"Sunningrocks belongs to RiverClan!" Creekwish, the deputy, yowled at the trespassing ThunderClan cats.
Berrywillow felt fury churn inside her. ThunderClan mange-pelts had stolen RiverClan territory. So what if only RiverClan could reach these rocks before? She thought furiously. It's still RiverClan's!
"Never!" Jayleaf, a blue-gray tom, spat defiance at his opponents. "Sunningrocks is ThunderClan's!"
"RiverClan, attack!" Creekwish gave the order, letting her plumed tail fall as a signal. The RiverClan warriors raced forward, snarling and unsheathing their claws. Berrywillow heard the blood roar in her ears, but kept pace with her Clanmates as they charged at ThunderClan. The forest cats stood unflinchingly on the sun-warmed rocks.
Sunnydapple, a yellow she-cat, broke away from Berrywillow's side to tackle Beetleshine, a ThunderClan tom. Blackfeather, a smoky black tom on Berrywillow's other side skidded to a halt to help Boulderstorm escape from the claws of Eaglewing. Berrywillow realized that no cat flanked her now-the creamy she-cat was on her own. Then, she spied Vixenheart, a sly ThunderClan she-cat, creeping up on Ambereyes. The poor tabby she-cat was trying to fight off Squirrelspring, a tom twice Ambereyes's size.
Berrywillow yowled a challenge to Vixenheart, distracting the dark ginger she-cat before clamping her teeth around the she-cat's long tail. Howling in pain, Vixenheart began to thrash, but Berrywillow held on stubbornly. Vixenheart suddenly seemed to realize how long her tail was and rounded on Berrywillow. In the same moment, Berrywillow let go of Vixenheart's fluffy tail and stood on her hind legs to face her. Recalling her training, Berrywillow fluffed out her fur to look intimidating.
Judging by the new-found fear in Vixenheart's green eyes, Berrywillow knew she had already won half the battle. Next, she slammed her front paws down on Vixenheart's face, shredding the she-cat's ears. Vixenheart wailed and Berrywillow felt satisfaction well up inside her as she felt Vixenheart's warm blood on her paws.
Berrywillow faced Vixenheart once more, but the dark ginger she-cat knew when she was beaten. Berrywillow watched Hazelstripe, the ThunderClan deputy watch in horror as his Clanmates began to flee.
"Fight you mouse-hearts!" The light brown tom spat, but the warriors ignored his order. Suddenly, Hazelstripe was on his own with the RiverClan
"Care to fight now?" Willowpaw, Sunnydapple's apprentice, taunted.
"Run home to the nursery!" Cherrypaw, Willowpaw's littermate, chimed in.
"Hazelstripe knows when he's beaten." Blackfeather gave the deputy an icy stare, daring him to prove RiverClan wrong.
Instead, Hazelstripe spat and thrust his way backward into the
"We won!" Blizzardmask purred as Willowpaw ran circles around her mentor.
"I knew we would." Cherrypaw meowed confidently.
"I was very impressed with both of you." Mallowstar, RiverClan's leader padded to the front of the cats. "And I
think it's time you were made warriors." Cherrypaw's blue eyes widened, and Willowpaw looked like she'd just been told she was a mouse. "Sunnydapple, are you satisfied with Willowpaw's training?" The yellow she-cat dipped her head.
"She has learned all I can teach her."
"And Lakeblaze, is Cherrypaw also ready to become a warrior?"
"She will be one the Clan will be proud of." Lakeblaze replied proudly.
"Then from this moment on, Willowpaw you will be known as Willowstem. StarClan honors your courage and intelligence."
"Willowstem! Willowstem!" Berrywillow happily cheered for her new denmate.
"And Cherrypaw you will be called Cherrybrook. StarClan honors your bravery and spirit."
"Cherrybrook! Willowstem! Cherrybrook!" The Clan chanted happily.
"Tonight you will sit vigil on our new territory," Mallowstar told the new warriors. "and guard our Clan. You have proven yourselves to be worthy warriors and I am proud to be your leader."