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Crowpaw widened his eyes and stared at Mudclaw.
"Will you really?" he breathed.
Mudclaw nodded stiffly. "We will patrol the RiverClan border today."
"You said I wasn't ready for the past two moons!" Crowpaw exclaimed. "Oh, yes!"
"Have you really?" snarled Nightpaw, who was passing by. She had been confined to the chores for the elders, and that had postponed her warrior ceremony. Gorsepaw, out of sympathy, had postponed her ceremony as well, but she was getting impatient. Crowpaw suspected she'd just request her ceremony soon.
"He's been training for a possible dispute," growled Mudclaw. "Now go and finish your chores, Nightpaw."
As Nightpaw growled as stalked away, Crowpaw couldn't stifle a purr. Nightpaw's mentor had decided a two-moon punishment would be more suitable for Nightpaw's violence, and that was it.
"Come."
Earnestly, Crowpaw followed his mentor. Whitetail, Gorsepaw and her mentor were waiting impatiently for Mudclaw and Crowpaw.
"Finally," Whitetail mewed. "Come on. Is this Crowpaw's first patrol, Mudclaw?"
Mudclaw nodded stiffly in reply.
"Oh, all right." Whitetail flicked her tail, gesturing for them to follow. As they walked, Crowpaw scented a strange scent; fishy and… strange. The stink! It was unimaginable.
"Yuck!" he snarled.
Whitetail seemed mildly amused. "There's a patrol," she informed him.
"What do you do?" squeaked Crowpaw, his voice stuck in his throat.
"Just exchange words and pass by," Whitetail meowed.
"How–"
Before Crowpaw could ask any else, the RiverClan patrol started the conversation.
"Hello, Whitetail," said a tortoiseshell and white cat mewed. She had blue eyes and white chest fur, and seemed quite friendly. But he wouldn't feel like that in battle. Crowpaw shivered.
"Mosspelt," nodded Whitetail. "How's the prey running?"
"Quite well," Mosspelt told her proudly. "Have you come to the Gatherings the last few moons?"
Whitetail nodded. "The most recent one."
"Do you remember Feathertail and Stormfur? They're here" –Here she gestured to the silver cat and gray cat– "And they're wonderful." Mosspelt asked. "They're our newest warriors. Been warriors for a time, but…" Her gaze drifted over to Crowpaw. "Oh? Is that a new apprentice? I haven't been to the most recent one, or the one before that."
"I was apprenticed two moons ago," Crowpaw spoke up boldly.
Mosspelt gave Crowpaw a surprised look. "Of course," she replied. "Feathertail and Stormfur were raised by me," she continued proudly. "And they're fine warriors."
"That's good," Whitetail purred.
"Now we must go," Mudclaw cut in.
Whitetail frowned, but nodded politely at Mosspelt. "May StarClan light your path."
"And yours."
Crowpaw glanced at the silver tabby cat. She must be Feathertail. She was beautiful, and she wore a proud and kind face.
"What's your name?" she asked quickly.
"Crowpaw," Crowpaw replied.
Feathertail nodded, and headed back deep into her territory. Crowpaw stared back at her. He had never directly spoken to another Clan cat, let alone a she-cat.
"Mudclaw," he meowed quickly, "can I go to the Gathering?"
Mudclaw narrowed his eyes. "What gives you the appeal to?"
"Isn't it time?"
"You went already."
"That time I was just new, and I didn't talk to anybody!" Crowpaw reasoned enthusiastically. "So maybe…"
"No." Mudclaw snapped.
Crowpaw's ears drooped, as did his tail. He stared back at his mentor, who was stomping back deeper into the territory, towards their camp. He felt Whitetail's concerned gaze on him, but ignored it and fell back. How could he ever survive? Nightpaw and Gorsepaw hated him, and Mudclaw was so hostile. His supposed friends and mentor were all being so cold. He felt his heart go cold as well. The bitter feeling lasted. It didn't even go away when he had the first bite of a rabbit, and even when he went to sleep.
When he awoke, he saw Gorsepaw being triumphant, dancing all over the apprentices' den. Nightpaw was scowling and waking.
"Don't wake me!" she snarled. "What's the deal?"
Gorsepaw flashed a sorry look at Nightpaw. "I'm getting my warrior name today."
Nightpaw's mouth fell open. "What?" she yowled. "But you're two days younger than me! And… and… it just cannot be!"
Gorsepaw sighed. "I couldn't wait for you forever," she replied.
"It's not forever," Nightpaw growled, sinking her claws into the ground, "it's only two moons, and a half moon has already passed."
"I'm sorry," meowed Gorsepaw irritably, "but I have to. I'm not bound to you. I don't have to wait for you."
Nightpaw snarled. "We're friends."
For the first time, Gorsepaw seemed truly sorry. "So am I breaking our friendship?"
"You already did."
"I'm sorry, but I already told Tallstar, and he agreed. I can't take that back. Or I'll be viewed as…"
"What? No, never mind. I will never speak to you again!"
Gorsepaw stared after Nightpaw. She turned to Crowpaw, as if she had forgotten that they were almost enemies. "I'm so sorry," she murmured. "For teasing you. Just… well, you were easy prey, Crowpaw. I'm sorry to Nightpaw, too. But I just had to have my warrior ceremony." Her eyes glinted. "Then everyone will acknowledge me as a true warrior. RiverClan will know me as a warrior."
"Did you have a dispute with RiverClan?"
Gorsepaw looked surprised. "No, what makes you think that?"
"You just said RiverClan would know that. Isn't that Clan business or something?"
The soon-to-be-warrior looked away. "I'm going to talk to my mentor again," she muttered, and she quickly went away.
Crowpaw rolled his eyes. Were all she-cats that secretive?
"Crowpaw!" called Mudclaw. "Maybe you can go to the Gathering, after all." His eyes were bright.
"Oh, really?" Crowpaw asked. His first Gathering, the one when he thought he would never go because he had yowled too loudly, was a big failure. He had behind Morningflower and Ashfoot the whole time.
This time, he would talk and socialize, maybe even talk to Feathertail again!
Excitedly, he shot to his paws. "When's the Gathering?"
Mudclaw rolled his eyes. "Excited, are you? Two days later."
Crowpaw's eyes gleamed. "Thank you so much."
"Say your thanks to Gorsepaw. She told Tallstar she wanted you to come."
Crowpaw widened his eyes. "Did she really?" he breathed. Had Gorsepaw changed that much?
"Yes. Soon, she will have her naming ceremony."
"Oh, great!"
Crowpaw decided he would cheer the loudest for Gorsepaw. Maybe a cat could change… drastically.
Any ideas for anything?
