Warriors: Fire and Ice - Book Two (Completed)

Prologue

The moon shined bright high in the sky. A small tabby tom padded excitedly to the clearing as his leader called out to his clan. "Let all those old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the clanrock!" 

A large black tom stood on top a large, smooth, lichen-covered boulder at the edge of the clearing opposite from the camp entrance. Another rock is propped against it, creating a sheltered half cave beneath it, which was the medicine den. Runningnose padded outside of the den and sat just underneath the clanrock, looking up at their new leader, Nightpelt. He had not received his nine lives yet, but he was chosen as their new leader. He was to travel to the Moonstone very soon. "We are gathered here tonight to acknowledge an apprentice become a warrior." He looked over to the small tabby tom. His blue eyes glinted in the moonlight with pride. "Littlepaw, please come forward." Nightpelt beckoned his tail.

Littlepaw padded slowly to the clanrock, his tail up high and his chest puffed out. He sat in front of Nightpelt and sat up tall, making him seem bigger than he really was. Nightpelt jumped down from the clanrock and padded to Littlepaw. "I, Nightpelt, leader of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turn." He looked over at the little apprentice. "Littlepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Littlepaw could barely hold his excitement and squeaked. "I do!" He cleared his throat and said it again, more clearly. "I do."

With a purr of amusement, Nightpelt looked up at silverpelt and meowed. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Littlepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Littlecloud. StarClan honors your dedication, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan." Nightpelt leaned forward and touched his nose to Littlecloud shoulder. Littlecloud licked his shoulder in response and dipped his head, low. He couldn't hold back his purr. Nightpelt padded a few steps backward and lifted his head, calling out Littlecloud's new name. "Littlecloud! Littlecloud!"

"Littlecloud, Littlecloud, Littlecloud!" The clan called. Littlecloud's mother, Newtspeck yowled louder than all of them. 

He purred loud as he heard his new warrior name ring out from the clan.

"You are to sit vigil in silence as we all sleep." Meowed Nightpelt, padding to his den to sleep.

Littlecloud nodded his head. He then trekked to the warriors den and sat down at the entrance, wrapping his tail over his front paws. His puffed out his chest and lifted his head with pride. His whiskers trembled with excitement. He was truly a warrior and he couldn't be happier. The warriors all settled down to sleep and Littlecloud was left alone in the darkness. Many thoughts started flooding his mind. His eyes darkened as he began thinking of pretty amber eyes. Her long, patchy fur sparkling in the full moon filled his memories and his eyes softened. "No." He whispered to himself. "I can't think of her now. She's a medicine cat." He shook his head and sat, looking at up silverpelt. His memory clouded with sorrow and he knew it was going to be a long night of sitting vigil.