"Lightpaw! Wake up!" called Flameblaze.

Well, he didn't exactly have to tell her to, because she was up the whole night.

Groaning, she pushed out the entrance with muscles that ached.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes," she mumbled.

"Okay, good. The moss is dry now, so put them in the elders' den for Hareleap's new bedding please. After that, please change his ticks.

Her shoulders sagged. Well, she DID like helping out, but Hareleap sometimes was c-r-a-n-k-y cranky!

She padded to the medicine cat den.

"Petalflower, I need mouse bile," she called.

"For Hareleap, I suppose?" she asked.

"Yup," she replied.

"Here. When you're done, wash your paws in a stream," meowed Petalflower.

She nodded, padding to the elders' den.

"Come, let me tell you a story," old Hareleap croaked.

She padded over, setting his new bedding down and taking out the old bedding.

"Once your father found Flameblaze when he was a loner," he rasped, "Leopardclaw was the one who brought him here. He fought well in that battle against RiverClan."

She winced at the mention of her father. Painful memories flashed in her mind.

"Kits, back inside!" her mother, Icefrost had called.

She didn't obey. Lightpaw, then Lightkit, couldn't help it. She wanted to help her Clan.

She ran out onto the battle field, jumping onto a warrior, who pushed her off easily.

The breath was knocked out of her, and she ran to an apprentice. A new one, that was about 2 moons older than her.

She jumped on the apprentice, digging her claws into his back and slicing his muzzle.

Suddenly, he flipped her over, slicing at her flanks and legs, tripping her.

Yelping, she started to climb to her paws, but than got knocked over by a highly experienced warrior.

"Lightkit! No!" Leopardclaw had yowled.

Leopardclaw had jumped at the RiverClan warrior. That warrior...he had fought viciously, and strength flowed inside him as he dug his claws into Leopardclaw's throat deeply, killing him without attaining any wounds. Leopardclaw's eyes glazed, his body convulsed, he gasped out his last breath, buckling in agony. His head hit the ground with a 'thud'. However, it was with an effort. However, that didn't matter. Her father was d-e-a-d dead!

"No!" she screeched. Suddenly, that apprentice pounced towards her, inching forward and forward and forward-only a kitstep was between them.

Her mother ran out, slashing at the RiverClan apprentice and basically dragging her back to the nursery.

"Leopardclaw is dead and it's all your fault! What did I say about not going out to battle?" her mother hissed.

She winced at the mention of Leapordclaw. She probably deserved it. No-make that definitely! A sadness drowned her.

Finally, Icefrost calmed down. She forgave her, though never saying sorry.

Oh...the agony...to experience that again...

"Lightpaw?" 

She snapped back into alert and saw Hareleap.

Hareleap let out a huff of annoyance. "My ticks are still there. Hurry up?"

Nodding absentmindedly, she dipped the moss in the mouse bile, patting Hareleap's back as he rolled his eyes.

"Thank YOU!" he meowed, "Run along now, Lightpaw. I don't want to catch you dilly-dollying again next time you get rid of my ticks.

Lightpaw nodded, padding out of the elders' den, to a stream.

She dipped her paws in, cleaning them after a while and padding back to camp.