One of you asked why Tiny became an apprentice not a warrior due to his age. That is because when a cat joins a clan, they always become apprentices to learn the clan ways.
Warrior
A moon before, Ravenpaw, who is Firepaw's friend, had ran into camp with sputtering news before collapsing. Soon after, Tigerclaw padded in with a dark, dappled tortoiseshell tom with a bushy red tail. The cat revealed that Redtail had died in Oakheart's claws, the Riverclan deputy, and that he avenged Thunderclan's deputy by killing him when he was gloating.
The clan shared their last tongues with the previous deputy and sat vigil. Bluestar later appointed Lionheart as deputy and Duskpaw's new mentor is Darkstripe. Since then, Firepaw had been training with Lionheart and Tigerclaw as mentors.
Now, a moon since, Nightpaw pounced on a mouse and bit its neck. He gave thanks to Starclan and buried the prey. The black tom sniffed and opened his mouth when he heard loud yowls. Runningwind rush out of the bushes. The two toms hurried to the noise. Nightpaw quickly realized they were heading to the Twolegplace border. The trees thinned and it soon they could see the Twolegplace. At the border, was a red rogue fighting against multiple others.
Nightpaw quickly barreled into one of the rogues. They rolled away from mess of cats, clawing at each other. Nightpaw managed to give a hard bite at one of the legs and the cat screeched, running away from the battle. He turned back to the battle already, seeing Runningwind battling two rogues. Nightpaw intantly gave one of them a strong slash to the side, the tom yowling in pain.
"No! Twig!"
Runningwind took the chance to attack the distracted she-cat, clawing at her muzzle. The rogue hissed in pain, nudged Twig, and the two ran off, away from battle. Both toms turned back to the red she-cat, who already pinned down a dark, gray tom.
"Well, looks like I win this time, Shade. Now, will you leave me alone or what?!"The rogue panted harshly. The tom glared heatly at her, then grunted.
"Fine, you win this time," Shade snarled. The she-cat got off and the tom raced away.
"This won't be the last of me, she-cat! I can promise you that!"
The rogue let out a sigh and muttered. "Honestly, that tom always thinks toms are better than she-cats. Why won't he just admit he's just weak?"
Nightpaw let out a growl. That was when the rogue noticed them.
"Oh, hi there...um, thank's for saving me. What's your name? Mine's Red," the red she-cat introduced herself as Nightpaw stalked toward her. Isn't she scared?
The black apprentice stopped and narrowed his eyes. "Nightpaw. My name's Nightpaw. You should leave or I'll have to rip you to shreds."
Red twitched her ear curiously. "Nightpaw? What a weird name. I think we'll meet again, forest cat. Good bye, Nightpaw!"
The black apprentice stared after her as Red left. "Goodbye, Red." That was one strange she-cat. Runningwind limped up to him.
"Nightpaw, you've fought well. We'll have to report this to Bluestar. I'll return to camp first. Nightpaw, don't forget your prey and see Spottedleaf for those injuries."
Nightpaw nodded and padded back to where he had buried the prey. Soon, his jaws cramped carrying a mouse, shrew and a squirrel.
Padding through the gorse tunnel, he saw his mentor with Bluestar. He dropped his prey at the fresh-kill pile and headed to Spottedleaf's den.
"It has only been a month in his training, Runningwind. Are you sure that Nightpaw is ready?" Bluestar asked to the medicine covered tom.
"Yes, earlier today, he fought well against a group of rogues," Runningwind said proudly. "He even chased most of them off himself."
Bluestar sighed and close her eyes. "Runningwind, I always knew you do not have the patience to have an apprentice. Nightpaw, however, was clearly skilled in hunting and fighting already. I figured he would be your apprentice for three moons, not one. He will not have his warrior name until two moons later...or has he learned the way of the warrior well already?"
"He has," Runningwind said confidently.
"Alright then, we will assess him tomorrow, Runningwind. Tell Nightpaw he will have his final assessment the next day. I will be watching him a well." Runningwind dipped his head and padded to his apprentice.
Nightpaw yawned and peeked to see darkness. The early sunrise was dimly lighting the apprentice's den. Nightpaw closed his eyes, before blinking. His final assessment is today! He jumped to his paws, gave himself a quick grooming and headed out the den. Nightpaw grabbed a piece of prey to eat.
He saw Runningwind with Bluestar and gulped the last of his swallow. Nightpaw padded to them.
"Nightpaw, your final assessment is today. Both Bluestar and I will be watching how well you do them."
The black apprentice dipped his head to his leader. Bluestar nodded with approval and mewed. Please do remember that this place is Thunderclan, not the Twolegplace which you are used to."
Nightpaw twitched his ear curiously at Bluestar's words.
"Come at me, Nightpaw, like you always have," Runningwind called out to his apprentice. The fighting part of the assessment was in the Sandy Hollow with Bluestar watching at the side. Nightpaw quickly lunged at Runningwind with the front paw blow, to which his mentor responded by hopping to the side. Runningwind twisted his body towards Nightpaw to grab his tail. Nightpaw, who happened to twist at the same time, quickly tucked in his tail and turned to face his opponent as Runningwind's teeth snapped nothing but air.
The small apprentice leap backwards onto a nearby tree and bounced off to land on Runningwind. Nightpaw quickly held tightly and battered with sheathed claws to the brown back. Runningwind hissed and rolled to his back, with Nightpaw jumping off. The brown tom rolled back to his paws and grabbed Nightpaw's scruff, just as he spun around.
Runningwind threw him across the hollow and ran up to him. Nightpaw turned his body so his tail is facing Runningwind. Midair, Nigthpaw saw Runningwind would at the perfect spot. The black tom did a powerful back kick to the jaw as soon as he landed on the sand. Runningwind backed away, shaking his head. Nightpaw took the chance rush forward when-
"Stop!" Bluestar said, causing Nightpaw to send sand everywhere as he crashed into Runningwind.
"I believe that's enough. Nightpaw, you have shown yourself an excellent fighter," Bluestar mewed as she pad to them, "And Runningwind, what do you think of his hunting assessment yesterday?"
"He did well. Brought back a mouse, a shrew and a squirrel."
"I see...then-"
"I, Bluestar, leader of Thunderclan, call upon my warriors ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. Nightpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your clan even at the cost of your life?"
"I do."
"Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. Nightpaw, from this moment you will be known as Nightfrost. Starclan honors your fighting skill and intelligence, we welcome you as a full warrior of Thunderclan."
Bluestar jumped down from the Highrock and rested her muzzle on his head. Nightfrost licked her shoulder.
"Nightfrost! Nightfrost! Nightfrost!"
Nightfrost turned to Firepaw, then Runningwind, pride flowing from his mentor's eyes. Runningwind was a good mentor but he lacked the patience needed in mentors. Luckily, he was a quick learner, learning about the warrior code, clan ways, clan techniques and the territory.
"Amazing, brother, you're a warrior now!"
Nightfrost nodded, smiled and headed to the camp entrance for his vigil after seeing Firepaw padded to his friends, Ravenpaw and Graypaw.
