It was dawn, the light of the sun bleeding all over the SkyClan camp, drenching it in crimson and gold. It made the leaves look like leaf-fall, almost. It was beautiful. Ever since the Gathering, Dandeliondapple had been trying to take things slow. Up to then, she had always been on edge, always looking for a fight, and always so... unpleasant to be around. She had even marched right into ThunderClan territory with her friend, Lionpaw! Her sister's words hummed inside of her head, bringing a ripple of shame with it. Bubblemist was right. She was reckless and aggressive. But she would change. She had to, for the sake of her Clan and for the sake of the honor she had been bestowed: an apprentice of her very own, given to her by her own father. She had done him wrong in the past, but she would do him right this time.
Although her wounds from Mist, no, Smokefang, had healed, there was a phantom pain as she walked. For such a long time, she had been trapped in the medicine cat's den to heal from her shameful defeat. The memory of the intense pain and being forced to lay still lingered with her. She had hated laying there, doing nothing for her Clan and consuming prey that those who contributed could have had. But now she could make up for that. Not only could she hunt and fight again, she could train the next generation of SkyClan, the lifeblood of the future. Approaching the apprentices' den, she mewed, "Halfpaw. It's time to train. You will make both me and SkyClan proud, mark my words."
