Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors.

Here's Chapter 2 yay! (By the way, do you have to leave a disclaimer at the start of every chapter or do you just have to say it once at the beginning of the story? Just wondering...)

Chapter 2

The ShadowClan leader was on his paws in an instant.

"Where?" he demanded, "How many?"

"By the mossy clearing, too many to count!" she panted.

"Who's there already?"

"Ferretclaw, Tigerheart, Dawnpelt, Nettlepaw and Owlclaw!" Emberkit felt her insides twist at the mention of her father.

"Right. Oakfur, Snowbird and Crowfrost follow me!" he yowled, "Shrewfoot, can you guide us to the exact location?" the grey she-cat gave a shaky nod. "Tawnypelt, organize protection of the camp, we don't want any badgers making their way back here. Everyone understand? Let's go." He sprinted off with a flick of his tail, the warriors chosen for battle in hot pursuit.

"Wait!" a yowl sounded just as they'd reached the tunnel. The cats skidded to a halt. Rowanstar spun round impatiently to see Fawnpaw bounding towards him.

"What could you want at a time like this?" he growled.

"Please, let me fight too!" she begged, "My brother's out there, and I need to help him."

"I don't think-"

"Please, I couldn't bear it if my brother were to die when I wasn't there to help him," Fawnpaw insisted.

Rowanstar glared at her through burning emerald eyes. Fawnpaw glared back unwaveringly, gaze glittering with determination.

"Very well," he murmured reluctantly, "but we must hurry!" The patrol, now with the tabby apprentice in tow, scrambled through the thorn tunnel and sprinted out into the forest.

Adderkit watched them leave with disappointment. How he would have loved to be running alongside them, hackles raised and heart pumping with the prospect of battle.

"We should follow them!" Emberkit whispered, her grey tipped tail fluffed up with excitement.

"Oh no you don't!" they heard a shrill mew from behind them. The littermates groaned in protest as their mother grabbed them by their neck scruffs and brought them back into the nursery. The soft, warm, safe nursery. Adderkit shook his head in disgust. Warriors should be fighting out there, to protect their Clan. Why wouldn't the older cats let them help? They were almost apprentices after all!

"It's not fair!" complained Birdkit, voicing his thoughts. "We want to help to!"

"The biggest help you can give us is to stay put in this nursery. I don't want you getting under any cats paws at a serious time like this," their mother replied, settling down in her nest. "Try and get some rest while you can." The three kits glanced at each other before, reluctantly and with much huffing, they each settled into their nests.

Adderkit lay with his head resting on his paws, listening to the sounds of the buzzing camp beyond the thick walls of the nursery. He could pick-up snippets of Tawnypelt's orders flying around the clearing, organising the remaining ShadowClan cats. The kit wondered what it would be like to be in command of so many fierce warriors, having them look up to you in such a way…

Time passed and Adderkit was close to dosing off completely when a sudden sickly scent hit the back of his throat. Blood! Scrambling to his paws, the tom pricked his ears to listen. Outside, he could hear the steady plod of pawsteps making their way through the thorn tunnel.

"Wake up!" he shook his sisters in turn. "They're back!" The two she-kits groggily opened their eyes and padded after him into the clearing. The scent of blood became more pungent the further outside they went and Adderkit felt his pulse quicken.

Outside, Littlecloud the ShadowClan medicine cat was rushing up to each warrior, wads of herb clamped in his mouth. Rowanstar had a few scratches on his pelt but was otherwise unharmed; he sat, recounting the battle to Tawnypelt. Dawnpelt and Tigerheart, their two remaining children, hobbled over to join them. Snowbird's usually pure white pelt was stained red from a bite on her shoulder for which Littlecloud was preparing a poultice.

Adderkit scanned his gaze over the cats looking for one in particular and he sighed in relief as his eyes rested on his father; tired but relatively unharmed. Next to him, Fawnpaw was leaning against Nettlepaw, their pelts ruffled and exhaustion showing in their eyes. Adderkit was dying to ask them about the battle but he thought he should probably let them rest for now. He and his littermates watched as their mother bounded over and touched noses with Owlclaw, her eyes sparkling with gratitude that he had returned home safely.

After a brief nod to his deputy, Rowanstar hauled himself to his paws and padded over to the large hazel tree above his den. He sprang, clawed his way up the trunk and settled himself on a low hanging branch that looked over the clearing. This was known as the Highbranch where the clan leader made announcements and called for meetings with the Clan. Raising his chin, Rowanstar opened his jaws and yowled the traditional words: "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Highbranch for a Clan meeting!"

Most cats were already in the clearing so it wasn't long before the whole of ShadowClan was settled beneath the tree, ears pricked and listening. Though they weren't technically old enough to catch their own prey but Adderkit and his littermates were allowed to sit and listen just outside the nursery, providing they didn't make any noise.

"Cats of ShadowClan," he began, "My patrol and I have managed to chase out the badger family and we have sent them far away beyond our borders." The cats below murmured with relief; a badger invasion was the last thing they wanted after so many moons of peace. "All the warriors fought hard today, but I am especially impressed with the skill and courage of two cats in particular. Nettlepaw, Fawnpaw would you please step forward." The two siblings glanced at each other their gazes wide with shock and excitement, the exhaustion banished from their eyes. Every cat knew what was coming next. The cats parted as the apprentices padded down to stand below the Highbranch.

"I was extremely impressed today with the bravery displayed by you two today. You showed great loyalty to your Clan-," he tilted is head to look at Fawnpaw, "And to each other. I couldn't think of a more appropriate time for your warrior ceremonies." Casting his green gaze to the sky, he began to speak the ancient words:

"I, Rowanstar, leader of ShadowClan call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of you noble code and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn." He leapt nimbly from the Highbranch to stand in front of the two quivering cats. "Nettlepaw," he said, turning his head to the grey tabby tom, "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan even at the cost of your own life?"

"I do," Nettlepaw replied, barely managing to suppress his excitement.

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Nettlepaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Nettlestripe. StarClan honours your skill and bravery and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan." The leader stepped forward and rested his muzzle on top of the new warrior's bowed head. Nettlestripe bent lower to give his leader's shoulder a respectful lick then straightened up to join his former mentor, Dawnpelt, and the other warriors.

Rowanstar turned to the remaining apprentice. "Fawnpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan even at the cost of your own life?"

"I do!" Fawnpaw meowed confidently.

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Fawnpaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Fawnwhisker. StarClan honours your courage and loyalty and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan." Once again, Rowanstar touched his muzzled to the warrior's bowed head and Fawnwhisker licked his shoulder before slipping away to join her brother and Ferretclaw. The tom-cat purred fondly for his former apprentice.

Meows of tribute sounded from the crowd and the voices of the Clan rose into the newleaf air to chant the new warrior names. "Nettlestripe! Fawnwhisker! Nettlestripe! Fawnwhisker!"

"Nettlestripe and Fawnwhisker will keep a silent vigil tonight. The meeting is at an end." Rowanstar dipped his head to the Clan.

As the cats began to drift apart, Adderkit and the others padded over to the new warriors.

"Congratulations," mewed Frostkit, a slight edge of jealously to her voice.

"But now that you're warriors, who's going to teach us battle moves!" piped up Birdkit.

"I'm sure Badgerpaw and the others could show you a thing or two," Nettlestripe mewed, nodding his head at the younger apprentices.

It wasn't long before they were all surrounded by warriors congratulating the two former apprentices, so the kits decided to bid a hasty retreat. Adderkit and his littermates headed back to the nursery entrance, talking as they went.

"I can't wait till we can be warriors," Emberkit mewed. Both siblings nodded in agreement.

"But that will be ages away," meowed Birdkit, "We'll have to go through our entire apprentice training first!"

Adderkit stayed silent. He couldn't wait to start his training to be a full ShadowClan warrior, but was it as laborious as the current apprentices made it out to be? Cleaning out dens, de-ticking elders with foul smelling bile wasn't exactly his idea of excitement. But then he remembered the looks of pure pride on the faces of Fawnwhisker and Nettlestripe as they were made into warriors and decided that, whatever tasks lay ahead of them, it must be worth it when their warrior names were finally called.

First things first, I wasn't sure whether the traditional vow of silence following a daylight warrior ceremony is meant to start straight after it's taken place and all the way through the night or whether it only starts when night falls. Anyway I decided that they start it at nightfall because it seemed kinda unfair that some new warriors would have to stay silent longer if they had their ceremony earlier in the day.

Anyway, as usual, please feel free to review and leave constructive criticism/advice, it is always much appreciated! I will try and find as much time as possible to try and continue the story.

-plugmonkey