As a battle went on around him, Darkpaw lay motionless. The power he had felt only moments ago had vanished into nothing. Barkstar and Shadestar were still fighting. The pride of being a leader Darkpaw thought to himself, breathing slowly. The Thunderclan cats were growing tired, this was obvious. This battle is coming to an end Darkpaw though, as he felt his energy returning. He tried to stand up, but he couldn't. It was as if part of him was gone. Suddenly, the patrol with Stonecloud entered camp. They must have gotten rid of the backups Darkpaw thought. With this, Thunderclan has gained control. They had fresh warriors and Shadowclan and Riverclan had to backup.
"Retreat! Shadowclan retreat!" Cinderstar yowled. Now victory was definite. Riverclan was the only clan left. And many of their cats, including their best warrior, Clawscar, had already fled.
Barkstar had no choice but to admit defeat. "Retreat!" he growled. The Riverclan warriors flew out of camp, leaving only the battered cats of Thunderclan. Darkpaw managed to stand up as Shadestar leaped on to the high rock to call a clan meeting.
"Valiant effort." The leader began. "Who isn't injured?" the leader asked. Darkpaw was so focused on the battle that he hadn't realized he was virtually unharmed. Mudpelt came into the clearing dragging the battered body of Hawkblaze. There was a gasp from the clan. "What happened?" Shadestar asked, looking stunned.
"Clawscar was trying to get to the kits." Mudpelt began, "Hawkblaze stopped tried to stop him, but this happened." Then, he added in, "Darkpaw came along just in time. He scarred off Clawscar." The eyes of the clan turned to Darkpaw, who stood a little taller.
"Shadestar!" A sudden shriek from across the camp had startled Darkpaw. He turned around to see Patchpaw standing next to a limp black body. Then a chill ran down Darkpaw's spine as he realized who it was.
"Blackthroat!" Shadestar mewed in disbelief. Darkpaw padded over to the deputy. He noticed there was a rose next to him. That's odd, Darkpaw thought. "All those who are injured, please report to Whitewhisker." Darkpaw could hear Shadestar's voice shaking. Blackthroat had been her deputy since she became leader. The leader padded towards her den with her head low. Darkpaw heard the clan mumbling about the death, about who could have done it, and about the rose laying next to him. Darkpaw knew who did it. The better question is why did he do it? And why was there a rose there?
Many of the cats had left now. Shrewpaw nudged at Darkpaw's side. He turned around. "Stonecloud went in to talk to Shadestar." Shrewpaw hissed.
"So?" Darkpaw asked.
"He's your mentor." Shrewpaw answered, "And he saw you beat down Clawscar."
"You think I'm becoming a warriors?" Darkpaw asked.
"Yeah." Shrewpaw answered.
"We'll see." Darkpaw said. He didn't think he was going to be having his ceremony today. It was after sunhigh. He should probably find Stonecloud and go hunting or something.
Before Darkpaw could find Stonecloud, Shadestar jumped back on the high rock. "She picked a new deputy that fast?" Sageleaf mewed. "I bet you a month's worth of mice that it's Stonecloud. He was just in there talking to Shadestar."
"I have something very important to do." Shadestar announced. "Darkpaw and Shrewpaw, step forward. Darkpaw was stunned. He slowly walked towards the high rock, and looked up and Shadestar, and then to Shrewpaw. Shrewpaw hadn't even mentioned his name to Darkpaw. "I Shadestar, Leader of Thunderclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have worked hard to learn the ways of your code, and I now commend them to you as warriors." Shadestar turned to Shrewpaw and Darkpaw. "Do you promise, to uphold and defend the warrior code and your clan, even at the cost of you life?"
Shrewpaw was the first to answer. "I do." He mewed proudly.
Shadestar and the rest of the clan looked at Darkpaw. "I do." He mewed.
"Then by the power of Starclan," Shadestar mewed, "I give you your warrior names. Darkpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Darkheart. Shrewpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Shrewpaw. We welcome you as full warriors of Starclan!"
The clan chanted their names as if they were a single cat: "Darkheart! Shrewfur! Darkheart! Shrewfur!" Darkheart felt a surge of pride run through him.
$^*^$
As the sun began to set, Darkheart prepared for his vigil, the final step in becoming a warrior. All afternoon he had been congratulated. He liked his name. He couldn't think of a better choice. The better question is who would replace Blackthroat. Rockfall, Icefur and Stonecloud were all possibilities. Shadestar had only a little time left to decide. Also, when Shadestar did announce the new deputy, Darkheart knew he could not join the clan in chanting their name, it would break is vigil.
The Thunderclan cats were all heading to their dens, but Whitewhisker was still healing. The elders had gone to bury Blackthroat and Hawkblaze. Shadestar had put her face into Blackthroat's pelt one last time and then padded into her den. And with that, the sun was gone, and the vigil truly began.