"Shadowheart! Wake up!" I felt a paw jab me in the side. "You actually slept in for once." I opened my eyes to see Wildstar looking down on me. I stretched slowly and took a great big yawn."Is something wrong?" she asked. "No, It's just that... I actually dreamed last night. I didn't go to Starclan." "Well that's weird... no one needed to talk to you I guess." I gave her a look as she walked out of the den without another word. I got up and stretched once more looking around the den. I was the only one in there. I poked my head out of the den and looked around. All of the kits were outside of the nursery chasing each other around the tree in the middle of the camp. The elders in the corner next to the nursery laughing as Sandkit tries to catch Mouseheart's tail. Wildstar was sitting on the high ledge overlooking everything.
My apprentice came up to me. "Wildstar told me you needed to rest so I stayed in the camp until you awakened." He said shyly. "Thank you Owlpaw. What would you like to do today? You decide." I said plainly washing my chest. He thought for a couple seconds taking his time. It was almost sunhigh so we didn't have that much time to do anything super exciting. He looked at me. "I think I want to hunt." "Youthink you want to? Do you not know or not?" I questioned jokingly. He gave me a look and said "I want to hunt Shadowheart." "Alright. Lets go." I flicked his ears with my tail and then ran through the tunnel. I stopped in an opening and looked around. He knew all of the hunting techniques now I just watched him for a little bit. "You know what. I think I'm going to talk to Wildstar... about, something..." He gave me a look but kept on smelling for prey.
I turned around and headed for camp. I ran at top speed , I slid into camp and stopped with a halt. Walking casually toward Wildstar's den I looked in. "Wildfire?" I asked cautiously. "Yes Shadowheart?" "I was just wondering... do you think Owlpaw, Mistpaw and Ashpaw are ready to be warriors? They've been through two trials already and I think there ready for their third." Wildstar looked like she was thinking. "I think you're right... Why don't we do it this afternoon? Once all of them are here together." "Great! I will see you later then." "Bye." She said her eyes sparkling in the dusty den. I turned and walked through the tunnel once more.and then ran to where I left Owlpaw. I opened my mouth breathing in his scent. Following it I found him stalking a squirrel that was eating a nut under a tree. He had the advantage of the wind and he had feathery paws walking up to it.
When he was about a tail length away he pounced snapping the squirrel's neck in the process. "Nice catch." I said. He jumped in the air totally surprised. "Geez, you scared me..." He said a little out of breath. "Haha, sorry. How many did you catch?" "I caught three squirrels." "I think that's enough. What do you think?" "Um, yeah. It's perfect." "Great. I'll grab one and you can grab the others." I picked up the biggest one and started walking back. We slipped into camp and set his catch down on the pile. I noticed Fuzzypatch and Dustwhisker were underneath the highledge. I walked over to them. "Hey guys. I'm guessing Wildstar talked to you?" "Yeah and we totally agree." Dustwhisker said first. "We need to find three cats that are willing to battle them in the end. Who do you think?" Fuzzypatch asked. "Senior warriors?" Dustwhisker asked.
As we were talking a warrior from a different clan walked in being escorted by Leopardpelt and Leafstorm with Tinypaw in back. The warrior walked up to me and sat down glaring at Leopardpelt as she walked past. He was grey with black paws. "Who are you and what do you want?" I asked curiously. "My names Fastheart and I was told to come and tell you that Zrune has been seen inside of Windclan." "Oh, really..." I said thoughtfully. "Thank you Fastheart, you're troubles have not gone unnoticed. Escort him to the border." I told Leafstorm and Tinypaw. "You're welcome Shadowheart." he bowed his head and then turned and left."Where were we?" I asked Dustwhisker and Fuzzypatch. "Do you think we could do senior warriors?" Dustwhisker asked once more.
"Like who?" "Leopardpelt, Stormpath and Mossfur." Fuzzypatch said looking at the three cats talking under the tree. "Perfect. Why don't you go ask them." Fuzzypatch broke off. "Now, each of them have to catch three prey and then once they are done we give the signal to the three warriors and they surround them. Alright?" "Yep, got it." "Great." Fuzzypatch walked back with the three following. "You guys should head into the forest right now and we'll find you later when we're ready to give you the signal." "Okay." Leopardpelt replied turning around, Mossfur and Stormpath followed. "Alright lets round up our soon to be warriors." I said finding them talking under the tree. "Who's ready for their final assessment?" I asked them. "Oh boy..." Mistpaw said nervously. "You betcha!" Owlpaw said pumped.
"For the final one, all three of you need to catch three prey. So lets begin." "Wait what? Just three? That's it?" Ashpaw asked. "Oh you'll see..." Dustwhisker said. I gave him a look and he just kept his head down.We entered the woods and we left them in a clearing. I went up a tree and signaled them to enter ones across the way. "This doesn't seem right..." Mistpaw said looking around. "We don't have all day. Lets just catch these prey and get it over with." Owlpaw said opening his mouth a crack. I opened my mouth to try and scent Leopardpelt. Finding her instantly I jumped from tree to tree and landed on hers. Mossfur and Stormpath were with her. "Okay. Leopardpelt you're going for Owlpaw and Stormpath you're going for Mistpaw and Mossfur you're going for Ashpaw." "Sounds good." "Now just follow them and once all of them have three prey jump down."
Leopardpelt nodded and then followed Owlpaw's scent trail, Mossfur and Stormpath did the same. I jumped back to my original tree to find Owlpaw was done and so was Ashpaw and they were just waiting on Mistpaw. "Got it! All three!" She mumbled in between fur. I flicked my tail hoping they saw. I saw Leopardpelt close in on Owlpaw and Stormpath close in on Mistpaw and then Mossfur closed in on Ashpaw. "I knew it!" Ashpaw hissed. Ashpaw dived underneath Mossfur and scratched his underside and got out before he could fall on her. Mossfur yowled in surprise falling anyway. Leopardpelt and Owlpaw were scratching noses while Mistpaw was dancing around Stormpath scratching his sides and staying behind. Leopardpelt dived for Owlpaw and he dodged at the last minute. Jumping on her before she could get up.
He held her down into submission and she wasn't able to move under him. I knew why he was doing this, this maybe a practice with claws but he didn't want to kill her. He has a perfect opportunity right now. Ashpaw and Mossfur were up on their hind legs, but they broke off anyway and Ashpaw crashed into Mossfur and she pinned him. Mistpaw finally crashed into Stormpath after teasing him by dancing around him. The three of us jumped down from our perches calling the battle off. "Nice job everybody. Lets get you guys patched up and then we'll have a chat. You three have the afternoon off." I said motioning toward the apprentices. We all walked back to camp and Leopardpelt, Stormpath and Mossfur went to the Medicine Den. While the apprentices rested under the tree. I walked into the Medicine den with Dustwhisker and Fuzzypatch to chat with the others.
"What did you guys think?" "I don't know who but they're much stronger than us" Stormpath said with a smile. "Owlpaw could of easily killed me..." Leopardpelt said. "I think I'm the only one with the worst scratches." Mossfur said disappointed. "You guys think they're ready?".I asked finally. "Of course." "Then once you guys are done we will announce it." I nodded my head to all three and left. I marched over to Wildstar to tell her the good news. "Wildstar? They definitely passed!" I said walking in. "That's great! We will announce it once the patrols get back." Wildstar thought. "Awesome!" I said turning to leave. "Wait Shadowheart..." "Yes?" "You're doing great..." she said with love in her eyes. I walked over to her and put my head on hers. "I can tell you hate being in here all the time. Why don't you go on a patrol tomorrow?"
"You're right Shadowheart I certainly do hate being in here. A patrol would be great..." I sat down next to her and put my tail around her shoulders. "Do you have names for them yet?" "Yes." "Well your fast..." "I thought of them while they were doing their assessment." "Ah, clever...I'll check if everyones back." I got up and glanced outside. Mostly everybody was laying down in the setting sun. I turned and nodded to her and then walked down to the bottom of the hill. She walked gracefully out of her den and then sat down on the tip of the highledge. "Let all those old enough to catch their own prey come join me beneath the highledge." She announced. Everybody got up and formed a crowd. Ashpaw, Owl and Mistpaw were at their spots at the bottom. "Today three apprentices become warriors before us, making our clan even stronger."
She said looking down at the soon to be warriors. She jumped down from her perch landing in front of everybody. "Owlpaw please step forward." Owlpaw walked forward not a nervous image in sight. "I, Wildstar, leader of Thunderclan, call upon my warrior 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." She paused like always. "Owlpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" "I do." Owlpaw nodded in return. "Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. Owlpaw, from this moment you will be known as Owleyes. Starclan honors your hunting skills and bravery, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Thunderclan."
Wildstar put her head on his and he licked her shoulder as tradition. "Owleyes! Owleyes! Owleyes!" The clan shouted, he seemed to be popular among the clan. Once everyone died down Wildstar spoke, "Mistpaw step forward." Mistpaw walked in front of Wildstar and sat down. "I, Wildstar, leader of Thunderclan, 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 her turn. Mistpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" "I do." she said nervously. "Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. Mistpaw, from this moment you will be known as Mistflower. Starclan honors your cleverness and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Thunderclan."
Wildstar did the same thing and then Mistflower licked her shoulder, turned and headed for Owleyes. "Mistflower! Mistflower! Mistflower!" The camp was at a uproar. Finally it died down leaving Ashpaw as the last one. "Ashpaw, please step forward." Wildstar said looking over at her. Ashpaw walked over head held high and sat down in front of Wildstar looking directly in her eyes. "I, Wildstar, leader of Thunderclan, 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 her turn. Ashpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Ashpaw smiled and said, "I do." "Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. Ashpaw, from this moment you will be known as Ashbreeze. Starclan honors your intelligence and speed, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Thunderclan."
Wildstar laid her head down on hers and then Ashbreeze licked her shoulder, turning and heading for her brother and sister. "Ashbreeze! Ashbreeze! Ashbreeze!" The clan shouted and then surrounded the new warriors congratulating them. The clan then dispersed heading for their dens. "You three will sit vigil tonight. Have fun." Wildstar said winking at them and then headed for her den. I followed her inside and sat down. "What is it Shadow?" "You're not going to like this..." "What...?"
He'scoming...