Icestar was as good as his (vague) word. A few days later, he came over while Dappledpaw was having breakfast with her brother, and said it was time for their assessment once more. Hunting patrol, then a mock battle; the same plan as last time.
Dappledpaw was sent to the Fernclan side of the territory, which made for good hunting; she even took an opportunistic prey unusual for Gorseclan diets… A plover was fossicking at the river's edge as she passed by; she even managed to snatch it without getting too wet. Icestar helped her carry her haul back to camp, and said he was proud of her work, which made her feel elated. When Sedgepaw and Weedfur returned not long after, he too brought back enough prey; though less than her. He grinned toothily and made her laugh with some lame joke about her joining Tussockclan because of the plover.
"Looks like your run of bad luck has passed, huh?" Mottledtail jeered as the two rested up before the mock battle.
"Don't say that, we aren't done yet!" Sedgepaw protested loudly, ducking a playful swat from their aunt. "You'll curse us."
"What could possibly go wrong during a mock battle?" The fluffy cat cackled as she sat down beside them with a soft thump, sending a small puff of dust into the air. "You know Dappledpaw's going to beat you anyway, wee ickle Sedgie…" She tried to ruffle his fur with a paw, which he ducked again, making a face at her. "Your mother sends her apologies and best wishes, by the way. The kits are asleep and she doesn't want to wake them. I don't know where that father of yours is though…"
"He came to wish us luck this morning before patrol.. And if you are looking for things to go wrong, how about another clan could charge in at that exact moment?" Dappledpaw answered drolly, pausing in grooming her front legs and not looking at the warrior.
"Yeah like that could happen twice." Mottledtail snorted. "Well, it could, but the odds must be huge."
"Seriously, don't jinx it Mottledtail." Sedgepaw tried to give her a paw shove, but she just easily pushed him over with her shoulder, which made her burst into loud laughter; loud enough some cats turned their heads to look quizzically in their direction.
"See, you have the strength of a baby bird, nephew; Dappledpaw is going to kick your butt!"
"Don't disparage my apprentice, young warrior." Weedfur's gruff voice broke through Mottledtail's volume. The greying tom was standing nearby with his brows raised. "He's come on leaps and bounds; he's ready. I seem to recall a certain brazen young cat barely passing her assessment."
"Oooooh!" Sedgepaw whooped smugly, earning him yet another shove as Mottledtail pushed to her feet and stalked off, shouting good luck over her shoulder as she went to harass Rimuleaf instead.
"Never learned humility, that one." Weedfur grumbled as he watched her go, shaking out his oddly curled coat. "A lesson in there for you, Sedgepaw. Are you both ready to go? Well rested? Icestar will meet us at the training grounds."
"Yes Weedfur!" The two apprentices chimed up together, both standing to follow the senior warrior from camp.
Icestar was waiting for them; a looming stoic figure in the middle of the soft ground in the training clearing. With only a nod of greeting, he dispensed with small talk while Weedfur joined his side before the apprentices. "You both did well at the hunt this morning. Impress us in this mock battle, and you will be warriors by moonrise." Orange eyes flicked from Dappledpaw to Sedgepaw, and back again, resting steadily on his own apprentice. All his silent expectations for her to excel was in that gaze. When he broke his stare, she gulped despite herself.
Mock battles generally involved no claws, and very gentle bites; it was more about showing technique than resembling what a cat would do in a real fight. As the two apprentices faced off, Sedgepaw dropped into a playful bow as Dappledpaw lowered her own body. She had to stifle a snigger as Sedgepaw's tail waved in the air like an excitable dog, though it was quick to drop as Weedfur snapped at his apprentice to take things seriously.
She could understand her brother's lackadaisical attitude somewhat, even with her own chest tight with nerves and anticipation. He put his stress to the back of his mind with humour, and, of course, they were play-fighting all the time from a young age. A mock fight between the two of them was harder to take seriously than it would have been if her opponent had been Rowanfall.
"Begin." Icestar called once Sedgepaw had straightened up. Dappledpaw knew her brother would expect her to hang back, wait for her moment, so instead she did the opposite; charging at the pointed tom as soon as Icestar's voice started to fade out. His surprised yelp as she collided with him told her he certainly didn't expect that.
The two went tumbling in the soft grass as Dappledpaw tried to pin Sedgepaw. They were about even in build but Sedgepaw had always been more leggy and light and in games of brute strength she could beat him. Though… as she grappled with him to keep him down and he tried to push her off, she realised he had bulked up a little in recent moons. They were probably evenly matched. He flipped her over with a kick, she took his legs out and she tossed him back down again. She had to make a conscious effort to remember to keep her claws sheathed.
Weedfur's voice sounded out in the background; probably shouting encouragement to his apprentice, but Dappledpaw couldn't process the noise as anything meaningful. As she tussled with Sedgepaw, a familiar thrum began to pound in her ears. She turned her head to see if Icestar was calling out to her, she caught a glimpse of him simply standing there, watching intently. His eyes narrowed as their gazes met. She turned back to the battle with renewed determination to make him proud. No way was she going to let her assessment be the one time Sedgepaw actually beat her!
Sedgepaw scrambled out from her grasp, and ran; trying to gain distance and compose himself for a fresh attack. Dappledpaw followed in hot pursuit, leaping into the air to pounce on his retreating back. Without thinking, as battle instinct took hold and her brother became just another opponent who was frustrating her, her claws sunk into his fur, and her teeth made to bite at the back of his neck, harder than one should during a mock battle. Sedgepaw's yelp of pain hardly registered as he bucked then rolled to try to dislodge her. She twisted and clung on tighter. Her weight and his attempts to go limp and surrender brought them to the ground.
"Dappledpaw, woah! Dappledpaw! I give up!" Finally, she realised he was yelling at her as she pushed him into the grass with her paws. "You win!" The red fog lifted, and she blinked down at Sedgepaw who was wincing under her grasp. "Claws and teeth, claws and teeth!" His voice had become more high pitched with discomfort.
The pale tortoiseshell immediately leapt back off him once she realised what she was doing. "Oh my gosh, Sedgepaw, I am so sorry!" She was mortified. "Are you okay?"
"It;s okay, I'm fine!" Sedgepaw reassured as got back to his feet, and shook himself off, glancing back at his shoulders. "All good; I don't even think there's much blood."
"I just got caught up in the moment- Are you sure you are okay; I can take you to Longfang-!?"
Sedgepaw laughed. "Geeze, relax. It's no big deal." He touched noses with her. "No harm done, see?"
"Well done apprentices." Icestar's deep voice broke in.
"She broke the rules of mock battle Icestar." Weedfur grumbled from behind the leader. The two had obviously been discussing what happened. The elite looked over to his apprentice, and his expression softened. "Excellent grapple technique Sedgepaw; you've improved immensely to be able to reverse Dappledpaw's pin like that."
As Sedgepaw dipped his head in bashful thanks, Dappledpaw bowed hers deeply in apology; her tail limp. "Icestar, I am so sorry-"
"No apology required. Youthful fire for battle is to be applauded; and you showed excellent use of that move I taught you. You defeated your opponent, and as your brother said, no harm done."
"Icestar-" Weedfur started in protest, but a sharp raise of the leader's tail cut him off.
"Well done, to both of you. You pass, and will receive your warrior names at a ceremony later. Go back to camp and rest for now. You have earned it."
Dappledpaw stood for a moment as the two older cats padded off, speaking in hushed voices. Weedfur didn't look entirely happy.
"Wow, we really did it!" Sedgepaw for his part didn't seem to be too taken aback by events. "We're really, finally, going to be warriors!"
"Yeah…"
"Hey Dappledpaw, don't worry about what happened, okay? Icestar didn't seem to think it was a big deal, and neither do I… Even when we were kits you'd get carried away play-fighting, I'm used to you being a brute! I'm tough!" He gave her a chipper shove, making her look in his direction, then pulled a goofy face, making her splutter a laugh.
He was always good at making her feel better. She gave his undoubtedly sore shoulders a lick, then shoved him back, because she couldn't be too soft now, could she? Not when she was about to be made a warrior!
"You ready to sit vigil all night?" She asked him as they headed back to camp.
Sedgepaw groaned. "Oh Starclan, I forgot about that! Why do they make us do that when we've been working our tails off all day for the assessment? I'm going to be falling asleep on my paws!"
"It's tradition, and besides, I can always swat your ears if you fall asleep."
He pretended to flinch. "Please, no more sibling abuse!" She chuckled at his joke, but inside it honestly made her feel awful again. She couldn't believe she did that to her clanmate, her own brother, in a sparring match. How far would she have gone?
Back at camp, with Icestar and Weedfur having arrived ahead of them, the word had already spread; most of the clan pressed in around them as they walked through the entrance, offering their congratulations.
Dappledpaw had to pause mid-thanks for the congratulations from Rimuleaf, and sidestep a pounce by Mottledtail to touch noses with her father, followed by Sedgepaw. "Well done, both of you. I can hardly call you my kits anymore now." Thrushwing purred proudly as he looked at his children. "My first litter, all grown up and becoming warriors. Your mother is nursing the little ones right now, but she will be there for the ceremony."
Mottledtail allowed them their moment, then pulled Sedgepaw into her immense fluffy coat with a paw. "Ickle Sedgie, you're going to be sleeping in the big kids den with me now!" She cackled as he struggled to escape. "Aren't you excited?"
"No!" His muffled protest escaped out of his aunt's fur, trying to push himself away. "Why do you never do this to Dappledpaw?!"
"Because I know she'll box my ears, and you are too scared to." Mottledtail laughed back, reaching a paw towards Dappledpaw who proved her point by gently swatting it away.
"Leave them alone Mottledtail, you'll make them want to leave the clan rather than sleep in the warriors den." Blackbird scolded lightly. Horsefoot was at her side; a large figure next to her slight frame with only their black coats marking them as obvious kin. He still looked so down, but he was clearly making an effort to muster some joy for the two apprentices.
"Congratulations you two." He rumbled softly, offering both a nose touch as Mottledtail finally let Sedgepaw go and he spat out a few hairs.
As the two siblings moved away, Sedgepaw looked around. "Hey where's Rowanfall? He's not going to tell us how awesome we are?"
"Rowanfall went hunting." Wattleflower, the red tom's mother, spoke up as she passed by with fresh kill for the elders, her voice muffled through the feathers of the blackbird. "I'm sure he will be back in time for you to get your names."
"He better!" Sedgepaw said as Rowanfall's mother moved off. "I can't rub it in his face if he's not here for it! He kept saying I'd fail!" He let out a jokingly dramatic harrumph.
Dappledpaw laughed then gave her sibling a nudge. "Lets go rest huh? I'm sure he'll be here to annoy fully by nightfall."
Thrushwing and Mottledtail joined them as they lay outside the apprentice's den for the last time; their mother even coming by later once their younger siblings were asleep. Shadefeather just about smothered them both with proud affection but Dappledpaw could tolerate her being overbearing just this once. Even if her ears were starting to get raw from all the licking.
The time till Icestar reappeared from his den with Sorrelwind and called the clan meeting felt like both an eternity and no time at all to Dappledpaw. As the clan gathered, she and her brother took pride of place near the front, ready to receive their names.
"Gorseclan, we are gathering this evening to name two new warriors." Icestar's commanding voice boomed out. She thought he looked proud as he looked down over them. "Sedgepaw and Dappledpaw have proved their mettle today, and arguably many times over due to a few… hiccups." The white tom purred with mild amusement and a small chuckle rippled through the clan. "Be that as it may, we will now bestow upon them their names, under the eyes of Starclan." He glanced upwards to the stars that were just starting to come out. "Sedgepaw, come forward."
Sedgepaw blinked, perhaps surprised Icestar was starting with him, or perhaps a bit taken aback this was really happening (as Dappledpaw sure felt a bit that way). Weedfur was at his apprentices side, offering him an encouraging nod, before mimicking the same ritual of the apprentice ceremony by touching noses with him, though this time it was symbolising the relationship of mentor and apprentice coming to an end.
As Sedgepaw stood forward, Icestar coming down from the High Stone to meet him, the leader spoke the traditional words. "I, Icestar, leader of Gorseclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turn."
Sedgepaw's toes were flexing; he was nervous. "Sedgepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?"
"I- I do Icestar." Sedgepaw replied after a gulp.
"Then, by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. Sedgepaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Sedgetuft. Starclan honours your strong heart and ingenuity, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Gorseclan." Icestar then rested his muzzle atop Sedgetuft's head, and the pointed tom licked his leader's shoulder, before stepping back. The clan would wait to greet him by his new name once Dappledpaw's ceremony was complete.
Icestar's expression was one of his usual guarded self, but a glimmer of pride as Dappledpaw approached to touch noses with him as Sedgetuft had done with Weedfur. "I, Icestar, leader of Gorseclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turn. Dappledpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?
Dappledpaw met her leader and mentor's gaze steadily, and her voice was firm. "I do."
"Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. Dappledpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Dappledshade. StarClan honours your strength and cunning, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Gorseclan."
The clan then began to cheer the two new warriors' names as Dappledshade licked Icestar's shoulder after he rested his head upon her head as he had done with Sedgetuft. Mottledtail's caterwaul was the loudest, as to be expected. Their parents sat together; pelts pressed together affectionately as they watched their first litter gain their names. Glancing around the clan, Dappledshade did notice that Rowanfall had indeed returned in time. He watched from near the back, and when their eyes met, he offered a slight nod. Dappledshade basked in her new name and status, standing tail with her tail aloft. Sedgetuft looked giddy with excitement.
"Now then, before our two new warriors take their night of silent vigil, I have one more task to complete. Creampelt?" He called to his sister, who was listening from near the entrance to the queen's den. She seemed surprised, tilting her head slightly. "Bring Pebblekit and Honeykit here please. It is time to make them apprentices."
Apparently the kit's mother was not the only one surprised about this announcement; as murmurs rippled through the clan. "Aren't they not quite six moons yet?" Cuckoofeather remarked quietly to Sheercrag, who affirmed with a small nod.
"Close enough I guess." Added Kauribark.
It was a touch early, Dappledshade noted along with the others, but she understood Icestar's reasoning. They needed more apprentices in training urgently, what with the increasing dangers around them. And, as Kauribark mentioned, it was only a little under half a moon to go before they were exactly six moons. They were big, strong, energetic kits and would be fine starting training now. Icestar had the right idea.
The kits, for their part, were ecstatic. They bounded over as their mother brought them with a slightly torn expression; concern and warm pride. Dappledshade and Sedgetuft moved back into the crowd to allow the kits to take centre stage.
Icestar beckoned at Pebblekit first with a flick of his small black ears. "Pebblekit, it is time for you to be apprenticed." The leader began, notably skipping the traditional words that mentioned the kit reaching the age of six moons. "From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Pebblepaw. Your mentor will be Horsefoot. I hope that he will pass down all that he knows to you." The large black warrior seemed surprised that he had been chosen. Dappledshade could see why Icestar chose him, though. Perhaps this would help him after he lost Kowhaifall and their unborn kits. Give him something positive to focus on and stop him moping around camp.
"Horsefoot, you are ready to take on your first apprentice. You received excellent training from Cuckoofeather, and have shown yourself to be patient and strong. You will be the mentor of Pebblepaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him."
"Yes Icestar." Horsefoot murmured, padding forward to touch noses with the young grey cat, who was excited by the glint in his eye and how his thick tail was held aloft, but he was composed; unlike his sister who was bouncing on her paws impatiently for her turn. Pebblepaw was the more gentle and reserved of the two. He was a suitable apprentice for the soft-spoken Horsefoot, Dappledshade thought.
Icestar waited for the new mentor apprentice pair to move away, then repeating the words and naming Honeypaw a new apprentice. "Sorrelwind, you are ready for a new apprentice." He named his mate and deputy as mentor for the rambunctious young she-cat. She left his side to move in front of him, next to Honeypaw who was looking quite star-struck, being made the apprentice of the deputy. Dappledshade understood how she felt; she couldn't believe it when Icestar named himself as her mentor. "You did well training Mottledtail and had excellent training from Chiveclaw; you have shown yourself to be dedicated and methodical, and you will be the mentor for Honeypaw. I expect you to pass on all you know to her."
Sorrelwind didn't even have to lower her narrow muzzle to Honeypaw; the new apprentice bounced up to meet her for the nose touch, making Dappledshade chuckle quietly to herself. Clearly Icestar felt if she was able to cope with Mottledtail and come out sane on the other end, she would be able to handle the feisty Honeypaw as well. Dappledshade wished her luck; if she were honest, she would quite like an apprentice like that herself one day. The energy and challenge would be invigorating compared to a mild personality like Pebblepaw.
The clan cheered the new apprentices' names, and as Sorrelwind offered to escort them both to their new den and get them settled in, the clan all broke off to share tongues before they retired for the evening. "Oh gosh, I left my nest a mess this morning." Sedgetuft exclaimed as he watched Honeypaw and Pebblepaw poke their noses into the apprentices' den. "I didn't even think I wouldn't be back in it, you know?"
Dappledshade chuckled. "I'm sure they will manage. You won't be able to leave it like that all the time anymore; not in the warriors den."
"I bet Mottledtail's nest is a disaster." Her brother laughed back, glancing over towards their new sleeping quarters.
"You think a cat like Weedfur would put up with that?"
"Elites have their own space though, and thank Starclan they do, it would be weird sharing dens with my mentor." Sedgetuft shuddered dramatically. "I'd feel like he was constantly waiting to scold me for something."
"Hey, we're warriors now." She bumped shoulders with him gently. "Apprentice days are officially behind us!"
"Doesn't mean the older warriors won't still treat us like we are wet behind the ears."
"Don't sulk, you have an entire night in silence to do that." Her ears perked up as she noticed Rowanfall padding past. "Hey there, fellow warrior." She called out with a lilt to her voice.
Rowanfall paused, flicking his green eyes their way and narrowing them. "What do you want?"
"Nothing in particular; are you going to congratulate us on our names?"
"Wasn't planning on it." The tom replied evasively, obviously wanting to keep walking.
"Aww don't be rude!" Sedgetuft whined, bouncing over to block Rowanfall's path and give him a little nudge with his paw. "One little "good job, well done on being warriors'' won't kill you, will it, buddy?"
"It might." Rowanfall said through his teeth, tail tip flicking. "Don't you have a silent vigil to take?"
"Not yet." Dappledshade purred as she also approached. "What, you don't want to talk to us? Got somewhere else to be?" She watched him glance towards the high stone, where Icestar was still sitting and talking to Sorrelwind and Waspsting. "I've got plenty of time to tell you all about how I aced my assessment in excruciating detail, you know."
Instead of participating in their typical back and forth, Rowanfall said nothing, only flattening his ears as he returned a tired, mildly annoyed look to her.
"Fine, fine." She said with a wave of her tail. "You don't want to talk to your friends, I get it. We'll go sit our vigil now then. Come along, Sedgetuft."
"We'll just have to catch you tomorrow. You can't escape us anymore." Her brother said with a little laugh to his voice.
"Great." Rowanfall said flatly, moving away.
As Sedgetuft grumbled about how grumpy the red tom was, Dappledshade watched Rowanfall walk off. He was looking at Icestar again, very intently. And then, as the young warrior moved off to the other side of camp to get a meal, Dappledshade was sure she saw Icestar's eyes move to stare at his retreating back.
