Warriors, The Next Chapter; Spiderpaw's Journey

Chapter 11

"Petalberry! Primroseshine!" The assembles cats cheered as the two young she-cat's stood beaming with pride.

Sparkpaw was less than impressed but knew better then to say so, "Petalberry! Primroseshine!"

Lionpaw and Wrenpaw, who were sitting behind Sparkpaw, were cheering loudly for the she-cats with enthusiastic yowls. Their sister, Sparrowpaw, sulked behind them, upset she wasn't a warrior yet.

"Clan dismissed!" Dappledstar yowled.

Shrewpaw and Rockypaw, who were sitting in front of Sparkpaw, hurried off toward their mentors. Their brother, Sagepaw, was sitting with Heatherpool by her den. The tom had been apprenticed to the medicine cat recently and was already catching on to the ways of a medicine cat.

Sparkpaw looked around for Cherryspirit and saw her mentor talking to Lakeshimmer by the nursery. Slow paw steps came up behind Sparkpaw. "So Sparkpaw, did you hear the news yet?" She turned around to see Dappledstar standing behind her.

"No, what news?" Sparkpaw asked.

"Cherryspirit is expecting Flowertooth's kits," Dappledstar purred, "Isn't it wonderful?"

Loudmuzzle, who was sitting nearby, turned to Dappledstar, "I think we have plenty kits at the moment, we just need more prey!"

Dappledstar nodded, "Wrenpaw, Lionpaw, and Sparrowpaw are learning quickly though and when Spiderpaw returns we'll have another skilled warrior."

Sparkpaw faced Dappledstar, "Who will mentor me then?"

"I will decide by dusk tonight, for now go join Needleshadow's border patrol," The leader mewed quickly.

Sparkpaw hurried over to Needleshadow, the other three cats on the border patrol, Petalberry, Primroseshine, and Ratskip, were all clustered around their deputy. "Are we ready to go then?" Needleshadow asked. His patrol nodded and they set off into the woods.

***

Sparkpaw sat with her clan mates as Dappledstar waited for the last few cats to enter the clearing for the meeting.

"I have wonderful news MoonClan, Cherryspirit is expecting Flowertooth's kits!" Her words were met with loud yowls of joy. Once the noise died down, Dappledstar went on, "Since Cherryspirit is moving to the nursery, her apprentice, Sparkpaw, will need a new mentor."

"Sparkpaw, until you become a warrior, your mentor will be Needleshadow. Needleshadow, it has been a long time since you mentored Foxpaw and he is now a brave and loyal warrior of MoonClan, I hope you can share your skills with Sparkpaw as well," Dappledstar mewed.

Foxsnap got to his paws and walked away quietly while the clan began to cheer, "Sparkpaw! Sparkpaw!"

Sparkpaw hurried to touch noses with Needleshadow as Dappledstar dismissed the clan.

"We'll get your training finished soon so Cherryspirit's kits can know that their mother mentored a brave warrior, alright?" Needleshadow mewed softly.

"Alright!" Sparkpaw mewed.

Needleshadow led Sparkpaw out of the camp, they walked through the trees for a while before stopping in a large clearing. "So Sparkpaw, Cherryspirit told me you're a wonderful hunter so let's try some fighting."

"Yeah, Cherryspirit didn't train me many fighting moves," Sparkpaw told him, "But she did show me how to apply my hunting moves to fighting!"