Mouse-brain, fox-dung, badger breath. These are just some of the names I was called on a daily basis. My name is Adderpaw, and I am an apprentice of MossClan. My mother died when I was born, I have no siblings, no living relatives, no one who cared for me. Even my mentor didn't like me, then again, she didn't like anyone. I woke that morning to find a thin layer of snow covering the floor of the apprentices' den, and my pelt. I stood up, stretching each leg, one at a time. Shaking myself to remove any snow still clinging to my fur, I slipped out of the bush that was the apprentices' den, and found that the snow was much thicker out here. It must have snowed all night, for when I walked my legs were totally submerged in the white powder. I made my way over to the fresh-kill pile. Couldn't really call it a pile, with it just being a vole and a scrawny sparrow. I thought about taking the vole, then decided that the elders needed it more.

"Adderpaw!" A voice called to me, I turned to see Lilypool, my mentor, and all the apprentices, Mudpaw, Fernpaw, and Ashpaw, gathered with their mentors. I padded over to the cats, they made way as I sat down. Mudpaw glared at me, out of every cat, he hated me the most. I never understood why, as far as I knew, I had never done anything to him.

"We're going on a hunting patrol. The Clan is dangerously low on prey, no cat has had a good meal in days, and Swiftleap has barely enough milk to feed her kits. That's why no one is to come back to camp until they have caught at least three pieces of fresh-kill each." Lilypool announced. Rushwind-Ashpaw's mentor-got to his paws, "Three pieces?!" He meowed, "In this weather, we couldn't find a mouse to save our lives!" The other cats muttered agreements, but Lilypool stared at the tom with her ice-blue eyes. "I said: Three, pieces, each." She meowed in a voice as cold as the snow. The cats looked at each other, then each nodded their heads at last. As the cats headed for the entrance, Mudpaw swerved in front of me, making me trip and plunge face-first into the snow. I lifted my head slowly and looked as Mudpaw and Fernpaw chuckled to themselves. "Adderpaw! Stop playing in the snow and get a move on!" Lilypool growled at me.

We headed out into the forest, the apprentices went with their mentors, but I preferred to hunt alone. I had caught a skinny starling, and a mouse I found that was already dead, but this wasn't a time to be picky. I must have been out there all morning and evening, my paws were so cold I thought that they would fall off. The snow started to fall again, I thought to head back to camp before it started to really come down, then remembered what Lilypool had said: 'Don't come back until you had caught at least three pieces of fresh-kill.' So I pressed on.

After what seemed to be a life time of walking, I caught the scent of prey, trying my hardest to be quiet-which was hard to do in the crunchy snow, I crept forward. As I came nearer to where the smell was coming from, I noticed grey fur, as I looked closer I saw two tall pointy ears... It was a snow hare! My heart started to beat fast, it was huge! If I caught it, it would feed all the elders and Swiftleap! Feeling energy rush through my veins, I stalked forward, every step carefully placed to make as little sound as possible. It was digging through the the snow, most likely trying to find any traces of food left on the forest floor. My body tingled, I was in range, I locked my claws in the earth, making sure that I wouldn't trip on the snow, and jumped. I landed dead on it's back, as soon as my claws met it's flesh it jerked up and was bouncing to get me off, but I wouldn't let go, this was too valuable an opportunity to waste. I bit down on it's neck, I could feel it getting weaker, and soon it's body became completely limp. I looked down at my prey, feeling proud of myself I leaned over it and gave thanks to StarClan for sending us this gift in our hour of need.

I trotted back through the forest, feeling quite good about myself as I carried the snow hare. If this didn't impress Lilypool, then I didn't know what would!

All of a sudden, I heard the bushes rattling. I turned and saw an all too familiar mud-colored cat, Mudpaw. "Hey there Adderdirt." He mewed. I dug my claws into the ground, I hated it when he called me that! Mudpaw padded closer and smelled the snow hare that I held in my jaws. "Where'd you get that?" He asked. "I caught it." I replied, standing up a little straighter. The tom eyed me, his pale green eyes glinting. "How about you give it to me?" He mewed with a smirk, I stared confused. Did he actually think I would give it to him? If so, then he can go eat fox-dung! "This hare is for the elders and Swiftleap." I meowed through the gray fur. Mudpaw snorted, "You think I was going to take it for myself? No, no." He padded even closer, so close that I could feel his breath. "But I am going to take it back to camp as my catch." He mewed softly. I stepped back, "What are you talking abo-" Before I could even finish what I was saying he lunged forward and ripped the snow hare from my jaws, leaving gray fur stuck to my teeth and tongue. "Hey!" I exclaimed, "Give it back!" I reached forward but Mudpaw leapt back. "Na-ah." He taunted, "You're gonna have to do a lot better then that Adderdirt." I curled my lip back into a snarl. The blood was roaring in my ears so loud right now, I wanted to do nothing but claw his ears off and take back my prey, but I knew better. "That's my prey!" I hissed, "Not anymore." Mudpaw purred. "If you don't give it back right know I swear to StarClan that I'll make you pay!" Mudpaw placed the snow hare behind him before leaning forward, casting a shadow over me, "Oh? How? Would you fight me?" He lunged at me and pinned me to the ground with his paw on my chest, "I think we both know who'd win that fight." I struggled to get free from his grip, he then lifted his paw enough for me slip free, and so I did. I huffed, "I may not be able to fight you, but I could tell Acornstar!" I growled, but Mudpaw, to my dismay just laughed and shook his head. "Do you really think that Acornstar would take your word over mine? His own son?" He grinned, I then rememberd that our leader was this pathetic excuse for a cat's father, he would never believe me over him. Mudpaw loomed over me, his eyes slits, he whispered into my ear, "You can tell them whatever you want... but you know, deep down, that they'll never believe you, they'll just think you're a wimpering little mouse trying to get attention." His words hit my heart like an icicle. Mudpaw picked up the snow hare and disappeared into the undergrowth, I didn't even move or look to see him go, I just sat there, staring at nothing.

I walked back into camp with my head held low. I had not been able to catch another piece of fresh-kill, so I had gone back with just my starling and mouse. I could hear cats clamouring over by the fresh-kill pile, I looked and saw Mudpaw proudly standing over the snow hare that I had caught. I walked past my Clanmates to place down the prey on the now larger fresh-kill pile. I looked up and met the icy gaze of Lilypool. She sighed and shook her head disappointedly before walking away. I watched as Mudpaw brought the hare over to the elders, the beaming gratitude in the elderly cats' eyes. I felt sick, I walked to the apprentices' den and laid in my nest of soft moss. It should be me. I thought. It should be me their praising, not Mudpaw, not that mouse-brained, fox-hearted piece of dirt! I dug my claws into the ground and bared my teeth as if I was going to jump into battle. I let out a long sigh, sheathing my claws and covering my fangs. What was wrong with me? How could I be so unbelievably selfish? Throwing a fit and wanting attention. I curled up in my nest, I wanted to curl up until I was the size of a vole, even though I knew that it was impossible. I wanted to be a kit again, without a worry in the world. It didn't matter who caught that snow hare or who brought it back, as long as the Clan was fed, it shouldn't bother me... but deep down... it did.