Hazeltail
A Tour of the School
Hello there! Welcome to the Warriors Schools. My name's Hazeltail, and I've been at boarding school since I was five. My mom, Daisy, used to live on a farm as a farmhand. She fell in love with the farmer's son, and they had me and my brothers Berrynose and Mousewhisker. Once their kids were born, the farmer's son moved into the city and refused to have anything to do with my mom.
So she took us to a friendly neighborhood, at the intersection of Thunder Street and Shadow Lane. Another couple, Cloudtail and Brightheart, took us in. I'm a close friend of their granddaughters, Ivypool and Dovewing.
Now, mom is a teacher at Warriors Elementary, and pretty much everyone has gotten used to us being here. Mom even married someone from our neighborhood. His name is Spiderleg, and they had two kids, Rosepetal and Toadstep. We're not so sure of Spiderleg is the right match for Daisy, but our half-siblings are nice enough.
Disaster struck when we were attacked by a mountain lion, and mom got so scared that she took us back to the old farm. WE didn't want to go, but Mom kept us there for a year before our leader, Bramblestar, finally convinced her to let us go back – just in time for eighth grade. Everybody doubted our loyalty – as if we would ever betray them! – but I think things have gone back to normal now.
I should probably explain the whole neighborhoods thing. Four big neighborhoods are in our school district - Thunder, River, Shadow, and Wind. Each one is very territorial and the inhabitants are fiercely loyal to their own kind. Each neighborhood is almost like a mini city. We have a sort of "leader" who guides us, especially when other neighborhoods try to expand and infringe on our "territory."
Our leader is Bramblestar - he's quite old, but he's very reasonable and very kind, and I can't say the same about some of the other leaders. They don't approve of our decision to accept so many people from outside, like my family. But I'll show them that just because I'm not Thunder-born doesn't mean I'm not strong enough or smart enough to be here.
Now, for school - the neighborhood founders - Thunder, Wind, River, and Shadow - built the Warriors Schools for us, in the 1980s. They are the four principals of our school. You'd think that they'd be so old that they can't even do anything, but it's a bit surprising how competent they are. Of course, sometimes, their age does show…. But that's a story for another time.
Pretty much all of the kids from the four neighborhoods go to the Warriors Schools, from kindergarten to twelfth grade. People leave every now and then, and we have some transfers from other schools, but mostly the student body stays the same.
The first principal, Rock, tried to integrate us and forced the Thunder, Wind, River, and Shadow kids to share dorms and all that. But soon, there was so much fighting that nobody could even learn. Eventually, the school compromised and said that we had to take classes with kids of other neighborhoods, but we could room within our own neighborhood.
I like that, I guess. I have a few friends from other neighborhoods, but I'm telling you, sharing a room with a kid from another neighborhood would be impossible.
Another thing – about dating and marriage and stuff. Pretty much everyone marries inside their own neighborhood. Some people marry across neighborhoods, which is allowed, but many people don't like it. What? Do I like anybody from any of the neighborhoods? Not telling! Nope!
Look! Poke your head in there - you smell that? That's the art room. We're making clay sculptures this week. My art teacher is a guy from River. His name is Crookedstar.
Oh, that's the dance room. Isn't it shiny? That's cuz all the kids who go to detention have to clean it! Bahahaha just kidding! No, we have the best staff; that's why it's so clean. Oh! Hi Littlecloud! Sorry, I didn't notice you there. I promise, I'll clean up the cleaning liquid. But I have to show these guys around the school.
Nonononono! Don't go in there. You hear that? That's Oakheart. He's ranting and raving about something right now - you wouldn't want to disturb him. He's the acting teacher.
Oh, this is Nightcloud's room. She's one of the English teachers. Hey, what did I get on my last essay...?
Sorry, forgot you were there for a minute. This essay was hard, you know! Let's move on.
There's the quad. Smell that green grass? I love it. But the place I love the most is that line of trees over there. It's so nice to sit under the trees and do homework or chill with your friends. Oh, you'd rather stay here? Well, you'd fit in well with the Wind kids.
Wow, it's noon already, and that means lunch! I gotta go - go to Thunder's office and sign out, and then you can leave. Hope you enjoyed your visit!
