Chapter 5
Willowpaw walked out from the apprentices' den. He wanted to explore the territories, so he went to look for Stormpelt.
"Hi, Willowpaw," he said.
"What are we going to do today?," she asked, jumping around.
"We'll go with Brownpaw and Dawnheart to explore the territories. And, if we have time, I'll teach you how to fish," he said, as he searched for the pale ginger she – cat.
"Yes!," said Willowpaw, and went to look for Brownpaw.
"Brownpaw, wake up," she said, in a soft, voice.
"What's happening?," he asked.
"We're going out patrolling," she said, still softly.
"What do you mean with we?," asked the brown tom.
"Our mentors kinda like each other, so we are going together!," she said.
"Noooooo!," he said, running away from the den.
Willowpaw followed him slowly. At least I was nice to him, she thought.
The mentors and both apprentices went towards the forest. They passed through all the borders, and stopped in the river to fish.
"Now, Willowpaw. Put yourself in a position where the fish can't see you. Then wait for one to come a scoop it with your paw, like this," said Stormpelt, taking a fish out from the river.
Willowpaw did what her mentor told her, but when a fish came, she caught a funny smell.
"What's that smell?," she asked.
"Which smell?," asked Brownpaw.
"Willowpaw's right, there's a smell," said Stormpelt.
Suddenly, a huge badger jumped on top of Brownpaw and attacked him.
"Brownpaw!," shouted Willowpaw, as she launched on top of the badger.
She scratched the badger's back, taking strips of black fur, and the badger turned to her. She raked the badger's muzzle, and it ran away, screaming in pain, towards the YellowClan territory.
"Wow, Willowpaw, you saved my life!," said Brownpaw, looking at Willowpaw with admiring, amber eyes.
"Yes, well done Willowpaw!," said Dawnheart.
The cats went back to the camp to warn Tigerstar and Rowanfur.
Brownpaw started telling all the apprentices how Willowpaw had saved his life. Fernpaw came running towards her.
"You saved Brownpaw!," she screamed, looking at her with her piercing green eyes.
"Really, it was nothing," she said.
"Thank you for saving my brother!," called out Squirrelpaw.
"You're welcome," replied Willowpaw.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the highrock for a clan meeting!," shouted Tigerstar.
All the cats gathered under the highrock and looked at Tigerstar.
"One of our patrols fought a badger near our territory and one of our apprentices sent it fleeing towards YellowClan. That apprentice is Willowpaw, and I want to thank her for that," he said, and the clan cheered Willowpaw's name.
"Now, our patrols will keep their eyes open in case it comes back," said Rowanfur
"Changing of subject, two apprentices passed their warrior assessments yesterday, and I'll make them warriors in return. Creamypaw, Gingerpaw, come here!," said the LakeClan leader.
"Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect it, even at the cost of your life?," asked Tigerstar.
"I do," replied both apprentices.
"From now on, you will be known as Gingerfur and Creamyspots respectively, and we welcome you as full warriors of LakeClan," said the leader.
"Gingerfur! Creamyspots!," shouted the clan.
Sandwhisker looked proudly at her kits.
"I also want to make new apprentices. Lionkit, Goldenkit, come here!," said Tigerstar.
Lionkit's dark blue eyes shined when they called him. Goldenkit's pelt was shiny, as her mother Fuzzytail had groomed her.
"Goosewing, you will mentor Goldenpaw. Teach your apprentice all the skills I taught you," said Tigerstar.
Goosewing and Goldenpaw touched noses.
"Creamyspots, you will mentor Lionpaw. Teach your apprentice all the ways your mentor Stonetail taught you," said Tigerstar.
Creamyspots and Lionpaw touched noses, and Willowpaw suddenly remembered how the golden tabby tom wanted to be trained by Brownpaw.
After the ceremony finished, Willowpaw went to the fresh – kill pile to pick something. When she raised her head to look at the sky, she noticed Brownpaw was coming towards her.
"Willowpaw, I'm sorry for bothering you so much," he said, looking at his paws.
"It doesn't matter," said Willowpaw.
"Maybe we could hunt together tomorrow. What do you think?," he asked.
"It's an excellent idea," she said.
"Willowpaw, come here!," shouted Tigerstar.
"Sorry Brownpaw, we can talk later," she said, and then went towards her father.
"Willowpaw, you'll go to the gathering tonight with Brownpaw and Squirrelpaw," said Tigerstar.
Willowpaw felt very happy, but she wondered about Fernpaw.
"But, what about Fernpaw?," she asked her father.
"I can't take all of the apprentices," he said, and then headed towards his den.
Willowpaw went towards the apprentices' den, since she needed to rest to be able to go to the gathering.