AN: K. Late Update. Again. Long-ish chapter, hope that makes up for it...

Thinking of changing my username to "NeverUpdatesStories"

Just so you know, the story will follow Moonpaw unless otherwise noted... but that was obvious. Hopefully. Just sayin'.

ANYWAY.

~About two moons later~

"Shadepaw, Amberpaw, Nightpaw, and Moonpaw?" Squirrelflight's head poked through the walls of the apprentices' den. "Bramblestar wants to see you."

Squirrelflight had resumed her deputy duties, and Graystripe had returned to

The four apprentices padded across the clearing to their leader's den. Bramblestar was waiting outside, sitting with his tail-tip curled around his front paws. He dipped his head to them as they approached. "You have each completed all of your assessments, and you're almost ready to become warriors."

"We're going to be warriors!" Nightpaw whispered excitedly to Moonpaw. She purred excitedly. Despite his brother's coldness, Nightpaw had been especially kind to Moonpaw throughout her short apprenticeship, and they had become good friends.

"Your have each completed your hunting and tracking assessments," Bramblestar continued, "and you are ready for your battle assessment. You will each do battle with a ThunderClan warrior of my choice. It will not be your mentor."

"Amberpaw, you will fight Ivypool. You'll find her by the training hollow."

"Nightpaw, your opponent will be Crowfeather. Give him a chance to show his loyalty to ThunderClan in training an apprentice. He's waiting for you by the abandoned Twoleg nest."

"Shadepaw, go meet Birchfall by the lakeshore. He is well-prepared to complete your assessment."

A long silence followed. "Sounds like you don't get to be a warrior," Amberpaw whispered smugly.

"Moonpaw," Bramblestar started again, "You have shown exceptional skill completing your training this early. But you can only become a warrior if you show that, despite your lack of age, you are as good, or even better, than these three. Stay here in camp."

"W-what?" Moonpaw couldn't help but blurt out. "I don't get to be assessed?"

Bramblestar shook his wide tabby head. "You misunderstand. The Clan as a whole will decide if you are good enough to be a warrior. Each pairing that I chose is matched to that particular apprentice's skill level. But you, Moonpaw—I chose an opponent that you can't hope to beat."

Lionblaze, she thought immediately. Wait. He said not my mentor...

"Moonpaw, I will complete your training. Don't expect to win, but show us all everything you've got."

"Maybe you shouldn't expect to win," Moonpaw replied smoothly.

Bramblestar twitched his right ear, but said nothing.

~Ivypool~

Ivypool sat quietly in the sandy hollow, waiting for Amberpaw to arrive. This was

technically her first apprentice. And he wasn't even her apprentice.

Should I intentionally lose, so that he can become a warrior? She pondered. No, he's got to prove himself. But I'm obviously one of the best warriors in ThunderClan; since I have my warrior training and the training I got from the Dark Forest. I should have been given Moonpaw. That would have been fair. Oops. Got to remember not to tell everyone about that. Dovewing will kill me! Especially if I tell people that she's been using her senses to eavesdrop on people.

Hey, I almost forgot. Amberpaw's my kin! Maybe that gives me some leeway to shred him a bit? Well—the she cat swished her tail from side to side, continuing her mental rant. Suddenly, she froze and pricked her ears.

Not that she needed to prick her ears.

Loud crashing sounds were coming from the direction of the ThunderClan camp. Foxes? Badgers? She wondered.

Amberpaw came thundering through the woods, bristling furiously. "Stupid Moonpaw!" Uh-oh. He's reeal mad that she's going to fight Bramblestar!

"She's going to win, you know," Ivypool teased. Amberpaw glared at her. "Of course she will! She's StarClan's chosen," he hissed in a mocking tone. "Oh?" Ivypool feigned surprise. Amberpaw suddenly stopped pacing. "But..." he began, "I'm also trained by StarClan."

"Really?" Ivypool tried to sound impressed. "Well, I'm trained by the Dark Forest, though that's nothing to be proud of," she joked.

"Let's have at it, then," Amberpaw said impatiently, dropping into a crouch. "Are you ready?" Ivypool asked, running a paw over her shredded ears.

In response, Amberpaw lunged at her throat. Ivypool ducked down, but Amberpaw reached down and clung to her back using his hind paws and rolled her over. That's not a ThunderClan move, Ivypool thought, though it's familiar... She flipped back onto all fours and darted low, sweeping his paws out from under him. Amberpaw rolled to the side and kicked upwards off the ground, rearing up on his hind paws and coming down hard on Ivypool's shoulders. That's a Dark Forest move! She realized in horror.

Ivypool crumpled to the ground, and panting hard. Unwillingly, she reached back to her own Dark Forest teachings for guidance, while at the same time, she silently uttered a prayer; StarClan, please, help him get away from them!

~Moonpaw~

The Clan had gathered in a wide circle around Moonpaw and Bramblestar. Circling each other from opposite sides of the clearing, they sized each other up.

Moonpaw, yet young to be taking her final assessment, still had the small frame of an apprentice, but powerful muscles hid behind her lean frame. Her legs had grown long and slender, granting her swiftness and lightness in step. Her emerald eyes were half-closed in concentration, staring at her Clan leader—her opponent.

Brambleclaw, of course, was a full-grown warrior. He had his father's wide tabby shoulders and broad head. His huge paws and muscular legs gave suggested massive strength, and his moons of experience over Moonpaw would give him an advantage.

Or so he thought.

Moonpaw made the first move, darting low at Bramblestar's paws. "Do something I don't expect," he hissed, leaping into the air. But at the last heartbeat, Moonpaw pushed off the ground and tackled him in midair, shoving him to the ground and knocking the wind out of him.

Knowing that she wouldn't be able to pin him down until he was in a completely vulnerable position, she darted backwards and crouched back down, hissing in her leader's face as he pushed himself to his feet. She leaped high this time, trying to get clear over his head, but he reared on his hind paws and unbalanced her. Moonpaw landed clumsily on her side, scrabbling to find her feet.

Bramblestar leaped on top of her, pushing her muzzle into the dirt. "Well, that was a short fight," Dustpelt rasped.

"Have you had enough?" Bramblestar asked.

In response, Moonpaw whipped her tail across his eyes, throwing dust into his vision. Bramblestar yowled as his eyes were stung by millions of particles of dirt.

Seizing the moment of distraction, Moonpaw twisted her head around, ignoring the pain that action cause in her neck, and sank her teeth into Bramblestar's paw.

His grip loosened, and she scrambled out from under his paws. Before she was prepared to strike again, Bramblestar was lunging at her, knocking her down again. "Give up!" he hissed in her ear. "You can't outmatch me!" "Oh, yes I can!" Moonpaw snapped back, kicking at his belly with her hind claws. Bramblestar grunted as he was winded again, stumbling backwards. I can't believe I'm doing this again, Moonpaw groaned inwardly as she darted under him and heaved upwards, knocking Bramblestar to his back and pinning him by the neck. "Maybe I can't outweigh you, but I can certainly outmatch and outsmart you." She hissed defiantly.

Lionblaze turned to Dustpelt and meowed in the elder's ear, "Yes, my friend; that was a short fight."

It was past sunhigh when Nightpaw and Shadepaw returned with Birchfall and Crowfeather, both successful in their assessments.

"You beat Bramblestar?!" Shadepaw gasped. Moonpaw nodded proudly. "He was too sure of himself." Nightpaw gave his sister a friendly nudge. "Don't say it like you don't believe it! You forgot, she beat Amberpaw on, like, her third day of training!" All three apprentices purred in laughter at the memory.

"Speaking of which," Shadepaw added, "where is Amberpaw?" Moonpaw shook her head. "He hasn't come back yet." Nightpaw's eyes grew huge. "You don't think he failed his assessment?"

But as they discussed all the horrible things that could have happened to their Clanmate, Amberpaw and Ivypool came strolling in through the camp entrance. His fur was tangled and covered with dust, but his head was held high and his amber eyes gleamed with pride.

Bramblestar bounded over to Ivypool from where he had been sitting with the other warriors below the Highledge. Amberpaw came over to his siblings and Moonpaw as the two warriors began discussing something in low, hushed voices.

Moonpaw strained her ears, trying to drown out her friends and hear what the warriors were discussing. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Dovewing sitting with the other warriors, but the grey she-cat's ears were swiveled in the direction of her sister and Clan leader. Dovewing's eyes widened. She stood and went over to where Jayfeather and Lionblaze were sitting, whispering something in the medicine cat's ear. The three slipped off to the medicine cat's den quietly. No other cat seemed to notice.

What happened during Amberpaw's assessment? Moonpaw thought. She looked back at Bramblestar and Ivypool, but Ivypool had already gone to sit with the other warriors and Bramblestar was leaping up to the Highledge.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!"

A clearly unnecessary announcement, considering that the entire Clan was out in the clearing already.

"Cats of ThunderClan," Bramblestar began. "It is now my pride and duty to welcome new warriors into ThunderClan. Amberpaw, Shadepaw, and Nightpaw, please come forward."

Amberpaw strolled up to the Highledge, but Shadepaw and Nightpaw were frozen next to Moonpaw. "Why didn't he call your name?" Nightpaw whispered worriedly. "I-It's okay," Moonpaw stammered, "You two go on..."

With three apprentices gathered below the Highledge, Bramblestar nodded and looked up to address the Clan again. "I, Bramblestar, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn."

"Amberpaw, Shadepaw, and 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," they meowed in unison.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names:

Amberpaw, from this day forth, you shall be known as Amberflare. StarClan honors your strength and fortitude, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan.

Shadepaw, from this day forth, you shall be known as Shadesong. StarClan honors your warmth and enthusiasm, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan.

Nightpaw, from this day forth, you shall be known as Nighttalon. StarClan honors your kindness and courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

Bramblestar paused for a moment. The Clan stood in silence, unsure of what to do next.

"And, also at this time, I wish to name one more warrior and reveal a new prophecy from StarClan."

Excited murmurs swept through the Clan.

"About eight moons ago, Rock gave us a new prophecy from the Ancients: The shadows draw close yet again. Only by the light of a new moon can the Clans emerge victorious once more."

No! Moonpaw thought, Don't tell them!

"StarClan has sent a cat to replace the great leader Firestar. And...it's not me." Bramblestar's voice dropped slightly. "She has completed her training faster than any apprentice ever has in recorded Clan history. She...is the fifth cat in the Ancients' prophecy."

"Moonpaw. Do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Moonpaw stepped up to the place under the Highledge where the other three were sitting. Everything inside her mind was screaming for her to crouch down and slink off to her den and hide from her destiny, but something inside her forced out the words, "I do."

Bramblestar nodded in approval. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I grant you your warrior name: Moonpaw, from this day forth, you shall be known as Moonspirit, in honor of your skill, determination, and fighting spirit. We welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

The Clan erupted in cheers, led by Stormpaw and Firepaw:

"Amberflare, Shadesong, Nighttalon, Moonspirit! **gasps for air** Amberflare, Shadesong, Nighttalon, Moonspirit!"