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CHAPTER 20
"Tigerstar had been training Hawkfrost and Brambleclaw to rule the Clans," Mousefur explained as Nightpaw searched through her dark brown fur for ticks, "through dreams. Isn't Tigerstar so…ambitious?" Nightpaw rolled her eyes as she attacked a tick behind Mousefur's ear with mouse bile.
"Brambleclaw fought the urge to kill Firestar, but Hawkfrost came on too strong," Mousefur continued. "One day Firestar was in the forest…I can't quite remember what he was doing. Brambleclaw found Firestar caught in a fox trap!" Daisy's kits, Rosekit and Toadkit (who were listening to the elders' story) looked shocked, their little eyes wide.
"Hawkfrost had done it," Mousefur rasped. "Brambleclaw had managed to undo the fox trap that was around Firestar's neck…but he took Hawkfrost's life. This proved to Firestar that Brambleclaw was loyal to ThunderClan."
Nightpaw was about to hiss something at Mousefur when Toadkit mewed, "Was Tigerstar the evilest cat in the whole forest?" His black and white fur bristled with terror and excitement.
Longtail shook his head. "He could've been, though. I used to be a follower of Tigerstar, but only until I found out his ambitious plans. He killed the queen, Brindleface; he led the dog pack into the forest, which killed an apprentice, Swiftpaw, and Bluestar. The dogs also ravaged Brightheart's face."
"Wow!" Rosekit squealed. "He is the evilest cat in the whole forest! How did he die?"
Nightpaw didn't listen anymore, because she was finished with both the elders' ticks. Sorreltail had left her with the job as a punishment and had disappeared. Nightpaw exited the elders' den and into the bright sunlight. A few cats were eating underneath the Highledge. Firestar was amongst them.
Nightpaw padded to the fresh-kill pile, grabbed a sparrow, and was about to pad to the apprentices' den, but Sorreltail stopped her. "Oh, no, you don't," Sorreltail hissed. "You're taking that to the elders and Daisy, first. Then you can eat."
Growling, Nightpaw grabbed a rabbit and took it to the elders' den. They didn't look thankful, but they said, "Thank you, Nightpaw." The black apprentice gave the plump, juicy sparrow (that she had wanted to eat) to Daisy and her pesky kits.
The only good-looking piece of prey left on the pile was a mouse that had been caught the previous day. So it wasn't fresh. Sighing, Nightpaw picked it up in her teeth and slumped over to the apprentices' den. Lionpaw and Hollypaw were eating beside the den.
"Hello, Nightpaw," Lionpaw greeted, glancing up from his meal. Hollypaw waved her tail. "We're finally becoming warriors today! I believe on the next half-moon, Jaypaw will earn his medicine cat name." Nightpaw felt a spark of happiness for her kin. Finally, after these long 10 or so moons, they were becoming warriors!
Their warrior ceremonies had been postponed because of Hollypaw having her kits. Lionpaw, Jaypaw, and Hollypaw had promised each other that they would earn their names together, and so Lionpaw and Jaypaw hadn't become warriors until Hollypaw's kits were apprentices.
Purring, Nightpaw settled down beside the entrance to the den and devoured her mouse quickly. Hollypaw scooted towards her kit and licked her on the ear. "I heard you had your first training session today with Sorreltail. She told me how disrespectful of the warrior code you were."
Nightpaw froze in mid-lick across her paw. How could Sorreltail tell her mother about that? Tigerstar and Hawkfrost had told her that the warrior code was for weaklings who wanted to be perfect, like medicine cats. It wasn't for ambitious, strong cats that were willing to fight through other cats to be stronger than them.
Hollypaw stared softly at her kit. "Is there anything you would like to say about that?" Her voice was stern, but it had a little gentleness in it. Nightpaw sighed and shook her head. Hollypaw licked her daughter again and followed Firestar's call from the Highledge.
Nightpaw stood up and padded over to her siblings, who had just then returned. Thrushpaw was looking very proud, and Ashenpaw and Lightpaw looked slightly jealous. "What happened?" Nightpaw asked Ashenpaw.
The black tom sighed in distress. "Nothing."
"At long last, it is time for two of our apprentices to become warriors," Firestar announced. Lightpaw bounced, and Thrushpaw seemed very pleased. Ashenpaw's fur bristled with excitement.
"Hollypaw, Lionpaw, now that Hollypaw's kits have become apprentices, it's time for your warrior names," Firestar meowed. "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Lionpaw and Hollypaw both declared in unison, "I do!"
"By the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior names," Firestar mewed. "Lionpaw, you will be known as Lionclaw. StarClan honor your courage and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Lionclaw licked Firestar's shoulder and padded proudly off the Highledge.
"Hollypaw, you will be known as Hollytail. StarClan honor your courage and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Hollytail bent her head down and rasped her tongue over her kin's shoulder, and then padded off. Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw were beaming with pride. Jaypaw congratulated his siblings at the bottom of the Highledge.
"Congratulations, Hollytail!" Ashenpaw mewed, dipping his head in respect for his mother. He licked her muzzle. Lightpaw bounced over to her mother and purred in happiness. Nightpaw nodded to Hollytail and Lionclaw, indicating that she was happy for them, and made her way to the apprentices' den.
She and her siblings were now the only apprentices in the Clan. No other cat was in the den; they were all out congratulating the two new warriors. Nightpaw stretched out and groomed her fur until it shined, even though the roof blocked out the faint moonlight.
It had been a long day, and now it was finally time to train with Tigerstar and Hawkfrost.
Eek. Nightpaw is NOT evil, I'm just telling you that. She's just wily and proud and ambitious. NOT evil.
xx-Starfall-xx