IT'S FINALLY HERE!!! THE STORY YOU'VE WAITED FOR SO LONG!!! ARE YOU AS OVERLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS AS I AM?!?!?! No? Oh… well here's the story anyway! Thanks to everyone who sent me cats, R and R, you're the best! To ouchibitmytongue, I didn't include Shimmerfire because I didn't want to put an ocelot in there, especially with the whole "looks blind but sees more than the average cat" thing. I'm not trying to be mean; just staying true to my original prophecy idea, 'cause your character sounds like a special prophecy cat, like Lionblaze or Jayfeather. To nightshade07, thanks for pointing out that I didn't put Icepaw's mentor on the allegiances. I might never have caught that otherwise! :) HERE IT IS!!! First chapter is set in Shadowclan!
Disclaimer: I don't own warriors.
Poppypaw felt a paw poke her repeatedly in the side. Growling in annoyance, she curled up tighter, but after awhile she couldn't ignore it anymore. She opened her eyes slowly to see her brother Redpaw with one paw poised to poke her again.
"What?" she growled, blinking the sleep from her eyes.
"Today's the day!" Redpaw chirped. "Wake up, or we'll be late!"
Sighing, she got to her paws and followed her chipper littermate out of the apprentice den. In truth, she was just as excited as her brother about their assessment; she was just tired, that's all. Her other littermate, Nightpaw, was already there, along with their mentors, Weedtail, Fireclaw, and Shadefrost, and leader, Robinstar. She cheered up considerably; if they did well, their leader would make them warriors! She flicked her tail in anticipation and saw Redpaw doing the same. Nightpaw's expression did not change, but his eyes glowed with excitement.
"Your first task," Robinstar began, "is to hunt in specific parts of our territory and bring back good fresh-kill. When you have all returned, the second part will begin." She flicked her tail to the mentors, who slinked off into the woods. "If you bring back good prey, and fight well, I will make you warriors." Poppypaw unsheathed her claws and dug them anxiously into the earth. A few seconds seemed to go on forever, then…
"Go now," Robinstar mewed, flicking her tail towards the pine trees. The three apprentices dashed out into the woods. The assessment had begun!
Poppypaw crouched down low, her eyes intent on her prey. The bluebird was pulling at a worm in the ground, completely unaware that it was being stalked. It turned its head to look at the wildly waving bracken, but before it could take off, Poppypaw pounced on it, quickly killing it with a fierce bite to the neck. Purring with satisfaction, she carried her catch back towards the lizard she caught earlier. She froze when an unfamiliar scent hit her nose. Crouching low and moving forward slowly out of sight, she poked her nose through the ferns to see where the smell was coming from. Her fur bristled as she saw unfamiliar cats digging up her catch, finally recognizing the scent; Windclan! There were three Windclan cats, one of which looked smaller than the others, an apprentice, perhaps? The small, light brown cat opened his jaws to taste the air, and turned to face where Poppypaw was hiding, his expression eager.
"There's a bird over there, Quickwind!" the young tom exclaimed. "It was just killed!"
"Hush," the light gray she-cat replied. "I can smell Shadowclan cats nearby. We have to go!"
'I have to act now, or they'll get away!' Poppypaw realized. Shrieking as loud as she could, she dashed out from where she was hiding and attacked the Windclan apprentice, claws unsheathed. He gave a startled hiss and threw Poppypaw off against a tree. But her cry did the trick; a nearby patrol of Starsong, Dartpelt, and Badgerbane came running in through the bracken, along with Poppypaw's mentor, Shadefrost, who was assessing her. Before long, the five cats had the intruders surrounded with no way out.
"What are you doing here?" Badgerbane growled.
Whitefrost's neck fur bristled and the apprentice, Pouncepaw, had his tail fluffed up in fear. Only Quickwind remained calm.
"Our clan needs the prey…" she began. Shadefrost hissed.
"And you're speedy little rabbits aren't enough anymore?" she finished icily.
Poppypaw cocked her head in confusion as a thought suddenly came to her. "Why didn't you invade Riverclan or Thunderclan?" she wondered. "They're much closer to you."
Pouncepaw stuck out his tongue in disgust. "Like we'd really wantto get our paws wet catching slimy fish!" he mewed.
"That's a good point, Poppypaw," Starsong mewed. "Why waste a half day's journey around the lake to steal from us, when you could steal from Thunderclan. They eat nearly the same things you do, and are much closer."
"It doesn't matter whyWindclan cats are so mouse-brained!" Dartpelt hissed. "All that matters is that they're trespassing and stealing!"
With an angry hiss, Whitefrost leapt on Dartpelt, his claws unsheathed. The two cats wrestled around on the ground, scratching every part of each other they could reach, until Quickwind intervened, knocking the hissing toms apart.
"Enough!" Quickwind glared at the silvery warrior. In response to Starsong's earlier question, she replied, "Thunderclan has no prey to spare. They are struggling as well, stealing from us whenever they could. We had no where else to go," she looked pleadingly at the Shadowclan cats. "We didn't mean to take any prey, not without speaking to your leader."
Poppypaw was surprised at the Windclan deputy's patience as her clanmates debated for a moment. Then Badgerbane nodded curtly and turned around.
"Come with us, then," he mewed. "We will take you to Robinstar."
As the cats entered the Shadowclan camp, Poppypaw dashed out to where she hid her bird, picked it up, and ran back. The Windclan cats sat patiently as the patrol padded over to Robinstar to tell her about what had happened. Poppypaw took her bird over to the Windclan cats and dropped it by their paws just as Robinstar walked over.
"Here," Poppypaw mewed, pushing it towards them. "Have this."
The cats waited for permission from her leader to eat. When she nodded, they bent down to eat the fresh-kill.
"My patrol told me that they caught you in our territory," Robinstar mewed when the cats finished eating. "That you'd fallen on hard times and needed our prey."
"Yes indeed, Robinstar," Quickwind replied, dipping her head with respect.
"This couldn't wait to be discussed at a gathering?"
"No, Robinstar."
"I see."
Robinstar beckoned her deputy, Crossheart, over with her tail. The black she-cat abandoned the lizard she had been eating and walked over to her leader.
"Yes, Robinstar?" Crossheart meowed.
"Have you already heard the story behind this?" Robinstar gestured with her tail at the waiting Windclan warriors.
"Yes, Robinstar," she replied.
"And…?"
"I think you shouldn't let them anywhere near our territory."
Whitefrost bristled, and Quickwind laid her tail tip on his shoulder to warn him.
"Please," she tried once more. "My clan is growing big; too many kits have come this leaf-fall, and we don't have enough prey for them all. You won't let innocent kits suffer, will you?"
Robinstar and Quickwind sat there, staring, for the longest time ever. The endless waiting made Poppypaw's pelt itch.
"Stay off our territory for now," Robinstar began, "and I'll give Ravenstar my answer at the next gathering."
Quickwind dipped her head with respect as Whitefrost growled. "Thank you," she mewed, rising to her paws. "We'll be going now."
"Suntail and Icepaw will escort you to the border," Robinstar gestured for the two cats to come over. "I suggest you make haste across Riverclan's territory. You wouldn't want to be caught on another clan's territory twice in one day."
Quickwind bowed her head in farewell as Poppypaw's father and his apprentice escorted them out of camp, with Icepaw glaring at the Windclan cats the whole way out. When they were out of earshot, Crossheart turned to her leader. Poppypaw strained her ears to pick up what they were saying.
"You won't honestly let them onto our territory, will you?" Crossheart mewed quietly. "It's hard enough to provide for our clan now, and leaf-bare isn't far away."
"I will tell you what I told the Windclan cats," Robinstar murmured back. "I've decided nothing yet, and whatever I choose, I will announce at the next gathering." Crossheart opened her mouth to object, but Robinstar just glared, so eventually she bowed her head. "Yes Robinstar," she mewed, and slinked back to finish her lizard. Robinstar padded up to Poppypaw.
"I'm proud of the way you handled the situation with the Windclan cats," she mewed as Suntail and Icepaw returned. "I think, and Shadefrost agrees, that the time has come to make you a warrior."
"R-really?" Poppypaw meowed, astonished. Robinstar nodded, and before the young cat could say anything, her leader jumped up to a pine tree branch to address the clan.
"Let all cats able to catch their own prey gather here beneath the High Branch for a clan meeting," she yowled. Cats began to crawl out of their dens at the sound of their leader's voice. Shadefrost gently nudged her apprentice, and together they hopped onto the branch with their leader.
"A great time has come," Robinstar meowed. "A time to make a new warrior! Shadefrost!" She addressed the black she-cat. "Are you satisfied with your apprentice's training?"
"She's already become the warrior we can be proud of," Shadefrost replied, a warm glow in her eyes as she gazed at her apprentice. Poppypaw looked up and smiled back.
"I call Starclan to look down upon this apprentice. She has trained hard in the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn." She turned to face the black spotted apprentice. "Poppypaw, do you choose to uphold the code and defend the clan, even at the cost of your life?"
Poppypaw shook with anticipation, but her voice was clear and firm. "I do."
"Then by the power of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. Poppypaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Poppyspots. Starclan honors your wisdom and curiosity, and we welcome you as a full warrior in your turn," the leader bent down to rest her head on Poppyspots' shoulder, who licked hers in return.
"Poppyspots! Poppyspots!" the clan called out. She jumped down from the branch just as her brothers and father rushed to greet her. She noticed, as she touched noses with him, a glimmer of envy in Nightpaw's eyes.
"Congrats, Poppyspots," her brother said slowly. "I hope I make as great a warrior as you." Before she could say anything, Nightpaw stalked over to Icepaw, and together they walked into the apprentice's den. Poppyspots felt sad, watching her littermate stalk away. Redpaw nuzzled her side comfortingly.
"Don't worry about him," her brother mewed gently. "He's just jealous, that's all."
'If only I couldn't worry about him,' she thought, her pelt prickling as she took up position for her warrior's vigil.
That's it! I hope it's not too short or too boring. I'll write the next chapter soon. Don't forget to…
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