The black she cat bounded the last few tail lengths, coming to a halt at the edge of the group. "What is it?"
"Warrior names!" Dawnbreeze mewed excitedly.
"What?" Nightstorm blinked, confused. They already had warrior names.
"We should ask if the cats who have joined us want to have Clan names," Dawnbreeze explained.
Nightstorm tilted her head to the side, considering it. If they were to make a Clan, it would make sense to have many of the same traditions they used to, to make them more of a Clan than a bunch of loners. Then again, was it fair to make cats change the name that they have had their entire lives? Nightstorm supposed it wouldn't hurt to give them the option.
"That's a good idea," Nightstorm meowed eventually. "Who's going to name them, though?"
"You three," Dawnbreeze jabbed her tail at Emberheart, Blizzardfrost and Nightstorm.
"Yeah, and I was just explaining how it wasn't fair that Dawnbreeze doesn't get to name anybody," Blizzardfrost meowed irritably.
Dawnbreeze shrugged. "I don't mind - don't forget, I was the one who suggested it. Besides, it makes sense that the warriors should name the warriors. If someone joins who wants to be a medicine cat, I can name them."
"What about Dune, Hazel and Spirit? They're not old enough to be warriors yet," Emberheart pointed out.
"We can make them apprentices - they're all about six moons old," Dawnbreeze meowed. Clearly the medicine cat had thought the entire thing through.
"I think we should wait a while for Dune and Hazel to get settled in first and, if we're not making them apprentices yet, it would make sense for Spirit to wait as well," Nightstorm meowed.
The other three cats nodded their agreement.
"I'll name Snow," Emberheart offered.
Blizzardfrost glanced at Nightstorm. "I'll name Tiger." She guessed he knew she wouldn't want to name the one cat she didn't trust completely.
"I'll name Shadow, then, if they all agree, that is," Nightstorm meowed.
"Who's going to make the announcement of the potential new names and of Hazel and Dune joining us?" Blizzardfrost asked.
For some reason, all three cats decided to look at Nightstorm.
"Fine, I'll do it," she muttered.
Nightstorm turned around and padded towards a small boulder in the edge of the clearing, leaping to the top of it. Dawnbreeze, Blizzardfrost and Emberheart followed, until all four cats were standing next to each other on the rock.
"Everyone! We have an announcement to make!" Emberheart yowled.
Hazel and Dune turned from where they were talking to Snow, and Shadow, Spirit and Tiger padded forward to hear what they had to say.
"First, we would like to welcome Hazel and Dune to BirchClan," Nightstorm meowed, nodding towards the two young cats. "They seem to have promising skills, and I'm sure they will bring much to our Clan. Their tests will be tomorrow."
"Hazel! Dune!" Emberheart chanted from beside her. The chant spread rapidly across the hollow until every cat seemed to be changing the two cats' names.
Nightstorm waited for silence before she continued. "Shadow, Snow and Tiger, we were wondering if you wanted warrior names with two parts, like ours. You don't have to if you don't want to, but we thought that it would be nice if you did."
She watched the three cats as they considered her proposition.
"Sure, I'll do it," Shadow meowed. "You'll be giving us the names, correct?"
"Yes, unless you want to choose your own," Nightstorm told her.
"I'll see what you give me and decide if I like it," Shadow shrugged.
Nightstorm set her gaze on Tiger next, who looked like she was about to speak. The tortoiseshell matched her gaze, staring unblinkingly at her.
"I'll do it as well," Tiger meowed. "I want a fresh start. Just don't give me a bad name."
Snow nodded. "Same here. I want to experience all aspects of Clan life."
Nightstorm jumped down from the rock, padding towards Shadow. "Shadow, do you promise to hunt for and defend your Clan, even with your life?" She asked, staring deep into Shadow's green eyes.
"I do," Shadow replied, a glimmer in her eye as she responded.
"Then, from this day forward, you shall be known as Shadowstrike." Nightstorm leaned forward and touched noses with Shadow.
"Nice name. I approve," Shadowstrike grinned, flexing her claws.
"Shadowstrike! Shadowstrike!" The cats in the hollow chanted her name, raising their voices to the sky.
Nightstorm turned to Emberheart, flicking her tail to signal it was his turn. The calico tom padded towards Snow, whose blue eyes were gleaming with excitement.
"Snow," Emberheart meowed as he reached the white tom. "Do you promise to hunt for and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
Snow lifted his chin, blue gaze matching Emberheart's unwaveringly. "I do."
"Then, from this day forward, you shall be known as Snowflight," Emberheart meowed, touching noses with Snowflight.
"Snowflight! Snowflight!" Nightstorm raised her voice in a yowl, chanting with everyone else.
Blizzardfrost landed with a thump on the ground behind her, padding towards Tiger.
"Tiger," Blizzardfrost greeted. "Do you promise to hunt for and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
Tiger swallowed, raising her head to meet Blizzardfrost's stare, though not quite as confidently as the other two cats had. Nightstorm once again hoped she'd made the right decision in letting the she cat into the Clan.
"I do." Tiger's voice rang throughout the clearing.
"Then, your name shall now be Tigerflame. Leave the past behind you, and you shall become an asset to the Clan," Blizzardfrost meowed.
"Tigerflame! Tigerflame!"
An unbidden thought rose into Nightstorm's head. What would happen if Tigerflame didn't leave the past behind her?
YOU ARE READING
Warriors - Burnt Skies
Fiksi PenggemarA fire. Caused by twolegs. And suddenly Nightpaw's entire life as she knows it has changed. The four clans that had ruled the territories for centuries have been wiped out. Now the future for any sort of clan rests in the paws of four apprentices. T...
