Chapter Twenty Eight

*Hailpaw*

It's noon and the older paws are gathered around the fresh-kill pile. We all just returned from various patrols and we're getting our strength back for an assessment. We all want to be warriors, but not to the point where we can't stand it anymore.

"I wonder what the assessment will be on." Owlpaw mews as she eats a squirrel.

"What does it matter?" Tinypaw asks, shooting her an affection look, "You'll be fine either way."

She sighs and mews, "Maybe not. But I'd still like to know."

"Well they're keeping it from us for a reason." Cloudpaw mews, "Most likely to throw us off."

"Yeah," Cloudypaw mews, following his friend effortlessly, "You never know what life is going to throw at you. They want to make sure were prepared."

"Okay Clouds shut up with your philosophy." Mosspaw replies as she lays her head down – possibly for a short catnap.

"Never!" Cloudpaw declares, but then he starts laughing.

"Okay I love you bro, but you are not philosophical." Flamepaw mews rolling her eyes.

"I know!" Cloudpaw replies brightly.

Moonpaw and Featherpaw walk by then, both holding moss. Moonpaw sees me and smiles, her blue eyes lighting up as she waves her tail. I grin back and wave my tail in greeting.

"Someone's got a crush!" Thornpaw mews in a sing-song voice as soon as they disappear into the nursery.

"You're one to talk." I shoot back without missing a beat. He narrows his eyes at me as the others laugh.

"Do you really like her?" Spottedpaw asks, turning to me.

"Um…" I mew shifting as everyone stares at me. "Yeah." I mew at last, "I do."

"EEEEEEEEEEEP!" All of the girls squeal causing us boys to jump as our ears shatter.

"StarClan some warning next time!" Cloudypaw yelps.

"There will not be a next time." Tinypaw grumbles, but I know that there will be.

"StarClan that is so cu-te!" Mosspaw mews.

"We have got to tell Moonpaw!" Spottedpaw declares.

"NO!" I yelp, making everyone jump again, "I'll tell her myself."

"When?" Owlpaw demands as Flamepaw stares appraisingly at me.

"When I…. when I figure out how. But I don't want her finding out from you guys." I mew seriously.

"Okay." Flamepaw agrees causing the others to whine, "Stop." She mews halting their whines, "I know Hailpaw, he's going to do something really sweet and we shouldn't ruin it."

All of the girls coo over me and the guys shoot me deeply disgusted looks. I take rather large offense to that because both of my dear brothers, Thornpaw and Tinypaw, have been way worse. Thornpaw was to nauseating to be around during most of his and Fallensnow's relationship (they've finally toned it down since warriors apparently refuse to deal with it) and Tinypaw's been disgustingly sweet since he and Owlpaw got together.

However I am stopped from voicing these retorts by the appearance of Brackenfur and Hollyleaf.

"We're here to get you for the assessment." Brakenfur mews. We get up and Cloudypaw and Tinypaw stick close to their mentors. When we get out into the forest where all of our mentors are waiting I join Bumblestripe.

"So your assessment will split you into two groups." Brakenfur mews once everyone is standing by their mentors, "One groups will go to the training hollow for a battle assessment while the other will have a hunting assessment.

"Cloudpaw, Mosspaw, Spottedpaw, Tinypaw, and Hailpaw will be the battle assessment, while Flamepaw, Owlpaw, Cloudypaw, and Thornpaw will be the hunting assessment."

Our mentors motion for us to stand and we do walking to the training hollow, leaving the hunting group behind.

"What do you think the assessment is going to be?" Spottedpaw asks.

"Mock fights probably." Tinypaw replies. I keep my eyes on the mentors as they walk in front of us. Hollyleaf and Foxleap are walking together and chatting, but they're mates so that's not surprising. Whitewing watches Bumblestripe and Toadstep goof around while rolling her eyes.

"I don't think it'll be mock fights." I mew after a few beats of silence, stressing the s.

"Why?" Cloudypaw asks.

"Because we're an uneven number," I reply, "We could have been a group of four. No I think it will be a mock fight." I mew, stressing the a.

"What's the difference?" Mosspaw asks impatiently.

"Well I think we'll all be fighting one another." I reply.

"Oh... that's a big difference." Mosspaw mutters.

"Yeah," I reply with a flick of my tail.

When we get to the hollow the mentors sit down to face us. "Today we will be using a mock fight to assess your progress." Foxleap mews and I shoot everyone a look.

"The difference in a mock fight is that you will all be fighting at once, using whatever moves or skills you can think of," Hollyleaf explains, "It can be every cat for themselves or you can form alliances during the fight. But as per usual, no claws and no teeth. We don't want anyone to get hurt here."

We all murmur assent and the mentors back off, each of them going to a specific point in the hollow to observe us. "Okay, get ready! And: go!" Whitewing calls.

In a second, Tinypaw is flying at me. Perhaps he heard my earlier not so nice thoughts towards him. I roll out of the way and pounce on him, making him gasp in shock, "And I thought of making an alliance with you!" I hiss in his ear before I leap away to where Mosspaw and Spottedpaw are fighting Cloudpaw. I come up alongside him and push him away, causing him to go flying.

"You up for extending your alliance?" I ask.

They grin identical evil grins and mew, "Absolutely."

"Look out!" Spottedpaw suddenly mews, leaping over me to meet Tinypaw in the air. She bowls him over and pins him. I glance over at Cloudpaw and dart over to him, before starting to grapple.

I hear a startled shriek but I don't have time to look away, so I just focus on Cloudpaw. Suddenly he jumps and spins, hitting me with his back paw. I go flying, but roll instead of hitting the ground, and then spring back up.

I leap toward him and he backs up, so I land lightly before shooting out a paw to whack him. We grapple again and then I head-butt him. He falls and instead of pinning him I sit on him.

Taking the chance to look around I see Tinypaw practically getting massacred under the blows of both Mosspaw and Spottedpaw. Then suddenly Cloudpaw heaves up and I roll off of him. I scramble up and backwards as he comes running at me. I employ the side swipe, but he dodges it.

I leap up and Cloudpaw turns around confused, not seeing where I'd gone. So I land on him hard and he hits the ground. He's struggling to get up when the mentors call time. I get off him quickly and help him up.

"You all did very well," Bumblestripe mews.

"I think this would have gone differently though, if you used claws and teeth like in a real battle." Toadstep mews as we gather up, all panting heavily.

"Toadstep's right," Whitewing agrees, "Many of you left yourselves exposed, which could have led to serious injuries if this was a real battle. Just something to think on."

"Now you can all head back to Camp," Hollyleaf mews, smiling warmly at us, "Get a good meal and go to sleep early. You've all earned it."

We don't need to be told twice. All of us head off at once, panting and wishing we'd got put in the hunting group.

*Flamepaw*

The battle group leaves and Brackenfur turns to us, "Now all of you will be hunting individually and your mentor will be tracking you like normal. Do the best you can. Your mentor will stop you when time is up."

"Wait it's timed?" Thornpaw demands. I roll my eyes at him, duh that's what he just said!

"Yes Thornpaw this is timed." Brakenfur mews, "So I would suggest you all stay focused. Good luck and good hunting."

Taking that as our cue to start, we all leave in different directions. I know Owlpaw likes to hunt in trees and that Thornpaw sticks to the underbrush. I'm not sure where Cloudypaw hunts, but I figure if I hunt along the way to the stream on the WindClan border and get a few voles there I should be good.

So I set off at a fast but silent walk, scanning the forest with my mouth open to constantly taste the air.

I come up on a squirrel a few paces from the area where we were given our assessments. It's struggling with something and hasn't noticed me, but the wind is against me and it will soon. So I get down low and spring, flying through the air. I'd misjudged the jump and come up just behind the squirrel. Apparently though, it is very stupid because it runs right into my claws.

Picking it up I continue on, I'll bury it somewhere closer to the stream. At the next turn I come across a woodpecker and a shrew. I want both but I don't know if I can do it. I'll take down the woodpecker first, that way it can't sound an alarm. I place my squirrel down and slither up to the tree. The bird must be very intent on its job, because it doesn't even notice.

I get right up to the tree and go up on my back legs, silently thanking Squirrelflight. Then I reach out and slam the bird's head against the tree, snapping its neck. I catch it and place it gently on the ground.

Next I stalk my way to the shrew. It catches my scent and runs, but I leap and land perfectly on it, killing it with a nip. Trotting back over to the tree to fetch the bird I see that it is gone, I look to where I put the squirrel and see that it too has vanished. I catch Squirrelflight's scent and grin.

Then I head off to the stream.

When I reach the stream I've added three mice to the list and I see with happiness that four fat voles lounge on the banks of the stream. I slither up, downwind and hoping that the sun will make my pelt look like a glare. I'm right on the first one before it notices and I kill it before it can squeak. The second one goes the same way, but the third catches my movement and squeaks in alarm. Hearing this, the fourth disappears, but I race to the third and stun it before I kill it.

I look around angrily for the vanished fourth, but it's gone.

"Don't worry." Squirrelflight mews, leaping down from a tree, "You did very well and time's up anyways."

"Still though." I mutter, flicking my tail.

"Give thanks to StarClan," Squirrelflight mews, suddenly strewn, "You caught a woodpecker, a shrew, a squirrel, three mice and three voles. That is plenty."

I nod abashed and give thanks to StarClan. Then I join her and she fetches the rest of my prey, we head back to camp carrying my catch between us.

"Why is this not enough?" She asks after we are well into the forest.

I sigh and mew, "I want to prove that I'm no longer the skittish kit everyone had to protect. I'm not a harmless little fly. I'm stronger than I used to be."

"We do know that." Squirrelflight replies firmly, "Everyone does. Besides, you can prove it to them every day instead of waiting for an assessment. Do you understand?"

"Yes." I mew, hanging my head.

We meet back up with the others on the walk to camp. Owlpaw has mostly birds and squirrels, so she must have been in the trees. Thornpaw has shrew, mice, and voles while Cloudypaw has a mix. I notice though that I'm the only one with water voles.

"You've all done well!" Poppyfrost mews, "With hunters like you all, ThunderClan will never go hungry!"

All our pelts warm under her praise and I feel a bit better, it doesn't matter what anyone thinks of me, all that matters is keeping ThunderClan safe and healthy. I can do that.


Soooo what did you think? I tried to continue with the "make the assessments different" thing but there's not really that many ways to do a hunting assessment.

Well review please and tell me what you think!=)

Quote- "You're the weak one. And you'll never know love or friendship. And I feel sorry for you." ~Harry Potter, Order of the Phoenix, movie. Because it's a really powerful moment even if it wasn't in the books.

~Midnight=)