Whiteriver's Truth

Chapter 11

   Whitepaw woke up early with Bravepelt by her side. Sunlight was now shining into the den showing her that she and Bravepelt were the only ones left in there. She sat up with a stretch and yawned. Bravepelt stirred beside her paws, but still didn't wake up. She purred and gave him a quick lick on his head before making her way out to the fresh kill pile.
   Clovernose was sitting down eating while talking with Greytalon. She went over and picked out a plump mouse. Clovernose called her over and so she sat down beside her to eat.
   "Are you ready?" She asked through a mouthful of thrush.
   "Of course." She responded.
   Before the two cats left, Bravepelt wish Whitepaw good luck. They travelled through the forest feeling the warmth of the sun on her fur. She sniffed the air for any prey nearby and listened for the rustle of leaves. 
   They eventually made their way to the edge of the forest where the twoleg place started. As they got closer, she was reminded yet again of the news Mistyeye had given her about her father before she passed. She felt like Clovernose could suddenly see everything she was feeling and think as she looked over to her. She saw her mouth move, but couldn't hear her as she turned her attention back to the twoleg fence, her legs suddenly itching to run and find her real father.
   "...And then I'll see you at sunhigh. You ready?" She was suddenly aware her surrounding again only hearing the last part of what Clovernose had told her.
   "I-I'm sorry Clovernose. What did you say?" She feeling guilt bubbling up in her chest.
   "You weren't listening?" She sounded mad, but eventually sight. "I know it's early, but you can't be spacing out when someone is giving you orders." She explained.
   "I'm sorry. I just didn't sleep well last night." She meowed.
   Clovernose went over the procedure again and then left her alone to start the assessment. She took one last look past the twoleg nests and then sniffed the air to find any prey nearby. She scented a squirrel nearby and saw it sitting on a root that stuck out of the ground.
It was blissfully unaware that it was now being stalked as it cracked open and nut and started to eat it. Whitepaw crouched low to the ground, slowly moving closer keeping her steps quite until she was close enough to pounce. She killed it with a swift bite to the neck and picked up its limp body. She put it down on the ground and covered it to come back to it later.
She walked around the territory, putting up scent markers like she remembered during patrols with Clovernose when she was first apprenticed. She eventually got to the RiverClan boarder and a patrol of cats drifted towards her from across the boarder. She recognized the scent of 3 of the cats from the battle in WindClan which made her fur prickle. She tried to turn back into the forest away from the boarder, but their scent got stronger and was quickly spotted.
"Oh, it's that the coward apprentice." The dark calico she-cat meowed with a chuckle.
   Whitepaw turned around. "What do you want." She growled.
   "No need to be so hostile now. We aren't in battle." The ginger tom mocked.
   Whitepaw gave them a glare and then turned away from them.
   "She's still a coward." She heard the other tom whisper to the group.
   She gave a low growl and then dashed away into the forest. I didn't mean to leave the battle so soon. She thought. She kept running until her legs became more tired. She stopped and took a few deep breathes to calm herself down. Once she had finally calmed down, she sniffed the air once again to look for any prey or unknown scents.

***

   She came back to the camp holding her head proud as she carried a mouthful of prey. Cats turned their heads to look at her. She put the prey down on the fresh-kill pile and Bravepelt came up to her.
   "Wow, you caught enough to feed the whole clan yourself." He meowed.
   She purred at his comment.
   Clovernose came up behind her. "You did amazing, Whitepaw. I think you have finally earned your warrior name. I'm gonna go talk to Goldenstar." She said.
   Whitepaw's heart swelled up with pride and excitement at what her mentor said and watched her walk away.
   "You hear that." She excitedly purred to Bravepelt.
   "I'm so happy for you." He responded, purring and rubbing up against her.
   She felt his body close to her and suddenly that was the only thing she could focus on.
   Suddenly, Goldenstar called out to the clan. "Can all cats old enough to catch their own prey please gather around."
   Whitepaw and Bravepelt looked at each other with smiles and then bounded across the clearing side-by-side until they joined the gathering crowd of cats.
   Once all the cats had gathered, Goldenstar called out again into the crowd. "Can Whitepaw please come forwards."
She listened to him and with each step, she grew more nervous. Despite how self-conscious she felt with all the cat's eyes on her, she held her head high with pride as she made her way to the front of the crowd and as she sat down.
"You have been waiting two moons for this moment because of the injuries you sustained during the battle against RiverClan." He started. "But you haven't given up and you deserve this much as any cat." He smiled down at her and then looked up to the sky. "I, Goldenstar, leader of ThunderClan, 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 warrior in their turn." He then turned his attention back on her. "Whitepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend your clan even at the cost of your life?"
"I do." Whitepaw confidently answered.
"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. From the last words of Mistyeye, from this moment on you will be known as Whiteriver. StarClan honours your Dedication and loyalty and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." He finished the speech and then jumped down and rested his head on her forehead.
Whiteriver gave his shoulder a lick and he stepped back making the crowd erupt in cheers accepting her as a warrior to the clan. "Whiteriver! Whiteriver!" She looked around feeling both embarrassed and proud. She finally got her warrior name. She looked up to the sky and saw that the sun was starting to set and she saw one StarClan warrior looking down on her. Are you proud of me, mom? She asked.