The sun beat down on a ravine, filled with many cats of varying color and size. Some of them were gathered around a large dark gray and black tom as he gave out directions. "Mousefur, you'll be leading a patrol consisting of Graystripe and Thornclaw along the Shadowclan border," he ordered and looked over the several cats still around him. "Sandstorm, you'll lead a hunting patrol with Frostfur, Goldenflower and Dustpelt."

"Wolfheart, can I go on a patrol?" a pale gray she-cat asked over the crowd. "I've been restless ever since those three kits were born. "They've been nothing but trouble!"

The cats in the nearby vicinity mrowed in laughter at the mention of her troublesome kits: Sorrelkit, Rainkit and Sootkit. "I'll be leading a patrol along the Riverclan border so you can tag along," the tom shrugged. "I don't suppose you know where Honeypaw is?"

"I think she was bringing a mouse to Speckletail," the gray she-cat said and moved out of the way as the group of warriors dispersed. "I'll go fetch her for you."

Wolfheart let out a relieved sigh and bowed his head. "Thanks Willowpelt. I keep losing her because she always wanders off to go play in the trees."

"I wouldn't be surprised if she was actually a squirrel," Longtail added in from where he sat nearby. "She climbs just as fast as one."

Before Willowpelt had even turned around, a ginger tabby burst from the bush that served as the elder's den. "I heard my name!" she called out from across the camp and ran over to Wolfheart. "Are we training? I came up with some cool battle moves with Speckletail. Those Shadowclan cats won't know what clawed them!"

The she-cat swiped at the air in front of her as soon as she had halted in front of her mentor, nearly clawing him in the process.

"We're on decent terms with Shadowclan, lets not ruin that," Wolfheart gently chided the apprentice and stepped around her. "Honeypaw, Willowpelt, lets mark the borders before sunset otherwise Riverclan might get the bright idea that we don't care about Sunningrocks anymore."

"They'd have to be mouse-brains to believe that," Honeypaw snorted and pawed at the ground. "I hope I get to fight them. I'll show them not to mess with Thunderclan."

"Don't be such an apprentice," Wolfheart joked and waited as Willowpelt said goodbye to her kits. "They always want to fight."

"I am an apprentice," the she-cat deadpanned.

Wolfheart sighed and a shadow crossed over his face, sorrow filling his yellow eyes. "Dawnfire and Stormgrowl had both been excited for their first battle," he meowed, remembering his two daughters. "Bluestar, the leader before Firestar, lost a life right in front of them. They had nightmares for moons."

The pale gray she-cat walked back over and glanced at the dark gray and black tom. "It was only for two nights," Willowpelt rolled her eyes. "Stop over-reacting before everyone thinks you're actually an elder."

Honeypaw snickered and lead the way to the gorse tunnel that served as an entrance to the camp. The two other cats followed but not before Wolfheart had cuffed Willowpelt over the ears for calling him an elder.

They left the Thunderclan camp, jokes and stories passing between them as they casually walked to Sunningrocks. "So then, Bramblepaw tried to creep up behind the squirrel while on the branch," Honeypaw continued with one of her stories. "Right before he pounced, the branch broke because Bramblepaw was too heavy!"

"I was wondering why that squirrel looked flattened yesterday," Willowpelt said.

"That would also explain why he looked so embarrassed when he carried it into camp," Wolfheart added with amusement.

"I didn't even care that I won, I was laughing so hard," Honeypaw grinned. "No one can beat me when it involves trees."

The gray cats glanced at each other in silent laughter, not noticing the ginger apprentice stop walking.

It wasn't until they had nearly reached the border that the two realized Honeypaw was missing. "Why does this always happen?" the tom groaned and lowered his head. "I appreciate her enthusiasm for trees, really, but-"

He broke off by the nearby screeching of cats. "Riverclan!" Willowpelt hissed out and slid out her claws. "They must've crossed the border!"

"And Honeypaw is attacking them!" Wolfheart began running, the she-cat right behind him.