Warriors: Distant Echoes

CHAPTER 5

Gathered together just outside of camp, the five apprentices - Sleetpaw, Honeypaw, Foxpaw, Quailpaw and Kindlepaw - were with their mentors in a group. It had been several days now since they were all stood here meeting their mentors for the first time. Sleetpaw felt like it had already been forever. He was so glad to not be a kit anymore.

"Alright," Yewshade spoke up. "We gathered you here to have a quick lesson on the warrior code before you return to your regular training. We understand that you learn the warrior code from kithood and should be familiar with it by now, but we feel it's important to remember the code as you get older and train to become warriors. Some of the rules in the code do not bear much relevance to apprentices, such as the rules on giving medicine cats safe passage to the Moonrock, but we want to make sure the more important rules are fresh in your memories."

Pausing for a moment, Yewshade gazed up and down the line of apprentices, making sure they were all paying attention. Surprisingly, even Foxpaw was listening intently to her words.

"First of all, and perhaps one of the most crucial rules, is that you must remain loyal to your clan. You should avoid forming relationships with cats outside of the clan, except for in gatherings where you may talk to the other clan for the night, and must be prepared to meet the enemy clan in battle if it is to defend your own." Yewshade continued. "It is especially forbidden to have a romantic relationship with cats outside your clan. In addition, all cats must reject the soft life of a kittypet and never leave the clan for such a life."

Sleetpaw personally thought it sounded a little harsh to forbid the cats from forming meaningful bonds with the EagleClan cats, but kept his mouth shut. The warrior code was supposedly the word of StarClan themselves and he didn't dare to oppose that. He glanced at Foxpaw who stood next to him, trying to see from his face whether or not his feelings were mutual, but Foxpaw was still listening with interest to every word Yewshade spoke.

"I do not wish to be boring and just list off all the rules to you, especially if you've already been taught them from kithood. Therefore, I'd like to test your knowledge a little. Can any of you name another rule in the warrior code?"
"Cats should bring prey to the fresh kill pile and not save it for themselves because kits, monarchs and elders must eat first." Foxpaw mewed.
"No cat can neglect a kit in pain or danger." Honeypaw softly spoke.
"Borders must be marked daily and any trespassers must be challenged." Kindlepaw said.
"And the safety of the clan is a priority over the safety or life of any single cat!" Quailpaw confidently added.
"How about you, Sleetpaw? What rule of the warrior code can you name?" Yewshade mewed.
Sleetpaw paused for a moment, trying to think of one that hadn't already been said, before responding "The word of the leader is the warrior code."

"Very good, all of you! I'm glad to see you all remember the code so well." said Yewshade. "I hope you are all committed to following the code. We wouldn't want any of our apprentices to become codebreakers, would we?"
The other mentors muttered their agreements.
"Alright. We're going to let you take a short break in the apprentice den, then your mentors will bring you back here to continue your usual training for the rest of the day." Lightningblaze said.

The apprentices left for the den, entering one by one and taking a seat on the cold, hard ground or on the comforting moss beds. Sleetpaw was still thinking about the warrior code. Some rules seemed a bit harsh to him, even if they were the word of his StarClan ancestors.

"So, what did you guys think of that?" Sleetpaw spoke hesitantly, curious to know what his den mates were thinking, to see if anyone held the same concerns as him. "Of the warrior code, I mean."
"We've known it all our lives already, Sleetpaw." Kindlepaw said, rolling her eyes. "It's nothing new. But I am glad they continue to teach it to apprentices, just in case anyone forgets it. The warrior code is crucial. If we do not follow it, chaos will ensue. StarClan didn't impose these rules for nothing."
Quailpaw nodded along and, to Sleetpaw's surprise, so did Foxpaw, who then said "The warrior code has kept this clan running smoothly for many moons, so it must be a good thing."
"Exactly my point, Foxdung." Kindlepaw said, not refraining from mocking Foxpaw even when agreeing with him. "Without the code, what'd happen? The clans would devolve into chaos. Evil cats would rise, bad practises would be commonplace...imagine a clan like that!"
"Yeah." Honeypaw mewed modestly. "That would be awful."

Sleetpaw did not provide his own input, just watching the conversation unfold and hoping the other cats would forget he initiated it. He was surprised to see such agreement between the cats when his own mind was brimming with thoughts that the code seemed unfair. Maybe I'm just too sensitive, he thought. Foxpaw is right. The code has worked for this long, the clan is successful under these rules. I'm just overthinking things. Some of it seems fair, like protecting your clan...but something feels so weird about not being able to even be friends with the other clan's cats. But I guess the clans have done just fine like this for a long time. EagleClan doesn't need our friendship.