Chapter 11

Meadowpaw jerked awake. He realized that a screech had awoken him. He looked up to see his sister tearing angrily at her bedding. He sank deeper into his nest, watching Blossompaw with a look of pure disdain. She's gone completely fog-brained! He concluded as he watched Blossompaw continue.

Blossompaw noticed him, glancing to the side and meeting his eyes. She transferred a question between their green gazes: 'What are you looking at?', and then sighed before leaving the den. Meadowpaw lifted his head and looked at the other apprentices with a quizzical look.

"What's up with her?" Firepaw watched her leave, flicking his tail and sitting up.

Icepaw sat up next to him twitching her nose. "I have no idea."

"It's none of your business." Meadowpaw grumbled, still feeling salty about the arguments he had with both Blossompaw and Bisonpaw the day before.

"I forgot you weren't on the patrol with us." Bisonpaw lifted her head and got into a more comfortable position, ignoring Meadowpaw. Then, she explained what had happened with Blossompaw and how she had talked back to Shadedbramble and insulted Twigbee.

"Hmph." Firepaw snorted, "Who would have guessed?"

"Certainly not you, mouse-brain!" Icepaw teased, shoving her brother playfully.

"Hey!" Firepaw shoved his sister in return. Icepaw's eyes lit up with a mischievous look. She leapt at Firepaw, tumbling home over, and the two began wrestling. Bisonpaw laughed at them from where she lay.

Meadowpaw rolled his eyes and looked around the den. He noticed the absence of Frogpaw and Rootpaw and tensed, looking around more carefully. "Hey," Meadowpaw called the other apprentices' attention.

Firepaw and Icepaw pulled apart, panting and looking over at Meadowpaw, "What?" They asked, speaking in unison.

"Where are Frogpaw and Rootpaw?"

All four apprentices were silent, Firepaw, Icepaw, and Bisonpaw finally noticing the other two apprentices were missing.

Bisonpaw shrugged after awhile, "They probably went out on patrol, or went to get food."

"But they normally never get up this early! The sun is barely up." Meadowpaw pointed out.

"I'm sure it's fine." Bisonpaw reassured Meadowpaw.

"Well I'm going outside to look." Meadowpaw hissed at Bisonpaw, pushed past the other apprentices, and exited the den.

The cold breeze hit him and he shivered, fluffing up his fur against the cold. He scanned the camp. Blossompaw was eating a scrawny looking shrew by the prey-pile, Dawnlight was wandering around camp, waiting for more cats to awake, which was, in fact, happening very slowly. With one last scan, he noticed that Frogpaw and Rootpaw in an excited conversation with Nettletongue. Frogpaw's green eyes were alight with excitement, Rootpaw's tail swished back and forth happily, and Nettletongue was listening calmly with a grin.

Meadowpaw scowled; Bisonpaw had been right. He didn't like it. That means she could be right about other things, other things he didn't want her to be right about, like Firepaw. Firepaw is just a stupid furball, He told himself, and if he has a problem with me, well then too bad. I'm going to do what I want.

Meadowpaw returned to the Apprentices' Den quietly and sat down with the others.

"So?" Bisonpaw raised an eyebrow, "Was I right?"

"Yes." Meadowpaw grumbled under his breath, making sure she couldn't understand, and shot a glare in her direction.

"I'll take that as a yes." Bisonpaw nodded triumphantly with a teasing look in her big amber eyes. Those big, stupid amber eyes.

"What were they doing?" Icepaw asked curiously, tilting her head.

"They were just talking with Nettletongue. Frogpaw looked like she was about to explode." Meadowpaw snorted and flicked his ear.

"Why?" Icepaw glanced towards the entrance to the den as if she could see what the three were doing from where she sat.

Meadowpaw shrugged, "I have no idea."

Firepaw snorted his stupid snort, "Am I the only one who pays attention around here?" He looked at the other apprentices with raised eyebrows.

"No!" Bisonpaw exclaimed, "We pay attention!"

"Then you tell me." Firepaw challenged. Bisonpaw glared at him.

"I- There's a-" She frowned, "I don't know."

"Frogpaw and Rootpaw are getting their warrior names today."

Bisonpaw gasped, "Really? Shadedbramble must be so excited! Her kits are all grown up!"

Firepaw snorted at the blue-gray she-cat's excitement. Mouse-brained snorting fur-ball. Meadowpaw shot him a glare.

"There'll finally be enough room in here," Icepaw sighed happily, "it's always been so crowded."

Firepaw nodded in agreement when a yowl sounded through the camp, "All cats old enough to lurk in the shadows, gather beneath the meeting rock for a clan meeting!"

"The meeting's starting!" Bisonpaw squealed like an excited kit and scrambled to her paws. She rushed out of the den and Meadowpaw followed, along with the other apprentices.

When Meadowpaw arrived at the crowd, Bisonpaw had already taken a seat near the front. Meadowpaw sat next to her, but he was still a few tail lengths away. Firepaw and Icepaw sat in between the cream colored tom and the blue-gray and silver she-cat.

Foxstar sat quietly, waiting for silence from the crowd. When the throng had calmed down, Foxstar began. "This morning, we have two apprentices who will be receiving their warrior names."

The crowd cheered, happy to have two new trained warriors to add to their ranks; all except a cat behind Meadowpaw, who instead muttered something about how Foxstar shouldn't have called the meeting so early. Meadowpaw ignored the comment.

"Frogpaw and Rootpaw," Foxstar continued, "Please step forward."

Frogpaw practically leapt out of the crowd and rushed forward, bouncing up and down like one of her namesakes. Her brother followed more slowly, but you could still tell he was just as excited. Meadowpaw felt a rush of happiness for the two siblings.

"I, Foxstar, leader of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Frogpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Foxstar turned to the sleek, dark brown she-cat.

Frogpaw nodded vigorously, "I do!"

Foxstar turned to Rootpaw, "And do you, Rootpaw, promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." Rootpaw nodded calmly.

Foxstar dipped his head, "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Frogpaw from this moment on you will be known as Frogleap. StarClan honors your lightheartedness and fierceness in battle and we welcome you as a full member of ShadowClan." Foxstar turned. "Rootpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Rootwhisker. StarClan honors your cool-headedness and your ability to think quickly and we welcome you as a full member of ShadowClan." Both new warriors padded up to Foxstar in turn, who then placed his head on each cats', and they both warriors licked his shoulder in respect.

The crowd began chanting the siblings' names, louder and louder and louder, until that was all that Meadowpaw could hear.

"I can't wait until that's us up there." Meadowpaw strained his ears and heard Icepaw whisper excitedly.

Bisonpaw nodded in agreement, "It will be so exciting!"

"That is all, clan dismissed!" Foxstar called after the chanting had ceased. The crowd dispersed and Meadowpaw was the only one left standing there. Bisonpaw had gone off and was talking with Darkriver, Firepaw and Icepaw had gone who knows where, and everyone else was returning to their morning duties.

Meadowpaw looked around and spotted Blossompaw, who was bent down to pick up a mouse-bile covered stick outside of the Elders' Den. Meadowpaw winced, That must be her punishment. He decided to pad over and came to a halt in front of her.

Blossompaw looked up as she was in the movement of turning and met his eyes. Meadowpaw felt dread in his stomach as a frown formed on her face.

"What do you want?" She scowled at him and growled around the stick.

"I was just wondering if you wanted help." Meadowpaw offered awkwardly, "Would you like me to carry that for you?"

"I'm fine." She hissed, "I don't need you." Her nose twitched and she went into the den with a swish of her tail.

"Well fine then!" Meadowpaw called angrily after her, "I didn't want to help you anyways!"

Meadowpaw stood there for a moment longer. Maybe she'd come back? But when she didn't, he sighed and moved away from the Elders' Den.

Why are she-cats so complicated? He thought, huffing frustratedly. He looked around for the third time that morning. What is there to do? Patrol? No, Dawnlight was nowhere in sight. Maybe I should hunt. He shifted awkwardly where he stood. He finally sighed and headed towards his nest. What is the point of doing anything today anyways?

MERRY CHRISTMAS! (for those who celebrate Christmas, if not, happy whatever you celebrate!) I've been throwing out chapters like wildfire, and I'm very proud of myself. We're back in Meadowpaw's perspective, and you can clearly see, he's not having it. His tendency to hold a grudge and his bad judgement will be important later. I don't want to spoil it, so I'm not going to say anything more.

This chapter was really just a filler, but it does let us see how Meadowpaw us feeling, and Frogleap and Rootwhisker are now warriors! I haven't really expanded on them in the story, so I'll tell you a bit about them here, since I don't think I'll really develop them in the atory that much. Both apprentices are Shadedbramble's first and only litter. Frogleap is a lot like Bisonpaw and Icepaw, but a lot more hot-headed. She argues more, and gets offended a lot easier. Rootwhisker is like Meadowpaw, but more kind and likeable. He doesn't get offended and takes criticism very well. He gets along with just about anyone. But enough about those two.

I hope you luxuriated in this chapter! (yep, that's my thing now)

— Theoneandonlylonelypotato