Meadow jumped with surprise as her name was called, she turned around and saw Rainstar staring at her. He can't make me leave if my kits are apprentices she thought to herself sternly. She padded up to the coldrock, she tried not to show how nervous she was as she stepped forward.
"Meadow you have risked you and your kits life by coming to the clans" Rainstar meowed, " I will only let you stay if you promise to hunt and make your own nest outside camp until the next moon to prove that you can survive inside clan territory without any cats to help you".
Meadow took a step back looking startled, "but I came to live in the clan" she protested her eyes crackled with confusion and anger. She looked at the faces of the clan cats, Blizzardclaw looked smug but the she-cat next to him stared at Mudwhisker. She looked sad and her eyes gleamed with anger and shock, she did not notice Meadow staring at her.
"You must prove yourself" meowed Rainstar to Meadow, awaking her from her thoughts. "If you want to be a warrior you must do this" Rainstar said. Meadow sank her claws into ground, she did not understand why she had to do this. When she lived in the willow tree and when Mudwhisker sneaked out of clan camp to visit her, he told her about the clan and all the stages. Kit, Apprentice, Warrior, Elder, and if you have kits Queen. But he never had said anything about having to prove yourself. "Mudwhisker, you have broken the warrior code and for that you must be punished" Rainstar yowled. "So you must do the apprentice jobs and hunt your own prey until the next moon". Mudwhisker looked down at his paws his eyes were unreadable, Rainstar ended the clan meeting with a flick of his tail and jumped down from the coldrock to chat with Speckledfoot.
"I will train my best for you"squeaked a voice from behind Meadow, she turned to see Nettlepaw staring at her sadness clouded his gaze and he pawed the grass sadly.
"I know you will, and don't look so sad" Meadow soothed "I am still coming back". Nettlepaw stared at her and shook his head, his brown fur was still as soft as it was when he was a kit.
"It's not the same, leaving the willow tree to come here and now you leaving until the next moon". Nettlepaw laid his head on her shoulder. He stared off into the forest, she licked his ear affectionately.
"I promise I will come back my dear, I promise"...