Legacy Rising: Dark Secrets

5

Rewritten ✔
Edited ✘

Pebblepaw was startled out of the medicine cat's den when she heard Otterstar call a Clan meeting.

"Let all cats old enough to swim in the rapids gather beneath the Wetrock for a Clan meeting!" the leader ended with a hoarse wheeze. He let out a cough and then regained his composure. Pebblepaw wandered over and sat next to Shadepaw and Stormpuddle.

"How'd your assessment go?" she whispered to the taller cat, her ears twitching in curiosity.

"It went well-- I passed, as did Rabbitpaw and Sandypaw!" he whispered back. Their conversation ended as Otterstar continued.

"Today, when Sandypaw, Rabbitpaw, and Shadepaw finished their assessments, Shadepaw and Owlgaze found to rogue kits when coming back to camp. We have decided to keep them with us-" Otterstar waited for the Clan to calm down after an outburst of replies sounded. "-at least until we find someone to take care of them. If that never happens, RiverClan could use a couple new warriors. Remember, this isn't the first time we've kept a rogue's kit," he finished, looking pointedly at Troutfrost, though Pebblepaw didn't know why.

"Was Troutfrost born a rogue?" Pebblepaw turned to ask her mother, who surely knew.

"His mother was a loner, but his father was a pure RiverClan cat," she answered, not taking her eyes off Otterstar.

"Onto the next announcement...," the old brown tabby trailed on. "Shadepaw, Rabbitpaw, and Sandypaw, step forward." Pebblepaw felt a whoosh of air as her black-and-orange friend got up.

"Rabbitpaw," Otterstar murmured. The red tom stepped forward. "I, Otterstar, 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.

"Rabbitpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do!" Rabbitpaw squeaked excitedly, calming down about before repeating, "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Rabbitpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Rabbitclaw. StarClan honors your courage and spirit, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan." Otterstar finished with a bowed head, a tradition RiverClan leaders had carried out for generations.

Shadepaw was next.

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

"I do," the fluffy tom meowed.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Shadepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Shadeheart. StarClan honors your wisdom and freewill, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan."

Sandypaw stepped up last.

"I, Otterstar, the leader of RiverClan..." Pebblepaw zoned out after a while, thinking the ceremony was a bit boring, and she would kill to get out and go hunting.

Pebblepaw shook herself back to the present and continued listening to the ceremony.

"...By the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Sandypaw, from this moment on you will be known as Sandyshrike. StarClan honors your Forethought and initiative, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan."