Find you fascinating by five past ten.

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A sharp prodding drew Cedarpaw from his slumber. Still groggy, he released a small groan before rolling over and slowly opening one eye. Palepaw was standing over him, one paw raised and an apologetic smile on her face.

"Hello, Cedarpaw," she greeted him warmly. "Brackenstep asked me to wake you, since Robinpaw is still out on the dawn patrol. I hope you slept well."

"Fine, thanks," Cedarpaw yawned. He rose to his paws, stretching and shaking out his pelt. "What's Brackenstep need anyway?"

"He, Briarcliff, Fennelpool, and Grasshawk are all discussing our training for the day," Palepaw explained. "We both thought you wouldn't want to sleep through that. Breezepaw and Firepaw are already out there with them."

Mother Moon, please let me get through this without clawing Breezepaw's ears off...

"So, are you coming to join us?" Palepaw asked, distracting Cedarpaw from his thought. Her fluffy white head was tilted, curiosity and kindness rimming her blue eyes.

"Sorry, I spaced out there for a second," Cedarpaw replied sheepishly. "I'm coming."

"You must still be pretty sleepy," Palepaw purred.

"Maybe," Cedarpaw agreed, allowing a playful edge to creep into his tone. "I'm still not as bad as you are whenever you and Robinpaw train together though!"

He then quickly brushed past Palepaw as she registered what he said. Sure enough, Fennelpool, Brackenstep, Grasshawk, and Briarcliff were all clustered together in the centre of camp. Firepaw and Breezepaw were nearby, clearly throwing in their own input whenever they saw fit. The whole group paused and turned to watch as Palepaw bowled Cedarpaw over playfully.

"I see you managed to wake Cedarpaw after all," Brackenstep purred. "Good work."

"Don't tell me you've already been starting fights?" Breezepaw teased, though there was no malice in his tone, only amusement.

"Oh, no, Cedarpaw and I were just playing," Palepaw assured them quickly, letting Cedarpaw up. He shook the dust from his pelt and gave Palepaw's ear a friendly tail-flick.

"I'm glad you've warmed your muscles up, then," Briarcliff decided. "We'll be splitting up into pairs for battle training today."

"Shall we train together again, Brackenstep?" Grasshawk asked. "Breezepaw has learned a few new moves we could practice."

Brackenstep appeared cheerful, although Cedarpaw didn't catch what he said. As if on instinct, he curled his claws into the ground. He and Breezepaw then shared a quick, anxious glance.

Well? What now? We both know that won't end well!

"Actually, I was thinking it might be fun to train with Palepaw today," Breezepaw suggested lightly, sending Cedarpaw a tiny nod. "I'm feeling like a challenge, and Cedarpaw and I know each other's moves too well."

"Sounds good to me," Briarcliff agreed. "Palepaw could use some toughening up."

"I'm plenty tough!" Palepaw shot back, fluffing up her fur to make herself look more intimidating. "It's not my fault that Firepaw is bigger than the rest of us!"

"I think you all are just short," Firepaw teased lightly. "Seriously, have you and Cedarpaw gotten any bigger since you've been apprenticed?"

"Oh, you'll pay for that one," Cedarpaw informed him, eyes flashing eagerly. "Besides, we all know that extra size you've got is all just fluff!"

"Hey, I'll have you know this is pure muscle!" Firepaw retorted.

"Save it for the battlefield, you two," Brackenstep chided, not bothering to hide the amusement in his tone.

"Oh, let the toms have their fun," Fennelpool purred indulgently. "Though I suppose we should get going if we want to start training before sunhigh. Shall we head to the Ice Thistle Hills?"

"My thoughts exactly," Brackenstep agreed.

"We'll take the shore of the river, then," Grasshawk decided. "I want to see what Breezepaw and Palepaw can do in the water."

The group made their way up the rocky slope that let them in and out of camp. Cedarpaw darted ahead with Firepaw, looking forward to the day's activities.

***

The Ice Thistle Hills were a cluster of brush and stones surrounded by grasses that were always some shade of golden-brown regardless of the season. Firepaw was definitely taller than him, so Cedarpaw hoped he could somehow use ducking down into the foliage to his advantage. Battles were only fun if you had a level playing field, which sometimes meant getting creative.

"Alright, why don't you two show us what you've got and we'll decide what to work on from there?" Fennelpool suggested. She shot Brackenstep an inquisitive look, and he nodded approvingly.

"That sounds fine," he meowed. "Now remember you two; sheathed claws. And no tricks!"

Cedarpaw kept light on his toes as he and Firepaw circled the clearing, eyes locked. Firepaw finally pounced, prompting Cedarpaw to roll out of the way. He kept himself low to the ground as he lifted himself back to his paws.

"Hey! Where'd you go?" Firepaw demanded, pausing to taste the air.

I've got you now!

That was exactly the opening Cedarpaw had been hoping for. Darting like a snake, he charged into Firepaw's legs to topple him. He clambered on top of a bewildered Firepaw with a triumphant purr.

Firepaw, of course, immediately retaliated by easily shaking Cedarpaw off. He landed with an oomf, but was too happy that his idea had worked to care.

"I thought Brackenstep said no tricks," Firepaw pointed out, although he didn't seem annoyed at all, mostly teasing.

"That wasn't a trick," Cedarpaw purred. "I let you throw me off afterwards. That was called strategy."

"Oh, so hiding like a rabbit is a strategy now?" Firepaw laughed.

"Okay, maybe it was a little tricky," Cedarpaw admitted. "It worked though, didn't it?"

"It certainly did," Brackenstep chuckled. "RiftClan cats usually prefer to fight head-on, but I suppose it might be good practice in case we ever end up in a war with SpiderClan."

"That's true," Fennelpool agreed. "SpiderClan cats are smaller than us. It's interesting, getting a small taste of how they might think."

"I'm not that small," Cedarpaw protested hotly. "I just didn't think we'd have a fair match going head-on."

"I thought your move was great," Firepaw assured him, running his tail down Cedarpaw's spine. "Think you could show me how to do something like that?"

It never fails. Firepaw really is the best friend a cat could ask for.

Cedarpaw glanced hopefully up at their mentors. Fennelpool, as with anything her apprentice suggested, looked all for it. Brackenstep's friendly purr suggested he felt the same.

"Go ahead then, Cedarpaw," Fennelpool prompted. "Show us how you did that."

***

By the time they returned to camp it was well past sunhigh. Firepaw had picked up Cedarpaw's new move very well, and even if he hadn't Cedarpaw had simply enjoyed training with him. Although it went unnoticed initially, the growling in his belly was reminding him that he hadn't eaten yet.

"Go get something from the fresh-kill pile," Brackenstep offered kindly. "You and Firepaw have both earned it."

Dipping his head in fervent thanks, Cedarpaw quickly made his way over to the fresh-kill pile. It was relatively well-stocked, thanks to it being green-leaf, and he immediately snatched up the vole he saw sticking out. Firepaw selected a pair of mice for himself before the two settled down outside of the apprentice's den.

"You're pretty cheery today," Firepaw remarked between mouthfuls. "It's nice."

"I guess it's just been a good day," Cedarpaw purred. Vole really was the sweetest-tasting prey. "Training was fun, the weather is fine, and best of all I think I'm going to get to go to the Newmoon Gathering this evening!"

"What makes you think that?" Firepaw purred back.

"Ravenmoon said Breezepaw and I could go if we behaved ourselves today," Cedarpaw explained.

"So that's why you two have been keeping out of each other's fur," Firepaw guessed. "I suppose Sablepaw and Robinpaw will be going with you?"

"Well, Ravenmoon hasn't announced anything yet," Cedarpaw pointed out. "I hope so. Were you wanting to go?"

"I can live without the other Clans' gossip," Firepaw assured him. "I'd rather get a good night's sleep tonight and hear about it all in the morning. Less hassle."

Cedarpaw nodded in understanding, relishing another mouthful of his vole. Glancing around at the activity in the camp, he noticed Ravenmoon leaping onto the Highperch.

"Let all cats old enough to scale the ravine gather beneath the Highperch to hear my words," she yowled, prompting all the cats in camp to slowly gather around her.

"Good luck," Firepaw whispered, brushing against Cedarpaw's fur affectionately. He nodded gratefully, catching sight of Breezepaw's expectant gaze out of the corner of his eye.

We stuck to our truce. Surely that means we'll get to go, right?

"As you all know, tonight is the night of another Newmoon Gathering," Ravenmoon began. "The cats accompanying me will be Toadbrine, Shadowblink, Swallowfall, Fennelpool, Troutdrift, Dawnspots, Vixenflight, Cardinalfire, Junipertuft, Darkbristle, Robinpaw, Cedarpaw, Sablepaw, and Breezepaw."

At the sound of his name, Cedarpaw's heart lifted. Every cat who had been called seemed pleased, apart from Troutdrift who hastily slipped into the nursery to check on Laurelbird. Even Breezepaw let his tail swish in excitement.

"That will be all," Ravenmoon informed them. "Meeting dismissed."

The crowd of cats slowly but surely dispersed, returning to their previous engagements. Cedarpaw and Firepaw were finishing off their prey when Breezepaw padded over to them.

"Hello, Breezepaw," Firepaw purred. "Congratulations on you and Cedarpaw getting to go to the Gathering."

"Thanks," Breezepaw purred back.

"I trust I won't be getting any reports from your mentors making me change my mind?" Ravenmoon chimed in. She seemed to have a habit of appearing out of nowhere.

"Nope, not a thing," Breezepaw assured her. "Right, Cedarpaw?"

"Right," Cedarpaw agreed.

"Good," Ravenmoon purred. "Then you two rest up for this evening!"

Now that, Cedarpaw knew, was an order he could get behind.