Maplepaw yawned widely, shaking her pelt to try to ease the stiffness in her muscles. She was on dawn patrol with Dapplecreek, Goosefur, Nettlescratch, and Paletuft, and she'd hardly had any time to sleep after the Gathering the previous night. I'm a mouse brain. When Acornpaw didn't wake up in time, Maplepaw, still half-asleep, had eagerly offered to go in his place. Why do they need apprentices for border patrols anyway? She flicked her tail as she followed Dapplecreek toward the BlackClan border. That's a warrior job if I ever heard of one. Still, she reflected, it would be good experience. I won't be an apprentice for long. Who knows, maybe I'll be leading my own dawn patrols as deputy one day. She sighed wistfully. And then leader. Maplestar, leader of FireClan, with Bloompaw--no, Bloomwhisper--no, Bloomtail--or maybe Bloomheart?--as my deputy!
Maplepaw paused, tense, expecting the shadowy voices to pipe up. Right about now. She glanced around. Nothing.
"Keep a sharp eye," Paletuft called behind her. "What with this Weaselstar nonsense, who knows what trouble BlackClan might decide to stir up."
As they neared the border, Maplepaw recoiled from the acrid scent of BlackClan. How can they stand it? she wondered, flicking out her tongue. It smells like pine sap and frog guts.
"Greetings." Maplepaw leapt back, claws already outstretched, and immediately ducked into an attack crouch. Scratchface was standing a few foxlengths away on his side of the border. A smoky gray tom stood at his side.
"Easy, Maplepaw," said Paletuft. "You have news?"
"StarClan has given me my leader name." Maplepaw glanced at his necklace of rat teeth and crow feathers. "This is my new deputy, Flitbird. Weaselclaw has moved into the nursery. Once her kits are apprenticed, she will be a BlackClan warrior once again."
"I'm surprised StarClan allowed it," said Goosefur, "but welcome, Scratchstar."
"Scratchstar," said Paletuft, dipping her head respectfully. "Thank you for bringing us the news."
Scratchstar nodded in return. "My deputy and I will be bringing the news to the other Clans today. We promise to stay within three tail-lengths of your border with the lake."
"Of course. And welcome, Flitbird."
They continued along the border, spraying brambles as they went.
"I really didn't think StarClan would be okay with it," mumbled Dapplecreek.
"It's not up to us to understand StarClan's ways," said Maplepaw. "Leave that to Yellowstar and Cloudstep."
Dapplecreek blinked at her in surprise. "That's a very mature thing to say."
Maplepaw shrugged. "I'm not a kit anymore," she said simply. "I'll be a warrior before you know it."
"Speaking of warriors..." Dapplecreek ushered Maplepaw onward. "I need your help with something after patrol."
Maplepaw yawned. "Can't I sleep first?"
"You won't want to miss this," said Dapplecreek. "Come on, let's get back to camp and tell Yellowstar the news."
Back in the ravine, Yellowstar called a meeting. "FireClan of Thunder forest," she yowled, "may the Ageless Ones bless you."
"May StarClan guide you," the Clan called back.
"Scrathstar is now leader of BlackClan. Flitbird is his deputy." To Maplepaw's surprise, her eyes were shadowed. I thought she'd be pleased, Maplepaw thought. Doesn't this mean we won't have to worry about Weaselstar--Weaselclaw, that is--trying to join FireClan?
"That is all. Paletuft, Foxjump, your apprentices, with me. Thrushflight and Dapplecreek, bring your apprentices too."
Ears pricked curiously, Maplepaw followed the other 'paws and their mentors into the forest. Yellowstar led them to the willows by the stream and stopped.
"Acornpaw, Frecklepaw, Wrenpaw. It's high time for your final assessment." Frecklepaw's eyes flashed; Acornpaw looked determined, while Wrenpaw looked quietly thoughtful. "You'll be hunting in pairs. Bloompaw with Acornpaw, Maplepaw with Wrenpaw, and Frecklepaw, you'll hunt with me. You have until sunhigh. Bloompaw, Maplepaw, remember: this isn't your assessment. Work together to help your denmate prove their worthiness. You may begin." The others streamed into the trees, each heading in a different direction.
Paws tingling with anticipation, Maplepaw followed Wrenpaw down toward the lake. "Where first?" she whispered.
"Let's look in the thick trees before the shoreline. Sometimes voles come up this high." Maplepaw nodded, content to follow her denmate's lead. I'm going to help you become a warrior! She felt warm with pride, although a flicker of unease pricked her fur: we won't be sharing a den anymore.
Soon Wrenpaw flicked his ears to indicate a fat vole nibbling at grass roots by a shadowed bush. He jutted his tail, ordering her to flank it. Maplepaw padded quietly to the other side of the bush and leapt out, yowling; the vole squeaked and headed straight for Wrenpaw, who snapped its neck before it could get away.
"I'm glad I get to do this with you," Wrenpaw said as he buried the vole.
Maplepaw purred loudly. "Me, too."
They headed parallel with the shore now. The lake lapped quietly at the sand and stones, its surface calm. It hadn't rained much since newleaf passed, but the rivers and streams were still full, the lake serene and shimmering. It would be a good greenleaf. By leaf-fall, thought Maplepaw, I'll be a warrior.
Suddenly, Wrenpaw froze. A tiny, reddish-brown bird flitted between the branches of a holly bush, its short, flat tail sticking straight up. Before Maplepaw could offer help, Wrenpaw pounced, trapping it in his paws, and bent his muzzle to snap its neck with a shake.
"Nice one," said Maplepaw, purring. "Let's see what else we can find. The others are probably finishing up by now." I bet I know your warrior name will be, she thought, laughing quietly to herself.
It was easy hunting, especially since the apprentices and their mentors had split up, each taking different parts of Thunder forest. Maplepaw helped Wrenpaw flush out a flock of sparrows, and together they brought down three of the tiny birds. They also added two mice to the pile. Wrenpaw zigzagged back through the forest to unearth his caches; though none of their catches were particularly massive, it was a good haul--plus, the sparrows and the wren had been skillful kills.
Thrushflight met them at the camp entrance, his brown tail curled over his paws. "I watched your hunt," he said. "I look forward to reporting to Yellowstar." Winking, he hared off toward Highledge, where Yellowstar and Paletuft were already waiting with their apprentices. Each apprentice had their prey laid out before them. Giving Maplepaw a grateful nod, Wrenpaw deposited his own catch in front of Highledge and stood before it. Frecklepaw had killed a shrew and a massive crow--she'll be boasting about that for moons, thought Maplepaw with a scoff--while Acornpaw's pile consisted of two mice, a few moles, and a robin.
Yellowstar spoke quietly with the three mentors, then leapt onto the Highledge and yowled a summons. "Today we gather for a most sacred occasion--the Ceremony of Naming. FireClan," she meowed, "our apprentices have worked hard to prove their worthiness in the Clan. Cloudstep." She nodded to the medicine cat, who came out of his den, carrying several leaf bundles. He unwrapped one before each apprentice. Maplepaw couldn't suppress a shiver of envy.
"Acornpaw, step forward." Bowing, the apprentice turned to face Highledge. Cloudstep dipped his paw in the leaf wrap, coating it in a sticky red paste. "I, Yellowstar, leader of FireClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in turn. Acornpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
Acornpaw nodded solemnly. "I do."
"Then by the powers of the Ageless Ones, I give you your warrior name. Acornpaw, from this moment forth you will be known as Acorntail. StarClan honors your skill and charisma, and we welcome you as a full warrior of FireClan." As the Clan yowled his new name, Cloutstep smeared his fur with streaks of red.
Yellowstar nodded to Wrenpaw. "And Wrenpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
Chin high, Wrenpaw meowed: "I do."
"Then from this moment on, you will be known as Wrencatcher. StarClan honors your thoughtfulness and determination, and we welcome you as a full member of FireClan."
As Cloudstep smeared his ginger fur with the new warrior marks, Maplepaw yowled "Wrencatcher! Wrencatcher!" louder than any other cat. Wrencatcher stepped back, his eyes shining with pride.
"Frecklepaw." The dappled she-cat stepped forward, her tail cocked over her back. "do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
"I do."
"Then from now on, you will be known as Frecklefang. StarClan honors your courage and ferocity, and we welcome you as a full member of FireClan."
Frecklefang turned to Maplepaw with a smug grin. The red warrior marks on her pelt looked, to Maplepaw, like dried blood.
"Frecklefang! Acorntail! Wrencatcher!" the Clan cheered, their voices swelling. The new warriors sat together, their red-striped pelts brushing, as the Clan took their prey piles and divided them among each other, starting with the elders. Birchnose and Rabbitleap stood with their tails entwined, looking like they might burst with pride. Maplepaw pressed her cheek against Wrencatcher's chest, not caring that his warrior marks smudged against her fur.
"I knew you could do it," she purred. "I'm so proud of you."