"How's the invalid today?" asked Xerxes pushing his way through the bracken curtain of the medicine den, several mice hanging from his jaws.

Aspenpaw looked up with a purr of welcome while Dry continued to press her paws into Icepaw's back as Poppydust had shown her. It had been three days since the incident. Since then, Icepaw was getting better more and more every day. The morning after he had woken up, Poppydust had tested all of limbs and to her relief had found that he still had sensation in his lower half and some very weak motor skills.

"It's going to be quite some time before you'll be back to normal..." she had told him gently. "But I think you'll be alright."

When she had inspected him, she found that his chest rattled a little when he breathed which concerned her and had begun to regularly rub his chest, back and back legs to make sure the blood kept flowing there. Dry had watched her doing this with avid interest and by the second day had taken over doing this for her.

Although it was beneficial for him, the pressure on his injured back and in his back legs was very painful, and Icepaw often cried out during these sessions. It was when he cried out that Shadow had disappeared for a while and reappeared with a sturdy stick in his jaws that Icepaw could bite down on when the pain became too much. It had proven to be an excellent idea, but unfortunately the stick had broken the previous night. This morning, he had gone back into the forest to find a replacement.

"Better." Said Icepaw with a grunt as Dry pressed on a painful point. "A little easier please Dry. That hurt."

"Sorry." She said quickly hopping off before gently prodding the same place with one paw. "Right there?"

"Mm hmm..." he nodded, squinting his eyes.

"I'll do it more gently." She promised before resuming. "Better?"

"Much." He mewed before looking back at Xerxes. "Did you catch those?"

"Yep." Xerxes said proudly, dropping the mice before the group. "And I've put one on the prey pile too."

Aspenpaw nodded. "Not bad... I thought you'd not hunted before? You'd never tasted mouse."

"Actually..." he almost looked a little embarrassed. "Creekshadow's been teaching me."

Dry made a little noise somewhere between a squeak and a whimper. Aspenpaw looked up at her. "What is it?"

"Uh... I..." Dry lowered her gaze. "I know she's your friend Aspenpaw, but she... scares me a little bit."

Aspenpaw gave a nod. "I understand. She's a bit standoffish."

"She is a bit prickly." Conceded Xerxes. "But she's a great hunter and an amazing teacher."

"Would you want her as a mentor?" asked Aspenpaw tipping her head on one side.

Xerxes blinked. "What do you mean?"

"All apprentices have mentors." Explained Aspenpaw. "If you stay, you'll probably be assigned one to teach you how to hunt and fight. Mine is Tigerfang."

"You mean that huge cat with one eye?" mewed Xerxes looking a little surprised. "He even makes me nervous. You must be terrified all the time."

"Not at all." Aspenpaw bristled a little. "Tigerfang is an excellent mentor. He teaches me well and he's very fair."

"No need to claw my fur off." Xerxes looked a little surprised at her tetchiness.

"Sorry." She ducked her head a little. "A lot of cats have a similar opinion though."

"I'm surprised you're not taught by Silverstar as she's your mother." Mewed Xerxes, changing the subject.

Aspenpaw gave a snort. "It's rare for cats to mentor their kits, and even rarer for a leader to mentor an apprentice..." 'And Silverstar wouldn't want to mentor me anyway,' she added in her head.

"Well. I guess I'll have a mentor if I stay." Xerxes said, his tail flicking slightly.

She looked at him a little surprised. "If?"

"I don't know if Silverstar wants us to stay."

Dry looked up. "Do you not think?"

"She was ready to throw us out the other day. She would probably have done worse if she thought she could."

She stepped away from Icepaw, having finished her task and moving over to sit beside Xerxes. "Do you want to stay?" she asked curiously.

Xerxes looked at his paws almost a little abashed. "Well... yes, I suppose I do. It's what Blackfang and my mother wanted."

"But what do you want?"

He looked up thoughtfully. "I... I want to be braver."

Aspenpaw stared at him. "Braver? You killed a badger with no training!"

He ducked his head again. "Yeah but... but I totally froze up when I first saw it! I figured because my parents had managed to fight a badger that it would be manageable, but when I saw it I... I just... I was so scared..."

Dry shifted a little closer to him, gently resting her tail over his back. "But that's ok." She mewed gently. "I didn't even fight the badger and I was frightened. It's was a scary experience for all of us."

He shook his head. "No... if I had been braver, I would have been like Icepaw. He didn't even hesitate. He just ran straight for the badger, no fear at all!"

Icepaw's eyes flicked over to the dark tom, his expression one of mild surprise. "I was scared."

Xerxes looked up at him. "You were?"

"Of course I was. It was a badger." He said with a slight huff. "But it wasn't exactly courage that made me fight it."

Xerxes tipped his head on one side. "Then what was it?"

Icepaw made a slight shrugging motion. "I don't know exactly. Maybe it was to keep it away from you, maybe it was to protect Shadow... maybe it was because sometimes fear is a bit exciting. Maybe it was because fighting alongside your clanmates is the best feeling in the world." His eyes flicked to Aspenpaw as he spoke. "Either way... I didn't see not fighting it as an option."

Xerxes nodded. "But even so... if I hadn't frozen up, you wouldn't have gotten hurt."

"There's a lot of what if's." said Icepaw. "If we hadn't gone to Windclan, I wouldn't have gotten hurt. If we had left at a different time, if Shadow had run past at a different time, if the badger hadn't turned then, if I had let you get hurt... but it is what it is."

Xerxes looked at Icepaw. Aspenpaw might have imagined it, but she thought she saw admiration in his eyes. "Did you need to get hurt to get smart?"

"It probably helped." Muttered Icepaw.

"Maybe what you want isn't to be braver..." said Aspenpaw slowly. "But to fight smarter."

Xerxes looked a little confused for a moment, before nodding slowly. "I suppose... I mean if you hadn't been there, I wouldn't have known how to kill it..."

Aspenpaw shrugged. "It wasn't difficult to work out."

"It was still smart of you." Mewed a voice from the entrance. They all jumped a little and looked around as Shadow entered, a thick stick in his jaws. He trotted over to Icepaw and placed it down before him. "This should be a good one. I gave it a good bite and it didn't splinter too badly."

Icepaw gave a little purr of gratitude. "Thanks, I appreciate it."

"No problem." Said Shadow sitting down near Aspenpaw. She shifted a little, not sure if she wanted him near her.

Since they had spoken, she found that he was sticking close to her almost all the time. When she and Tigerfang had resumed gentle training, he had followed her and sat watching. When she went hunting, he followed, trying hard to emulate her crouch. When she visited Icepaw, she often found he would already be in there. When she ate, he would visit the prey pile at the same time... and somewhat conveniently, the only nest which had been available in the apprentice den had been the one closest to hers. A little part of her was almost grateful for the company, especially while Icepaw was not in the den, but at the same time, she couldn't help but wonder why he was there...

What he had said to her a few nights before had been playing on her mind. He had had a dream which had led him to her? She would be lying if it didn't pique her interest, but she was also aware that he could just be saying these things as a prank or something. It was very easy to lie, and she didn't know anything about this cat...

"But I guess if I had to choose a mentor..." said Xerxes slowly, resuming the earlier conversation. "... yeah, Creekshadow would be my first choice."

Aspenpaw nodded and looked at Dry. "What about you?" she asked gently.

Xerxes snorted. "We don't need to ask her who her first choice would be."

Dry jumped and looked at her paws while Aspenpaw looked at him confused. "What do you mean?"

"Have you not seen the way she hangs around him? She totally has a thing for him."

"Shut up!" moaned Dry, cuffing at Xerxes who darted away from her swipe. "I'm just being friendly."

"Friendly?" Xerxes whooped with laughter. "Come off it, you like him!"

Dry pounced at him, cuffing him hard over the ear. Xerxes gave a little yelp of surprise and scrambled out from under her, staring back at the normally docile she-cat. Dry was standing, her hackles rising. "I said shut up." She hissed, her tail lashing.

Xerxes flicked his tail. "Alright, alright." He mewed giving his chest fur a few embarrassed licks. "Forget I said anything."

"I would want Ravencall." Said Shadow almost a little too loudly, drawing attention away from the arguing pair.

Icepaw looked at him curiously. "Oh? Why's that?"

"He's just so calm and collected, even when things are happening that would make another cat go mad."

Aspenpaw looked at him, curiously. "Like what?"

"Like when he arrived at the clearing when we fought the badger. All he saw was three blood-soaked cats, his kit unconscious and a dead badger. If I had been him, I would have pushed everyone out of the way trying to get to my son. I would have screeched at everyone to get away from him, but not Ravencall. He just walked across the clearing to where we were and asked us what happened, then made sure we got back to camp safely. When Hazelbreeze came into the medicine den and was near hysterical, he was the one that calmed her down. Even now, I bet he's worried sick about Icepaw, but he's out there, leading patrols and not letting it stop him. That's how I want to be."

Icepaw blinked at Shadow, his eyes alight with what seemed to Aspenpaw to be gratitude. "He is all those things." He agreed. "He puts other cats needs before his own. That's what makes him a great deputy."

"And a great father." Nodded Aspenpaw. Icepaw turned his gaze to her, his eyes softening in agreement.

"Yeah, Ravencall would be a good choice." Nodded Dry. "I'd want someone who could help me be stronger but still be able to help others."

"Well you already know about herbs and stuff." Said Shadow. "Maybe you could be Poppydust's apprentice?"

"Oh..." she looked at her paws. "Yeah maybe..."

"You wouldn't want to be a medicine cat?" Aspenpaw asked curiously.

"I came here to be a warrior." She said raising her eyes to look at Aspenpaw. "Like I get that medicine cats are important, but I don't think it's what I want."

She nodded. "I understand." She said quietly. "You know I wanted to be a medicine cat when I was a kit. Alderheart said it wasn't possible."

Xerxes shook his head. "I couldn't do that whole medicine cat thing. I wouldn't have the patience."

Dry gave a slight snort. "I can't imagine you as a medicine cat." She said. "You'd probably crush all the herbs when you tried to prepare them."

Xerxes shifted his large paws. "I wouldn't."

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the high ledge for a clan meeting."

They all jumped a little as the summons went up. "Go see what's happening." Mewed Icepaw, nodding to the others. "And tell me everything when it's finished."

They gabbled a hasty farewell before hurrying out of the medicine den and into the clearing. The cats were gathering beneath where Silverstar sat, her tail flicking. Her eyes scanned the group of cats until they rested on the three loners.

"You three, come to the front." She commanded.

The little group looked at one another before Aspenpaw nodded them forward. The cats parted to let them through all of them watching the loners closely, curious about what was about to happen. Aspenpaw shifted herself to the front of the crowd, ready to jump to her new friends' defence if she needed to.

Silverstar's gazed passed over the three young cats before she raised her voice to the rest of the clan. "Clanmates." She called. "A few days ago, these cats came before me as disobedient rule breakers, and I was ready to exile them. However, you asked me to show clemency... I have observed them over the last few days, and I am ready to pass judgement."

Aspenpaw held her breath. Ahead of her, she saw Dry tremble again, while Shadow and Xerxes sat stiffly, tension emanating off of them. Silverstar lightly jumped down and padded towards the three cats. Her eyes were blank as she spoke. "I am satisfied that you know what it means to be part of a clan. If you still wish to, I would like to welcome you as apprentices of Thunderclan."

Dry's shaking intensified, but Aspenpaw could see the wonder on her face and realised her trembling was no longer fear, just happiness and anticipation. "Yes!" she whispered. "Yes, I still want that."

Xerxes and Shadow glanced at one another, excitement evident in their faces. "Me too." Nodded Xerxes.

"And me." Mewed Shadow, a shiver running along his tail.

Silverstar gave a brief nod. "Then it shall be so." She raised her voice to the clan. "These newcomers have proven themselves as brave and quick-thinking in the face of danger. They will be an asset to us." She looked at Dry. "From this day forward, you shall be known as-"

"Wait..."

There was an intake of breath from the surrounding cats. Aspenpaw's eyes widened. Even Dry looked surprised as the protest burst from her mouth. She blinked and lowered her gaze.

"Wait?" said Silverstar her eyes narrowing. "Then you don't want to join the clan."

"No, no I want that very much!" Dry said quickly. "But... well... Dry was the name my mother gave me. It's all I have of her now. I'd... I'd like to keep it..."

Silverstar simply stared at her for a moment. Aspenpaw may have imagined it, but she could have sworn that for less than a second, her grey eyes flicked to where her daughter was sitting and back. "If you had been born in the clan, your mother would have chosen your name, and that is the name you'd have kept throughout your life." She said, nodding her head in consent. "If it is what you wish... from this day forward, until you have earned your warrior name, this apprentice shall be known as Drypaw."

Drypaw's eyes glowed as she dipped her head. "Thank you." She whispered.

Silverstar's eyes flicked to Shadow. "Do you feel the same way?"

He hesitated, then gave a nod. "I have always been Shadow. It's the name my mother wanted me to have. I wish to keep it."

"Then, from this day forward, until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Shadowpaw." Silverstar said, unblinkingly. Shadowpaw dipped his head in thanks as she turned her gaze on Xerxes. "And you?"

Xerxes returned her stare. "Actually... no..." he said quietly. "I don't care much what I'm known as. Xerxes, or whichever name you choose, I'll still be me."

A few cats in the crowd murmured to one another, some approvingly, others a little surprised at his obvious flippant attitude towards his name.

Silverstar blinked at him, when Aspenpaw was sure she saw a glimmer of something in her eyes. Amusement? "Then, Xerxes, as you have left behind the kittypet way of life, I feel it is also apt that you leave behind your kittypet name. From this day forward, until you have earned your warrior name you shall be known as..." she paused, looking thoughtful for a second, when her eyes hardened again in resolution. "You shall be known as Badgerpaw."

Badgerpaw's eyes glittered with pride. "It's perfect!" he murmured. "Thank you Silverstar."

Silverstar nodded, accepting his gratitude. Then her gaze flicked up to the crowd. "Creekshadow." She called. The rest of the clan turned to look at the grey she-cat. Creekshadow got to her paws and padded forward, her eyes fixed on Silverstar. "You approached me earlier, and requested to be the mentor to Badgerpaw if he chose to stay. I see no reason not to grant this request. You have proven yourself resourceful and intelligent. I expect you to pass what you know on to Badgerpaw."

The dark tom turned and Aspenpaw thought she saw a glimmer of excitement as the she-cat he had grown close to over the last few days was named as his mentor. Creekshadow stepped forward to touch noses with Badgerpaw. "You requested me?" he whispered.

"You killed a badger." She muttered back. "You'll be a formidable warrior one day."

Silverstar's eyes scanned the crowd of cats again. "Robinblaze?" she called, waiting for the black and orange tom to step forward. "You have proven to us great strength of character, and courage when faced with danger. You will be mentor to Drypaw."

Drypaw turned, her eyes wide with anticipation and... Aspenpaw wasn't sure, but was that embarrassment? Badgerpaw turned to glance at the tri-coloured she-cat, a smirk playing about his mouth. Robinblaze approached Drypaw and bent his head slightly to touch noses with her.

Finally, Silverstar looked at Shadowpaw. "We are running out of mentors." She murmured, more to herself than anyone else. She glanced up. "Ravencall?" she said. "Do you think you would be able to train an apprentice alongside your other duties?"

The deputy dipped his head. "If it is what you want Silverstar, I'm sure I could fit it in."

She nodded. "Then you shall be mentor to Shadowpaw."

Aspenpaw couldn't explain the glow she felt in her chest as Shadowpaw looked up happily at the deputy as he moved forward and touched noses with the young dark tom. "I promise I'll work hard." He mewed enthusiastically.

A slight laugh ran around the crowd as Ravencall purred. "I know you will."

Aspenpaw had been bouncing slightly on her paws, trying to contain her excitement. Finally, she found she couldn't hold it in any longer. She threw back her head and began to chant her friends' new names. "Drypaw! Shadowpaw! Badgerpaw!"

The rest of the clan quickly took up the chant, and the three cats looked around and at one another, their eyes alight with joy and hope. Aspenpaw bounded forward, congratulating them, calling each of them by their new names, the four of them relishing in the fact that they were now clanmates.

As the other cats began to gather around, welcoming the cats to the clan. Aspenpaw sat back feeling a strange sense of satisfaction and contentment spreading through her. For now, she decided, things were going to be better than they ever had been before. She couldn't wait to get started.

A/N

Creekshadow owned by Hannah Rowe

Drypaw owned by Meadow Leon Flower

Badgerpaw owned by Nicholas Mullen