I
Wispy clouds dotted the sky as Duskpaw followed his littermate up the sandy slope. It was late greenleaf, and the air was rich with scents of prey. Skypaw called, 'Come on!' and Duskpaw raced up after her, a mouse dangling in his jaws.
As the day wore on, the two apprentices completed their warrior assessment with apparent ease. Skypaw had come up with an ingenious battle plan, and Duskpaw had caught a crow.
'Well done!' Duskpaw mewed to his littermate as they shared news on the way back to camp.
'There's no way they won't let us be warriors now!' yowled Skypaw, bouncing up and down on her white paws.
Sure enough, while the two cats were sharing a vole by the fresh kill pile, their leader, Sleetstar, had meowed, 'Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around the Highslope for a Clan meeting!'
Looking at each other in amazement, Skypaw and Duskpaw bounded up to the tall green slope, wherewhere on top of Sleetstar was standing.
'I, Sleetstar, leader of AirClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these two apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to warriors in their turn.'
Wearing an expression of pride, the white and grey leader continued. 'Skypaw, Duskpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?'
Purring loudly, Skypaw's reply was firm, honest and confident. 'I do.'
'I do.' With an anxious look at his mentor, Lightfeather, he replied.
'Then, with the powers of SkyClan,' (Duskpaw's muscles tensed with excitement) 'I will give you your warrior names. Skypaw, from this moment onwards you will be known as Skyshine. SkyClan honour your determination and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of AirClan.'
Skypaw stood there still, her blue eyes glowing bright in the late evening sunlight. 'Duskpaw, from this moment onwards you will be known as Duskwillow. SkyClan honour your nobility and quick thinking, and we welcome you as a full warrior of AirClan.'
'Duskwillow! Skyshine! Duskwillow! Skyshine!' the Clan yowled then stepped away to go about their business.
'Stay there, AirClan.' Sleetstar's mew was instructive. 'As we have lacked warriors and thrived with apprentices, and Leafpaw and Aurorapaw have had to share a mentor with Desolatepaw, I am going to give Leafpaw to Duskwillow and Aurorapaw to Skyshine.'
Duskwillow's heart leapt. He had only been a warrior two seconds and he was already receiving an apprentice! He felt as if the day had gone by in a haze. As Sleetstar informed them on how to sit the traditional silent vigil, Duskwillow felt as if he was going to burst with excitement.
The night they had taken their silent vigil was a long one. Duskwillow felt as if those tiny silver warriors would never disappear. And Leafpaw was an extremely enthusiastic apprentice. As soon as he had finished resting, she had bounded in, asking and asking to be shown the territory. Duskwillow grudgingly agreed, knowing it was all going to be worth it.
Leafpaw padded alongside him while Duskwillow went onwards, twigs snapping under his feet. 'We're getting close to WaterClan territory, ' he meowed, the fishy smell filling his nostrils. 'Their leader is Eaglestar. He's a silver tom with a white underbelly and amber eyes like an eagle's.'
It was then that Duskwillow saw her. It was a pretty WaterClan she cat. Her muscles rippled in the sunlight and her beautiful eyes blazed with emerald fire. Duskwillow could sense it: things were about to get very different.
