Lionpaw sneaks back into the apprentice's den and Hollypaw sees him. He tells her he was just out for a moment but he feels resentful. He dreams of a fox and wakes up in a worse mood. When it is time to get up he eats with Jaypaw. Then Ashfur calls to him, telling him that they will be training with Brackenfur and Hollypaw that day. Hollypaw has to miss breakfast and Lionpaw feels pleased at her hunger. When they get to the training grounds their mentors grill them on the strengths and weaknesses of the rival clans. Lionpaw feels flustered when he cannot think of a weakness for WindClan. Hollypaw teases him, saying he feels WindClan has no weaknesses. Lionpaw angrily insists that is not true. They are supposed to have mock battles practicing fighting moves the other clans use, as well as defenses against them, but Lionpaw lets his anger get away from him and actually hurts Hollypaw. Angry, Brambleclaw stops him. Lionpaw apologizes to Hollypaw. Brambleclaw asks Ashfur to train Berrypaw so he can take Lionpaw hunting. Lionpaw apologizes to his father, telling him that Hollypaw was bugging him all morning. Brambleclaw asks him what is worrying him. Unable to confess about Heatherpaw, Lionpaw instead tells his father that Hollypaw does not trust him to be a loyal warrior. Brambleclaw talks to him of being Tigerstar's son and how he always has to prove his loyalty twice as hard. He says everyone is so focused on the bad in Tigerstar they forget the good. Lionpaw insists that every cat in the clan respects him but Brambleclaw tells him there might be one cat who does not. Brambleclaw regrets confiding this fear and tells Lionpaw that he must work twice as hard to show Hollypaw he deserves her trust, but secretly Lionpaw feels he should not have to prove anything. That night Lionpaw wakes to stones falling into the camp. He goes out to investigate and finds Heatherpaw looking for him. She brings him to an old fox den that opens up to a cave with a river in it. At first Lionpaw wants to tell his clan but she tells him he cannot. Instead, she feels she has found a place for them to secretly meet and Lionpaw eagerly agrees. Lionpaw wakes up, realizing he has dozed off in the cave. He races home, hunting on the way so no one will comment on his absence. He feels guilty for lying, but tries to tell himself he is doing no harm because he is loyal to his clan.
Hollypaw and Cinderpaw wake up and start doing chores. As they are cleaning the elder's den Cinderpaw talks about how she hopes to never see a badger again. Hollypaw points out she has never even seen one once. Cinderpaw comments she must have been dreaming but Hollypaw catches Leafpool looking at her oddly. Firestar calls a meeting so he can formally name Millie as a warrior. But Millie shocks everyone when she says she wishes to keep her own name. Graystripe stands by her, as does Daisy and Brook. The cats seem torn over this. Some believe that loyalty is what matters most. Others fear how clans like ShadowClan will react when they already feel that ThunderClan isn't pure enough. Much to Hollypaw's dismay, Firestar decrees that Millie can keep her name. Squirrelflight tries to soothe Hollypaw but she is still upset. Brackenfur calls her over, telling her that she, Cinderpaw, and Mousepaw are going to be assessed. The apprentices split up to hunt. When they are done they all meet up again and Mousepaw declares he is going to climb the Sky Oak. The three cats head that way and Hollypaw wonders if it is really a good idea. Mousepaw goes anyway and Brackenfur comes out of the woods to stop him. Spiderleg insists it is fine but even he gets nervous the higher Mousepaw climbs. Mousepaw becomes stuck and Cloudtail offers to get him. Cinderpaw insists she should and Brackenfur let's her even though he does not want to. Cinderpaw catches Mousepaw as he is about to fall but then falls herself.
Jaypaw is helping Birchfall with a thorn in his foot when he smells Hollypaw's fear. She bursts into camp and tells Jaypaw what happened. He can feel Leafpool's horror, and the feeling that this has happened before. Jaypaw tries to ask her what they need but Leafpool seems to be in shock. She snaps out of it and gives Jaypaw his orders. They race to the Sky Oak. When they reach it Leafpool realizes Cinderpaw's leg is broken and Jaypaw again feels something is wrong with his mentor. They tie her leg up quickly and Leafpool has the warriors carry Cinderpaw back to camp. Jaypaw puzzles why his mentor feels so strongly about this. As Jaypaw and Leafpool work on an unconscious Cinderpaw, Leafpool snaps at Jaypaw. She apologizes and leaves to talk to Sorreltail and Brackenfur. Alone, he enters Cinderpaw's mind. Cinderpaw shows him the old ThunderClan camp and tells him about the cats who used to live there. She tells him to tell Leafpool she is fine, and that she is proud of the medicine cat she has become. He is shocked to realize she is Cinderpelt. He wakes up and Leafpool asks him if Cinderpaw will get better. He tells her yes, then that Cinderpaw has already lived. Leafpool asks if she is Cinderpelt and Jaypaw says yes. Leafpool admits to him that Cinderpelt never wanted to be a medicine cat and Jaypaw realizes je is not the only one to have this life forced on him. She also tells Jaypaw that they should not tell Cinderpaw the truth.
Lionpaw and Heatherpaw are playing in the tunnels when they both realize they need to sneak back home. As Lionpaw heads home the spirits of Tigerstar and Hawkfrost come to speak to him. Lionpaw is unsure what to do but Spiderleg patrolling in the area sends the two cats away. Lionpaw heads home, unsure of why they came to him. Back at camp Hollypaw catches him coming into the apprentice's den so he lies and says he is getting ready for the dawn patrol. Lionpaw is exhausted all during the patrol. They head to the WindClan border and watch as two apprentices are chasing a squirrel. They talk uneasily about it and the apprentices head towards the border. Dustpelt purposely startles the apprentices when they get too close, causing the warriors with them to get angry. Back at camp Dustpelt reports this to Firestar, but Firestar says he cannot tell WindClan what to hunt. Hollypaw and Jaypaw are upset with Firestar's recent inaction and Hollypaw asks Lionpaw for his opinion. Lionpaw feels torn, since he doesn't want to attack WindClan. He hears a voice tell him not to be afraid of what he desires. Following the voice he admits he does not want to attack WindClan.
Hollypaw and her clanmates head to the Gathering. Everyone is jumpy and tense. WindClan hunting squirrels has everyone talking of prey stealing and a possible battle. She isn't convinced that things have to end that way. She is also desperate to talk to Willowpaw and find out what is going on with RiverClan. ThunderClan and WindClan reach the tree bridge at the same time. Some ThunderClan cats angrily hiss at the WindClan cats, calling them thieves, but Onestar stops his warriors to let ThunderClan cross first. Firestar thanks him and they cross. Hollypaw smells RiverClan and is relieved they are present but it quickly becomes apparent that things are not okay with RiverClan. There are far too many elders on the island and even some kits are there. Hollypaw tries to talk to Willowpaw, but Willowpaw begs her not to talk right now. ShadowClan arrives and Leopardstar admits that her clan is currently living on the island. She won't disclose why, but she assures everyone that they will be gone by the next Gathering. Panic spreads through the clans as cats fear that RiverClan will still be there next full moon, or worse, start invading other territories. Firestar calms everyone down by pointing out that they can worry about this next full moon. When no one else has anything worth reporting Firestar suggests they all leave RiverClan in peace. Hollypaw makes plans with Willowpaw to speak to her later. The next morning, much to Hollypaw's dismay, the camp is preparing for upcoming battles. She doesn't understand everyone's assumption that fighting is inevitable. She feels that if they would just help RiverClan then things could go back to normal.
So, first of all, Tigerstar and Hawkfrost are now reaching out to Lionpaw as well. This does not bode well. I would have thought Lionpaw and Hollypaw had enough sense to stay away from him but Lionpaw is in a bad place right now since he is clearly in love with Heatherpaw. And, if that was Tigerstar whispering to Lionpaw then he is already following Tigerstar's advice. Plus, it is amusing that Tigerstar, who hates half clan cats, would tell Lionpaw to pursue what he wants. But, Tigerstar does see his own blood as pure - and his vendetta against half clan cats was probably motivated by personal reasons to hurt Firestar and Graystripe. But Lionpaw is in a bad spot. He knows what he is doing is wrong but he won't stop himself. And because of this he is torn up by guilt and anger. I had definitely pegged Jaypaw, with his anger and resentment, as being the cat most likely to be susceptible to Tigerstar's influence. But, Jaypaw was disturbed he couldn't read Tigerstar so to maybe there is that.
I am glad Leafpool got the proof she so desperately needed about Cinderpaw - though really, it was over kill.
And I image Hollypaw is right and a battle is avoidable. The problem is, emotions have been running high for a while now. Between Onestar's determination to put space between himself and Firestar as well as Leopardstar's pride and Blackstar's ambition things are not looking well.
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