New Horizons

Chapter 10

Mistpaw sighed, glancing through the bracken of the apprentices' den. It had been a moon since that dreadful Gathering, yet nothing had changed. Crookedstar had announced when they got back that he would no longer take Mistpaw, Nightpaw, or Featherpaw to any of the Gatherings which, admittedly, did hurt quite a bit. It was as if he didn't trust them to be safe at the Gatherings, even with the truce.

"Let all cats old enough to swim gather in the clearing for a Clan meeting!" yowled Crookedstar's voice. Mistpaw rolled her eyes but emerged from the bracken and sat by its entrance. She knew her Clan weren't accepting of her anymore, they didn't really care what happened to her or her littermates, but they cared for Firepaw who was a kittypet. How is being kits of a loner worse than being a former kittypet? Mistpaw would never understand her leader or her Clan. "Reedpaw, step forward." He did.

"I, Crookedstar, leader of RiverClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn." Crookedstar turned to Reedpaw. "Reedpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Reedpaw promised.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Reedpaw, from this moment you will be known as Reedfur. StarClan honours your energy and commitment, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan."

Crookedstar rested his muzzle on Reedfur's head and Reedfur licked the tom's shoulder before stepping back as the leader turned to Silverpaw, his beloved daughter.

"Silverpaw, step forward." She did so. "I, Crookedstar, leader of RiverClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn." Crookedstar turned to Silverpaw. "Silverpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Silverpaw promised, tail held high.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Silverpaw, from this moment you will be known as Silverstream. StarClan honours your bravery and compassion, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan."

Crookedstar rested his muzzle on Silverstream's head and Silverstream licked the tom's shoulder before stepping back as the Clan cheered.

"Reedfur! Silverstream! Reedfur! Silverstream!" the Clan cheered, Mistpaw watching on disdainfully. She knew all too well that the RiverClan cats would never consider her as a warrior that would serve RiverClan. She really was staring to consider running away, but every time she thought about it, her mind would remind her of Duskkit and Weaselkit who would be apprentices in less than two moons.

Glaring once more towards RiverClan's precious new warriors, the she-cat stalked off, leaving the camp, and heading towards the WindClan-RiverClan border. Hopefully she could make Whiteclaw proud if she went to meet with Ashpaw after how she annoyed him during the Gathering a moon ago. This should make him proud of me, the she-cat thought as she raced towards the border only to see Ashpaw a few tail lengths away from her. Ashpaw turned, tail swishing in the air as he raced towards her.

"Mistpaw!" he exclaimed, the two apprentices touching noses. "How are you? Are you going to the Gathering tonight?"

Sighing sadly, Mistpaw shook her head. "Crookedstar refuses to let me, or my littermates, go to any Gatherings now because of what was revealed last moon. He says it's dangerous, even with the truce."

Ashpaw whined, tail drooping from its high, swishing stature before. "That sucks," he whined, sitting down as Mistpaw sat before him, nodding along. "When do you think your warrior ceremony will be?"

"Two moons at least, maybe sooner if I do something good, but I don't think Crookedstar will allow that."

"You don't think he will?"

"I doubt it," Mistpaw replied before turning to look behind her, hearing the grass being crunched behind her. "I need to go, someone followed me. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Certainly," Ashpaw nodded, before watching the she-cat he had started to fall for run off, seeing a light brown tom with forest green eyes emerge from the long grass. "Who are you?"

"I'm Reedfur, newest warrior of RiverClan," growled the tom, Reedfur. "What were you doing around my Mistpaw?"

"Your Mistpaw?" Ashpaw scoffed. "Pretty sure Whiteclaw said not to go near her, didn't he? Besides, whose to say she wants to be with a tom like you who's oh so possessive?"

"You'll see," growled Reedfur before racing after Mistpaw, Ashpaw growling after him. I'll tell Smokerunner about this, and he'll get rid of you, so Mistpaw is mine and mine alone, thought the dark grey WindClan tom before he raced off towards the WindClan camp.