This chapter is going to be long...
Chapter 6
Shadepaw trudged on the muddy path, the gleam of Petalpaw's eyes slightly visible. Shadepaw looked away, am I right to do this? He thought, he pushed the worries away and gathered his pace to catch up with his clanmates.
Dapplepaw perked up her ears suddenly, glaring in the distant, "badgers," she alerted the Streamclan cats. Shadepaw let out a hiss of annoyance, Wavestar growled obviously worried about Jayflight. The cats began running, crying out for Starclan to keep their kin safe. Finally the huge mossy entrance appeared in view, a badger nosed the vines of the nursery growling in disappointment as it found nothing.
A badger trying to reach poor frightened Fishleap huddling in the elders den drifted its gaze to Shadepaw, it left Fishleap in fear and ran over to Shadepaw, bowling him over.
"Dapplepaw! Go get Caveclan for help!" Streamstar cried out before running to Jayflight to help her fight the burliest badger out of the group.
"Don't act mean Rowan," Jasmine murmured, rubbing her head against Rowan's shoulder, Dandelion stepped up to answer the tom's question.
"This is Sparkpaw and Rainpaw," Dandelion muttered, pointing her tail to the two apprentices. Rainpaw glanced at Sparkpaw, her gaze blank.
Rowan's gaze softened, "funny names... eh?" He teased the two apprentices, Jasmine let out a purr and settled down on the hay. There was a low screech and the soft beating of wings and then silence. Rainpaw meowed and flinched, what had just happened? She asked herself.
"The eagle has given up and is going away," Dandelion informed the cats, Rowan ignored her and settled down beside Jasmine. Sighing in annoyance, Dandelion curled onto a stack of hay, burying her head into her tail. Soon Rainpaw felt Sparkpaw thump down onto the ground snoring.
Rainpaw sighed and gently curled next to Sparkpaw, glancing through the top layer of hay into the stars, I miss mother, Tawnypaw, Eaglepaw and everyone, she silently thought, knowing they missed her too.
Dapplepaw kept running, ignoring the clashes of claws and screeches of pain if she stopped all of her moons of training would be worth nothing. She let out a cry of glee as four Caveclan cats came into view, diving towards them she slowly skidded to a halt.
"What now?" A tortoiseshell she-cat sighed, her head drooping down in boredom.
"Silence please," A brown tabby tom which seemed to be the head of the group meowed, after he just spoke, he sneezed, the other cats glanced at each other in amusement. "What do you want? If its something to do with Wavestar demanding more territory then leave." The tom muttered darkly, sneezing again.
Dapplepaw opened her mouth to speak before any cat could say anything, "Streamclan is being attacked by badgers we need help!" She wailed, a brown apprentice stepped up with worried eyes.
"I-I think we should help them," The apprentice meowed. The tom lifted his head as if the decision was made.
"We shall tell Heartstar, Flowerpounce, go back and tell her," The tom meowed, the tortoiseshell she-cat seemed to hesitate but did as told.
Shadepaw cried out as the badger slashed his cheek, then pinning him down with one huge paw. The badger reared up in triumph, ready to deal a finishing blow, Shadepaw silently thought, was he going to join his brother so soon and early? Then he saw Twotail barrel into the badger's side, causing it to topple over and retreat.
"Thanks mentor!" Shadepaw meowed cheerfully, soon helping Brinefall fend off a badger trying to reach Fishleap. The scent of Caveclan rose around Streamclan, the badgers winced as Caveclan warriors shot out like flying birds, Shadepaw felt a sweet scent drift pass his nose, Petalpaw!
Petalpaw winked at Shadepaw and licked him on the cheek before fighting off the badger, they soon moved on to the next badger as the current badger fled back into the woods, the two apprentices fought side by side, their moves matching one another. Petalpaw purred and spoke in a low voice, only enough for Shadepaw to hear, "maybe you should meet me tommorow."
The gaze of Petalpaw was half with sadness and half with satisfaction, "I think so," Shadepaw muttered, slashing a badger on the nose. Petalpaw just nodded and began fighting the badger with him again
The badgers had second thoughts, and soon they were crying out like kits and running to the woods with their tail between their legs. "Bye," Petalpaw meowed softly before walking over to Heartstar, Shadepaw wanted to cry out to her to stay with him but kept silent.
Will bad things happen in the future? Shadepaw asked himself, he ignored the thoughts, hoping his spirits will lift up. Nightsong let out a cry and began licking Shadepaw's bloody pelt.
"Oh I was so worried I would lose you!" Nightsong cried, nudging Shadepaw. Brinefall appeared and grinned gently, putting his tail on Nightsong's shoulder.
"Why are you still staying as a queen?" Shadepaw squeaked to his mother, Brinefall gave Shadepaw a confused glance.
"Didn't you know that Nightsong was going to have a second litter?" Brinefall meowed in disbelief, Shadepaw looked at his mother's belly, it was easy to mistake her as a normal cat for it was not as plump as a pregnant queen's belly. He felt a pang of happiness that he was soon to have a new addition to his family.
His happy thoughts were disturbed by Wavestar's call, "Let all cats old enough to catch their prey gather beneath the moss rock for a clan meeting," Wavestar leaped on the moss rock, his paws still against the grassy surface.
Flightpaw, still with herbs in her mouth leaped out eagerly, Stripepelt following her and soon the clearing was covered with cats.
"We have all fought well, thanks to the help of Caveclan, but if it weren't for one cat we would've lost many cats," Wavestar announced. All cats shifted uneasily, Eaglepaw and Tawnypaw were staring out into the distance, ignoring what was happening right now.
"Dapplepaw," Wavestar spoke with ease, trembling, Dapplepaw stepped up, Wavestar opened his mouth to speak, "I, Wavestar, leader of Streamclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn. Dapplepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
Dapplepaw's shivering ceased, "I do." She meowed proudly.
Wavestar smiled, his eyes burning then he spoke again, "Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. Dapplepaw, from this moment you will be known as Dapplerose. StarClan honors your determination, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Streamclan.
Wavestar walked over to Dapplerose and rested his head on the newly named warrior's head while Dapplebreeze licked his shoulder. Then the clan began to raise their voices to cheer for Dapplerose.
"Dapplerose! Dapplerose!" The crowd of cats began to cheer, Mudstripe the loudest. Shadepaw glanced akwardly at Mudstripe. At least there are some happy times as well. Shadepaw silently thought.
Petalpaw ignored her mentor's piercing glare and hopped over to Mintpaw miserably looking at her injured leg, to her surprise Snowdrop picked up a vole and dropped it at Mintpaw's paws. Nodding gratefully, Mintpaw began to chew on the vole. Snowdrop walked away and caught sight of Petalpaw, "What are you looking at!" He hissed, "Go clean the elders den!"
Sighing in annoyance, Petalpaw did as her mentor told, Breezeflow glared softly at Petalpaw, "Coming to clean the den eh?" He croaked, Harepounce opened his eyes and growled in slight annoyance.
"I hate standing up for days! The apprentices are so slow cleaning up!" Harepounce protested, Frostpaw walked over to Petalpaw and let out a squeal of amusement.
"Need help?" Frostpaw asked her sister, Petalpaw nodded without speaking, purring with happiness, Breezeflow and Harepounce groggily stood up and walked away, protesting.
(Ten minutes later)
"That's it?" Petalpaw meowed, "I never knew the elders could be so clean!" Frostpaw laughed in amusement, she then glanced over her shoulder.
Petalpaw followed her sister's gaze, Heartstar was clutching the base of the Rock Stump, ready to make an announcement. "All cats old enough to run in the dark gather beneath the Rock Stump for a clan meeting!" Heartstar yowled, her blue eyes warm with patience. Mintpaw talking with Snowdrop sighed and limped next to her brother- Starlingheart, Snowdrop followed and sat next to Starlingheart, glancing ahead.
"After badgers attacked Mintpaw and Starlingheart, Mintpaw has defended her brother and I have thought about it, even though Mintpaw was injured and failed her assessment I have made made my decision." Heartstar sighed, drifting her gaze from left to right. "Mintpaw, step up." Heartstar meowed.
Mintpaw, bewildered, limped over to Heartstar, leaving her brother's side. Heartstar eagerly spoke up again, "I, Heartstar, leader of Caveclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn. Mintpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
Happily Mintpaw meowed, "I do," she seemed more cheerful despite her miserable personality.
"Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. Mintpaw, from this moment you will be known as Mintberry. StarClan honors your persistence and kindness, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Caveclan." Heartstar announced.
Mintberry bounded over to Heartstar, ignoring her leg, Hearstar rested her head on Mintberry's head while Mintberry licked Heartstar's shoulder.
"Mintberry! Mintberry!" The cats cheered, Snowdrop slightly louder than the rest of the cats. Petalpaw had never seen her mentor so kind.
Next I'll try to focus more on Sparkpaw and Rainpaw, I PROMISE! ~ Said Eeveewarrior
P.S Please review!