Disclaimer: I based the Clan structure on the Warriors books by Erin Hunter.

Thank you, Willowdream of ForestClan, for your comments about the story. I just realized that most reviews come from you. I hope you like the new chapter.

Now here is the next chapter. Sorry it's a bit short. Enjoy and please review.

Chapter 24

Falconstar left her den and went to the apprentices' den to see her kits. She had just spoken with Hawkfeather. Both she-cats had agreed to hold the naming ceremony for their kits today. Yesterday, Falconstar had overseen the final assessment of her kits; they were ready to become full warriors. Now Falconstar wanted to let her kits know, that by nightfall they would be warriors. The Clan leader approached the apprentices' den and stopped for a moment to watched the young cats. Nightpaw and Rockpaw were practicing some battle moves and were tossing each other around. Redpaw sat with little Rainpaw watching her littermates' play-fight.

"Rockpaw, Nightpaw and Redpaw. Are you ready for your warrior ceremony?" Falconstar asked her kits.

"We are ready, Falconstar." Redpaw mewed and pressed her head into her mother's flank. The black-and-ginger she-cat purred and gave her daughter a quick lick between the ears. Nightpaw joined her sister and pressed against Falconstar as well.

"Give yourselves a thorough wash, kits. I want you to look nice at the naming ceremony."

"We are not kits anymore, mother. We can look after ourselves." Rockpaw complained.

"Well then make sure to get these burrs out of your fur, Rockpaw." Falconstar purred and nudged her son. Rainpaw let out a mrrow of laughter while the gray tom sat down to lick his pelt.

"Don't worry. You'll have new denmates before nightfall, Rainpaw." The Clan leader told the young apprentice. "Hawkfeather's sons will receive their apprentice names today."

Falconstar left the apprentices and went to the boulder to call for a Clan meeting. Cloudheart and Grasswhisker emerged from the medicine cats' den. And Hawkfeather led her nicely groomed kits out of the nursery. The four apprentices sat with their respective mentors and the rest of the warriors.

"I am going to give two young cats their apprentice names. Buzzardkit, Hazelkit, step forward." Falconstar mewed.

The young toms took a couple of steps forward and stood before their Clan leader.

"Buzzardkit, from now on until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Buzzardpaw and Whiskerheart will be your mentor. And you, Hazelkit will be known as Hazelpaw. Sweetcloud will be your mentor." Apprentices and mentors touched noses and withdrew to sit down among their Clanmates. Falconstar had debated with herself whether she should give Whiskerheart another apprentice. But he was great warrior and mentor and it seemed wrong to put him off.

"And now it is my pleasure to give some of our apprentices their warrior names. Birdflight, Featherstorm, Grayfeather, have your apprentices trained to understand the ways of our ancestors?" Falconstar asked.

"Yes, they have trained hard." Birdflight mewed and Featherstorm nodded in agreement.

"They all deserve to be given their warrior names." Grayfeather added.

"I, Falconstar, leader of MeadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I comment them to you as a warrior in their turn. Rockpaw, Redpaw, Nightpaw. Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect your Clan even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." The apprentices mewed solemnly.

"Then step forward. Rockpaw, will be known as Rockheart. The Clan honors your skill and perseverance." Rockheart gave Falconstar's shoulder a quick lick and stepped aside. "Redpaw, you will be known as Redflower. We honor your patience and kindness." Redflower copied her brother and gave Falconstar's shoulder a respectful lick. "And now Nightpaw. From this day you will be known as Nightstorm. The Clan honors your loyalty and skill." Then Nightstorm gave her mother another respectful lick and went to sit with her littermates. Falconstar looked at her kits who were now full warriors. Pride and happiness grew inside her as she watched her kin.

"Rockheart, Redflower, Nightstorm. Rockheart, Redflower, Nightstorm." Her Clanmates cheered for their newest warriors.

xxx

"Falconstar, can I have a word with you?" the medicine cat mewed from outside the Clan leader's den. The Clan leader had just returned from the Clan meeting. Her three kits would guard the camp tonight as part of the tradition of the warrior code.

"Of course, come in Grasswhisker."

"There is something that I think you should know." The old tom began and Falconstar was troubled by the seriousness in his voice. Did StarClan give him a warning of some kind that MeadowClan was in danger? "It concerns Hawkfeather."

"Hawkfeather? What is with her?" Falconstar asked worried.

"Many moons ago, on the day that the two of you became warriors, I had a vision about your sister. I saw how she died. It was a very disturbing dream, actually."

Falconstar rose to her paws and nervously shifted them around. Was Grasswhisker telling her that her sister is going to die soon?

"I saw our camp on a stormy day and darkness engulfed Hawkfeather. A huge creature swooped over her head and then giant claws got a grip on her. Then she was dead; ripped into pieces by the creature with giant claws."

Shock kept Falconstar speechless. Her sister didn't deserve such a cruel dead.

"I've been thinking about this vision for a long time." Grasswhisker continued. "I think I've figured it out: it's Talonwing."

"What?" Falconstar exclaimed. "You can't be serious, Grasswhisker. Talonwing won't harm Hawkfeather. Ever!"

"You might be right, Falconstar. Still, I am sure that it refers to Talonwing. His name contains a word for 'claw', and 'wing' could mean the large swooping creature. You might not want to hear it, Falconstar, but somehow Talonwing will bring about Hawkfeather's death."

xxx

Falconstar went over Grasswhisker's words again and again. The old medicine cat had told her that Hawkfeather would be killed by Talonwing. Her first reaction to the prophecy was that it must be wrong. Talonwing loved Hawkfeather; he would never harm her or even kill her. But Grasswhisker was so sure about the signs from their warrior ancestors that Falconstar couldn't ignore it. A few days after the medicine cat had told Falconstar about his dreams, the Clan leader asked her deputy to come to her den and discuss the matter.

Hawkfeather had entered her sister's den several moments ago and was sitting quietly now. Falconstar hadn't said a word yet, but the deputy could feel that her sister was thinking about something. After what seemed like forever, Falconstar finally spoke.

"A few days ago, Grasswhisker told me about a dream he had. He said he had dreamed this particular dream many times." Falconstar paused and nervously shifted her paws on the ground. She didn't know how her sister would react to being told about her death. "He told me that you would die on a stormy day. And that you would be killed by Talonwing."

Hawkfeather blinked a few times. What did her sister just tell her? Talonwing is going to kill her? That's absurd! "You can't be serious, Falconstar. I thought you knew that Talonwing loves me. He would never harm me."

"I know all this, Hawkfeather. But that's what Grasswhisker saw. I wanted you to know." Falconstar buried her muzzle in Hawkfeather's flank. Her sister gently licked her between the ears. They both wanted Grasswhisker's dream to be wrong. At the same time, they knew that the medicine cat had never been wrong before.

"Please be careful, Hawkfeather." Falconstar pleaded.

Continues soon...