Chapter 1

In as an Apprentice, Out as an Warrior

Shadowpaw pounced on the rabbit before it could get away, digging her claws in. She felt the rabbit squirm under her, then it went still as its blood dripped from its limp brown body.

The black she-cat grinned and unhooked her claws, grabbing the dead rabbit in her mouth. It was a good catch, especially for an apprentice.

Well, Shadowpaw was hardly an apprentice. Today was her warrior assessment, and she had a feeling that she had passed. After all, she had caught two squirrels, three mice, and the rabbit. It was quite a haul, though her brother Snowpaw had helped her catch two of the mice.

Padding back to the place where Shadowpaw has buried her prey, she caught sight of Snowpaw and her sister Rustpaw waiting for her and quickened her pace, reaching the tiny clearing just as the trio's mentors did.

Shadowpaw's mentor was a small, wiry brown tom named Mudsplash. Snowpaw was mentored by Gorsetail, a large dappled tom, and Rustpaw's mentor was Stormwing, a fluffy, light gray she-cat. As apprentices, the three warriors had been inseparable, and they had been lucky to all mentor at the same time, and even luckier to get the siblings as apprentices.

Shadowpaw liked Mudsplash, who was witty and humorous, but also more serious than any other warrior when the time came. Not only was he a great mentor, but he was LionClan's deputy! It was an honor to be apprenticed to him, especially for a misfit like Shadowpaw.

The she-cat was pure black, her bright amber eyes being the only splash of color on her. Snowpaw, and the other paw, was completely white, with no hints of gray, black, ginger, or brown. He had light amber eyes, not quite the same color as Shadowpaw's. Rustpaw was a dappled pale ginger, with intense orange eyes and darker splotches. She was the only one of the littermates to stand out in all seasons.

As Shadowpaw approached her siblings, Gorsetail let out an disapproving mewl.

"Stormwing, your apprentice doesn't seem to have caughten anything."

Stormwing glanced at Rustpaw, who flushed and lowered her head.

"I-I did catch something." Rustpaw mumured. "I got a-a cardnial."

Gorsetail sniffed with disdain, but Mudsplash put his long tail over Gorsetail's gray and ginger shoulders.

"Gorsetail, every catch is a good one." he said, and winked at Shadowpaw.

Stormwing stuck her tongue out playfully at Gorsetail, as if the three of them were still apprentices, and picked up Rustpaw's cardinal.

"Come on," she said. "I think all of the apprentices passed."

Mudsplash nodded, and Shadowpaw's heart leapt. She would be a warrior today! Snowpaw glanced at her, and she knew he was thinking the same thing. Even Rustpaw smiled, and the group went on their way.

Shadowpaw grabbed her rabbit and mice, while Mudsplash helped her with the squirrels. Shadowpaw's mind raced as they walked. What would Yarrowstar name her? Shadowhunter, because she such a great hunter? Or Shadowstreak, because she could run really fast like a streak of shadows? The possibilities were endless! Shadowpaw made a list in her head of all the most likely names; Shadowstreak, Shadowfur, Shadowpelt, Shadowcloud, Shadowstep, Shadowrunner, Shadowtree . . .

A yowl broke Shadowpaw out of her thoughts. The group of six all exchanged glances -- the warriors looked at each other, and the apprentices looked at each other -- then they all dropped the prey in safe spots and, as one, started running to where the yowl had come from.

Shadowpaw sprinted through the woods, wind whistling by her ears. Was someone hurt? Was it a loner?

It was neither.

With Mudsplash leading, they came out of the forest and straight onto a battle scene. Shadowpaw could see Cliffsnap and Hollypaw, Nightclaw and Antbranch, and Eaglerunner and Barkstream. She wondered briefly where Dawnpaw, Sandpaw, and Harepaw were, Antbranch's, Eaglerunner's, and Barkstream's apprentices. Then she saw the three huddling by the edge of the clearing. They were all around 8 moons old and hadn't been in a battle yet.

She could also see cats from TigerClan, including the leader Lightstar, and warriors Rippleburr, Egretsplash, and Foxtail. She growled. How dare TigerClan invade LionClan's territory!

Mudsplash roared angrily as he leapt into battle, Gorsetail and Stormwing on his heels. Snowpaw hissed and plunged into the fray, while Rustpaw hesitated. Shadowpaw saw Foxtail going for Sandpaw, Dawnpaw, and Harepaw. She jumped in front of the tortoiseshell warrior.

Foxtail hissed and slashed at Shadowpaw's shoulders, but Shadowpaw snarled back and ducked under the bigger she-cat, attacking her belly. Foxtail yowled and jumped up, twirling around to escape Shadowpaw. The three apprentices behind the fighting cats were trembling, but Harepaw growled bravely, though his voice shook.

Shadowpaw shook her head at him, and in that moment, Foxtail hit the apprentice in the muzzle, slashing three red lines over Shadowpaw's mouth.

Shadowpaw reeled back, disoriented and dizzy from the blow, and Foxtail leapt atop her. The tortoiseshell swept her claws across Shadowpaw's chest, and was about to go in for a killing blow when a gray-and-silver streak bowled Foxtail over.

Hollypaw!

Shadowpaw got shakily up, and saw the apprentice fighting ferociously with the much larger warrior. He was holding his own pretty well, and Shadowpaw quickly spun around to address the young cats behind her.

"Go back to camp," she hissed, "get help, maybe. At least tell Yarrowstar what's happening. Go!"

Sandpaw, Harepaw, and Dawnpaw shot off, and at that moment all fighting stopped.

Shadowpaw looked around, confused, and saw that all around the clearing cats of both Clans were staring at a showdown in the middle of the blood-stained field.

Mudsplash and Lightstar faced each other, growling. Lightstar was dripping blood and Mudsplash was wounds across his shoulders and flanks. Both cats were panting.

Shadowpaw checked out the cats around them too; Snowpaw's normally white fur was turned slightly redish, and Rustpaw had a torn ear. Hollypaw had a terrible wound across his right eye, and Barkstream, who was also in Shadowpaw's proximity... he was dead, with a bite mark on the back of his neck.

The black she-cat gasped. Barkstream! How could he be dead? He had a mate and kits, back at camp! Oh, poor Mottledflame, and Narrowkit.

"Lightstar!" Mudsplash suddenly yowled. Shadowpaw spun around to look at the deputy. "What are you doing, attacking our Clan?"

Lightstar snarled, her brown fur bristling. "We're taking this strip of forest!"

Mudsplash arched his back, his pelt brushing out in anger. "Oh yeah?" he challenged. "This has been LionClan territory for generations! It. Is. Ours!"

Lightstar let out a piercing caterwaul. She launched herself at Mudsplash, who ducked to the side and raked his claws across Lightstar's shoulders. The she-cat hissed and rolled away, springing back to her paws once she was out of Mudsplash's reach.

Shadowpaw, and the rest of the cats in the clearing, watched in silent horror as the two cats fought each other, blood and fur flying. She glanced at Hollypaw, who's eye looked bad. A yowl, though, pulled her gaze back to the battle.

Mudsplash had Lightstar by the throat, dark liquid pouring out of the terrible wound. The deputy let go, and the brown cat flopped to the ground. Her eyes were glazed and dull.

"This is LionClan territory!" Mudsplash shouted in the feather-drop silence. "Do not forget that."

He padded away from Lightstar's body, and wordlessly took Barkstream's scruff in his jaws. The rest of the LionClan cats followed his lead. Shadowpaw could see Egretsplash crouching over Lightstar, murmuring to Rippleburr. Foxtail hurried over to them, concern for her leader written across her face.

Lightstar's just losing a life, Shadowpaw thought coldly. Serves her right for attacking us.

It was a long trek back to camp. Rustpaw looked shaken, and Snowpaw seemed furious that anyone would invade his territory. Mudsplash was silent. Antbranch had a bad wound on his leg, and Eaglerunner's ears were shredded. Hollypaw couldn't see from his injured eye. Gorsetail was muttering to Stormwing, and Cliffsnap's tail looked broken. Nightclaw had a slashed shoulder.

When they finally stumbled back into the hollow, Shadowpaw was ready to collapse. She saw Dawnpaw and Sandpaw talking hurriedly to Yarrowstar and Suncloud. Harepaw was mewing something to Goldenpaw, Suncloud'd apprentice, and Ravenpaw, the medicine cat apprentice, was listening with wide eyes.

Frostfeather, the medicine cat, noticed the eleven-cat patrol first. She let out a loud yowl to alert everyone else in camp; other than Yarrowstar, Frostfeather herself, Suncloud, Ravenpaw, Dawnpaw, Sandpaw, and Goldenpaw, there was Leafheart and her kits, Mottledflame and Narrowkit, and the three elders.

Yarrowstar looked up and gasped. He jumped to his paws and ran over, skidding to a stop beside Mudsplash.

"What happened?" the leader demanded.

Mudsplash replied, "TigerClan attacked."

Yarrowstar's eyes widened, and then Frostfeather and Ravenpaw were there, weaving along their Clanmates to treat everyone's wounds. As Shadowpaw watched, the other four apprentices bounded up to her and Rustpaw, who was sitting beside the black she-cat.

"So you really fought in a real battle?" Dawnpaw asked, looking awed.

Sandpaw pushed in. "Was there blood?"

Shadowpaw opened her mouth to respond, but just then an anguished howl cut through the camp. She spun around to see Mottledflame crouched over Barkstream's body. Narrowkit, who was barely two moons old, was gently prodding his father's body, frowning.

The kit whispered something to Mottledflame, who just shook her head. Shadowpaw's heart ached. The poor kit. He had no idea.

Frostfeather was treating Hollypaw, wrapping cobwebs around the tom's eye. Snowpaw was pacing beside Gorsetail. Yarrowstar surveyed the cats, and his eyes locked on the apprentices who had been in the battle. The leader leapt atop the Brokenstone.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Brokenstonw!" he yowled, though it was unnecessary, since the entire Clan was already in camp. Shadowpaw moved closely, confused. What's happening? Isn't it obvious that TigerClan attacked?

"Today, TigerClan attacked one of our patrols," Yarrowstar said. "And four cats went into battle as apprentices and came out as warriors." He looked down at the group below him. "Shadowpaw, Snowpaw, Rustpaw, and Hollypaw, come forward."

Shadowpaw gasped. She stumbled forward, her heart thumped gleefully. Yarrowstar was making her a warrior! He didn't even know if she had passed her assessment, but here he was, calling her to the front with her siblings and best friend.

"Shadowpaw," continued Yarrowstar, "do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Shadowpaw swallowed. This was the moment she had waited for since she was six moons old. Since even before that! But was she ready? Shadowpaw had a moment of doubt. She couldn't do this, how could she be a good warrior? Protect her Clan?

But as Shadowpaw glanced at her friends, she saw Snowpaw sitting confidently, his tail betraying him by lashing wildly with excitement. Rustpaw was jittering, but she was smiling. And Hollypaw was grinning proudly. The doubt passed through Shadowpaw. She was ready.

"I do," she mewed.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Shadowpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Shadowheart. StarClan honors your bravery and kindness, and we welcome you as a full warrior of LionClan."

Yarrowstar went on, giving Shadowpaw's--no, Shadowheart's--siblings the names of Snowfang and Rustgaze. Hollypaw was named Hollysplash. Shadowheart barely heard any of it. As her Clanmates began to call her by her new name, Shadowheart forgot the stinging cuts across her muzzle and chest. She forgot doubt she had felt as Yarrowstar called on her.

Instead, she felt proud. Proud beyond anything she had felt. Because Shadowheart wasn't just a curious, mischievous, odd apprentice.

She was a warrior.