Maplepaw pounced on a molted leaf, fluttering in the breeze.

"Aren't you a bit young to be catching leaves, Maplepaw? Or should I say Maplekit."

Maplepaw glanced up. Her mentor, Firefeather, stood over her. Maplepaw jumped up and gave her long chest fur a few rough licks.

"No, no. I'm just practicing my hunting techniques. It takes a lot of concentration to catch a leaf, you know. Plus, it's not like I have any prey to practice on," she whined. "When are we going hunting?"

Firefeather snorted.

"Well we were going to tackle the elder's ticks, but if you really want to hunt, I guess we could."

"Ticks? Eww! Gross! We have to go hunting!" Maplepaw pleaded. All she could think of was if she was pulling ticks, her brother, Thistlepaw, would become a warrior long before she did.

Firefeather gave in.

"I guess we should go hunting. And I'll give you your final assessment," she meowed brightly. "I think we should hunt over by the SkyClan border," she said, racing off.

Maplepaw was cheering inside her head.

Firefeather stopped after they reached the border.

"Alright, I'm going to be watching you during this assessment, but you won't see me. Just try to pretend I'm not even there," she explained.

"OK, Firefeather. Are you ready yet? Can I start?" She excitedly asked.

"Yes. I'd like you to try to catch at least one squirrel so you can practice your climbing techniques." Firefeather prodded Maplepaw. "You can go now."

Maplepaw resisted the urge to race off into the trees. Instead, she sniffed the air for a prey-scent. Nothing. She lightly stepped through the undergrowth, wincing as a thread of bramble caught her nose. Stopping again, she smelled around the trees, a technique that no one had taught her, but seemed smart enough.

I smell squirrel! she thought, excitedly. I'll just jump into that tree, and get it.

She crouched down, wiggled her hindquarters, and with a huge leap, landed on a low hanging branch.

Yes! Now for that squirrel . . .

Again she took a sniff and was glad to find a squirrel on a branch several feet above her. Creeping quietly, she stole among the leaves and was surprised to find herself quite at ease among the foliage. At last she was upon the squirrel. She could easily kill it and pass her assessment.

I'll go for an easy kill, she decided. No fancy stuff.

Suddenly the wind changed direction. The squirrel froze and lifted its muzzle in the air.

Maplepaw pounced. But the slender branch was barely a twig. She tumbled through the leaves and snagged her claw on a crooked branch. After several more leaves flew up her nose. Her long, tortoiseshell and white fur caught on a few sturdy sticks, and she swung from them, yowling as they pulled her fur and poked her.

They gave way after she twisted and scratched at them. Landing on the ground, she ran her tongue through her matted fur and groomed herself until her mentor got there.

"Wow Maplepaw!" Firefeather gasped. "You sure took a huge fall there. Good thing you got that squirrel though, or you wouldn't have passed your assessment."

"Got the squirrel . . . What are you-" Maplepaw lifted her paw and surprisingly, the squirrel law under it, dead.

"So this mean I passed my assessment?" She asked excitedly.

"Yep! Flowerpelt and Whorleyes will be so proud of you! Their little kit, all grown up into a warrior." Firefeather said warmly. "Now let's get going. No bother stopping for more prey. Your yowling definitely scared it off, "she teased.

"I'm just glad I'm going to be a warrior. And before Thistlepaw, too!"