Sharp teeth bit into Heartpaw's ear. He rolled away and sprang to his feet. He lashed out his right paw. 

              "Hey, chill," said Eelpaw, looking at Heartpaw with wide eyes. 

              "Oh," said Heartpaw. "It's just you." 

            "Uh yeah, who'd you think it was?" asked Eelpaw. "ShadowClan?" He rolled his eyes. Heartpaw shook himself and yawned. He followed Eelpaw out of the apprentice den. He looked around, the camp was empty and quiet. 

               "Blacktail, Moorpelt, Beestripe and Deerpaw went out on a patrol," explained Eelpaw. "Let's eat." Heartpaw shrugged and followed Eelpaw towards the fresh-kill pile. Eelpaw picked a small sparrow and they trotted down towards the stream together. They shared the sparrow, eating hungrily. Heartpaw licked his mouth and trotted down to the stream for a drink when he had finished the bird. He remembered the dream he had had that night. He shuddered at the thought. How could Blizzardkit kill him when he was in a Clan which didn't even share borders. Plus Blizzardkit was just a kit. Heartpaw didn't feel very threatened. He only felt sad. Sad that Stormpelt had betrayed him. But mostly, sad that Stormpelt had betrayed Brightheart. He couldn't believe it. All the time he had been so happy to see Stormpelt when he came back from patrols and from his duties. And Stormpelt had been so nice to him, kind, loving, caring. Stormpelt had treated Heartpaw as his kit but all that time he had been with Goldenheart. And they had kits together. Heartpaw growled. Eelpaw stood behind him. 

               "You ok?" asked Eelpaw concerned. 

               "Yeah," assured Heartpaw. 

               "Why're you randomly growling?" asked Eelpaw. 

               "I.. didn't- growl," Heartpaw said. Eelpaw shrugged. 

              "If you say so..," frowned Eelpaw. "Come on, I think our mentors are back." Heartpaw trotted beside Eelpaw and they pushed past a bush into the clearing. Indeed, Deerpaw, Beestripe, Moorpelt and Blacktail had just come back from a border patrol and were talking to Reedpelt. Reedpelt flicked his tell lovingly to Deerpaw then padded away. Blacktail spotted Heartpaw and smiled. She beckoned to him. He joined her side and smiled at Deerpaw. She smiled back and followed Moorpelt out of camp once more. 

               "Heartpaw, I have very exciting news," said Blacktail. "I know you're just over twelve moons old aren't you?" Heartpaw nodded. "Well, you're going to have your final assessment soon." Heartpaw beamed. 

                 "When?" he asked.  

                 "A quarter moon," said Blacktail. Heartpaw's jaw hung. He wouldn't be ready!

                "I won't be ready!"exclaimed Heartpaw. 

                "Yes you will, I was the one who suggested to make it earlier. It was supposed to be in half a moon. So please don't disappoint me," Blacktail said. "Come on." She slipped out of camp and Heartpaw followed her, bewildered. They stopped at the river. 

                 "Right, today I will pretend to test you on your fishing. Then tomorrow we'll do hunting. The next day some stalking and tracking. And then some fighting. Then we'll do a bit of climbing and finally swimming and you'll be ready," explained Blacktial. Heartpaw gulped. It sounded like a lot. 

                  "Right, let's start, position yourself," Blacktail said. Heartpaw crouched near the river and brought his front right paw out slightly so he could bring it quickly down into the water to catch any passing fish. He fixed his eyes on the water and made sure he was in a comfortable position as he might be staying like that for a long time. He waited, listening to his breath. Suddenly, he saw a flash of silver. Without thinking, he dug his paw into the water and cupped it. He felt the scaly fish against his paw, wiggling frantically. Swiftly, he flipped it out of the water and a silvery shape flew out of the river. Heartpaw turned back to see the fish jumping around on the grass. He shivered as he saw its empty black eyes. 

                 "Good one!" praised Blacktail. "Now let's get into the water." She nodded for Heartpaw to go into the river. He slipped in and swam along, looking for fish. By now, he knew how to hunt although he wasn't exceptional at it. He suddenly saw a flicker and anchored his paws to the sand bed on the bottom of the river. He waited and fish slithered towards him. He brought out his front paw and flicked it. It flew out of the water then splashed back further along the river. Heartpaw watched in dismay as it quickly swum away. 

                     "Don't hesitate and make sure your movement is quick and swift, you hesitated it had enough time to sort of move away," explained Blacktail. Heartpaw nodded. He hadn't realised he had hesitated but he still didn't like the feel of the wriggling fish against his paw. He waited once more. 

                     "You're becoming a warrior!" exclaimed Deerpaw. Heartpaw nodded, grinning. "I'm so happy for you! You'll tell us all about the assessment right? So we know what it's going to be like." Heartpaw nodded. 

                       "'Course," he assured her. They were sitting in a circle in the middle of the apprentice den, eating a salmon. 

                        "You'll remember us though?" Eelpaw said, not sharing much of the happiness. Deerpaw nudged him. 

                            "Why are you so gloomy?" she prodded. "You should be happy." 

                            "Why would I ever forget you?" exclaimed Heartpaw to Eelpaw. "You're my best friends." 

                           "And only friends," added Deerpaw cheekily. Heartpaw rolled his eyes. 

                            "Well, good luck then," said Eelpaw. 

                            "It's in a quarter moon, we're going to be training harder than ever," said Heartpaw. 

                            "Are you nervous?" asked Eelpaw.     

                            "Of course!" said Heartpaw. "But if Blacktail says it's fine, it'll be fine." Deerpaw nodded. 

                            "Blacktail is a really good mentor," she nodded. 

                             "She is," agreed Heartpaw. 

                              "You alright? Don't think I'm not happy for you, I am, I really am," assured Eelpaw suddenly. Heartpaw nodded. He still felt slightly confused and sad about the dream he had had the night before but now he had more pressing things on his mind, the assessment. 

                                "You seem distracted," said Eelpaw. 

                               "Well of course," said Deerpaw. "I mean, he's going to become a warrior soon." 

                                "We're not sure yet," said Heartpaw. "I might fail." Deerpaw laughed. 

                               "Of course you won't!" she said. 

                               "Don't say that!" said Heartpaw. "It's bad karma. If you say I'll surely pass I won't." 

                                "I don't believe in that," said Deerpaw, rolling her eyes. "I say, if you say you can do something, you can do it." 

                                 "Do you know what happened today?" said Eelpaw suddenly, trying not to laugh. 

                                  "What?" chorused Deerpaw and Heartpaw. 

                                   "We were going to cross the river," said Eelpaw. "And there were fish passing under the bridge and and - and B-Beestripe..." Eelpaw burst out laughing uncontrollably. 

                                   "Tell us already!" Deerpaw said. 

                                    "Yeah well, I was crossing and and- I told Beestripe and like," Eelpaw chortled. He tried to open his mouth to say more but started trembling with laughter. "And like, I was like, should I catch one? And Beestripe said... He said he'd-" Eelpaw was laughing on the ground, unable to talk. Deerpaw and Heartpaw watching in amusement and frustration. They both wanted to know why Eelpaw was laughing that loud. 

                                   "Well, he said he'd show me how to do it," continued Eelpaw after a slight pause. "And." Eelpaw coughed. "And he crouched down, like really well and professional and cool like-" Eelpaw giggled, as if watching the scene once more. "And then one fish came down and he swiped his paw out. And he caught the fish. And it flew out." Heartpaw and Deerpaw nodded Eelpaw on. "And then Beestripe leaned forward..." Eelpaw started to laugh one more. "And he- he-" Deerpaw and Heartpaw leaned forward. 

                                  "Say it already!" said Heartpaw. 

                                   "He fell in!" gasped Eelpaw. Then he fell to the ground, laughing hysterically. Heartpaw and Deerpaw burst out into laughter. The image of Beestripe, leaning forward them suddenly tumbling into the water replayed in Heartpaw's mind. 

                                   "No way!" said Deerpaw, between breaths. 

                                  "I'm no joking!" Eelpaw giggled. 

                                   "What are you laughing about?" came a voice. Heartpaw, who had his eyes bunched up closed as he laughed replied, "Beestripe fell into the river." The three apprentices burst out into more hysterical laughter once more. 

                                  "Did he really?" came the voice. "And who told you this?"

                                   "Well me obviously," came Eelpaw's reply as he slowly got up. "I was with him. Obviously I couldn't laugh then but I did right after when he wasn't looking." 

                                  "How nice," the cat replied. Heartpaw pricked his ears and suddenly turned serious. He shot up and stared at Beestripe. Beestripe was watching them, unamused by the apprentice den entrance. 

                                  "Beestripe!" gasped Heartpaw. 

                                  "Yes, the same Beestripe, I assume, that you were just talking about," said Beestripe. Eelpaw sat up, his eyes widening. He looked around nervously. Deerpaw crept to her nest and hid behind the leaves. 

                                 "I was just about to tell you that I need you to do Floodwhisker's fleas. I was going to tell you to do it quick and that you'd have tomorrow morning off but I think I've changed my mind," said Beestripe thoughtfully. Eelpaw gulped fearfully. "You can do Floodwhisker and Pidgeonfeather's fleas and tomorrow morning before dawn you can go bring them new bedding and you can also babysit the kits in the afternoon, which I was also planning on giving to you off." Eelpaw slumped down but nodded grimly. 

                                    "It's ok Eelpaw, we'll help," whispered Deerpaw. 

                                   "Are you serious?" said Beestripe suddenly, he grinned widely. "I'm just kidding!" Eelpaw gave Heartpaw a wide, scared but amused look. Heartpaw shrugged back. 

                                     "I think it was pretty funny that I fell in as well," Beestripe said, beaming. 

                                      "I think it was too," murmured Eelpaw underneath his breath. 

                                      "Well then, I'll let you three to it," said Beestripe. 

                                        "Wait, do I have to do the elder's ticks?" asked Eelpaw. 

                                         "No, unless you want to," said Beestripe with a shrug. Eelpaw shook his head quickly. Beestripe nodded thoughtfully. "I thought so." He then padded out of the den and Heartpaw glanced at Deerpaw and Eelpaw with wide eyes. Then they all burst out into laughter.