Ummm…
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STRIPES
Everyone knew by now that Sootstripe was evil.
A good-for-nothing-but-killing, murderous, treacherous monster.
"Stripepaw, come get ready for your ceremony!" Creekfur called. The young, muscular dark brown tabby tom nodded and continued grooming himself. He wanted to look his best for his warrior ceremony.
"Stripepaw, you're so lucky!" a she-cat's bitter voice mewed from behind him. He turned to see his sister, Sorrelpaw, and her best friend, Rosepaw.
Sorrelpaw pouted. "It's so unfair that you get your warrior ceremony before us. We're good apprentices, right?"
Stripepaw nodded. "Of course you are. It is pretty unfair, isn't it? But I can't turn down the offer to serve my Clan in an even stronger role, can I?"
"I suppose not," Rosepaw sighed. "But just because you killed that stupid fox, you get to become a warrior. We helped you kill it! We led it to you." She sniffed. "So unfair."
"Life's unfair," Creekfur pointed out, stepping in between the siblings. "The ceremony is about to begin. Come sit down."
Rosepaw and Sorrelpaw turned and padded to a spot beneath the High Hill.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey meet beneath the High Hill for a Clan meeting!" Foxstar called out the usual meeting call, and cats rose to their paws and padded over to the crowd of cats.
"Today is a very special day for a young apprentice to become a warrior," Foxstar announced. "Stripepaw, please step forward. Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
"I d-" Before Stripepaw could finish his sentence, a yowl split through the air. A large group of fierce-looking rogues streamed into the camp, snarling and hissing. Foxstar bristled. "WindClan! Attack!"
The warriors of WindClan leapt forward at the rogues. Stripepaw flung himself off of the High Hill and squarely onto the shoulders of a mighty gray-and-white tom in a surprise attack. The tom hissed in surprise and reared up onto his hind legs, trying to shake Stripepaw off his back. The apprentice would not let go, however. Holding on with one unsheathed paw, he swiped his claws at the tom's ears, leaving long gashes in them. The tom wailed loudly, spun around, and fled the camp. Stripepaw leapt off and turned around, his ears flat and fur bristling.
The rogues gaped at him, and then turned to a large dark gray tom, who was most likely the leader.
The dark gray tom hurled himself at Stripepaw, but the apprentice was too swift. He slipped underneath the tom's belly and batted at him with his forepaws, slamming him to the ground. He pinned the leader down and sank his fangs into his throat.
Gasps rippled throughout the group of rogues. They stared at Stripepaw in horror as he licked the blood off his claws and turned to face them. "Who's next?"
Squealing in terror, the rogues darted out of the camp.
"Stripepaw…that was amazing!" Sorrelpaw exclaimed.
Stripepaw shrugged. "No cat ruins my ceremony."
"Well, come up here, then!" Foxstar meowed. Stripepaw sprang up onto the High Hill again and sat down. Not a scratch on him, or even a hair out of place!
"Now, Stripepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Foxstar asked. Stripepaw dipped his head. "I do."
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. From this day forward, you will be known as Stripefoot. StarClan honors your bravery and magnificent strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of WindClan."
"Stripefoot! Stripefoot!" the whole Clan cheered. Rosepaw cheered especially loudly. She gazed at Stripefoot's dark tabby fur. The wispy willow tree that hung over the High Hill made even more stripes on his pelt, and his amber eyes glittered intelligently and proudly.
Oh, so many stripes…
Umm, okay. Weird chapter. But this was kinda hard!
xx-Starfall-xx
