Dapplestream sat on the bank of the river watching the current speed by. Her eyes were focused on the scene in front of her looking for any sign of movement- There! She fished her paw into the water and plucked out a fat shape. She killed the fish and set it down next to her.
"You're so good at this!" exclaimed the she-cat sitting next to her. It was Shallowpaw, the apprentice she had gone out with when she got a tour of the territory. "If I didn't know any better I would think you had been born into RiverClan!"
The pretty she-cat smiled sheepishly. She had made the mistake her first day out fishing of catching a fish with ease. Dapplestream knew she should have acted like she didn't know what she was doing. Since then she had been telling a lie that fish was her favorite meal and she loved to catch them.
"Come on!" Shallowpaw suddenly exclaimed. "Bury your fish and we'll come get them back later. I know another spot that's teeming with big ones!" The black apprentice plunged into the river without so much as a warning.
Dapplestream neatly buried her catches before following the RiverClan apprentice on foot. She was terrified of getting more than her paw wet. Shallowpaw pulled herself out of the river at the spot she had spoken of. As if to demonstrate she crouched down next to the bank, staring at the shapes with her green eyes. Then, her paw shot into the water and she caught a large fish.
"See? Look how huge this thing is!" The apprentice gleamed. "They're really quick though. I'm the only apprentice that can catch them!" Shallowpaw purred as she boasted.
"You seem to be a very capable apprentice, Shallowpaw," Dapplestream said to her. "Forgive me for not knowing much about RiverClan's traditions. When will you be made a warrior like Fishclaw?" Perhaps she had asked the wrong question because the apprentice's mood suddenly turned sour.
"Brookstar won't make me a warrior because I haven't fought in a battle," Shallowpaw explained. "Which is mousedung! The Clans are at peace right now; there aren't going to be any battles! I can do any fighting move as well as any warrior in RiverClan."
Dapplestream thought for a moment. She could understand both sides. She understood Shallowpaw's frustration with being an apprentice, however, learning a move in training and actually using it in a fight were two completely different things. The best fighter could be a coward.
"Maybe you can just show Brookstar some initiative instead," the dappled she-cat suggested. "Wake up for dawn patrol, offer to critique the other apprentices, or maybe watch the kits so the Queens can take a break."
The black-pelted apprentice suddenly got a smile on her face. "Wow, Dapplestream! That was great advice! As soon as we get back I'll offer to watch Shellcloud's kits! They're nearly ready to be apprentices anyhow. I can even teach them apprentice stuff!"
Dapplestream purred. It always brought joy to her when she made another cat feel better. A figure suddenly flashed in front of her in the water and she struck at it with her paw. She caught a fish that was larger then Shallowpaw's.
The apprentice squealed with delight. "I knew we'd find good fish at this spot! I'll give one of these to Brookstar! Then she can see what a great choice she made inviting you into the Clan!"
The brown dappled she-cat was about to mention how it might not have been the best idea accepting a cat you knew nothing about into the Clan when a shrill scream sounded in the air.
"It's coming from over there!" Shallowpaw exclaimed and the two cats were off in the direction of the scream. Dapplestream's heart pounded with dread. A scream like that couldn't have been good.
The two RiverClan cats skidded to a halt along the riverbank. In front of them was Sunningrocks, the territory that their clan and ThunderClan shared. They had found the source of the scream: two cats cornered by a large orange-pelted animal. A fox.
Seemingly without thinking, Shallowpaw plunged into the water and swam all the way to the banks of the rocks. But, Dapplestream couldn't follow. There was no where for her to pass without having to swim. And the river was too wide for her to simply leap.
"Dapplestream!" The black apprentice's voice broke her out of her terror. "You can do it! Just get in the water and your paws will do the rest!" Shallowpaw glanced at the ThunderClanners facing the fox. The predator hadn't striked, yet.
The RiverClan warrior took a deep breath before she catapulted herself into the river. For a moment, she felt panic. The icy current was going to sweep her away! Then, she realized the water was warm and the current relaxed. Her paws knew what to do before her mind could direct them and soon she was pulling herself up onto the bank next to Shallowpaw.
The cats sprinted, just far away enough to see the fox lunge but not be able to do anything about it. One of the ThunderClan cats, a gray apprentice, stood horror-stricken. The other cat stood in the way of the fox's attack, taking it's bite in her side.
"Get off her you flee-bitten mongrel!" Shallowpaw shouted a battle cry as she launched herself at the fox. The force of her attack was enough to knock the predator away from the ThunderClan cats. The black-pelted cat sprang out of the way of the fox's mouth before it could counter-attack.
The fox gave a terrifying yowl and was about to spring at Shallowpaw but Dapplestream was there, batting at the predator with her claws. The RiverClan apprentice appeared at her side hissing and batting her paws at the orange form as well. This way they were forcing the fox backwards, away from the ThunderClan cats. Finally, the fox hissed at the two RiverClan cats and fled deeper into ThunderClan territory.
Dapplestream glanced at Shallowpaw to make sure she was okay before she darted back over to the other two cats. The cat that had been attacked was lapping at her wound. From what Dapplestream could see it wasn't very deep. The gray cat was still in the same spot, shaking.
"Mintflower!" Shallowpaw exclaimed as she followed Dapplestream back over. "Stormpaw! Are you guys okay?"
The she-cat nodded. "Yes, we were out collecting herbs and the fox attacked us. I don't know what we would have happened if you two didn't show up. I am in your debt." She dipped her head slightly.
Then, there was a pad of paws on the forest floor and out emerged three ThunderClan warriors from the trees. Dapplestream immediately caught Aspenflight's gaze. But he wasn't giving her a friendly look. And why would he? From the sight in front of him he had probably thought the RiverClan cats attacked ThunderClan's medicine cats!
"Willowstar!" Mintflower exclaimed at one of the ThunderClan cats. "The fox attacked us! These RiverClan warriors saved our lives." The leader sniffed at Stormpaw, making sure he was okay. Dapplestream noticed the resemblance in both the cats. Were they kin?
The ThunderClan leader turned to the RiverClan cats. She dipped her head to Dapplestream and Shallowpaw just as Mintflower had. "This is the second time this fox has attacked my Clan. I thank you, greatly, for saving my clanmates. Let me escort you back to RiverClan. I will make sure Brookstar knows how truly grateful we are." She turned back to her clanmates. "Take Mintflower and Stormpaw back to camp. Then, Shrewmask, organize a patrol to search the territory for the fox. I will be back soon."
The leader nodded to the two RiverClan cats and Shallowpaw led the way back to RiverClan camp. Dapplestream was thankful they trudged further up the river's edge to where there were stepping stones leading onto RiverClan territory. She had just swam in the river but that didn't mean she was prepared to do it again.
Before long, the three cats had arrived at RiverClan's camp. This time the stepping stones were above water. Water hadn't crested over the rocks since the night she had to climb the broken branch to get into camp.
Dapplestream nearly ran into Brookstar and Troutwhisper as they were met at the camp entrance. Obviously, the RiverClan leader and deputy had smelled the unfamiliar scent of ThudnerClan's leader.
"Willowstar?" Brookstar asked, confused. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh, Brookstar!" The gray and white leader exclaimed and dipped her head again. "ThunderClan is indebted to you. Your two warriors here risked their lives to save my medicine cats from a fox! I cannot thank them enough. Anything RiverClan needs, all you have to do is ask."
Brookstar looked from Dapplestream and then to the apprentice at her side. "Shallowpaw isn't yet a warrior." The brown dappled she-cat could only image what a gut-punch the words must have felt to the apprentice.
"Is she not?" Willowstar questioned. "Well, I believe she should be. I was told she led the attack on the fox, remaining fearless the entire time." Okay, Dapplestream may have bragged about Shallowpaw to Willowstar on the way to the RiverClan camp.
A smile warmed Brookstar's face. "Then a warrior she shall be." Dapplestream couldn't keep in a slight laugh as Shallowpaw's jaw dropped. The black apprentice hadn't been expecting that. Willowstar murrowed a good-bye as she left the RiverClan camp, not wanting to intrude on the ceremony about to occur.
Brookstar jumped onto a large rock protruding from the ground and called the entire Clan to meet. Dapplestream had to usher Shallowpaw forward because the apprentice was still stuck in shock.
"I, Brookstar, leader of RiverClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to took down on this apprentice. They had trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turn." The leader looked at the apprentice. "Shallowpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
"I do!" Shallowpaw exclaimed.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Shallowpaw, from this moment on your will be known as Shallowstep. StarClan honors your courage and compassion and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan."
Dapplestream turned her head to the sky, shouting the new warrior's name with the rest of her clan: "Shallowstep! Shallowstep!"