Sandfire first pulled Shadowpaw aside and meowed, "You'd better not prove me wrong, kit. Got it?" Shadowpaw nodded, while silently seething inside. Then Sandfire turned her loose for the hunting assessment. Shadowpaw slipped through the woods silently and soon caught 14 pieces of prey, she pounced on a few more and then turned toward the bushes and meowed, "I know that you're in there and I know who you are. Leave now and I'll spare your lives." the bushes rattled as a bunch of cowards scuttled out of the bushes and fled toward home. Shadowpaw smirked and caught 2 more pieces of prey and announced to Sandfire, "I've caught 20 pieces of prey, I'm done with the hunting assessment." the bushes rattled and Sandfire stepped out she said, "Good job Shadowpaw, the next assessment is fighting." she paused and pulled her aside and told her, "You made me have to do a moon of dawn patrols because you didn't catch exactly 15 pieces of prey!" Sandfire snarled. "Sorry Sandfire." Shadowpaw said apologetically, "Don't do it again. Got it?" before Shadowpaw could answer she went on, "This time I bet that you would take down 5 opponents, don't fight any less than 5 opponents ok?" "I swear on Starclan." Shadowpaw said. Sandfire purred and then shoved Shadowpaw out into the clearing for the battle.
The first cat they threw at Shadowpaw was a scrawny tom named Antwhisker. He didn't stand a chance, Shadowpaw took him down in an instant. The next cat was Ravenfur, a sleek black pelted she-cat with a torn ear. She was a harder opponent but Shadowpaw still managed to beat her. Then they threw a strong gray she-cat called Stormclaw in and Shadowpaw quickly learned her weaknesses and took her down. The next cat actually stepped forward as a volunteer, it was Wrenpaw who bluntly announced, "I'll fight the kitten, a pitiful little scrap couldn't possibly beat me." she flexed her muscles (even though there wasn't much to flex) and stepped into the clearing. Right before they started Shadowpaw noticed that Wrenpaw briefly glanced at Hawkpaw, she snorted as she realized that Wrenpaw was trying to get Hawkpaw's attention, "What a mousebrain." she thought. Out loud she meowed, "Well? Let's get on it Wrenkit!"
Wrenpaw made the first move, running straight at Shadowpaw with a loud battle cry. Shadowpaw just simply stepped aside and Wrenpaw charged straight into a tree at the edge of the clearing with a loud thump. As she lay there stunned Shadowpaw went over and placed a paw on her neck trapping Wrenpaw. After Wrenpaw gave up Sandfire shoved Foxshade into the clearing. Shadowpaw knew that she would have to be careful while battling Foxshade because Foxshade was very sly. Just then a light went on in Shadowpaw's head and she smirked as she thought of the perfect tactic to use. After battling for about 5 minutes Shadowpaw fake collapsed, as if she was tired, which she wasn't. Foxshade thought that she was using the fake exhaustion technique so she carefully stalked around Shadowpaw slowly closing in. when she was half a tail length away and right behind Shadowpaw she thrust her hind legs out and they slammed into Foxshade, stunning her and making her land on her side. Then Shadowpaw calmly walked over and placed a paw on Foxshade's chest and gently bit her throat. Sandfire stepped forward and said, "That was amazing! Wonderful job Shadowp-" "Wait!" Shadowpaw called, "I can still take a few more opponents, maybe three." Sandfire's happy smile turned into an angry snarl as Shadowpaw said this, "Fine!" she spat, "Hawkpaw! Get in there!"
Shadowpaw watched as Hawkpaw stepped into the clearing and began to pace around nervously as he waited for her to strike. She watched carefully and swiftly leapt, pinning Hawkpaw to the ground and holding him there until he surrendered. "Another!" she yowled at Sandfire who looked like she was about to explode but instead she shoved Twigclaw into the clearing and smirked as if she was thinking that Shadowpaw wouldn't want to hurt her mentor. Shadowpaw just leapt at Twigclaw and pinned him easily. By this time Sandfire looked like she was going to bite someone's head off and Shadowpaw was proved right when she jumped into the clearing and hissed at Shadowpaw, "I'll be your last opponent. You little foxbrain!" then she leapt. Shadowpaw stepped aside but Sandifre lashed out with a paw and clawed Shadowpaw's ear, claws out. Blood dripped down Shadowpaw's face as she hissed and leapt at Sandfire and began to claw her without mercy.
The other cats stepped out of the way to avoid the screaming bundle of black and ginger fur that rolled by. Shadowpaw clawed Sandfire's stomach and Sandfire clawed Shadowpaw's face. After a long painful battle Shadowpaw stood victorious, on top of the pinned form of Sandfire. Blood and dust dripped off of her pelt and her breath came in sharp pants as she stood on Sandfire who grunted, "Lemme go! I forfeit!" Shadowpaw stepped off of Sandfire and sat down to take inventory of and clean her multiple wounds. She had a long scratch going down her face from her left eye to her chin, a nicked ear and multiple smaller scratches. Then Twigclaw and Hawkpaw appeared from the crowd and began to congratulate her on passing her assessment. She purred in reply and the worriedly asked, "Did I hurt any of you guys?" she relaxed as both Twigclaw and Hawkpaw shook their heads. Let's get you back to camp." Twigclaw meowed.
Fernshine looked very relieved to see Shadowpaw and after she patched her up she sent Shadowpaw to go see her brother saying that 'He had something important to tell her' Shadowpaw shrugged but went in to see her brother. When she got in Birch lifted his head and meowed, "Hi Shadowpaw." Shadowpaw meowed a greeting and told Birch all about her assessment and finished with asking, "What did you want to tell me?" Birch gulped and finally said, "imgonnabeamedicinectasaprentice" "What? Say it clearly." "I-am-going-to-be-a-medicine-cat's-apprentice!" Birch finally yowled. Shadowpaw sat back in surprise as Birch watched worriedly, waiting for her to give her approval. Shadowpaw's mind was spinning a medicine cat's apprentice? Well… maybe if Birch really wanted to… "Ok" Shadowpaw meowed, "You can be the medicine cat's apprentice." "Yay! Thank you Shadowpaw!" Birch cried. Just then a voice called, " All cat who are old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Leader's Rock for a clan meeting!" "C'mon Birch you can announce your decision to the clan." Shadowpaw meowed.
Shadowpaw stepped forward when Skystar called her forward and she listened as he called, "I, Skystar, leader of Thunderclan call on my ancestors to look down upon this cat. Shadowpaw, Do you promise to defend your clan at the cost of your life?" "Yes" "Then from now on you will be called Shadowblaze!" Shadowblaze leaned forward and licked Skystar's shoulder and he rested his muzzle on her head. Then she leapt off the Leader's Rock and listened to the clan cheer her new name, "Shadowblaze! Shadowblaze! Shadowblaze!" Twigclaw appeared out of the crowd with Hawkpaw he meowed, "Isn't it ironic that this was your second warrior's assessment but your first warriors ceremony?" Shadowblaze purred in amusement and told Twigclaw, "Well you were a great mentor both times!" Hawkpaw nodded and said, "You are a good mentor, Twigclaw! And congrats Shadowblaze!" just then a voice yelled, "Wait! I have something to announce!"
Everyone turned as Fernshine and Birch stepped forward. Fernshine announced, "Birch has decided to become my apprentice." Birch nodded and said, "I wasn't certain but a family member told me to pursue my dream and so, here I am now." Skystar nodded and said, "Birch you are now a medicine cat apprentice by the name of Birchpaw. Fernshine will teach you the ways of the medicine cats. The meeting is now over!"
That night as Shadowblaze sat at the camp entrance guarding the camp she heard muffled hisses coming from the forest. "Shut it Dungbreath! They'll hear you!" "Shut your fangholes you two! We have to get that kit who fights like a cat from Lionclan, the one they call Shadowpaw." Shadowblaze leaned forward to hear the rest of the conversation, "Antwhisker said that she's an apprentice so she has to be in that smaller den." Shadowblaze realized that these cats who were obviously from Shadowclan didn't know that Shadowblaze was now a warrior. They were expecting her to be in the apprentice's den fast asleep. Just then the cats in the woods gave a sharp cry, "Shadowclan! Attack!"