Luck will skill pain pleasure
REMEMBER THE NAME
A warrior. A fighter. A believer. A warrior is loyal, that doesn't come with luck. A warrior is strong, that may be blessed upon a cat, but you can be strong if you put your mind to it. A warrior loves, a warrior mourns, a warrior's heart should unreachable, unless they open it to you.
Why do you think it took so long for Sandstorm to love Firestar? And even Firestar to love Sandstorm? They kept their hearts closed until the right moment.
A loyal warrior never falters in battle, never mixes with others clans when it comes to love. But sometimes, even the most loyal warrior, falls in love with someone else. Who would question Graystripe's loyalty? But yet, he couldn't contain his love.
Warriors may mourn, but they must stay strong in times of need. Firestar didn't let Bluestar's death falter him. He pushed on.
The life of a warrior may seem simple. But it's not. A true warrior puts aside love, and focus's on it's clan. Take Bluestar for example. Pain is deep etched into the past of warriors. Fallen comrades do not stop the fight. Warriors will keep on fighting, through the thick of death, lost love, and horror.
Skill is not necessary. If you have patients, you can learn to do almost anything. Most skill comes with practice. Reading WARRIORS you will find most characters have talents. But true warriors work hard for skill. It's not as easy as you think.
Will is part of skill, and of being a warrior. Warriors must have the will to go on, even when times get tough. They must fulfill prophecies, struggled through injuries and grief. They must go on, and only pure will drives them.
Pleasure is a small part of a Warrior's life. But at the same time, it's a big part. Pleasure is the satisfaction of a good hunt, of a success full mission, of a job well done. Pleasure is finding your mate, the one you love. Pleasure is watching your kit's tumble in the grass, and grow to become warriors. Pleasure is a midnight blue sky, dotting with stars. Pleasure is a small, but huge part.
A small bit of luck will carry a warrior far, as long as they help them selves along.
Pain is the slice of a claw, the death of a comrade. Pain is the death of those loved, your mate, your kit's. Pain is watching your clan fall, be destroyed, and staying loyal through it all. Pain.
Luck
Swiftclaw was locked in a battle, a seemingly never ending battle. He pumped all his energy contained is his young muscled body against the black Tom. Claws flashing in the heat of the sun, the Tom pushed him deeper into the muddy soil.
A scarlet pool of blood pooled at Swiftclaw's neck as the Tom sunk his claws in. Swiftclaw screamed, a horrible gargling sound that his clan mates didn't hear, as they were all writhing with Shadowclanners across the clearing.
"I'm too young!" Swiftclaw thought desperately, pushing at his soon to be murderer. He had just become a warrior a day ago and now knew being a Warrior wasn't as good as it seemed to be. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted young apprentice's huddled in a corner, the fight to much for them to bare.
One small calico apprentice called Spottedpaw caught his eye, but looked away quickly, not moving to help her clan mate. Swiftclaw couldn't blame her, she'd been ordered to stay out of the fight, and even if she made a move to help him, it would probably result in both their deaths.
"Say good bye," hissed the Tom, pushing his claws in deeper. Swiftclaw coughed as claws pierced through his neck. Blood spewed from his mouth splattering the Tom. Temporally blinded, the Tom hissed in pain, giving Swiftclaw the small half a second he needed to escape. He dragged him self away from the tom's claws and sprinted towards the Medicine Cat den, collapsing on the threshold. Blood was pouring out of his wounds fast, he needed help.
A tree branch snapped from a nearby tussle, sending the Meicine Cat flying to the front of her den to see what was going on. She spotted Swiftclaw and he sighed in relief. He was very, very, lucky...
Will
Lilyfur couldn't believe that her brother was dead. It just couldn't be possible. But it was. His dark brown body lay in the center of the clearing, mourning cat's crowded around him. Tears pooled at her amber eyes. It just couldn't be true!
As night approached the cat's dispersed back to their dens, leaving only Mudpelt's loved ones behind, crouched at his body. A black and white tom padded over and touched Lilyfur gently on the shoulder with his tail.
"Lilyfur, are you okay?" he asked softly. The tears rushed back.
"Do I look okay Swiftclaw? I don't know why I'm even alive! I should be dead with him!" raged Lilyfur. Swiftclaw narrowed his eyes.
"Don't be like that," he snapped.
"I don't think I can go on," she meowed brokenly, dissolving into tears. Swiftclaw shuffled his feet and sighed, not knowing what to do with the obviously fragile she-cat. Finally he settled down beside her and let sleep overwhelmed him while she sat cold and angry, her nose pressed into Mudpelt's fur.
Yowls awoke Lilyfur. Riverclan scent invaded her nose. Her fur spiked out. Those fishy cowards had nerve coming here after last night. Attackers surrounded camp and Pebblestar leaped onto the high rock.
"You came yesterday, wanting territory, killed one of our warriors and then just come back the next day?" Pebblestar thundered. Streamstar smiled.
"We still want our territory," the Riverclan leader declared. Yowls of disbelief echoed through Thunderclan.
"Then you are all truly evil! Thunderclan, to battle!" hissed Pebblestar. Lilyfur felt rage course through every inch of her. These Riverclan fish were going to pay. She leaped into the frenzy of flying claws and blood, rage giving her the will to live on. To fight on...
Skill
Poppyleaf crouched down before Oakfoot, preparing to leap. He narrowed his eyes. She wasn't going to win this time. They were in the training hollow, showing their apprentice's Spottedpaw and Redpaw how to fight.
Poppyleaf gave him a small smirk before padding forward. Oakfoot felt a growl rumble in his throat. Ever since they were kit's Poppyleaf had been an awful show off, and the worst part was that she actually was really good. When Pebblestar had suggested they train their apprentice's together there had been no way for Oakfoot to refuse. And now he was here, stuck with the most obnoxious cat in Thunderclan.
Poppyleaf made a flying leap through the air and landed squarely on Oakfoot's shoulders. He grunted under her weight and collapsed. He felt her small paws deftly flip him over so that she was straddling his stomach, her front paws pressed against his chest, pinning him to the ground.
Redpaw cheered annoying loud for his mentor and Spottedpaw just sat there, looking depressed that her mentor had lost yet another battle.
"And that's how you do a flying tackle," Poppyleaf finished, still sitting on him. Oakfoot felt him self blushing wishing she would get off him and stop treating him like a fake cat she was practicing on.
Her front paws had began to absentmindedly play with his fur, twirling it in circles as she talked and talked. Both apprentice's listened eagerly to her, nether paying an attention to Oakfoot. He was positive he was absolutely red with embarrassment. The spot she was sitting on began to heat up from her warmth and Oakfoot growled.
"Can you get off me?" he muttered. She paid him no mind and processed to rake sheathed claws down his stomach, demonstrating what the apprentice's should do him they ever caught a cat in that position.
Anger filled Oakfoot and he decided to push her off. He swung his front paws forward and knocked her paws planted on his chest out from underneath her, expecting her to topple off. But her back legs tightened around his stomach immediately, making her fall right on top of him instead of the ground.
The air whooshed out of him and when he finally regained his breath he found that every inch of her was stretched out on top of him, her face inches was his. Her eyes were wide with shock but she planted her paws back onto of his chest and sat back up, her perfect posture regained.
"That's what you do if they try to knock you off," she continued. The apprentice's nodded wide eyed. Oakfoot closed his eyes and waited for it to be over. But he knew one thing. Poppyleaf had skill. And one day, he'd have more then her...
Pain
Acornrain peered suspiciously into the dark. She was the night guard. Every crackle of leaves, snap of branches, and whistle of the wind set her fur on end. Her claws were permanently unsheathed. She looked over at Oakfoot next to her, staring into the dark. His face was impossible to read.
"It's cold, right?" she meowed, hoping to spark a conversation in the gloomy night. After all, didn't she always fantasize about getting a moment alone with Oakfoot, her crush?
He just shrugged, his eyes never leaving the dark. "Okay, epic fail," Acornrain thought miserably.
"It's not once you get used to it. Why, are you cold?" he said suddenly. Acornrain struggled to conceal her surprise. It was probably the first time he had spoken directly to her, and he even sounded almost, concerned...
"A bit," she admitted, giving a shiver as if on cue. His mask faltered for a moment and he appeared nervous.
"Do, do you want to come, to come nearer?" he offered, his eyes flashing nervously. Acornrain felt even more surprise spark through her. When she didn't answer he regained his mask.
"Sorry."
"Sure," she said, her voice shaking, "No need to apologize." she got up and moved towards him a bit, still unsure. He stretched out his tail and wrapped it around her's, drawing her in. She pressed up against him and felt his tail wrap around her.
"Better?" he murmured. She nodded mutely, and they stayed there, watching the darkness.
At that moment, cat's crashed through the trees, sweeping into Thunderclan camp. Oakfoot tensed and leaped away from her shouting, "Windclan attack!"
Acornrain plunged into battle. Claws ripped down her her flesh and blood was everywhere. A cream she-cat threw her to the ground. The she-cat clawed her without mercy, ripping down her lip, shredding her stomach, scarring her face.
With she-cat was finally done with the young warrior, she left her there, broken and bleeding. Pain seared through Acornrain. Her sight was blurry with blood and her limbs were snapped and broken. To any passing cat, she was dead.
Oakfoot found her there at the end of the battle and screamed for the medicine cat. Tears trickled down his fur and Acornrain gulped. The most painful thing was him crying over her.
"It's okay," she gasped through cracked lips, "I'm a warrior, I'll survive."
Pleasure
Spottedpaw, Redpaw, Pinepaw, and Rockpaw sat before Pebblestar, excitement coursing through their bodies.
"Spottedpaw, Redpaw, Pinepaw, and Rockpaw. You four have trained hard and are ready to become warriors. Do you all promise to uphold the Warrior code and protect this clan with your life?" asked Pebblestar sternly.
"I do," they replied.
"Then by the powers of Starclan I give you your warrior names. Rockpaw, you will be known as Rockfall. Pinepaw, you will be known as Pinewhisper. Redpaw you will be known as Redclaw. Last but not least, Spottedpaw, you will be known as Spottedfur," Pebblestar announced.
All four stood up, pride gleaming in their eyes.
"Spottedfur, Pinewhisper, Redclaw, Rockfall!" the clan cheered. None of them had been so happy before...
Warrior.
Remember the name.