Swiftstar's battle cry punctuated the walls of the stone hollow as Scorchpaw plunged from the thorn tunnel into ThunderClan's camp. He was greeted by the shocked expressions of the ThunderClan warriors as the WindClan cats pounced onto them, swift as the wind and as fierce as fire. As the WindClan cats landed on their targets, ThunderClan responded with furious hisses and ear-splitting roars. Scorchpaw didn't expect them to retreat, but he couldn't shake away the momentary surprise when he saw them return WindClan's attack with the same ferocity that WindClan attacked with.
Scorchpaw recognized Hailstep from ThunderClan sink his claws into the fur of Hawkfeather as the brown tabby landed on the young warrior. Stormwing's claws slashed down Grayflight's head, and Foxstorm sank his teeth into Rabbitfur's neck. Brookfeather's paws slashed down Heathercloud's sides in fury, and Peartuft circled Adderstripe before lunging at him with open jaws. Fur flew across the stone hollow and claws ripped through skin as the clearing erupted into a horrendous battle.
Oh, gods, Scorchpaw thought as he saw blood splatter the stone hollow walls and stain the pelts of the fighting cats. I've got to fight. He turned his head to see that Russetpaw had already flung herself into battle, and she had landed on one of ThunderClan's apprentices, a beautiful she-cat with golden fur by the name of Honeypaw. Scorchpaw spotted Honeypaw's brother, Sunpaw, crouching behind Russetpaw, ready to pounce. Not as long as I'm around!
Pushing aside the screams and howls in the clearing that rang through his ears, Scorchpaw raced through the battling cats and leaped onto Sunpaw before he could land on Russetpaw. He bowled the yellow tabby over, pinning him down into the dirt. Scorchpaw bared his teeth at the apprentice – even though Sunpaw was much younger than him, he could feel the strength and the muscle of the ThunderClan apprentice beneath him. But Scorchpaw had been training for much longer than this cat had. He could defeat this cat in seconds.
"Here to kill more of our Clanmates?" Sunpaw sneered, lashing his bright ginger paw across Scorchpaw's face. "We know you killed Finchwing! We sent a patrol on your land and found his body! It was buried near the Moonpool stream!"
"What?" Scorchpaw nearly staggered back. They had found Finchwing's body? It doesn't matter. He slashed a paw against Sunpaw's cheek, but even as the yellow tabby grunted against the force of Scorchpaw's blow, his back claws raked against the WindClan apprentice's skin. Pain made Scorchpaw grit his teeth and loosen his grip, and Sunpaw took his moment of distraction to flip him over. The wind was kicked out of Scorchpaw as he landed on the ground.
Scorchpaw opened one eye to see Sunpaw hovering over him. No. I won't lose. I can't. Scorchpaw shut his eyes again and fell limp. Through the slit of his closed eye, he could see Sunpaw visibly relax. Ha! Even a day-old kit wouldn't fall for that! With the speed all WindClan cats were known for, Scorchpaw leaped off the ground, feeling a victorious grin tug at his lips at the shock in Sunpaw's eyes. Scorchpaw slashed his claws across Sunpaw's face, sending the yellow tom staggering.
With a powerful leap, Sunpaw scaled over Scorchpaw and landed squarely on his back, his thorn-sharp claws piercing through Scorchpaw's thin fur and raking his skin. A burning sensation of agony raced through Scorchpaw's body, and he kicked out his legs, but ended up kicking nothing. How do I get a cat off my back? Think, Scorchpaw! Recalling back to one of his training sessions with Berrysplash, Scorchpaw dropped to his legs.
"I'm not falling for that one again," Sunpaw hissed, tightening his grip on Scorchpaw's back.
"Fine." Scorchpaw rose on his hind legs and collapsed on his back, forcing Sunpaw to hit the ground. He landed on top of Sunpaw and heard the tabby tom gasp for air. Quickly, Scorchpaw scrambled to his paws and lashed his claws out against Sunpaw's chest. Bright beads of crimson blossomed from the open wound on the yellow tom's chest. Sunpaw reached his paw out to flick his claws across Scorchpaw's face, but Scorchpaw was faster and dodged the blow. He ran circles around Sunpaw, and every time the yellow tabby tried to land another blow against Scorchpaw, the WindClan apprentice was too fast for Sunpaw to succeed.
"Gah…" Sunpaw glared furiously at Scorchpaw, and then darted into the crowd, his yellow fur disappearing among the masses of other pelts.
"Run away, you cowardly kit!" Scorchpaw yowled as Sunpaw fled among his Clanmates. Victory sent strength flowing through his veins. He had bested one enemy – it was time to defeat another. What cat needed his assistance? He scanned his amber gaze across the crowd, catching his breath as he realized that Flintstar was watching the chaos on the Highledge.
"Swiftstar!" Flintstar yowled, his wrath sending vibrations through the camp. "Swiftstar!"
The battle immediately ceased to a halt as Flintstar's bloodied fur buffeted in the leaf-bare wind. The ThunderClan leader leaned over the Highledge, his eyes gleaming with lust for blood, as Swiftstar pushed his way through the crowd to approach his arch-enemy. Tufts of furs clumped between Swiftstar's claws and his ginger-and-white pelt was slicked with crimson blood.
The clearing, that had once been engulfed in ferocious fighting where claws met fur and teeth met limbs, was completely silent. Even though blood stained the stone walls and some cats laid limp on the ground, every cat's gaze was focused on the ThunderClan leader, whose fur was bristling and his claws were unsheathed. If looks could kill, Flintstar's burning blue eyes would have sent Swiftstar into his grave by now.
"How dare you?" Flintstar snarled, the force of his anger sending pebbles falling from the Highledge. "How dare you kill Finchwing and then lead an assault on our camp? As if we were the one who wronged you!"
"You have no proof that my Clan was involved in Finchwing's disappearance," Swiftstar growled, licking blood from his muzzle.
"Give it up, you snake," Flintstar hissed. "There was no disappearance. We know you killed him. Sootfall found the grave where you dumped Finchwing's body. We brought it to Ashenhawk and she declared the cause of death – murder! You tortured him and buried him where you thought no one could find him! His scent was rancid with WindClan! All blood is on your paws, Swiftstar! If you want a fight, you can have one!"
"Then give it to me!" Swiftstar bared his teeth and rushed up the Highledge, leaping on Flintstar and pinning him to the rock. The two leaders rolled in each other's grips, and the battle continued once more, the clearing again taking up the howls of the righteous and the furious. Scorchpaw bared his teeth, hissing at every ThunderClan warrior who crossed his pelt.
A patch of gray striped fur landed in front of Scorchpaw, and Scorchpaw stepped back as he realized Peartuft's sleek pelt. This was the same cat Scorchpaw had encountered day one on his trip through WindClan territory. Peartuft was slightly bigger than he had been then, but his eyes held the same trace of wildness Scorchpaw had first seen. That day, Scorchpaw had been afraid of him.
But Scorchpaw wasn't the same cat he was on that day. He was nearly a warrior – he was stronger, swifter, smarter, and braver than he had been that first day. Peartuft's riotous appearance didn't faze him one bit. Even as the gray tabby stared down at him, his yellow eyes shooting flames, Scorchpaw lifted his head and met his battle-ready gaze. Peartuft's words from the first day echoed back to him.
"I get to see the next generation of WindClan warriors, and I'm not impressed. Until we meet again."
Well, we've met again, Scorchpaw thought, feeling his claws ache. Are you impressed now, Peartuft?
"I know you," Peartuft hissed through clenched teeth. The tabby's pelt had chunks of fur ripped out, and his ear was torn, crusted with crimson blood. "You're the tiny thing I met on the border."
"I'm not so tiny anymore, am I?" Scorchpaw retorted. When he had first met the tabby tom, he had only reached up to Peartuft's elbow. But now, Scorchpaw reached just below his chin. And he was ready to teach this tom a lesson. The two cats circled each other, baring their teeth and hissing, waiting for either cat to make the first move.
Peartuft moved first. He jabbed out his gray paw in a flurry of rapid, well-timed blows. Scorchpaw dodged all of them with his superior WindClan speed. Just as Peartuft let out a hiss of frustration from being unable to land a blow, Scorchpaw lunged at Peartuft's throat and sank his teeth into the thin skin. He could taste the salty blood on his tongue, and he could feel Peartuft writhe in his grasp. He bit down tighter, but a jolt of stabbing agony made him stagger back as Peartuft slashed out with his claws across Scorchpaw's ears.
The skin on Scorchpaw's ears tore and blood trickled out of the wound. Scorchpaw looked up, the tear stinging as he twitched his ears. He glanced back at Peartuft, whose back was arched. Scorchpaw gritted his teeth. Peartuft was a smart enemy, devious and cunning in his ways. I've got to defeat him, no matter what. Scorchpaw curled his lip when an idea suddenly hit him.
He turned to retreat from Peartuft, carving through the crowd. He was aware of Peartuft racing right behind him, and just as Peartuft nearly caught up to him, Scorchpaw turned on his heel at the exact moment and slashed Peartuft's underbelly as the gray tabby tom tried to leap on him. Scorchpaw rolled over and evaded his grip when the tom landed on the ground, the breath squeezed out of him. His blood stained the grass around him.
"I won't allow myself to be defeated by some WindClan apprentice," Peartuft hissed as he pulled himself to his paws and stalked over to Scorchpaw. Scorchpaw fluffed out his fur, fixing his most venomous glare on Peartuft. But, just as the tabby tom got ready to pounce, an ear-splitting shriek shook the stone hollow to its knees.
"Hollyfrost!" Scorchpaw, Peartuft, and every cat in the clearing turned around to search for the origin of the voice. The young ThunderClan warrior, Hailstep, was slashing his claws across the chest of the ThunderClan cat Sorrelfur, sending her to the ground with a loud thump. Scorchpaw pushed his way through the battling cats, watching with horror as the ThunderClan cat landed on the ground… and did not get up.
"Mother!" cried out a small tortoiseshell she-cat. The ThunderClan cat – no older than a kit – bounded over to the limp she-cat. She hunched over the limp corpse, her swollen blue eyes focused on her mother. "Mother!"
"Sweetkit," whispered Rootberry, who walked over to the young kit and wrapped his tail around her neck. His fur was stained with blood and his eyes still held the trace of bloodlust, but his voice was calm and soft as he addressed the small kit. "She's gone."
"She can't be!" Sweetkit cried out, pulling at her mother's body with small white paws, shaking her as if she was trying to force her to wake up. "Hailstep is our Clanmate! He couldn't! He didn't!"
"I…" Hailstep's voice was broken as he stared down at Sorrelfur's limp body. He turned on his heel to look down at another limp body – with a gray-and-white pelt. Scorchpaw swallowed the lump in his pelt as he recognized Hollyfrost's narrow head, flat on the ground. What… what did Hailstep do?
"Hailstep, what have you done?" Longbranch spoke the question Scorchpaw had no place to ask. The black tom's fur was bristling, and his amber eyes were burning as he loomed over the young cat.
"She was killing Hollyfrost!" Hailstep defended himself, but visible guilt was making his amber eyes stretch wide and his entire body tremble.
"So?" Longbranch's ears flattened. "Hollyfrost is an enemy warrior! She fights for Swiftstar! Why do you care if she dies or not?"
"Because I love her!" Hailstep exclaimed.
What?! Hailstep's sudden outburst turned the clearing stone silent, save for perhaps the moan of a couple of injured warriors. A heavy silence blanketed the stone hollow as Longbranch stared at his Clanmate, his jaw gaping, seemingly lost for words. Hailstep dragged his gaze to examine the cats in the clearing, and the pain in his amber gaze was so raw that it dug into Scorchpaw's heart. Hollyfrost…
A low moan emitted from Hollyfrost's body, and Hailstep turned on his heel and raced towards the gray-and-white she-cat. He leaned over the WindClan warrior, whose mouth was bubbling with blood. She lifted her head weakly, her entire body trembling as she struggled to meet Hailstep's gaze.
"Hollyfrost…" Hailstep whispered. "I'm… I'm so sorry… I…"
"Shh…" Hollyfrost rasped. "Hailstep… I don't…"
"Save your breath," Hailstep meowed gently. "I'll bring you to Ashenhawk."
"No." Hollyfrost weakly shook her head. "Hailstep… promise me… you will find love… and you will continue to live…"
"How could I?" Hailstep exclaimed. "I can't live without you, Hollyfrost! I love you!"
A soft, serene smile fell on Hollyfrost's face, in contrast to the splotches of blood that covered the white spots on her face. Then, her head rolled back on the ground, and the life slowly left her once bright blue eyes. When her gaze was unseeing and her side stopped rising, Hailstep scrambled back, his gaze wide with horror.
A heaving agony ripped its way into Scorchpaw's chest, as he stood, watching Hollyfrost die right in front of him. Although he wasn't pleased with Hollyfrost's destiny as his future mate, and they hadn't exactly been close, Hollyfrost had been nothing but kind to Scorchpaw – and the rest of her Clanmates – while she was alive. But… how could she had been in love with a ThunderClan warrior?
"I don't love you. Actually… I love someone else. But I'll never get to be with him." Hollyfrost's words, from that fateful day, sank in Scorchpaw's mind. It was him! He stared at Hailstep, who stood over Hollyfrost's body, his head hanging. He was the cat she was talking about!
"Get away from her." Swiftstar's voice cut through the crowd as he approached the two cats, but Hailstep did not move, not even under the thunder of Swiftstar's voice. Swiftstar raised his paw, presumably to strike Hailstep down, but the ThunderClan leader, Flintstar, raced in front of Swiftstar and stopped him from landing the blow.
Swiftstar narrowed his eyes at Flintstar. "This warrior has cost me one of my warriors, and one of your own. Yet you stand here and defend him?"
"He is my warrior, and I will deal with him as I see fit," Flintstar growled through clenched teeth. The ThunderClan cats in the clearing stared at their leader, and then Hailstep. Winterfall's blue eyes were round with shock, and Sweetkit crouched down next to her mother's limp body. Sunpaw and Honeypaw stepped back, fear in their eyes of their fellow warrior. Sagepetal and Lightningfang exchanged nervous glances, and Peartuft bared his teeth at Hailstep.
"I say we exile him," Peartuft snarled. "Hailstep killed one of his own Clanmates!"
"I didn't mean to!" Hailstep barked at Peartuft. "I really didn't!"
"But that does not change what has been done," Sootfall, the Clan deputy, meowed as he limped towards the grief-stricken gray warrior. "You have broken the warrior code by meeting Hollyfrost in secret, and more gravely by killing one of your own Clanmates." The ThunderClan cat shot a sorrowful look at Sorrelfur's dead body. "Flintstar?"
Flintstar's blue eyes were shadowed. "Hailstep, do you have anything to say for yourself?" he asked. "I will hear you out." The silver tabby leader leveled his gaze on the frantic young warrior.
Hailstep lifted his head. "I'm… so sorry… about Sorrelfur," he choked out. "But she was trying to kill Hollyfrost! And it didn't matter anyway because she's dead!" Grief turned his mewl into a yowl. "She softened my heart made of stone! And now she's dead, and with her died my last warm feelings for any other cat!"
The ThunderClan leader blinked twice. "You are exiled from this Clan, Hailstep," he announced, his low, abyssal voice sending shudders through Scorchpaw's pelt. He wondered what the Clan leader wasn't saying – how did he really feel? Scorchpaw swept his gaze towards his father, who was watching the entire scenario with stone cold amber eyes. "You must never return. If you do, we will treat you as we would treat any enemy warrior."
"Fine," Hailstep hissed, lashing his tail. "I don't even want to come back. What's the point of living if I don't have the cat I love by my side?" The gray tom turned on his heel, and before he marched away, he cast a long, apologetic look at Sorrelfur's body. But he said nothing, and with his coat still slicked in blood, he limped through the stone hollow and disappeared into the foliage.
When Hailstep was gone, the ThunderClan warriors immediately turned to face the WindClan warriors, baring their teeth and hissing loudly. Is the battle still on? The fighting had stopped when Hailstep had killed Sorrelfur and Hollyfrost had died. Do we really need to fight more? Scorchpaw thought to himself. Haven't we all suffered enough?
Grief for Hollyfrost tugged at Scorchpaw's heart. She didn't deserve to die like she did. She was so young – she had an entire life to live, even if it was a forced destiny. But maybe we could've done something about it. I didn't want her to die. I didn't want to be her mate, but she was such a kind cat. There was more to her.
"Swiftstar." Flintstar turned to face the WindClan leader. "Both of us have lost a warrior today. In my case, two. If we continue to fight, then we will just have a second day of death."
"We won this battle, Flintstar," Swiftstar hissed at the ThunderClan leader. "And I want something in return."
Flintstar pressed his lips together in a tight line. "What is it?"
"I want the strip of territory across the stream all the way to the gnarled oak. Grant me that, and I'll leave. Refuse, and I will continue this fight." The tip of Swiftstar's tail twitched side-to-side as he squared his shoulders and stared at Flintstar. Flintstar met his unwavering gaze, and then looked behind his shoulder to examine his Clanmates.
Most of his Clanmates were injured. Honeypaw was leaning against her brother, Sunpaw for support. Peartuft was losing blood more rapidly, and Rootberry nudged against him to hold him up. Sorrelfur's body was splayed out on the clearing, and her blood-soaked daughter refused to leave her side, even as the warriors Heatherice and Longbranch tried to drag her away. Longbranch's eyes were glazed with pain as he limped over to Coalshadow. Flintstar shut his eyes, took a deep breath, and turned to Swiftstar. "Fine."
Swiftstar's amber eyes widened, and Scorchpaw wondered if his father thought this was a trap. But when Flintstar didn't move, Swiftstar nodded. "You're not as foolish as you look, Flintstar." The WindClan leader turned on his heel, twitched his tail and yowled, "Come, WindClan! Let us go home. Someone take Hollyfrost's body!"
Brambledusk and Adderstripe bounded over to Hollyfrost's limp body, and Adderstripe sank his teeth in her scruff to haul her on Brambledusk's back. Grief glazed Brambledusk's eyes as Adderstripe draped the she-cat over him and positioned her so she did not fall off. Scorchpaw stared at the clearing, haunted by the devastation.
Dens had been trampled on, fur scattered the ground, blood painted the stone walls. Several warriors laid where they were, too weak to move. Ashenhawk, the ThunderClan medicine, moved as if she had three heads, seemingly unsure of who to treat first. Scorchpaw swallowed the lump in his throat. Was this battle the right thing to do? he asked himself. He didn't know the answer to that question. With his heart sinking, he turned on his heel and bounded after his Clanmates.
Brambledusk raced in front of him, and every time he moved Scorchpaw could see Hollyfrost's body nearly falling off him. But Brambledusk still ran, and Hollyfrost's body stayed on top of him. Scorchpaw gazed at her unseeing eyes and whispered a silent, I'm sorry. There was nothing else to do. He was a changed cat, seeing what he had. He had been convinced Swiftstar had kept him out of skirmishes for a while, to keep him safe. But now he had seen his first battle, and all of the suffering it brought.
Scorchpaw cut through the woodland and the foliage until he stopped at the strip of grass that Swiftstar had claimed for WindClan. This? he scoffed for himself. Granted, it was wide, stretching from the streambank a few fox-lengths deep into the forest, but what were they going to do with it? The border was changed, and for what? No rabbits ran on this side of the stream. What would they catch? What was the point of it all? Of Hollyfrost's death? Of Sorrelfur's death? Of Hailstep's exile? What did we gain? Some piece of land?
The WindClan apprentice put those thoughts to the side and crossed the stream, seeing his Clanmates move quicker and quicker. He would have to run faster if he didn't want to be left behind. Scorchpaw tensed his muscles and used the strength he had remaining to speed through the moorland. The wounds from his battle had not stopped bleeding, and they were making running especially hard. The pain tugged at his muscles and brought a burning sensation through his body that made him nearly yowl in pain. But he clenched his jaws and bore it.
When WindClan's camp came in view, Scorchpaw let out a sigh of relief. He was among the last cats to spill into the clearing, but for some reason, it didn't bother him. He needed time to think, and even though the run had brought immense pain, his thoughts were clearer now. He slipped down the hollow and landed on the clearing, feeling his body nearly sway when he watched Swiftstar carve through the crowded camp with ease, despite the blood trickling from his father's many wounds. Even though the WindClan leader bore gashes and bruises, he still made the leap easily on the Tall Branch without any visible pain, although Scorchpaw swore he could see his left eye wince.
As Swiftstar balanced himself steadily, the WindClan cats who had stayed behind to guard the camp met the returning attackers. The crowd parted to let Brambledusk through, who still had Hollyfrost's body on his back. Several gasps of shock sung through the crowd, followed by yowls of grief and hisses of anger. Wildpaw's yellow eyes were wide with shock as she stared at Hollyfrost's dead body. Waspberry and Lilystream hung their head in grief, and Songbreeze's face was unreadable, but one of her ears did twitch when her eyes met Hollyfrost's body.
"What a shame," Smokebelly sighed from when he exited the elder's den and gazed at Hollyfrost's body as Brambledusk gently placed her down. "She was a young warrior, with so much to live for."
"It wasn't her time," Heathercloud agreed sorrowfully.
Deerheart's amber eyes were wide with grief. "Hollyfrost loved life."
"But did you hear?" Driftberry asked. "Hollyfrost was meeting with a ThunderClan warrior! He killed one of his Clanmates to protect her! But she still died!"
"She was betraying ThunderClan?" asked another WindClan cat.
"Got what she deserved, then," one of the warriors hissed through clenched teeth. "She was a traitor."
Scorchpaw's fur bristled. "Shut it!" he snarled as he broke into the crowd. He didn't want to hear any cat talk bad about one of their dead Clanmates. She had died in battle! Why couldn't they see her bravery and sacrifice for what it was, rather than deprecate her for something she could never take back? Scorchpaw felt every muscle in his body burn as he cast a furious glare at the cats gossiping between themselves. "You'll never call Hollyfrost a traitor while I'm still around." One of the good things that comes from being the Clan leader's son is that they listen to me.
The WindClan cats exchanged nervous glances, and Scorchpaw was finally able to pin out where the voice that had accused Hollyfrost of being a traitor had come from. Hawkfeather. He focused his amber eyes on the old warrior. "She died fighting. Isn't that what we want? To die for our Clan?"
Hawkfeather opened his jaws to speak but was cut off by another voice.
"Well said, Scorchpaw." Scorchpaw froze in his tracks as he looked up to see his father, staring at him with his tail twitching. "You're very correct. Our lives as warriors are simply to die for our Clan. That is what Hollyfrost did."
Gods, finally, Scorchpaw thought with relief. But the obdurate look in Swiftstar's gaze swamped Scorchpaw with despair. His heart sank to his chest when he realized what Swiftstar was going to say.
"Despite that, Hollyfrost broke the warrior code by falling in love with a ThunderClan warrior." Swiftstar's amber eyes narrowed in slits. "It is my utmost sorrow to report that we need to bury her as a rogue, without the honor we would give to a warrior who respected the code."
What?! Scorchpaw wanted to scream in outrage, but the unyielding glare Swiftstar wore rendered him silent. Anything he said, his father would not listen to. His protests would be useless. Scorchpaw glanced at Rabbitfur. The white-and-gray tom often spoke out against Swiftstar if there was something he disagreed with, but the WindClan warrior was simply staring at the ground, not even bothering to speak.
"Speaking of the battle, I'm pleased to announce that WindClan has won!" Swiftstar lifted his head proudly. "We've taught ThunderClan a lesson and gained territory in the process. Our border has changed from the stream to the strip of grassland beyond the stream that extends to the gnarled oak. All border patrols will mark that from now on."
"WindClan! WindClan!" cheered the crowd, although Scorchpaw heard the half-heartedness in several of the cheers, including his own. I don't want to bury Hollyfrost as a rogue, Scorchpaw thought. My father has taught me about the warrior code, and I know that Hollyfrost did an awful thing in breaking it. But she was my Clanmate, and I can't think that it's right to bury a Clanmate as a rogue.
"This morning, I made a promise," Swiftstar meowed. "I said that I would make the apprentices warriors if they fought well in today's battle. Well…" The ginger-and-white tabby leader swung his head to the crowd. "Scorchpaw, I saw just how well you fought off Peartuft, despite him being older and more skilled than you. Russetpaw, you took on Honeypaw and Sunpaw at the same time. Blackpaw, you and Gorsepaw fought against Sootfall himself and sent him crying for his mother. All of you have proved that you are ready to be warriors today, and I would be a foolish Clan leader if I didn't name you."
Scorchpaw let out a gasp. He was watching the whole time? How was that possible? I'm going to be a warrior today! Excitement fizzled in the WindClan apprentice's paws, and he was ready to jump up and down. Finally! All of these moons… they're going to be worth it! I'm going to be the best warrior in WindClan, and I'll make my father proud, no matter what! The insecurities of the battle had melted away. He wasn't focusing on whether that was the right thing or not. Now, all he was focused on was being a warrior.
Swiftstar cleared his throat. "Apprentices, step forward!"
Scorchpaw moved through the crowd. The pain in his body had ebbed to just a slight ache as he stepped in front of the throng of warriors. He watched his sister, Russetpaw, squeeze her way through the cats and stand at Scorchpaw's side. His sister's emerald-green eyes twinkled with joy. Blackpaw and Gorsepaw joined Russetpaw's side, and Blackpaw held her head high, her green eyes sparkling, while Gorsepaw was trying his best to stay composed, but even from where Scorchpaw was standing, he could hear the mottled tom purr loudly.
Wait… Scorchpaw looked behind his shoulder, and at the edge of the crowd, Wildpaw stood, scowling. Her yellow eyes burned with jealousy, fury… and pain. Right… the competition. Russetpaw won. Why was Scorchpaw being forced to choose between his sister and one of his friends? Oh, Wildpaw. I'm sorry.
"Apprentices." Swiftstar's flaming eyes focused on each of the apprentices in turn. "I, Swiftstar, leader of WindClan, call upon my ancestors to look at all four of you. You have all trained hard to understand the ways of the noble code, and I commend you to StarClan as warriors in your turn. Blackpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
Blackpaw's green eyes sparkled, and Scorchpaw remembered the day when she was just a kit, staring at Swiftstar and speaking to him as if he was an equal. Swiftstar had looked momentarily surprised but didn't say anything. Blackpaw still maintained the quiet strength she had that day, despite being twice the size. "I do."
"Gorsepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Swiftstar gazed at the mottled tom.
"I do." Gorsepaw's voice came out, calm and steady as he gazed upon his leader.
Swiftstar's gaze stopped on Russetpaw, and the dark ginger she-cat stared directly at her father, her green eyes sharp and challenging. "Russetpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
"Of course I do," Russetpaw exclaimed. "I have since the moment you made me an apprentice!"
Oh, Russetpaw. Scorchpaw wanted to hit his head with his paw. Will she ever stop testing the limits of Father's patience?
Swiftstar rolled his eyes, seeming to find it useless to start a fight with her – especially in front of a large crowd. "A simple 'I do' would have worked." He turned his gaze to focus on Scorchpaw, and in those amber eyes Scorchpaw saw a world of pride and affection. Yes. I'm doing the right thing today. "Scorchpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
Scorchpaw nodded, the gravity of his promise sinking into his mind and hardening the resolve in his spirit. "I do."
"Good," Swiftstar purred. "I'm proud of you all. By the powers of StarClan, I give you all your warrior names. Blackpaw, from this moment you will be known as Blackdove. StarClan honors your confidence and courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of WindClan." The WindClan leader leaped from the Tall Branch and rested his head on Blackdove's sleek black head. Blackdove licked Swiftstar's shoulder, glee glowing in her green eyes.
"Gorsepaw." Swiftstar padded over to the mottled gray-and-white tom. "From this moment on, you will be known as Gorseflight. StarClan honors your honesty and dedication, and we welcome you as a full warrior of WindClan." As he did with Blackdove, Swiftstar touched his chin to Gorseflight's head. Gorseflight purred loudly, his tongue rasping against Swiftstar's shoulder.
Swiftstar swung his eyes to stare at Russetpaw. "Russetpaw," he said.
"Here we go," Russetpaw mumbled under her breath.
Swiftstar twitched his ears. "From this moment on, you will be known as Russetstripe. StarClan honors your… outspokenness… and spirit, and we welcome you as a full warrior of WindClan." The WindClan leader laid his chin on Russetstripe's head, and Russetstripe licked her father's shoulder in response.
"Congratulations on winning," Swiftstar whispered to Russetstripe before turning to Scorchpaw. "My dear son. From this moment on, you will be known as Scorchclaw. StarClan honors your strength and bravery, and we welcome you as a full warrior of WindClan." Swiftstar was purring as he rested his chin on Scorchclaw's forehead, and Scorchclaw felt his body tremble with elation as he licked his father's broad shoulder. When all four warriors turned around to face their Clan, the cats erupted in cheers.
"Blackdove! Gorseflight! Russetstripe! Scorchclaw!" chanted the crowd. Scorchclaw could see Adderstripe cheering, but he frowned when he realized that his cheers were much louder for Gorseflight and Blackdove. Maybe I can establish a better relationship with him as a warrior. I've been so busy during training that I haven't really been able to spend some time with him. Now that we're warriors, we can change that.
Gorseflight drew in an excited breath. "I've waited so long for this day!" he whispered to his fellow young warriors.
"So have I," Blackdove agreed. "We're going to be the best warriors ever."
Russetstripe nodded. "Have fun beating me!"
Scorchclaw felt a grin tug at his lips as he glanced at his friends. We're finally warriors. Now, we can take the next step to helping my father make WindClan the most powerful Clan by the lake. Suddenly, Hollyfrost's dead body flashed back into his mind. But can we do it without bloodshed?