"Scorchpaw hurry up!" Oddpaw called to his sister," We're going to be late for our ceremony."
"I'm coming, Oddpaw. Don't worry about me and worry about you fur." Scorchpaw, a red-brown shecat with black markings scattered on her pelt. You would have never guessed she and Oddpaw were siblings, as Oddpaw looked nothing like Scorchpaw, or their parents. Oddpaw was completely gray on the left half of his body, and golden on his right half. His amber eyes helped make him stand out. Scorchpaw, on the other hand, had neither gray nor gold on her pelt. Yet the two were sibling. They were the daughter and son of Adderflower, a ginger orange tabby with white paws and tail, and Badgerfall, a black tom with white markings scattering his pelt. Both of their parents were highly respected senior warriors, which Scorchpaw admired with a growing passion each day.
"Did you here, Scorchpaw? The Eldest one is here! She's going to see us become warriors. How cool is that." The two-colored tom cat purred.
"Yea, that's pretty neat, Oddpaw. I'm just excited to finally be a warrior! I've been waiting moons for this! It's very rare the Eldest one is here for a ceremony, so it must mean good fortune to us!" Scorchpaw looked over to where the old shecat known as Humblehope sat beside their leader, Larkstar. One more apprentice was becoming a warrior alongside Scorchpaw and her brother. That cat was Firepaw. A snarky mean shecat who loved to tease Oddpaw for his strange pelt. Scorchpaw didn't like Firepaw at all, and it irked her that she would be sharing the special moment with her. Yet, Scorchpaw knew it was an important day for all three of them, so bitterness was to be set aside for the day.
"Look who it is. Dumb-paw and his guard cat." The orange tabby sneered, walking up from behind Oddpaw and Scorchpaw. Firepaw made it pretty hard to not be angry.
"Firepaw, what a surprise. Excited for the naming ceremony?" Scorchpaw said through gritted teeth.
"Oh, yes. I expect a good name too. With the Eldest one here, she'll most likely help with the blessings in this ceremony. Maybe she'll give Oddpaw the name he deserves." Firepaw's eyes glowed with darkness.
"Oh yea? What's that?" Scorchpaw spat, her yellow eyes narrowing.
"OddDung! Doesn't it suit him?" Oddpaw flattened his ears and lowered his head in shame. Scorchpaw couldn't help herself. She walked up to Firepaw, right next to the ginger orange tabbies ear.
"Listen here, Firepaw. I'm trying to be nice, because the Eldest one is here, plus it's a special day. One more word about Oddpaw though, and i make sure you'll never forget this day, and not in a good way." Scorchpaw hissed.
"Careful with the threats. We don't want Larkstar changing his mind about this. I'll leave Odd-brain alone for now, but I don't plan to for forever." Firepaw warned.
"Then you'll never truly be a good warrior. I have done my best to respect you for years, but your constant teasing of my brother has made it hard. This is the last time i warn you personally to stop teasing Oddpaw. Next time I'll bring in Larkstar and Pebblestripe." With that said, Scorchpaw turned and walked away. Before she could speak with her brother again, HumbleHope and Larkstar moved onto the huge fallen tree that Larkstar used for clan meetings.
"Let all cats who are watched by the graceful and merciful eyes of the ancestors in Starclan gather for a Marshclan meeting!" At those words from Larkstar every Marshclan cat came from their dens and sat beneath the tree.
"Today is a special day, not only because the Eldest one has decided to spend to next two days here, but because we have three apprentices ready to be full warriors. Firepaw, Scorchpaw, and Oddpaw, please join us here." Larkstar called to us, and the three of us quickly went to sit beside our leader.
"Since our wise Eldest one is here, she will be the one blessing these three with their names." Larkstar stepped back, allowing Humblehope direct access over to us. The old tan shecat walked up to us and sat down. Her amber eyes landed on Firepaw.
"You, the one called Firepaw, correct?" The old cat rasped. Firepaw nodded with a touch of pride. The Eldest one took a moment to get a good look at her," You are filled with pride for your strengths. You run and hunt with fire in your veins. With our ancestors watching, I name you Firefang." Humblehope stepped forward to touch her nose to the new warriors forehead.
"Firefang! Firefang!" The clan cheered. Firefang proudly jumped off the log and joined the other warriors. Humblelight then turned to Scorchpaw's brother. After a minute of looking at him, the old cat smiled.
"You poor child. You've been mistreated, yet your free spirit remains. You embrace your differences, even if it makes you feel ashamed. Embrace it more, your differences make you stronger. With our ancestors watching, I name you Oddpelt." The tan shecat touched her nose to the top of the double colored cat's head.
"Oddpelt! Oddpelt!" The clan purred and called. Oddpelt carefully jumped off the log and joined the warriors, who welcomed him happily. Finally, the Eldest one turned to Scorchpaw. As soon as Humblelight's gentle amber eyee met Scorchpaw's yellow ones, the tan cat gasped.
"You. You are special aren't you. The ancestors gave you a drop of life when you needed it most." Humblehope stepped forward to get a better look at Scorchpaw. The clan started to murmur to each other.
"How did she know Scorchpaw almost died as a kit from sickness?"
"They're no way she knew about the vision Lightningflame got when she was sick."
"She wasn't here though!"
"Hush! All of you! Respect your Eldest one." Larkstar hissed.
"You've been spared and given life, and it let you blossom into a sharp, quick, and brave you cat. Starclan had reason, and your path is yet to be seen. I wish the best for you. With the ancestors watching, I name you Scorchbriar." Humblehope touched her nose to Scorchbriar's head. there was a moment of silence before Oddpelt and Firefang broke the silence.
"Scorchbriar! Scorchbriar!" The two new warriors called, and the clan joined in.
"Scorchbriar! Scorchbriar!"
"Thank you, Humblehope. The newest warriors with guard camp tonight in silence and hunt at the first light. Clan dismissed." Larkstar and Humblehope leapt down from the log as Scorchbriar joined the other warriors.
"How did she know? Only the clan knows about how I almost died!" Scorchbriar asked the other warriors. Snailbee, a younger warrior gold and black warrior spoke up.
"They say all Eldest ones can see the spirits of the past. The past Eldest ones, and even the cat they call the Influencer. The ancestor that inspired the founders to start today's clans. So, any of them could have told her." Snailbee shrugged.
"It must be tough being the Eldest one, no clan to call home, constantly moving all alone. That probably why the leaders spend all their time with the Eldest one when she's in the clan." Oddpelt glanced at Humblehope who was sitting and eating with the deputy, medicine cat, and leader.
"I think it'd be fun! I mean you get to travel the territories without trouble, you get to talk to dead cats and do all of that important calls at the gatherings. Even the leaders look up to her!" Scorchbriar purred.
"Dream big, featherbrain." Firefang rolled her eyes, and Scorchbriar scoffed.
"I will! Now, though, I will be the best Marshclan warrior the stars have ever seen!" Scorchbriar puffed her chest out proudly.There was a moment of silence from the other cats. Scorchbriar gave them a confused look.
"You do know that'll never happen. The greatest Marshclan warrior was Tumble Light, the first Eldest one." Firefang said, skepticism in her voice.
"Of course, I have! I want to be like him! Chasing foxes, catching hawks one-pawed to save a kit, founder of the very ideals of our clans! He's a legend." Scorchbriar weaved between the others," He was gentle, he was wise, but above all, he had the stars on his side."
"That's very hard to get though," Hareshire commented," Tumble Light never hated any cat, and never fought. He was said the behave as if all the wisdom and heart of Starclan was in him."
"Hey! You five! Come help me for a minute!" A raspy voice yowled, causing Scorchbriar to turn her head. There stood one of the clan's elders, Softwatcher. Softwatcher was one of the grouchiest elders. He always was calling young warriors to help him, since he felt good warriors should always help their elders without a second thought.
"Softwatcher, these three are new warriors, give them a break." Hareshine told the old pale gray tomcat while walking over with Snailbee.
"That doesn't mean they just get to laze around all day! C'mon you three! Chop, chop!" Softwatcher sat down with a thump. Scorchpaw gave Oddpelt a defeated shrug.
"Coming Softwatcher!" Scorchbriar started to run over to him, followed by Oddpelt and a reluctant Firefang. Once all five warriors were settled by the elder, Softwatcher gave a satisfied huff.
"That's all I needed, I just wanted to see how much respect for elders the new warriors had, since they aren't apprentices or kits no more." Softwatcher stretched out.
"Oh, right I forgot you did that to the new warriors." Snailbee rolled his eyes.
"Alright, all right! Go on now, I don't actually need anything." Softwatcher got to his paws again and went back to the elder's den where the other three elders were.
"He does that a lot; you'll get used to it." Snailbee said to the three newest warriors.
"Great. Well, I'm going to go find some older warriors to hang out with." Firefang grumbled, before turning and walking away. Oddpelt nudged Scorchbriar.
"Hey, since tomorrow in the gathering of the clans, and were warriors now, do you think Larkstar will let us go?" Oddpelt asked.
"I should think as long as we're not half asleepafter tonightwe can! The Laws of the Stars say nothing about new warriors not going to gatherings." Scorchbriar mused.
"I went to the gathering after I was first made a warrior, I mean, the gathering wasn't a day after I was given my name, but I should suspect you'll go." Hareshine shrugged. Gorsepaw and Beechpaw had just left for a border patrol with their mentors, Starlingmouse and Swallowberry. It reminded Scorchbriar that in two moons, when Berrytail's kits were all six moons, she could get an apprentice of her own. Rowanblaze was quite proud of his four wonderful kits and would often say he expected great things from them.
Of course, her parent had though the same of her and Oddpelt. Both of them had been very weak and small kits born in a greencough outbreak. Their youngest sister, Sunnykit, had died of greencough, and Scorchbriar was supposed have. Oddpelt and Scorchbriar grew stong because of the times they were born in. Thus, their parent knew they were destined to be strong warriors.
The rest of the day was spent getting to better know the other warriors. Scorchbriar's old mentor, Flintlight, told her at least three times that he was proud of how far she had come. Many of the other warriors gave her and the other two praise and welcome, even some of their old apprentice denmates came and congratulated them. When nightfall finally came, Scorchbriar, Oddpelt, and Firefang took their place at the camp entrance. The night was long and uneventful, but Scorchbriar was able to keep herself awake and active. It seemed to be forever before the first day's light peeked over to marshy wetlands, making the rivers and puddles shine. The three warriors split ways to take their first warrior hunt alone. Scorchbriar quickly caught scent of a water vole, which loved the early morning dew, and started to track after it. Two water voles, and a fish from the river, that was what she was about to bring home to her clan. Oddpelt hadn't reurned yet, but Firefang was already in camp with two fresh mice. Scorchbrair sat beside Firefang and placed her catches down in front of herself. After a while, her brother finally came home, he was holding a rabbit, which rarely left the Moorclan plains, and two plump voles. He sat beside his sister and places his catches in front of him. Larkstar, followed by Pebblestripe and the Eldest one got onto the log and inspected the prey caught.
"These three have proven to our ancestors by a silent hunt and watch that they are worthy of their names and ranks. At this time their voices have been regranted to them. Raise you're voices with me to Starclan, so that they may hear Marshcclans newest warriors!" Larkstar called out to his clans, who all started to chant the three newest warriors' names.
"If they wish to, and are not too tired, you three are welcome to join us at the gathering of the clans tonight." Pebblestripe dipped his head to the three, who all dipped their heads back respectfully. Humblehope then spoke up.
"I will be leaving at sunset, so i may reach Star Island before the clans all get there. I will stay until then." The Eldest one then carefully stepped down from the log, and Larkstar and Pebblestripe followed. Scorchbriar picked up her prey and walked it over to the fresh kill pile, as did Oddpelt and Firefang. The three then hastily ran to their new nests in the warrior's den and flopped down for some well-deserved rest.
"Oh, Scorchbrair! Firefang! Oddpelt! Do you want us to wake you before the gathering of the clans?" Snailbee asked before Scorchbriar could drift to sleep.
"Yes please." The three said in union before drifting to sleep.
About four hours past after they first fell asleep, Scorchbriar woke to the sounds of a patrol had returned, but she quickly drifted back into the peaceful sleep. It wasn't until late that night when the moon shone bright above that a paw prodded at Scorchbriar's side. She groaned and opened her bright yellow eyes.
"Hey, they're about to leave for the gathering." Snailbee told her. She got to her feet and joined her brother outside the den. Larkstar and Pebblestripe were on the log waiting. Squirrelflake, Flintlight, Badgerfall, Poolstripe, Firefang, and Oddpelt were all the warriors there waiting to go. Daisypaw and Vinepaw were with their mentors, Daisypaw with Squirrelflake, and Vinepaw with the medicine cat, Lightningflame. Scorchbriar joined the others, and Larkstar signaled for the clan to move out. Excitement flared in Scorchbriar. Larkstar would be announcing her name in front of all the other clans. She'd make sure they'd remember the name, too. Crossing the old fallen tree, the clan reached Star Island where scents of Moorclan and Rockyclan were. Instead of the happy, peaceful talking Scorchbriar expected, they're was wailing, yowling, and cries. Larkstar and Pebblestripe quickly ran to where Runningstar and Softstrike of Rockyclan and Fawnstar and Grassbee of Moorclan were. The Marshclan warrior walked slowly and confusedly into the mass of weeping cats. They had no clue what had happened until a very frightened Daisypaw, who had just been told by a Moorclan apprentice what was wrong, yowled out.
"Humblehope's dead! She's been murdered!"