I know it's a major time gap but the story is about Gloryheart, not Glorypaw. I also got a fountain in my garden so I am spending the rest of my afternoon in RiverClan.
"Excellent, Glorypaw!" Hickoryclaw said.
Glorypaw grinned broadly; a defeated Beepaw lying on the floor gave a low moan. "I should have won!"
"Well, you didn't."
"Stop boasting!" Fallowpaw said angrily. "You still have to beat Bigpaw."
The apprentices, excluding the ones doing their assessment had organized a fighting competition. Glorypaw had defeated Brownpaw and Beepaw with relative ease.
"Bring it on!" Bigpaw meowed bravely.
"Go Bigpaw!'' Beepaw, Brownpaw and Fallowpaw said together.
"A little support wouldn't kill you!" Glorypaw retortwd.
"Go Glorypaw!" Mallowpaw and Jasminepaw meowed.
Mallowpaw shyly winked at him.
"Fight!" Waspwhisker, who was supervising announced.
Glorypaw twisted under Bigpaw's body. The tom dropped on top of him but he wasn't heavy enough. Glorypaw stood up and Bigpaw slithered to the ground. Glorypaw then slashed Bigpaw's belly, which would have severely hurt him if claws were unsheathed.
"Glorypaw wins!" Waspwhisker announced.
He and Hickoryclaw walked off, allowing the apprentices to have their moment. Mallowpaw rushed up to Glorypaw and touched noses to him. They both licked their chests in embarrassment although Mallowpaw continued to purr against his side. Jasminepaw nodded to him with a mischievous grin and left, having promised her mentor she would find herbs after the fighting. Beepaw shook her head with Brownpaw and started discussing tactics. Fallowpaw joined them.
"Wow, you're good!" Mallowpaw said.
"Thanks. I wonder how the others are doing with their assessments."
"Let's find out."
The hunted on the way to camp, catching many birds thanks to Glorypaw. He had learned from Hickoryclaw well. The hollow was in sight when Jasminepaw greeted them.
"Listen, don't congratulate the apprentices. Weatherpaw failed."
"What? But she practiced so hard! She knows so much, there must be a mistake!" Glorypaw meowed.
"So there is no ceremony later?" Mallowpaw asked.
"There is. The others passed."
"they're not holding back until Weaherpaw passes?"
"Nope."
Glorypaw growled. He would stay back for Fallowpaw.
"Who watched the assessments?"
The assessments in Thunderclan worked like this: the apprentice would have a hunting assessment watched by a random cat and a fighting assessment with the mentor. They had to pass both.
"Crashstar watched her and passed her. Bittenclaw failed her, saying that she's weak."
"But that means that he didn't teach her properly." Mallowpaw said.
"That's why he's letting her try again tomorrow. He said that she must train until dawn." Then she turned to Glorypaw, "she could really use some support. At the training area."
He nodded and went to find her.
When he saw her lying in her paws she nosed her like he might do if she had died.
"You need a partner?"
"Thanks, Glorypaw."
"No problem, it's what friends do." Then an idea came to him. "Well done Weatherwind."
She looked up and gave him a very sad smile. "I don't think that you should do that. Besides, my warrior name won't be that."
"But it's a pretty name."
"Are you going to fight me or not?"
"Okay."
When she stood up, he could see red on her flank.
"Is that blood?" he asked alarmed.
She looked down quickly. "No! it's urrm…"
"It is blood!"
"yes, but it's from a mouse I had earlier."
"okay, sorry."
"it's fine. Now attack me."
Glorypaw did fight her and he didn't know how she had failed, he brought him to the floor very quckly each time without much effort. He fought her confidently but a thought nagged at his mind. I don't think that blood is mouse blood.
Sorry if it is a bit short. And here's the deal with the cover: it was starry paw prints following bloody ones with the words 'choose your path wisely' in a bloody font. Unfortunately I had to crop it so it is what it is now.