Snappypaw raced through the forest, the cool wind rippling through his coat as he raced back to camp. He slowed as he reached the hollow tree trunk. The camp entrance was one that led the way into a hidden valley. The hollowed tree cut down tree led into the valley, keeping the warrior camp hidden from other feral cats.
Snappypaw was an apprentice from the best clan in the forest, Skyclan. He jumped down the entrance and moved to the right so the hunting patrol could go out. He recognized one of the warriors going out. It was Sagebrush, who had just recently become a warrior.
"Good luck Snappypaw." She said, purring. "You'll make a great warrior." Snappypaw's pelt felt like sunshine had hit it. Today was his warrior's ceremony and he could barely wait. He nodded his thanks then went to join his sister and his mother.
"Hi Stripefur!" Snappypaw said to his sister, who had also just recently become a warrior. "Hello Goldenflower." He said to his mother. She pushed a vole at him, and motioned for him to sit close to her. As he ate she rasped her tongue over his fur, making it clean and shiny. Stripefur laughed at him.
"Warriors don't have their mothers clean off their own pelts." She taunted him. Goldenflower stopped with the cleaning to answer her daughter.
"I seem to remember cleaning you before your warrior's ceremony. Do you want your brother to go up there with twigs sticking out of him? That'll reflect on you too." Goldenflower said, scolding her. Stripefur rolled her eyes and sank her teeth into her mouse.
"May all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the tree stump." The Leader's voice rang out. Snappypaw sat up, watching cats come out of their dens and gather under the tree. With a final lick, Goldenflower said,
"Well go up there. Redwood is waiting for you." Snappypaw jumped up and went to sit under the tree by his mentor. Redwood gave him a mischievous look, then gave his attention to Icestar who was beginning the ceremony. Snappywind tried to concentrate but the excitement from becoming a warrior distracted him. At last he was called up to stand by Icestar.
"Snappypaw, from now on you will be known as Snappywind!" Snappywind gave a yowl and faced the gathered cats. The chanted his new name. He gently touched his nose to his leader's then to his mentor's. "Now you must go and stand guard for the camp tonight. By yourself. No talking to anyone."
Snappywind nodded and jumped up and out of the camp. He could still hear some of the cats yowling his new name. He glowed with pride as he sat there in the dying light, guarding his clan. So this is what its like to guard everything you care for. Snappywind shifted into a more comfortable position and settled down. He moved aside to let the evening patrol back in, and nodded his head at their congratulations.
Suddenly, at around moon high, a different scent wafted towards him on the breeze. That's not Skyclan… It smells like…Stormclan! Snappywind jumped up, with the words 'intruder!' in his mouth, but he was frozen with panic. What should I do? Maybe its just one. Maybe I can fight it off. He glanced back at the hole in the ground then fell into his stalker's crouch. He silently moved forward towards the scent. Luckily he was downwind, and the cat didn't detect his approach.
He reached the spot where the scent was coming from. It smelled strongly of cat but he could not see one in the dark. Suddenly something was on him and fighting. Its back claws were in his belly and another paw was at his neck. He couldn't move. Great. I'm a warrior for a few more moments. He thought, seeing as he couldn't think of anything else. Amazingly, he felt himself being released to see a ginger she-cat crouching there in front of him. Her front left paw was bending at an awkward angle, and it was covered with blood.
"I'm sorry." She whispered. "for being in your area. But I was attacked by a fox and need help. Its too far to my camp." There was a pleading look in her eyes, but she was still intruding and still from another clan…but still she was hurt.
His first reply would have been, "why should I help you! Your clan hasn't done anything for us in the past!" But when she gave a cry of pain when he leg collapsed, he couldn't say no.
"Have any idea what that would need?" Snappywind asked, whispering. "And don't tell anyone I helped you…I'm Snappywind. Just made warrior." He couldn't help but boast a little. The she-cat sat up and licked the dirt off of her bloody leg.
"I think cobwebs, but I'm no medicine cat. Please hurry!" She averted her eyes as if embarrassed. "I'm sorry." She whispered. "You don't have to help me. Who am I to ask you to risk your life for me." Snappywind waved his tail at her. No cat should suffer and die unless for a good reason.
"No. I'll be right back. Hide though." Snappywind made sure he could find this spot again, then took the long was back to camp. He didn't want to lead a cat from a rival clan into his camp. He jumped lightly down the tree stump and crept to the medicine cat's den. The front part of the den was empty, but he could smell Rainclaw's scent. He peeked around the corner and saw that she was asleep. He slowly made his way past the sleeping medicine cat, hoping she would not wake when he crept by.
"S-snappywind? What are you doing here?" She asked, raising her head and blinking a few times. "Is someone injured?" Luck was not with him. He thought quickly.
"I saw some… catmint and thought you might need some. I just wanted to be sure." He meowed softly so no one else would wake. What would Icestar say if she caught him in here?
Rainclaw looked doubtful, but she was still half asleep. "Well check for me ok? Bring some back anyways." Snappywind nodded and crept back into the herb cave. He quickly found some cobwebs and bound out of the den. He quickly ran across the clearing and bounded out of the camp. He made his way back to the injured she cat.
Before he showed himself he checked the scent on the breeze; it was the same, so he stepped out slowly so he wouldn't scare her.
"Here. But hurry before the earliest patrol comes. I don't think I could stop them from attacking…" She took the cobweb from him and struggled t press it to her leg. "Oh!" He exclaimed. He hadn't thought that she's need help. "Let me." He said, taking the cobweb. Gently he tore off a bit and pressed it to the wound. Slowly he used his teeth to wind the res around it.
"Thank you." The pretty she cat said to him, looking up. "I guess I'll see ya at the next gathering..." Snappywind nodded.
"I guess so-… Look, I don't know your name." he said, feeling embarrassed.
"Oh. Well it's Sunfire. I've been a warrior for a moon now… I'd better go." Sunfire said, standing and thanking him again. He made sure she had gone over the border before going back to his post. Waiting for dawn, he cleaned his fur from any trace of the Stormclan scent.
As the sky lightened, cats started to wake. Treeheart, Redwood's mate, came and told him he was done. A breeze came by, carrying a faint and stale Stormclan scent. Treeheart's head snapped up, her mouth open to catch the scent better. "Was a Stormclan cat here?!" She asked, alert as if expecting a cat to jump out of the bushes and attack.
"yes. It was a scrawny apprentice whom I chased off." And with that he slid though the entrance to see Sunpelt, who had been his friend since they were kits. He found her under the shade of the tree over the warrior's den. She purred when she saw him.
"So here's the new warrior! Tonight's a gathering and guess who is going!" When he didn't answer, she swatted him with her paw. "We are! You mouse brain!" Snappywind ignored the name, and felt his pelt prickle with excitement. His first gathering as a warrior! I wonder if Sunfire will be there… No. I can't be thinking of her. Snappywind wondered why he felt like he did. It was like the feeling of care for Sunpelt but not as strong as he felt for his kin and his mother. He pushed that thought from his mind.
It was his first gathering as a warrior!