Hello! Still relieved that the issue has been sorted out! Anyway, I just had the WORST day of my life. OSSLT in the morning, followed bylunch, during which all my friends left me alone for science and English in the afternoon. Both classes we did nothing! NOTHING! Except for sit around in science doing NOTHING, and in English carry desks from the big gym across the school, upstairs, and down the hall to our class. I had to carry THREE, and I'm tiny. Seriously, practically no muscle, and I'm somewhat scrawny. I'm about 5'3, and I weigh about 126. Then we had to fill out some survey thing, which was followed by an attempt to watch Ghost of Mississippi (I'm assuming that's part of the curriculum, we're reading To Kill a Mockingbird)' but the VHS player ate the tape. Seriously, the thing got jammed, and when my teacher tried to get it out, all the tapey stuff was pulled out. The movie then made a short trip from the VHS player to the garbage. Then I was tormented at home. So basically, the day was average other than at school. Making it worse than usual. Wow, my life sucks! And to think I wondered why I'm always so miserable... Oh well, there are several people who have it worse than me. But seriously, I'm getting sick of putting up with this.

From now on you can vote for the series title on a poll that will be on my profile. Too difficult keeping track of votes. Now, this book will hopefully be done by my birthday on April 13. Which is when I turn 16. Not particularly looking forward to that. Anyway, on my birthday (if this is indeed done by then) I will post the newest instalment in this series: Hopeflower's Destiny (or Prophecy. There's something else to vote on!).

Hollyleaf: Wait. So this one is coming to an end? When!

Aduial: Within a few more chapters.

Blackstar: So it won't be super long like the last one?

Aduial: Nope. But with luck the next few chapters will be pretty long. It's what I'm aiming for. I'm thinking 25 chapters at the most. It'll end at the warriors ceremonies.

Moonpaw: Wow. This story is finally coming to an end.

Aduial: I know. There wasn't as much I could put into this one. No major battles or travelling like in the original. And I wanted to leave a bit of a cliffy for a little while, ending at one point and starting at another. But here's what you can expect in the final chapter of this story: Shock, betrayal, excitement, romance, and of course my trademark: A surprise ending. At least I hope that's my trademark. I unfortunately have only ever finished one story, Hollyleaf's Redemption. But yeah, expect a surprise ending.

Hopepaw: But if it's a surprise ending, and you just told them to expect that, how is it still a surprise?

Aduial Rana: They don't know what the surprise is.

Hopepaw: Ahhh. Of course. Excellent point, Aduial.

Aduial: Either way, let's just get on to the chapter before the Author's note becomes longer than the chapter.

Chapter 19

The Final Assessment

Moonpaw and her fellow apprentices sat in the camp. Today was the day. Their final assessment. The end of their training was almost there.

The deputy, Rowanclaw, finally came out of Blackstar's den.

"It's time," he mewed. He led the apprentices out into the forest. Moonpaw trembled. She could feel eyes watching her. The eyes of those once alive, but who were now lost and separated.

They reached the training hollow, and Rowanclaw assigned them there missions. The apprentices separated to hunt. Moonpaw felt a rush of nervousness at being alone. What if the misty-pelts were there? What if they did something to her? She frced herself to stay calm as she caught the scent of mouse. She dropped into a perfect hunter's crouch, and made her wa towards the unsuspecting creature a couple tail-lengths away. She soon caught the creature, turning it into fresh-kill. Then the scent of blood caught her nose. Not the scent of mouse-blood, but cat blood. Cat blood. She perked up her ears. The scent wasn't too far off, she would surely hear something. She did. A screech of pain. A familiar voice was making that screech. Her blood ran cool and her heart quickened as she recognized the voice making the screech.

Rowanclaw! The deputy was in trouble. Mouse forgotten, she ran towards the deputy's voice.

"Moonpaw!" meowed Ashpaw. "Did you hear that?"

"Yes!" she replied as she raced alongside the other apprentice towards the deputy. "Rowanclaw's in trouble!"

"We have to help him!" mewed Hopepaw, pelting rom the bush towards the other apprentices. Soon, all the apprentices being assessed were racing together towards the endangered deputy.

They all skidded to a halt in a clearing. Rowanclaw was fighting off ten DarkClan cats. The deputy was badly wounded.

"Rowanclaw!" yowled Ashpaw, leaping into the fray. The apprentice lashed out at enemy warriors viciously, followed quickly by his denmates.

As Moonpaw fought for her life, she was amazed by her sister Hopepaw. Hopepaw, normally a little timid in battle training, always calm, kind, caring, and loving, was now bristling in anger as she fought viciously with a large DarkClan tom. Hopepaw's pale green eyes shone with fury.

Moonpaw turned her attention back to the she-cat she was fighting, and lashed a paaw across her eyes, claws unsheathed. The she-cat screeched in pain, before turning to flee, yowling. She looked for another cat to fight with, and saw that most had been driven off by now. The last few were being driven off, tails between their legs as they fled.

"Great job," gasped Rowanclaw. "You all fought like warriors." The deputy was leaning heavily to one side as blood oozed from a large gash across his left shoulder.

"Are you alright, Rowanclaw?" adked Lakepaw, eyes full of concern.

"Nothing Flametail can't handle," he replied. "Come on, get any prey you caught. Your assesment's over. You all fought like warriors. I think that Blackstar may make you warriors after this."

"Really?" Ashpaw's eyes widened in joy. His sister Brightpaw gaped. Moonpaw's eyes shone. Warriors. They'd fought like warriors. She may be a warrior after this.

But deep down, her stomach was churning. Warriors. She had been a warrior in her dream. The closer she came to being a warrior, the closer the clans were to the battle. The battle that would determine their fate. ecause of that, she wasn't sure she ever wanted to be a warrior. She just wished she could go backto being a kit. Life had been so uncomplicated then.

"Come on," Rowanclaw grunted, taking a step, wincing as his ad leg hit the ground. "Let's get back to camp."

"Intruder! There's an intruder!" yowled a guard at the WindClan camp. Echopaw raced out of the apprentices den, skidding to a halt, eyes wide, as she recognized Lightning.

"It's a rogue!" screeched anther cat. "Defend the nursery!"

Lightning's eyes were ide in horror, and he was out of breath, gasping. His pelt was ruffled and bristling. "Help!" he yowled when he caught his breath, before collapsing unconscious.

Suspense. My favourite thing to put in chapters. Hope you liked it.

Hollyleaf: Oooh, things are getting good!

Aduial: I know right?