Warriors: A New Beginning

Chapter 8

It had been five moons since Sunrise's dream. And at each gathering she had been to, she always saw that look of love in Ghostfang's eyes as he stared at her. She felt bad for not meeting him, but she didn't regret it. She was a loyal ThunderClan warrior and there was no way she was going to take a mate in ShadowClan.

Pushing all those thoughts away, Sunrise walked up to Graystar's den. "Graystar?" She mewed.

"Yes, Sunrise? You may come in." Sunrise shuddered as cold air touched her pelt.

"I was wondering if I could watch Moonpaw's warrior assessment. May I?"

Graystar nodded. "Of course you can. If you don't mind, I'd like to get some rest before the ceremony. That is, if there is a ceremony."

Sunrise was filled with happiness. "Thank you Graystar!" She said as she ran out of the den to find her sister.

"Moonpaw!" She exclaimed when she spotted her sister and padded towards her.

"Hi, Sunrise!" Her sister purred.

"Hi! When is Pinkheart taking you out for your assessment?" Sunrise asked.

"Um, I think now, Pinkheart just said she had to do something. Why?"

Sunrise gave Moonpaw an excited glance as she squealed like a kit. "Because I'm going to be watching it!"

Moonpaw's green eyes brightened. "Really? Wow!"

"Alright Moonpaw, come on." Pinkheart had just appeared.

Sunrise followed her sister and her mentor out into the forest.

"Moonpaw, your warrior assessment is going to be for hunting." Pinkheart explained.

Sunrise knew how great Moonpaw was at hunting. If this was all it took for Moonpaw to become a warrior, it was going to be a sinch.

"You will be stalking and catching birds." Pinkheart went on. "Once you have caught three birds, come over and bring them to me. Remember, not only does catching the bird matter but your stalking needs to be good too. But I'm sure you'll be fine after everything I've taught you."

Moonpaw nodded and began stalking a blackbird. Sunrise admired how good her sister was at stalking. Soon she had caught the blackbird and another two pigeons.

"Well done!" Pinkheart complimented.

"Thanks," Moonpaw muffled out of her stuffed mouth.

"Here, let me help you with that." Sunrise offered. As she took the two pigeons from Moonpaw, they walked back to camp.

If it were me, Sunrise thought to herself. I would have made Moonpaw a warrior a long time ago.

After Sunrise saw Pinkheart rush into Graystar's den, she saw her come out and call a Clan meeting.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the highrock for a Clan meeting." She yowled.

When Sunrise saw all the cats there, Graystar began speaking. "Today has been Moonpaw's sixth moon of training, and she has taken her warrior assessment."

The gray leader turned and faced Pinkheart.

"Pinkheart, you say that Moonpaw has done exceptional on her assessment?"

Pinkheart nodded. "She is more than great at her stalking and she is a strong fighter, too. She is more than ready to become a warrior."

Sunrise also noticed Duststripe and Rowanpaw up on the highrock as well.

Graystar asked Duststripe the same questions she had asked Pinkheart. After he said yes, she continued.

"I, Graystar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these two apprentices. They have trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code, and I give them to you as warriors in their turn. Moonpaw, Rowanpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect your Clan at all times, even at the cost of your life?" Graystar asked.

"I do," Both apprentices mewed.

"Then, by the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Moonpaw, please step foward."

Moonpaw did as told. "Moonpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Moonshadow. StarClan honor your bravery and amazing skills, and you are now a full warrior of ThunderClan. Rowanpaw, please step foward."

Rowanpaw stepped foward. "Rowanpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Rowanfeather. StarClan honors your speed and strong fighting skills, and you are now a full warrior of ThunderClan."

The Clan started cheering loudly. "Moonshadow! Rowanfeather! Moonshadow! Rowanfeather!"

Sunrise shouted her sister's new name the loudest. She was not very fond of Rowanfeather anymore, but she didn't want to be rude.

"Also," Graystar went on. "We have three kits to be apprenticed. Smokekit, Dewkit, and Quillkit, please come up onto the highrock."

Three tiny kits bundled their way up onto the highrock.

"Squirrelpelt's kits have reached the age of six moons and are ready to be apprenticed. Smokekit, please come foward."

The small ball of black fur walked up slowly.

"Smokekit, from this day on, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Smokepaw. Ivyleaf, please come foward." Ivyleaf padded up to where Graystar was standing. "Ivyleaf, you have not had an apprentice in a while, and I trust that you will train Smokepaw well."

Ivyleaf touched noses with her new apprentice. "Yes Graystar, I will train Smokepaw to be the best warrior there is."

"Dewkit, come foward." A light grayish and white kit made her way foward.

"Dewkit, from this moment on, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Dewpaw. Sunrise, come here, please."

Something hit her pelt as realization came to her. "Come on, walk up there!" It was Squirrelpelt. She probably wanted her kits to be perfect with perfect mentors. As Sunrise quickly ran up onto the highrock, Dewpaw looked at her with beautiful blue eyes.

"Sunrise, you are a young warrior, but I believe that you will be able to train Dewpaw as well as any other warrior."

"Thank you, Graystar." Sunrise meowed as she touched noses gently with her new apprentice.

"Quillkit, step foward." Quillkit was the most excited of the three. He was bouncing up and down and it almost seemed as if he could fly.

"Quillkit, from this moment foward until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Quillpaw. Darktail, come up to the highrock."

A black tom shouldered his way through the crowd of cats and leaped up onto the highrock.

"Darktail, you were a great mentor to Yellowpaw, even though she is with StarClan now. I know you will train Quillpaw well just like you did with Yellowpaw."

Darktail nodded. Quillpaw clumsily touched noses with his mentor.

Wow, Darktail's got himself an energetic little furball. Sunrise thought, amused.

"Sunrise! When can you show me the borders?" Dewpaw asked.

Sunrise knew her apprentice was curious and willing to learn. "I can show you tomorrow, if you'd like." She replied.

"Okay!" Sunrise was glad she had recieved an apprentice. Who knew what would lie ahead for Sunrise as she trained her first apprentice?

I hope you guys like it so far. Moonpaw finally became a warrior, yay, and Sunrise has an apprentice! There's going to be a lot going on soon. Anyway, see you next chapter!