(Serious occasion chapter!)
Tailstar bounded up the highrock before supper started, and looked upon her clanmates. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the highrock for a clan meeting." she meowed across the camp. Everyone gathered under the highrock, looking up at Tailstar who was searching for Foxpaw and Hawkpaw.
Foxpaw quickly padded through the crowd of cats and to the highrock behind Tailstar. He looked around for Hawkpaw, who was still not at camp. "Where's Hawkpaw?"
Hawkpaw and Swallowpaw quickly padded into the camp, their mouths full of fresh-kill. They placed down their prey on the fresh-kill pile, and Hawkpaw bounde up the highrock to Foxpaw's side. Hawkpaw sat next to Foxpaw who was smiling right at her in excitement.
"Are you ready?" he asked quietly.
"Of course." Hawkpaw mewed softly. She closed her eyes, wondering what it would feel like being a warrior now.
"Today is Foxpaw and Hawkpaw's Warrior Ceremony." Tailstar turned her head to Cedarclaw, "Cedarclaw, are you satisfied that Foxpaw is ready to become a warrior?"
"Yes, he is ready." Cedarclaw meowed, his voice firm. He was obviously proud of the ginger tom sitting near Tailstar.
"I, Tailstar, leader of Thunderclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him as a warrior in his turn. Foxpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and protect and defend this clan, even at the cost of your life?" Tailstar said, looking at the sky and then at Foxpaw.
"I do." Foxpaw cried, his mind full of happiness.
"Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. Foxpaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Foxheart. The clan honors you for your strength and courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Thunderclan." Tailstar finished, her eyes gleaming a beautiful shade of blue. She turned to Foxheart and rested her muzzle on the new warrior. Foxheart licked her shoulder in return.
The clan beneath the highrock yowled Foxheart's new name, "Foxheart! Foxheart!"
Foxheart bounded off the highrock and set next to the base of the highrock in silent vigil. He could barely keep his mouth shut as he heard Tailstar starting Hawkpaw's ceremony.
"I am satisfied that Hawkpaw is ready to become a warrior." Tailstar started, "I, Tailstar, leader of Thunderclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her as a warrior in his turn. Hawkpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and protect and defend this clan, even at the cost of your life?" Tailstar said, looking at the sky and then at Hawkpaw.
"I do." Hawkpaw mewed, her eyes gleaming in pure excitement.
"Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. Hawkpaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Hawkshadow. The clan honors you for your bravery and power, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Thunderclan." Tailstar finished, and she rested her muzzle on Hawkpaw. Hawkpaw licked Tailstar's shoulder in return, smiling.
"Hawkshadow! Hawkshadow!" Thunderclan yowled.
Hawkshadow leaped off the highrock to join Foxheart in the traditional silent vigil for the night. She smiled at him, and she firmly shut her mouth, looking up at the sky as Foxheart looked at his paws.
"I call this clan meeting adjourned. You may go ahead and start supper." Tailstar meowed as the commotion once again died down.
Everyone padded towards the fresh-kill pile, taking their share of the prey and traveling to their favorite eating spot. Mudtalon looked at the two new warriors and he picked up two squirrels from the pile. He padded across the camp to Foxheart and Hawkshadow, and dropped the prey down. "Eat up, you two." he said, "Or should I say Foxheart and Hawkshadow?" He unbelievably smiled, and returned back to the fresh-kill pile to take his own share.
The two warriors looked at each other in shock. They couldn't believe that Mudtalon just smiled! But, they didn't care about what he did. They were grateful for Mudtalon to bring them food. They pushed the prey towards them and ate their fill, daring not to say a word. As everyone finished their meal, everyone retreated to their dens and relaxed. Now, Hawkshadow and Foxheart were alone in the camp clearing. Hawkshadow silently yawned while Foxheart fought of sleep.
Swallowpaw silently padded towards them from the lonely Apprentice's Den. He smiled at Hawkshadow as he quietly called out her name, "Hawkshadow!"
Hawkshadow smiled, but Foxheart covered her mouth with his tail, making her remember they were on a silent vigil. Hawkshadow nodded slowly, and tilted her head at Swallowpaw. She gestured a thank you, and smiled back.
Swallowpaw nodded, and walked across the camp back to the Apprentice's Den. He curled up in his nest, and began sleeping.
Soon, Swallowpaw won't be alone. Whitekit and Violetkit will be made apprentices a week from now. And after another quarter moon, he will be made a warrior and join Foxheart and me, Hawkshadow thought in hope. She wanted to speak to Foxheart, but she had to do the silent vigil. She had so many things to say to him. She was so excited about being made a warrior that she looked at the shining moon, wondering if it could go by any faster.
Echowing slid out of the Warrior's Den at dawn. She padded up to Hawkshadow and Foxheart, and pawed them lightly. "Are you two still awake?"
The two warriors nodded slowly.
"Good! Your silent vigil is over. You may go and find an empty nest in the Warrior's Den." Echowing mewed softly, trying not to wake up anyone.
Hawkshadow and Foxheart followed Echowing to the Warrior's Den. They looked around their new den, and found two nests vacant. They curled up into their new nest, and they looked at each other happily. "It's good to be a warrior." Hawkshadow mewed softly.
"I already feel the anticipation already." Foxheart replied, placing his head onto his paws, "Let's go to sleep. We need some energy for today."
The two warriors nodded, and closed their eyes slowly. Hawkshadow smiled as her vision dimmed. She wished that she didn't need sleep. She wanted to start her warrior duties now. Only a few more hours, she thought to herself. She quickly drifted off into a deep sleep, smiling for the entire time.