Warriors:Into The Wild AU (2024 Rewrite)

Chapter Six

With a nod of approval, Bluestar then turned to Briar and said, "Your name is already similar to that of a Clan cat's, so from now on, until you become a warrior, you will be known as Briarpaw." The young she-cat sat up proudly as the tortoiseshell beside her stepped back from her examination. Sky purred at her daughter before Bluestar turned to her.

Before the she-cat could speak, however, Sky meowed, "I wish to earn your trust before I officially join your ranks, so I humbly ask to keep my name for now." Surprise flashed in the leader's blue eyes before she nodded again.

"A wise choice, Sky. Welcome to Thunderclan."

Longtail and Briar's opponents both growled and limped toward a fern-shaded corner. The other cats then split into groups, murmuring to each other excitedly.

"Hey, Firepaw! Briarpaw!" Rusty and Briar both heard Graypaw's friendly voice behind them and the calling of their new names filled both young cats with pride. They turned to greet the gray apprentice with a welcoming sniff.

"Great fight, you two! A-a-and Sky, of course, you fought great too." Graypaw stammered a bit and lost a touch of his enthusiasm when Sky turned to see him. She purred with amusement.

"Thank you, and you are?"

"I'm Graypaw!" The gray apprentice stood with his chest puffed out.

"Nice to meet you, Graypaw." she dipped her head to him politely before he turned back to the other two apprentices.

"But yeah, great fight! Especially for kittypets! Longtail is a warrior, although he only finished his training two moons ago, and Darkstripe was his mentor. Those scars you left on them won't let either of them forget you two in a hurry. You've spoiled Longtail's good looks, that's for sure."

"Thanks, Graypaw," Firepaw replied. "He put up a good fight, though!" He licked his forepaw and began to wipe clean the deep scratch that stung above his eye.

As he washed, he heard Sky mutter something about, ".... couldn't hold a candle to Oak in a fight....", although her words were drowned out when he heard his and Briarpaw's new names again, echoing among the meows of the cats.

"Firepaw!"

"Hey, Briarpaw!"

"Welcome, young ones!"

Firepaw closed his eyes for a moment and let the voices wash over him.

"Good names, too!" Graypaw mewed approvingly, jolting him awake. Briarpaw looked around, her scruff looking ragged.

"Where did Longtail creep off to?"

"I think he was heading toward Spottedleaf's den." Graypaw tipped his head toward the fern-enclosed corner the two toms had disappeared into.

"She's our medicine cat. Not bad looking either. Younger and prettier than most—" A low growl from Sky stopped Graypaw midspeech.

The three young cats turned to where Sky was looking, and Briarpaw saw the powerful gray tabby cat that had attacked her slinking out of the ferns.

"Darkstripe," mewed Graypaw, dipping his head respectfully. The sleek tom looked at Firepaw for a moment.

"Lucky your collar snapped when it did. Longtail is a young warrior, but I can't imagine him being beaten by a kittypet kit!" He spat the word kittypet scornfully, then he swung his head around to glare at Briarpaw.

"Your claws are sharp, but you won't always have someone else around to save you."

That sounded like a threat, which Sky seemed to have perceived it as, as she stood up and growled lowly at the dark tabby warrior, towering over him. Darkstripe looked at her, wariness warring with rage in his yellow eyes, before he turned and stalked off.

"Now Darkstripe," Graypaw hissed to Firepaw and Briarpaw under his breath, "is neither young, nor pretty...." Both friends were about to agree when they were interrupted by a warning yowl from an old gray cat sitting at the edge of the clearing.

"Smallear smells trouble!" Graypaw meowed, suddenly alert. Firepaw barely had time to look around before a young cat crashed through the bushes and into the camp. He was skinny and—apart from the white tip of his long, thin tail and the flash on his throat—jet black from head to toe. Graypaw gasped.

"That's Ravenpaw! Why is he alone? Where's Tigerclaw?" Briarpaw looked at Ravenpaw staggering across the floor of the clearing. He was panting heavily. His coat was ruffled and dusty, and his eyes were wild with fear.

"Who are Ravenpaw and Tigerclaw?" Sky whispered to Graypaw, as several other cats raced past the group to greet the new arrival.

"Ravenpaw's an apprentice. Tigerclaw's one of our warriors," Graypaw explained quickly. "Ravenpaw went out with Tigerclaw and Redtail at sunrise on a mission against Riverclan, the lucky furball!"

"Redtail?" Firepaw echoed, thoroughly confused by all these names.

"Bluestar's deputy," hissed Graypaw. "But why on earth has Ravenpaw come back alone?" he added to himself. He lifted his head to listen as Bluestar stepped forward.

"Ravenpaw?" The she-cat spoke calmly, but a look of worry clouded her blue eyes. The other cats drew back, curling their lips with anxiety.

"What has happened?" Bluestar jumped onto the Highrock and looked down at the trembling cat. "Speak, Ravenpaw!"

Ravenpaw was still struggling for breath, and his sides heaved fitfully while the dust around him turned red with blood, but still he managed to scramble onto the Highrock and stand beside Bluestar. He turned to the crowd of eager faces that surrounded him, and summoned enough breath to declare, "Redtail is dead!"

Another cliffhanger! In my defense, this one was the book's fault, since that's where chapter three ends. Some of you are questioning that "Redtail Lives AU" tag, I just know it. Don't worry, I have an explanation!