Warriors: Air (Warrior Cats Fan Fiction Book Three)

Chapter One

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather near the pond for a Clan meeting!"

Weatherfall looked up from where he was sitting outside the Warrior's den in Waterclan. Froststar was standing on the rock in the center of a small pond. He had called his Warriors together. Curious, Weatherfall padded over.

Weatherfall had been in Waterclan for four moons now. He felt at home here, more so than he ever had in Snowclan. However, not every cat felt the same. Many of the Waterclan Warriors still glared at him as he passed. Switching Clans was a big deal.

And no one knows why I switched Clans, Weatherfall thought, as he often did. If Snowclan, his old Clan, or Waterclan found out about Rockflight, he would be in serious trouble.

But that would never happen.

Weatherfall reached the pond and sat down among his Clanmates.

"I wonder what this is about?" Zebraclaw asked beside him.

"I'm not sure," Weatherfall told the black and white tabby tom.

"Cats of Waterclan," Froststar spoke. "It is time to name three new apprentices!"

Of course! Owlstripe's kits, the cats Weatherfall had saved in the battle with the wolves, came bounding forward in excitement. Owlstripe, the Clan deputy, sat nearby with her green eyes shining with pride.

"Flamepaw, your mentor will be Flowerpatch," Froststar started, "Darknesspaw, your mentor will be Zebraclaw. And Vinepaw, your mentor will be Weatherfall."

Weatherfall gasped as his name was called. He hadn't expected that at all! His feeling of shock and pride was quickly replaced when some of his Clanmates let out cries of protest. Clearly, they hadn't expected this either.

"Weatherfall?!" Plumfeather gasped. The gray tom, his shade more purple than Weatherfall's own gray pelt, glared at the latter. "He's a new Warrior here! Why wouldn't you give an apprentice to a true Waterclan cat?"

"Shut up," Froststar snapped, glaring down at the young tom. "Weatherfall has proved his place here. He saved Vinepaw and her siblings, and Owlstripe requested that Weatherfall train her. Does anyone else dare question your Leader and Deputy?"

No one else spoke up.

The other mentors were already chatting with their apprentices. Tentatively, Weatherfall padded over to Vinepaw and touched his nose to hers.

"I'm looking forward to teaching you!" He told the young cat.

"Thanks, Weatherfall!" Vinepaw said. She jumped up and down with excitement. "I can't wait to start training!"

Weatherfall let out a mrrow of laughter at the apprentice's enthusiasm. I was that young, not too long ago, Weatherfall thought. He had been grumpy during his own apprenticeship, and he vowed now to make Vinepaw's as fun as possible.

Vinepaw was a brown tabby, like her mother, but a much lighter shade. Her eyes were forest green, unlike Owlstripe's bright emerald. Nevertheless, she was definitely her mother's daughter.

Speaking of which, Owlstripe came over.

"I'm so glad Froststar paired you with Weatherfall," she told her daughter, licking Vinepaw's head. "He's a good cat."

"I know!" Vinepaw exclaimed. "I can't wait!"

Owlstripe looked up at Weatherfall. "You'll do well," she told him.

"Thank you," Weatherfall said. "Thank you for vouching for me all this time. I promise I'll be the best mentor for Vinepaw."

"I know you will, that's why I asked Froststar to pick you!" Owlstripe smiled. "I was your mentor, after all, for a short time."