Challenge: It's All in a Name

Word Count (min. 200): 609

Rating: K+ suitable for all ages

The Fire that Kept us Warm

The medicine cat and her apprentice slowly padded up to the Moonpool. Five other cats looked at them impatiently. They were late.

"It's good to finally see you here, Morningsky," the WindClan medicine cat snapped. "Some of us want to talk to StarClan before the sun comes up."

Morningsky brushed his comment off with a flick of her tail. "RiverClan needed me, Oakfang. I had no choice but to stay there for a second. We've only just gotten over our outbreak of greencough." She glanced at the little black tom next to her with a purr. "But I knew that I had to come tonight, even though I was a little bit late..."

"Okay," a grey she-cat— Smokeheart of ShadowClan— purred. "If we're all ready, let's—"

"—Wait," Morningsky interrupted. "There's something I need to do."

The medicine cats all glanced at each other, then at Nightpaw. They knew what was going to happen. "As you all know," Morningsky continued. "I have been training Nightpaw for eight moons now. He has been an excellent apprentice and I am so proud of him."

Nightpaw gave his pelt a couple of embarrassed licks. "Thanks Morningsky..." he purred softly.

"As I told you before, RiverClan had a bad outbreak of sickness. Most of our cats caught whitecough and greencough—even I caught whitecough. But no matter what, Nightpaw did not stop working and he healed almost all of our cats, and once I became better, I did not have to do much as he had already done everything. We only lost one elder and two young, sickly kits when we could have lost so many more cats."

An apprentice interrupted Morningsky this time. "Wow!" the calico she-cat purred. "I could never do that! ThunderClan would have all died if I was the only cat able to help them!"

"Specklepaw!" Birdfeather hissed softly. "Don't interrupt!"

"Thank you Birdfeather." Morningsky dipped her head to the older medicine cat. "Anyway," she purred. "If Nightpaw wasn't there, RiverClan would have all died. And for that, I would like to give him his full name."

Nightpaw gasped in surprise. "Thank you Morningsky!" he gushed. "I promise I'll be a good medicine cat! I'll make you proud!"

"You already have," Morningsky purred. She looked to the sky. "So, without further ado, I, Morningsky, medicine cat of RiverClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of a medicine cat, and with your help he will serve his Clan for many moons."

Morningsky glanced at her apprentice; he sat up straighter and gave his fur a couple of self-conscious licks. "Nightpaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry between Clans and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?" she asked.

"I do!" Nightpaw vowed enthusiastically.

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your true name as a medicine cat," Morningsky announced. "Nightpaw, from this moment you will be known as Nightfire. RiverClan would not have survived leaf-bare without you. You were the fire that kept us all warm and healthy. StarClan honours your skill and intelligence, and we welcome you as a full medicine cat of RiverClan!"

Morningsky rested her muzzle on Nightfire's head and he licked her shoulder in return. "Thank you," he whispered again.

"No. Thank you," Morningsky responded.

"Nightfire! Nightfire!" the medicine cats cheered.

"Now," Smokeheart purred after they had all stopped cheering. "Let's visit our warrior ancestors."

Nightfire laid down in between Specklepaw and Morningsky. He was ready to see StarClan.

Not as Nightpaw, but as Nightfire!