When they had left for training at sunhigh, Pineclaw had led the way out of camp. Now, Rosepaw was leading the way back in, dragging along a huge mouse and holding a pigeon beneath her chin.
She caught sight of her sister racing over to her. "Oh, wow!" Dawnpaw exclaimed. "Rosepaw, that's an amazing catch!"
Flicking her tail delightedly, Rosepaw managed a nod of acknowledgement. Great StarClan, this mouse is heavy! And the pigeon doesn't help much, either!
"She's right." Rosepaw recognized the voice of Patchflower, her mother. "You did splendidly on your first day. Be sure to tell your father all about it when he gets back from his patrol; he'll be so proud of you!"
"Come on," Pineclaw meowed, "let's unload your catch at the prey pile. You look like you're about to fall over!"
I just might, Rosepaw replied silently as she stumbled after her mentor.
"This mouse will certainly go to the elders," Pineclaw mewed. "It looks like enough to feed all three of them. The pigeon is yours if you want it. You'll learn soon enough that prey just tastes better when it's your kill!"
Rosepaw purred. "I think I'll have it, then," she responded. "Thanks, Pineclaw!"
Her mentor nodded and padded away. But was that admiration she had seen in his eyes? Surely he couldn't be that impressed. Any apprentice could've caught what I did.
Shaking her head, Rosepaw snatched up the pigeon and glanced around, looking for Dawnpaw. She wanted to share her first catch with her littermate.
She felt a stab of disappointment when Dawnpaw was nowhere to be seen. She was out here just a few moments ago. Is she really that busy with Grayleaf? She recalled her promise to her sister that she would bring her first catch straight to her, saddened that she wouldn't get to fulfill it.
Then she reminded herself that Dawnpaw had dozens of different herbs to learn, as part of being a medicine cat. There probably weren't many breaks during the day, when she had so much to learn. Still, I wish she was here to eat with me, at least.
"Rosepaw, you okay?"
Rosepaw spun around to see Nightpaw, who was gazing at her with concern in his eyes. "Are you okay?" he repeated. "You look a bit lost."
She shook her head, dropping the pigeon. "I'm fine," she replied. "I just hoped that Dawnpaw would stay long enough to eat with me."
Nightpaw blinked sympathetically. "You wanted to share your first catch with your sister."
"Exactly."
"I'm sorry. I may not have any littermates, but I know how important that would've been to you."
"Yeah. It's okay, though." Glancing at the pigeon, she added, "Do you want to share with me instead?"
Nightpaw's eyes brightened. "Sure!"
The two apprentices crouched on either side of the pigeon and began to pluck away its feathers with their teeth.
Nightpaw spat out a feather. "I'll take these to the nursery later," he mewed. "They'll make good lining for the queens' nests."
"Good idea," Rosepaw mumbled around her own mouthful of feathers. "Rainfoot's kits are due soon, aren't they?" As a kit, Patchflower had told her not to bother Rainfoot because she was expecting kits. Rosepaw hadn't spoken much to the dappled gray queen as a result, but she knew she was going to be a good, gentle mother to her unborn kits.
Nightpaw nodded. "I'm so excited to see them when they're born!" he purred. "New kits always bring joy to the Clan."
Suddenly curious, Rosepaw asked, "What was it like when my sister and I were born? You were an apprentice by then, right?"
"No, I was still a kit, but I was going to be apprenticed soon. My mother says that it was an amusing time for the Clan when you and Dawnpaw were born. Quickstorm is a calm senior warrior, respected by the whole Clan—but when his kits were born, he could hardly sit still!"
Rosepaw laughed. She imagined her calm, collected father bouncing around the camp like he had lost ten moons of age.
Suddenly Nightpaw asked, "What was it like for you, learning that Dawnpaw was going to be a medicine cat?"
Rosepaw found herself at a loss for words, not only because of the abrupt change of subject, but because she wasn't even sure how she felt about it.
"I already knew she was going to be a medicine cat," she began, pawing at a pigeon feather self-consciously. "She told me a couple days before we were apprenticed. I don't really know how I feel about her decision...it was just so unexpected. I had always imagined us being warriors together.
"I know it was something she had to decide on her own. And I'm glad she didn't feel like she needed my approval, because she doesn't. I shouldn't stop her from following the path she chooses to follow. But...it still doesn't stop me from resenting her for her choice. We were going to be such great warriors, together...and now we'll never have that. Things will never be the same for us."
Finally stopping for breath, Rosepaw looked at Nightpaw again, surprised that he had listened to her rambling without interrupting. Her friend was gazing at her thoughtfully, as if carefully planning his response.
"You might not get to spend every moment together, like you did as kits," he murmured at last, "but Dawnpaw is still your sister. The bond of kinship is stronger than anything. Stronger than Clan bonds, even. As long as she's your sister, nothing will ever break the bond that you have."
Rosepaw considered his words. Dawnpaw had told her almost the exact same thing. We may not get to train together, but I'll always be your sister.
Nightpaw sighed, staring wistfully into the distance. "Sometimes I envy the cats with brothers and sisters," he admitted. "I was alone growing up. My litter was born just before newleaf, when sickness was just fading away. We all caught the last bit of greencough, and I was the only one who made it. I never really knew my siblings."
"I'm sorry about that." Rosepaw stretched to give him a comforting lick over his ear. "You must really miss them."
"I try to train knowing that I'll be a warrior for all three of us. I'll live in honor of the life they'll never get to see."
Rosepaw blinked fondly at her friend. Nightpaw was so young, but so mature for his age. Now I can understand why. He's been through quite a lot already.
Suddenly a loud rustling caught her attention. Nightpaw's ears pricked as if he had heard it too; returning patrols never usually made that much noise.
Something's wrong.
She watched as Quickstorm burst out of the fern tunnel, with Forestfire and Hazelfrost at his heels. The patrol was unhurt, but all three cats' eyes were round with worry.
"Adderstar!" Quickstorm called, his urgent meow echoing through the silent clearing. "You need to hear this."
Below the Cliffrock, the SunClan leader emerged from the cave he used as his den. "What's going on?" he growled, padding up to the patrol.
Quickstorm sidestepped and flicked his tail towards Forestfire, who stepped forward. Rosepaw leaned forward to hear what she had to say.
"I caught a scent of rogue cats near Twolegplace," Forestfire said. "It was very strong. They've been on our territory before!"
A shocked gasp rippled through the cats that had gathered around to listen. Rosepaw exchanged a horrified glance with Nightpaw.
"Rogues?" Adderstar repeated. "You're sure these cats aren't just curious kittypets?"
Forestfire shook her head grimly. "This smelled nothing like a kittypet. A few different cat scents, plus crowfood, and the stench of the Twolegplace."
"Clearly they've gotten away with this for too long!" Hazelfrost hissed, sinking her claws into the earth. "We must chase them out. They are a threat to SunClan until we do!"
Rosepaw heard several yowls of agreement. She realized one of the loudest voices was that of Minnowpaw.
"Just a moment," Adderstar meowed. "You think we should attack these rogues head-on, with no knowledge of their strength, skill, numbers, or territory?" He twitched his whiskers. "Yes, that sounds like a wonderful idea."
Hazelfrost blinked, opening her jaws to respond, then thrust her head down, clearly thinking better of it.
"Yes, you're right that we should chase these intruders out of our territory," Adderstar went on. "But we should take this chance to study our enemy first. They don't seem to know that we're onto them now, so they'll continue to come back. We'll watch them from afar so we can learn why they're here, what they're doing, and how we should fight them."
"Sounds reasonable," Quickstorm agreed. He glanced at Hazelfrost, who eventually nodded as well.
Adderstar turned his gaze to Forestfire again. "I'll need you to lead a new patrol back to where you found the scent," he ordered. "See if you can catch any rogues still skulking about."
Forestfire nodded and slipped into the throng of cats to choose her patrol.
Adderstar's eyes raked over his Clan. "You're all dismissed!"
As the Clan dispelled back to normal, Rosepaw let out the breath she'd been holding. She looked at Nightpaw. "Great StarClan! What are those crowfood-eating rogues doing on our territory?"
"Stealing prey!" Nightpaw exclaimed. "It may be greenleaf, but that doesn't mean SunClan is going to just give our prey away!"
"I wonder if we'll get to sink our claws into some of them. I would teach them a lesson they wouldn't soon forget!"
"Perhaps I would be allowed to fight, but I don't know about you. I'm not sure Adderstar would want a new apprentice in a battle with rogues."
"Makes sense." Rosepaw scuffed the ground disappointedly. "But maybe Pineclaw will speed up my training so I can fight." Not only did Rosepaw want to help teach these rogue cats a lesson about stealing from SunClan, but she also wanted a chance to prove herself—a chance to show the Clan what a spectacular warrior she would be!
"Maybe," Nightpaw agreed. "Now, let's eat this pigeon before it gets cold. We got a bit distracted!"
Rosepaw purred and shared the bird with her friend.
* * *
"I find it hard to believe the queens and elders still need more moss."
Rosepaw slithered around a tree trunk, scraping bits of moss out of her fur. Earlier, Hazelfrost had spotted her and Nightpaw lounging outside the apprentice den after finishing their pigeon. She had briskly scolded them for lazing about when there was work to be done, and sent them out into the forest to collect moss for fresh nests. And, after two trips back to camp with more than enough moss, the prickly she-cat had sent them out yet again. It was getting dark.
"They probably don't," Nightpaw grunted, peering at the roots of the tree to look for moss. "If you ask me, Hazelfrost is just mad Adderstar dismissed her idea so easily."
He had good reason to do so, Rosepaw thought. Clearly Hazelfrost doesn't think that strategy is needed before battle!
"Well, at least now we'll be the apprentices who brought back enough moss for a lifetime of new nests!" she joked.
Nightpaw purred. "Speaking of which, I found a pretty big clump here. Help me pull it up."
Shaking herself to rid her pelt of any more scraps of moss, Rosepaw bounded over and sunk her claws carefully into the moss. Together the apprentices gently tugged it out of the ground. Nightpaw dragged it over to the small pile of moss they had already amassed and left it there.
Rosepaw was about to turn back to the tree to look for more when she picked up a small rustling sound. She pricked her ears, straining to pinpoint the sound. She heard it again, and confirmed that it was coming from a nearby bush.
Maybe a mouse searching for food. Little does it know that it just became SunClan's food!
She glanced back at Nightpaw and raised her tail, hoping he would get the signal to be quiet. Creeping towards the bush, she opened her jaws, and the scent of mouse flooded her mouth, confirming her assumption. Narrowing her eyes, she could just make out what looked like a lump of dusty brown fur snuffling about.
It has no idea I'm here. Perfect.
Rosepaw crept a few pawsteps closer, watching her step, and being careful to keep her tail absolutely still.
But suddenly the mouse squeaked and scurried out from the bush. Rosepaw could swear on StarClan that neither she nor Nightpaw had made a sound. Oh no! I must have waited too long, and it found what it was looking for.
For a moment she realized that her prey had still not seen her tortoiseshell pelt. That was until the mouse froze, squeaked even louder, and scurried away much faster than before, toward a large bramble bush.
No! I'm going to lose it! Desperately Rosepaw gave chase, and without a second thought leaped into the bramble bush right after the mouse. Her paw shot out blindly in front of her, claws extended, and with some luck she felt her claws meet in the mouse's pelt, pinning it to the ground.
Quickly, with what little room she had to move in, Rosepaw leaned forward and dispatched her prey with a sharp bite to the neck. That was close!
Now that she had caught the mouse, she realized her new predicament. She was stuck in the bramble bush, and even the slightest movement caused the thorns to dig even deeper into her fur. She hissed painfully.
She heard Nightpaw's meow behind her. "Are you stuck?"
"What does it look like to you, bee-brain?" Rosepaw retorted, rolling her eyes.
Nightpaw purred with amusement. "Sorry. Let me see what I can do. Maybe if I pull a few tendrils out here...hmm..."
Rosepaw waited silently while her friend paced around the brambles, tugging the thorns this way and that, until eventually she felt she had enough room to wriggle free.
As she slid out, she felt the brambles' final effort to tear through her pelt, and hissed again.
"Thanks, Nightpaw," she panted.
"No problem," he responded, his eyes round with worry. "I can see a lot of cuts through your fur. You should go see Grayleaf."
"What about the moss?"
"I'll get it. You take the mouse back to camp."
"Okay."
Wincing, Rosepaw snatched up the mouse and limped back towards the camp, feeling triumphant of her catch in spite of the painful ordeal that had followed.