Chapter eight: Ways Of A Warrior

Soultail lead the apprentices; Hawkpaw, Crowpaw, Owlpaw, Shinepaw, Shadowpaw, Rainpaw, and Bramblepaw out of camp, their mentors padding close behind. They were heading for the Training Hollow.

"Apprentices, it is time to take your assesments to become warriors. You all will be taking the fighting assesment." The deputy stopped as they reached their destination. "You all will battle your mentors." He spoke as he turned to the apprentices and mentors. "Hawkpaw, show your clanmates your fighting skill. Attack me." The grey tom stood in the middle of the hollow.

Hawkpaw leaped as his mentor, who dodged to the side, but Hawkpaw was ready. The brown tom held onto his back, and Soultail started to roll to the side. Hawkpaw leaped off then swiped his mentor off his paws. He then leaped at his mentors chest and pinned him down. "Well done.." Soultail pushed his apprentice off him.

All the apprentices battled their mentors, and most won. Rainpaw fell to the ground, trying to get air after the battle with Silverwing. "What's... Next..." She said in between breaths. Soultail padded over to the two. "You may rest, or if you have enough energy, you can take another part of your assesments." The blue grey apprentice shook her head.

The grey deputy nodded. "That's enough for today. Its turning sun down. Time to get back to camp." He called to the apprentices and mentors.

All the cats arrived at camp, and chose something from whatever was left of the fresh kill pile. Rainpaw got a small vole, and sat beside Crowpaw who was looking at his mouse weird. "You ok?" She asked. He nodded quickly then dug his fangs into his meal. The she-cat shrugged and bit into her vole. They finished and headed into the apprentices den, which was made of giant sticks and rocks.

~Next Day...~

The apprentices headed out again, ready for their next assesment. They all reached the Training Hollow, Soultail standing in front of them. "This next part is hunting. Catch as many pieces of prey and come back. Ready? Go!" The apprentices ran off in different directions, hoping to find prey.

Owlpaw

Here I am, running off in a random direction in search of prey. Thats totally how you catch prey! You run and make as much noise as possible! Fantastic! Owlpaw though sarcasticly. The winged she-cat stopped and listened for prey. Then, she heard rustling in the bushes. Getting in a hunting crouch, she didn't waste any time and leaped at a small squirrel that walked cauitiously from the bush.

It squeaked, but she bit its neck and buried it in snow. The young she-cat padded around, then spotted a awful large rabbit eating on berry of some sort. Making sure she wasn't up wind, she padded swiftly forwards, making no sound, then pounced on the hopping rabbit. It almost put up a fight, but she swiped her claws over its neck.

The she-cat went back to the previous catch, which was a squirrel, and buried the rabbit with it. "Come back for it later..." She whispered, then somebody tackled her. "Hey! Get off me!" Owlpaw flailed. "Don't tell anybody I'm here!" The cat whispered loudly. Getting a look on the cat, she knew it was Hailpaw, because she had seen him at a gathering. "What are you doing so far VineClan territory?"

"Long story, but I can't tell now. Meet me at Silver Birch tomorrow night, and I will explain." Hailpaw told her quickly, then leaped off Owlpaw and bounded away. Owlpaw shook her head. "Silly tom..." Her face got a little hot from embarrassment. The she-cat bounded away.

Later on, she came back to her buried prey with a mouse. Owlpaw opened her wings, tucked the prey under, then closed them. "Better then carrying with my mouth." She muttered, then bounded back to the Training Hollow. Dropping her prey, she noticed Crowpaw, Shadowpaw, Bramblepaw, Rainpaw, and Shinepaw talking to eachother, waiting for Hawkpaw to get back.

Where is my brother? He would have been back by now... Owlpaw thought. Shaking her head, she padded over to the others. "Hey! Rainpaw, your name should be Rainstorm or Rainwish!" Shinepaw said. "Maybe.. Hey, Crowpaw! Your name should be Crowwing or Crowheart!" Rainpaw poked him with a paw. Owlpaw's brother rolled his eyes.

Then, Hawkpaw padded into the hollow, with cuts and gashes. "Hawkpaw!" Owlpaw raced over to her wounded brother. "How... How did this happen?" Hawkpaw shook his head. "It was all too quick.. I don't know who or what attacked me.. But, I will be fine.. Its only a few scratches. I'm going back for my prey..." He then raced away, scarlet drops of red left on the ground.

Hawkpaw came back with a small vole, and mouse in his jaws. He then dropped them on the ground. "Is that it..?" The tom breathed out. Soultail nodded. "You all have passed. Tonight, you will no longer be apprentices." He said. "Now, get your prey and head to camp. We have alot more prey thanks to everybody." The deputy padded out of the Training Hollow, and back to camp.

At Camp...

"Blazestar, the apprentices have passed..." Blazestar turned to his deputy. "Then gather them in front of the Highrock, and I shall call a meeting.." Soultail nodded then padded out of the den. He gathered the apprentices around the Highrock, then Blazestar leaped up to his spot.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting!" He yowled. The cats settled below their leader. "These apprentices have completed their last assessments to become warriors. I call apon StarClan to look down on these apprentices. Do you, Hawkpaw, promise to uphold the warrior code and protect the clan at the cost of your life?" Blazestar asked his son. "I do" Hawkpaw said calmly.

"Then for now on, you name shall be Hawkscreech. We welcome you as a full member of the clan." The clan cheered his name, then the others got their names. Rainpaw became Raincloud, Shinepaw became Shineflower, Owlpaw became Owlfeather, Crowpaw became Crowtalon, Bramblepaw became Bramblespot, and Shadowpaw became Shadowslash.

They stood vigil all night, making sure there was nothing strange. Night was soon at an end when the pale, pink light of dawn came above the trees. Today, they were not apprentices. They were warriors.

Authors note:

Extra long chapter! I mean, why not? So.. Now the apprentices are not apprentices... Fantastic! I stayed up so late writing this, but it was worth it! Thanks for the support on this story, and there will be more chapters to come! Guess what Hailpaw is going to tell Owlfeather, and will she fall in love? Who knows.. Wait! I do 3 Well, review, follow, favorite, or P.M. me!