Code Six

Newly appointed Warriors must keep a silent Vigil for one night after receiving their Warrior name.

To be a Warrior is not all about catching prey and fighting enemy Clans. It is about being part of a long practiced tradition. A WaterfallClan Medicine Cat learned that the time when every cat realizes this most is when he or she first receive their Warrior name and become responsible for the safety and survival of his or her Clan.

A Night to Listen

"Sunfall! Sunfall, we need you!" Roseheart yelled. Sunfall puts the willow stalk that he is shredding down and weaves through the small rocks that line his den. It is summer and the ground under paw is dry and dusty rather than pooling with water.

"Spottedpelt is hurt!" Prickleface said urgently.

"What happened, Prickleface?" Birchstar asked. Just then, two more cats appear with a third propped between them, his ginger head lolling, and one of his hindlegs trailing uselessly behind him. "Sunfall, take over." Stonetail and Thrushpelt lay Spottedpelt on the ground in the middle of the clearing. Sunfall studies the twisted le, noticing how the snapped bone is jutting out beneath the skin.

There is a chance that Spottedpelt would never walk without a limp. Sunfall thought. "What is it this time?" he asked Spottedpelt.

"Climbing the waterfall and I won," Spottedpelt answered painfully.

"You should have seen him! He practically made it to the top!" Stonetail said.

"If I had seen him, I wouldn't have let him do something so utterly dumb! When will you learn to stop showing off and start putting your Clan first? At this rate, there'll be no Warriors left for winter," Sunfall said before turning to look at his Apprentice. "Specklepaw, fetch me some poppy seeds, will you?" Specklepaw dips his head and runs quickly to the Medicine supply, returning with several tiny black seeds stuck to the pad of his left forepaw.

"Lick these up," Sunfall instructed. Spottedpelt licks up the seeds. Sunfall turns to face Specklepaw. "Help me carry him back to my den. He'll need to stay there tonight."

Medicine Cat Den

Moonlight is filtering through the den. Sunfall checks that the reeds on Spottedpelt's splint are bound tightly enough and then he pads heavily across the clearing to his nest. The lichen slides apart and Prickleface, Roseheart, Stonetail, and Thrushpelt squeeze into the tiny space beside their sleeping friend.

"We wanted to see if he's okay," Roseheart said.

"That's up to HeavenClan. I've done as much as I can. Now go to your own den and let him sleep," Sunfall said. Spottedpelt opens his eyes and lifts his head a little way off the pillow of bracken and moss.

"Hey, guys," Spottedpelt said drowsily.

"How's your leg? It looked gross!" Thrushpelt said. Sunfall flicks his tail impatiently.

"You can stay for a few moments, but no more, understood," Sunfall said. The four healthy Warriors nod their heads quietly. With a grunt, Sunfall treads his way between the rocks that encircle his nest and settles down. Even though he is extremely tired and somewhat deaf in his old age, he can still hear the Warriors whispering to Spottedpelt.

"You have to get better very soon!" Stonetail said.

"We're going to jump from the top of the waterfall this Full Moon, remember?" Roseheart asked.

"Yeah, I dared you, so if you don't do it, I win!" Spottedpelt said.

"Hush! Don't let every cat hear you! You know what the older ones are like – they never let us have fun," Thrushpelt said.

"They just wish they were young enough to jump from the top of the waterfall. Nevertheless, I bet they were never brave enough to try. Not like us!" Prickleface said. Spottedpelt has drifted into a deep sleep. Roseheart looks at her friend.

"Look, he's gone to sleep," Roseheart said quietly. Sunfall listens to the young Warriors as they pad away bristling at their sheer stupidity. Sleep for him was a long time coming.

The Next Day

Leader's Den

"Birchstar? May I speak with you?" Sunfall asked.

"Is Spottedpelt all right?" Birchstar asked.

"You mean apart from him having no sense at all. He'll live. However, whether he'll be able to hunt and fight again, I don't know."

"I don't know why these young Warriors keep doing such ridiculous stunts."

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about it. I want to go to the Moonstone to ask HeavenClan for advice."

"Do you believe HeavenClan should be involved?" Birchstar asked. Sunfall nods his head slightly in reply.

"Yes, I do. We have raised a whole generation of Warriors who only want to amuse themselves. There aren't enough Kits for them all to be Mentors, so they're wasting time making up stupid and dangerous games. They've all been hurt but that hasn't stopped them. Did you know that they're planning to jump from the top of the waterfall this Full Moon?" Sunfall said. Birchstar's fur bristles at this information.

"No, I did not know that at all, Sunfall. If you think HeavenClan can help, then you must go. May HeavenClan be waiting for you with the answers that you seek," Birchstar said. Sunfall dips his head before backing out of the den.

Midnight

Moonstone Cavern

It is passed Moonhigh by the time Sunfall reaches the entrance to the cave that bears the Moonstone. Sunfall lets his mind empty as he feels his way down the long dark tunnels. At the bottom, the flattened, egg-shaped Moonstone is brightened by the moonlight filtering in from above. Sunfall puts his nose against the cool smooth stone.

"HeavenClan, please, show me how to make my Clanmates understand that the Clan depends on them for its survival and that they can't play like Kits now that they are Warriors," Sunfall said faintly. Sunfall closes his eyes and at once the scents of the water bank brush against his fur. He starts to hear mews of cats that he doesn't recognize.

"We tracked that fox to the border, so hopefully it will stay away," Ripplefur said.

"I'm on the dawn patrol tomorrow, so I'll look out for any new scents," Timberfur said.

"The Elders are convinced that it will come back once more. They said that foxes would check out an area twice before deciding whether to settle in that spot or not. I think we should take their advice and be prepared to chase it out again," Ottersplash said.

"I promised I'd take all of the Apprentices for a fishing lesson tomorrow. Could you do a hunting patrol for me?" Lilysteam asked.

"Sure, with those Kits due any day, we're going to need a full prey pile. Have you seen how much a nursing Queen eats when they have hungry Kits to feed?" Fallowtail asked. The past Warriors laugh. Sunfall purrs.

These are Warriors that WaterfallClan can be proud of: brave, loyal, hardworking, and aware of how much the entire Clan depends on them, from the oldest Elder to the youngest Kits. Sunfall thought. Warm light wakes Sunfall and he sits up blinking in the sunlight. Was that it? I had spent a whole night in my own Clan, listening to unidentified Warriors talking about their lives. How is that supposed to help? A night to listen… but how does that provide me with the answer for our idiotic Warriors. Sunfall stands, stretches, and then he returns to his camp.

WaterfallClan

Camp Clearing

"We have one night to think about being a Warrior?" Roseheart asked.

"What do we have to do?" Prickleface asked.

"Spend one night in silent Vigil, watching over the camp while Clanmates sleep, and make sure you listen as well!" Birchstar said. The sun is already fading behind the trees. Prickleface, Thrushpelt, Roseheart, and Stonetail sit in the middle of the clearing while the others go to their dens to sleep. Sunfall slips into his nest and gives in to a strong wave of sleep.

Later That Night

"FOX! WAKE UP! FOX ATTACK!" Roseheart shouted. Sunfall jumps to his paws and is instantly awake. He goes out to the clearing. Prickleface is standing in the middle of the clearing his fur bristling.

"We heard a fox! Creeping up on the Nursery! Roseheart, Thrushpelt, and Stonetail have chased it away," Prickleface said. Birchstar looks at a few of his senior Warriors and nods at Prickleface.

"Troutclaw and Redclaw go after them, make sure that they don't confront the fox. We just need it to leave the territory," Birchstar instructed. Troutclaw and Redclaw dip their heads and then charge from the camp. Windflight pads up to Prickleface with a pair of tiny Kits bundling along beside her.

"You have saved our lives! Thank you so much!" Windflight said.

"I didn't even hear that stinky old fox creeping up on us," Bluekit said.

"Yeah, even though you have huge ears," Snowkit said.

"Have not!"

"Do so! You look just like a rabbit!" Sunfall pads over to Prickleface, who looks uncomfortable at being the center of attention.

"Windflight is right! You saved her life and her Kits' lives. You should be very proud of yourselves," Sunfall said.

"It's because we were being quiet, like you said. We'd never had heard that fox if we were sleeping in the Warriors' den," Prickleface said. Sunfall narrows his eyes at the young tom.

"Or jumping from the top of the waterfall. On the other hand, climbing the Great Willows on Gathering Island. Alternatively, chasing each one another through the reeds and scaring off prey," Sunfall said. Prickleface hangs his head as he replies.

"Yeah, I guess that was foolish…" Just then, Roseheart, Thrushpelt, Stonetail, Troutclaw, and Redclaw charge back into the camp.

"We chased that fox all the way to the border!" Roseheart said.

"It won't come back too soon!" Thrushpelt said.

"Don't be so sure. Foxes have a tendency of checking an area twice before deciding to settle or not. You need to be ready to chase it off again," Speckletail said.

"No problem," Stonetail said. Roseheart spots a row of Apprentices peering wide-eyed out of their den.

"Hey there! I know some great fishing techniques! Would you like me to show you them today?" she said to them. Thrushpelt nods his head.

"She is good, honesty. I'll do your hunting patrol for you, Roseheart."

"Thanks that would be most helpful." Sunfall is staring as his vision unfolds around him faces and scents falling into place like raindrops.

A night of listening has turned these cats into Warriors that WaterfallClan can be proud of. Sunfall thought. Birchstar is standing beside Sunfall.

"Thank you, Sunfall."

"Thank HeavenClan."

"At the Gathering tomorrow night, I'll suggest we add a new part to the Messenger Code: that all new Warriors must spend one night in silent Vigil so that they can understand just how much their Clan needs them." Sunfall nods his head slightly.

Yes, make it part of the Messenger Code, so that all cats have a night of listening… Sunfall thought.

This is the Sixth Code