Warriors: Rise of the Shadows (Book 1)

Chapter Eight

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Tall Tree for a Clan meeting!" Poppystar called, her plummy tail flicking in the wind as it caressed her fur.

Sweetpaw quickly licked down a tuft of fur on her shoulder and sat up straight. Rainpaw was next to her, his eyes glowing with excitement. Cloverpaw and Owlpaw sat next to each other, tails twined and pelts brushing. Springpaw sat on the oppisite side of Sweetpaw, his eyes burning with determination and pain.

As the Clan began to gather, Sweetpaw watched as Talonstripe and his new mate, Pounceheart, were sitting next to each other. Lemonflight sat alone without anyone next to her, while Goldentail sat proudly next to Stonesky.

"Cats of FireClan! We have five cats among us who have trained hard throughout their apprenticeships and are ready to recieve their warrior names." Poppystar meowed, gazing at the apprentices. "You five, step forward."

As Sweetpaw rose to her paws and padded forward, the prophecy echoed in her ears. Rain will shadow the Clans with its cold, spring will bring new life to the forest, buds of clover will grow but the sweetest scent will heal the Clans. But beware! For an owl's sharp talons will lead the way to bloodshed. The apprentice shuddered, not because of the early leaffall chill, but because she didn't know what the prophecy meant.

"I, Poppystar, leader of FireClan call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these five apprentices. They have worked hard to understand the ways of your Warrior Code and are ready to get their warrior names." The leader gazed at the sky for a heartbeat before looking at Springpaw. "Springpaw, do you promise to uphold the Warrior Code and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," replied the black and white tom.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Springpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Springleap." Poppystar leaped down from the Tall Rock and pressed her muzzle onto Springleap's head, to which the newly named warrior licked her shoulder in response before backing away.

The leader turned to Owlpaw, making her untwine her tail from Cloverpaw's as she stepped towards her leader. "Owlpaw," the leader meowed. "Do you promise to uphold the Warrior Code and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do, Poppystar." Owlpaw meowed confidently, tail waving behind her as the leader nodded slightly.

"The by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Owlpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Owltalon." Poppystar rested her muzzle on the she-cats head, meowing a few silent words to the she-cat as she stepped away.

Owltalon nodded and padded back to her spot where Cloverpaw was sitting, grinning. Poppystar continued the ceremony, naming Cloverpaw as Cloverbud, Rainpaw as Rainshadow, and Sweetpaw as Sweetscent.

Joy washed over Sweetscent like a wave crashing into a sandy shore as she watched the Clan beam at the five new warriors. She raised her chin to drink in the cheers of her Clanmates as they yowled her new name.

**********

The half-moon shone over Sweetscent's head as she and her friends and kin sat vigil. Her tail flicked as Rainshadow's head began to droop, signaling that the tom was falling asleep. Sweetscent rolled her eyes, leaned over, and prodded her brother sharply with a paw.

Rainshadow jerked awake with a wince, eyes glazed with exhaustion. He cast his sister a sharp and annoyed glare before sighing and turning back to the forest that stretched beyond the reach of any cat in the Clans.

It felt like moons had passed when Poppystar padded up to the warriors, her tail twitching at Rainshadow's tired expression. "You're vigil is over," she informed the now half-asleep cats. "Go get something to eat and get some sleep. Cloverbud and Springleap, you two are on the sunset patrol. Rainshadow and Owltalon, take the dawn patrol tomorrow." The leader meowed and padded off in the direction of her den, disappearing inside.

Rainshadow groaned, clearly tired. "Why the dawn patrol?" He complained, his eyes annoyed.

Sweetscent cuffed his ear sharply, though she was amused. "Because your leader said so!" She retorted and watched as the other new warriors padded away.

**********

"C'mon, Whitesnow!" Emberstripe urged, her tone encouraging. "One more to go!"

Sweetscent paced outside the nursery as the medicine cat and queen occupied the den. Swiftscar shifted his paws anxiously, his gaze worried and nervous. 'He's like an antelope in headlights!' The young she-cat realized, recalling with a pang that Lemonflight told she and her siblings their father, Sheepcloud, was like that when they were kitted.

"Swiftscar, you have a daughter and a son." Emberstripe emerged from the nursery just a few moments later, her gaze tired. Swiftscar looked estatic and looked ready to burst with happiness at the report. So much so that he raced into the den, his tail waving furiously after him.

Sweetscent followed him, curious to see the newborn kits that now occupied the Clans' ranks. What she saw warmed her heart. Two small kits suckled at the curve of their mother's belly, peacefull and unknown to the dangers of Clan life.

"The she-cat is named Honeykit, because of her golden brown pelt." Swiftscar breathed, his eyes consumed in joy.

"The tom is named Snowkit, because of his snow white pelt." Meowed a very tired Whitesnow, who gazed warmly at her new kin. "They're so beautiful, aren't they?"

Swiftscar pressed against his mate, purring so loud, Sweetscent couldn't help but join in. "They'll be amazing warriors, just like their mother." He purred, his gaze flicking to Sweetscent.

The she-cat dipped her head and left the den, her heart warm. Swallowripple raced up to her, eyes wide. "How is Whitesnow?" She asked, tail flicking. "She's fine," Sweetscent assured the she-cat. "Honeykit and Snowkit are healthy." She added, padding away to leave the squealing she-cat to spread the word.