The Life and Lies...

by Kingszey!!!
The Life and Lies:

ShadowClan:

 Leader : Fallingstar: Pale brown with gold flecks, she cat, amber eyes.

 Deputy : Mallowfoot: tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes.

 Medicine Cat : Sparrowfall: white she-cat with brown paws. Blue eyes.

 Warriors:

Thistlepatch: grey she cat with spiky fur and green eyes. Apprentice: Dartpaw

Greysky: fluffy grey tom. Apprentice: Marshpaw

Inkheart: Cunning black she-cat.

Twistedtail: black tom with a broken tail. Apprentice: Leapingpaw

Crackfoot: grey tom with black tabby stripes.

Icegaze: beautiful white she cat with blue eyes. Apprentice: Daisypaw

Berryleaf: slender faded grey she cat with green eyes. Apprentice: Hollowpaw.

Orchardfoot: grey tabby she cat with yellow eyes.

Whiskertwitch: small brown tabby tom.

 Apprentices:

Dartpaw: black and white she-cat with amber eyes.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Hollowpaw: light brown with a dark brown stripe down his back. Tom, green eyes.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Daisypaw: pure white she cat with green eyes, very pretty, Hollowpaw’s sister.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Leapingpaw: black tom with murky green-grey eyes.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Marshpaw: golden tom with amber eyes.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Queens:

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Patchtail: grey she cat with a few white spots, blue eyes. (Mother of Greysky’s kits: Sweetkit (tortoiseshell she cat) and Mossykit (black with ginger streaks, tom, green eyes)

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Raventail: black she cat. (Mother of Twistedtail’s kit: Falconkit: white tom with yellow eyes.)

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Foresteyes: grey tabby she cat with green eyes. (Expecting Crackfoot’s kits.)

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Elders:

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Ticklefeather: very pale grey, almost white, tom, blue eyes.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Spiderfang: black tom with huge fangs and long legs. Amber eyes.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">ThunderClan:

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Leader: Skystar: huge dark grey tom.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Deputy : Flickerfoot: beautiful golden she cat with piercing blue eyes.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Medicine cat: drowningwhisper: beautiful grey tabby, very quiet. Apprentice: Sneakpaw.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Warriors:

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Goldenfoot; golden tom with green eyes. Apprentice: Rockpaw

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Emberglow: black she cat with amber eyes

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Whiteowl: small white tom.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Tailfeather: grey tom with a huge tail.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Skyspirit: grey and white she cat, blue eyes: Apprentice: flutterpaw

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Lightdance: yellow she cat with green eyes.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Dreamcatcher: old brown tom, refuses to retire to the elders.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Apprentices:

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Rockpaw: black tom with green eyes.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Flutterpaw: pretty grey tabby she cat with blue eyes.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Sneakpaw: pale ginger tom with black paws.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Queens:

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Mothflight: pale brown she cat. (Mother of Whiteowl’s kits: Shrewkit, Mousekit and Birdkit.)

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Frozenfoot: pale grey queen with a white paw. (Expecting Tailfeather’s kits.)

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Elders:

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Cloudbelly: black tom with a white belly.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Raindance; grey she cat with darker flecks.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Treefoot: brown tom with green eyes.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">WindClan:

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Leader: Thornstar:

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Deputy: Cavetooth:

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Medicine cat: Hollyflower: black she cat with green eyes.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Warriors;

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Grassyfoot: tabby tom with green eyes and large paws.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Apple-eye: bronze she cat with green eyes.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Runningstream: tabby she cat with blue eyes. Apprentice: Brookpaw

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Redsky: red-ish brown tom, blue eyes.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Sunpelt: ginger she cat with white paws. Apprentice: Bluepaw

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Trickstep: pale yellow tom, amber eyes, long legs.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Leopardspots: golden she cat with black flecks. Apprentice: Rabbitpaw

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Honeyfur: beautiful golden she cat. Apprentice: Whitepaw.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Pinkdawn: grey she cat with a pink nose.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Apprentices:

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Brookpaw: small brown she cat with white paws.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Rabbitpaw: dusty brown tom.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Bluepaw: grey she cat with vivid blue eyes.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Whitepaw: strong white tom with green eyes.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Queens:

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Foxstep: russet she cat. (Mother of Trickstep’s kits: Beekit, Burrkit and Wildkit.)

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Rollinghill: black she cat with green eyes. (Expecting Redsky’s kits)

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Elders:

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Wolfheart: once fearless grey tom.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Moonshimmer: white she cat.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">RiverClan:

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Leader: Troutstar: pale brown tom, green eyes.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Deputy: Yellowstone: big yellow tom with green eyes.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Medicine Cat: Salmonflip: grey tabby she cat with a pink nose. Apprentice: Quickpaw.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Warriors:

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Brakenthorn: ginger tom with blue eyes.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Whitefang: black and white tom. Apprentice: Dustypaw

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Hotfoot; ginger tom with white paws.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Jumpfoot: big black tom, green eyes. Apprentice: Mosspaw

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Riverbed: sand coloured she-cat, blue eyes.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Reedshade: brown tabby tom, amber eyes.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Flamestripe: ginger tom, blue eyes. Apprentice: Webpaw

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Thawfoot: dark grey she cat with one white paw.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Duskpelt: pure white she cat: Apprentice: Silkpaw

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Apprentices;

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Quickpaw: white she cat, green eyes.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Dustypaw: pale ginger tom, green eyes.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Mosspaw: tabby tom with blue eyes.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Webpaw: dark grey tom, amber eyes.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Silkpaw: fluffy grey and white she cat.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Queens:

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Hazeleye: grey tabby she cat with unusual brown eyes. (Expecting Flamestripe’s kits)

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Elders:

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Blackpelt: black tom, green eyes.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Cinderclaw: grey tom, amber eyes.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Ashbark: brown tabby tom, very small, blue eyes.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">~*~*~*~*~*~

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Chapter One

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“Tell me where it is,” Hollowpaw hissed into Dartpaw’s ear, unsheathing his claws and making sure they caught the light. Dartpaw gulped. They had been freshly sharpened.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“I won’t,” she mewed bravely, though apprehension wormed its way into her voice.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“Tell me,” Hollowpaw repeated, tightening his grip on the black and white she-cat.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Dartpaw spat up at him. Hollowpaw snarled.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Dartpaw screamed as the claws made contact with her throat, running lightly over the skin, tickling her until she could take it no more.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“I give up!” she yowled, tears streaming from her eyes. “I hid it under the moss of my nest.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Hollowpaw let her up. “That’ll teach you not to steal the last mouse!” her best friend flicked her ear with his tail before stalking off to the apprentice den, in search of his meal.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Dartpaw stretched, eyes closed, still slightly breathless after their game. As she opened her eyes, she noticed a patrol leaving the camp. She sighed wistfully. She and Hollowpaw had been confined to camp for a moon after crossing into RiverClan territory and picking a fight with a patrol.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">They asked for it, Dartpaw grumbled in her head, remembering the way the big yellow tom had called them mangy ShadowClan kits. How was she supposed to know that the tom was Yellowstone, RiverClan deputy and one of the most respected cats in the Clans?

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Fallingstar, the leader of ShadowClan, had been furious, especially when she had to apologize to Troutstar in front of the whole Gathering. Dartpaw winced at the way she had caught the eyes of Dartpaw and Hollowpaw and promised that they would be ‘appropriately punished’. However, staying in camp to look after the elders and queens hadn’t been too bad; the two of them worked quickly and had heaps of time to play.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Daisypaw, Hollowpaw’s sister approached Dartpaw and sat down, flicking mud disdainfully off her claws. Dartpaw always thought that the white she-cat was too delicate to be a Warrior, and would be more suited to be being the apprentice of Sparrowfall, the medicine cat. But she enjoys flirting with the toms too much to be a medicine cat, Dartpaw thought with amusement.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“How’s life stuck in camp?” Daisypaw sneered. Dartpaw continuously wondered about her. Sometimes she was nice, and a good friend to Dartpaw, but other times she was completely rude to her and Hollowpaw, and everyone except her male admirers. Dartpaw briefly wondered if Daisypaw thought of her as a threat to her in terms of attention from the toms, but pushed the thought from her mind. ''I’m nothing special. ''

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">''

''

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“It’s only a few more days,” she replied, realising that Daisypaw was still expecting an answer. Daisypaw sniffed, still finding something to be contemptuous about.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“You certainly won’t be going to the Gathering, unlike me.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Dartpaw narrowed her eyes. “Who says you’ll be going?” she challenged.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“Icegaze has promised me that I’m allowed to go.” She meowed. “Seeing as my hunting in so good and everything.” She gave a small shrug as if to say aren’t I always the best?

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Icegaze was Daisypaw’s mentor, and definitely the most beautiful cat in the clan, though Daisypaw was a close second. She had pure white fur and the most piercing blue eyes Dartpaw had ever seen.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">A flash of brown at the edge of her vision caught Dartpaw’s attention and she turned to see Hollowpaw strutting towards them, his green eyes – the only bit of him that proved Daisypaw was his sister - alight with satisfaction. As he reached them, Daisypaw turned up her nose and stalked angrily away.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“What did you do to her?” Dartpaw asked, wondering which classic sibling feud had resurfaced.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“This morning I accidentally-on-purpose shoved her into a mud puddle,” Hollowpaw admitted, looking completely unashamed.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">That’s a new one! “You didn’t!” Dartpaw squealed, trying not to laugh, as Daisypaw was watching them with livid eyes.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Hollowpaw shrugged. “Let’s get some sleep. We’ll be cleaning nests again tomorrow.” He added with a touch of a groan.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">The two apprentices padded into the gloomy apprentices den and lay down in their adjacent nests.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">~*~*~*~*~*~

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Chapter Two

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Dartpaw woke as paws sprinted into the apprentice den. She looked up, blinking to clear her eyes. The pawsteps belonged to Daisypaw and the other two apprentices, Leapingpaw and Marshpaw. Leapingpaw was pure black with murky green eyes and Marshpaw was golden with amber eyes. Both of the toms were flanking Daisypaw, who looked, as usual, pleased with herself and her beauty.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Dartpaw realised that they had come back from the Gathering and sat up. Excitement lit their eyes, so something must have happened.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“Wake up, Hollowpaw, wake up!” she kicked her friend, trying to rouse him.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">He only did wake up when Dartpaw added a bit of claw to the kicks.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“Whassshappininnnn’?” he moaned, until he saw the three apprentices, and sat bolt upright.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">It had been hard to see all the other apprentices go without them, but at least they got the gossip anyway.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“Well, it started when-“ Daisypaw began, but broke off when she was shoved aside by a jumping Marshpaw. Daisypaw looked shocked. No tom – except Hollowpaw, of course – had ever shoved her, not even in combat training.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Marshpaw took no notice of her – a rare event – instead began to tell the story himself. “Well, Cavetooth of WindClan got up into the tree and announced that Thornstar was dead and that he was now Cavestar, leader of WindClan. But then Flickerfoot, the deputy of ThunderClan stood up and accused him of murdering Thornstar. And everyone got into this huge uproar and Flickerfoot was asked to tell the clans why she thought that, and it turns out that she had seen Cavetooth pacing just inside his territory, and talking to himself, reciting his plans.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Marshpaw paused to take a breath and Leapingpaw took up the story. “WindClan all said that she was lying and so ThunderClan said that she was telling the truth. So they started to fight, but RiverClan and ShadowClan broke it up. Then Cavestar gathered his warriors and announced that WindClan was at war with ThunderClan, before leaving all dramatically.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Hollowpaw and Dartpaw exchanged shocked glances. But Dartpaw couldn’t help but feel a little bit excited. If the clans were at war then maybe ShadowClan would fight. Dartpaw had been apprenticed at a peaceful time, so even though she had been an apprentice for four moons, she hadn’t fought a cat from another clan yet. ''Unless you count Yellowstone, and I don’t! That fight was over before it had begun.''

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Dartpaw flexed her claws, somewhat reassured by the way they sunk into the moss and pierced the ground beneath. Silently, she vowed if a war with the other clans comes, I will be ready.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">'' ''

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">~*~*~*~*~*~

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Chapter Three

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the High Branch for a Clan meeting.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Before Fallingstar had even finished saying the summons all the apprentices raced out of their den and into the clearing. Most of ShadowClan were already waiting there, wanting to hear what the leader would say.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Fallingstar began by recounting the events of the Gathering, even though every cat already knew. Then she took a deep breath and announced “ShadowClan, I believe the Cavestar meant it when he announced that WindClan is at war with ThunderClan. We must all be prepared to fight.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“But why?” called out Thistlepatch, Dartpaw’s mentor. “WindClan are on the other side of the lake. They won’t come to us.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Before Fallingstar could reply, Twistedtail leaped up to face her. “Don’t be a mousebrain, Thistlepatch. If there is a battle between the clans, one of them will come to us for help. We’ll need to decide which one we will agree to.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Cats yowled agreement, but some looked uneasy. “It would be better to stay out of the way altogether! We shouldn’t risk our lives to fight a battle that we have no control over, and could be avoided.” Yowled Crackfoot.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Twistedtail whipped around to face him. “The fate of one clan decides the fate of the other three.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Crackfoot curled his lip. “That is probably the most meaningless sentence I ever heard.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Twistedtail’s eyes flared. “If ThunderClan are driven out but WindClan, WindClan will take ThunderClan’s old territory. They’re already the most powerful clan, and with that amount of territory, they’d be even stronger. Do we want that on our borders?”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“Again, you are trying to use your tongue to convince me,” Crackfoot snarled. “Real warriors fight with claws, not words.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“Are you saying I’m not a real warrior?”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“Maybe I am!”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">The two warriors sprang at eachother, fighting with a ferocity that Dartpaw had never seen before. Fallingstar looked livid. “Break it up,” she growled to Greysky and her deputy, Mallowfoot. The cats nodded and sprang upon the fighting clanmates. Greysky roughly shouldered Crackfoot away, while Mallowfoot leaped onto Twistedtail’s back and jerked his head back.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Fallingstar leaped down from her branch, her paws shaking with fury. Even Dartpaw shrank back nervously, even though she knew that the leader’s anger was not directed at her.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“How dare you attack your clanmates!” she boomed, standing over the panting warriors. “Right now we are talking about threats from beyond our borders. But you shame the ancestors of ShadowClan by fighting eachother.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Both warriors looked suitably guilty, but anger gleamed behind their eyes. As Fallingstar turned away, Sparrowfall approached Crackfoot and Twistedtail with a mouthful of herbs.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“Fallingstar, perhaps it would be better to discuss this with just the senior warriors, not the whole clan.” Mallowfoot suggested, flicking her tail toward where the Medicine Cat was treating her patients, as if to remind her that no good would come of this.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Fallingstar gave her a long look before nodding. “Mallowfoot, Thistlepatch, Greysky, Twistedtail and Inkheart, come to my den. Crackfoot, send out hunting and border patrols as you see fit.” She ordered. Once the senior warriors had departed, the clan split up into murmuring gossiping groups, while Crackfoot tried to get their attention.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Dartpaw was just about to ask Hollowpaw who he thought they should side with when Crackfoot let out a commanding yowl. All cats turned to him.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“Finally,” he muttered. “The patrols will go like this: Leapingpaw and Marshpaw, seeing as your mentors are busy, you can come with me and Whiskertwitch on the ThunderClan border patrol. Icegaze, Daisypaw and Orchardfoot, you take the RiverClan border. Berryleaf, you take your apprentice hunting. Dartpaw, you may as well go with them, as Thistlepatch is with Fallingstar.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Dartpaw was happy to be hunting with Hollowpaw, especially as it would be the first time either of them would be allowed out of camp in a moon. But Dartpaw had one doubt.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“That’s every warrior and apprentice gone. Who will defend the camp?” every cat turned to look at her and Dartpaw felt embarrassed; apprentices in ShadowClan did not usually speak to a warrior who wasn’t their mentor, unless they were spoken to.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">There were murmurs of agreement behind her. Crackfoot nodded. “I’m afraid that can’t be helped. Good thinking, though.” He added. “The elders can raise a few claws and the queens too. They’ll be fine.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">He waved his tail and his patrol followed him out of the camp. Berryleaf signalled or Dartpaw to follow, but the apprentice hesitated.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“Come on, Dartpaw!” mowed Hollowpaw, weaving around her happily. “Let’s go. Fallingstar will be back soon. Like Crackfoot said, they’ll be fine.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Dartpaw nodded, and raced out of camp.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Let the hunt begin!

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">~*~*~*~*~*~

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Chapter Four

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Dartpaw padded back into the camp. Pride tingled through her as she dropped a frog and two mice on the fresh-kill pile. For so late in leaf-fall, that was a spectacular catch.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Fallingstar seemed to think so too. She paused on her way across the clearing to nod approvingly.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“She isn’t the only one who’s proud of you.” A voice behind her made Dartpaw jump. She turned to face Thistlepatch. The spiky grey she cat touched her nose to her apprentice’s ear. “You’ll be a warrior soon.” She sighed sadly. “I’ve enjoyed watching you grow up.” She shook her head and her voice became brisk. “Dawn patrol tomorrow, Dartpaw. You’ll need to get back onto your old routine.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">For a moment Dartpaw just stood there, confused by the she-cats affection for her. Their relationship before that had been friendly, but never really close. This new perspective burst on Dartpaw like a ray of sunshine. Thistlepatch was getting old. She must be regretting that she had never had kits. Dartpaw felt a rush of warmth towards the she-cat. Dartpaw could understand how she felt. After all, she had never had a mother.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“Dartpaw! Stop standing there like a moonstruck rabbit!” Hollowpaw bounded across to her from the warriors milling around the Great Branch. “We’re wanted.” His eyes glittered. “By Fallingstar.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“What for?”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“Border patrol. With the clan leader.” He bounced like an excited kit. “Come on!”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Dartpaw raced across the clearing, following her friends brown pelt. Her sense of excitement increased when she saw that they were the only cats on the patrol with Fallingstar.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">The leader gave them a friendly nod. “Let’s go!”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">She sprinted out of the clearing, the two apprentices bounding after her, determined to show her that they could keep up.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Fallingstar slowed to a walk once she had put plenty of distance between her and the camp. The apprentices caught their breath as they trotted proudly at her shoulder.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“I thought we’d patrol the RiverClan border. After all, with things so tense between ThunderClan and WindClan, I’m not going to take a patrol of three cats along that border.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">The apprentices nodded, trying to look like wise warriors. Fallingstar noticed, and twitched her whiskers in amusement. They came to the RiverClan border nearest the lake.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“Hollowpaw, what can you scent?”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">The brown tom opened his mouth to draw in the scents around him. “RiverClan and ShadowClan, obviously; the RiverClan’s quite fresh, I assume a patrol just went by. There’s Twoleg, but it’s quite stale, as no Twoleg’s come to the Boat Place in Leaf-Fall.” He paused and tasted the air again. “Fox, but it’s stale. I guess it was here a few days ago, until it crossed into RiverClan territory.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Fallingstar gave him a proud nod as he finished. “Exactly right,” she purred. They continued up the border line. When they were halfway there, Fallingstar turned to Dartpaw. “Now, what can you smell?”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Dartpaw raised her muzzle – the thin muzzle with the white smudge for which she had been named – and sniffed the air. “RiverClan and ShadowClan again, and a fresh killed squirrel on the RiverClan side, I guess the patrol stopped to hunt.” She scented the air again, trying to block out the strong smell of the pines.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“Is that all?” prompted Fallingstar.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“No,” Dartpaw murmured. “There are RiverClan cats on our territory!”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Fallingstar tasted the air. “You’re right!” she thought for a moment then said. “Here’s what we’re going to do. We’ll follow the scent and find the cats. If there are more than two cats, we go for help. If there are two cats or less, we attack.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">The apprentices nodded, excited for the potential fight. They followed the scent to a dip just inside the ShadowClan border. Inside the dip, two warriors were playfully hunting. Dartpaw guessed that they were young.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“Go around and cut of their escape route to the border,” Fallingstar hissed. “Be as quiet as possible.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Dartpaw and Hollowpaw crept around the lip of the hollow until they were in position. On the other side, they saw Fallingstar give them a small nod. Then she straightened up and crept threateningly up to the warriors who abandoned their hunting when they saw her. Dartpaw and Hollowpaw quickly crept up behind them. The RiverClan cat’s eyes widened in fear as they realized they were surrounded.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“Thawfoot, Duskpelt, who dare you steal ShadowClan prey?” Fallingstar hissed. “You are breaking the warrior code!”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">The warriors looked away guiltily. “We didn’t actually catch anything…” Meowed Thawfoot.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“Then it is due to your own incompetence rather than loyalty to the Code.” Snapped Fallingstar in reply.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">The white she-cat, Duskpelt, let out a low growl. “You’re saying that we’re bad hunters?”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Fallingstar just looked at them with that sparkling gaze that often annoyed Dartpaw so much. It obviously annoyed the RiverClan cats too. They yowled and sprang into battle. Thawfoot leaped onto Fallingstar and Duskpelt turned to face the apprentices. Without hesitating, they attacked.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Dartpaw and Hollowpaw ran at her, splitting up when they neared her and raking their claws down her flanks. Duskpelt kicked out with her hindpaws, catching Hollowpaw under the chin and sending him flying. Fuelled by rage on her friends behalf, Dartpaw grabbed her white fluffy tail and jerked it, hard enough to make the she-cat fall to her side, exposing her soft belly. Dartpaw slashed it viciously. Duskpelt yowled with pain and rolled out of the way. Dartpaw dropped into a crouch, hissing menacingly, and by that time Hollowpaw had recovered enough to help her. Duskpelt turned and fled, the two apprentices chasing her to the edge of the dip.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">They turned just in time to see Thawfoot follow her clanmate, blood dripping from a gash on her shoulder. Fallingstar watched with satisfaction.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“You fought well,” she complimented Dartpaw and Hollowpaw. “And that was well scented, Dartpaw.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">They finished marking the border then trekked back to camp. When they had entered the thorn tunnel, Fallingstar turned to them. “I’ll have a word with your mentors, and we’ll move forward the day of your final assessment. I think you’re ready.”