"Hey, Rabbitstorm!"

Rabbitstorm turned. "Hi Cloudpaw, what's up?"

"I was wondering if you wanted a mouse."

Rabbitstorm looked shocked. He glanced at the fresh-kill. It was the plumpest one on the pile. "How did you know?" he asked.

"How'd I know what?"

"It's my favorite." He paused. "Did you do something?"

"No. I just wanted to thank you. You know, the time you saved the clan even though you were banished into exile."

He accepted. We shared the mouse and talked for a while. "So, how's it going with you and Birdfeather? Are you planning on having kits again?"

"Well, no one else knows this yet, but," he leaned in close. "She's expecting kits."

.

I had just seen Riverwing's kits. She had two cute little she-cats. She named them Silverkit and Brownkit.

"So, he finally spoke up to you," Mapleshade meowed. "Be prepared. Something big is coming."

"What do you mean, big?"

"That is not of your concern! Focus on your training! You need to know your skills!"

.

Four moons past. I was about halfway through my training. I walked into the apprentices' den, just to have the breath knocked out of me.

"I passed! I'm going to be a warrior!"

Boulderpaw lay on top of me. At that moment, Mousepaw stepped in. "WE passed. WE'RE going to be warriors. We were assessed together, you big furball!"

"Speaking of furballs," I gasped. "could you get off me, please?"

"Oh, yeah, sure. Sorry about that."

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting!"

"It's time!" Bluepaw squeaked with excitement and nervously. She had come in with Mousepaw. We all left the den.

"Three of our apprentices have passed their assessment, and it is the time for the making of new warriors." Mossstar nodded to the apprentices. Mousepaw and Boulderpaw proudly walked to him. Bluepaw stood fidgeting, so I gave her a nudge.

"I, Mossstar, leader of LeafClan, call upon our warrior ancestors to look down upon these apprentices. They have strived hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and commend them as warriors in your turn. Do you promise to defend this clan and follow the warrior code, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," they each meowed.

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior names. Boulderpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Boulderbelly. StarClan honors your strength and stealth, and we welcome you as a full warrior of LeafClan.

"Mousepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Mousewing. StarClan honors your gentleness and wisdom, and we welcome you as a full warrior of LeafClan.

"Bluepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Bluepool. StarClan honors your kindness and quick-thinking, and we welcome you as a full warrior of LeafClan."

After she licked his shoulder, Birdfeather and Rabbitstorm were the first to break out in cheers. Birdfeather's belly was enormous with unborn kits. She had moved to the nursery shortly after Rabbitstorm had told me.

"You'd better get some rest." I jumped. Mossstar stood behind me. "I'm going to assess your basic skills tomorrow."

.

"Excellent work, Cloudpaw! You'll be the best hunter in the clan!" Mossstar praised. I felt overwhelmed with pride.

"Come on. We'll bury the prey here so we can go fight. You'll be teaching Littlepaw and Nightpaw."

When we reached the hollow, Littlepaw and Nightpaw watched from the side. "Attack me," Mossstar meowed. Exactly as he finished I jumped on top of him. He rolled, and I rolled with him. Instead of having him pin him me down, I rolled away quickly. He was thrown off guard, and I nipped the fur on his leg and jumped on top of him again. He tried to shake me off, and I instinctively jumped off. I then bowled him over and managed to pin him down.

Mossstar's jaws were open. He jumped at me, but I was ready for him. I jumped to the side, and he crashed into the sand. I jumped on his back and nipped his fur.

"How-how did you do that?" he stammered when I jumped off.

.

"Go hunting. Lay your pray around the forest," Mapleshade ordered.

"Why? We have fox scent in our border."

"They will lure it away from your camp. Just do it, no questions!"

I woke up feeling confused. Mossstar was whispering to Rabbitstorm. "May I go hunting alone?" I asked.

"Sure. Go ahead."

I hunted until sunhigh. I was exhausted. I had laid prey all over the forest, plus having to catch some for the clan. I was exhausted when I got to the elder's den.

"A feast," I meowed.

"How did you catch this many prey?" Stormpool asked.

I shrugged and started to exit.

"Wait! You don't expect to eat this much ourselves, do you?" Yelloweyes meowed.

I sat down and helped myself to a squirrel. I passed a chaffinch to Stormpool; it's her favorite.

"Who was Curltail?" I meowed. Mossstar had mentioned him quite a few times in battle training.

"He was one of the senior warriors. He killed Lightningstrike; Rabbitstorm's father and Mossstar's first deputy, Sunfur; Rabbitstorm's mother, and Wormpelt; Rabbitstorm's brother," Tornclaw meowed.

"He seemed pretty situated with Rabbitstorm," I meowed.

"He tried to kill Rabbitstorm, too. Rabbitstorm killed him instead and sent him to the dark forest." Stormpool meowed.

"What's that?"

"It's where you go if you did something unforgivable to StarClan. It's also known as The Place of No Stars. That's where Rabbitstorm says he killed Owlkit, his adopted daughter, and Wormpelt. Eventually, he managed to anger Mossstar and got him kicked out of the clan."

I thanked the elders and retired to my nest. On the way, I overheard Mosstail talking to the deputy.

"There's milk scent in our borders! We also found prey bones and crow-food. Either the foxes are hunting for practice, or someone's feeding them!"

Startled, I made a beeline to my den. I now knew the truth. Mapleshade was from the dark forest, and she tricked me into sending dogs into our territory. What have I done?