Chapter 1
The sun was not yet fully risen when a cat from the warriors' den yawned and blinked open his eyes. Stretching his limbs, he padded quietly out of the den without waking his Clanmates towards a smaller den, one made of twigs, leaves, and mud. Sticking his head in through the narrow entrance clearly intended for younger cats, he rasped, "Wake up, Rowanpaw, it's time to hunt."
The broad-shouldered solid brown tom groaned and shook himself awake. "Why can't you leave us a few more moments of sleep, Stormclaw?" he complained. His sleepy orange eyes were half-shut.
"When you are warriors, you must rise early and hunt for the Clan!" the warrior hissed. "Now stop whining! You're coming with us for the dawn patrol. And don't make us wait! The daylight Gathering is drawing near, and I shudder to imagine what the other Clans think of our lazy apprentices!"
As Stormclaw, deputy of ThunderClan, ordered out every single apprentice in the den, there was one who woke up in the midst of the groans and complaints. Duskpaw marched out on his own, his dark golden fur groomed neatly while the other apprentices were too bothered to smooth their ruffled fur. His green eyes flashed haughtily as he glanced at the others.
"All right, you three are to be assessed by your mentors today; go meet them near the thorn tunnel." Turning to another group of apprentices, he continued, "And you three will be assessed in fighting techniques with your mentors. Wait for us in the training hollow."
Duskpaw was one of the three scheduled for battle training, while his sister Dawnpaw was to hunt for the day. There was an excitement in him, but it was not eagerness to be training with two other apprentices; it was excitement to rule over his denmates in the training field again.
Rowanpaw and Kestrelpaw were with Duskpaw, although they hung together a few foxlengths behind the golden tom. Not that Duskpaw cared, really. Talented at such a young age, his mind was filled only with fighting moves and veterans of famous battles from the past, such as the elders Birchfall and Berrynose. And the only she-cat he was close to was his sister Dawnpaw, who looked like his exact copy with the same dark yellow fur and piercing green eyes.
"Hey, Duskpaw, are you sure you can beat me today?" Rowanpaw's fur was puffed up to make him appear larger than normal, though Duskpaw stood taller than both apprentices, with his longer legs. "I've been learning harder than ever from Honeyleaf for the daylight Gathering."
"And I'm learning to hunt squirrels better," Kestrelpaw boasted. Duskpaw's bored green eyes seemed to anger them—not enough for Rowanpaw to call out a challenge, but enough to ruffle their fur.
Before anyone could say more of their exploits and lessons, Stormclaw and two other warriors entered the training hollow. "All right, Kestrelpaw and Rowanpaw are going to use the fighting moves they have learned so far to try and force the other to yield," Stormclaw announced. "Claws sheathed, mind you both."
The two cats whirled to face each other with spits and snarls, circling as they tried to find an opening. Kestrelpaw leaped first, and quick as an adder Rowanpaw changed direction in his circling. Kestrelpaw landed on the soft springy moss, and when he turned to face his enemy Rowanpaw batted at his face with sheathed paws. Outraged, Kestrelpaw sprang, and they formed a ball of fur, teeth, and dust as they tried to pin the other onto the ground. In the end Rowanpaw was on top of Kestrelpaw, his paw pressed down on Kestrelpaw's chest.
Stormclaw nodded in approval, as did the other two warriors. "Duskpaw, it's your turn with Rowanpaw."
He had been called, and he came with hardly a look at the three warriors. All his attention was on Rowanpaw, wreathed with dust and glory. Duskpaw grinned—a cutting, mocking smile, not revealing any of his teeth—and braced himself. Rowanpaw narrowed his eyes. If any apprentice held back in training to avoid shaming his or her friend, those restrictions disappeared when facing Duskpaw. Tall, golden, and easy to envy. It was easy to hate him for being so high up in the hierarchy of the Clan, compared to the other apprentices. The elders praised his skill, the warriors commented on his potential, and even the leader Foxstar seemed interested in his future.
Every time Rowanpaw faced off with Duskpaw, his thoughts were: No longer. No longer will you look down on me, you piece of foxdung, with your smiles and taunts. No longer will you be the pride of ThunderClan. And every time Duskpaw prevailed.
The battle began the same as before, with both apprentices trying to catch the other off guard by circling the clearing. Finally, filled with suspense and anxiety, Rowanpaw's claws slid out involuntarily, but he hastily drew them back in. At that moment Duskpaw rushed. Rowanpaw looked up in surprise as Duskpaw rolled him off his paws in the second that it took him to retract his claws. Before he could retaliate, the other cat's paw was pressed on his throat—not enough to cut off his air, but enough to make him feel inferior.
Duskpaw stepped away from him with the same smile on his muzzle. Rowanpaw looked agitated enough to try and claw that grin off his face, but almost as if he could read Rowanpaw's mind, his clear green eyes spoke a message: Just try it. Just try and we'll see who's better, claws unsheathed. Rowanpaw did not take the challenge.
Back at camp, his sister Dawnpaw was standing proud with a pile of mice, shrews, and one pigeon. "I caught the most out of all the apprentices," she boasted to her brother, who was picking at one of her mice with no particular interest in the food. "This time ThunderClan will win most of the competitions in the daylight Gathering, you in the fights and me in the hunts."
They ate alone, as they usually did. Dawnpaw was more likable, especially by the other young male cats, but when one seemed to get too close to her, Duskpaw would intervene with another smile on his lips. That smile was semi-famous in ThunderClan, and some warriors oblivious to his haughty, bossy ways claimed that his grins would be noticed one day in all four Clans.
In the darkness, Rowanpaw brooded over a sparrow, his orange eyes burning with hatred. One day, he would get Duskpaw, before the arrogant apprentice made himself well-known in the daylight Gathering.