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"This really is the last assessment day today, isn't it?" Larkpaw's excitement made it hard for her to stand still. The tip of her tail twitched back and forth as she imagined what tasks lay ahead of her.
Silversky twitched his ears. "Are you going to ask me that ten more times?" he replied, slightly irritated. "It is the last day. Unless you do bad."
Larkpaw gasped indignantly. "Never! What do you think of me?" she protested.
She remembered the past two assessment days, when she had done her assessments with Silversky from sunrise to sunset. Now the last assessments were coming up, one in hunting and one in fighting. Today's success would finally decide whether she would be made a warrior the following evening.
Larkpaw's heart pounded like crazy at the thought that it was about to start. There was no denying that she was terribly nervous. Everything had been going well over the last few days, but today Silversky wouldn't be testing her. For some reason, it had long been the case that apprentice were tested by a cat from the Hunters' Circle and a battle strategist on their last day.
This was exactly what made Larkpaw nervous. She was so used to training with Silversky that she was afraid she would forget everything at the crucial moment or be a total mouse-brain when she had to prove her skills to another cat.
"You should go," Silversky instructed Larkpaw.
A shiver ran down her spine. Now it's getting serious. "Do you know who's going to test me?"
"Rockwhisker and Reddapple," Silversky replied curtly.
Surprised, Larkpaw twitched her whiskers. So Reddapple is to take over the fighting test? Why am I not surprised?
Before she could slip through the Birchtunnel into the forest, Silversky stepped in her way. "Good luck, Larkpaw," he meowed genuinely. "You'll pass it all right. Just don't worry too much."
Larkpaw was really grateful for his encouragement. Nevertheless, she didn't relax a bit. "I'll try my best," she mumbled and hoped that this would be true. "See you later."
With these words, she finally left the camp and headed for the Fernpath. Rockwhisker would be waiting for her there.
The fact that Larkpaw would be tested by her in hunting calmed her down a little. After all, Rockwhisker had already tested her in a previous hunting test.
Casting a quick glance at the cloudy sky, Larkpaw wondered how Amberpaw was doing at the moment. The dark reddish-golden tabby she-cat had set off much earlier. She would probably start her fighting test soon.
Larkpaw's chest tightened as she thought about how dismissive Amberpaw had become towards her again. She had been treating her like air for days. Because I wanted to keep a secret, she's angry with me. Larkpaw deeply regretted the fact that they now had to be appointed warriors after quarrelling. As soon as she had the chance, she absolutely had to talk to Amberpaw and make up with her.
