Author's Note: So this is just a quick one-shot I wrote in class about year and a half ago in sixth grade. It's set in the beginning of the Omen of the Stars series, and is based off of a similar event in Crookedstar's Promise. Enjoy!
The river glinted in the newleaf sunlight. Quick as a flash, Spottedpaw darted out a paw, hooking a fish out onto the shore. She swiftly killed the fish with a bite to the neck.
Spottedpaw thought it was a great catch. She picked up the fish and padded toward camp, excited to show her mentor, Mistyfoot, her catch. As she neared camp, Spottedpaw could hear all the newleaf sounds in Riverclan. The river surrounding camp lapped against the shore, and wind gently swayed the branches, rustling the leaves. Greenleaf was coming, and with a spark of excitement, Spottedpaw realized that meant one thing: her warrior ceremony! She wondered what her warrior name would be. Hopefully it would be something cool, like Spottedwing, or Spottedtail. Just not Spottedfire! Spottedpaw hated being teased for her speckled ginger coat.
As Spottedpaw entered camp, she instantly knew something was wrong. Cats were worriedly killing around the clearing, and other were huddling in corners, anxiously whispering to each other.
"What's wrong?" Spottedpaw asked her friend, Troutpaw.
"Graymist and Petalfur have been captured by Twolegs!" Troutpaw replied. "Leopardstar is deciding who will go rescue them."
Suddenly Leopardstar came out of her den. "Let all cats old enough to swim meet here for a Clan meeting!" she yowled the customary call to summon the Clan.
"As you all know, Graymist and Petalfur have been captured by Twolegs," Leopardstar began, "Last they were seen, the Twolegs were taking them inside of their pelt-dens. I am now going to announce the cats that will be on the expedition to rescue them. Reedwhisker, Hollowpaw, Mintfur, Icewing, Mistyfoot, and Spottedpaw. You best be going quickly."
Spottedpaw felt a thrill of excitement. She was going to rescue her Clanmates! She and the rest of the rescue group raced to the Twoleg pelt-dens. As they screeched to a halt, the group scented the air. Spottedpaw detected the scent of her captive Clanmates.
"Over there," she whispered to Mistyfoot, gesturing with her tail towards the pelt-den where the scent was coming from.
"Follow me," Mistyfoot whispered back.
They crept slowly towards the pelt-den. Spottedpaw could clearly smell her Clanmates now, their scent woven with fear.
The rescue group crept into the Twoleg den. The inside was chaotic and confusing, with bright colors and strange scents.
Spottedpaw crept around one of the mounds of colorful stuff. On the other side she could see a box made of a brown, hard-looking material. She heard a scraping noise coming from inside of the box. Graymist and Petalfur were inside!
"They're in the box!" Hollowpaw whispered, "But there's no way we can get to them without the Twolegs seeing us."
"I have an idea," Spottedpaw whispered back, "Follow my lead." Spottedpaw padded confidently towards the Twolegs. Purring loudly, she rubbed her muzzle against one of thief hind legs, looking up with begging eyes. With a cry of delight, the Twoleg bent down and started stroking her. Reedwhisker, Hollowpaw, and Mistyfoot followed her example, while Mintfur and Icewing slowly snuck towards the box. Out of the corner of her eye, Spottedpaw saw Mintfur and Icewing slowly start to open up the box. Spottedpaw purred even louder, demanding attention from her Twoleg.
Suddenly, there was a huge crash, coming from the direction of the box. Petalfur was out, but Graymist was still struggling to pull herself up and over the edge of the box.
Spottedpaw's Twoleg started toward the box, yowling.
With a screech, Spottedpaw flung herself on top of the Twoleg's head, digging her claws in. The Twoleg yelped in pain, and in the moment of distraction, the other cats pulled Graymist out of the box.
"Run!" yowled Mistyfoot. Spottedpaw leapt off the Twoleg and bolted after the rest of the cats, towards the exit. Once they were out of range of the Twolegs, the group slowed down to a steady trot.
"Are you okay?" Reedwhisker asked Graymist and Petalfur.
"We're fine," Graymist purred. "Thank you so much for rescuing us."
"Don't thank us," mewed Mistyfoot, "Thank Spottedpaw. She was the one who found you two and came up with the idea to distract the Twolegs." Spottedpaw's pelt grew hot at her mentor's praise.
"I'll be sure to mention this to Leopardstar," Mistyfoot purred warmly.
By the time the cats got back to camp, it was growing dark. As soon as they got back, Mistyfoot disappeared with Leopardstar into her den to report on the mission. When they came out, Leopardstar called the Clan together.
"Mistyfoot tells me that a certain apprentice fought like a warrior today," Leopardstar mewed, "And without her, Petalfur and Graymist would have never been rescued. Spottedpaw, please come forward." Spottedpaw nervously padded forward to sit in front of Leopardstar.
"I, Leopardstar, leader of Riverclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in turn." Leopardstar faced Spottedpaw. "Spottedpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
Spottedpaw was never more sure about anything in her entire life. "I do," she replied.
"Them by the powers of StarClan," Leopardstar continued, "I give you your warrior name. Spottedpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Spottedfire. StarClan honors you bravery and your intelligence, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan."
"Spottedfire! Spottedfire! Spottedfire!" the whole Clan yowled. But Spottedfire wasn't afraid of being teased now. She was a warrior, and she would do anything to defend her Clan!