hard shelled prey..?"

"I don't really want to learn warrior stuff," Whisperpaw answered, casting a longing glance towards two fallen, overlapping trees which housed the medicine cats. Then her gaze flickered to the leader's den, settled within an old badger set. "But I know I have no other choice..."

Otterpaw rested her tail over Whisperpaw's back supportively.

Hazepaw felt a pang of sympathy for his denmate. As the daughter of Wavestar, Whisperpaw had an expectation placed on her shoulders. She was one of three potential heirs to Oceanclan's rule. And as such, she wasn't allowed much of a choice when it came to her job. Every cat knew Whisperpaw wanted to be a healer. But when asked during her apprentice ceremony, she insisted she would train as a warrior instead. It was definitely due to her parent's pressure. Not by her own willing. Hazepaw wished there was a way to change things for her. For now, he would sit quietly and help support the young cat he had come to know as a friend.

"Having fun over there, Whisperpaw?" Currentpaw, Whisperpaw's brother, called out as he returned to the temporary camp with his mentor. He stood about a fox-length away, his muzzle twisted into a mocking sneer. "Still trying to figure out how to do a simple hunting crouch?"

Whisperpaw, being the quiet hearted soul she was, said nothing in response.

"Yknow at this rate you'll never gain dad's favor, since you keep moping around like a sundried starfish. What kind of leader could you be if you can't even preform simple warrior moves?"

"Why don't you get off her tail already, Currentpaw? Whisperpaw's doing her best," Otterpaw jumped to the defense. Currentpaw marched up to her, getting in the brown molly's face. Hazepaw bristled, bunching his muscles in preparation for a brawl.

"How 'bout you butt outta family business, sweetheart?" The white and gray tom growled.

"Keep talking and I'll show you how 'sweet' I really am, dirt-breath," Otterpaw threatened, baring her fangs in a snarl. A tense heartbeat passed. Then Currentpaw clicked his teeth giving his eyes a roll. He shot Whisperpaw a spiteful glare before turning and padding off to another part of camp. Hazepaw relaxed instantly. Though Currentpaw was confident in himself, Hazepaw knew that the white and gray tom would be no match for Otterpaw in a fight. Otterpaw had two moons worth of training under her pelt. She was already much stronger than he was. And it seemed like Currentpaw understood that as well.

Hazepaw would bet later on, the younger tom would boast about what a great quality that was in himself. To pick and choose his battles. Though Hazepaw knew that wasn't true. Currentpaw was always quick to start a scuffle when they were both in the nursery. In fact, besides Urchinpaw, Currentpaw was the cat Hazepaw fought with most growing up. Sometimes for no reason. Just to "hone his skills." Currentpaw reminded Hazepaw a lot of Pebblestar The Manevolent, who happened to be Currentpaw's aunt. Their temperaments were described to be almost identical. That worried Hazepaw a little. He was sure that Currentpaw would make a terrible leader one day. He hoped one of the tom's sisters would be chosen instead. Though Hazepaw didn't hold out much hope for Stonepaw. Stonepaw was far too scatterbrained, and had a tendency to follow others rather than make decisions for themself. She'd probably pass on the offer for deputyship if Wavestar decided to give it to her.

Out of the three littermates, only Whisperpaw held the patience and thoughtfulness that Oceanclan needed. The clan was trying to avoid having another fight happy or careless ruler after all. Whisperpaw would be the perfect fit. But Hazepaw knew the clan would never accept her if she couldn't be a strong warrior. Wavestar may have the choice of a successor, but nobody would listen to a cat who wasn't strong enough to demand their respect. The last thing the white tom wanted to see was Oceanclan rejecting their best choice for future leader. And so, he decided he would step up and help Otterpaw train Whisperpaw to be better. Even if she wasn't happy as a warrior, that didn't mean she couldn't get stronger, right?

"Maybe Currentpaw is right," Hazepaw piped suddenly. "Maybe Whisperpaw needs to try a little harder." He rose to his paws, walking up to Whisperpaw's side. He grabbed her by the scruff, pulling her back onto her feet. Whisperpaw let out a small noise of surprise, looking at the tom with full moon wide eyes. Hazepaw dropped into a crouch, giving the molly an expectant look in return. Whisperpaw dropped to copy his stance, her form almost perfect this time around. Hazepaw moved to readjust her paws for her.

"You got it! Now stand upright and do it again," he commanded, observing as Whisperpaw did as she was told. Otterpaw watched on, her gaze looking judgemental. Yet she said nothing, continuing to oversee Hazepaw's teaching method. She could probably tell how his technique was working better on Whisperpaw than her previous work had.

"Good. Now try and strike forward. Hook you paw like this." Hazepaw demonstrated a front-paw blow. Whisperpaw once again copied her denmate's movement, her strike coming off as hesitant and slow. Hazepaw smacked her over the head with his tail. "Do it again," he demanded. Whisperpaw tried once more, her forepaw and paw a little shaky. But her speed improved this time. Again, Hazepaw struck Whisperpaw and made her throw another strike. Whisperpaw's paw trembled harder now. Still, she was getting better.

"This time try and thrust forward with your swipe," he suggested, giving another demonstration. He crouched slightly, lunging himself forward before slashing at the air in front of him. Whisperpaw nodded then apprehensivly followed the tom's lead. When she lunged forward, the young molly nearly tripped over her own paws. She trembled, looking up at Hazepaw with the same wide eyed expression.

Hazepaw struck her yet again over the head. "No. Keep your stance firm. Go again."

When Whisperpaw moved forward this time her movement was more fluid. Yet she whimpered, as if succeeding was almost painful for her. "Don't whine. Do the motion again!" Hazepaw's voice was stern now, in a way he thought Sandybreeze might take up if he were to falter in his fighting.

"Hazepaw-" Otterpaw tried to interject, but Hazepaw silenced her with a flick of his ear. Whisperpaw struck out once again, her movement and strike perfect. The only thing that wasn't yet again was her stance. Whisperpaw crumpled under her own weight, falling to the floor once she'd struck the air as Hazepaw had shown. Suddenly she began to sniffle. Then her noise turned into more of a sniveling, until finally Whisperpaw began to cry.

Hazepaw hesitated for a couple of heartbeats trying to figure out what went wrong. Maybe she's got some of the stubbornness her littermates have, deep down, he guessed. I know she doesn't want to do this; doesn't want to be a warrior. But she can't give up now while she's doing so good. And so, Hazepaw raised his tail once more to push his denmate to get back onto her paws and back to practicing. But before he could make the strike, Otterpaw rushed in front of Whisperpaw.

"That's enough!" She hissed, eyes narrowed in anger. "Look at what you've done. You made her cry!"

"She's probably just overwhelmed. She'll calm down with more practice," Hazepaw assured.

"No, Hazepaw. She's done enough for now. And so have you," Otterpaw responded harshly.

"I was just trying to help," Hazepaw reasoned. He couldn't understand why the halfclan molly was so upset.

"Well stop helping! Your 'help' is only going to make this whole warrior training experience worse for her." Gently, Otterpaw turned to check on Whisperpaw. "Are you alright? Come on now, you're ok to stand. That's it. Good." She crooned. Then, she turned back to Hazepaw. "You know, I thought you were starting to get better. That maybe you weren't as much of an aggressive jerk as you were when we first met. Guess I was wrong.... Do yourself a favor and stay away from us from now on." Otterpaw swept her tail around the younger molly behind her, guiding her away. "Come on, Whisperpaw."

Hazepaw watched the two she-cats hurry off to another part of camp, his pelt prickling with nerves. Had what he'd done been so wrong? He didn't think so. His technique was working, helping Whisperpaw improve. That's what Otterpaw wanted. So why was she so mad?

Hazepaw began to groom his fur, tidying it up in an attempt to calm himself down. A while later, when he was nearly finished, Hazepaw scented Wavestar emerging from his den.

"Hazepaw!" The leader's voice boomed as he called for the apprentice's attention. Hazepaw stiffened, turning around to look at his leader. There was a serious expression set on the gray and white tabby's face. "My den. Now."

Hazepaw stood up, walking himself to over to the bushes which hid the leader's shelter. Wavestar ushered him down the old badger set when he drew near enough, allowing the tom to get comfortable as they both settled inside. A silence hung in the air, one which neither tom was eager to break. Hazepaw did his best to look confident in the face of the leader, but he knew that no matter how he presented himself, he was still in trouble.

"Otterpaw told me how you were treating my daughter earlier," Wavestar finally began, his voice calm but firm. "Care to explain yourself?"

Hazepaw fought back the urge to bristle. Otterpaw snitched on me..? That lousy little pollen sniffer! "Did she tell you about how I was trying to help?" He asked, keeping his voice as even as possible. "Because I was doing better at teaching Whisperpaw than she was."

"Otterpaw explained that, yes," Wavestar responded, the tip of his tail swaying to-and-fro. "But she also explained how you went about doing so. Do you really think dragging Whisperpaw around and swatting her with your tail was the most appropriate way to reinforce her behavior; good or bad?"

"I didn't drag her around!" Hazepaw defended. "And I thought maybe, if I corrected Whisperpaw's mistakes, it would help her realize what she was doing wrong so she could fix herself."

Wavestar narrowed his eyes. Though he was trying to be patient it was obvious that he was starting to grow irritated with the fluffy white tom. "But you corrected her by hitting her. And in the end you upset her. Are you still so certain that your actions were necessary?"

Hazepaw hesitated before replying. "Yes. I...I was only doing what I thought was best. I don't regret how I went about things. It was helping. Whisperpaw was doing better. I think she got a little overwhelmed, that's all. She knows I wasn't trying to hurt her." Wavestar gave him a look. "She knows that, right..?"

In response Wavestar heaved a sigh. "I understand that your intentions were good, Hazepaw. But your actions still caused Whisperpaw harm. Even if she is not physically hurt. It wasn't right of you to push her like that. You are not Whisperpaw's mentor." Rising to his paws, the large gray and white tabby continued. "And so, for your actions and lack of remorse, I'm going to have to punish you. You will be in charge of caring for the elders over the next quarter moon. Without any help from your denmates. On top of that, you are to give your share of prey to Beckycreek tonight."

"What?!" Hazepaw exclaimed. "That's not fair!"

"What you did to Whisperpaw wasn't fair either, Hazepaw. I trust that this punishment will teach you to be more respectful to others. Especially those who are weaker than you are. You should go spend the rest of the day thinking about what you've done. I suspect you will be very busy tomorrow."

Hazepaw parted his jaws to argue. But as he thought of things to shoot back at Wavestar, no sound would come out. Instead Hazepaw dipped his head, accepting his punishment. He turned and padded out of the den without another word, tail dragging in the soil as he went.

~~~~~~~~~

Sunhigh the next day brought with it a headache. Hazepaw was clearing out the elders' den, dragging old nests out to replace with new. But the clan's retired warriors weren't pleased with the way he was tidying up.

"You bring that back!" Snapped Dolphintail, the clan's oldest elder. Her blind eyes blazed with fury as she lunged for Hazepaw with startling accuracy. Hazepaw was barely quick enough to avoid her smack. "That pelt's got my favorite shell in it!"

"Why would you keep a seashell tucked into your nest you old sea hag?" Hazepaw spat back, rummaging through the smelly old bedding to find the special trinket.

"How else am I supposed to keep track of it, you ignorant fuzzball?" Dolphintail growled, snatching the shell back once Hazepaw had uncovered it.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you to respect your superiors?" Hissed another of the three elders, Oystersplash, who had been watching the scene close by.

"Some superiors you are. You can't even clean out your own nests!" Hazepaw snorted, wagging his tail violently.

"We've earned the right to not have to do things like that anymore. You think we didn't have to do exactly as you are now when we were 'Paws?" Oystersplash snarled back.

"Kits these days, don' know 'ow ta respect their eldas!" rasped a pale ginger elder, washing her small white paws. Hazepaw glared at the old she-cat resisting the urge to snarl. "That ginger tabby is Chloe," he remembered Eelnose telling him when he was small. "She used to be a kittypet. In Greenleaf she won't even touch a flea weight's worth of prey; only twoleg food. And in Leafbare, she'll only sleep in nests lined with soft twoleg pelts. She's as typical as they come." Hazepaw recalled his mother sneering, sounding as if she were ready to cough up bile as she spoke those words. He also remembered her saying the old ginger cat hadn't ever done anything for the clan. She came to Oceanclan half starved, joining their elders upon entry to their ranks. She acted as if she'd earned special rights, like the other two old cats had. And everyone in the clan catered to her, too. I won't let kittypets soften the clan like that when I'm leader one day, Hazepaw decided as he stalked away in silence to fetch new bedding. Hazepaw had been thinking hard about Oceanclan's future since the day before. He realized now that maybe Wavestar's bloodline was no longer capable of ruling over the clan. And maybe Sandybreeze was right; perhaps a single cat's kin should not be the only choice for leader. As far as Hazepaw knew only Oceanclan followed that tradition. And look where it had gotten them in recent years. The dynasty brought forth one of the worst leaders in the Land's Star's history, and it could potentially happen again with one of Wavestar's kits. Currentpaw was too rash. Stonepaw was too ditsy. And Whisperpaw was too weak willed. Oceanclan needed a strong cat to lead it; someone who could prove to the other clans how mighty they were, while also being strategic and a role-model. Hazepaw knew he could be that cat. He was determined to prove it. If Sandybreeze couldn't convince Wavestar that it was time for change, then Hazepaw would. He was ready to learn all he could from the clan's current deputy, and then he would push himself to surpass her. But for now, he had to deal with his stupid punishment.

Hazepaw disposed of the elders old bedding at last, bringing over new to lay out beneath the old fallen elm tree. He fluffed Chloe's nest, then smoothed out Oystersplash and Dolphintail's before calling quits on his work for the time being-before he'd get into another argument with one of the old fools.

Hazepaw trudged his way over to the apprentice's den, pausing to exchange looks with Urchinpaw as he passed by a few fox-lengths away. The wiry black tom peered at Hazepaw sympathetically, before Silverdrop padded up to his other side and rested her tail on his shoulder. Urchinpaw swung around to see his mentor shake her head slowly before leading him away from Hazepaw's line of sight. Hazepaw watched after them an extra heartbeat, stomach twisting a bit inside himself. Was Urchinpaw pitying him? Or was he just concerned because they were friends now? Hazepaw couldn't know for sure. So instead of dwelling on it, he

squeezed into the den and got into his nest. After washing and settling himself down, Hazepaw curled up for a well deserved nap.

When he woke up, the white tom found himself in an unfamiliar place. Dark trees loomed over him on all sides, and a thick fog pooled around his paws. The underbrush surrounding him was eerily quiet, like it was devoid of any life.

When Hazepaw stood to look up, he could barely make out the sky. It was strangely dark, as if the stars were hidden behind a wall of dense clouds.

Where am I? Hazepaw wondered as he began to explore. The air smelled stale as he lifted his muzzle to sniff it. The forest seemed devoid of anything recognizable. Not the road, nor any landmarks Oceanclan had made to find their way around. Hazepaw had a feeling he wasn't lost somewhere in the Forest Patch. Had he somehow wandered into Treeclan territory? The last thing I remember is falling asleep. That's when it hit him. Hazepaw was dreaming. No wonder why everything seemed so strange. It wasn't real. But then, why did it feel real?

Suddenly something rustled in the bushes behind him, breaking the stillness that once crowded him. The fur on the back on Hazepaw's neck began to stand involuntarily, as if he were in danger. Hazepaw unsheathed his claws, ready to face whatever nightmare creature came to meet him. Then the shrubs parted, revealing a dense cloud of traveling fog. From it, Hazepaw could make out one gleaming eye.

"Who are you!?" The white tom hissed, arching his back. Then the figure became a bit clearer. It was another cat, a molly by the scent. She was large, but most of the little details of her pelt were hard to distinguish. The most Hazepaw could see was that she was silver with wavy tabby stripes, decorated with scars. She also had a long tuft of fur covering half of her face. The one eye the tom could see looked hollow, like it belonged to a ghost.

"Who are you..?" Hazepaw asked again, this time his voice less hostile.

The strange she-cat lifted her muzzle slightly, smirking.

"...You're Sea Breeze..? Hazepaw asked almost skeptically. He took a step back, eyeing the stranger who had materialized in his dream. The spirit-like cat appeared to be as Sea Breeze was described; at least from whatever details Hazepaw could see of her through the fog. But it was hard to believe that the fabled ghost was here to see him of all cats. Out of everyone in Oceanclan--in the Land's  Star--why did Sea Breeze seek out Hazepaw specifically? Was he truly so lost that such a wise spirit thought he needed guidance? Hazepaw didn't think of himself that way. In fact, he felt as if he'd finally found his path in life, after moons of searching for a purpose. But did the ancient spirit think otherwise? She must, if she were really here visiting him in dreams.

"I am," answered the ghost, Sea Breeze, as her fog clouded tail swayed. "You've been getting yourself into trouble, Hazepaw; for almost your entire life. It's time we harness that drive of yours and put it to good use. So, I've come to give you guidance. Think of this as an offer of mentorship. And of friendship."

Hazepaw took a heartbeat of pause, considering the weight of the ancient cat's words. Then he snorted. "Thanks, but I've already got those. Sandybreeze is an awesome mentor. And I have Whisperpaw, Otterpaw, Urchinpaw, and Moonpaw as my friends!" There was something gnawing at his belly as Hazepaw spoke those words. Like doubt had begun to eat him. But the fluffy white tom tried to shake the feeling away with a ruffle of his fur. He didn't want Sea Breeze picking up on it. Judging by her expression, however, she already could.

"Are they, truly? While Sandybreeze is a decent mentor, she can't teach you the things that I can. Nor can you exactly call those apprentices you mentioned 'friends'. Urchinpaw is too unpredictable in his feelings. Moonpaw is a Treeclan cat, who needs to focus on her own clan. And Whisperpaw and Otterpaw are upset with you right now. They probably don't even want to talk to you, and that's not how friends act."

The ghostly silver she-cat slithered her way closer to Hazepaw, her essence seeming to wrap around him like a cloack.

"You have so much drive, Hazepaw. So much power and sense of sureness. Yet you use it to pick petty, useless fights. And you let your hatred of outsiders cloud your judgement of them."

Sea Breeze moved to Hazepaw's flank, sweeping her tail around him. Her fur smelled of the ocean, salty and crisp. It flooded Hazepaw's nostrils and almost made him feel nostalgic. Yet, he had to resist gagging. Like the scent was trying to drown him.

"But with my help, you can harness your capabilities and use them for something good. Like becoming Oceanclan's next deputy."

That got Hazepaw's attention. His eyes lit up with excitement, and he smiled up at the ghost, hopeful.

"With my ancient knowledge, I can show you how you can become the greatest deputy Oceanclan has ever had. Whaddya say, friend? Will you accept my offer?"

As much as it excited Hazepaw, he felt himself hesitating to agree. Something in the back of his mind was screaming at him to run away, and never come back to this place. But Hazepaw chalked that up to be his nerves. His pride might also be getting in the way of his acceptance for help from the famous spirit. Hazepaw knew he was a good cat, deep down; one who could do great things all on his own. But with help, could he become something more?

After a tense few heartbeats of silence, Hazepaw finally meowed; "...I'll do it. I'll train with you."

The silver tabby spirit smirked, a low purr rumbling in her throat like thunder.

Hazepaw knew the story of Sea Breeze well. She brought fortune to all the cats she smiled favor upon. Even with a nagging feeling festering in the back of his mind, Hazepaw knew accepting the spirit's help would be wise, in the end.

Sea Breeze praised him justly for the decision. "Good. You're very smart, Hazepaw. I look forward to working with you."

"Likewise," Hazepaw agreed. Then he flicked his tail, feeling a bit awkward. "So, how does this work exactly?"

Sea Breeze tilted her head, pulling away from Hazepaw a little. "We'll train together at night when you sleep. All you have to do is think of me, and this forest, and you will be brought right back here. Simple, right?"

Hazepaw shrugged. "I guess so. But since I'm here now, does that mean we'll start training?"

"Not today," Sea Breeze mewed as she started to pad away. "There's no reason to try, anyways. You'll be waking up momentarily. We'll begin tomorrow night instead, when you have more time to focus."

"And all I have to do is think of this place, right?" Hazepaw checked. "Where are we, anyway?"

Sea Breeze paused in her stride, turning her head to look back at Hazepaw. There seemed to be something glowing in her one visible eye, something Hazepaw couldn't quite make out. "This is my home," the spirit answered simply. Then she faced forward again and walked off into the darkness of the woods. "Until we meet again, Hazepaw."

No sooner the she-cat had vanished from sight, Hazepaw felt something nudging his side. He blinked, and the dim forest disappeared. Instead, The walls of the apprentice's den surrounded him. And Urchinpaw was there, practically in his face. His paw was extended mid reach. But when he noticed Hazepaw stir, Urchinpaw immediately pulled back.

"Good, you're up," he meowed, twitching his whiskers. "Time for patrol."

Hazepaw grumbled at the wiry black tom a little, resisting the urge to growl. But with the way Urchinpaw was looking at him, Hazepaw held back. Instead he shouldered the other tom aside to make room for him to stand. He groomed some leaf matter off his pelt before following his denmate out into the cool evening air.

The sky had darkened with clouds since Hazepaw had begun his nap. The air smelled sweetly with moisture, and his paws felt damp as he padded alongside Urchinpaw across camp. It wasn't hard to tell that it had rained recently. A fine mist still sprinkled down, making Hazepaw's fur frizz a little. But he enjoyed the sensation of it soaking into his thick pelt. It had been some time since he'd gotten to be in water, and he was starting to miss it. Even with all the rain recently, it could not quell Hazepaw's desire to swim in the salty currents of the ocean. But it was still too dangerous to return to the beach. However, the storms had started to subside within the past half moon. Maybe Oceanclan would get to move back home soon. For now, though, they were stuck patrolling the Forest Patch.

Minnowjaw greeted the two young toms as they approached, sweeping his tabby tail around them to guide them forward. They met with Sandclaw--Sandybreeze's brother-- and Troutwhisker, who nodded a welcome of her own. Urchinpaw copied the older she-cat, while Hazepaw simply grunted in response. Sandclaw motioned for the other cats to follow after him as he begun to lead the way out into the damp forest. Droplets leaked down from the Newleaf growths in the canopy overhead, splashing against the Oceanclan cat's coats. Hazepaw tilted his muzzle back to allow one to fall on his face. It trickled down his features, leaving him feeling refreshed. Hazepaw sighed with content as he leveled his head, glancing to see Urchinpaw watching him fron his left side. The black tom chuckled, smiling at his denmate softly. Hazepaw caught himself smiling back, unable to withhold a chuckle of his own as his friend stumbled over a root while distracted.

"Wow, Urchinpaw, that was real graceful!" Hazepaw remarked sarcastically.

"Shut it," Urchinpaw growled back playfully. Hazepaw raised a paw in response, batting at the other tom. Urchinpaw growled again, tackling Hazepaw. Hazepaw laughed, rolling Urchinpaw off himself to trot farther ahead.

"Don't go too far!" Troutwhisker called as the toms went on without the rest of the patrol.

"We won't!" Urchinpaw promised. "I'll keep this stupid furball in line."

"'Keep me in line', huh?" Hazepaw parroted.

"Well some cat has to, before you go causing problems again-" Urchinpaw then paused, holding Hazepaw back with a stuck out paw. "-Like by crossing the border without looking!"

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Hazepaw questioned. He parted his jaws to scent the air. But he only caught the murky scents of the wet forest around them. There weren't any signs of fresh markers, although Hazepaw could tell a Treeclan patrol was nearby. Urchinpaw nudged him with his shoulder. He pointed using his muzzle to a pine tree slightly off to the right. The choppy bark had claw marks carved into it. It looked as though a cat had stood up on its hind legs to scratch there.

"Good eye, Urchinpaw!" Minnowjaw complimented as he caught up with the apprentices.

"That's how Treeclan marks the border when it's too rainy to leave scents," Sandclaw explained. "By the looks of it, this was just carved."

"Maybe we can catch up with the Treeclan patrol?" Minnowjaw suggested. "Have a lil' chat?"

"I don't see any harm in it." Sandclaw shrugged, motioning for the patrol to hurry along. Minnowjaw pulled ahead, his muzzle stuck in the air as he followed the trail of Treeclan. Hazepaw moved to keep pace, Urchinpaw matching his speed.

Ahead, Hazepaw could just make out the ginger fur of a cat.

"Flamepath!"

Flamepath, the Treeclan warrior Hazepaw spotted, let out a confused trill. She looked from the tree she clawed to the approaching Oceanclan patrol with a smile.

"Ah, Minnowjaw, hello," she greeted, toucing noses with the brown tabby as the patrols came together. Her unusual blue eyes twinked at the sight of the Oceanclan warrior. Hazepaw wondered what history these cats had that made them so glad to see one another.

Beside Flamepath stood a few other Treeclan cats. A fluffy black apprentice with a small tail approached Urchinpaw, a smooth flirty smile upon his face. A sturdy dark brown tom with a stoic expression started exchaning pleasantries with Troutwhisker. And a pretty silver and white molly stood there staring moon-eyed at Hazepaw.

Hazepaw lit up like sunlight on the waves when he noticed her. Moonpaw! But he quickly hid his excitement with a paw. He washed his face, trying to act casual in the pretty molly's presence.

"Hey you," she mewed to him quietly.

"Oh, hey," Hazepaw deadpanned. "Didn't know you'd be here." Be cool, Hazepaw, be cool, he told himself.

"It's a lovely surprise, isn't it?" Moonpaw purred with a small head tilt. "It's been a while since we last met. Maybe we could..?" She trailed off into silence as she gave a glance to her clanmates. Clearly she didn't want them to figure out that she and Hazepaw had spent time together before. Or at least, she didn't want them to suspect they'd enjoyed getting to know each other outside of Gatherings.

Hazepaw smirked at her, suppressing a purr. "Yeah," he agreed. Then he stole a glance of the other cats around them before signing, "By the Rubble Path. Tonight?"

Moonpaw nodded in agreement. Hazepaw felt his heartbeat quickening in anticipation.

Under the veil of darkness brought by the night, Hazepaw snuck through the forest undergrowth. He ducked under bushes, and tip-toed over roots, trying his best to stay silent. Any cat that might see him would think he was hunting with how cautious he was being. Really, Hazepaw was just trying not to get caught. But it grew more difficult as he drew closer to the open beach. The plants were more scarce at the edge of the woods, and soon there was nothing to disguise Hazepaw's long white pelt from visibility. But he should be safe now, he figured. The beach was usually vacant past moonhigh. He could stroll without fear onto it, following the forest line and along the cliffside until the Rubble Path came within his view. On the rocks, Moonpaw was already waiting for him. Her ears were pricked and alert.

"Hazepaw!" She trilled out as the white tom trotted the rest of the way over to her.

"Hey," he greeted, stepping up just enough to touch noses with the Treeclan apprentice. Moonpaw purred, a soft smile on her muzzle. "How have you been?"

Upon asking, Moonpaw's smile began to faulter. "I'm well but...I could be better," she confessed.

"Did something happen?" Hazepaw wondered aloud. Moonpaw nodded, her expression shifting entirely. Her once happy demeanor became darker, and her eyes watered a little.

"My...my brother was stolen by Twolegs," she explained in a soft melancholy voice. "We've been searching on and off for a half moon. But there's no sign of him. Today, Blazestar said it was finally time to give up. That it's time to move on."

Hazepaw felt awkward, unsure of what to say after finding out such news. He'd met with Moonpaw tonight with the intent on having a fun time. He didn't realize things would become so serious, especially not upon first catching up. Maybe Sea Breeze had been right, when she said Moonpaw needed to focus on her own clan. "Oh," he murmured. "...That sucks."

"Yeah," Moonpaw sighed, trying to force herself to smile again. "It does.... But the clan will go on without him. We'll all be ok!"

"But are you ok?" Hazepaw found himself asking. He'd never cared how others felt before. But something compelled him to check when it came to Moonpaw. Was it because he wanted a stronger connection to her? He wasn't sure.

Moonpaw seemed taken aback by his question. Almost as much as he had for asking it. She blinked, her forced smile falling again to reveal her surprise, and her sadness. Suddenly, Moonpaw gave her head a small shake, then a harder one, before she thrust herself forward into Hazepaw. She buried her muzzle into his neck ruff and began to cry. Hazepaw almost stumbled backwards from the force of her weight against him, but steadied himself enough to support her.

"No," Moonpaw sniffled quietly in response, "I'm not."

Hazepaw hesitantly wrapped his tail around her, resting his chin on the top of the Treeclan apprentice's head. He felt strange about the position they were in, curled up together like they'd known each other forever. But he made no comment about it, allowing the silver and white she-cat to express her feelings and have the comfort she clearly needed right now.

"I'm trying so hard to keep a brave face for my family, Hazepaw.... My mom's fallen back into depression, and I'm fighting tooth and claw to pull her back out. I have to stop my sister from going off on reckless patrols to cause problems for Grassclan. Smokepaw, my other brother, keeps disappearing to Starclan knows where when I'm distracted. Meanwhile, my dad's off sitting vigil at the Twolegplace border every day from dawn to sunhigh like some kind of loner!" Then Moonpaw pulled back to look Hazepaw in the face, her eyes wet with tears and voice wobbly with woe.

"I feel so alone. Even with my friends and clanmates around....I don't feel like any of them care about how I've been doing since Skunkpaw was taken. How can I hold everyone together when I'm barely holding myself in one piece...?"

Hazepaw furrowed his brows. "Hey, listen to me. That's not your responsibility. Your kin can take care of themselves. They aren't kits. You need to focus on yourself before you let others tear you apart from the inside," he meowed seriously. Hazepaw felt such a mixture of pity and genuine concern for Moonpaw that it almost made him sick. He couldn't understand how a cat could care for others to the point that it was detrimental to their own well-being. He'd never seen someone show so much compassion before. It was confusing. But Hazepaw was compelled to Moonpaw, regardless. Maybe he wanted some of that compassion in his life. Was it selfish of him? Potentially. Especially after Sea Breeze had advised him to leave  Moonpaw alone. But what Hazepaw was sure of was that he wanted to be there for Moonpaw, as much as he wanted her to be there for him.

"You're a nice cat, Moonpaw. But you should work on being more selfish. There's nothing wrong with looking out for yourself, once in a while."

"I know that..." Moonpaw sighed.

"Would it make you feel better if I said you could be that way here? With me, you can be free to be however you want. You wanna be sad, or angry? Go ahead. My fur's thick enough to soak up the tears from your eyes. And I'm tough enough for you to thrash around 'til all your frustration's gone."

Moonpaw chuckled a little, making Hazepaw's heart bubble. "And what do you get out of it?"

"Me? A new sparring partner, for starters. And...a new friend. A real friend. I've never known a cat quite like you before. But I wanna be around you more."

"I'd like that, too," she agreed.

Moonpaw moved her face closer to Hazepaw's, like he had the night they'd met up after the Gathering. She pressed her nose tenderly to his, and Hazepaw found himself enjoying her touch. He pressed against her in return, purring. After a moment or two, Moonpaw pulled back once more to look at him. She wiped a paw over her face, drying it as her true smile returned.

"Thank you," her mew almost came out as a whisper.

Hazepaw snorted in amusement, as if the molly's gratitude was funny. Really, he was just flustered and trying to hide it. "No need for that," he insisted, lifting a paw to playfully cuff her over the ear. Moonpaw let out a trill, ducking to avoid the tom's touch. Then she feigned a growl, tossing a paw back at him in return.

The pair swatted back and forth playfully for a moment before piling onto each other. Hazepaw rolled Moonpaw around in the sand on the beach, dirtying her pretty silver and white pelt.  But she didn't care. Moonpaw laughed as the tom turned them both over and over again along the silty ground. Until, finally she used her strength to put a stop to the play, forcing Hazepaw into a cuddle session. Hazepaw grumbled as Moonpaw settled him beneath herself, but purred loudly to express his joy. She washed the sediment from his face, and Hazepaw lifted his muzzle to clean her chest.

Silver light shined through the canopy above, dappling the pelts of all the cats who traveled this night. The brilliant glow of the full moon made for an excellent guide in the darkness. And the buzz from all the warriors around her made Moonpaw's pelt tingle with excitement. She hurried along to keep up with her clanmates, eager to prove she could handle the long journey ahead. Tonight was her first time being invited to the Gathering. She was excited to meet all the different cats within the Land's Star. What interesting things could she learn from them, she wondered. How different was the folklore in the other clans? Did they believe in the stories of the ancient clans and the creation of cat? These were all questions Moonpaw was eager to ask, if she could make friends with anyone tonight.

Up ahead, the trees began to thin, making room for a thick wall of shrubbery. Blazestar led his patrol through the bushes without hesitance; guiding them into a massive clearing on the other side. Moonpaw gasped at the sight of it. Cats of all sizes and colors filled the space, mingling as one. It was hard to differentiate what clans they all belonged to from a distance. But most seemed to be having a good time, and that was a wonderful sight to behold.

"Go ahead and join the crowd," Blazestar invited, "remember not to let any cat corner you. Be friendly, but spare as little information as possible." After his speech, the firey tom took off into the crowd, headed towards his perch at Split Rock. Then Moonpaw's clanmates began to scatter about, leaving her as the only cat reminding by the bushes. Moonpaw bristled a little, looking left, then right, trying to figure out which direction she should head in first. She decided to go forward, and allow the crowd to manuver her wherever may be most convenient. On one side as she walked, Moonpaw observed a group of warriors regailing tales of battles past, passing the occasional joke between them. A little further ahead, five elders sat clustered together, complaining about anything and everything they could think of. Badgerface was with them, rolling his eyes at the stupidest of his peers' comments. Moonpaw chuckled, waving hello with her tail as she passed. She heard a nearby queen mentioning their kits, another cat griping about a thorn they'd found in their nest, and a nearby apprentice talking about the latest battle move they'd learned.

As Moonpaw padded along, watching the interactions of all the other cats surrounding her, something threw her off her paws. She fell with yelp, head hitting the dusty floor underpaw. Moonpaw groaned as she sat up, rubbing a white paw against her now aching head. It took her an extra heartbeat to realize what had happened. Another cat lay a tail-length away, letting out a sneeze as they returned to an upright position. It would seem Moonpaw's wandering eyes had distracted her enough to cause an accident.

"Oh my Starclan, I'm so sorry!" She apologized, voice frantic as she jumped to her paws. She rushed over to the other cat, sniffing and checking them over. She'd feel terrible if her daydreaming had caused another cat to get injured. "Are you alright? Are you hurt? I'm such a mouse-brain, I wasn't paying attention to where I was walking, I'm so so sorry."

The other cat simply shook her head, giving Moonpaw a reassuring smile as she stood. She was a pretty cat, short and plump with white and black patched fur. Moonpaw noticed the little nub she had for a tail, and wondered where this cat had come from. As far as Moonpaw knew, only some members of Treeclan had small tails. Could this apprentice be from outside the Land's Star? A kittypet perhaps?

"It's ok, I'm ok," the stranger assured, "It wasn't your fault. I should have been the one watching where I was running. I was so busy trying to see if I was beating my friend in a race that I wasn't looking out for any cat that may be walking up ahead. What about you, are you ok? How's your head?"

"Oh good, I thought you might be injured." Moonpaw sighed with relief. "I think I'll be alright though. My head's a bit sore but I'll get some herbs from Mothsong when I get back to camp. My name is Moonpaw by the way, I'm from Treeclan."

The other she-cat's smile grew bigger. "I'm Swiftpaw, from Grassclan. Sorry for running into you. What a terrible way to meet huh?"

Moonpaw shook her head, raising her tail. "Not at all, it'll make for a great story to laugh about later on. Besides, there could always be some cosmic reason for why we've met this way."

Swiftpaw gave her head a thoughtful tilt. "Huh, maybe. So you said you're from Treeclan? Do you know Smokepaw and Magpiepaw?"

A feeling of elation lifted Moonpaw's heart at the mention of her brother and sister. It hurt that neither of them were invited to this moon's gathering, but at least now she'd have something fun to tell them when she got home tonight.

"Well I should hope so, they are my littermates after all. They're not here tonight, but I can tell them you said hi," Moonpaw replied, twitching her nose in amusement. Swiftpaw gasped adorably. She seemed to become lost in thought for a few heartbeats, her eyes trailing Moonpaw's features. Moonpaw guessed that the other molly was picking up on the similarities between herself and her kin.

"Hey, who's that?" Swiftpaw asked suddenly, nodding at a cat behind Moonpaw. Moonpaw turned to look at who she was referring to. Much to the Treeclan apprentice's excitement, it was her father.

"Oh, that's Wolfheart! Come on, come meet him," she insisted, taking Swiftpaw over to the tom. Moonpaw padded a fox-length away, standing in front of the fluffy warrior with a bright smile. "Hi papa-I mean-Wolfheart." She giggled. "Meet my new friend, her name is Swiftpaw."

Wolfheart turned his green gaze down onto Swiftpaw, studying her for a moment. Moonpaw noticed the other apprentice tense under her father's stare, and hoped she would not remain intimidated by him. Wolfheart seemed to notice as well and turned his attention onto Moonpaw.

"Hello my little one. And hello to you, Swiftpaw. It's a pleasure to meet you, I heard your name announced at last moon's gathering. How's your training going?" He asked, putting on his most friendly face.

Swiftpaw seemed to relax. "I think I'm doing pretty good. Chicorynose says I'm a natrual born hunter."

"Ah, so Chicorynose is your mentor?" He queried. Swiftpaw gave a firm nod, and Moonpaw suppressed a giggle. "That's good, I'm sure she'll make a fine warrior out of you yet. Now, I think you two should run along. There isn't much time until the gathering begins, and I'm sure you want to catch up with more of your friends. It was nice meeting you, Swiftpaw, take care." Wolfheart dipped his head to the white and black patched apprentice, turning to lick Moonpaw between the ears. Moonpaw trilled at him, bunting her head against her father's chin. Wolfheart smiled warmly at her before finally padding back into the crowd. Moonpaw watched after him briefly.

"Do you want to come with me over to Split Rock?" Swiftpaw asked. "I bet Frostpaw's over there looking for me, she probably thinks I ditched her."

"Oh sure," Moonpaw agreed, walking with her new friend over to the ancient cracked boulder. As they approached, a silver and white tabby rushed over, pouncing on Swiftpaw. Moonpaw moved out of the way just in time to escape being knocked to the ground with the pair.

"Swiftpaw, where have you been? I've been looking all over for you!" The apprentice yowled as she sat on top of the nubby tailed apprentice. "And who's she?" The silver and white tabby's attention suddenly fell onto Moonpaw.

"That's Moonpaw. I accidentally crashed into her during our race, and kinda got sidetracked," Swiftpaw explained before reasoning, "At least you got to spend time with you mom and sister."

The other she-cat rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well I was still worried about you. There's a lot of cats out here, it's easy to get lost or cornered by an overly curious enemy."

Swiftpaw mumbled another apology then glanced away.

"If anything, it was my fault that Swiftpaw was held up," Moonpaw interjected, "Im sorry for keeping your friend. By the way, you are the famous Frostpaw that I was told about, right?"

The other she-cat smiled, leaping gracefully off of Swiftpaw's flank. "'Famous?' Stars, I wouldn't go that far. But yep, that's me! I'm Frostpaw! And where did you say you're from again?"

"Treeclan," Moonpaw purred with amusement. The other she-cat's bubbly attitude was infectious. She couldn't help but find it charming.

"Ooh." Frostpaw nodded, trying to look as though she remembered learning that information before, when she hadn't. Moonpaw found it adorable that she was trying to be so courteous. "Hey, is it true that your clan has lots of kits because once one cat has a litter, everybody wants one?"

Caught off guard by the question, Moonpaw broke out into a mrrow of laughter. She politely seated herself, wrapping her tail around her paws neatly. "Something like that. Although not everyone wants kits. We do value family, but its not like every cat in the clan needs kin or offspring. And what about Grassclan? Is it true that you're all neat freaks?"

"Nah." Frostpaw lifted a paw to clean as they talked. "We do like to keep things organized, especially Whitestar, but we aren't obsessed with cleanliness."

"I see," Moonpaw mused, letting out a thoughtful hum. She was interested in learning more about what the other clans were like. And while she was here, she figured she might as well get some information about Grassclan from Frostpaw. But before she had the chance to ask another question, a cat approached the pair.

"Greetings," the stranger purred, turning her ice blue eyes onto Moonpaw. Moonpaw stared back at her, confused by the adult cat's approach. It was a molly, with sleek silver lynx point fur, and a feathery looking tail. A few flowers were settled behind her ear; a set of holly leaves, a snapdragon, and a stem of lavender. She smelled bitter like herbs, with the slightest touch of wildflowers. Perhaps she was from Grassclan? Had the molly come to keep Frostpaw fron divulging any of her clan's secrets?

"Who might you be, little one?"

"Oh hello, my name is Moonpaw, I come from Treeclan." She smiled sweetly, trying not to let her confusion show.

"Moonpaw~" the older molly repeated the name, almost sighing it lovingly as she purred harder. "How lovely. I bet you are a well behaved apprentice, aren't you? Are you listening to your mentor? Do you pay attention to your lessons?"

Moonpaw nodded, forcing her fur to lay flat. Something about this molly's voice was making her pelt want to bristle. It sounded so familiar. But Moonpaw was certain she'd never met this cat before. An eerie sensation crept its way inside of her, like a grub burying into the bark of a tree. But Moonpaw didn't want to appear rude. So she kept up her polite facade, hoping the cat would go about her business soon and leave her alone to wonder.

"I work really really hard! Leafheart's the best mentor, I'm learning so much from her. I'm already thinking about becoming a Hunter or Den Keeper when I become a warrior," Moonpaw responded.

"Oh how nice! I'm sure you will be a warrior who'll make Treeclan proud," the she-cat commented raising her tail.

As Moonpaw parted her jaws to respond, a yowl sounded from the nearby crowd.

"Moonpaw!"

Moonpaw whipped her head around, spotting Wolfheart in the distance. He motioned for her to come to him, shooting the older she-cat beside her a glare. The stranger then turned, trotting over to where the medicine cats sat.

"I have to go, I'll see you later," Moonpaw quickly mewed to Swiftpaw and Frostpaw before padding off to join her father. Safe beside her kin, Moonpaw let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, papa."

Wolfheart said nothing in response. He swept his tail over her, guiding his daughter through the crowd.

"I don't want you near that cat again," he eventually spoke once the pair were far enough away from their original position. He sounded stern, much moreso than Moonpaw had ever heard him.

Moonpaw looked up at her father, confused. "Why? Who is she? Is she bad..?"

"Her name is Snowfrost. She's not a bad cat but...she can't be trusted," Wolfheart answered, avoiding her gaze. "I'd prefer if you kept your distance from her."

Moonpaw didn't quite understand what Wolfheart meant. But he was a smart cat, if a bit overprotective. She knew he was only advising her for her own safety. And so, Moonpaw took his words to heart. She'd do her very best to avoid Snowfrost next time she was around, even if she didn't know the reason.

As Moonpaw and Wolfheart padded along, Skunkpaw trotted over trying to keep up with them.

"Hiya, Moon," he greeted with a purr.

"Hi Skunkpaw! How are you enjoying your first gathering?"

"It's alright I guess. I'm having a decent time. And I see you're having fun too. Say, who's that pretty cat you were talking to? The white and black one."

Moonpaw let out a small snort, glancing at her brother. "That's Swiftpaw. She's a Grassclan apprentice. And apparently a cat who's caught your eye, hm?"

Skunkpaw suddenly paused in their stride, choking back a noise of alarm. "S..shut up! Pretend y-you didn't hear anything!" He stammered, neck fur ruffling with embarrassment. Moonpaw giggled, turning to stand with him.

"Aw, don't be so embarrassed. I think it's really cute. And kind of surprising. I thought you only liked toms?"

Skunkpaw rolled their eyes, licking down their chest fur. "Gender doesn't matter to me. I know beauty when I see it."

"And clearly Swiftpaw is "it"?" Moonpaw teased with a smirk.

Skunkpaw lowered his ears slightly, pulling his lips back into a playful snarl. "I'm gonna kill you."

His reply only made Moonpaw's smirk grow into a mischievous grin. "Only if you can catch me!" she goaded, dashing off deeper into the clearing. Skunkpaw called out behind her, and Moonpaw looked back to see them still standing beside Wolfheart. Wolfheart simply shook his head, a loving smile spread across his muzzle. He nudged Skunkpaw, urging his youngest kit to pursue their sister. From this distance, Moonpaw could hear Skunkpaw groan before he finally sprinted after her. Moonpaw picked up her pace instantly, weaving around warriors left and right, until she finally lost Skunkpaw in the crowd. After waiting a few moments for him to catch up, Moonpaw turned around and began retracing her steps back to him. As she walked, a cat bumped into her shoulder. For Starclan's sake, not again! Moonpaw resisted the urge to groan at the thought of knocking into yet another cat tonight.

But when she turned to apologize, Moonpaw was delighted to see the cat had nudged her on purpose. It was Hazepaw, the Oceanclan apprentice she had taught the Hunter's Crouch to before.

"Hey, remember me?" He meowed with a smile.

Moonpaw trilled. "Of course! It's good to see you again, Hazepaw. How are you?"

"Pretty good. I'm just bored is all," Hazepaw replied with a yawn.

"Bored? Really? Well, I could try to entertain you, if you want. I know a few good stories that'll keep your attention while we wait for the meeting to start."

"That sounds nice actually," Hazepaw admitted, flicking his tail. "Let's go sit over there?"

"Sure," Moonpaw agreed, following the tom closer to the shrubs that surrounded the gathering clearing. Here they could get a good view of the leaders on Split Rock while having a bit of space to spread out and relax. Almost at once, Hazepaw flopped onto his side, spreading out his back legs as if he were lounging in his own nest. Moonpaw had never seen a cat act so casually before. At least, no one except for Skunkpaw. But Moonpaw supposed the rumor of Oceanclan cats's laziness must hold some weight to it, if they were so content with relaxing this way around dozens of enemy warriors. Or maybe Hazepaw was a special case.

Before she could begin to start telling any of her stories, a caterwaul sounded from across the clearing.

"Let the Gathering begin!" Moonpaw saw Wavestar yowl as he settled on his section of Split Rock. He waited as the warriors below fell quiet before he started his announcements. "The winds have picked back up along the shoreline; mid-Newleaf storms approach. My clan and I are taking shelter in our newly built Forest Patch camp as a precaution. We have lost too many cats in past Newleafs to rough waves and high tides. Shellsplash and Tunafin have already fallen victim to a recent storm. I believe this new temporary camp will help prevent further casualties."

A moment of silence was given for cats to reflect and give respect to the recently departed Oceanclan warriors. Moonpaw gave a glance to Hazepaw. He muzzle was pointed towards his leader, but she could see he wore an unpleasant expression on his face. His eyes were dark with despair, and Moonpaw wondered if he had been present when one of the mentioned cats had died.

"By Greenleaf we should be back at our usual camp under the Twoleg Settlement Bridge," Wavestar added. Another pause was taken after Blazestar gave a scoff. The fur along Wavestar's spine rose, and a glare was flashed at the Treeclan leader. But Wavestar made no comment, and instead continued; "In other news, my clan welcomes three new apprentices to our ranks, my kits: Whisperpaw, Currentpaw, and Stonepaw."

Moonpaw followed Hazepaw's gaze towards the three mentioned apprentices.

"They were just named this morning," he whispered in her ear. Moonpaw nodded in acknowledgement.

The larger pair seemed excited to receive the spotlight; a few cats around them giving welcoming chants and reassuring mews. Meanwhile the third cowered back, her eyes lowered to the ground. She looked like she wished a hole would appear to swallow her up. Poor thing, Moonpaw thought sympathetically.

As the crowd settled back down, Wavestar stepped back to allow Blazestar to have his time to speak. A sinister smirk was set on the ginger leader's face as he snickered;

"You know it's funny how you mentioned moving into the Forest Patch, and yet you forgot mention that you and your clan have been trying to take Rubble Path from Treeclan while staying there. And yet, you keep failing. How many skirmishes have there been in the past moon? About five or six now?"

Hazepaw bristled uncomfortably, sitting up to tensly focus on the leaders in front of him. Moonpaw observed him, with her tail swaying to-a-fro beside her. She'd known about the battles taking place at Rubble Path recently, but didn't realize there were so many. She hadn't been ordered onto any of the defending patrols, much to her relief. But it was concerning that two clans were fighting so frequently. If they weren't careful, a war could be declared. But in this moment, Blazestar didn't seem to care about what ire he might draw from the opposing leader, Wavestar.

"Until the storms pass and the winds die down, my clan is stuck in the Forest Patch. But your old leader, Ravenstar the Wise, did not think to give us more space for emergencies such as these. Of course we are trying to take Rubble Path, it's high ground, and serves well for hunting," Wavestar growled in response.

Blazestar snarled, his tail lashing as his temper flared stronger. "Yes, but that land rightfully belongs to Treeclan," he snapped. "Your territory begins where the sand line lingers. Not at the edge of the rocks by the top of the hill. Your cats merely want to use the rocks to bask upon anyhow, not to hunt like Treeclan frequently does. And another thing-" Blazestar suddenly turned his angry orange glare onto Whitestar, the leader of Grassclan. "It seems that more than one clan has been trying to push at our borders lately. Very recently I have had patrols coming back from the Grassclan border, telling me they've found scents of Grassclan cats past the scent markers, and have found remains of a few mice."

Moonpaw knew what he was talking about. She'd been on one or two of those particular patrols. The mice that were left behind were usually half eaten, abandoned for the crows to pick at. Treeclan cats didn't dare try to bury the remains, though. It was bad luck to chase crows from their food. But when cats could reach the mice, the clear scent of Grassclan was found on the prey.

Moonpaw watched Whitestar take a step forward on Split Rock, confusion in her pretty purplish-blue gaze.

"From what I know, none of our apprentices have stepped paw passed the border," she responded. "And my warriors know better than to hunt beyond the meadow," Grassclan's leader was trying her best to settle Blazestar, her voice even and cool. But the ginger and white tom was unable to be swayed.

"There has been several reports of trespassing from your cats, Whitestar, too many for it to be an accident. One of your warriors has been stealing mice from Treeclan, and I advise you to investigate the situation and correct it, before I'm forced to remind you where the border lies. The same goes for you as well, Wavestar," Blazestar warned each leader, looking between them as his tail lashed harder. "Keep your claws out of our forest and off of Rubble Path before I reclaim the land Ravenstar the Wise so graciously granted you while you still lived under Pebblestar the Malevolent's rule."

Wavestar lowered his ears uncomfortably after hearing the of name "Pebblestar". Hazepaw's tail thumped at the utterance of it, too. But Moonpaw had never heard of such a cat. Whoever they were, they must have been very impactful. Curiosity bloomed in Moonpaw chest at the thought of learning some history she never knew before. After the gathering, she was determined to question Hazepaw about it.

Suddenly, Brightstar of Marshclan stepped forward on Split Rock, drawing the attention of her peers and breaking the tension. "Heyyy, I don't mean to interrupt, but how's about we finish tonight's announcement so you guys can get back to fighting each other once it's over?" Anger was still written on the conflicting leaders' faces. But after a silent moment of thought, the three finally agreed to settle and finish the gathering without anymore incident.

The rest of the announcements seemed boring in comparison, and Moonpaw found herself blocking them out until Fogstar of Mountainclan announced the conclusion of the gather. Then she stood with a stretch, preparing to speak just a little more with Hazepaw before meeting up with her clanmates.

"Thanks for sitting with me," she mewed, "I'm a little sad, though. didn't get to tell you any stories!"

"That's ok," Hazepaw assured, sitting up. "You can make it up to me."

"Oh?" Moonpaw prompted. "How?"

"Stay here with me after everyone leaves?" He requested, his yellow eyes glittering with hope. Moonpaw felt her pelt heat at the invitation. She hadn't known Hazepaw was interested in her enough to have her sneak around for him. But did Moonpaw have enough interest in return? She thought for a moment. She was certainly curious to learn more about the fluffy white tom. And if she stayed, she could ask him to tell the story of Pebblestar. As crazy of an idea that it was, Moonpaw found herself hardly hesitating to agree.

"Sure," she blurted out. "We just have to make sure neither of us gets caught."

"Of course," Hazepaw agreed. "Lets go meet with our clans. We can sneak away when they're not looking."

"O...ok!" Moonpaw responded, embarrassed by the fluttering sensation that started to form in her belly. "See you soon?" She double checked.

"Why do we have to go play outside?" Skunkkit whined as Sweetclaw herded the kittens out of the nursery the next day.

"Grown-up business, little chipmunk. It does not concern you," the cream colored queen responded. "Now you all behave yourselves. Elmfoot and Silverhawk will be keeping an eye on you."

"Yes, Sweetclaw," murmured some of the kits in reply, Moonkit included. The Den Mother gave one satisfied nod, turning tail and padding over to Tigerkit. She touched her nose to the little tabby's shoulder, prompting her to follow. Then Sweetclaw did the same with Rainkit. What could the queen need with Moonkit's best friend and sister? Moonkit watched the three she-cats curiously as they padded back under the familiar tree roots that made up their den. Were they in trouble? Moonkit's thoughts drifted back to the day before when they'd all gone into the forest to hunt. I can't let them get into trouble for that! She thought. Moonkit's head swung around to search the clearing.

By the entrance to the elder's den, she saw Elmfoot sunbathing. The old tom laid with his legs tucked beneath him, head raised slightly to soak in the warm golden rays. Many moons ago the tabby had been Treeclan's Den Mother. When he was in charge, he'd been notorious for keeping a close eye on the kit-resistance of his den. But now in his retirement, the tom was more inclined to let curious kits wander than to worry about keeping them all in line. Sneaking out of his sight would be easy. Getting away from the other kitsitter however, might not be as simple.

In a dry spot by the base of the Great Stump, Moonkit noticed Silverhawk. The silver and black striped tabby was sharing tongues with Violetshade, her eldest kit. Though she looked around to watch the kits as they played, the queen seemed distracted enough. If she was careful, Moonkit would be able to creep away without raising any alarms.

Stealthily, the little silver and white kitten stalked over to the nursery. She crawled between two intertwining roots where she could easily listen in to any conversations, yet stay out of sight. Every now and then she glanced over her shoulder, checking to make sure her sitters would not find out what she was doing. Otherwise, a majority of her focus remained on the inside of the nursery.

It seemed a meeting had been called. Moonkit strained her ears to listen to all the voices she could pick up on. She racked her brain to figure out who they all belonged to. It was easy to recognize the voice of her mother, Brightsky, when she spoke. Her sweet mew was distinguishable from any other in the whole clan. She sounded concerned, probably speaking between licks given to Rainkit.

"Must we really punish them?" The queen fretted.

"Yes, Brightsky." That was Thornberry's mew. Thornberry was the clan's deputy. He was a nice enough tom, really sweet and very goofy at times, but he knew when to get serious. He sure sounded like he was right now, his tone deepened with fatherly sterness. "Kits who go unpunished are bound to repeat their mistakes again. They need to be reprimanded. They've broken the Warrior Code."

"'Broken the Warrior Code,' my tail," mocked Speckleface, Tigerkit's mother. "The Warrior Code says nothing about kits wandering from camp."

"It does say prey must be hunted only to be eaten. Those kits were out there hunting to better hone their skills."

"Not to mention," chimed in the voice of Cardinaltail, the Code Keeper, "there is an unofficial rule that says kits are not to leave camp, unless with a warrior."

"That's all a bunch of fox dung," Speckleface cursed.

"Yeah!" Tigerkit jumped in. "We weren't going out to hone our skills. We went hunting to bring food home for the clan. We're not mouse-brains!"

"Hush," hissed Speckleface. "Regardless," Moonkit heard Blazestar's voice join the conversation now, "these kits should face the consequences of their actions. They could have died yesterday. A majority of our kits could have. That isn't something that can be excused with an apology."

"Blazestar is right, I'm afraid," Sweetclaw sighed. Her defeated tone made Moonkit bristle with ire. She couldn't let her loved ones be punished for trying to do the right thing. Bravely, the little silver and white kit charged into the nursery, determined to vouch for Rainkit and Tigerkit's innocence.

"Wait!" She called, skidding to a halt in the center of the den. The adult cats all looked at her, varying degree of quizzical and annoyed expressions on their faces. "You can't punish Rainkit and Tigerkit! They didn't do anything wrong!"

"Moonkit," Brightsky began to scold, "you know better than to stick your nose into matters that don't concern you. You shouldn't even be here. Go back outside and play with the others."

"No! I'm not going until you all listen to me," Moonkit protested defiantly. "Rainkit and Tigerkit were thinking about the clan when they led us all out of camp. The fresh-kill pile was barren. Rainkit thought that if we went out and looked in the places the warriors couldn't, we could bring home enough prey for every cat. She's the one who tracked most of the animals we found. And Tigerkit helped to organize everyone. She kept us all together, gave us orders, and reassured us when we wandered to far. She was bravest kit of all of us!"

"Is that bravery?" Blazestar challenged, anger burning in his orange eyes. The temper he tried to hide within betrayed him. "Or ignorance?"

Moonkit shrank under the leader's gaze. No wonder why the tom had been named Blazefang in his warriorhood. The tom had a bite that seemed to sting like fire. And an attitude that blazed bright within him. Moonkit was certainly intimidated, but at the same time could not help feeling a great amount of respect for the ginger tom.

"Since you are so eager to defend such a foolish plan, perhaps you should be punished alongside your little friends. We don't want you following in their pawsteps after all," the leader threatened.

"Now hang on a heartbeat, Blazestar. That decision isn't yours to make," Sweetclaw interrupted. She stepped in front of Moonkit defensively, wrapping her fluffy tail around her. "I am the Den Mother here. Kit punishments are mine to handle. You're simply here to bare witness to my decisions. I say Moonkit has done nothing wrong. We are to send her on her way and finish our business with the other kits."

Blazestar glared at the Den Mother for another tense few heartbeats. "...Fine. Get her out of here, now," he growled, pointing his muzzle towards the exit. Brightsky gave Moonkit a lick on the head before Sweetclaw grabbed her by the scruff, carrying her back outside. She dropped the little kit off with Elmfoot, instructing her predecessor to keep a very close eye on the kit. Elmfoot agreed, wrapping his paws around Moonkit as Sweetclaw turned and retreated back into the nursery. Moonkit let out a deep sigh. Well, I did my best. At least Rainkit and Tigerkit can't say that I didn't do anything to help them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brightsky came to collect Moonkit when the sun had finally set. By then, the little silver and white kitten was too tired to walk on her own. She'd spent the rest of the day entertaining the elders while Rainkit, Tigerkit, and the others spent most of their time playing. After thanking the old warriors for their hospitality, Brightsky gently picked her kit up, taking her to back to their den.

Moonkit wiggled, bringing herself closer to Brightsky's belly as they got settled into their nest. She breathed in her mother's milky scent, feeling her body relax. The comfort of her family surrounding her was enough to coax the fluffy kitten into a gentle slumber.

But by the middle of the night, Moonkit became restless. A sense of foreboding had settled upon her and she couldn't understand why. Out of habit, she sat up and looked at the dozing cats which neighbored her. To her left, Rainkit slept clumsily half outside and half inside the nest. A strange panting sound could be heard hovering just above her head. The white and gray patched kit lazily opened her eyes to see what was causing the ruckus. Moonkit followed her sister's gaze, silently gasping as she noticed the huge shape lingering in the dark over them. The she-kits were met with freakish amber eyes. Red and white fur glowed in the light of the moon, entering through a hole the creature must have slipped through. A set of sharp teeth flashed them as the intruder licked its lips, warning the littermates of the danger they were in. A fox!

Rainkit let out a terrified shriek. She tried to scramble to her paws, which sent the creature into a frenzy. It yowled and sank its razor sharp teeth into her flesh, dragging her from her nest. It shook Rainkit wildly, splattering kit blood everywhere. Moonkit jumped out of the way; but not before being painted with the crimson remains of her sister. She pressed herself against Brightsky's belly protectively, fluffing up her fur. Instinctively her claws slid out, preparing for a fight.

The yowl had woken every kit and queen in the nursery. They all jumped back to stare in horror at the giant fox with blood dripping from its jaw. It dropped the shredded corpse of Rainkit instantly, its gaze sweeping over the startled residence of the nursery. For a heartbeat it looked frightened. Had it not realized how many grown cats lived within this tree?

"Rainkit!" wailed a tiny voice. Sparrowkit, one of Tigerkit's brothers, bolted out of his nest and straight towards the torn up carcass of the little gray patched kitten.

"No!" Smokekit yowled, rushing away from Magpiekit to stop the other tom. But it was too late. In a flash, the fox whipped around with a hungry howl, lunging for Sparrowkit  and pinning the fluffy tabby to the floor. Its reeled back a paw and smacked Smokekit aside, tearing one of his ears in the process. Smokekit scrambled out of striking range, avoiding another blow from the dastardly creature as it swung again; this time tearing open Sparrowkit's belly. It only took a few heartbeats for it all to happen, yet the disaster felt like it lasted seasons to one as young as Moonkit.

"Our kits! It's going to kill all of our kits!" Brightsky cried out, reaching for Smokekit to herd him back to her belly.

Speckleface, Silverhawk, Leafheart, and Sweetclaw let out vicious yowls, launching themselves at the intruding fox. Mapleshine picked up the badly injured Sparrowkit delicately, bringing him to the medicine den when given chance. Meanwhile, Brightsky gathered the remaining kits and led them to the outside of the dirtplace; the farthest point from the nursery they could get without leaving camp. She counted everyone, making sure no other kits had been lost to the vile red creature. Then she allowed herself to break down, collapsing to the floor in a fit of sobs. She grabbed Smokekit and held him close to herself, licking his injured ear between her cries.

Moonkit sat amongst her peers staring back at the den from once they'd fled. She was just as shaken as the rest. She felt overwhelmed. She could hardly process what was going on. But she wasn't afraid; just curious to know what was happening in the nursery now. Tigerkit had settled by her side at this point, giving her a few licks on the cheek to help her settle. Moonkit was grateful for her best friend's presence but she was too preoccupation to return the gesture. Out of the corner of her eye, Moonkit swore she spotted a cat sneaking away from the blackthorns to climb up into the warriors den. It was as if whoever it was did not want to be detected. Or perhaps they were rushing to the den to warn the other warriors of what was going on.

Curiosity got the better of the little silver and white kitten, bringing her to sneak away from Tigerkit's side and back to the nursery. The moonlight behind Moonkit illuminated the inside of the den from this angle. Inside, she watched as the four remaining queens fought off the unruly creature.

"How dare you intrude on a clan of warriors!" Sweetclaw yowled, jumping onto the fox's back. With her powerful limbs she was able to force it onto the ground. Leafheart joined in to push the creature onto its side, clawing at its flank furiously. The fox shrieked and twisted in response, trying to avoid her blows. Speckleface was striking the fox's head, aiming to slit its throat. But the fox managed to shake the attacking queens off, jumping back onto its feet as if it hadn't been injured at all. Speckleface hissed, launching herself at it from the front once more, meeting its open jaws with her unsheathed claws. She scratched at its face and eyes wildly, receiving hard, skin breaking bites in return to her limbs, neck, and head. She yowled, backing away as it drove its teeth deep into her shoulder close to her neck. In retaliation, Sweetclaw threw herself onto the beast once more, and was easily tossed aside because of her growing exhaustion. Though she was the Den Mother, Sweetclaw was getting up there in the years. Her bones were more brittle now and she was very close to retiring. Despite her age, she was never one to back down, though it wasn't often she had to deal with serious threats like predators attacking the nursery. The fox lunged, landing on top of her, tearing at her delicate belly. Sweetclaw cried out in pain as she tried to fight off the demon creature without luck, before eventually falling silent. Just then, warriors: Wolfheart, Greytuft, Spruceleap, Robinspots, and Blazestar all came barreling towards the nursery to help. Moonkit jumped aside, allowing them entrance before returning to her post.

Blazestar was the first warrior to strike, swearing vengeance on the fox for the murder of his dear friend, Sweetclaw. The fox snarled, turning on the leader and slicing open his neck with ease. Then it whipped back around, placing its focus onto the other cats. Moonkit gasped, watching the mighty tom fall. He was gurgling on his own blood, going limp only heartbeats after. He's dead! Moonkit's mind screamed in woe. But a moment later, she saw thn ginger tom twitch. He took one heavy gasp for air as he sat up, looking from the den entrance to his warriors, who'd taken over the battle in his temporary absence. Oh, he lost a life! Thank Starclan he still has some to spare, Moonkit breathed a sigh of relief. With the leader returned, the eight grown cats finally managed to defeat the dastardly fox once and for all.

By this point, the whole clan had been woken up by the noise. They all stared at the nursery, their eyes glowing green and yellow in the darkness. Their fear scent clouded the air around camp as the conquering heroes emerged.

Each cat was exhausted; drenched in the blood of the fox and their fellow warriors. Leafheart leaned against Blazestar, limping, her one leg bleeding badly. Speckleface had to have the help of Spruceleap and Robinspots just to stand up, yet alone walk. She was very weak and the damage on her was probably the most severe out of the survivors. Tigerkit ran over to be with her mother, picking up her tail tip in her jaws to keep it from dragging in the dust. Silverhawk carried Sweetclaw's limp body out slowly, sadness welling in her soft yellow eyes. A blood trail was left behind her as the dead queen's body was dragged across the leaf-litter hollow of camp. Finally, Greytuft and Wolfheart pulled the body of the intruding fox out, throwing it unceremoniously out into the clearing. The witnessing clanmates let out gasps of surprise and shock, hissing at the fox's carcass. Brightsky tried her best to block the kits' view, but most of them saw everything. Magpiekit let out a shrill cry, laying down to cover her face with her paws. Flamekit and Blackkit crowded around her, shielding one another from the horrific sight while Tigerkit sat by her mother's side.

Mothsong, the clan medicine cat, charged out of her den with a bundle of herbs in her jaws. She immediately began to work on the injured, trying her best to help them all. Berrykit, Tigerkit's youngest brother, padded over to watch the calico she-cat work. Mothsong worked especially hard on Speckleface who was now laying on the ground. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was shallow and rapid. The wound on her shoulder which was so close to her neck continued to gush blood, even through the moss-cobweb mixture that dressed it. Her other injuries didn't look any better.

Berrykit did his best to assist the medicine cat, cleaning Speckleface's less bloody wounds. Tigerkit sat by his side to help, head bent as if praying silently to Starclan for their mother's recovery. Moonkit raced over to provide her friend comfort.

"She's lost far too much blood and is fading fast," Mothsong announced with grief. "There's nothing to be done that can save her. She's bound for the Twilight Passage now. But the least I can do is try to make her comfortable as she moves on to the next relm." The pretty calico pushed a couple poppy seeds into Speckleface's mouth to help ease her pain. Speckleface barely opened one of her eyes to look at her medicine cat with pain, but gratitude, then turned her weak gaze onto her kits.

"What about Sparrowkit? How is he?" asked Robinspots as he walked up to lay next to his dying mate, worry seeping in his sorrowful voice. Mothsong shook her head slowly and Robinspots lowered his ears.