The Lost Warrior

Chapter 3

"Shatteredkit, Leafkit, please step forward."  Ivystar meowed.  I padded forward nervously.  I was now a Thunderclan apprentice, I had nothing to be worried about, but I was wondering if I would be given a warrior that didn't trust me.  "Shatteredkit and Leafkit, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and trust in your mentors, even at the cost of your life?" 
"We do."  We answered together.  
"Then by the power of Starclan, I give you your apprentice names.  Until you are warrior, you shall be known as Shatteredpaw and Leafpaw.  Jayfeather, you just earned your warrior name, I know.  But you and Shatteredpaw will demand respect from each other.  He shall be your apprentice.  Lionfur, you shall apprentice Leafpaw."
"Shatteredpaw!  Leafpaw!"  Everyone yowled to the setting sun. 
"Rest."  The meow behind me made me jump.  Jayfeather was sitting behind me, watching the sky.  I padded to my den with Leafpaw at my side, and I slowly closed my eyes.

"Wake up, sleepy face!"  Leafpaw pounced on my tail "I thought I slept late, now look at you.  It's past sunhigh!!!"  She purred as I tripped over my tail as I scrambled to my feet.  I heard Jayfeather calling me outside.  "Come on!  We're hunting."  He yelled.  I exited the den tiredly.  I yawned.  Squinting against the morning light to see my mentor.  He was sitting impatiently two fox lengths away from the den entrance.  I yawned again.
"Good morning."  I meowed sleepily.  "Faster!  I thought Bonetail woke up late.  Now he's been up since sunrise."  I groaned.  My legs were freezing from sleeping on bare moss.  "Why so early?" I meowed. Jayfeather lashed his tail.  "So we can train you to hunt and fighting with your injured legs.  You also have to visit the medicine den every morning. Speaking off, go on.  We'll wait for you."  I limped quickly to the medicine den.  "How are you?"  Sapphiretail asked, not looking up from her herbs.  "Fine." I answered.  She looked up with a sigh.  "So many herbs and not enough paws to sort them."  She collected an oozing circle.  "This is honey."  She explained.  "It will give you energy."  I lapped at the golden liquid.  It was sweet and thick.  I licked my lips.  "Anything else?"  I asked.  "Not now...  If you start to hurt come to me after training."  I nodded vigorously.  "Go on.  Have fun!"  She added.  I ran out of the den as quickly as I could on my unbalanced legs.  Jayfeather purred as I tripped again.  "Let's go."  I nodded again.  "Where are we going?" Leafpaw asked as she bounded happily around Lionfur's large paws.  "The river?"   I guessed.  I could smell a salty, fishy, good smelling scent.  "Right."  Jayfeather answered approvingly.  "We're patrolling the Riverclan border."  I winced.  " I know it's not going to be your favorite, but we have to do it anyways.  I'm doing it first to get it over with."  Lionfur said sympathetically.  I nodded.  I padded silently to the border.  "What if a patrol sees me?"  I fretted.  "What if they start a fight?"
    "You look different."  Jayfeather meowed.  "Your wounds aren't visible and you fur is darker."  I realized it was true.  My light silver fur was darker than before, and my stripes were almost black.   "Hey, you!  What are you doing on Riverclan territory?"  A voice yowled.  I turned with a start.  Jayfeather's fur bristled.  "This is our side of the river!"  Lionfur meowed calmly.  I could see his fur bristling, though.  Jayfeather began backing up, his mouth open as he smelled the area.
"Riverclan mange-balls!"  Jayfeather screeched.  "You moved the border all the way through our territory, to the owl tree!"  I stared in shock.  The owl tree was just in front of camp!  "So what?"  An apprentice sneered.  "You don't patrol it, like any mouse-brained featherface would!  You're worse than kittypets!"
I froze.  That was Snowpaw.  I couldn't mention it, or else the other warriors of riverclan would find out and launch an attack.  "Kittypets?!"  Lionfur roared.  He threw his paws forward, leaping across the river, and pinned Snowpaw down.  "Attack!"  Lionfur yowled.  I gulped.  I didn't know any battle moves, and I didn't want to fight riverclan.  "Come on then!"  Jayfeather charged across the river.  I recognized Hailpaw and Mistytail as they charged to grab Snowpaw.  "Who are you calling Kittypets, fishfaces?"  Leafpaw yelled to the fighting warriors.  I was itching to jump into the fight and stop them.  I sighed and started throwing insults at the Riverclan cats.  "Hey, you!  You spend so much time in water, you might as well grow gills and live there!"  I yowled.
Hailpaw's face slowly turned to meet mine.  "That does it."  He growled.  He launched across the river.    He landed square on my back, digging his claws in.  I yelped, heaving my shoulders to flip him off.  He slipped, hissing.  I jumped on top of his exposed belly and ripped at the fur.  I clawed above his eyes, hoping to blind him with blood.   He yowled and sliced his razor sharp claws into my throat.  I listened in triumph as Mistytail yelled, "Retreat, Riverclan, Retreat!!!"  I jumped away from Hailpaw's claws as he ran, pebbles flinging in his path.  "Great Starclan!"  Jayfeather gasped, looking at my blood soaked pelt.  "Are you alright?" 
I shrugged, trying to act tough.  "Nah, it's more his blood then mine.  It's just a few nicks."  "Let's get you to the medicine den all the same."  Lionfur meowed.  I nodded.  "Let's remark the border, first."  I said.  "The clan always comes first."