Chapter Four: The Assessment

I'm on the third warrior series now. I was told in a review that the battle might have raged through all the clans, but since I haven't read The Last Hope yet, I don't know what to write. Anyway, I'll be fixing my messes the best I can. Thanks for reading! You guys rock. :)

Skypaw left the apprentices' den and stretched. A few moments later, Reedwhisker came up to her. "Hello, Skypaw. Today you'll be learning how to swim after all this time."

Skypaw asked, "Why didn't I do that in the first place?"

"Well, I thought as long as you stayed far enough from the water, we could learn swimming after hunting and fight... I guess I sound pretty fish-brained, don't I?"

Skypaw sighed. "You big furball."

Reedwhisker led Skypaw to the river. "I've taught you to fish water out of here before, but now it's time to go in. First, watch me."

Reedwhisker got into the water. He swam for a while. Skypaw observed it, and when it was her turn, she did well.

"Nice job. We'll be training that all week."

Skypaw groaned. "Why all week!?"

Reedwhisker explained, "You'll get a test at the end of the week."

Skypaw said, "Oh yeah..."

She trained all week, and then it was finally time to take the test.

Reedwhisker watched Skypaw as she entered the water and swam for a while. Now and then, she would show off some moves she made by herself. At one point, she almost showed off her secret skill.

"What was that?" Reedwhisker twitched his ear.

"What?"

"The water floated."

"That was a splash. Water... Can't... Float."

"No, it can't. Skypaw- ... Never mind."

Skypaw looked away. Reedwhisker got suspicious, but he didn't say anything. He wanted to relax. but he didn't know if he should. Well, what harm could Skypaw cause with her skill?

Skypaw wondered if Reedwhisker had found out. "Will... Will you tell?"

Reedwhisker shook his head. "Of course not. Alright, you did well. Let's head back now."

They went back to camp, and Reedwhisker entered Mistystar's den. Skypaw looked at the sky. It was sunhigh. Skypaw sighed in relief. Finally, we can eat. I'm starving.

The elders and queens ate first, as usual. When the warriors had eaten, the apprentices ate. Skypaw was sitting with Rushpaw.

"I'll probably become a warrior soon." He sighed. "I'm so glad to finally become a warrior! No more elders' duty."

"Well, I heard some warriors get elders' duty too."

He looked at Skypaw in shock. "What!? How!?"

Skypaw shrugged and took the last bite of the carp she'd chosen from the pile.

When will I become a warrior?

Skypaw woke up to the sound of rustling. She opened one eye and saw Reedwhisker at the den entrance. Skypaw gasped. "It's sunhigh!? Reedwhisker, wake me up earlier next time!"

Reedwhisker stopped her from running outside the den. "Take a rest today. You look worn out. You'll need sleep for your assessment tomorrow."

"WHAT!?"

Reedwhisker sighed. "Calm down."

Skypaw looked outside. "At least let me go eat."

"Fine, fine, go eat."

Skypaw joined Rushpaw after choosing a trout from the pile.

"How's it going, Skypaw?"

"Tomorrow is my assessment!"

"Really? Mine, too!"

"Wow, what a coincidence. I hope we both pass."

"Yeah, me, too. I'd really hate to be an apprentice much longer."

After a little talk, they just watched their clanmates. Skypaw sighed. "I'm bored. Let's go ask our mentors if we can hunt."

Rushpaw kept looking at his clanmates. "A warrior will have to escort us."

Skypaw scowled. "We aren't kits! It makes me so angry that they have to watch over us like we'd drain the river!"

Rushpaw nodded. "Well, it's their saying. Alright, let's go."

Skypaw asked Reedwhisker if she and Rushpaw could go hunt.

"Yes. I'll go with you."

Skypaw hissed in her mind. Oh well, At least Reedwhisker is- Wait, what? Am I falling for him? No! She shook her head. He's my mentor.

"You okay, Skypaw?" Rushpaw asked.

Skypaw looked up at him. "Uh, yeah. Sorry. I was just thinking..."

Nobody said anything, and they began hunting. Skypaw got tired of hunting from the stream, so she caught a mouse on land.

One scrawny mouse. Well, fox-dung to that. Thunderclan can have all the mice in the world...

Rushpaw prodded Skypaw. "Coming? You're behind a lot, today, Skypaw."

"I'm... Nervous for my assessment."

"Oh, please! Nearly every apprentice passes."

"I hope one of those is me!"

"Stop worrying. Come on, Reedwhisker's waiting."

Back at camp, Mistystar was talking to Reedwhisker and Pebblefoot. The mentors walked up to their apprentices. Skypaw was restless. Would she pass?

"Alright, you two. First, go hunt two fish each. Then, meet back here. We'll fight you, so be prepared. Last, we'll take you to the stream and in the lake to test your swimming skills. Don't be nervous. We'll be watching you when you hunt."

Skypaw nearly fell over from the idea of Reedwhisker watching her hunt. She didn't do well under pressure. Nonetheless, she would try hard.

She stood over the stream, a paw raised. A dark shape swam under the water. Skypaw swiped for it. She pulled it out of the water and bit it to kill it. Then she caught another. She brought the fish back to Reedwhisker. Rushpaw was just coming, too.

Reedwhisker and Pebblefoot pounced at their apprentices. Skypaw dodged, and she swiped at Reedwhisker's ear. Her claw only grazed it. Reedwhisker bit her tail. She held in a yowl as she scratched his side. He backed away. "Good job, Skypaw." he licked some of his wounds, and the bloodflow was weakening. They turned to Pebblefoot and Rushpaw, who were done as well.

"Now for the swimming test. You'll probably need to get in the water to kind of clean your wounds, but Mothwing and Willowshine with patch them up."

It was a race, and Skypaw won. Once, she thought of using her powers to make Rushpaw get far behind, but that would be cheating. She won fairly.

They both passed their assessment. Mistystar called her clan.

"I have gathered you here today to make two apprentices warriors. These two deserve their warrior names as much as a tree deserves its leaves in greenleaf. Skypaw and Rushpaw, please come up here."

The two apprentices joined Mistystar. "You fought well in the battle, Rushpaw. Now, I say this in Starclan's wonderful name, so that they can hear and approve of my choice. Rushpaw, from this day forward, you shall be known as Rushwater." She licked his shoulder, and as the clan shouted Rushwater's name, he sat next to Pebblefoot.

"Skypaw, you weren't here for the battle, but I can tell you will be a great warrior for Riverclan in times to come. Skypaw, from this day forward, you shall be known as Skysong. Alright you two, don't forget to sit vigil."

The clan chanted her name as she sat next to Reedwhisker. Then they all crowded around the new warriors of Riverclan, welcoming them to a life full of happiness.

Later that day, Reedwhisker led her to her nest next to his. Rushwater's nest was also next to Skysong's.

Skysong said, "We have to keep vigil, though-"

Reedwhisker sighed. "You can come in here tomorrow night, silly."

Rushwater and Skysong kept vigil the whole night, keeping watch in case any danger comes to camp, which, it didn't.

Of course nothing bad happened, Skysong thought happily when the vigil ended. We were guarding camp.

Hi, guys. I hope you liked it. Tell me anything wrong :)