"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the highrock for a Clan meeting!" a white she-cat yowled from atop a sleek gray rock that sat in a particularly marshy area.
Below, cats had already begun to gather, stepping right onto the swampy ground as if it meant nothing to them. Just below the rock itself were two young light gray cats, one a sleek-furred tom, the other tortoiseshell she-cat. The she-cat wriggled her nose which was wrapped in cobwebs.
The white she-cat bounded down from the rock and stood before the two young cats. "You two have waited long enough," she said to them, then raised her head and yowled to the sky. "I, Lillystar, leader of RiverClan call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these apprentices. They have trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn." She looked down at the tom first. "Fishpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
"I do," Fishpaw nodded, determination flaring in his amber eyes.
"Then by the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior name," Lillystar continued, "Fishpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Fishsplash. StarClan acknowledges your determination and we welcome you as a warrior of RiverClan." She rested her nose on Fishplash's head and Fishsplash licked her shoulder.
"Fishsplash! Fishsplash!" the cats all cheered.
"Dapplepaw," Lillystar turned to the she-cat, "do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
"Yes," Dapplepaw replied firmly, "I do."
"Then by the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior name," Stormstar continued, "Dapplepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Dapplefur. StarClan acknowledges your loyalty and we welcome you as a warrior of RiverClan." She rested her nose on Dapplefur's head and Dapplefur licked her shoulder.
"Dapplefur! Dapplefur!" the Clan called out, gathering closer around the two new warriors to congratulate them.
After the excitement died down, Dapplefur and Fishsplash went in opposite directions. Dapplefur headed towards a den of reeds where a pale gray tabby she-cat with brown patches sat hunched over.
"Scratchpaw, don't you have something to say?" Dapplefur prompted.
"No," Scratchpaw hissed. "Why would I?"
A growl rumbled in Dapplefur's throat, but she struggled to keep a look of contempt off her face.
"Oh, you think just because you're a warrior now you're better than me, that it?" Scratchpaw sauntered up to Dapplefur. "I don't care if you're Dapplestar, you'll always just be little old Dapplekit to me."
"I can take you down any time, any day!" Dapplefur bristled.
"Right here, right now," Scratchpaw's claws slid out an pulled up the grass in the clearing.
"Tomorrow," Dapplefur said. "Tonight's the full moon."
"Aww," Scratchpaw pulled her claws back in, "little Dapplekit's afraid to anger StarClan."
"I'm not afraid!" Dapplefur hissed.
"That's the only reason anyone ever follows rules, fear," Scratchpaw hissed. "You obey out of fear."
"How bout loyalty?!" Dapplefur demanded. "Ever thought of that?"
"Why?" Scratchpaw asked. "Why are you loyal? What's making you be loyal? It's fear, Dapplekit. You fear StarClan, and I don't see why."
"Well why do you follow the warrior code?!" Dapplefur demanded.
"It's fear, I'll admit," Scratchpaw said. "I don't fear StarClan, or Lillystar, she's no better than a kittypet. But Largebelly I'm a little afraid of. I'd rather not have to deal with him."
"Scratchpaw, what are you doing now?" a light orange tabby she-cat padded over to them.
"She's the one with her claws out!" Scratchpaw defended.
Dapplefur realized she was right. She frantically pulled in her claws, sat up straight and forced her fur to lie flat.
"I know you," the she-cat scolded, "and I know that you had to have started this. Now appologize."
"Sorry I made you mad, Dapplekit," Scratchpaw's snobby reply and teasing demeanor showed, plain as day, that she wasn't sorry at all.
"Scratchpaw!" the she-cat snarled. "She is a warrior now! Show some respect!"
"She'll get it when she earns it," Scratchpaw sneered. "And so will you!"
"Scratchpaw," a dark gray tabby tom came up beside the she-cat, "listen to your mother."
Scratchpaw screwed up her face in annoyance. "Fine. Sorry, happy now?"
"No," the tom replied, "but I won't let you spoil Dapplefur's good mood. We'll discuss this later."
A growl rumbled in Scratchpaw's throat as she trudged off into the den.
The light orange she-cat sighed heavily and slouched beside her mate. "How do you do it?"
"She's a strong spirit," the tom replied, "and you've just got to be stronger. She won't think twice about belittling anyone, until they strike back. Her respect is something you have to earn. Claw off half her ear, that should do it."
The she-cat let out a slight mrrow of amusement. "You know I'd never do that."
"And so does she," the tom replied. "And until you prove her wrong, she'll just keep at it. I would know."
The she-cat sighed once again. "She's certainly your kit," she leaned against her mate's shoulder, "Rockstripe."