Chapter 8

Stormsong was still fuming over what Hawkfrost had done the other night. Her pelt bristled any time she thought about him. He had left her standing there in confusion.

But now she could focus on training Larchpaw into a good warrior like she had promised. Even if Hawkfrost was a big jerk that didn't mean she was about to put down Larchpaw's training. She was going to show Firestar just how skilled she had become.

She led Larchpaw to the training hollow, only to see Whitepaw and Brackenfur already there. Whitepaw's pelt was stained with dirt as she tried to bring her mentor down. Larchpaw watched with keen interest. Her tail twitched every time Whitepaw succeeded in keeping Brackenfur from pinning her to the ground.

"Well done Whitepaw," Brackenfur purred after she let him up. "You've excelled in your training... I wouldn't be surprised if Firestar made you a warrior in a couple of days."

Whitepaw's green eyes glowed with happiness. Stormsong suppressed a purr, than remembered that Snowpaw would be losing a friend.

The two denmates were almost like sisters. She had noticed how close Snowpaw and Whitepaw were. Snowpaw looked almost exactly like Whitepaw except for those pale blue eyes.

"Would you mind if Larchpaw joined in?" she asked after pushing the thoughts aside.

"It would be good if they learned partner fighting," Brackenfur meowed with a nod.

He stepped aside and allowed Larchpaw to join Whitepaw. The two continued practicing their fighting moves while Brackenfur leaned forward to watch.

"Hard to believe just a few moons ago that was you," he murmured.

Her paws shuffled in embarrassment before she answered, "I've grown since than."

Brackenfur gave her an odd look before shaking his head. Stormsong didn't want to keep up the conversation. She concentrated on watching Larchpaw.

The way Larchpaw moved reminded her of a WindClan cat. The little tortoiseshell's speed outmatched Whitepaw's. She dashed from one side to the other, avoiding Whitepaw's tail and paws that would have otherwise knocked her off balance.

After what felt like moons of trying to figure out one another's weaknesses, Larchpaw finally managed to pin Whitepaw to the ground. Stormsong stood up when she realized just how skilled her apprentice was. She'd managed to overpower an apprentice who was four moons into her training.

"I think we have a winner!" she declared after Larchpaw let Whitepaw up.

"Can I try that move?" Whitepaw mewed. "It'll come in handy the next time we cross paths with ShadowClan!"

When Larchpaw nodded she showed Whitepaw how she'd managed such a move. She used her small size against Whitepaw. Stormsong was impressed with how Larchpaw had caught Whitepaw by surprise. Though Larchpaw was smaller in size she could manipulate Whitepaw into feeling sorry for her.

"And that's how you pin 'em to the ground," Larchpaw finished.

"Looks like we have a little warrior," Brackenfur meowed. "We should be getting back, I want to tell Firestar how Whitepaw did in her assessment."

Stormsong mewed her goodbye to the golden brown tabby. Larchpaw bounced on her paws and stood in front of her mentor when they left.

"Why don't we go hunting now," she suggested after watching Larchpaw's boundless energy. "Do you remember how to stalk a mouse?"

Larchpaw looked across the clearing thoughtfully. "You place your paws lightly against the ground, because they can feel the vibrations," she replied.

When Stormsong nodded in agreement, she allowed Larchpaw to try the stalking on her own. They used a branch as practice before she tried it out on a real mouse.

Larchpaw's tail fluffed up before she lunged forward with her claws outstretched. Silence followed when the branch rattled under her weight. Stormsong knew that the mouse would have fled before her apprentice could catch it.

She kept a keen eye on Larchpaw until her apprentice finally managed to perform the stalking with near-perfect skills. Stormsong purred encouragingly when she knew that Larchpaw would make a good hunter too with more patience.

"Let's try it for real this time," she meowed before leading Larchpaw to where they would find prey.

They reached the Owl Tree where prey was usually easy to find. Stormsong pinpointed the location of a mouse nibbling on a seed. Even though it was leafbare mice were still easy to find around here. The left over seeds from the trees made prime food for mice and birds.

After a few heartbeats Larchpaw had caught the mouse before it could get away. Though it was skinny it was enough to make Stormsong's mouth water. She hadn't eaten since the night before.

She shook her head and spotted a chaffinch pecking at the snow nearby. Her ears flattened before she dropped into a hunter's crouch. The chaffinch was too preoccupied with the ground beneath it. The seeds it was after were buried by the snow.

"I think we've caught enough," she announced after she'd managed to catch the chaffinch. It had let out a loud squawk before she dragged it down. If there was any prey left it would have fled from the sudden noise.

Larchpaw looked relieved to return back to camp. It was a big day for the young apprentice, and she had exceeded in her training.

When they returned Stormsong saw that Whitepaw was chatting excitedly to Snowpaw and Birchpaw. Both apprentices looked jealous that she was bragging about passing her assessment. Stormsong rolled her eyes and took the prey she and Larchpaw had caught to the fresh-kill pile.

"Let all cats old enough gather around the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" Firestar's yowl told Stormsong what she needed to know.

He was holding Whitepaw's ceremony early. Cloudtail and Brightheart looked like they were ready to burst with pride when their daughter stood out amongst the gathered crowd. Patrols had returned from hunting or marking the borders. Graystripe sat beside Sandstorm and Dustpelt.

The whole Clan was ready to watch Whitepaw become a warrior.

"Naming warriors is an important part of Clan life," Firestar began. "Brackenfur, do you believe that your apprentice is ready to become a warrior?"

"She is more than ready," meowed the golden brown tabby.

"Then I, Firestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors so that they may look down upon this apprentice. She has trained hard under the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn. Whitepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Whitepaw replied. Her voice was filled with confidence as she raised her chin.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Whitepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Whiteleaf, in honor of your green colored eyes." Whiteleaf's eyes glowed with warmth when Firestar jumped down to rest his chin on her forehead. Out of respect she licked his shoulder and took a step back.

"Whiteleaf! Whiteleaf!" The Clan cheered her name as the ceremony drew to an end.

Once the meeting drew to an end Brightheart and Cloudtail surrounded their daughter. Stormsong suppressed a purr of happiness for the small family. Whiteleaf deserved to have her warrior name.

"Congratulations Whiteleaf," Brightheart purred. "Now you get to sit vigil."

Whiteleaf's paws kneaded the ground and nodded in agreement. She sat near the gorse tunnel just as the dusk patrol got ready to leave.

"I can't wait 'till I get my warrior name," Snowpaw whispered when Stormsong was within earshot.

Maybe mother will live long enough to see me, she added in her thoughts. Stormsong had never thought of how Snowpaw would feel when Speckletail passed away. It was just something she'd never thought about. Maybe Snowpaw was worried that Speckletail was sick.

She spotted Leafpaw approaching Squirreltail, who was sitting by herself.

"I'm traveling to the Moonstone tonight," Leafpaw announced. "I think I'll be getting my full medicine cat name."

"I sure hope so," Squirreltail mewed. "It's weird that Whiteleaf got her name before you."

Leafpaw nodded in agreement. Stormsong did find it strange, but it was half moon tonight. It made sense that Leafpaw would earn her medicine cat name.

And she'll be able to see Cinderpelt too, she thought hopefully.

Ever since Cinderpelt was killed Leafpaw had acted differently. She knew it was partly because Leafpaw felt responsible for Cinderpelt's death. But Leafpaw needed to get over the shock and return to her normal activities.

The Clan needed a medicine cat, especially with the battle that was slowly approaching.