Cougarpaw slowly opened his eyes. His paws were sore from exploring the territory yesterday. His tail swished and he stood to his paws. Sunlight beamed down into the den and he exited, looking around. Not many cats were in camp, and he guessed they were either asleep or out on patrol.

"Cougarpaw, you're up," Clawflank purred, padding over to his apprentice. Cougarpaw nodded, looking up at his mentor. "So, what are we doing today?"

"I thought we should gather some moss for the elders," Clawflank replied. Cougarpaw's heart dropped. He had wanted to do battle training or hunting, not gathering moss for the elders!

"Do I have to? Can't we do something else... Like battle training or something?" The tan tom inquired.

"Gathering moss is just as important as everything else," Clawflank replied. "Come on." Cougarpaw sighed and reluctantly followed his mentor out of camp. He still felt small to the forest, and didn't yet know his way anywhere. The sun was creeping behind the trees and blue sky towered above them, but Cougarpaw noticed storm clouds in the distance. Rain? He hadn't ever seen rain, but it would be cool to see it for the first time!

"We're here," Clawflank meowed, stopping. Cougarpaw ran into his mentor and tumbled to the ground. He scrambled to his paws, shaking the moss off of his pelt. There was some moss around a tree and he felt a little bored already. Why did Clawflank have to make him do this? It was mouse-brained and aggravating!

"Now, this is how you gather moss." Clawflank demonstrated. "You outstretch your claws like this, and curve under and pull it out." Clawflank did this, gathering some moss. "As so."

Cougarpaw nodded slowly, watching Clawflank step back. He padded to where the moss was. It looked fairly easy. Cougarpaw unsheathed his claws and reached for the moss, but couldn't reach the trunk of the tree. He narrowed his eyes and reached his claws further, gripping the outside of the moss and clawing it away. His claws were already sore and he threw the moss off, looking at Clawflank. "There," Cougarpaw meowed, "now are we done?"

Clawflank shook his head. "No, we need enough for the elders' nests. This is hardly enough for a bird's nest."

"But my claws hurt!" Cougarpaw replied, lashing his tail.

"You'll get used to it," Clawflank meowed. "Calm down and continue."

"No! I can't calm down, I wanted to do battle training! At least something more fun!"

"There are ups and downs to being an apprentice, and everyone goes through them. Even I went thr-"

"Shut. Up!" Cougarpaw hissed. "I thought you could be a better mentor!" The tan tom turned and ran off. He didn't look back but continued running. He didn't know where he was going - he hoped to camp. His paws became sore and his claws were in pain. The one thing he hadn't noticed was how close to the border he was. Twoleg nests came into view and he came to a halt - his eyes widened. He had gone the complete opposite side of the territory he had wanted to be. Ugh... I am so dramatic, aren't I? I ran away because I didn't want to gather moss for the elders! I'm such a mouse-brain.

He heard rustling and snapped his head to the noise. His ears perked and he scented the air. ThunderClan scent and something else mixed. Suddenly, a large, dark gray tabby tom leaped from one of the white things that stuck up from the ground. He had bobbed ears like something Cougarpaw had never seen, and the tan tom jumped back to avoid the claws of this huge cat.

"What are you doing here?" The dark gray tom hissed. Cougarpaw took another step back and thought about running, but he didn't want to look like a coward. The tom stood up taller, puffing out his chest.

"I'm exploring," he lied. "Who are you?"

"I'm Atticus, and I'm not a cat you want to mess with." Atticus growled, his long and sharp claws digging into the ground. "Leave now, or you'll pay the price, little kitten."

"I'm an apprentice of ThunderClan! I'm not a kit!" Cougarpaw had no idea how to fight, especially against a large cat like this one. Atticus let out a laugh. "Where do you live? In the wild?"

"Yes, actually. I do!" Cougarpaw exclaimed. Atticus's eyes narrowed and he hissed.

"Without a home to defend you're nothing! And guess what? You're a threat to my home. So now is the part where I rip you to shreds." Cougarpaw's eyes widened.

That escalated quickly...

The dark gray tabby bowled into Cougarpaw. The tan tom yowled as claws met his fur and dug into his skin. He managed to slip out of Atticus's grasp because of how much smaller he was compared to the kittypet, and leaped back to avoid a blow. Atticus lashed his tail, staring Cougarpaw dead in the eye. Was he finished? Then, Atticus leaped upon his back, the weight of this cat unbearable. Cougarpaw fell to the ground and gasped for air. Atticus smiled deviously and jumped off, grabbing Cougarpaw's scruff and throwing him onto the ground.

The wind was knocked out of Cougarpaw and he spluttered, standing up. His fearful eyes landed on Atticus before he made a run for the treeline. But the dark gray kittypet was there first, snarling.

Suddenly, a dark shape appeared from behind Atticus. He watched a brown cat smash into the dark gray one and tumble in a flurry. Cougarpaw watched and noticed who it was.

"Clawflank!" Cougarpaw yowled. He had never been happier in his life.

Clawflank snarled at Atticus and backed away from the tom, guarding Cougarpaw. Atticus stood up, a little larger than Clawflank. His eyes narrowed. "You're protecting that puny lump of fur? Might as well let me kill him."

"You shouldn't kill cats just because they stray towards your home. Atticus." Clawflank spat his name out like a piece of rotten prey. Did Clawflank know this cat? Maybe they had fought before.

"Look, you look like you know me. I don't remember you, though, since I've fought so many cats." Atticus licked his paw and Cougarpaw growled at him. Atticus returned his gaze to Clawflank but the chocolate brown tom bowled into the dark gray one.

"Agh!" Atticus spat, raking his claws down Clawflank's side. Clawflank snarled and bit into his neck, shaking him, Atticus whirled around and knocked Clawflank off. Clawflank stood to his paws, snarling, eyes ablaze.

"Here, I'll give you this one time to leave. Just before I shred you. Unless you and your little kitty would like to die." Clawflank looked over at Cougarpaw and then back at Atticus.

"Very well," Clawflank meowed. "But I don't want to hear of you again. You're as close to our territory as we are to yours. And if you come in any closer, we'll shred you."

"You and what army?" Atticus snapped.

"Maybe you'd like to see, hmm?" Clawflank inquired. "Here, step inside our territory - then you'll know what army." Atticus growled and muttered something under his breath. He hissed at both cats and leaped upon the white thing, taking one more look before landing on the other side.

"Cougarpaw!" Clawflank hissed, grabbing him and dragging him into ThunderClan territory. They entered the treeline and Clawflank faced his apprentice. "I can't believe you did something that irresponsible! Do you know how worried I was? You can't fight anyone, let alone a cat as large as Greenstar himself! You can't go running off and whining because you don't want to gather moss. The elders in our Clam need help, even if they are cocky and ungrateful about it. They can't help themselves! Consider this a lesson. And if you do it again, Greenstar will know about it."

Cougarpaw's ears flattened and he looked down. "I'm sorry..." He shook his head and looked back up at his mentor. "What about these scratches? Won't Greenstar know someone attacked me?"

"We can tell him you and I walked through some brambles." Clawflank shook his head. "You are a troublesome cat. You're not the worst apprentice I've had, but you sure get into a lot of trouble. Now, let's gather that moss and head back to camp."

Cougarpaw followed Clawflank. He felt bad that he had done that, but the past was the past. The two cats quickly gathered moss, heading back to camp. When they entered Wildjay stared at them, cocking his head. "What's up with those scratches?"

"Guess we walked through some brambles," Clawflank meowed through the moss. Amusement sparkled in the deputy's eyes. "Be more careful next time."

Cougarpaw watched the two lovebirds, Lightpaw and Silverpaw, talking in the apprentices' den. He caught sight of Shadowpaw, and his eyes narrowed.

You'll pay, Shadowpaw. I'll make you pay if it's the last thing I do!

AGGHHH sorry this chapter is so late... I've had no potential whatsoever to write, but decided to anyway XD

So, what do you think about Atticus? I love him, mostly for his attitude and because... Well... I just do! And how does Clawflank know Atticus? You'll find out soon! Maybe ;)

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please vote and comment what you thought, and may StarClan light your path!