I'd really appreciate it if any readers would review this work! I'd like to know about mistakes and ways I can improve the story.
Stoatpaw's head jerked up almost immediately. When he was a kit, he'd heard only stories of gatherings from talking to his father. Hundreds of cats, all squeezed into a tiny area. The thought frightened him. While Tigerpaw's face lit up in excitement, his turned downwards in a look of doom and fright.
Fuzzypaw entered into the apprentice's den, squeezing past her sister's excited form. She met Stoatpaw's eyes. "Aw, Stoatpaw! Don't be afraid! The gathering isn't even tonight. It's tomorrow! And don't forget, there's always the chance you don't go." she exclaimed, her tail swooshing back and forth excitedly. Sagepaw nodded, coming to stand beside her sister. As Stoatpaw looked at them, the resemblance made his head hurt.
Tigerpaw went up to Fuzzypaw and Sagepaw, exclaiming, "We have to go out there! I wanna see if I'm going!" Fuzzypaw and Sagepaw's faces lit up as they scrambled to get out of the den. Stoatpaw stifled a giggle as he heard Sandpaw yowling as the two she-cats trampled over him, followed by Tigerpaw. He entered, his ginger fur sticking out in all directions.
"Man, those three are too much! Oh, hi Stoatpaw." he grumbled, sitting down in his nest and smoothing his fur. The white tom looked at Sandpaw, and then looked at the entrance. Sandpaw stood suddenly, and Stoatpaw jerked back. "What are you, scared? Come on, Stoatpaw, let's go see the gathering results." with a flick of his tail, he left the den.
Stoatpaw didn't appreciate the insult from Sandpaw, but stood up anyways and followed him out of the den.
All of the clan was sitting beneath the Hot Spring's Paw, where Wheatstar and Mossfang sat, side by side. Stoatpaw looked up in awe at his father and his leader; their difference in size was astounding. Wheatstar was already speaking, so he and Sandpaw rushed to sit next to Fuzzypaw.
"... to go to the gathering." The crowd cheered, and Stoatpaw did as well, despite not hearing the rest of her speech. Wheatstar's eyes twinkled as the tip of her tail twitched, and she gazed out among the cats. Clearing her throat, she anounced, "The following are the cats going to the gathering. Mossfang, Darkseed, Deerheart, Pineholly, Shiningeyes, Heatherfur, Leafclaw, Fuzzypaw, Sagepaw, Sandpaw, Stoatpaw, and Tigerpaw." the selected cats cheered and whooped. "Everyone else, I expect you all to maintain the camp in a clean and suitable manner while I am gone."
After the anouncements were made, none of the apprentices were tired. Fuzzypaw and Sagepaw stayed up all night, giggling. Stoatpaw walked back first, casting a glance at the nursery. He saw Brambleoak, a queen who had just entered the nursery, staring out at the rest. He suspected the other queen, Mistyspots, was in there as well.
He was the last to enter the apprentice's den, and the first to go to sleep.
The next day, Leafclaw seemed distracted as they practiced in the clearing alongside Fuzzypaw and Rowanleap. Stoatpaw noticed this especially, because as he was practicing his forms for mice hunting. He would sit there and watch how Shiningeyes and Rowanleap acted, and the more Stoatpaw watched what his mentor was observing, the more he noticed it: Rowanleap and Shiningeyes seemed to be very friendly with one another, laughing and giggling while helping their apprentices. Stoatpaw wondered if it was because of the gathering.
Stoatpaw was a little disheartened that training day, because Tigerpaw seemed to be getting everything a lot quicker than he was. How could Tigerpaw be better than him? They were the same age and apprenticed the same day. He decided to forget about Tigerpaw and work on his form.
"That's it, Stoatpaw!" Leafclaw called to him as he slunk forward in a mouse hunting crouch. He sat up, licking a paw and turning his blue gaze away from his mentor as the brown tabby came up to him. "You're really getting your form down. I think you should go out and try to catch a mouse."
Stoatpaw's heart swelled. Him, the pudgy apprentice who could barely make it up the cave wall, was going hunting! "Just remember to be very quiet and stay hidden; your thick white pelt can be a blessing and a curse sometimes."
Stoatpaw nodded, padding out of the clearing and into the forest. He opened his mouth and closed his eyes, letting the scents of the forest fill his nose. Then... he smelled it.
A vole was somewhere around him. Sniffing more and more, he followed its scent until he reached a cluster of ferns. Sure enough, a vole was scuttling right by the ferns.
Stoatpaw slunk down, prowling forward ever so slowly. His body shook as he tried to keep all of his weight off his paws, and just as the vole was sniffing one of the fern leaves, he pounced.
He was sure he'd caught it, but he was too slow. The vole escaped under his grasp, and he chased it with a growl resonating in his throat. He hissed and spat as the vole disappeared down a hole in the ground.
"I thought I had it!" He hissed, pawing the ground with his claws out. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then walked around, trying to scent more prey.
A strange scent tickled his nostrils. It was barely there, but from what Leafclaw told him about prey, he determined it was that of a bird. Sniffing the air, he found a scent trail that led... into a tree.
Leafclaw hadn't taught him bird hunting yet. But... maybe I can try. I didn't catch the vole, so bringing back a bird will surely please Leafclaw! gulping, he began to make his way towards the tree that the bird was in.
He stopped at it's base. It was a tall oak, definitely something not uncommon in the oak forest. He turned his head and spotted Hawk's Talon Peak, seemingly mocking him: Oh little Stoatpaw! So weak he cannot even climb an oak. How will he ever make it to the gathering?
He flattened his ears against his head, and jumped forward, hooking his claws in the tree's bark. It's just like climbing the cave wall back at camp, he told himself, and started to climb up the tree.
By the time he reached a good branch to stand on, he was sure the bird was gone. But sniffing the air, he found that it wasn't too far away. Stoatpaw cautiously made his way down the branch, the scent getting stronger until a nice, fat thrush came into view.
Stoatpaw's jaw dropped. There's no way that thing will be able to fly! he reasoned, inching closer and closer.
All of a sudden, the thrush leapt into the air with a flash of feathers. Desperate and startled, Stoatpaw lunged off of the branch, clawing at the bird. His claws became entangled in the feathers, eliciting a squawk from the thrush. He fumbled, losing his balance and falling of the branch.
"Ah!" he screeched, hitting the ground. All of the air wooshed out of his lunged and tears fell from his eyes. Something snapped, and the bird was squirming and thrashing on the ground, squawking in pain. Quickly, Stoatpaw dove towards it, pain growing in his chest as his lungs heaving for air. He grabbed it by the neck and bit down hard.
The bird stopped squawking. Stoatpaw staggered to his feet, shaking. Pride filled his chest as he realized he'd just made his first catch, and it was a bird! He moved forward, but the thrush was too heavy.
What did Leafclaw say? Stoatpaw asked himself, panic rising in his chest. Oh right! I'm supposed to bury it!
Just as he began digging the hole, Leafclaw jumped through the ferns surrounding Stoatpaw, his chest heaving and his eyes wide. Stoatpaw jumped, flinching away from the bird.
"Stoatpaw! Was that you? Did you make that scream?" He asked frantically, sniffing his apprentice over for injuries. His worried look turned into one of anger. "Why did you shout? What were you doing?"
"I was trying to catch a bird, and-and I fell out of the tree." he mewled quietly, curling his tail around his small body. "I'm sorry, Leafclaw..."
"Darn right, you should be sorry! You could've killed yourself!" Leafclaw scolded him, coming forward to pick him up by the scruff when he spotted the bird. His eyes widened. "Stoatpaw, you actually caught the bird?"
"I'm sorry, Leafclaw!" Stoatpaw wailed, standing up. His fur stuck out in every direction from fright. "I was on the branch and the bird flew in front of me and made me jump so I fell forward and grabbed it and... and..." he was shaking hard, his little body not knowing how to handle the situation.
"Stoatpaw, it's okay. Stop, please." Leafclaw said soothingly, leaning down to pick up his head with his nose. "I was just worried. You need to learn when to go after prey and when to not, and now is a prime example. You caught the bird, but almost killed yourself in trying. Stoatpaw, I'm proud of you for trying to support your clan, and catching the bird."
"Leafclaw!" the brown tabby tom in question swiveled his head around, watching as Shiningeyes and Tigerpaw plowed through the ferns. "What happened? Is Stoatpaw okay?"
"He fell off a tree to catch this thrush," Leafclaw explained, guesturing to the dead bird at his feet. Shiningeyes's eyes widened. "He caught it, but the reason I was upset was because he could've killed himself."
"Oh, Stoatpaw! It's okay, we're not mad." Shiningeyes explained, leaning down to the frightened, wide-eyed tom. "Don't be upset. We were just worried."
"O-Okay," Stoatpaw mewled quietly, and Shiningeyes stood up.
"Where did Fuzzypaw and Rowanleap go?" Leafclaw asked, changing the subject. Shiningeyes got a sparkle in her eye that showed true pride.
"Fuzzypaw and Rowanleap went back to camp. Fuzzypaw's going to be made into a warrior!"
Never before had Stoatpaw run so fast in his life. He didn't have time to mope properly because Leafclaw was determined to get back to the camp to visit his mate and see his first litter become warriors.. Shiningeyes told Stoatpaw to bury his thrush, and the four of them rushed back to camp just in time for the ceremony.
Leafclaw raced into the cave, taking a seat next to Brambleoak, the other queen in the nursery alongside Mistyspots, giving her a loving lick on the cheek. Stoatpaw noticed how big her belly had gotten, and wondered if Pineholly had looked like that before he was born.
He and Tigerpaw sat next to their mother, spotting Sandpaw, Fuzzypaw, and Sagepaw as they were getting ready to become warriors. Wheatstar emerged from her den, her gold and scarlet coat glimmering in the moonlight.
"Cats of Steamclan!" She called loudly, eliciting a cheer from the cats, "We are gathered here today to witness three apprentices become warriors. Sandpaw, come forward!"
The ginger apprentice practically waltzed over to under the Hot Spring's Paw. He looked up expectantly at his leader, who began the ceremony.
"I call upon my warrior ancestors to gaze upon this apprentice, Sandpaw. He has shown his excellence and worth to the clan, and today, he is made a warrior." she asked, looking down at him with green eyes. The crowd cheered, then died down. "Sandpaw, do you agree to follow the warrior code and defend your clan, even though the price may be death?"
Sandpaw nodded. "I do."
Wheatstar smiled. "Then, by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. From now on, you will be known as Sandfoot. I welcome you as a warrior of Steamclan."
Sandfoot bowed his head, stepping back. Sagepaw and Fuzzypaw exchanged glances, when Sagepaw was called up.
"Starclan, look upon Fuzzypaw. She has trained hard to understand your code alongside her denmates. Today, she is made a warrior." Fuzzypaw's eyes twinkled. "Fuzzypaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and fight for your clan, even if the cost is death?"
"I do!" Fuzzypaw shouted excitedly, shifting on her paws.
Wheatstar closed her eyes. "By the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. Fuzzypaw, from now on, you shall be known as Fuzzytail. I welcome you as a warrior of Steamclan."
Stoatpaw began to grow bored, missing the rest of the warrior induction. All he knew was the three names: Sandfoot, Fuzzytail, and Sageberry. That was all.
Then Wheatstar made an anouncement that made his whole body shiver.
"All cats that are going to the gathering, please come here so we may get ready to leave."