"This is the Thunderpath, Dawnpaw. You should never cross it alone unless you have no other choice." Gingersplash spoke in a calm but strict voice.

Dawnpaw stood next to her mentor on the soft green grass as she starred at the large path. She looked up towards her mentor and asked "Do they ever leave the path?"

Ginger splash shook her head and explained "Not that I've heard of. They always stick to the path and rarely stop for anything."

Dawnpaw sighed with relief as Gingersplash turned around and began walking the other way. Dawnpaw quickly spun around and raced to her side.

After a few moments of silence Dawnpaw finally asked "Where are we going now?"

Gingersplash mewed calmly "The Brightclan border line. There might be a patrol around this time, so you might be able to learn some things about your enemies."

Dawnpaw nodded proudly as she thought to herself If I learn more about them, I can help my clan!

Dawnpaw noticed the grassy earth below her started to flatten into a brighter green color. We must be getting closer to Brightclan

After a few more minutes of walking, Gingersplash came to a halt and Dawnpaw did the same.

They were standing in front of a large open field with barely any trees. Dawnpaw asked surprised "How do they hide from enemies?"

Gingersplash shrugged and purred with amusement "Maybe they try to look like grass."

Dawnpaw purred back happily and then stopped when she smelled an unusual scent. "Is that a Brightclan patrol?"

Gingersplash sniffed the air and nodded towards Dawnpaw "Very good Dawnpaw!"

Then, 2 cats came into view as they appeared out of the grass. There was a dark red-brown tom cat with green eyes, and a smaller male tom who was a sandy color with green eyes.

Gingersplash dipped her head towards the older Tom and greeted "Greetings Pinestalker."

Pinestalker dipped his head back in reply "Hello Gingersplash. What brings you to our border?"

Gingersplash gestured her tail towards Dawnpaw and explained "I'm showing my apprentice the different borders."

Pinestalker purred and gestured his tail towards the smaller sandy cat next to him "As am I."

Dawnpaw noticed the smaller sandy cat was looking at her with a small glow in his eyes.

He mewed eagerly "Hi there! I'm Sunpaw!"

Dawnpaw smiled back as she shifted her paws "I'm Dawnpaw."

Drawn by: DawnmistWrites
He asked as if he was trying to flirt "Is today your first day? You dont look nervous at all!"

Dawnpaw quickly thought to herself  Hes trying to learn more about us...

Dawnpaw shook her head no and lied "This is actually my 3rd day. I've learned a lot so far."

Dawnpaw flicked her ear hoping Gingersplash wouldn't correct her but thankfully she didn't.

He looked into her eyes as if he knew she was lying, but Dawnpaw just smiled back.

He purred "Oh...well today is my first day as an apprentice!"

Dawnpaw lowered her ears and smiled "Cool!"

Somehow Dawnpaw thought it would be nice to continue the conversation with the handsome, sandy Tom, but Gingersplash commented "Don't become too friendly with each other. You two may meet in battle."

Pinestalker nodded his head on agreement "Agreed. I think we've had a long enough chat. Come along Sunpaw."

Sunpaw lowered his ears and mewed softly "Bye..." As he spun around and followed Pinestalker into the grass.

Gingersplash spun around and headed towards the forest as Dawnpaw mewed quietly "Bye..."

As Dawnpaw followed behind Gingersplash she heard her mew proudly "Im glad you lied about when you first became an apprentice."

Dawnpaw raised her ears and asked "Why? He didn't lie about it."

Gingersplash added "And he will probably get scolded for that. Like I said, the less they know about you, the better."

Dawnpaw straighted her walking posture and nodded. "Yep..." As she tried to cover up her sadness.

No friendships with other clan cats...your clan comes first.

Gingersplash mewed calmly "Next, we will be heading for Brookclan."

Dawnpaw sighed and nodded at the thought of Sunpaw. I feel so bad for leaving...he was so nice...but curious...

Gingersplash glanced over her shoulder towards Dawnpaw as they were walking and she asked "What do you smell?"

Dawnpaw lowered her ears He was just curious and now Pinestalker is probably mad at him for telling me about him...

Gingersplash repeated louder "Dawnpaw!"

Dawnpaw snapped out of her thoughts and bumped into Gingersplash's back legs when she realized they had came to a halt.

Dawnpaw replied worried "Sorry, what was the question?"

Gingersplash's tone softened as she mewed clearly "You're distracted."

Dawnpaw shook her head and swished her tail "I'm sorry Gingersplash..."

Gingersplash twitched her ear concerned "Is this about Sunpaw?"

Dawnpaw quickly shook her head as she looked down towards her paws "My paws are just starting to ache."

Gingersplash narrowed her eyes as if she knew Dawnpaw was lying. "I suppose we could look at the other clan borders tomorrow. Come along."

Gingersplash spun around and padded past Dawnpaw and Dawnpaw followed behind her. I hate lying to my own mentor...

They headed their way back to camp the same route as before. Only, the scent smelled strange...it didn't smell like Brightclan or Mistclan...since that was the only scent she knew.

Dawnpaw hesitated hoping Gingersplash was made at her "Gingersplash? Do you smell that?"

Gingersplash sniffed the air and nodded concerned "Yeah...rouges...come on hurry!"

Gingersplash broke into a sprint as she raced quickly towards the camp and Dawnpaw raced behind. Good thing my pads don't actually hurt!

When they reached the camp everything was going on as usual. The Medicine Cat was treating wounds, the elder's weee eating, as well as the other apprentices and warriors.

Stonepaw bounced up to Gingersplash and Dawnpaw "Hey Dawnpaw! How was the tour of the territory?"

Dawnpaw didn't want to word him about the rouge smell and mewed back happily "It was great! I saw the thunderpath, the Brightclan border, and we were going to see the Brookclan border but my pads starting hurting."

Stonepaw swished his tail and mewed concerned "You should get Creamleaf to check out your pads. Maybe you stepped on a thorn?"

Dawnpaw shook her head as Gingersplash quickened her pace towards the leader's den. "No need. I think it's just from walking so much."

Stonepaw nodded in understandment as he laughed "I remember my first day my pads started hurting soon as I left camp!"

Dawnpaw purred loudly "Really?"

He nodded back "Yep! It sucked a lot."

Then Dawnpaw noticed Duskpaw walking out of the elder's den looking disgusted.

Dawnpaw glanced towards Stonepaw and dipped her head "Excuse me for a moment."

As she raced up to Duskpaw and asked her "What did you do today for training?"

Duskpaw came to a halt and rolled her eyes "Let's see...I cleaned out the nursery...cleaned out the apprentice and warrior den...and I just finished picking the elder's ticks."

Dawnpaw flattened her ears feeling bad "Yikes. What did you do to deserve this?"

Duskpaw shrugged annoyed "Nothing at all! It's so stupid! Leafblossum was like..." Then she made her voice higher and mocked "The best way to help your clan is within the camp."

Dawnpaw chuckled "But that's not even true!"

Duskpaw nodded in agreement "I know right? Anyways, so what did you do today? Looks like you had more fun."

Dawnpaw shifted her paws "I don't want to make you jealous but..."

Duskpaw tilted her head "But...?"

Dawnpaw mewed excited "I saw the thunderpath...I ran into a Brightclan mentor and his apprentice, we had a chat, and then we were going to go to Brookclan but I wanted to go back."

Duskpaw dropped her jaw "Not fair!"

Dawnpaw laughed as they both began walking towards the fresh-kill pile "Now you know why I didn't want to tell you."

Duskpaw laughed once more as she asked "Wanna share a rabbit with me?"

Dawnpaw smiled back "Sure."