I have yet to finish with attacking your feels right now.
6. Newly appointed warriors will keep a silent vigil for one night after receiving their warrior name.
I want to thank Carifoo2001 and GuardianFan-HE for the name ideas.
"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather under the hazel branch for a Clan meeting." Echostar's voice echoed out. Rabbitpaw padded over, not really interested in hearing what the tabby leader had to say. His mind still felt numb about what had happened only three days ago with Shadepaw. The cream and brown apprentice lifted his head slightly to look for Doetail. His mother had also taken the death harshly. Thankfully Longfur had been there, since the queen knew what it felt like to lose her first apprentice. He always heard them talking about either Shadepaw or Wasppaw, who had been Longfur's first apprentice.
"I, Echostar, leader of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code and I commend him to you as warrior in his turn." Rabbitpaw felt sick to his stomach. He knew what she was doing. She was making him a warrior. "Rabbitpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend the Clan, even with your life?"
"I do." Rabbitpaw found himself saying. Moons ago, the old Rabbitpaw would love to see this happen. Noe he felt like that side of him is dead and in StarClan with Shadepaw and Silverwing. He didn't want this anymore, but it was too late for him to stop it.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Rabbitpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Rabbitleap. StarClan honours your courage and your independence, and we welcome you as a full member of ShadowClan." Echostar rested her tabby head on his shoulder and he licked hers as he had seen Wildpelt and Hazelear did moons before.
"Rabbitleap! Rabbitleap! Rabbitleap!" Their cheers were filled with joy he should be feeling right now, but Rabbitleap couldn't let go of his troubled mind. He should be proud to be a warrior! He should feel proud to have made it this far!
But what for? A real warrior could have saved Shadepaw. You're nothing but a- a... Rabbitleap stopped himself from hesitating. He hated the word still but it was the truth. A kittypet.
Silverwing wouldn't want you blaming yourself. As the cheers died down, Echostar's voice snapped him into reality.
"However, unlike other newly made warriors, Rabbitleap will not be sitting vigil. Tonight he will join an ambush that will be sitting near ThunderClan border before the sun rises and to do so, must leave with the rest of the patrol."
"Why is he so special?" Spat Kestrelfang, who had sat vigil in the freezing cold.
"He is the fastest cat in the Clan next to Nightfoot, but as you know Nightfoot is in the medicine cat den and will need to stay there until his hind leg has recovered." Rabbitleap thought back. The day after Shadepaw's passing, the black-furred warrior had gotten his paw twisted after he tried to get away from a ThunderClan warrior by the name of Brownclaw. This resulted in Nightfoot twisting that paw. Brownwhisker refused to let Nightfoot continue fighting until the leg got better.
Kestrelfang help his leader's gaze for a moment, but looked away in the end, muttering to himself bitterly. With this, Echostar moved on. The tabby lifted her head as she glanced around at her warriors and apprentices.
"This patrol will consist of me, Rabbitleap, Longfur, Doetail, Honeylight, Wildpelt, and Hollowstrike. I don't want any apprentices joining this ambush, for will be attack ThunderClan in their own territory. We will be striking their dawn patrol, who will have just woken up and be unprepared for our attack. Me and the chosen warriors will be heading towards the border right before sunset and will sleep there. With that, this Clan meeting is over" Murmurs broke through the Clan of worry.
"Will this work?"
"Echostar has never been wrong before." Rabbitleap's belly knotted in concern. He looked to see Wildpelt bounding up to him. Rabbitleap tried to purr, but worry was pricking his pelt and he couldn't find a happy place to put his mind.
"Nice name, Rabbitleap. Glad to finally be a warrior?" The wild-furred brown tom asked.
"It feels great." He lied. Concern shaped Wildpelt's features.
"You okay?" The cream and brown warrior nodded.
"Yeah, just a little nervous about the battle." Another lie slipped pass his tongue. Wildpelt purred.
"It'll be fine. Just you wait and see."
As sunset started to take place, Echostar rounded up the warriors. As they padded towards the border, the she-cat motioned Rabbitleap over.
"I know you probably don't what to fight. Not after what... Happened not to long ago. So, instead, if we need you to run and get back up, that's what I want you to do, okay?" She asked the warrior in a quieted down tone. Rabbitleap nodded, feeling oddly relived.
"Okay." A whispered the warrior. The gray tabby nodded and Rabbitleap fell back next to Doetail and Hollowstrike.
"What did she want to talk to you about?" Asked his mother, the queen looking as worried as he felt.
"Just to be careful, since I was just made a warrior." Rabbitleap realized what he said, Another lie. He silently hoped this wasn't going to become a habit. Though worry still gleamed in his mothers eyes, she nodded. He could tell she wanted to still treat him like a kit, and he felt in his heart he could understand that. He was her only kit and she was worried about him because she lost her young apprentice. They got there before nightfall. As they prepared to rest, Echostar made one more announcement.
"I will be keeping first guard. After a while I will wake Honeylight for second, and she agreed to wake Hollowstrike for third if she needs to. Get some sleep, my warriors, you'll need it for tomorrow." Rabbitleap found he could go to sleep this night. As soon as he closed his eyes he was asleep. When he opened them, he recognized the star-lit forest he was in.
Maybe it's Silverwing. He hoped to see his mentor or Duskfoot. He needed the comfort of one of them. Instead a pale brown and white she-cat pounced on top of him and pinned the young warrior down. Her yellow eyes were beaming with anger. Without even letting her speak, Rabbitleap kicked her off and quickly scrambled to his paws. The she-cat let out a hiss and was ready to pounce again. Thankfully Duskfoot ran in front of her. The smokey black tom lashed his tail.
"What is this about, Sandbriar?"
"How come that flea-ridden furball doesn't have to sit vigil with my own kit had to? Kestrelfang nearly caught whitecough!" She spat, looking towards Rabbitleap with a glare and then craning her neck to look the smokey black warrior in the eye.
"You're Kestrelfang's mother?" Rabbitleap asked, looking towards the queen. He didn't recall seeing her.
"Of course!" Her tail lashed.
"She died giving birth to him." Sandbriar shot a glare at Duskfoot when the former ShadowClan tom told Rabbitleap.
"I could've told him that." She pulled back her teeth to show snowy white fangs.
"When? When you weren't harassing him about not sitting vigil? It was not Rabbitleap's choice. It had been Echostar's."
"He could have said something." As the two bickered Rabbitleap felt himself slipping away. A distant whisper hummed in his ear. One that sounded like his mother's.
"Wake up, Rabbitleap." It called. "It's time for everyone to wake up."
And here we go!
I went with Rabbitleap, because it felt right to me.