Warriors- Dawn of An Era: Shadows of Terror {Book 2} (COMPLETED)

Chapter Eighteen

Slippaw opened his eyes to see Cherryshadow standing in front of him. Hastily, he got to his paws and shook out his fur, dislodging any scraps of moss that clung to his pelt.

"Rushstar has called a Clan meeting," the former ShadowClan warrior meowed.

Slippaw followed her into the camp clearing, blanching at the sight of the ThunderClan cat, Applefrost sitting outside the nursery. He knew she was the mother of Viperpaw, but he wondered why she was exiled from her Clan.

"Cats of DarkClan!" Slippaw raised his head to look up at his new leader. Rushstar was perched on a fallen tree, his eyes glittering. "The Gathering is in a few days and since ShadowClan now knows of us, I've decided that we should make ourselves known to the rest of the Clans."

Many yowls of agreement greeted the DarkClan leader, the loudest coming from the deputy, Starlinglight. According to Rushstar, who had been Starlinglight's Clanmate before leading DarkClan, he'd been made leader and prepared for a battle before being driven out from the former leader, Rainfall.

Rushstar drank in the yowling and flicked his tail to silence his Clan. "Before then, I must direct your attention to an apprentice who has served us for moons." Suddenly, his eyes rested on Slippaw. "Slippaw, come forward." When he complied, the tom went on. "I, Rushstar, leader of DarkClan call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has worked hard to understand the ways of your noble code and I condemn him as a warrior in turn."

Slippaw heard murmuring behind him but he ignored it. Flexing his claws, he held Rushstar's gaze.

"Slippaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Rushstar asked.

Slippaw raised his chin and spoke loudly. "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I grant you your warrior name. Slippaw, from this moment on you will be known as Slipclaw. StarClan honors your courage and ferocity and we welcome you as a full warrior of DarkClan." Rushstar jerked his muzzle and Slipclaw dipped his head.

Trying not to be the center of attention, Slipclaw slunk back into the crowd, sitting next to Cherryshadow and Spotpelt. He looked up at Rushstar, who remained perched on the Fallen Tree.

"I have another announcement." Rushstar flicked his tail and at once the Clan fell silent. "There is one Clan that we must target more than the others. ThunderClan must crumble!"

Slipclaw yowled in support of his leader, feeling his claws unsheathe and dig into the ground. A wicked grin spread across Rushstar's face before he dismissed the Clan.

"Slipclaw!" Condorpaw's voice made the tom turn around as the large black apprentice trotted toward him. "Lilymist wants to see you."

Slipclaw flicked his ear and the tom padded away. Annoyance clawed at his chest as he headed for the nursery. Although she was his mother, Lilymist gave him as much attention as a dead blade of grass. Ducking into the nursery, he saw his mother waiting for him in a moss nest.

"You wanted to see me?" He meowed, flicking his tail as he sat down.

Lilymist shifted her paws and nodded. "I know Junipertail's death has hardly affected you," she meowed carefully and Slipclaw snorted. "I've known your alliance with Rushstar since you've started leaving the ShadowClan camp at random."

Slipclaw couldn't hold back a snide comment. "And you decided to join him? Some warrior you are."

Lilymist seemed pained from his comment but she went on. "The point is, I'm sorry for not paying as much attention to you as you deserve." Her ears flattened and she didn't meet her son's eyes. "Slipclaw, I really am proud of you. I just didn't know how to be a mother when you and your littermates were born."