CHAPTER ONE- EarthClan pov
Sunlight filtered into a hole in the den roof. It shined upon pitch-black fur. It stirred, as dark brown paws pressed against, shaking it. "Nightscreech, wake up!" The brown tom mewed. Nightscreech's eyes opened. His amber eyes blinked and stood up groggily. "What is it Weedfur?" He muttered, yawning loudly. He licked his paw and drew it over his ear. "Nightscreech, Fishpaw is bouncing everywhere for you, and Mousetooth wants us on the dawn patrol." Nightscreech sighed. "Yeah, yeah…." Secretly, Nightscreech hated Mousetooth. He was such a bossy tom, probably chosen to be deputy because Dawnstar was his sister. Or at least, that was what Nightscreech assumed was the reason that the tom was deputy. Mousetooth, in his eyes, was just another tom thinking he was a big-shot, being related to the leader, and assumed that he would be the best warrior ever and was better then everyone else. Nightscreech personally thought that he could take on Mousetooth one on one and take him down with ease! He muttered under his breath and narrowed his eyes at the brown tom. He flicked his tail and looked at Woodpelt. She padded up and nuzzled her mate, their three kits bouncing around and pawing at their father's tail. "Let's go." He mewed. Raisinfur, Frostpelt, and Waspface prepared to go. Nightscreech sighed. All the clans were small now; they had suffered mass invasions of constant rogues, rats, long winters, and diseases. Possible their clan was the largest, but it was still small. Perhaps EmberClan and AirClan were the largest so far. He sighed and focused more on the moments now. They pushed their way through the entrance; a tunnel hidden with brambles and bushes. Looking over his shoulder, Fishpaw trotted up to his heels. "Alright, let's try near the Hanging Rocks." He mewed over his shoulder. Fishpaw looked at him. The apprentice was just about up to his neck, large for his age. His silver fur glistened. "Nightscreech, are you sure? There's barely any area there for prey… only adders and rare chances of voles and mice." Nightscreech nodded. "Yes, but we can still catch Adders." He said quietly. Fishpaw sighed. "It's a gamble; I think we should try more deeper in the forest near the Moss Tree." The Moss Tree was a large oak tree covered in moss. It was a wonderful place for Juniperheart and Reedpaw to gather moss, as for the rest of the clan as well. Hanging Rocks was the exact opposite. It was a set of rocks that looked like they were… well, hanging. There was barely any foliage there, and trees were absent from the area. It made a good place for avalanches of rocks and snakes though. Adders specifically. Nightscreech sighed and nodded, doubling back to the Moss Tree and the lush trees around it. "Very well." He meowed. Fishpaw smiled. Soon, he would be a warrior. He had passed his assessments, and it was just time to play the waiting game. Raisinfur trotted up next to him. "Bet your name will be Fishface!" She purred. Fishpaw laughed. "Yeah right." He said. "If I do get that name I'll probably run to SerpentClan!" He purred. Raisinfur pawed his ear. "If you do I'll get lonely." She murmured. Fishpaw flicked his tail. "If I wasn't named Fishpaw I'd get a better name." Raisinfur rolled her eyes. "Right." Fishpaw shrugged and padded on ahead. "So, Nightscreech, has Dawnstar spoken about my Warrior Ceremony so far?" He asked. Nightscreech looked at him. "You'll have to see." The tom replied, flicking his tail. Fishpaw sighed. That was Nightscreech… so secretive. Fishpaw fell back next to Waspface. "So, Waspface…. How are you doing so far?" He asked. Waspface flicked his pale ear. "Fine." Fishpaw kept up with him. Waspface was a senior warrior, like Nightscreech and Frostpelt. Raisinfur and Weedfur were both new warriors though. Frostpelt was Fishpaw's mother; Mousetooth being his father. He remembered the two being together, but once Fishpaw was made an apprentice, Mousetooth had spent more time with Woodpelt, and they became mates, leaving Frostpelt out in the open. Fishpaw didn't understand, but he felt it was none of his business. After all, at least his parents still loved him and cared for him. In the end, Fishpaw really thought that that was the only thing that mattered. Nightscreech, on the other hand, was once again cursing Mousetooth in his mind. The stupid tom left Frostpelt once Fishpaw was an apprentice. Nightscreech narrowed his amber eyes. It was a stupid reason too. The deputy had supposedly left because Frostpelt's two other kits, Duskkit and Sunkit, had suffered a disease along with the rest of the Clan, and had not been able to pull through, especially with the strong winters, causing the two tiny kits to pass in 1 moon of being born. Nightscreech didn't buy the reason though. That was Frostpelt's reason, but Nightscreech thought that Mousetooth had just left because he fancied Woodpelt more from the start, and just used Frostpelt to make her jealous so he could score. No one really knew though, why the two broke up, as they had seemed so happy together. Nightscreech paused as they reached the large oak tree. "Alright guys, let's split up. That way we can have a better chance of finding prey!" He called. The cats murmured agreement and turned to hunt, padding off. Nightscreech nodded and flicked his tail. Looking over his shoulder to make sure no one was watching, he slowly crept to the border nearby. EmberClan and AirClan surrounded EarthClan's borders. Nightscreech made it to the border, bagging a thrush and a mouse on the way. Burying them, he looked at the border and twitched his ears. He was looking at the EmberClan border right now. A rustling noise came, and Nightscreech jumped in some bushes, hiding. He relaxed once he saw it was WillowCloud. Nightscreech stepped out, and encountered her. "Nightscreech? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be helping your Clan?" She asked calmly. Willowcloud was a gently she-cat, pregnant with her mates kits. Nightscreech assumed it was Archstripe, for during Gatherings the two would always sit near each other. "I am," He mewed, "I caught a mouse and a thrush." He undug the prey and pulled them out, as proof. Willowcloud twitched her ear. "I see. I'm just out for a walk. I'll go now. Have a nice day." She mewed, flicking her tail in farewell as she left. Nightscreech picked up his prey and padded back near the tree. Raisinfur and Fishpaw were already there. Fishpaw had successfully caught two mice and a squirrel, while Raisinfur only had a shrew. "Bad luck." Nightscreech said, his voice muffled. Raisinfur shrugged. Frostpelt and Waspface came back, with a mouse and a large rabbit. The patrol headed back into the camp, dropping off their catch. Today had been a very nice and smooth hunt. "Wow guys, this'll feed the Clan for today." Mousetooth nodded. Nightscreech twitched his ear. Dawnstar, upon seeing them coming in, jumped onto the large ledge that jutted out of a wall. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather here for a Clan meeting!" She roared. The rest of the Clan gathered, Nightscreech sitting beside Frostpelt, Fishpaw on the other side. Dawnstar flicked her tail. "Fishpaw, come forward!" Fishpaw, excited, carefully walked forward. Nightscreech could see him shivering, as Dawnstar continued. "Nightscreech, are you satisfied that this apprentice is ready to become a warrior?" Nightscreech nodded. "Yes, he is ready." Dawnstar looked back at Fishpaw. "I, Dawnstar, leader of EarthClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn." She paused, then continued. "Fishpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend this clan, even at the cost of your life?" Fishpaw spoke clearly, "I do." Dawnstar nodded. "Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Fishpaw, from now on, you will be known as Fishleap. EarthClan welcomes you as a full Warrior." Fishleap practically glowed with pride. Finally, he was a warrior. He felt even more pride as the Clan chanted his name. "Fishleap, Fishleap!" Thought it wasn't as loud since the Clan was small, he was a Warrior now. And it was enough for him.