Rising Greatness

Chapter 9

The next morning was a chill morning. I got up licking my fur clean before stepping out into the breeze. “ Willowpaw, it’s time to go. Dawnstar will be inspecting your training today by the big tree. You have to show her everything so she can tell me what we need to work on for you to finish training. It has been two moons you know.” Her voice was plain and  simple. I stretched as we walked to the great oak. Dawnstar sat there waiting with the sun shining in on her orange brown coat of gold. “ Hello Willowpaw.” she said, gazing down on me. “ Hope you're ready, you will show me everything.” As she tucked her tail under her paws, it was nice and neat. Then she sat there watching. “ Okay, go and bring me back a rat and a rabbit.” Barkstripe said. I scuttled off near a big tree where the rats always hide under. Once I saw a tiny gray body I pounced right on it, killing it. I sat it down by Barkstripe, then went to go find a rabbit.Once I delivered a fat old rabbit she pushed them aside. “ All good warriors can climb,  climb the big oak and drop down a nice robin.” she said. The tree was super big. Bigger than the twolegs dens. I took a mighty leap and hopped up the bark . I reached a big thick branch and settled down looking and listing for any birds. I saw a robin flutter just a leap away. I dove over to the branch and killed it. I looked down and noticed I was far from the solid ground. I glided my paws down the bark to the lowest branch. As I dropped the bird my paw started to slip. I jumped with fear but then slipped off the branch!  I barely clung to the bottom hoping something would pull me up. No, don't ask for help, a true warrior figures things out. I said quietly. I swayed, pulling my body up using my tail as balance. Once I got up on the branch I sat there breathing hard. I thought I was about to die then and there, before even becoming a warrior.

I slid down the tree bark onto the ground and both of the cats looked very pleased. “ These are wonderful skills, we saw you in a tight situation but to pull through” Dawnstar’s words were full of praise. “ Now you and I will fight.” Barkstripe said with her mischievous grin. I got to my side of the clearing and she got there then we circled. I snarled showing my teeth and she hissed with anger when we made eye contact, I rushed away. “ Your apprentice doesn't like to fight?” I heard Dawnstars voice call. I was going to trick her by stalking around in the bushes and figs till I saw Barkstripes back then I would dive. I crept slowly in the bushes watching as Barkstripe made a confused face then she started sniffing. All these herbs and mushrooms hid my scent. She turned where I could only see her back side then, I pounced. She gave a sharp cry of pain then lashed around at me. I bared my teeth into her shoulder. She squealed even more. After she tried to kick me off I flung off the side of her leaving nasty cuts on her slide. Nothing Daisypaw can’t fix,I Said to myself knowing that she would have hair back in no time. Barkstripe was hunched over panting heavily. I held my head high and said “You wish to stop?”I said, with a mischievous eye and I knew Dawnstar saw it. She gave a grin as Barkstripe said “I won’t quit till your paws can’t hold you.”Barkstripe hissed. I knew she was putting on her act of being tough. Her gaze met mine and I saw the fire in her eyes, but congratulations as well. She leaped at me with mighty force hissing and snarling more than she probably needed to. I tossed her around driving her into the dust. Once I kicked out with my back legs she fell. I knew I had won.

As we walked and limped back to camp Dawnstar slowed me down a minute to talk to me. “ You are a clever warrior.You use your skill and brain to fight, not just your strength.” “I have heard I can blend in really well, I thought it might help to an advantage.” I said licking my chest. “You will make a great warrior and a fine leader one day. Always keep these characteristics with you wherever you may go.”She said with a steady gaze on the path.

Once we got back to camp I ran straight to the medicine den. Boy, did my back leg hurt! “Daisypaw! Are you here?” I said walking in through the mossy vine that hung near the entrance. “Here! What do you need? I saw that Barkstripe was all scratched up. Moonscar is tending to it. Are you okay?! Did something attack you guys?” Daisypaw said quickly while looking around for her supplies. “ I got a progress test today with Dawnstar watching. I had to fight Barkstripe, and she is not easy to fight.” I said. “She must be scared of you now! You're nearly her size! Has it been that long already?” Daisypaw said. “I'm still training, plus I won’t be an apprentice for two more moons, maybe more!” I said. After she tended to my wounds I gave her a quick lick and said, “Thank you sis.” I walked over to the fresh kill pile smelling all kinds of yummy birds and rats. As I settled down to eat my big rat a loud shriek rang out through the woods. “What was that?” Quicktoe said vigorously. “Is everything alright?” Silvermeadow said. Her coat looked much like the elders now. Old, faded, and not as shiny as it used to be. Her spirit was wiser and not patient any more. Her eyes had no life in them, just a foggy void. As I whipped around to see what had happened my eyes seemed to be tricking me. How? Darkenfur and Shadowstorm were carrying back the lifeless body of Runningfeather. Dawnstar leaped down from her den. “What happened?” she said. “While she was picking herbs something attacked. She carries the scent of rogues and Riverclan.” Darkenfur said. Shadowstorm had fear and shock in his eyes. I felt so sorry for him. He had just become a new warrior, with only one experience of a war. Dawnstar glanced over at me giving me her trustfull look, but threw that hard, brave,look, a deep sense of fear was under it all. “All cats, gather under the great rock for a meeting!”Dawnstar spoke fiercely and leaped up to the high rock. The Frostkit and Dappleclaw sat outside their den and the elders huddled nearby. Shadowstorm and Drakenfur laid the lifeless body down in front for all to see. “Today, we will grieve the death of one of the finest medicine cats this clan has seen. Tonight Moonscare and I will sit with her in silence, morning till the sun has set.” she said gazing at her very close medicine cat. “As for the other clans, Riverclan and Windclan. We put nothing past them! Shadowclan will no longer be united with us. We will live by them as we have always. We trust no one.” I knew this would help us stay out of wars and future trouble. Everyone was sharing tongues with their old faithful medicean cat. When I walked up I whispered underneath my breath “Please help us Starclan,stop this war.”