After several days laboring over an iPhone, I present to you, my followers, Gold. Thank you for everything. Enjoy.

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"What happened?!"

"W-We didn't mean for it to--"

"I don't want to hear a word from you, Pinestripe!" the large chocolate tortoiseshell leader snapped.

"It was an accident..!" Frogleap finally wailed out.

"I don't care what it was! What stupid mistake did you do that resulted in a crippled apprentice?!"

Frogleap looked down at his paws, his ears back.

"It was an accident...." He murmured again.

It was just a crisp leaf-fall day. Pinestripe was at the front of the patrol, though Frogleap had been assigned as the patrol leader. The dark brown tabby never minded sharing responsibilities with Pinestripe; they had been best friends since kit-hood.

      "Watch out, Frogleap, I'm coming through!" A pale brown tabby she-cat charged through the golden pine nettles that caked the territory floor.

      Frogleap hissed lightly, bouncing out of the way just in time as barreled past his apprentice, Cricketpaw, barreled past him, narrowly missing a collision. Two moons into apprentice training, and she's still acting like a kit.

      "Hey, Frogleap! Hurry up, we're almost to the thunderpath!" Pinestripe called from the top of the hill that they had been climbing. They were going to hunt on the other side of the thunderpath. Risky, but no cat had hunted in that stretch of land for over a moon and it was bound to be teeming with prey. Owlstrike was at the top of the hill as well, keeping the eager young cat from racing into danger with a big pale gray paw.

"Thanks, Owlstrike..." Frogleap sighed as he quickly made his way up. She nodded slightly, her expression unreadable. Does she think I'm a bad mentor? Or what if she's just being good humored? Glad to help?! What if she does think I'm a bad mentor? Frogleap shook his head, as if it'd clear his mind from unneeded, racing thoughts.

"Keep up." Owlstrike called as she disappeared into the bushes. Cricketpaw looked up at the brown tabby warrior with her face screwed up at the hot smell that beat down from the thunderpath just past the small row of bushes.

"Stay close, Cricketpaw." Frogleap murmured, sighing. He could hear Pinestripe call out from the other side of the bushes:

"Hey, Frogleap! I think some monsters got into a fight over some prey!" Frogleap narrowed his eyes, confused. He ducked into the prickly foliage, the twigs scraping at his sides. Cricketpaw easily slid through, but he was much broader than the thin apprentice.

"What're talking abou--" he was cut off as he poked through onto the other side of the bushes. The thunderpath stretched across the land, as it always had. The only thing different was a small monster, a shiny red one, was laying dead on the side of the black stone path. Smoke billowed up into the sky from the monster, and it's stench seemed to seep into the earth. Cricketpaw edged closer, her head low as she tried to slink unnoticed, but Owlstrike grabbed her tail before she could get a paw step closer to the hot mess.

"Have you seen anything like it?" Pinestripe murmured. Frogleap flicked his ears, surprised to see the golden brown blotch tabby was now at his side. He had a narrow face and a slim build, his fur short and sleek over his toned body.

"It's a dead monster. That's one less hunter on the thunderpath today; it'll make it easier to cross." Frogleap shrugged, the stench seeming to burn his nose. Owlstrike shook her head.

"We should cross now, while the other monsters are distracted by its death." Owlstrike spoke. She flicked her thick furred tail. Cricketpaw began to squirm.

"Look, Frogleap, look!" She chirped. Owlstrike held a firm hold on the pale brown apprentice, not letting her get close to he wreckage. Yikes! I was right, Owlstrike thinks I'm a bad mentor and needs to do all the mentoring-- he was cut off from his irrational thoughts as he realized Cricketpaw had been trying to direct his attention to something in the mass of heat and smell. He crept forward slowly as the glint caught his eye. The sun directly glittering against it. It was in a mess of other miscellaneous Twoleg items that were scattered around the monster.

"Frogleap, what are you doing?! Get back here!" Pinestripe hissed. Frogleap flicked his tail tip, silencing him. He was just close enough--

Screeching sounds erupted from the thunderpath. A bright red monster was yowling down the path as it neared. The warrior's green eyes went huge. He darted in, grabbing the shiny thing, and darted right back out, racing to catch up with the hunting patrol that was running away. They probably wouldn't get much hunting done that day.

Frogleap sat by the stream, gently running his tongue over the shiny silver surface before having to wash his tongue in the freezing leaf-fall water-- the thing tasted horrible, but it couldn't be properly shined without him having to clean it manually. Cricketpaw was off to the side, playing with her brother, Creekpaw. They were on mid-day break, as Frogleap liked to call it, but it was really so he could catch another glimpse at the shiny thing. It was about the size of his paw pad, and the sun caught it just right to make it glint. He carefully washed his tongue off again, the bitter taste making him gag.

"Hey Frogleap! Can I see it now?" Cricketpaw begged. "It's been three days, so that means it's safe, and it must be clean by now!" She stepped closer, her gold eyes wide and pleading. He swished his tail.

"Alright, but careful." He nodded. She grinned brightly and plopped down next to him to examine the shiny surface. Creekpaw crept close as well, crawling on his pale furred belly over the lush green grass and took a place next to his sister. Frogleap's whisker's quivered proudly-- he had found this. Well, Cricketpaw found it, but he grabbed it. Creekpaw looked up at the warrior, his silver tabby head tilted, confused.

      "I don't understand? It's just some dumb twoleg thing... Does it help you hunt better?"

       "What-- no-- it's just... It's.. It's a thing." Frogleap tried to reason. What does he not understand? It's cool! It's shiny! It's a thing!

      "Creekpaw wouldn't understand." Cricketpaw sat up, ruffling her neck fur dramatically. "He isn't a girl. What better way to win a over a pretty she-cat than a shiny thing?" She purred, picking up a pale brown paw and grooming her face. Frogleap's fur grew hot and he swallowed. He wasn't interested in any she-cats. Sure they were all very pretty, but none were actually interested in him. They usually noticed Pinestripe, with his chestnut blotched tabby fur. Frogleap was just thick and.. Plain. But with a shiny thing... Cricketpaw is right. Now every she-cat will be chasing after my tail!

      "Let's get back to camp," Frogleap rushed out the words, picking up the shiny thing. Cricketpaw waved her tail, standing up.

      "Are we not going to continue training today?" Creekpaw asked, scrambling to his paws. His sister had already started the trek back to camp at a quick trot.

      Frogleap flicked his ears. One day without training wouldn't put them behind.

      "No. Free day." He murmured through his firm hold on the twoleg object.

      The camp was hidden neatly in a dip in the ground, pine trees lining the top. Small shrubs wrapped around the edges of the dip as a sort of wall, blending it into the surrounding territory. The elders were outside their bush den, lavender growing along side it, sunning themselves. The two apprentices took off toward the aged cats, their eyes brimming with excitement. Frogleap's green eyes swept the camp, before they fell upon Hollybush, a dainty white she-cat. She's pretty... And now I'm not just Pinestripe's friend. I'm Frogleap, that tom with the shiny thing. It won't matter how plainly tabby my fur is, I've got the shiny thing!

He made up his mind. He padded over to the white she-cat, who was trying to groom her back fur.

"Here, let me help!" Frogleap offered as he got closer. She looked up, her green eyes bright with surprise. She hesitated for a moment, before shrugging.

"All right." She purred. He set down the shiny thing near her paws.

"Would you mind looking after that for a moment?" He mewed, trying to sound as charming as Pinestripe did. She flicked her ears.

"I suppose." He began drawing his tongue over her hard-to-reach back fur. "Why do you even carry it around?" She asked after a moment. He paused mid stroke, breathing in deeply. Creekpaw hadn't understood it either-- Hollybush had to understand! Like Cricketpaw had said, all she-cats want a pretty thing.

"I think it's cool." She didn't look impressed. "Plus, I don't want to leave it in camp the whole time, or else it's smell might attract a fox or something. I've zig zagged a trail across the territory, so it'll be confused!" He quickly added. Her face lit up.

"That's clever!" She nodded, "so why are you back early? Isn't Cricketpaw your apprentice?" Why is she changing the subject? The shiny thing is impressive, not my mentoring skill!

"Oh.. Yeah, she is. She was there, you know, when I found the shiny thing." Frogleap swerved the subject back. Hollybush pulled away, standing up. Frogleap looked up at her, his eyes full of curiosity.

"You know, I always thought you were a pretty cool guy, but right now your being a complete mouse brain." She growled, stalking off. Frogleap narrowed his eyes. She just doesn't understand what's she's missing. He stood up, snatching the shiny thing that Hollybush had abandoned, and stalked out of camp.

      "Hey, Frogleap!" the tom swiveled his ears, already knowing who had called him.

      "Hey, Pinestripe." He purred. The blotched tabby pranced into sight, his eyes falling to the shiny circular object.

      "Oh.. You're still carrying that around?" Pinestripe asked, shuffling his paws.

      "Yeah! It's really cool, Hollybush said so!" Frogleap lied. She really had only said he was clever, nothing about the silver thing. He couldn't have Pinestripe being so negative about it. The NettleClan tom's amber eyes lit up.

      "Really? I just saw Sorrelflower and Mousetail in the Nettle Clearing, we should go there and show Sorrelflower!" He flicked his ears back, embarrassed. He had had a crush on Sorrelflower since they were all young warriors, but the leader's daughter was one of the hardest she-cats to win over, even for a flirty cat like Pinestripe.

      "Okay, just show it to her." Frogleap nodded. It's the least I can do for my best friend. After all he's done for me.

      They padded in silence toward the clearing. Frogleap thought he saw the flash of Hollybush's white fur, but he hadn't gotten a good enough look.

       Sorrelflower was pouncing in a great leap at Mousetail, a small, wiry, brown she-cat. A third she-cat, Lakesplash, sat along the side of the clearing, watching. The smaller she-cat pounced aside, but the tortoiseshell had managed to catch her hind leg and pull her to the ground.

      "Hey-- look! It's Pinestripe!" Mousetail called desperately before she could be defeated.  Sorrelflower scented the air before letting up. She sat down next to her sprawled-out sparring partner.

      "Hey Pinestripe!" She greeted brightly. She was beautiful, Frogleap realized. He had never really considered beauty much, not until the shiny thing. Sorrelflower had chocolate fur with paler tortoiseshell splashes and white paws. She had short, thick fur, and a compact body. "Frogleap." She dipped her head to the larger tom as well. After today, I won't be much of an afterthought. Thank you, StarClan, for the shiny thing.

      Pinestripe strode forward. Frogleap quickly pattered after him, the thick layers of russet nettles springy under his paw steps.

"Have you seen what Frogleap found?" Pinestripe asked, sitting down, nice and tall. Frogleap sat down quickly as well. Sorrelflower flicked an ear.

"Toadstar told me about it, but I haven't seen it." Pinestripe gave Frogleap a small nod, and the tabby tom gently set it down on the nettle floor. Lakesplash came foreword to look as well, her blue eyes glimmering with interest.

      "Wow! That'd look amazing above my nest on the den roof!" Mousetail purred. Sorrelflower nodded in agreement.

"Are you planning on giving it to anyone?" Sorrelflower asked, blinking slowly. She's talking to me. And only to me. Not to Pinestripe, but to me!

"Er-- maybe. Just not sure who." He tried to seem casual, but Mousetail let out a mrow of laughter.

"There's gotta be a cat you like!" She purred, her long tail waving behind her, excited. Frogleap ducked his head.

"Yeah but," his eyes locked on Sorrelflower. She was the most beautiful she-cat. Who cares if he stepped on Pinestripe's paws in the process? "I'm not sure that she likes me back." The tortoiseshell blinked, wide eyed, and gave a small smile, looking back and forth to see if any of her friends had noticed.

"Oh, Frogleap! I'm sure any she-cat would just love you!" Lakesplash chimed, giving her gray patched shoulder a quick lick.

"Yeah?" Frogleap finally let his eyes fall away from Sorrelflower, turning to look at Pinestripe. The chestnut tom shrugged.

"Sure, whatever." He twitched his tail. "So, Sorrelflower, you busy tonight? I was thinking we should hunt together! We can go catch some lizards, they're out at night a lot." Pinestripe twitched an ear, trying to look as charming as he sounded. Sorrelflower nodded.

"I'll meet you at the Slopes." She dipped her head. Frogleap looked at his white paws. There was no way he could win her over against Pinestripe. He'd need more than just a shiny thing. I'll be there as well-- if she sees me hunt that'll impress her, no doubt.

      He flicked his tail. "I'll catch you later, Pinestripe. I promised Cricketpaw we'd do a little bit of hunting before sundown." He dipped his head. "Sorrelflower." He said dipped his head to her individually, and Lakesplash purred a little. While it had been a goodbye, he knew it was also a hello. This was only the beginning of their relationship.

The stars glowed and lit up the camp, the moon hidden behind wisps of clouds. Frogleap twitched his ears, preparing to leave. His blinked, his muscles tensing as he noticed a shape moving. It's just Sorrelflower. He realized as her soft smell drifted across his nose.

      He only waited a moment to watch her tail disappear from sight before he set off, carrying the shiny thing. Quietly, he pad around the fresh-kill pile, which was heavily picked through, and up the steep slopes that walled the camp. He scraped through the bushes, his broad frame making it that much harder to get through.

Her scent trail was easy to follow, even for a poor tracker like himself, and as he wove around tall pines and scarce bushes, he found himself wondering how Pinestripe would react. He also liked Sorrelflower very much. Pinestripe can have any she-cats he wants though. I only want one.

He stopped suddenly, his hackles rising. A scent drifted over his nose, but as soon as he recognized it, he turned swiftly around.

"Cricketpaw! What are you doing here?!" He hissed lowly. The pale brown tabby she cat looked up, eyes wide. She had been stalking low to the ground, he pine nettles doing a fantastic job of softening her paw steps. Too bad she didn't check the air.

"Don't forget about me!" The silver tabby form of Creekpaw appeared from behind a pine tree a tail length away from his sister.

"Creekpaw, keep it down! This is a stealth mission!" Cricketpaw growled, but with a hint of a purr lacing her voice. Frogleap flicked his tabby tail, annoyed.

"No, it's not. Go back to camp!" He hissed. Cricketpaw narrowed her eyes and took a paw step forward defiantly.

"No! I want to go with you, because you're being a bad mentor! Ever since you found that stupid shiny thing, you've been neglecting me!" Cricketpaw snapped. Frogleap swallowed, glancing over his shoulder to see if anybody has been watching.

"Yeah! That's what the Elders were gossiping about!" Creekpaw added, his gold eyes narrowed. Frogleap looked down at his paws.

"I'm just trying to impress Sorrelflower. You'll understand when you're older...," Frogleap murmured. Cricketpaw's angry expression lightened.

"You could have just said so! We'll be really quiet, we've got your back!" Creekpaw nodded fiercely in agreement to his sister's words. Frogleap stood up straighter, twitching an ear.

"Alright. To practice your stalking skills then, you'll both have to be verryyy quiet. Don't forget to check the wind, and stay out of sight. Got it?" The apprentices nodded again, excited about a game. Frogleap picked up the shiny thing and carried on, taking a moment to find Sorrelflower's fresh scent trail.

It wasn't long before they reached the Slopes. A rocky outcrop lay at the bottom of the slopes, and the smell of lizard was thick. Pinestripe hadn't arrived yet. Sorrelflower sat alone, the starlight glimmering off the surface of her chocolate tortoiseshell fur. Hastily, without looking back, Frogleap padded out into the clearing.

"Hello..!" He greeted shyly. Sorrelflower looked up, surprised.

"Oh! Hey, Frogleap," she paused for a moment, "...is Pinestripe not coming? Or should we get started without him?" Frogleap nodded.

"Yeah!" He set the shiny thing down, relieved he wouldn't have to lie much more after Sorrelflower chose him. "I don't think he'll be too long," he added quickly, to try make her feel more comfortable. She nodded, and he realized she was already comfortable around him.

"Come on then! I bet I can catch more than you!" Sorrelflower purred quickly. She slowly crept down the edge of the slope, avoiding the crumbling edges of the slope, her eyes on a long tail flicking out between a crack in a rock. Frogleap followed suit, seeing the webbed toes of a lizard in a rock crevice. He pounced, desperately scrabbling at the lizard and yanking it out. He sunk his claws into it, nipping it's neck. He looked up to see Sorrelflower, neatly pushing her catch under a rock ledge. She was much better suited for lizard hunting, with smaller, nimble paws. Frogleap tried not to trip over his own large white paws as he crossed over the rocks stealthily to put his own catch next to hers. He paused, his belly turning as her fur brushed against his.

       "You know, I never hear much from you, it's mostly just Pinestripe." She remarked, twitching her ears. He opened his mouth to reply, when he heard a hiss above at the top of the slope. He looked up to see the narrow frame of Pinestripe outlined in starlight. He quickly made his way up the slope sheepishly, Sorrelflower staying by the rocks.

      "Hey, Pinestripe!" She purred quietly, trying not to disturb the prey. Pinestripe didn't take much note of her, his amber eyes narrowed and filled with... Was that hate? It scared Frogleap. Quickly, the dark tabby tom dodged past his friend, sweeping down to pick up his shiny thing. He'd have to leave right then. Maybe Pinestripe would forget if he left?

      "Frogleap! What do you think you're doing?!" He hissed, not even trying to keep his voice down. Frogleap ducked his head.

      "I'm sorry, Pinestripe, I just... they say to follow your heart, so I just.. I couldn't help myself. I really like Sorrelflower." He swallowed. Pinestripe hissed, his fur fluffing up.

      "Hey, what's going on?" The tortoiseshell appeared, her eyes round with confusion. Pinestripe shifted so that he was in front of her, his fur bristling and back arched. Frogleap backed up, his eyes wide. I didn't want this-- Pinestripe's my friend!

     "You know I like Sorrelflower-- what's wrong with you?!" Pinestripe inched forward. Frogleap backed up slowly, holding the shiny thing as firmly as he could in his grasp. He noticed the edge of the slope getting closer.

      "I-I'm sorry-- just.. I'm leaving!" Frogleap ducked his head and tried to dart past Pinestripe, but he felt a rush of pain fill his mouth as the blotched tabby struck the side of muzzle, the shiny thing knocking out of his grasp and flinging over the edge into the rocky outcrop. Blood welled up and filled his mouth. "What did you just do?!" Frogleap gasped, rushing to the edge. His green eyes darted around desperately, trying to find the glint of the silver surface.

      He felt claws connect with his flank and he whipped around, his fur fluffing up. He was twice the size of the slim warrior, which didn't seem to frighten Pinestripe.

      "Stop it! Both of you! I'm not to be fought over-- I'm not a moss ball!" Sorrelflower hissed.

      "What's your problem, Frogleap? Huh?!" Pinestripe growled, completely ignoring the she-cat.

      "Sorrelflower should get to choose anyway, it's not like you're the only one she can hunt with!" Frogleap scrabbled for words, his argument not holding up as well as he thought it had in his head.

      "So what?! You knew I liked her! You're a fox-hearted thief!" He swiped at Frogleap again, who attempted to dodge backward, but found himself at the edge of the slope, and slipped. His hind legs dangling, he held on as hard as he could with his forelegs onto the top of the slope. Dirt fell away at the edge.

      He scrabbled at the side of the rocky slope, with white hind paws, trying to pull himself up. Pinestripe was just too close-- he couldn't get back up all the way. He looked down, hard flat rocks awaiting for him at the bottom. He shot his eyes tightly, but a gush of air swept at his face.

      He blinked open his eyes to see Cricketpaw crouching over Pinestripe. She was half the warrior's side, but her golden eyes reflected a sort of determination she had always held. Frogleap struggled up the slope, Sorrelflower grabbing the scruff of his neck and helping haul him up. He looked over. Pinestripe was glaring Frogleap down, but didn't seem quite as hostile anymore. Creekpaw had joined his sister's side. Grooming down her fur that had been tussled in the tackle. She pushed him away gently, and the apprentice tom went to comfort Pinestripe. Cricketpaw limped toward her mentor, her eyes bright.

      "Are you hurt?!" He gasped. She shook her head.

      "No-- I just caught my paw on sharp stone." She flicked her tail, sitting down. Too close to the edge. Frogleap opened his mouth to tell her to move, and then he noticed the earth crumbling under her weight. He gasped her name and raced forward to grab her, but a silver flash beat him to it, pushing Cricketpaw onto the firmer earth as it crumbled down.

      There was a sickening thud, and Frogleap looked over the edge of the slope, his eyes full of dread. Amidst the dust clouds, a single shape of a small cat. Creekpaw. He swallowed, quickly skidding down the slope. Sorrelflower pulled Cricketpaw close to her body, not letting her down. The tabby apprentice squirmed free, and raced down after Frogleap. The tom's hind leg was twisted in an odd position, blood spilling out around it where a sharp rock had sliced his leg. Frogleap swallowed. Cricketpaw was crying her brother's name, and Pinestripe's shadow at the top of the slope cast over the cats gathered around.

      Frogleap's eyes swept over the scene. Those golden eyes of the fallen apprentice, still glimmering with life and with pain. Crimson blood spilled over the rocks and seeped in their cracks. A glitter caught his eye. Half-covered in blood, it lay with an evil glare of starlight. The shiny thing.

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Thank you for reading, and sorry WattyClans admins that this is overdue by three days.