CHAPTER 10 (YAAAAAY!) : In every tale there are chances…

Enjoy! R/R!

"Swiftpaw slow down!" cried Greyfoot angrily in the distance. The white apprentice sighed and slowed her sprint to a halt.

"Greyfoot, hurry up." She said to herself queitly as she waited under shrub of some kind. She'd never been into plants and herbs; that kind of stuff she'd leave to Dewsparkle and Mintpaw. She clawed the earth playfully under her paws, loving the feel of the soft soil crumbling at her power. One day she'd use these paws to help defend and grow her clan. She heard Greyfoot coming, then saw him step through some more unidentifiable bushes.

"Swiftpaw," He growled, his blue eyes blazing furiously. "I told you to stay with me. You're my responsibility now, not FallLeaf's and we are most definitely not within the safety of the camp. If you can't follow my orders, you'll find yourself cleaning out the elder's den for a moon!" Swiftpaw kept her head up stubbornly.

"But I'm practically a warrior now! I've been training for what, five moons now?"

"Four."

"Four and a half!"

"Four and two days," Swiftpaw opened her mouth to disagree but Greyfoot stopped her. "Look Swiftpaw, I'm not here to argue with you, I'm here to train you into becoming one of Duskclan's finest warriors. And the thing you seem to have problems learning is respect. I am not your sibling, I am your mentor. So treat me like one." Swiftpaw sighed.

"But-"

"No buts. Seeing as I can't teach you discipline and respect, maybe Dewsparkle can."Swiftpaw's eyes widened as understanding dawned on her.

"You're not suggesting-" Greyfoot smiled.

"Yes, yes I am." Swiftpaw dropped her head to her paws and looked up pleadingly, with her best, 'please' look.

"Three days."

"But Dewsparkle stinks!"

"Four days."

"No I mean like herbs and gross stuff!"

"Five days."

"Oh, come on! Can't you get Fawnpaw to do it? She's more into it than me!"

"You did the crime, you face the consequences. Now stop complaining or I'll make you take a medicine cat apprenticeship like Mintpaw's doing." Swiftpaw shut up and padded after Greyfoot gloomily. It wasn't her fault she had a free spirit; it was part of her blood.

"Hey, Swiftpaw!" meowed Snowpaw cheerfully when she returned back to camp. "What's up? Why so sad? It's a beautiful day!" Swiftpaw just shook her head.

"I'll tell you later." Snowpaw's white head lowered.

"Oh, okay… Hey did you know Swiftgale's kits are almost old enough to become apprentices?" Swiftpaw shook her head. "I'm serious! Leafkit and Silverkit are almost four moons!"

"They've still got two more moons, Snowpaw." Her white sibling sighed.

"Mmm… and when we become warriors, they'll become apprentices right? Just like Rainsplash and us!" Swiftpaw smiled. Her sister was always so cheerful. The two she-cats padded over to the fresh-kill pile and shared a mouse. It was still plump from green-leaf, but Swiftpaw could taste the faint stringyness that came from hunger.

"Nice mouse; plump and juicy." Meowed Snowpaw happily. "Don't you agree?"

"Yeah; bit stringy though. Probably hadn't had a good feed for a while and was living off green-leaf fat. Means it's going to be a hungry winter for us." Snowpaw gave Swiftpaw a weird look.

"How…?" A chuckling made them turn around. A big blue she-cat sat a few tails away, her silver eyes glinting in the failing light.

"She's going to be a smart one, that one." Meowed Dewsparkle, "A natural by the looks of it. I hear your going to be helping me out for the next few days…?" Swiftpaw bowed her head, ashamed while Snowpaw watched in confusion.

"What does she mean Swiftpaw? You're not becoming a medicine cat are you?" she cried, her green eyes widening.

"No! No, Greyfoot told me I needed to learn some respect and discipline so he sent me to five days work with Dewsparkle." Snowpaw's fur flattened almost instantly and she let out the breath she'd been holding.

"But your still going to be a warrior, right?"

"Right." Interupted Dewsparkle calmly. "Well, I'll see you at dawn, Swiftpaw. It's about time I had an apprentice who doesn't know everything."

"Hey!" shouted Mintpaw from the medicine den. "I heard that!" Dewsparkle purred as she padded back to her den.

"Poor you." Meowed Snowpaw when she was gone. Swiftpaw sighed.

"I know. Oh well. I-"

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather below the Coolstone for a clan meeting!" Now? Thought Swiftpaw as she headed towards the large slate of rock that represented the Coolstone. It was icy to touch and even standing beside it made you cold. "Cats of Duskclan, young and old. Strong in both body and mind. Powerful in every aspect. Many cats as one. We are by far the greatest clan, by far the strongest and by far the best." Splashstar yowled slowly, sweeping her forest green gaze across her warriors below. "And yet we suffer under constraints set by no other than Nightclan!" The cats started mumbling and nodding, shaking heads and flexing claws. What is Splashstar getting at? Thought Swiftpaw as she watched her lithe leader talk to her clan. "Why should we let Nightclan control us? Why should we be opressed by those good for nothing squirrel-munchers?" That really got the crowds attention and even the quieter warriors like Icefeather began yowling their approval. Splashstar smiled. "It is time for three things, Duskclan, three things that will change the unfair world we live in." The clan quietened as Splashstar began to speak again, quieter. "Duskclan has suffered in the past. Duskclan has forfeited. Duskclan has fallen at the paws of its enemies!" The clan was silent now, waiting to see where this was leading. "Tomorrow brings a new era. Tomorrow, Duskclan shall not suffer!" Splashstar smiled again, wider as her clan looked on in interest and hope. "Tomorrow Duskclan will win!" The clan roared its approval. "Tomorrow," Splashstar paused so that everyone could lean in to hear. "Tomorrow," she whispered, "Duskclan will rise to extinguish its torturers! We will become the new leader of the clans! Dayclan, Dawnclan and especially Nightclan, yes Nightclan especially, will fear us! WE WILL RULE!" the roar of cats yowling shook the clearing and Swiftpaw couldn't hear herself think. Splashstar reared onto her paws so that her silhouette outlined the pink sky. "We will attack at dawn!"

"Greyfoot, you lead a patrol with Nightheart, Blazingriver, Angelheart, Sandpaw, Fawnpaw and Smokefoot." The grey deputy dipped his head. "Take them and wait North of their camp. I'll lead another patrol South, and you back-up our attack when you see us." Greyfoot nodded his tail swishing excitedly.

"And who are taking?"

"Rainsplash, Watersnake, Icefeather, FallLeaf and Snowpaw." Splashstar replied. She leapt up onto the Coolstone and the clans' eyes followed her movement intently. "Chancepaw, come here." The mottled brown she-cat stepped forward, her green eyes peering around cautiously.

"Yes, Splashstar?" she mewed meekly. The white and grey leader smiled.

"I, Splashstar, leader of Duskclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in return. Chancepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and 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. Chancepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Chancetale. Starclan honours your strength of mind and courage,and we welcome you as a full warrior of Duskclan." Splashstar laid her head on the appretice's, and Chancetale licked her shoulder.

"Chancetale! Chancetale! Chancetale!" chanted the clan as the new warrior turned to smile at her clan.

"Thankyou, Splashstar." Meowed Chancetale happily.

"You deserve it. Do you like your name?" she meowed and Chancetale nodded.

"Yes! I thought I'd be called Chanceheart but I really like Chancetale. It's different." Splashstar purred.

"That's good. Now off you go, I can see your mother just waiting to congratulate you." Chanceheart turned to see Blazingriver watching her excitedly and she raced off to see her. Splashstar smiled. Soon she'd have kits of her own…

"Splashstar!" called Dewsparkle as she turned around.

"Yes, Dewsparkle?" she meowed worriedly when she saw the seriousness in the medicine cat's eyes. "What's wrong?"

"There are murderers on our land."

Oops! Another cliff-hanger! Sorry, couldn't help it:) Anyway hope you enjoyed it. Lots of talking but yeah…anyway next chapter's on Dayclan! Squawk! The birds are back=)

~Jaffa Maze