Chapter 6:
We came up to the training hollow to find Maplepaw and Dustpaw were already training, "Hey guys, do you mind if we watch?" I asked
"Of course, that's fine" Stormpath said watching his apprentice battle Tigertail's apprentice. "Excuse me, but what are the moves that you guys have taught them already?" I asked "Um, the crouch and leap and the underbelly slide, hit." Tigertail said without taking his eyes off of Maplepaw
"And you've also taught them the rules of battle training?" "Yes we have." Stormpath said "Okay, I'll take your word for it." I said, Shadowstalker watched intently, not taking his eyes off of the two battling and there mentors giving advice once in awhile.
Blackpaw arrived next to Fuzzypaw, with there mentor's close behind. Fuzzypaw knew a lot more moves then the other apprentices, so he just sat down and waited his turn. Everyone cheered for someone else as they switched, Blackpaw fought Maplepaw and Dustpaw fought Blackpaw, so Blackpaw got to fight them both. Then Fuzzypaw fought his mentor in the end. Tangleclaw pinned Fuzzypaw and then we all went back to camp. The ones that pinned someone got first dibs on the fresh kill.
"That was exciting!" Shadowstalker commented as we sat down and shared a squirrel. "Yeah it always is fun watching the apprentices train"
"Do you always do that? Watch the apprentices?" "No, but now I have an excuse too."
"What's that?" "You, of course" I said "So... you're using me?" "What, no I'm not using you." "Right..."
He teased taking a bite out of the squirrel.
She purred with laughter as she also took a bite out of the squirrel.
"So what are you supposed to be doing here again?" She asked me after we finished our squirrel. "I'm supposed to be looking for the vision stone that Icefire gave Frostheart." I said
"And... how's that working for you?" she asked with a smirk "Um, well... not so great." I replied "Yeah, that's what I thought." She said getting up and stretching. "How about after the clan meeting we'll go out in the forest and look for it." She said sitting back down and licking her paws.
"There's going to be another meeting?" I asked curious at what it's going to be about. "Yes there is, so what do you say?" she said obviously not wanting to talk about the clan meeting "Oh, sure that sounds like an awesome plan." I replied still curious about the clan meeting, I had a huge feeling it's about me. That's when Smallstar came out of his den onto the highledge. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, come join me for a clan meeting under the highledge." He said sitting down at the very end of the ledge.
"Got to go" Wildfire said walking away from me and heading to her deputy's ledge. I sat away from everybody on the far left of the semi-circle. I was watching Wildfire as she sat down over looking everybody walking out of there dens and into the open.
"Everyone I know you all are probably wondering what this is about but Wildfire and I had come to the conclusion that Shadowstalker is going to join Thunderclan." Everyone started to talk at once saying how this was a bad idea. "What does Starclan have to say about this?" "Can we trust him?" "I don't think so!" someone shouted in response "Hey! Quiet down!" Smallstar shouted above all the talking
"Let me finish! I think Shadowstalker should learn the warrior code and become a real warrior. What do you think Wildfire?" "I agree, he should train to become one of us." Wildfire said looking at me "That's what I was thinking." Smallstar said jumping from the highledge onto the open ground in front of the crowd of cats.
"Shadowstalker step forward please." I was confused, what was going on. I looked at Wildfire and she nodded, so I stepped forward so that I was next to Smallstar.
"From this day forward you will be known as Shadowpaw." Smallstar said looking at me. 'What?' I thought 'This can't be?' Three cats clearly shouted Shadowstalker's new name. "Shadowpaw! Shadowpaw!" and it was Blackpaw, Maplepaw and Dustpaw. A couple others shouted his name too: Tangleclaw, Fuzzypaw, Brightsky, Rainstripe and Tigertail. "Wildfire step forward." Wildfire leaped off of the Deputy's ledge and landed smoothly next to Smallstar. "You have earned an apprentice; pass on everything you know to Shadowpaw." We touched noses and then went over to the other side of the semi-circle "There, from this day forward Shadowpaw will be treated as an apprentice, no more, no less, understand?" Everyone nodded there heads in agreement. "Meeting Dismissed" Smallstar said walking back up the rocky pile. Everyone spanned out in the direction the came before and the four apprentices ran over to Shadowpaw in excitement.
"You're an apprentice!" Maplepaw shouted "That means you get to sleep with us now!" Dustpaw said "and train with us as well!" Blackpaw said shaking with excitement
"I finally get to battle with someone else other then my mentor." Fuzzypaw said
"Hey you four, stop overwhelming him. He probably has a million questions that I have to answer, so why don't you run off and go make him a moss bed." Wildfire ordered "Good idea!" they shouted in union and bounded for the apprentices den.
"Am I really an apprentice?" I asked "Yes, you are and you will be treated as one as well." She said "Wow, okay, so what do we do first?" I asked curious at what it takes to be a warrior. "I show you the territory of Thunderclan and we can start our training." She said looking around. "Why don't we find you somebody to train with?" "What about Fuzzypaw? He's right about having someone to train with now." I asked
"Hmm, good ideas, why don't we go ask him." She said heading toward the apprentice den. I followed, lost in my thoughts. 'I should be excited, I can be part of the clan my grandmother grew up in, but then again they banished her because of a lie.' These were the thoughts that were rattling my head as we entered the apprentices den to find them all asleep, a lone moss bed was in the middle of them all.
"How about we start in the morning?" Wildfire suggested "Sounds good" I replied
"Then I will leave you, Shadowpaw, in your den. See you bright and early." She said exiting the den and leaving me standing there with the four cats sleeping in a circle. 'At least I will be warm surrounded by these apprentices.' I thought walking lightly around Blackpaw to get to my moss bed in the middle and then settling down in my new bed.
The minute I closed my eyes they opened to a starry forest.
"What the...?" I said walking around a bit, every step I took sprayed stars around my paws. "Where am I?" I said to myself, not expecting a reply but getting one anyway. "You're in Starclan." Frostheart appeared behind me looking young and strong. "Frostheart?" I asked unbelievable. "Yes, that's right. Starclan is the place cats that passed away go. But of course they have to believe in Starclan to be able to visit it. That means you believe in Starclan, right?" "Yes, I believe in Starclan." I said still a little baffled. "Good, come I want you to meet some other Thunderclan warriors and leaders." She turned around and started to walk away. "Wait Frostheart! Is all this real?" I asked looking at her and realizing she is made of stars.
"In Starclan you are as young as you are remembered." She said still walking "So that means you're remembered greatly?" I asked. "Yes, that's right. One day when you are forgotten, you will fade away, but don't worry, that takes a very long time." She said turning around to look at me with her sharp blue starry eyes. "Starclan is the place you can run in the forest or run in the field, chasing squirrels until your full then napping the day away, there are no clans in Starclan, everyone becomes one."
"Wow..." I said because it was the only thing I could think of, I was speechless. She stopped, "It's too late, you have to go back now, comeback tomorrow, I will be waiting." She turned around and sat down, watching as I faded away, into reality.
I woke up right at dawn looking around for Shadowstalker because I couldn't find him, but then remembering he's Shadowpaw now and he is in the apprentice den. I walked out of the warriors den to find Shadowpaw was talking to Foxfur, 'Usually I'm the first one awake and talking to the one on guard.' I thought to myself. "Hello, Shadowpaw, Foxfur." I said nodding to the two.
"Hello, Wildfire." They said at the same time. "You can go rest now Foxfur." I said to the sleepy warrior. "Thank you." She said with a sigh walking towards the warriors den.
"So... can we start training?" Shadowpaw asked "Not yet, I have to do my deputy duties." I replied. "Oh, yeah how come I've never seen you do your deputy duties?" "Because I have been so busy dealing with you that Smallstar has been doing them, but we've got you figured out now so, I can do my duties once again." I added
"You've got me figured out?" He asked "Yes you, you're sort of part of the clan now so, your figured out." She said ending on that note. "Whatever..." he said rolling his eyes. Smallstar exited his den and sat on the end of the highledge, looking out at the clan, he nodded to Wildfire and Shadowpaw as greeting. Cats started to exit their dens and head over to me. Shadowpaw back off as people gathered around me to see what they could do for the morning
"Lionclaw you lead a patrol along the Shadowclan border, bring Leafstorm and Badgerclaw." Lionclaw nodded and went in search of his clan mates.
"Leopardpelt you can lead a patrol along the Windclan border with, Snowstripe and Twistedfoot." She nodded and left the group of cats. Everyone else spanned out to lie in the sun or wash their fur.
"That's what you do?" Shadowpaw asked "Yeah, why?" I replied "Looks easy" He said with a shrug "Hmm we'll see what looks easy when we start training with Fuzzypaw. Why don't you go get him?" I said "All right, be right back." He said and ran towards the apprentice den. I saw Tangleclaw walk out of the warrior's den, stretch and then sat down to wash his paws. "Tangleclaw, apprentice training with Shadowpaw and I?"
"Sure, be right there." He said wiping his paw over his face and then coming over by me.
"What do you think about Shadowpaw?" I asked curious "Well words going around that he's an omen from Starclan." He said still washing his paws.
"Really, what are you thinking?" "I don't know, if he's an omen he's a lousy one." He said washing his tail now. "Don't go making Starclan angry now." I said "If I offended a Starclan cat I'm pretty sure they won't come down here and kill me. Otherwise I'm sorry if I did." He said washing his face once again but looking at me when he said he was sorry. Shadowpaw walked over by us and sat down, Fuzzypaw at his heels.
"We're ready." Shadowpaw said looking at me. I could tell he's really excited.
"Good, let's get going then." Tangleclaw said finished washing himself. "Yes, I can't wait!" Fuzzypaw said with a little hop in his walk. We walked out of the camp and into the forest. The sun is up, the sky is blue and it's a perfect day for some training. I thought looking at the sky. There were huge fluffy clouds in the sky. Shadowpaw was walking next to me, his black fur standing out in such a bright day, as well as Fuzzypaw. We walked past Icefire's tree and swerved back into the woods.