Chapter 4

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⠀⠀ Jaypaw curled up near the entrance of the crowded apprentices' den. There were seven other cats in there. Seven! She sighed. At least a few will become warriors soon. Then I can have a nest without thorns.

⠀⠀ She turned to lick her shoulder, but noticed how dark the spots had become. Darker than mom's. She thought drowsily, letting her blue eyes droop shut.

⠀⠀ "Wake up, Jaypaw! It's time to go train!" Her brother prodded excitedly at her side and she stretched, opening her mouth in a wide yawn.

⠀⠀ "Okay, okay. I'm coming." She mewed, batting at her brother's ear. He laughed and darted out towards their mentors.

⠀⠀ Adderpaw was waiting with his mentor, Echosong. Nettleheart gave Jaypaw a faint smile and Daisytail grinned at the sight of Timberpaw.

⠀⠀ "Today you'll get to see the territory." Nettleheart began, eyeing the trio of apprentices. They all nodded and the group of six set off.

⠀⠀ "We'll see the Windclan border, first." He mewed. After padding along the edge of the all the borders, seeing the Great Lake, and discovering trails to follow if they got lost, a ginger she cat came out of nowhere and stumbled into Jaypaw.

⠀⠀ With wide eyes, Jaypaw tumbled back, clumsily kicking the wild-eyed rogue off of her. Daisytail soon had the she cat pinned.

⠀⠀ "Hunting... barn... hungry... dog..." She coughed. Jaypaw noticed the scent of dog on the stranger, but she knew the creature was long gone. The she cat would've been eaten by now if it continued chasing her.

⠀⠀ "Who are you?" Timberpaw asked, shuffling his paws. Stunning green eyes locked with his.

⠀⠀ "Wren." She mewed quietly after a slight hesitation.

⠀⠀ Wren looked to be the same age as the group of siblings, and she was rather pretty. She had sleek ginger fur, a slender nose, long legs, and petite paws. At the tip of her tail was a dark orange, along with her paws, ears, and muzzle.

⠀⠀ Nettleheart sighed.

⠀⠀ "Come with us, Wren." He mewed, motioning for Daisytail to let her up. Echosong narrowed her eyes and the cats padded towards the camp. As they padded there, Jaypaw noticed Timberpaw blushing. Foxdung. She thought, rolling her eyes.

⠀⠀ As they entered the camp, murmurs spread around the camp and cruel or weary glances were directed at Wren. The she cat padded boldly up.

⠀⠀ "My name is Wren!" She announced as a crowd gathered. "But I'd like to be known as Wrenpaw."

⠀⠀ "What?" Willowstar mewed, her eyes flooding with joy at the sight of the she cat. "Wren!" She purred, licking the rogue's head.

⠀⠀ "I thought you were dead!" Willowstar mewed, checking Wren for any wounds.

⠀⠀ "I'm fine, Willowstar." She assured.

⠀⠀ "Well, have you considered my offer?"

⠀⠀ Silence.

⠀⠀ "Yes." She mewed finally. "I'd love to join Thunderclan."

⠀⠀ The crowd gasped and yowls of protest were yelled out.

⠀⠀ "Who is this cat?!"

⠀⠀ "Why are they joining Thunderclan?!"

⠀⠀ "She's a spy! Don't let her in!"

⠀⠀ "She doesn't know how to hunt!"

⠀⠀ Willowstar's eyes filled with fury as her clan grew hostile towards the ginger cat.

⠀⠀ "I'd like for you all to try and save my life!" She hissed. The clan grew silent. Not even the usual sound of chirping birds filled the air.

⠀⠀ "Wren, here, saved me from getting hit by a monster." She mewed flatly. "It was last moon. I was padding along the edge of the thunderpath when I was suddenly tackled. Two monsters attacked each other where I was previously standing, and Wren was the one who moved me out of harm's way."

⠀⠀ Sounds of apologies rippled through the clan as Willowstar regained her usual calm demeanor.

⠀⠀ "Thank you." She mewed. "Now, did you want to join?"

ˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆˆ

⠀⠀ "Hey Jaypaw!" Ashpaw mewed, trotting over to his friend.

⠀⠀ "Oh, hi!" She purred. Jaypaw was eight moons now, and Ashpaw nine.

⠀⠀ "We get to train together!" He mewed excitedly.

⠀⠀ "Along with Wrenpaw!" Timberpaw butted in. He nudged his sister in welcome, and Jaypaw couldn't help but frown. She was loosing her brother to the ginger apprentice.

⠀⠀ With a sigh she padded after the other three apprentices. Rockpaw, Icepaw, and Spottedpaw had become Rockclaw, Icepool, and Spottedwing. Their sister, Cherrypaw still had her apprentice name because she was a medicine cat.

⠀⠀ "Cloverkit and Flickerkit will become apprentices soon." Wrenpaw mewed to Ashpaw.

⠀⠀ "Yep." He nodded. "You should go ask your mentor where we're going." He mewed.

⠀⠀ "Oh I'm sure Quickstep doesn't want to be bothered." She mewed flirtatiously. Ashpaw blushed a little and stared at his paws. Jaypaw noticed Timberpaw narrowing his eyes.

⠀⠀ She stared at the ginger she cat in disgust. Then again, why would Jaypaw even care? She knew her brother liked the flirty apprentice, but that didn't bother her as much. She held back a growl when she noticed how Wrenpaw matched her step to Ashpaw's and and let her pelt brush his. Flirt much? She thought with narrowed eyes.

⠀⠀ "Here we are." Ravenbite mewed. They were in a random patch of dense forest crawling with mice.

⠀⠀ "Surprise assessment!" Daisytail purred. "You will be hunting in pairs."

⠀⠀ "Do we get to choose our partners?" Timberpaw asked, giving in to the urge to glance at Wrenpaw.

⠀⠀ "No." Nettleheart mewed. "I chose your partners. Sweetpaw and Adderpaw have already started because Sweetpaw overheard us talking about it." He chuckled.

⠀⠀ "So who are our partners?" Wrenpaw mewed, smiling at Ashpaw.

⠀⠀ "Timberpaw, you're with Ashpaw."

⠀⠀ Jaypaw's heart sank. That meant she was with Wrenpaw. The toms nodded and trotted off happily. They were good friends. Hopefully Wrenpaw didn't ruin that.

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