Rainheart's eyes flickered open as a bit of noise roused up outside the Warrior's den. "Foxdung," she murmured, wanting just a bit more sleep. Nevertheless she rose up on her paws and padded outside. She peeked in the apprentice's den- ah, Willowpaw was still asleep.

Willowleaf woke up soon after her sister did. "Rainheart!" she called. "You beat me to it , again." Willowleaf and Rainheart often had competitions on who woke up earlier. Rainheart's chuckle made Willowleaf determined to wake up earlier the next day. "It's as if we were still kits..." Willowleaf's mew trailed off.

"Let's go look at the kits." Rainheart suggested. She had always loved the frail creatures, especially Bluekit, whose mother was taken away by a Twoleg.  She called, "Race you to the nursery!"

Bluekit wasn't asleep. He played with a feather that drifted around, and was delighted to see Rainheart. He snuggled a bit closer to her.

"Whoa, little brother." Rainheart said, laughing. "You are a tad bit too strong."

Willowleaf joined in the laughter. "He'll make a fine apprentice- or warrior." she knew the kit's determination to be the best in the clan. Ambitious - she often described him. 

"Why not we go on a patrol ? We could teach Bluekit a bit of our warrior skills." Rainheart suggested.

"Yes!" Bluekit readily agreed, his pale blue eyes glowing with joy. "Please?"

Rainheart picked up the kit by the scruff and brought him to Sunflare, Willowleaf following. "Sunflare, could we go on a patrol?"

Bluekit's eyes were pleading. "Please?" He had always looked up to Sunflare - not bossy, trying to serve the Clan in the best way he can.  He always tried to be like him - he was sure the others liked him too. Especially Rainheart, he noted.

Hazepaw blinked in the dim light of the apprentice den, unaware of what woke him up. He wobbled to his feet and stretched, before starting out of the den and into the bright morning sunshine. He scented the air instinctively, looking for the cause of the stir at the camp. Everything seemed tense, he could tell- but it wasn't something pressing. They weren't currently being attacked, nothing urgent like that. He swiveled his ears, trying to pick up anything that sounded important. Where was his mentor?

Cloverkit watched from the nursery as Bluekit was spirited away wistfully. She hadn't come out in time, she'd been asleep, and now it seemed like Rainheart and Willowleaf were already taking him away. She was simply brimming with jealousy. She laid down in the gr*censored* by Bluekit's abandoned feather and pouted, although.. it didn't accomplish much. She'd just check in on the apprentices. Or go hang around the warriors. Or.. Or play with the other kits. She didn't need them!
She huffily struck off to the other side of camp, having no real destination in mind. When adventure didn't come to you- you had to make one yourself.

[[Sorry Marshall! x.x I didn't see it XD I'll change it right now : D And Thrushtail will be Coalpaw's mentor now. Det, not much happened. Waterstar saw a fox near the river, and basically everyone is at camp.]]

 Sunflare looked around to see Rainheart, Willowleaf and Bluekit. He sighed softly, though slightly amused. "Bluekit, you're still... a kit." He said, gently nuding the little tom. "You know kits aren't allowed out of camp. Besides, Waterstar has seen a fox near our boundaries, so we much watch ourselves. I would like Stardust to lead a border patrol near the river today, though, to check out the river." He nodded to the grey-blue she-cat. "Rainheart and Willowleaf can go, and perhaps you can take your apprentice, Hazepaw." 

---

Stardust nodded excitedly when Sunflare said she could lead. Her! Lead! Practically ecstatic, Stardust mewed a rushed thanks to Sunflare and bounded to the apprentice's den to find Hazepaw. She poked her head in. "Hazepaw?" She meowed, then looked outside to find her apprentice near the entrance of the apprentice's den. "Come on, Hazepaw! Let's go on a border patrol with Willowleaf and Rainheart today." Her eyes twinkled with happiness.

---

Daypaw awoke again when she heard Hazepaw's name being called out. She opened her eyes just in time to see Stardust whip around and rush out of the den. "Why does no cat bother to sleep now?" She muttered irratably, getting up and sticking her head out of the apprentice's den. A few cats were out here and there, but no Stormfang. Exasperated, Daypaw silently slunk out of the den to leave the other apprentices sleeping. She quickly located her favorite spot, a large slab of stone in the camp that would jut out to make a perfect basking spot. She quickly scrabbled on, then lay down, sighing contentedly as she felt the sun's rays warm her fur.

Bluekit sighed. "Aww..." His voice trailed off sadly as he limped away to the Nursery. He found his feather... and Cloverkit beside it! "Cloverkit!" he called out, his eyes brimming with delight. "Want to play?"

Rainheart chuckled. "He just wants to be useful." she told Sunflare. She then turned to Stardust. "Shall we start the patrol?"

Willowleaf was rather disappointed to see Bluekit go away. He was a kit, yes, Sunflare was right , but rather useful. He wasn't the least bit dim, or until Sunflare turned him away.

Soul was , as usual, scavenging for her two missing kits - or they could be called Cats- adults-now.  She found a scent - trail of ... rabbit. She followed the scent until a great white rabbit was in sight. She pounced, and the rabbit was not even able to think wrong place, wrong time. Soul, delighted at her catch, brought it to a nearby oak tree. Probably she would eat it later, but oh? She could see a small bird that had fallen out of a tree. She shoved the rabbit into the hole in the tree, and killed the bird, satisfyingly devouring it. That's it. I am rather full for now, and the rabbit can be eaten for lunch.

Stardust nodded. "Just a second, we're waiting for Hazepaw to pop out of the den and come join us. I've already called him." She flicked her tail impatiently, still buzzing with excitement about leading a patrol. She couldn't help but puff her chest out in pride. "I must have been really nice to Sunflare or something to deserve to lead a patrol." She thought, grinning happily.

---

Sunflare immediately felt terrible about sending Bluekit away, his tail drooping down. "I'm sorry, Willowleaf." He muttered miserably and nodded to Rainheart, trailing off to find Waterstar. "I'm a terribly deputy." Sunflare continued to insult himself. "Sending away a happy kit... I wonder how he feels." He looked around the camp for Bluekit.

There was always something mildly embarr*censored*ing about being the last kit to wake up- it was like he wasn't disciplined enough to get up early, like he didn't care about being a warrior as long as he got enough sleep.

"It's not really fair," he explained to no one in particular, "I can't help how long I sleep, 'cause I don't know I'm asleep when I'm sleeping."

Quailpaw wriggled onto his feet and padded off in search of Sunflare. He didn't have to search long, and there was a twinge of disappointment in him when he realized that his mentor would be out on patrol that morning.

--------------------------

Heron's stomach felt depressingly empty, and the smell of fresh-rabbit he had picked up was terribly tempting. Days of eating nothing but carrion had left him with a deep hankering for real food- if only that stupid she-cat hadn't gotten it first!

The large cat sat down and considered his options. He could surprise her and bully her into handing over the rabbit- but that was risky, she looked like the sort that was hard to bully. He also could simply wait untill she was done-

But wait! She was simply leaving it near the oak! If only she could just go somewhere else, if only for a moment... 

((Btw, I am going to have Waterstar lose a life very soon.))

"Sunflare, I need you to pick a group of our best warriors and we need to chase that fox. Two if you would." The young leader siad. She was a bit unsure of herself, having only been chosen leader a little while ago. Her eyes were bright with happiness, mixed in with fear. "If need be, warriors that will turn and fight an animal with the looks of a dog, but the cleverness of a cat." Waterstar turned away from him and wandered into her den to sleep a little bit...

Stormfang sighed impatiently and licked his flank in quiet frustration. Where is Daypaw? he thought distractedly. He swept his eyes across the clearing once more, then let out another sharp hiss when he couldn't find her.

His attention then flickered to Stardust, and an intense longing filled his heart. I wish she would notice me, he thought sadly. She looked so happy to him, no doubt delighted about leading a patrol.

Then, of course he saw Daypaw slinking out of the den and leaping onto her favorite rock. "Daypaw! You must have missed me," he called out, padding over to her. "I suppose my pelt blends in with the shadows."

It was clear that he was acting nicely to make up for his being irritated at her earlier. It was rather early to wake up. But still, he couldn't help being an active cat. 

~

Hawkgaze purred in his own deep rumbling voice and stepped out of the warrior's den, his black pelt gleaming with health and evidence of good eating. He walked over to the fresh-kill pile, his belly rumbling with hunger as he chose a plump mouse.

Carrying it over to where the other warriors were speaking, he dropped it onto the ground so he could speak.

"I heard some talk of a fox. Is there anything wrong?" he asked Sunflare mildly, then turned his yellow-gold gaze on Rainheart. "Who's part of this patrol?" 

~

Nightstorm padded up to Sunflare after Waterstar and the patrol had set off. "What's going on?" she mewed curiously, swiping her jaws with her tongue. "I heard a bit of commotion from Whisperpaw but that's all."

~

Whisperpaw ran up to his mentor excitedly. "What's going on. Is there really a fox in the forest?" He mewed this eagerly, looking up at Willowleaf with wide eyes. I've never seen a fox, he thought suddenly.

"Can I come? I've never seen a fox here before and I really want to see one. Please Willowleaf?"

~

Willowpaw gaze Whisperpaw a withering look as she padded up behind him. "Calm down Whisperpaw. There's going to be plenty of chances to see a fox around here. By StarClan, it's a forest."

"And trust me," she added, lowering her voice with sudden intensity. "You don't ever want to see those mangy creatures. "Never. They're only pieces of crowfood."

~

Scree padded through the forest, intent only on the large rabbit which was eating gras.s only a few foxlengths from her. Finally, the first piece of fresh-kill in sunhighs! She licked her lips and crouched low to the ground, using the ferns and tall gras.ses as cover while she slinked forwards slowly.

[[Hah? Shoor, I guess Sunflare could know : D ]]

 Sunflare turned around to see Hawkgaze and a few other cats gathering around him. "Yes, Waterstar has instructed me to send a small group of cats to drive out the fox." He looked around. "Perhaps Hawkgaze and Owlfeather could go." He mumbled, glancing at the black tom who was rolling around the camp with Coalpaw. 

---

Daypaw looked down to see Stormfang. "Oh." She mumbled. "There he is." Daypaw leapt down from her rock and padded up to sit in front of her mentor. "Yes, yes. You're pelt certainly does blend in rather well." She drawled, deciding to humor Stormfang. 

Willowleaf chuckled. "Whisperpaw, Willowpaw is right. Foxes are just pieces of foxdung . But I am sure Sunflare and Waterstar would welcome you to come along." She flashed a questioning look at Sunflare, which meant, "Am I right?" 

Rainheart agreed. "And Whisperpaw is shaping up well- he's a great fighter. Foxes would have to watch out when he comes along..." she lowered her voice, "as a warrior."

Soul noted that a fox was approaching a Clan camp. "Who cares? As long as I am safe." She then rose to her paws and sat near the oak tree, guarding her rabbit closely. Whoever dared touch it, would be punished.

Willowleaf sighed. "It's okay , Whisperpaw. Hunting with Waterstar- that's a privilege. It's way better." She admired Whisperpaw's enthusiasm, and felt sorry for him. He was so determined. Like Bluekit, who was ready to kill himself to protect his Clanmates.

"Waterstar, we'd better get going. The fox is fast approaching." Rainheart was right- the fox was approaching the camp. If it wasn't stopped... Rainheart dreaded to imagine the next part. 

[[Bump]]

((Twint, I am going to ignore that post unless you change it.

1. The fox wasn't that close yet

2. You can't say my characters were hurt

3. I don't mean to be mean, but I am the fox.))

The fox came shuffling around the corner and swung his head from side to side, looking from the cat to the next cat, deciding which one to take first. With a jab of his claw, he chose Rainheart, lashing out at the cat. Waterstar screeched and raced at the fox, trying to get a good grip on its body,...

[[Not too sure either, Det o_o I don't get it. I thought Rainheart and Willowleaf were supposed to go on a patrol with Stardust, while Waterstar, Owlfeather and Hawkgaze went fox hunting.]]