Storm: The Storm That Poured

Chapter 5:

        "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather!" Cedarstar called.
        The sky was turning orange and yellow, purple and blue at the top.
        "Tonight, we have two apprentices ready to be warriors. Yellowpaw, step up. I, Cedarstar, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. She has trained hard in the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn," Cedarstar paused. He looked at Yellowpaw. The yellow she-cat looked up at him, her tail swinging happily. Wasppaw sat next to her, Fishclaw and Nutwhisker sitting behind. 
        "Yellowpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
        "I do," Yellowpaw meowed, her voice shaking.
        "Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. Yellowpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Yellowleaf. Starclan honors your courage and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Sunclan."
        "Yellowleaf! Yellowleaf!" the Clan cheered. Lightpaw joined in, cheering for her friend.
        "Wasppaw, step up," Cedarstar meowed as soon as the cheering died down. "I, Cedarstar, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. He has trained hard in the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. Wasppaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
        "I do!" Wasppaw meowed cheerfully.
        "Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. Wasppaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Waspflight. Starclan honors your bravery and devotion, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Sunclan." Cedarstar finished with a big smile.
        The Clan cheered their names, and Yellowleaf and Waspflight got ready for their silent vigil. Lightpaw looked over. Someday, that would be her. She went closer, listening as Hawkstripe teased them.
        "You're lucky it's not cold out!" she said, shivering.
        Waspflight nodded, amusement lighting his eyes.  When she came over, he licked her ear affectionately.

        She sighed. She had the whole apprentices' den to herself. Oakkit and Aspenkit wouldn't be apprentices for 4 more moons, and by the time they were made apprentices, she would be a warrior or almost be a warrior. She looked at as Dappledfeather pushed his way in.
        "You ready to go on a hunting patrol?" He asked. "We have to be careful, the rogues could still be around." The white tom meowed, his milky brown eyes flashing.
        "Of course," she replied excitedly. She sighed, heaving herself out of her nest.
        Lightpaw padded out of the apprentices' den, Dappledfeather next to her. The clearing was almost empty, the sun barely peeking out behind the trees. It was dawn, the sky streaked with light. Loudstep and Hallowshadow were waiting at the entrance. Loudstep's eyes were clouded with sleep, and Hallowshadow blinked tiredly.
        "Where are we going to patrol?" Dappledfeather asked Loudstep.
        "The rogues seem to be hanging around the Sunlightclan border, so lets go to the Moonclan border. We can renew scent markers, and then see if we can catch the queens and elders something to eat." Loudstep looked at Hallowshadow, who nodded.
        Lightpaw followed the warriors out, shaking her head as Hallowshadow's long tail swept across her face.
        The scorching green-leaf heat pounded on her back.
        "Lightpaw, come with me, we can go further up and start remarking the scent markers while Hallowshadow and Loudstep stay here and start remarking," Dappledfeather started walking further up, and Lightpaw followed.
        After moments of silence, Lightpaw broke it. "Would you like me to tell you where Maplepuddle left off with me?"
        Dappledfeather nodded, "That would be good, first, start off with hunting, then move on to fighting."


        Lightpaw watched Cedarstar climb onto the High Branch. Her leader's eyes were clouded with unease.
        After moments of silence, he finally called out, "Let all cats old enough to run through the sunlight gather beneath the High Branch!"
        Waspflight came out of the warriors den, sitting next to her. The sun was starting to set, halfway down the sky. Streaks of orange appearing. Minnowpelt took her place under the branch, her head held high.
        Cedarstar nodded to Icepool, the silver she-cat making her way to the front of the gathered cats. Mistpaw sat just outside the medicine den, shuffling her paws. 
        "Last night at half moon, Starclan spoke to the medicine cats," Icepool started, her voice trembling.
        Mistpaw went up next to Icepool, filling in the empty space next to her. "Something is coming," Mistpaw meowed ominously. The message was so vague Lightpaw wasn't sure if even Icepool could even understand the meaning.
        Cedarstar's ears pricked with curiosity, "Do you know what?"
        "From the way Cottonleaf told me, it doesn't sound good," Icepool meowed grimly.
        "I was told it has to do with the rogues we've been having trouble with, and something worse, but they didn't say what," Mistpaw put in.
        "We'll have to be on lookout then," Cedarstar looked around camp. "I want two warriors guarding the camp entrance at all times. Patrols will consist of four to five cats, and no apprentice is to wander off without a warrior, do I make myself clear?" He looked around the camp to see if there were any objectors.
        Minnowpelt looked at Mistpaw and Icepool, "A warrior should be present with the medicine cats when they leave camp as well."
        She nodded, everyone else did too until she heard a voice speak up in the front. She recognized the voice of Fishclaw, Cedarstar's own son. "Surely there aren't enough cats to be doing a five cat patrol, and still have all the regular patrols."
        He was right, there weren't enough cats to be doing that unless every cat wanted to go on one patrol and then another right after.
        "Minnowpelt and I will go on some patrols," Cedarstar concluded, giving Fishclaw a cold glance.