Upon arriving back at camp, she was greeted by her two sisters. Before she could even set down her bird, they were bombarding her with the question, "Did you pass?!"
Skypaw nodded affirmatively, her tail waving and held high. Shadepaw and Rainpaw erupted into cries of joy. Russetsky, upon hearing Skypaw's return to camp, padded over to the three littermates after she had spoken to Hazelflower and Petalheart.
"My kits!" She exclaimed, pride and joy beaming from her eyes. "My kits are going to receive their warrior names today! Where has the time gone?"
Upon hearing his mate's exclamation, Bramblefrost's dark pelt emerged from the warriors' den. He, too, looked like he might explode with pride. Skypaw set down her mouse and purred a greeting to her father.
"I cannot believe it," Bramblefrost said as he joined his family. He intertwined his tail with Russetsky's. "It seems like just yesterday I laid eyes on my kits for the first time. I knew I had my paws full between Shadepaw's ambition, Rainpaw's compassion, and Skypaw's curiosity."
Russetsky nodded in agreement, her eyes raking over the three she-cats she had raised. After a moment, she nodded again as if snapping herself out of her memories of her darling kits when they were little. "I'll go inform Sunstar that you all passed your assessments."
Bramblefrost, deciding he would follow Russetsky to Sunstar's den, called out, "I'm proud of you all!" over his shoulder before padding away.
Skypaw took a moment to look at her parents. They padded away closely, side by side, their tails intertwining together. Bramblefrost's bigger frame cast a slight shadow over Russetsky's shadowy pelt. She noticed her mother leaned against her father, and she admired the point where their fur began to blend together slightly, seemingly morphing the two mates into one.
A pant of sadness tugged at Skypaw's heart. She would never have that with her darling Hawkspirit. The concept of mates being able to walk together in front of everyone, their affection going unnoticed or, when it did catch the attention of bystanders, being adored. Here she was, on arguably the most important day of her life, and Hawkspirit couldn't be there to see her stand in front of her Clan and be declared a warrior by the powers of StarClan.
"I can't believe it!" Rainpaw exclaimed, pulling her from her thoughts. "After all of our hard work, we finally get to become warriors!"
Skypaw nodded in agreement. Shadepaw chimed in with, "I thought the day would never come."
"Well, it finally has," Skypaw meowed, genuine happiness echoing in her voice. "And I couldn't be more excited!"
Skypaw was about to tell her sisters the miraculous recovery she had made during her assessment when a familiar, raspy voice called out her name. "Skypaw!" It meowed. "Did you forget about me?"
Skypaw turned to see no other than Appleleaf. Skypaw erupted into purrs when she saw the pride and delight in the old tom's eyes. He had obviously heard that she had passed her final assessment.
"Of course not," Skypaw responded, warmly. "I was just about to come see you-"
"I know you've been busy, Skypaw," Appleleaf meowed, shrugging it off. "I am very happy for you. It's clear to everyone in the Clan that you have worked hard during your apprenticeship, and that you will make a fine warrior."
"Thank you, Appleleaf," Skypaw meowed, sincerely. "Hopefully now that I won't be cramming in all my training, I can make more time to visit you in the elders' den." Guilt pricked at her paws. She knew that training wasn't the reason why she hadn't visited her old friend in awhile. It was because she was spending all of her free time with Hawkspirit and trying to unravel the prophecy's complicated message.
"No need to waste your time on an old tom like me," Appleleaf meowed. "I remember what it was like to be an apprentice, and a new warrior. It comes with a lot of responsibility. I'll see you at your ceremony," He meowed, and touched his nose against hers.
"I'll see you," Skypaw meowed as she watched him pad away.
~*~
"Let all cats gather!" Sunstar's deep meow boomed through the camp. Excitement and nervousness pricked through Skypaw as her and her sisters frantically finished grooming themselves in the apprentices' den.
"This is the last time we'll be in here!" Rainpaw squealed. Shadepaw finished brushing the fur down on her flank. Excited squeaks from Featherfur's four kits could be heard from outside of the nursery. Skypaw recalled Russetsky had informed her that Featherfur's kits would be becoming apprentices at the same time that Skypaw and her sisters would become warriors.
Exiting the den, Skypaw was surprised to find that most of the Clan had already found their seats in the clearing. News that her and her littermates had passed their assessments had spread quickly. Glancing over near the nursery, Skypaw saw Flowermoon sitting patiently outside of the den. Next to her was Featherfur and Bumblefoot, desperately trying to keep their kits' fur groomed as they waited to become apprentices.
Brackenkit caught Skypaw's gaze. "Skypaw!" He hollered out a greeting. He almost bolted over to her, but Featherfur caught him by his scruff in her mouth. He squirmed in her mouth and Skypaw saw Bumblefoot giving the striped kit a stern lecture. Brackenkit then stayed still and was set back on the ground. He still stared over at Skypaw, but had given up his passionate pursuit to go over and see her. She waved her tail at him.
She couldn't believe Featherfur's kits were already becoming apprentices. She remembered so clearly the day that they were born. She had just fallen out of the Sky Oak, and Hazelflower had kept her company in the medicine den. Willowleaf was so preoccupied by Featherfur's difficult birth that she hadn't kicked Hazelflower out of the den as she normally would.
"We have multiple ceremonies to do today," Sunstar meowed. Skypaw cocked her head. Was that annoyance in his voice?
"First, we have four kits who are to become apprentices," He meowed. Brightkit let out an excited squeal, much to Featherfur's embarrassment. Amberkit and Spottedkit shifted excitedly on their paws, but Brackenkit stood still with his head held high, unsurprisingly after Bumblefoot's lecture.
"Brightkit," Sunstar's deep meow rang through the camp. "Please come forward."
Featherfur and Bumblefoot gave their daughter an encouraging glance as she made her way to her leader. Looking up at the fiery tom with her excited eyes, she stared at him, expectantly.
"Brightkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Brightpaw. Your mentor will be Blizzardfur. I hope Blizzardfur will pass down all she knows to you."
Brightpaw's tail was held high. Blizzardfur, also looking proud to be taking on her first apprentice, stepped forward.
"Blizzardfur, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Appleleaf, and you have shown yourself to be strong and intelligent. You will be the mentor of Brightpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her."
Featherfur and Bumblefoot were the first to cheer. The rest of the Clan soon followed. Brightpaw and Blizzardfur touched noses in greeting and found seats in the crowd. Sunstar had a look of irritation when he noticed that he still had to perform three more apprentice ceremonies, and then three warrior ceremonies.
This sent a ripple of anger through Skypaw. This was supposed to be a joyous occasion, and he was looking at it as a chore!
"Spottedkit, come forward," Sunstar demanded. Spottedkit, suddenly suffering from stage fright, stood still in her tracks. Bumblefoot pushed her forward gently with his nose.
Once she reached Sunstar, he continued. Spottedkit delightedly became Spottedpaw, and it was decided that her mentor would be Mousetail. The young warrior excitedly greeted his apprentice. Skypaw was happy for him. He deserves a distraction from the horrors that haunt him.
Rainpaw's gaze also excitedly followed Mousetail. Skypaw once again suspected that she was crushing over the brown warrior. She could tell she radiated happiness that he had received his first apprentice.
After Spottedpaw's ceremony, it was Brackenkit's turn. He practically bounced his way to Sunstar. Sunstar flicked his tail in annoyance at the young tom's excitement. Before long, Brackenkit took on his name of Brackenpaw, and Bramblefrost was assigned his mentor. Bramblefrost beamed with pride at taking his first apprentice in what seemed like moons. Since his kits were the only apprentices for a long time, Bramblefrost had taken a break from training. Skypaw could tell her father was excited to be back at it.
Finally, it was time for Amberkit's ceremony. The cream-colored she-cat made her way to Sunstar. A few murmurs of surprise rippled through the Clan when Willowleaf stepped forward, but it didn't shock Skypaw one bit.
"Amberkit has decided to go down the path of becoming a medicine cat," Sunstar meowed blandly. "Amberkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your medicine cat name, you will be known as Amberpaw. Your mentor will be Willowleaf. I hope Willowleaf will pass down all she knows to you."
Wild cheers went through the Clan. For the people who knew Amberpaw, this was a decision that was long seen coming. Featherfur and Bumblefoot beamed with pride, as their daughter would be the next healer of ThunderClan. Spottedpaw, Brightpaw, and Brackenpaw cheered for their sister, and Skypaw found herself howling for Amberpaw as well. The shy she-cat dipped her head in acknowledgment.
Willowleaf touched noses with her new apprentice with delight. Skypaw could tell that Willowleaf saw promise within Amberpaw, and was satisfied with her choice. Willowleaf had had her eye on the young she-cat during her kit-hood. The two she-cats found their seats in front of the medicine den.
"Moving on," Sunstar meowed, hurriedly. "We are to welcome three new warriors into ThunderClan."
Anxiousness shot through Skypaw. This was the moment she had been waiting for!
The Clan turned their gazes to Skypaw and her sisters. The three of them sat proudly, their heads held high, waiting for their next instructions.
"Shadepaw," Sunstar meowed. "Please come forward."
Shadepaw rose from her seat and traveled down the path in the middle of their Clanmates until she stood face-to-face with the orangey leader. She gazed up at him as he continued to speak.
"I, Sunstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice." Skypaw suddenly felt a new wave of disgust with her leader. She knew that he didn't believe in the power and dignity of StarClan's warriors, and here he was, faking it to an unsuspecting Clan! "She has trained hard to understand your noble code, and I commend her a warrior to you in her turn."
Skypaw saw Shadepaw's paws shuffle in anticipation. "Shadepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
"I do," Shadepaw answered, confidently. Skypaw saw a few members of the Clan nod their heads approvingly.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Shadepaw, from this moment on, you will be known as-" Sunstar looked around frantically. When Skypaw noticed his gaze focus on a puddle of melted snow, he hurriedly continued, "Shadepool."
Shadepool didn't seem to notice the lapse in Sunstar's speech, but the fact that Sunstar came to the ceremony unprepared did not miss Skypaw. Sunstar had just named her noble sister after a pool of water from melted snow! Out of all of Shadepool's outstanding qualities and characteristics, that is what was reflected upon her name. Anger coursed through her veins. How could he not care about something as important as a warrior name?
"StarClan honors your dedication and determination, and we welcome you as a full member of ThunderClan."
Sunstar rested his muzzle on Shadepool's head, and she licked his shoulder, as she had been instructed to do by Russetsky. The Clan erupted in cheers and howls of, "Shadepool! Shadepool! Shadepool!"
Shadepool returned to her seat next to her sisters. Rainpaw and Skypaw both licked her head in congratulations.
"Rainpaw, please come forward," Sunstar meowed, patting his paw against a falling leaf in boredom. Rainpaw enthusiastically, but calmly, made her way to her place in front of him.
After repeating the beginning of the speech for Rainpaw, Sunstar asked her, "Rainpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
"I do," Rainpaw's soft voice washed over the clearing.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Rainpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as-" Once again, Sunstar paused. His eyes wandered across the clearing, obviously looking for something he could name Rainpaw. Skypaw scoffed quietly. Is this really happening?
Sunstar's eyes rested on Petalheart, the snowy she-cat that had mentored Rainpaw. Nodding decisively, he finished his speech. "Rainpetal."
Rainpetal's eyes lit up. She, too, seemed to have missed the lapse in his speech, just as Shadepool did. Her eyes beamed as she whipped around to look at her former mentor. Petalheart looked shocked, but joyful, that her former apprentice had been named after her. Rainpetal clearly found pride and dignity within the name of Petalheart, as she held her tail high as her Clan proudly chanted, "Rainpetal! Rainpetal! Rainpetal!"
Once Rainpetal returned to her seat after the traditional closing of her ceremony, Skypaw and Shadepool touched noses with her. Skypaw shakily rose to her paws, knowing that this was her turn. Anxiety caused her heart to beat a million times per minute as Sunstar beckoned her to her place in front of him.
The eyes of her Clanmates burned into her fur as she made her way through them. She reluctantly stared into her leader's harsh green gaze as he began her long awaited warrior ceremony.
"I, Sunstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice." Sunstar's gaze was taunting as he stared into her eyes. A shiver rippled through Skypaw's pelt, and she prayed that her Clan didn't notice. "She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her a warrior to you in her turn."
Skypaw felt uneasy. She knew that the cat performing her warrior ceremony did not respect the warrior ancestors that he was calling upon. He was even involved in a plot to destroy them! Her ceremony was being based off of a wicked, evil lie that she had no way of doing anything about in that moment. For once, the prophecy's mysterious words were of great comfort to her. The sky will fall on the sun, she thought. You will be done for.
"Skypaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
"Yes," She meowed, a little fiercer than she intended to. Skypaw wanted her wicked leader to know that she would defend her Clan, and that she would give up her life, even if it meant going up against him.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name." Skypaw was expecting the same lapse in the ceremony that Sunstar had given to Rainpetal and Shadepool, but to her surprise, it did not come. Sunstar knew exactly what her warrior name would be. "Skypaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Skyfall."
Skyfall's blood turned to ice. Skyfall? As in the sky that will fall?
He knows.