Chapter 5

It's impossible. Why would StarClan choose three apprentices to hold the burden of responsibility that comes with knowing a prophecy?

Four apprentices.

I'm not an apprentice. I'll be a warrior before the next half moon.

Will you?

Of course. As much as Voleheart would like to keep me an apprentice forever, Woodstar is bound to see my potential soon. I'm stronger that Lakepaw and faster than my three siblings combined. I'll be a better warrior than anyone.

Ambition leads to death, you've heard the stories of your ancestors.

Before Darkpaw could shoot a reply back towards his conscience and voice- that was not his- yowled, "Darkpaw!"

Darkpaw glanced towards the treebridge where Lakepaw was jumping off, a squirrel hanging from her jaws. Darkpaw padded over to meet his denmate halfway and- nodding to the squirrel- asked, "How's the prey running?"

"It's good, but leafbare is approaching," Lakepaw murmured, resting the squirrel on the ground before lifting her muzzle to the air. Darkpaw did the same and even he could feel the cool, gentle wind that was an omen for the upcoming leafbare season. "Sunfoot, told me that you can tell what kind of leafbare its going to be by the prey and this squirrel was desperate to collect its nuts quite early. I wonder if that means that this leafbare is going to be a bad one."

"Hopefully not, but if it is than JayClan is going to need more warriors," Darkpaw growled, "A leader, a deputy, and five warriors are hardly enough to keep the Clan fed for a whole season. We'll go hungry."

"Four warriors, Darkpaw," Lakepaw meowed, making Darkpaw glance at her in confusion, "You haven't heard? I thought everyone knew. Orangepelt is moving to the nursery. She's expecting Maroonfeather's kits." Darkpaw glanced away, his dark eyes narrowing into slits. Why hadn't anyone told him? The kits that Orangepelt would bear would be his kin. Surely he had the right to know before Lakepaw who bore no relationship to either cat. "At least it means by newleaf there will be new apprentices. Do you think we'll get one? We should be trained by then, don't you think?"

"Maybe," Darkpaw growled with a shrug, "But do you think we can trust Maroonfeather and his kits?" Darkpaw felt foolish even asking it, but since everyone else refused to see it, someone had to be on guard.

"I think we can, Darkpaw," Lakepaw meowed gently, knowing about Darkpaw's mistrust of Maroonfeather, "He was a Clan cat by the time he opened his eyes and all his kits will be born in JayClan. Remember that his kits would share Gingereye's blood. Your blood, Darkpaw. If you mistrust him then you mistrust yourself."

Darkpaw purred in amusement, "You've been spending too much time with Sunfoot, Lakepaw. You're beginning to sound like a warrior."

Lakepaw purred, "Do you think Sunfoot will notice? I'm dying to become a warrior."

"Same here," Darkpaw growled, eyes sweeping over Lakepaw's muscular form. Would she become a warrior before him? She did do much more since Sunfoot wasn't as restricting as Voleheart, but wouldn't Woodstar want them to be named at the same time? After all, they had been apprenticed at the same time? Then again, Maroonfeather had been apprenticed around the same time as Sunfoot and Sunfoot had become a warrior moons before Maroonfeather. Did it all depend on the mentor?

"Darkpaw? Darkpaw?" Darkpaw glanced at Lakepaw as he realized she was trying to get his attention, waving her long tail in front of his face.

"What? I'm sorry, Lakepaw. I spaced out and-," Lakepaw purred, warm eyes softening, and brushed her tail against Darkpaw's muzzle, making the dark apprentie blink in surprise.

"You were probably just off somewhere in your interesting mind," Lakepaw murmured gently and the two apprentices continued to stare at each other until Lakepaw suggested, "Why don't we go hunting? Sunfoot told me to hunt for Songbird only, but I don't think he will be angry if we bring back some extra prey. Voleheart will probably be pleased to."

Darkpaw nodded, wondering if his mentor would be pleased before hissing playfully, "Okay, I'll race you to ThunderClan's camp. Ready- set-" And without another word, Darkpaw sprinted away, leaving Lakepaw to chase after him.

"Cheater!"

*

Darkpaw crept on light paws, dark eyes narrowed as he watched the mouse scurry slowly on the forest floor. Darkpaw inched forward slowly, one paw carefully being placed in front of the other until he sprang, claws tearing through the mouse's thin fur. "Got you!" Proudly picking up his catch, Darkpaw buried it next to the rabbit he had already caught. Feeling like his- as well as Lakepaw's- catches would feed the Clan, Darkpaw began looking for his friend. "Lakepaw?!"

"Mousedung!" Lakepaw growled and Darkpaw purred, padding towards the sound of Lakepaw's disappointed snarls. "Darkpaw, I was stalking a vole. Couldn't you have kept quiet for one moment?"

"Sorry," Darkpaw hissed quietly, ducking his head in shame, "How much prey have you caught so far?"

"Another squirrel and a mouse. That vole was supposed to be mine, but maybe StarClan had a reason for me not to catch it," Lakepaw shrugged and Darkpaw stared at his friend in amazement. Lakepaw had faced a harsh kithood- losing her mother and two sisters as well as her father not talking to her- yet her faith never wavered. Lakepaw believed in StarClan so much that it made everyone else seem them too.

"Yeah, but-" Darkpaw began, but Lakepaw cut him off.

"Do you hear that?"

Darkpaw listened. "I hear nothing."

"Nor I," Lakepaw whispered, "No birds, no crickets. Its gone quiet."

Darkpaw glanced around as he realized that and with a shaky voice, he meowed, "Maybe we should go back to camp."

"Ah, but then we wouldn't get to play," A voice growled and Darkpaw and Lakepaw whirled around as four cats slowly stalked towards them. The cat in the lead- the cat who had spoken- was the rogue, Squirrel. Darkpaw had met her during a border fight with Voleheart and Reedtail. From his knowledge of the rogues, Darkpaw guessed that the black-and-white tom standing near her protectively was Toby. The other two cats- one ginger and one a smaller version of the tom- were unknown to Darkpaw. He had a feeling that neither of them were Cody- the cat that had saved Waterpaw- since none of them had tabby fur. Darkpaw was relieved. He didn't want to fight his sister's savior.

"What are you doing here? This territory belongs to JayClan," Lakepaw hissed and Darkpaw admired his friend. His own voice wasn't coming out.

"That doesn't mean we can't share it," The ginger tom growled, eyes flashing.

"Don't tease the kits, Jag," Toby hissed, his tone bored.

"We aren't kits!" Darkpaw snarled, making everyone glance at him.

"Is that a touchy subject, shorty?" The smaller black-and-white tom jeered and Darkpaw scoffed. He was larger than the rogue.

"Let's see if you can back up your words, rogue," Darkpaw snarled, unsheathing his claws.

"This cats being rude. Snake, how about we teach him a lesson?" Jag growled, taking a step closer to Darkpaw, Snake flanking him.

Lakepaw stepped in front of Darkpaw and hissed, "You're going to have to take us both on."

"Even better," Snake snarled and suddenly the forest exploded into a group of screeching cats. (yay! the first battle in the sequel!)

Darkpaw knocked Snake out of the way as the black-and-white tom sprang towards Lakepaw. As he sank his teeth into Snake's shoulder, Darkpaw felt Toby jump on his back and begin clawing at his spine. Snarling in pain, Darkpaw let go of Snake and felt the rogue sink his claws into the apprentice's soft belly skin. Howling, Darkpaw jumped away, swiping at Snake and knocking Toby off him. Dripping blood from his back and stomach, Darkpaw was about to attack Snake again when Lakepaw gave a screech of pain.

Whirling around, Darkpaw saw Lakepaw being pinned down by Jag while Squirrel raked her claws across the young cat's belly. Snarling in anger, Darkpaw sprang forward and knoked Jag away while Lakepaw managed to scramble away from Squirrel. Darkpaw clawed at Jag, but the larger cat was too strong and pinned the apprentice down. Glaring down at him, Jag bent down to give Darkpaw a death bite when a voice snarled,

"That's my son!"

Darkpaw looked up as Woodstar knocked away Jag, two warriors flanking him. Sunfoot was clawing at Toby while Gingereye was snarling at Snake, Lakepaw still slowly swiping at Squirrel.

Seeing that they were outnumbered, Toby snarled, "Retreat!" Jag and Snake sprinted away almost instantly while Toby was left to glare at the Clan ats, "This battle is far from over Woodstar."

"Get out," Woodstar growled and Toby hissed before he and Squirrel stalked into the darkness.

Sunfoot padded up next to Woodstar and growled, "Something has got to be done about them."

Darkpaw attempted to stand up, but the loss of blood made his head spin and he sunk back down to tired paws. Seeing this, Gingereye and Lakepaw padded over to him and his mother murmured, "Stay still, Darkpaw, you've lost a lot of blood. Woodstar!" Woodstar glanced over at his mate, "We need to get the apprentices to Talonclaw quickly."

"Of course," Woodstar meowed and- with a glance at Sunfoot who nodded- added, "We must get them back to health quickly for I have a warriors' ceremony to perform."

Darkpaw and Lakepaw glanced at Woodstar in amazement and at the same time protested, "We're ready!"

*

"I Woodstar, leader of JayClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have tried hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turn. Darkpaw, Lakepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Darkpaw meowed firmly and was echoed by Lakepaw.

Woodstar glanced at the apprentices- Darkpaw being held up by Voleheart since his wounds were still healing- and continued, "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Lakepaw, from now on you will be known as Lakesky. StarClan honors your courage and your determination, and we welcome you as a full warrior of JayClan." Woodstar rested his head on Lakesky's head and the new warrior licked his shoulder respectfully while the Clan chanted her name.

"Lakesky! Lakesky! Lakesky!"

Woodstar allowed the cheers to continue until they stopped when he raised his tail. Glancing at Darkpaw, Woodstar began, "Darkpaw, from now on you will be known as Darkshadow. StarClan honors your enthusiasm and your independence, and we welcome you as a full warrior of JayClan." Like Lakesky before him, Darkshadow gave his leader and father a respectful lick on his shoulder.

And like Lakesky, the Clan chanted his name:

"Darkshadow! Darkshadow! Darkshadow!"

Darkshadow could never remember being happier.

Author's Note: Opinions? Comments? Concerns? I liked this chapter and have been dying to use the name Lakesky. What did you think of the warrior names? Please tell me by reviewing.