Wildpaw yawned, stretching out her paws. Wildpaw was newly apprenticed, just after the newly named Fireheart and Graystripe had been given their names, she'd become Runningwind's apprentice.
New excitment surged through her body, waking Wildpaw up. It was her first day as a ThunderClan apprentice! Wildpaw bolted out of the den and collided with Fireheart.
"Sorry," She squeaked, as the flame-colored tom's gaze rested on her.
"It's okay," Fireheart replied.
"Still excited?" Purred Graystripe, his thick fur fluffed up against the early leaf-bare chill. Before Wildpaw could respond, Sandpaw interrupted, her mew dripping with sarcasm.
"The great warrior speaks!" The she-cat's pale ginger fur was spiked up, like Dustpaw's dark tabby one.
"I'm surprised such champions feel the cold." He puffed out his chest as Sandpaw let out a mrrow of amusement.
Wildpaw wanted to tell Sandpaw and Dustpaw to knock it off, but they were her only denmates until Frostfur's kits would become apprentices, and she didn't want to be on bad terms with them. However, their harsh words didn't seem to bother the warriors, who just headed to the fresh-kill pile.
"Come on, then. Time for training." Whitestorm beckoned to Runningwind and Darkstripe, who were still shaking off sleep. Sandpaw and Dustpaw fell back, close to Wildpaw.
"I can't believe we aren't warriors!" Sandpaw hissed. Dustpaw let out a mew of agreement.
"I mean we were training before them!" The pale ginger went on.
"I bet it's only because of the battle." Wildpaw pointed out mildly. "If not, I'm sure you'd be warriors." Dustpaw shrugged.
"Perhaps,"
"We'll just have to train harder." Vowed Sandpaw. Wildpaw purred.
"Okay," Runningwind mewed once the six cats reached the training hollow. "Let's practice some fighting techniques." The tabby gave the other two cats a glance.
"That okay?" Whitestorm dipped his head and Darkstripe flicked his tail in unspoken agreement.
"Are we learning the belly rake?" Wildpaw asked eagerly. She'd only heard about this deathly move amongst the senior warriors and it sounded quite useful.
"No way!" Gasped Sandpaw, her green eyes wide. "Dustpaw and I haven't even learned that."
Wildpaw flinched, wishing she'd never asked. Whitestorm put his tail on the apprentice's shoulder soothingly.
"It's okay," He replied. "That's a very advance move that ThunderClan rarely teaches. It's called disgraceful and certainly a fight-stopper."
"Oh," Wildpaw shuffled her paws anxiously.
"So," Sandpaw meowed, breaking the uneasy silence. "What are we learning?"
"Sandpaw and Dustpaw, review. Wildpaw, you're learning the Frontal Strike."
"Easy!" Dustpaw declared triumphantly.
"Don't be so sure." Darkstripe twitched his ears, a glint in his yellow eyes. "We're doing sparring." The sleek tabby went on.
"Sandpaw," Whitestorm cut in. "I want you to work with Wildpaw. Then you'll switch with Dustpaw." Sandpaw purred, exchanging a competitive look with Dustpaw.
Wildpaw sank her fangs into a juicy piece of prey. She was sharing a mouse with Dappletail while Firehear tnad Graystripe sat nearby.
"Hey look," Dappletail nudged Wildpaw. "There's Bluestar." Wildpaw looked up, seeing her leader emerge from her den, look at the Clan, then leap gracefully onto the Highrock.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting." Bluestar paused as the cats gathered. At her leader's signal Wildpaw jumped up and hurried to sit between Mousefur and Fireheart. A small black-and-white kit was padding into the circle of cats. His amber eyes darted around, his pelt still nursery-soft.
"From this day forward, until this cat has earned his warrior name, this apprentice shall be known as Swiftpaw." Wildpaw noticed Fireheart bristle as Longtail padded forward, his blue eyes soft.
"Longtail," Bluestar went on. "You were Darkstripe's apprentice. He has taught you well, and you've become a fierce and loyal warrior. I hope you will pass on these qualities on to Swiftpaw."
Longtail gently touched Swiftpaw's nose with his own. Fireheart shifted as ThunderClan murmured congratulations. Wildpaw heard Graystripe mutter,
"What's up with you? That'll be us one day." His friend's words seem to soothe the firey warrior and Fireheart's fur lay flat again.
"I wish we were going as warriors!" Dustpaw hissed, pacing the clearing. Tonight was the full moon, and Wildpaw knew that Fireheart and Graystripe were going as full warriors this moon. The ginger she-cat and tabby tom were especially sore due to this fact.
"Cheer up!" Wildpaw weaved between them. "I'm sure Bluestar has a good reason for delaying your training."
"Like what?" Dustpaw snapped.
"She's your leader, for StarClan's sake!" Wildpaw twitched her ears in annoyance. "Bluestar has her reasons." Dustpaw held Wildpaw's ice-blue gaze for a moment longer before sighing.
"I suppose so." Bluestar let out a yowl, signaling to her Clan to depart. Wildpaw let out a little bounce before following. It was her first gathering as a ThunderClan cat!