Warriors: The Lost Prophecy - Book One: Whispers of War

Chapter 2

    "Bristletooth! Pineclaw!" Cheers rang out around the camp as the whole clan cheered for the newly named warriors. The warrior ceremony was important for not only the apprentices that were becoming warriors, but for the entire clan. More warriors meant that patrols would be safer for every warrior in them, more apprentices could be trained at a time, the fresh-kill pile could be stocked with significantly more prey, and the clan would be safer as a whole. Warriors were the lifeblood of the clans, and the ceremony that honored new warriors being named meant everything to the apprentices that were given their names.

And yet there were still those around the camp that were miserable watching this ceremony. Ratpaw watched from the shadows of the apprentices' den, his pale white pelt making him stand out even in the darkness of the moonless night. A snarl seemed to be permanently stuck on his scarred face as he watched his brothers earn their warrior names, his claws dug into the dirt even deeper than usual. Why had he not been given his warrior name with them? He was a much better fighter than either of them, even with his diminutive size compared to them. He knew it had to be because his mentor didn't believe in him, not that he wasn't used to that at this point.

He watched as his siblings walked over to him after talking with their mother and father, a nervous smile across Bristletooth's face. "We made it! We're warriors!" Pineclaw shouted ecstatically, clearly missing the upset look on Ratpaw's face. He was always the more fuzz-brained of Ratpaw's siblings.

"You're warriors," Ratpaw replied, a harsh bite to his tone, "Lichenpelt wouldn't know a real warrior if one bit him on the tail." Both of his siblings gave each other a quick glance before looking back at Ratpaw.

"W-Well... maybe your time will come soon? You're the same age as us, so it has to be soon. R-Right?" Bristletooth said, trepidation in his tone as he looked back over at Pineclaw, the larger brother nodding. Ratpaw just responded with a scoff. "In any case... we need to keep watch tonight, so..."

"We'll see you in the morning," Pineclaw continued before bounding off, Bristletooth following at his paws. Ratpaw just shook his head, flopping down onto the ground and resting his head on his paws, staring off towards the warrior's den. He should be in there, he's the strongest warrior in the clan. And yet he's still stuck in the apprentice's den with Heatpaw and Jaypaw, two cats who couldn't handle a battle even if it was against a bunch of soft kittypets. Even fresh out of the nursery, Ratpaw fought better than either of them did. It was embarrassing for him to have to stay with them.

Soft pawsteps alerted him to Lichenpelt, his mentor, walking over towards him. He let out a sigh before standing up and looking his mentor in the eye. "What?" He said, a small snarl on his lips as he spit out his response to Lichenpelt approaching. The older tabby tom sighed.

"You should have been up there with your siblings. Do you know why you weren't?" Lichenpelt asked with the same judgmental tone to his voice that Ratpaw always heard in his voice. Ratpaw flicked his ear, giving him the barest indication that he was listening. "Because you're stubborn, and you think you know better than those trying to teach you. You need to learn some humility before you can become a warrior."

Ratpaw huffed, leaning up and nearly meeting his mentor snout to snout. "So what? Being stubborn isn't against the warrior code as far as I'm aware," the young cat spit, fuming as he continued, "I fight better than any other apprentice, Bristletooth and Pineclaw included. StarClan knows I'm even better than some warriors!" During his training, before Fishfang and Hawkcall became warriors, he had fought against them during training and beaten them easily. He had been given praise then, and yet now it was being used against him. "CometClan needs warriors like me, not sniveling, defensive little kits that are too afraid to fight when other clans are encroaching on our territory and taking our prey."