The New Warrior (OLD ORIGINAL)

Chapter 6

The next four days Silverpaw worked really hard. She practiced her fighting moves, went on border and hunting patrols, and hunting on her own.

It was almost sunhigh when Brackenclaw called her and told her that Flamestar thought she was ready for an assessment. She already buried four piles and was stalking a rabbit. All her troubles seemed to ease away. Lightly padding paw by paw to the rabbit, she launched herself at it and finished it off in one swift bite.

As she carried the pile to the gorse tunnel she saw Brackenclaw waiting for her. He nodded, then meowed, "Go put that in the fresh-kill pile, then go get a warrior and an apprentice to help you with the other piles.

She dropped her catch in the fresh-kill pile then went to the warrior's den. The only warriors there were Whitepelt, Longstripe, Brightclaw, Cloudfur, and Sorrelfur.

Silverpaw beckoned with her tail to Sorrelfur. Sorrelfur got up immediately and padded out of the den.

"What is it?" Sorrelfur asked. "I need a warrior and an apprentice to help me collect my fresh-kill," she replied as they came to the apprentice's den.

All of the apprentice's except Squirrelpaw were there. She saw Goldenpaw look up from washing with a grim expression on her face when she saw Silverpaw. "Brownpaw," Silverpaw meowed. "I need someone to help me get me fresh-kill. Will you come?" As she said that she saw Goldenpaw flinch.

Silverpaw, Brackenclaw, Sorrelfur, and Brownpaw returned to camp with their mouths stuffed with fresh-kill. Once they put it in the fresh-kill pile, Brackenclaw dismissed Sorrelfur and Brownpaw; then he meowed, "Come on Silverpaw, we've got to report to Flamestar and tell him how well you did. Then you can eat."

Brackenclaw mewed a greeting at the entrance of Flamestar's den. "Come in!" Flamestar meowed. "Yes Brackenclaw?"

"Silverpaw did amazing on her assessment today!" Meowed Brackenclaw. "We brought back five piles she buried!"

"That's great!" Flamestar replied. "You know what? I was thinking I needed to go to High Boulders lately and since Squirrelpaw and Silverpaw are so far ahead of the other apprentices, I should take them. Neither have made their journey to High Boulders. Tomorrow at dawn, we can go." He flicked his tail in dismissal.

Silverpaw hurried out of Flamestar's den to the fresh-kill pile and picked out a rabbit. This is awesome! She thought. I get to make my journey to High Boulders! Oh great NightClan! I almost forgot that I have to meet Blackpaw! Oh well.

She sat outside the apprentice's den by the tree stump. Now everyone was out for the evening meal, Squirrelpaw and Dustclaw brought the rest of Squirrelpaw's assessment in.

Squirrelpaw had a vole in his mouth and was a coming to sit next to Silverpaw, his face slightly angered, slightly annoyed. "What's wrong?" Silverpaw asked as he sat down.

"Umm..." He began angrily. "The problem is, a few days ago, I-I don't think it was even sunrise. I woke up for some reason and was about to come out of the den when I heard you and Goldenpaw talking about Blackpaw, and that you love him."

Silverpaw's anger was awakened and building up. "So?" She spat.

"It goes against the warrior code!" Squirrelpaw retorted. "I'm going to tell Flamestar."

"No!"

"Why not? I thought you were better than this."

"Sorry," Silverpaw sighed, calming down. "Please don't tell Flamestar."

Squirrelpaw sat quietly for a long time. "Okay, I won't," he replied.

"Thank you so much Squirrelpaw!" She licked his ears in thanks. "Oh, one more thing," Silverpaw added.