I like this chapter... i like it alot. anyways, read and review, and tell me what you think.

Going on...

Tainted Shadow Rebel: Lolz, thanks, i found the name i was looking for

ThrushflightEdwards'Stalker: lol, her character is hardly developed but you already hate her!

Longtail Luv: Hehe, i already decided the names of the kits though...

Cloudfire: more action in this one, just for you!

Princess Alyra: Petalpaw? Let's see...

Starfrosts' Spirit: Nice name, lol, nice imagination

CinderDreams: don't worry, I'm not either

slavetothekeyboard: Diamondshine was born spineless XD

She Who Sulks In The Shadows: I love Bluepaw too! and Petalpaw! Yay!

Pebblepaw: Yup, loaads of romance XD

Sleets: correct, just asking for opinions here.

When the stress gets to high, when you can't see strait. You feel your legs lock up; your lungs cease to breathe. Your eyes open wide as you watch the final blow; watch it come closer and closer until it swallows your entire vision. You close your eyes, bracing yourself, and wait for your life to finish.

My clan calls that 'lock up', and it's the cause of most deaths in battle. The body is too terrified to move, to full of adrenaline to dodge out of the way, and you feel death reaching out to you in slow motion. It has never been known to be broken. And every cat fears it in battle.

Now I had grown to my maximum, and every cat in the clan knew that I was prepared to be a warrior. I had learned every trick that cold be taught to me, I had grown even taller then my father and stronger then my uncle. I was ready, completely ready, to be a warrior. But my ceremony never came, and a moon passed.

I was fourteen moons old now; the frost was just beginning to melt from leaf-bare. It was an earlier melt then usual, everyone knew, but no one was complaining. I woke up later and later, until I got up when everyone else was supposed to wake up, and everyone knew I was growing too large for the apprentice den.

So why didn't my warrior ceremony come?

That day I went out hunting with Darkflower and Blackstripe, along the RiverClan border. Blackstripe lead us, weaving through the sparse undergrowth and sniffing occasionally for the trail of worthwhile prey. Most of the prey was just small toads or frogs, but every once in a while we would come along a finch or a sparrow, and catch them.

We neared the Thunderpath together, drawn by the scent of a squirrel, when a monster rushed by, startling the squirrel off the road. The squirrel darted along the Thunderpath, and Darkflower followed in hot pursuit as quickly as she could. Blackstripe rolled his eyes and padded after her, flicking his tail towards me.

"Why won't Smokestar make me a warrior?" I asked him then, and he looked towards me, slightly surprised. I felt rage build in my chest, "I'm fourteen moons old! I'm taller then Smokestar and I'm stronger the Marshpaw and Silverpaw combined. I'm faster then Graypaw and smarter then Bronzepaw, what more does he want?"

Blackstripe hesitated and opened his mouth to answer when he was cut off by a piercing scream. He spun around, eyes wide, and rushed towards where Darkflower had chased the squirrel. Without hesitation I followed after him.

Darkflower was cornered in the deep pockets of a pine trees' roots, fur fluffed up in alarm and an ugly gash going across her shoulders. She scratched out as her assailant – a large female badger, struck out at her with one huge paw. Blackstripe let out a snarl, launching himself through the air and landed on the female badgers' shoulder, digging his claws into her hide. The female growled and whirled, sending Blackstripe spinning away into a bracken bush.

I jumped in down, scratching out at the badgers' nose. She let out a sharp snarl and clubbed me with the back of one paw, knocking the wind out of me. I spotted Blackstripe darting out from behind the badger, scratching at her back legs and I rushed over to Darkflower, who, still shaken, she creeping away to safety.

The badger spotted us, and I jumped again, clearing out of the path of a dirty, thorn-sharp claw. The badger though, wasn't aiming for me. She planted her paw on the ground, swinging around her haunches and smashing one of her back paws into Darkflowers' shoulder. Blackstripe let out a cry as Darkflower crashed into a tree and collapsed limply. He rushed past me and I jumped between then two of them and the badger, bristling.

And then it happened, the Lock Up. I couldn't move my legs; my breath was caught in my throat. I felt my eyes widen as the badger lunged to me with her long fangs, reaching for my neck. I watched as the claw came closer, then time slowed. I could see the fur rippling the badgers' dark fur, the dirt of the badgers' claws, saliva dripping off of her long teeth.

"Snakepaw!"

My eyes shifted, and I caught sight of Bluepaw, pulled back in shock, green eyes watering. Our eyes caught, and for a heartbeat, time stood still. I couldn't die in front of her. I couldn't. That promise, that promise I made to myself so many seasons ago… I couldn't break it.

I looked back to the badger, she was closing in now, my chest heaved, and I lowered my head, and took a deep breath. The world spun around me, my legs unlocked, my head cleared. I rushed towards the badger, darting under her chin and heaving upwards, throwing her upwards and forcing her to stumble backwards. Her claws caught my shoulder as she scrambled backwards though, tearing a long gash along one side of my body. I gritted my teeth and jumped backwards, avoiding her other claw.

The badger though, had had enough, and turned, growling, and lumbered away to the north, out of our territory. I smiled, feeling my chest swell, and looked back up to where Bluepaw had been. She was still there. I looked back towards Blackstripe and Darkflower, and Bluepaw followed my gaze, then turned and darted back to her own territory.

I rushed over to Blackstripe and Darkflower now. Darkflower groaned, eyes fluttering open as I neared her. Blackstripe carefully helped her up, licking her ear fondly. He sighed, pressing his muzzle into her dark fur around her neck.

"You idiot," he murmured, "You almost got killed." Darkflower smiled softly, her dark brown eyes flickering to the marshy ground.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, "I'll try not to die yet."

"Snakepaw," I blinked, looking towards my uncle. His eyes were strong and proud, and his head was held high, "I think it's time for you to become a warrior."

When the stress begins to pile up, sinking down into your shoulders and dragging you down. When it feels like you're trapped, and there's no way to escape. Or when you're caught up in the Lock Up, and you can't move, time slows, and you watch your oncoming death. Think. Think of your family, of your brothers and mothers and fathers and uncles and friends. Think of your loved ones, and how they would miss you if you left them. Think of them and the stress doesn't seem too great, there's a new exit to escape out of, and in Lock Up, let legs unfreeze. Just think of them, and the world doesn't seem too terrible.

Yay!

Now review!

Or i won't update!

And a new poll!

BLUEPAW AND PETALPAW ARE BOTH HIDING SOMETHING FROM SNAKEPAW, WHAT DO YOU THINK IT IS?

lol, that's kind of a spoiler, but it's just a question

anyways, i've already picked their issues,so i want imput from your imagination.

XD

Review and tell me!