"Rainpaw! Wake up!" 

He opened his eyes and saw a familiar orange and white face staring at him, green eyes gleaming with amusement. "Come on, sleepyhead!" She purred. "It's dawn."

Already? He thought in dismay, his eyelids heavy as he blinked drowsily. He let out a groan and sunk back down into his nest. "Just give me a little longer..." He let his eyelids close, feeling the hypnotic call of sleep slowly grasp his mind.

"Come on!" She prodded his side, and he started a little. "Greenpine and Ashcloud are waiting outside."

Rainpaw sighed and pulled himself to his paws, shaking out his fur. "Okay, Bloompaw," He meowed drowsily. "I'm coming."

His sister purred and turned, exiting the den. Rainpaw felt exhausted. Another training session? We were up late practicing night hunting at the burnt sycamore! He stretched out his legs before following her.

When he stepped into the clearing, sure enough, the sun was just beginning to rise. Several cats were already putting themselves to work. The clan deputy, Depthwater, was by the meeting rock, flicking his tail as he surveyed the warriors around him.

"Crowmask, would you lead the dawn patrol today?" The dark blue-black tom nodded to the black warrior. "You can take Cobrapaw as well."

The tom nodded and turned to call to his apprentice, but he seemed to have overheard and hurried over, his amber eyes shining. "Dawn patrol? That sounds great!"

Beyond them, Silverblossom and Maplefur were leading their apprentices toward the thorn tunnel.

"So what are we learning today?" Copperpaw asked excitedly, bouncing alongside his mentor.

Silverblossom looked back at him, her blue eyes filled with amusement. "I think it's time we went over some battle moves."

"Battle moves?" Diamondpaw's eyes widened at her, then she looked up at her own mentor nervously. "Are we doing that too?"

"Yes," Maplefur nodded, his yellow eyes softening. "But don't worry, it's only training. No cat will get hurt."

The silver spotted apprentice relaxed a little, and the four headed out into the forest.

Ashcloud and Greenpine sat waiting a few fox lengths away from the apprentices den. Bloompaw was standing beside the gray and white tom, her tail whisking back and forth across the pine needle strewn ground.

"I expect you're still tired after last night," Greenpine commented as Rainpaw joined them. When he nodded, she blinked sympathetically. "This will be the only training session for today. You can use the rest of the day to rest."

Rainpaw looked at her gratefully. "Thanks, Greenpine," He purred. I'm lucky to have such a great mentor. She's so understanding, and she's not stern like Crowmask or Buzzardglare.

"You're very kind," Ashcloud echoed his thoughts, gazing at his mentor fondly. "A lot of mentors could learn a thing or two from you."

Greenpine ducked her head in embarrassment. "Thank you," She purred. "You're a wonderful mentor too."

The gray and white warrior purred loudly as he gazed at her, and she stared back at him affectionately. Rainpaw exchanged an amused look with his sister. Any cat could see that Greenpine and Ashcloud were a mouse tail away from becoming mates. It was certainly awkward seeing their mentors all moony for each other.

"So... What will we be learning today?" Rainpaw prompted, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

The two cats seemed to remember that they had apprentices and snapped their attention away from each other. "Right, uh, we'll be going over some hunting techniques," Ashcloud meowed.

Greenpine nodded. "Specifically catching birds in the treetops. It isn't something that ShadowClan cats do often, but it's a good skill to learn."

"That's right. You never know when you'll need it."

Rainpaw turned to see Bluerain padding toward them, her red tabby apprentice by her side. 

Poppypaw! He perked up at the sight of the pretty red tabby she-cat, his tiredness forgotten. She and Rainpaw had been training together for moons now, and they had become inseparable. She was his very best friend. "Hi, Poppypaw!"

"Hello, Rainpaw!" She purred and bounded forward, her soft tail in the air as she bumped her head against his in greeting. "How are you today?"

He gazed at Poppypaw happily, his tail high in the air. "Great now!" He turned to Ashcloud and Greenpine. "Are they coming with us?" He asked hopefully.

As Bloompaw chuckled, Greenpine looked at Poppypaw's mentor questioningly. "Are you?"

The silver she-cat joined the two warriors. "That's what I came to suggest," She meowed. "If you wouldn't mind having us along."

Before either warrior could respond, Rainpaw cut in. "Of course not," He exclaimed. "Let's go!"

Ashcloud shot him an amused look. "You're awfully eager to have your mother with you for a training session," He commented.

Bluerain was the mother of Rainpaw and Bloompaw. Of course, he didn't mind his mother's company, but she was also the mentor of Poppypaw, and where Bluerain went, her apprentice went. He felt excited at every opportunity to spend time with his close friend.

"Oh, I doubt that," Bluerain chuckled, gazing at her kits warmly. "But I would like to see how your training is coming along. I'm very proud of you." She paused before adding, "Perhaps when we return to camp you could tell Carrottail what you did today."

Rainpaw nodded, his enthusiasm fading as he thought of his father. Just a moon ago, he had moved into the elders den. Carrottail was very young to have retired, and should have continued his warrior duties for many more moons. But during the time of Bone Shred's attacks on the clans, his father had suffered a leg injury that refused to heal. Unable to hunt or fight properly, Carrottail had been forced to retire. Rainpaw, Bloompaw, and Bluerain visited him often to try to cheer him up and remind him that his kin still cared for him.

"Right." Ashcloud stood and turned toward the thorn tunnel, flicking his gray tail. "Let's go." 

Greenpine padded alongside him, their pelts brushing, and Bluerain followed close behind with Poppypaw.

As Rainpaw took up the rear, Bloompaw slowed her pace to walk alongside him, shooting him an amused look. "Why don't you just become mates and have kits already?" She chuckled.

He blinked at her in confusion. "What?"

"Don't play dumb." Bloompaw's eyes gleamed with amusement. "Everyone sees how close you and Poppypaw are. Everytime you look at her, your eyes grow round like a full moon over fourtrees!"

"Me and Poppypaw?" Rainpaw exclaimed, his fur prickling with discomfort. "She- She's my best friend, that's all."

Bloompaw bounced alongside him, chanting teasingly. "Rainpaw and Poppypaw sitting in a tree, L I C K-"

Shut up! Rainpaw felt squeamish and ran ahead of his sister to join Greenpine, his pelt hot with embarrassment. Poppypaw is just my best friend!

***

The morning air brushed through Rainpaw's fur like pine needles, chilly and sharp. He crouched on the forest floor, shivering beside Poppypaw.  Their mentors stood a few fox lengths away, looking up into a pine tree where Bloompaw clung to the trunk.

"You can do it, Bloompaw!" Ashcloud called encouragingly. "You're halfway there!"

The orange and white she-cat's eyes were round with fear as she dug her claws into the bark, seeming frozen. "I-I don't think I can go any higher!"

Bluerain stepped forward and stared up at her daughter worriedly. "What if she falls?"

"She'll be alright," Greenpine meowed. "She's not very high."

The flapping of wings caught Rainpaw's attention, and he gasped as a thrush swooped over his head and up into the pine tree, perching on a branch near the top. It's just a bird... He let out a sigh of relief.

"You're very jumpy," Poppypaw meowed, her eyes filled with concern. "Are you alright?"

He swallowed, embarrassed by his startled reaction to the bird. "I-I'm fine," He stammered, glancing around nervously. "I-I'm just a little scared," He admitted. "Some of Bone Shred's rogues are still around. What if we're attacked?"

Poppypaw's blue eyes grew warm. "Don't worry, we'll be fine," She promised, leaning forward to give him a reassuring lick on the ear. "There are six of us. No rogue would dare try to attack." She meowed gently. "And if they did, I'd protect you."

"Really?" Rainpaw blinked at her, feeling warmth spread through him from ears to tail tip as he met her gentle blue gaze. "Thanks... I-I mean, I'd protect you too," He stammered in embarrassment. I'd try... Those rogues are terrifying! They'd rip me apart.

But the red tabby she-cat didn't seem bothered by his awkwardness and purred. "I know." She gazed at him, and Rainpaw stared back warmly.

"That's it!" Ashcloud's encouraging yowl caught his attention, and he returned his focus to the pine tree, surprised when he saw that Bloompaw had climbed further up the trunk, pulling herself from branch to branch.

The thrush that had startled Rainpaw was perched high in the tree, seeming unaware of the nearing apprentice.

"She's really high," Rainpaw meowed nervously, rising to his paws and staring up at his sister. "Bloompaw, be careful!"

Bloompaw had pulled herself onto one of the highest branches, crouching and digging her claws into it as it swayed under her weight.  The thrush sat on a branch above her, cleaning under its wing with its beak. The she-cat's tail swished slowly as she stared at it and slowly moved forward.

"She's going for it," Ashcloud realized, worry edging his tone as he stared up at his apprentice. "Bloompaw, wait-"

The orange and white she-cat sprang just as Ashcloud spoke. The thrush let out a startled squawk and flew off in a flurry of flapping wings, and Bloompaw let out a shocked gasp as she missed the branch and plummeted downward paws first.

"Bloompaw!" Bluerain shrieked.

The apprentice managed to grab hold of a branch before she could continue falling and dug her claws into the branch, but she was unable to pull herself up. She let out a terrified cry as she dangled helplessly, her hind legs flailing in the air.

She's going to fall! Rainpaw let out a horrified gasp. Ashcloud, who was closest to the tree, shot forward, but Poppypaw was faster. He watched in amazement as she scurried up the tree as fast and nimble as a squirrel, her striped tail rippling behind her.

"Poppypaw, be careful!" Greenpine exclaimed, and Bluerain gasped behind her.

Rainpaw shot forward to stand with the warriors, staring up anxiously. "Poppypaw!" His eyes darted from his friend to his sister, his heart galloping in panic. I don't want either of them to fall!

The orange and white she-cat let out a wail as her claws began to slip. Poppypaw pulled herself onto a branch just below her. "Hold on, I'm coming!" She gasped. 

I can't look! I can't see her fall! But Rainpaw felt frozen, unable to tear his horrified gaze from his sister as she dangled far above him. 

She scrambled up the bark and onto the branch just as one of Bloompaw's paws slipped. A heartbeat later, Poppypaw reached down and grabbed her by the scruff, gripping the branch tightly as she carefully hauled the apprentice up.

"Oh, thank StarClan..." Bluerain let out a sigh of relief, and beside her, Ashcloud let out a groan as he relaxed. Greenpine leaned on him reassuringly.

Rainpaw watched, still shaky as he recovered from the shock of the situation. The fur along his spine slowly flattened as he watched the two she-cats carefully make their way back down the tree. They're okay!

When they reached the last branch, Poppypaw leaped down first, looking back at Bloompaw, who more hesitantly followed, looking relieved to be on the ground again. She crouched and trembled, her green eyes round.

"Bloompaw!" Bluerain hurried to her daughter's side and rubbed her head against hers. "You nearly scared me out of my fur!"

The orange and white she-cat shivered. "Y-you weren't the one up there!" She looked at Poppypaw, letting out a sigh of relief. "Thank you!"

Rainpaw stepped to Poppypaw's side, staring at his sister anxiously. She's alright... He turned to his friend, feeling a wave of admiration wash over him. "How did you climb up there so fast? You're so brave!"

The red tabby she-cat looked surprised at his praise. "Oh, that was nothing," She insisted, looking embarrassed. "Any cat would have done the same."

"I don't think I could have tore up that tree as quickly as you did," Ashcloud meowed.

Greenpine nodded agreement. "I've never seen anything like that. Did Bluerain show you how to climb so well?"

Before Poppypaw could respond, Bluerain shook her head. "We've only had one lesson. I certainly can't climb like that," She meowed, staring at her apprentice proudly. "She seems to have a natural talent for climbing."

"Don't tell SkyClan that, they might want her for themselves," Ashcloud chuckled, waving his tail. "ShadowClan will be lucky to call you one of our warriors."

Poppypaw ducked her head, looking embarrassed at all the attention and praise. "Really? Thank you!" She purred humbly. 

Rainpaw gave her an affectionate nudge, looking at her proudly. She's such a talented cat! I wish I could be like her.

***

Though Bloompaw wasn't injured, Bluerain had decided to take her back to camp to ask Hawkfeather and Dewpaw for some thyme to help her recover from the shock.

Ashcloud and Greenpine had sent Rainpaw and Poppypaw to catch frogs in the marsh. They claimed that they would be watching them the entire time to assess their skills, however, whenever he looked over his shoulder, he saw their mentors sitting close together, purring and giving each other compliments. 

Just a little closer... Rainpaw thought as he carefully crept through the mud toward a toad. He was about to pounce when the croak of a frog caught his attention, and he turned his head.

Poppypaw was crouched on the opposite side of the marsh, her blue eyes focused ahead on a dark green frog that sat in the muddy earth with its back to her. He watched, his toad forgotten as she crept forward on delicate red paws, her movements slow and careful. She's such a great hunter... He was unable to look away from her.

She placed a paw down on the muddy ground harder than she had intended, and the earth squished under her loudly. The frog immediately hopped forward, and Poppypaw sprang after it, kicking up mud behind her.

Snapping out of his trance, Rainpaw raced forward and intercepted the frog, briefly alarmed as he found himself skidding in the mud, sending it splattering forward. The frog immediately leaped back in the direction it had came, seeming to have forgotten about Poppypaw, who easily grasped it in her claws and delivered the killing bite.

"Wow!" Rainpaw panted and pulled a paw out of the mud, disgusted as he felt the cold liquid ooze between his toes. "Great catch!"

Poppypaw raised her head and purred. "You helped. We make a great team."

"We do," He agreed, and they gazed at each other for a long moment. Suddenly, he became aware of the mud he had splattered all over her when he'd slipped. "Oh, sorry!" He stepped forward and started licking her face clean, only to jerk back and stick his tongue out in disgust at the taste of mud. "Ew!"

Poppypaw chuckled in amusement. "I can clean myself, silly!" she turned away, looking over her shoulder at him as she laughed. "Come on, let's get dry."

He followed her and pulled himself out of the mud, shaking the sticky liquid from his fur. Poppypaw looked down at her mud-plastered fur in dismay. "My fur won't look decent for a moon!" She joked.

"Even with all that mud, you're still the most beautiful cat in the forest," Rainpaw purred. She raised her head in surprise, and with a start, he realized that he had spoken his thoughts out loud. And that wasn't all. Bloompaw is right... He realized. I'm in love with Poppypaw.

As he ducked his head in embarrassment, Poppypaw spoke, her eyes filled with surprise and warmth. "Do you really mean that..?" She asked hesitantly, sounding shy.

Rainpaw met her gaze nervously. "I-I do," He meowed softly. "You're the kindest, most beautiful, and talented cat I've ever met. You're..." He shuffled his paws. "You're much more than a friend to me. You're special."

He shyly met her gaze, seeing warmth glowing inside her eyes. "Rainpaw... I've felt the same way for a long time," She murmured. "I love spending time with you." She hesitated before adding softly, "I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Is this really happening? Rainpaw's heart pounded in his chest as his pelt warmed under her gaze. "I want that too!" He hesitantly stepped forward and sat close to her, and she leaned against him, rubbing her head against his. A purr rumbled in his throat, and he felt her purring as well against him.

"I love you," He purred happily and rubbed his cheek against her head, feeling weak and warm with joy. "You're the best cat in ShadowClan."

Poppypaw purred back and licked his neck fur, twining her tail with his. "I love you too, Rainpaw. We'll have a wonderful future together, won't we?"

"Of course!" Rainpaw replied happily. "Any future with you in it is sure to be wonderful."

She leaned back and met his gaze warmly. "As long as it's with you. Once we're warriors, we'll be able to become mates, and-" She hesitated, looking at him shyly. "And perhaps we could have kits."

"That sounds like a dream from StarClan," Rainpaw purred and licked her head, and she leaned against him, purring loudly. "We're meant to be. StarClan has laid out the path to a bright future ahead of us, and I can't wait to follow it with you!"