1Weeks passed. Sunpaw ,and Radiantpaw were turning into fine, loyal warriors. Sunpaw proved himself to be a great hunter and tracker, while Radiantpaw excelled in fighting. Riversong sat watching the two of them engaged in a mock battle. Sleetfur sitting beside her sighed.
"They're getting so big," she whispered. Riversong nodded.
"They're probably ready for their assessment," she meowed, "I'll have to ask Brightstar when and where."
"Do you want me to do it, Riversong?"
"Nah. I need to stand up to him. Face my problems."
That evening, Riversong confronted the DuskClan leader. She had washed her fur very carefully to make a good impression. She padded towards Brightstar. "Brightstar, may I have a word with you?" she asked.
"Actually, I was just going to ask you the same thing," meowed Brightstar, "Come to my den." He started to walk away, paused, then added over his shoulder, "Why don't you grab me something to eat while you're up? I'm in the mood for a bird of some sort."
Riversong hissed under her breath and sunk her claws into the soil. Yes master, she thought bitterly, I am but your lowly servant. Would you like me to fetch you anything else? Any demeaning chores you'd like done while I'm at it? Grumbling, she slapped a robin from the pile and dragged it along with her, making sure the feathers got good and dirty. She dropped it in front of the yellow tomcat's paws and sat down.
"Riversong, there is something I must tell you," Brightstar began, ignoring the filthy, bedraggled bird before him, "When you were given Sunpaw to mentor, I specifically told you it was so we could train more warriors to take down that murderous badger. Sunpaw is a terrible fighter."
"I know, Brightstar. I really think Sunpaw would be best suited to be a hunter. He isn't really a fighter in his mind. He has a great respect for the valley and all its creatures," Riversong told him, "He's an incredible hunter. I came to ask about his and Radiantpaw's assessment."
"Hold on. I wasn't finished." Riversong unsheathed her claws into the dirt. "I must tell you that I don't really think Sunpaw should be your apprentice. I knew you weren't ready for this kind of responsibility yet. Mudslide is almost finished with Snakepaw's training. He can take Sunpaw."
"Brightstar, I-."
"Hold your tongue!" Brightstar snapped, leaping to his paws, "I am Brightstar. I am your leader. You are Riversong. You are my warrior. You listen to my commands and you obey them. Am I being made clear!"
"Yes sir," Riversong muttered. Her ears flattened against her skull. She looked away from the blazing brown gaze.
"Good. Now, get out. Sunpaw is no longer your apprentice. We will hold Snakepaw's warrior ceremony at sundown. And get Wingfoot for me. Oh, and Mudslide as well."
Riversong spat softly and stalked from the den. Her blue eyes seemed to burn holes into the ground beneath her paws. Cats avoided her for fear of being clawed or bitten. She now knew why she loved little Sunpaw so much.
He reminded her of Foxpelt.
When Brightstar had taken him away from her, it was like Foxpelt had died again. She thought life would be good again with a sweet-natured, ginger tom by her side. And it had been. Now she was no longer a mentor. Having an apprentice reassigned was the worst shame a warrior could endure. And now Riversong knew what it felt like. She slumped down on her nest in the warriors' den. The gray she-cat looked up briefly. "Wingfoot, Mudslide," she muttered, "Brightstar wants you."
"Wingfoot is out with Racepaw and Mudsl-." Gracestep, a lean, cream-pelted tom began. Longfang cut him off with a sharp nudge.
"Don't shtart it," he growled softly, "Can't you shee by her fashe thish ish not a good time?" Then, to Riversong, he added, "You sheem upshet, Rivershong. Anything you feel like sharing?"
Riversong gave a mewl and curled into a ball. She turned her back to all the caring, worried faces of the other warriors. Warriors that almost all had apprentices. She heard Sleetfur meow "Okay, guys, seriously. Just back away. You're not making this any better." Riversong tried to curl into an even smaller ball of misery. Sleetfur had an apprentice. Sunpaw. Sunpaw. Sunpaw. Sunpaw. Her heart beat its sad refrain. Sunpaw. Sunpaw. Sunpaw. Sunpaw.
Sleetfur was her friend, though. She could tell anything to Sleetfur. But Sleetfur had Radiantpaw. Radiantpaw was Firebelly's daughter. Firebelly's son was Sunpaw. Sunpaw. Sunpaw. Sunpaw. Sunpaw. "Riversong?" Sleetfur asked, "They're all gone. It's just you and me in here. Is everything okay?"
"Mm lmmf Mmmpww," Riversong told her belly fur.
"What?"
Riversong lifted her head. She stared over Sleetfur's shoulder at the wall of the den. True to her friend's word, they were the only cats in there. "I lost...l-lost...I lost Su..." The name of her former apprentice was to painful to say. His name stung her mouth like nettle leaves. "My apprentice," she finished and returned to her ball.
"Sunpaw? You...lost him?" Riversong nodded. "Riversong...why?" Riversong picked up her head again. Anger burned in her eyes.
"Because Brightstar is a stupid pile of arrogant, self-obsessed fox dung. He's nothing more than an egomaniacal piece of crowfood. He says that I'm not training Su...my apprentice right just because he doesn't fight like Radiantpaw does," Riversong hissed, "I hate him! I hate Wingfoot! I hate this whole Clan!" Sleetfur said nothing. She let Riversong vent her rage. The gray queen got to her paws and started to pace back and forth, tail lashing angrily. "That's it. I don't have to stay here, do I?"
"Riversong, are you saying you're going to desert us?"
"Maybe. Maybe not. It all depends if Brightstar is still around."
"Riversong..." Sleetfur intercepted her friend. Riversong sat, tail twitching wildly. "Look, I'm sure we can try convincing Brightstar to-."
"You can. I can't! Do you know what he did just now! Before he talked to me, he ordered me to get him some fresh-kill. So I did. Then what does he do but leave it where I put it! He didn't even look at it!" Riversong snarled softly and began tearing up her nest, imagining that every scrap of moss was the DuskClan leader's face. "He says that he's my leader and that I just listen to what he says and do it! He can join PlagueClan for all I care!"
Sleetfur shuddered at the mention of PlagueClan. PlagueClan was the Clan that wicked cats joined when their spirits left their bodies. Being a warrior of StarClan was heaven; PlagueClan was hell. Telling a cat to join PlagueClan was an extreme insult. Sleetfur was glad she had forced the other warriors to leave the den. If anyone had heard Riversong say that about Brightstar...Sleetfur didn't want to think about that. She looked up at the sky. The sun was beginning to set.
"Look, Riversong, Snakepaw's warrior ceremony will be soon. You have nothing against him. Let's go."
Riversong reluctantly agreed to let Sleetfur lead her out to the clearing. She sat beside the long-pelted silver queen, watching Sunpaw chat excitedly with Radiantpaw. He had no idea he was being reassigned to Mudslide. She went through the whole ceremony half-listening to Brightstar while keeping all her focus on Sunpaw.
"Cats of DuskClan," Brightstar meowed, "We gather here for two reasons; one happy, one sad. The happy reason is that Snakepaw is ready to become a warrior. Snakepaw, come forward."
The brown and gray he-cat padded up towards Highbranch, quivering excitedly. Brightstar intoned the traditional words. "I, Brightstar, leader of DuskClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn." He paused, gazing down at Snakepaw. "Snakepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
Snakepaw shivered. "I do," he meowed.
"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name: Snakepaw, from this moment you will be known as Snakepelt. StarClan honors your fighting skills and your courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of DuskClan." He jumped from Highbranch and placed his yellow muzzle on top of Snakepelt's head. Snakepelt licked his shoulder respectfully and stepped up beside Mudslide.
"Snakepelt! Snakepelt! Snakepelt!" the voices of DuskClan rose up in tribute to the new warrior. Snakepelt purred with sheer happiness.
When the yowls had quieted down, Brightstar returned to Highbranch. "And now for the less cheerful reason. It has been a long time since an apprentice was reassigned a mentor. Mudslide, now that you are without an apprentice, I ask you to take Sunpaw under your wing. Snakepelt is a loyal cat; I have no doubt Sunpaw will become the same with your guidance."
Riversong looked up at Mudslide. The look in the brown tom's yellow eyes clearly said he didn't want this to happen. Sunpaw gave a yowl of "WHAT!" Radiantpaw squeaked in alarm at her brother's growing rage. Sleetfur placed a paw on Riversong's tail to keep her friend there. Riversong had no intention of moving, though. She fell to the ground in a faint.