“Let’s not tire the apprentice out too much Owlflight. Let her eat then instruct her on some battle strategies. Then you can take her out for training and whatnot.”

Sighing deeply Goldwhisker let out a rumble of amusement at the young warrior’s eagerness. Turning his gold-eyed gaze on Brindlepaw he flicked one ear. “Brindlepaw, please, for Iceclaw’s sake, don’t argue with me or Owlflight. Do as I say.”

~

Nodding slowly the she-cat backed out of Owlflight’s way, flushing at her ear tips. “I’m sorry. I just hate…” She trailed off once she realized it was futile to apologize. “I’ll wait outside until you guys are ready and stuff.”

Ducking out of the way Brindlepaw followed Coalpaw quickly, her eyes downcast with embara-ssment. There goes my temper…again, she thought sullenly, wishing she had better control.

~

“Up up up,” the tom groaned, shifting in his nest. “You are too active Nightpaw.” Rolling over he managed to somehow flip himself back onto his paws. Lifting one hindpaw to scratch his ear the tom sighed when he saw that his mentor was there, waiting with her usual disgruntled ex
pression on her muzzle.

~

“Oh…alright,” Fernpaw mewed faintly, taking the borage gingerly in her jaws. Suddenly, a thought came over her and she placed the herbs back on their designated leaf, eyes clouding with worry. “Aren’t borage leaves used when a mother’s milk won’t come? Or to make it come more swiftly after birth?”

Fernpaw’s question was not unfounded, for her former mentor, Rosetail, had told her this. And it made sense to the small she-cat, since she had seen it used that way many times.

~

“Alright, alright, I’m up,” Dustpaw meowed with a large sigh and a heave of her shoulders. “Where’s my mentor anyways?” she asked as she padded up to the growing commotion that was happening near the entrance of the den, blue eyes bored and expressionless.

"You should be getting back to the Nursery," Silverpaw purred. Starfrost gave the apprentice a quick lick behind the ears. "Fine, fine," Starfrost mewed, getting uo with a groan and walking back into the Nursery. Silverpaw looked back at Owlflight.' I'm glag i'm not his apprentice', she giggled to herself before disposing of the leftovers of the rabbit. 'Speaking of apprentices and mentors, I should be finding mine' She added.

Goldpaw opened one eye and hissed. 'No fair,' she thought. 'We have to wake up early'. She stood up and tumbled over Owlflight. "Whoops!" She said sleepily. She backed away from him and looked around for her mentor.

Starfrost huffed, being a queen also had its disadvanatages, also, she decided. She settled down back inside the nursery. 'Atleast I get to sleep in,' she said to herself., slowly drifting asleep.

Snowflare got up with a grunt. 'Guess its time to get up,' He sighed to himself.

"I agree with Nightpaw though." Iceweb addressed her apprentice. "Come on, up, up and up. Out you go. Perhaps we could go out hunting with another one of the apprentices. Who's up for a hunt?" She asked, looking around.

Daypaw shook her head when Iceweb mentioned hunting. "Nurr... I'll just..." She tried to slump back down into her nest, but Nightpaw steadied her sister. "I'll go, then." Nightpaw said, half-exasperated when Daypaw flicked her tail, amused. The two sisters quickly slipped out of the den, Nightpaw going first while Daypaw trailed behind.

---

Owlflight nodded at Goldwhisker. He respected the old warrior a bit, and didn't want to let him down. "Alright, Brindlepaw. Come on. Perhaps we could go battle-training with Coalpaw." His eyes flashed mischievously at his best friend. Coalpaw groaned. "So early?" He asked gruffly. Owlflight shrugged. "It's all Poppydawn's decision." He said simply. Coalpaw rolled his eyes. Owlflight, being bigger, didn't really move when Goldpaw tripped over him. "Watch where you're going, Goldpaw." He said good-naturedly.

---

Crowdance sighed. He wish he had his own apprentice again, but being a deputy took some time to get used to. He padded up to the leader's den, poking his head in curiously. "Silverstar?" He mewed, uncertain. She did seem rather sickly the last time he saw her. 

“Oh, I’d like to,” Marshpaw announced without hesitation, though the cross look that lingered in his eyes betrayed the resignation of the fact that he’d never get back to sleep today.

Flicking his tail he glanced at his mentor, then back at Webpaw. “Can Webpaw come as well?” the tom asked uncertainly, afraid of what kind of mood Iceweb might be in after this rude wake-up call. Twining his tail around his paws tentatively, eyes wide as he waited for her answer.

~

“Good idea, Owlflight,” Poppydawn meowed loudly and decisively, feeling more lively today than any other so far in this Newleaf. Sidling closer to him she leaned in and whispered something quick into his ear.

“This will be good practice for you too, Owlflight. I can help you out with Brindlepaw, being as you’re a new warrior.”

Of course, she mewed this discreetly, since she didn’t wish to embara-sse the tom.

~

Yawning pointedly Brindlepaw did her best to appear unenthusiastic. “Oh, alright,” she meowed grumpily, eyes downcast to hide her eagerness. Training with Coalpaw! Licking her sleek striped pelt indifferently she barely managed to stifle her purrs.

Owlflight nodded. "I'm bursting with good ideas, Poppydawn." He mewed, tail twitching happily. "And thanks. Brindlepaw won't be happy with her mentor waking her up so early in the morning, eh?" He purred. 

---

Iceweb looked down at Marshpaw. "I wouldn't mind if Snowflare doesn't mind, Marshpaw." She said. "After all, Webpaw did wake up earlier than you lot." Nightpaw had dragged Daypaw out of the apprentice's den. "Kestrelwing, Kestrelwing!" Nightpaw called. "Daypaw just said that she would like to train along with Coalpaw and Brindlepaw." Daypaw shook her head indignantly. "Since when'd I say that?" She asked, sounding much more awake. Nightpaw grinned at her sister while Daypaw twitched her ears, irritated.

---

Coalpaw sighed. This was obviously a chance Owlflight gave himself to show off in front of Coalpaw. "You only have the advantage of age and size, Owlflight." He hissed, narrowing his eyes. "Ah, but that's quite the advantage." Owlflight winked. Coalpaw rolled his eyes again. "Alright, when do we start training, Poppydawn?" He asked. 

"Right away," the she-cat answered instantly, eyes glittering. "No point in wasting the daylight, Coalpaw. And Owflight, there's not always an advantage to being larger than your opponents. The bigger they are, the harder they fall."

Being small herself Owlflight had no reason to deny this, as she gazed up at him from her far shorter height, gray eyes amused.

 ~

"I think we ought to let Daypaw tell us herself what she said," Kestrelwing meowed icily, giving Nightpaw an unhappy look. "There's no point to lying, Nightpaw. It will just become a habit, and you don't want that."

Flicking her tail she cuffed the she-cat lightly, then her sister. "Daypaw, do you want to train with Brindlepaw and Coalpaw, do one on one training or go hunting?"

~

Fernpaw nodded shyly, feeling a little strange after correcting her mentor, and padded out of her den, barely remembering to duck on her way out. After nearly gouging one eye out on the hanging thorns outside the den the small she-cat picked her way through the growing crowd in the clearing and slipping into Silverstar's den, purring a light hello to Crowdance.

[Can Fernpaw like Crowdance? o___o;]

[[Homg that would be so weird and awesome at the same time XD ]]

 "Come on, Poppydawn" Owlflight said cheerfully. "Lighten up." He saw Coalpaw give Owlflight an unsatisfied look. "Come on then, you three." Owlflight got up to tower over Poppydawn. "Let's go to the training clearing now." Coalpaw got up to follow, but paused to wait for his mentor and Brindlepaw.

---

Nightpaw ducked down, lightening the blow of Kestrelwing's cuff. "It was a joke, Kestrelwing." Nightpaw purred. "Can we hunt with Marshpaw and Iceweb, Goldwhisker?" She turned her pleading eyes to her mentor. "Please?" She would have added an extra please, but did not want to irk the senior warrior.

---

Daypaw shrugged, not bothering to move when she saw Kestrelwing's paw coming at her. "I'm fine with either, Kestrelwing." She mewed, feeling herself waking up a little more. "Perhaps some hunting. More prey never hurts the Clan."

---

Crowdance nodded in acknowledgement when he saw Fernpaw go into Silverstar's den. "Is Silverstar alright, Fernpaw?" He asked, uncertain on whether or not he should visit and bother his leader.  

Silverstar stood up and tried to look as healthy as bossible, but then a strangled cough wrecked it. "Oh Fernpaw." Silverstar sighed. "Just leave them there, tell Bloodmist I've aten them." She lowered her voice. "Make sure my sickness stays between Bloodmist, you and me,, okay?" She purred. "Now go help your mentor.

"Goldpaw, come here." Nightmask spoke to his apprentice. "I want to @ssess your hunting skills today. "  He licked his apprentice warmly. "I want to make sure you're the best hunter the Clan's ever had."

"No," Fernpaw meowed firmly, her tiny frame seeming dwarfed by the leader and her robust and muscular deputy. "Eat them now or I'm shoving them down your throat, StarClan help anyone who tries to stop me."

Her blue eyes glittered with defiance and she gave Crowdance a warning glance. "Don't you dare," she hissed.

[Will do the others..making sure Firefox doesn't freeze again. D:]

(( Starfrost is a Queen, she can't patrol. xDD And I'm confused. xD Who's Silverpaw and Goldpaw's mentor again?))

The fox snapped through the trees, locating Dusk by scent. The fox was still following him, even though they were so close to the Clan cats. His only hope was to get into the camp, unnnoticed. He quickly dug a small hole, squeezing himself through it. He looked around. Nobody was in here. He breathed a sigh of relief. He went into a corner and made himself as small as possible. The fox couldn't get in could it?

The fox smelled cats, many cats. It's horrible face twisted into a smile. A light ssnackkk..... She licked her chops, and quickly set herself to finding the entrace. When she found it, she sighed. Much too ssssmalllll.... I guess they don't like visitors? She charged, breaking the wall easily, but not without leaving fur and blood behind. "hhe'llllooo lovelys," She said in fox-toungue. She whiffed the air. "Ahh, little kitties, huh?" She headed at a breakneck pace for the nursery.

Silverstar's ears perked. "Crowdance, what's that noise?" She said slowly. She peeked out. "Crowdance, alarm EVERYONE! There's a fox, and it's headed straight for the nursery!!"

Crowdance hissed in frustration. "In the camp?" He snarled. "How stupid can it be?" He dashed off, yowling to the bunch of warriors and apprentices near the apprentice's den. "Fox attack! Heading for the nursery!" He called, streaking towards the ginger pelt. Crowdance leapt on the fox, biting down hard on its neck. It swiveled around, snapping and latching onto Crowdance's long leg.

---

Daypaw was startled by her deputy's appearance. "Fox? In here? Who is he trying to kid?" She asked, though Nightpaw raised her hackles and followed him. Daypaw sighed and easily caught up to her sister, only pausing to yell back. "Webpaw! Marshpaw! Aren't you coming?" 

---

Coalpaw and Owlflight were too far away to hear Crowdance's call. [[I guess Poppydawn and Brindleflame can't hear too x.x ]] 

Starfrost layed her ears against her head, hissing. Forgeting she was a Queen, she darted up from her spot and guarded the nursery. She bared her small fangs, slashing the air with sharp claws. Snowflare jumped into action. Oh no, its heading for the nursery! He lunged up and latched his teeth into its neck. No good. He was thrown off easily. "Snowflare--" Starfrost started. Severe pain hit her flank and she went flailing into the air.

"Sure Nightmask--" Fox Attack! Goldpaw's eyes were round with fear. "Fox? In Camp? What do i do?!" She started to panic. Silverpaw hissed and lunged infront of the fox, slashing its muzzle.