Chapter 3

Willowpaw couldn't believe her luck. A few days had passed since the fight between Rosefang and Fogwhisker. Mistybird had convinced Thornstar that her daughter needed a more patient mentor, one who would spend more time with her. When Willowpaw had finally recovered, she was told that Toadfur had become her new mentor.

At first Willowpaw wasn't sure how to handle the news. She'd been furious that Thornstar had given up on her. She still didn't forgive him, and likely wouldn't. But now her training was getting better, and her skills had improved dramatically with Toadfur as her mentor. The light brown tabby drilled her constantly in fighting moves and hunting skills that she would never have thought of. Thornstar had been impressed with her sudden improvement, and annoyed that he couldn't get out of her what Toadfur had. After another couple of days had passed, Thornstar had agreed that it was time for Willowpaw and Ghostpaw to have their assessments.

Now Willowpaw was hunting near the area she had spotted those DuskClan warriors. No signs of their intrusions followed when they received a beating from the Clan. She wondered if Rainstar had any regrets sending her warriors on such dangerous missions. The DuskClan leader had showed no signs of anger when Willowpaw had seen her at a border patrol. It was likely that she didn't even know about the intruders that were now likely in the medicine cat's den.

Her haunches wriggled as she spotted a sparrow hopping around a patch of moss. Insects were considered a delicacy to birds, especially those who were small enough to be picked off by predators. Once her target was acquired, she made steady progress. The sparrow continued working at the moss, ripping at the greenery with it's sharp beak. Her eyes narrowed when she was within striking distance. By this point she'd already caught several pieces to add to the fresh-kill pile. She knew that she would win the assessment, but the sparrow would add to her collection. More prey meant more mouths could be fed, and that was what mattered to her.

"Dog!" Willowpaw's ears pricked forward in alarm at the cry. The sparrow had heard the cry as well and already made it's way for safety. She whirled around to see Ghostpaw standing behind her, eyes narrowed and a smirk on his face. Willowpaw drew her lips back in a snarl, but Ghostpaw remained unnerved. "What's the matter, did the sparrow get away?" he sneered.

"No, I just caught it," Willowpaw spat. "Or I would have!" Her furious snarl made Ghostpaw recoil. "Oh I'm sorry, did I scare you?" She tried to sound innocent as she heard the sound of pawsteps approaching.

"As a matter of fact you—" He was cut off when Tawnywing cuffed him around the ears.

"Mousebrain!" she snapped. "You're not supposed to speak with your sister!"

Ghostpaw's eyes burned with embarrassment as he glared at an amused Willowpaw. She met his steely gaze and grinned back. Everything was coming together now. Ghostpaw couldn't treat her like she was his pet any longer.

The three of them returned to the place where Willowpaw had buried her fresh-kill. She was grateful that nothing had dug it up. Ghostpaw could have ruined everything by digging up the fresh-kill and leaving it out in the open.

Tawnywing looked impressed as she watched Willowpaw dig up the fresh-kill that she'd caught. The senior warrior was rarely impressed with anything. Willowpaw felt a burst of pride rush through her as she finished dragging her fresh-kill towards the meeting spot. She knew that this would be enough to feed the entire Clan.

Toadfur was waiting for them near the edge of the clearing. He looked surprised to see Tawnywing standing beside Ghostpaw, who was still fuming over his embarrassment. When Willowpaw locked gazes with her mentor, Toadfur immediately understood what had happened.

"You both did well," he meowed after observing the fresh-kill that Ghostpaw had returned with. "I think it's high time you both became warriors."

Excitement coursed through Willowpaw as she watched Ghostpaw's jaw drop. He looked shocked that he would be earning her warrior name as well. Willowpaw ignored his look and gave a happy bounce. She could care less that she was behaving like a kit. Becoming a warrior meant that she would no longer deal with Ghostpaw as much.

She bounded after her mentor, carrying what prey she could while trying to keep cool. Ghostpaw wasn't far behind, and she could hear him muttering something under his breath. She tried her best to ignore it. Ghostpaw was just behaving like a kit.

The four of them made their way back to camp without much trouble. Willowpaw dropped her fresh-kill on the pile, happy for the first time in moons. The scars on her pelt were now barely visible as she moved amongst her Clanmates. Thornstar was sharing tongues with Honeypool, who'd moved from the nursery after her kits became apprentices. Robinpaw and Oakpaw were busy cleaning out the elders' den while the elders themselves sunned their pelts.

Toadfur approached Thornstar without another word, chin lifted high as he did so. Thornstar blinked in surprise at his sudden approach.

"They both passed their assessments," he meowed once Thornstar lifted his chin.

"Even Willowpaw?" Thornstar added her name as if he was shocked.

You will be when you feel my claws in your throat, Willowpaw thought with a lash of her tail. One of these days she might turn on him. Thornstar was behaving like a newborn kit, too shocked for words as the Clan gathered around him. Mistybird looked furious with the accusation that he'd sent her daughter.

"Very well," Thornstar sighed when he realized that he was outnumbered by the Clan. "They both deserve to become warriors."

The black-furred leader made his way towards the tree where meetings were held. The old Oak tree had always been the center of LeafClan. During leaffall the yellow leaves would be used as decorations for the camp. Thornstar had stopped doing this after becoming leader. "Let all cats old enough gather around the Oaktree for a Clan meeting!" he yowled.

The usual call wasn't really needed. Willowpaw could see that most of the Clan was out already. She recognized Birdclaw, her former mentor who'd given her Thornstar to train, Whitepelt and Spiderfur as they emerged from the warriors' den. They blinked sleep from their eyes as Thornstar waited for the Clan to gather.

"Tawnywing, Toadfur, do you believe that your apprentices are ready to become warriors?" Thornstar looked at the two mentors questioningly, wondering if it was true.

"Ghostpaw is a skilled apprentice, but he lacks patience. Perhaps becoming a warrior will change his outlook on life," Tawnywing concluded. Thornstar nodded in understanding. Willowpaw noticed that Ghostpaw's eyes were narrowed into tiny slits at Tawnywing's accusation.

"Willowpaw deserves to become a warrior," Toadfur replied. "She knows every move I have taught her, and has become a hunter the Clan needs."

"Than I, Thornstar, leader of LeafClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them as warriors in their turn. Ghostpaw, Willowpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your lives?" Thornstar's gaze had turned hard when he looked at Willowpaw. She raised her chin and met his stare with a glare.

"I do," Ghostpaw replied without a second thought. His claws scraped against the ground as they sheathed and unsheathed.

"I do," Willowpaw murmured halfheartedly.

"Than by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Ghostpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Ghostwind, in honor of your courage and need to protect the Clan." Ghostwind's chest puffed out as his name was given. Thornstar padded forward to touch Ghostwind's forehead, and in return Ghostwind gave his shoulder a lick.

"Willowpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Willowcloud, in honor of your speed and fighting skills." Willowcloud blinked as she tried her name in her mind. Thornstar didn't touch her forehead with his muzzle like he did with Ghostwind. Instead he turned back towards the Oaktree and allowed the Clan to chant their names.

"Ghostwind! Willowcloud! Ghostwind! Willowcloud!" Willowcloud felt anger course down her spine when she glared at Thornstar.

He was openly showing how much more he respected Ghostwind. The pale gray tom had no ties with the LeafClan leader. In fact, Willowcloud had considered her brother a traitor many times. She glowered at the LeafClan leader as the meeting drew to an end.

Willowcloud was greeted by Toadfur and Birdclaw, who both looked pleased with the progress that she'd made. Mistybird gave her daughter a comforting lick before glaring at Thornstar. Her mother had a large influence around the Clan. If it were up to Mistybird, Thornstar would never have become a leader. For the first time since she'd become an apprentice, Willowcloud almost wished that her mother had stopped Boulderstar from naming Thornstar as his deputy.

"You two deserve to become warriors, more than others," Toadfur meowed as he glanced at Honeypool. The light brown she-cat was nuzzling her kits softly, eyes warm with happiness.

"I'm sorry I never had the patience to properly train you, Willowcloud," Birdclaw added. "Turns out that Thornstar didn't either. I'm glad Toadfur took over."

Toadfur gave an approving nod before continuing, "Now you two must sit vigil and think of what you have achieved. I hope you understand how important this is to the Clan."

Willowcloud stiffened when she saw Ruststripe lingering in the medicine cat's den. His eyes were stretched wide in disbelief. Sparrowpaw had to nudge him several times before swatting her paw against his muzzle to get his attention. Ruststripe shook his head at the sudden impact and glared at his apprentice.

Something has happened, Willowcloud thought as she stood beside the camp's entrance. Maybe he had a vision during our ceremony. Either way she knew that what ever Ruststripe had seen wouldn't end well for LeafClan.

A/N: Wow I'm updating fast aren't I? And thanks to Wildtalon of AshClan for reviewing!