The apprentices stayed in the medicine den for what seemed like forever before Sunpool, a light she-cat with yellow eyes and light orange paws, came in and told them they could come out. By the time the apprentices were able to leave the den it was already sundown. Nightpaw wondered if the LakeClan patrol had followed them.
She padded her way slowly towards the prey-pile and got a sparrow. She brought it towards the apprentices eating-stump and sat down. There were only three other apprentices there, Foxpaw, Duskpaw, and Lionpaw. Nightpaw dropped her sparrow and sat on her haunches. "Hey, Nightpaw!" Purred Foxpaw. "Hey!" Nightpaw purred and studied her fox-like pelt. "What did you do today?" Asked Nightpaw. "Strawberrystep let me battle train!" Foxpaw sat up straight, with a proud gleam in her eyes. "Cool! I get to do that tomorrow." Meowed Nightpaw before gulping down the rest of her sparrow. She pawed at the feather in her fur until they dropped to the ground. "I'm going to bed, goodnight." Nightpaw got up and padded towards the den.
She curled up in her bedding and licked her lips, savoring the taste of the Sparrow. She heard light pawsteps enter the den so she opened her eyes enough to see who it was. She saw Lionpaw pad his way over to his bedding and lay down. She closed her eyes again and drifted off.
. . .
At around moonhigh Nightpaw woke and couldn't get back to sleep. She stood up, yawned, and stretched. I'll go hunting, She decided. She set off towards the camp entrance quietly.
She felt her fur bristle in the light night wind as she padded out into the forest. She sniffed the air for any scents. She smelt a mouse somewhat recent. She followed the scent until she saw the grass move. She crouched down and waited for the right time. She added slowly towards it, putting all of her weight into her haunches. Right before it noticed her she pounced and finished it off. Nightpaw buried the mouse so she could come back for it.
She didn't smell anything so she just kept going until she smelt a hare. It was far off in the distance so Nightpaw started bounding towards it. She was chasing it and then it turned, she couldn't tell that it had until she almost fell off of a ledge. She stared down the cavern, her eyes widening with fear. She stood there until she felt a paw grab her. "Nightpaw!" Said a familiar voice. It was Sacredthorn, her mentor. She was dragged backwards until she could no longer see the cliff.
Sacredthorn turned her around and spoke sternly, "What were you thinking?" He demanded. "I-I thought I would go hunting, I couldn't sleep." Nightpaw stuttered., her eyes still wide with fear. Sacredthorn sat, gesturing for her to do the same. "That was brave of you, but not very wise." Sacredthorn looked at her sternly. "I'm sorry." She said guiltily. Sacredthorn looked down upon her disapprovingly. "You will be punished for your actions. I will let Saturnstar decide your punishment but you will not be trained until you have fulfilled your punishment." Sacredthorn told her. "Yes, sir." Nightpaw then followed Sacredthorn back to camp.
When they arrived Sacredthorn told her to sleep until sunup, Saturnstar would decide her punishment tomorrow and listen to what Nightpaw has to say for herself. "Wait!" Nightpaw stopped in her tracks. "What?" Sacredthron stopped and looked back at her. "I forgot to grab the mouse I caught!" She said sadly. "It's okay, I'll go grab it. Now go to your den." Sacredthorn turned around and went into the forest, Nightpaw then padded back to her bedding, upset with herself. She slept until it was sunup.
"Nightpaw," It was Flamepaw nudging her awake. "Go see Saturnstar." He walked out of the den before she could respond. Nightpaw stood up and slowly padded her way towards the leader's den.
She entered the den and called out to Saturnstar, "Saturnstar? It's me, Nightpaw. I've come to hear my punishment." Nightpaw stopped in the entrance and waited for a response. "I'm coming." Called the leader's voice. Nightpaw padded out to the clearing and waited for Saturnstar by her den. She eventually padded out and sat next to the apprentice. "What you did last night was wrong," She said disapprovingly. Nightpaw bowed her head in agreement and respect. "I would like to hear why you went out. All Sacredthorn told me was that you went out last night." Nightpaw nodded then began, "I woke up at moonhigh and couldn't sleep. I decided to go hunting and I was chasing a rabbit and almost fell off a cliff." She told Saturnstar. Saturnstar nodded, listening. "I see," She said. "You have to clean the elders' bedding, dirt, and tics, go on now."
Nightpaw stood and bounded towards the medicine den.
