Warrior Cats: Darkness Rising. (2/3)

Chapter 11

Oakshade padded after Willowfern, tail brushing the ferns behind them. Hazelpaw bounded on ahead as they headed for the lake. Icepaw pelted after her and Spiderpaw scurried after them. "Don't go too far ahead!" Oakshade yowled as they disappeared. Willowfern nudged him. "It's alright." She purred. "Icepaw and Hazelpaw have been apprentices for what, 4 to 5 moons?" Oakshade glared at her. "You can never be too cautious." He muttered. Willowfern dipped her head. "True." She murmured. They padded onto the shore and watched the apprentices who crouched together in a huddle near the water. Oakshade and Willowfern trotted towards them, looking over their shoulder. "Hey, move over." Icepaw mewed at Willowfern. Oakshade's eyes widened. "Is this how you talk to a warr-." His mew was cut off by Spiderpaw. "Shut it." He snapped in a whisper, his yellow eyes still staring into the lake. "What do-." Before Willowfern could ask what they were doing, Hazelpaw flashed out a paw and hooked up a large minnow out of the water. Spiderpaw let out a squeal of excitement. "Quick! Kill it." He mewed and Icepaw pounced on it and bit the back of its head. Oakshade's jaw dropped. "Where did you learn to do that?" Willowfern asked, her voice high-pitched with surprise. "Bramblestar taught me." She mewed as she rose to her paws. Oakshade tipped his head. He knew Feathertail of Riverclan had once taught Bramblestar and Squirrelflight how to fish on their journey to find a new home. "But why did you tell me to move away?" He asked. Hazelpaw glanced up at him and stopped licking her paw. She placed it on the ground again. "Because your shadow fell onto the water." She explained. Oakshade tipped his head before shrugging. "Good catch." He mewed and flicked his tail towards the minnow.

When they returned to camp, Oakshade had caught a couple of mice, Willowfern carried a shrew, Hazelpaw had caught a small pike and Spiderpaw and Icepaw held a scrawny squirrel between them. Icefeather bounded towards them. "Great catch." She purred. Oakshade dipped his head and the deputy padded away. Fernleaf and her patrol were already back. She was sharing a thrush with Junipercloud and Firetail. Timberheart was talking to Whitewing and Birchfall. Movement on the highledge caught Oakshade's attention. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the highledge for a clanmeeting!" Bramblestar yowled. Cloudtail, Brightheart and Thornclaw padded out of the elders' den. Sparktail stepped outside with her four kits by her side, their pelts neatly groomed. Goldenclaw, Nightstorm and Redfang trotted out of the warriors' den, Flamingheart and Dovewing following. Dovewing's pelt was dull and matted, as if she hadn't groomed it in many days. Oakshade bounded over to sit beside Fernleaf, Coalfrost and Sootfall. "I've been talking to Whitewing and Birchfall, and they tell me that it is their time to join the elders." Bramblestar mewed. Oakshade pricked his ears. Bramblestar turned to Whitewing and Birchfall. "Do you both wish to join the elders?" He asked. They both nodded. "Yes." Birchfall murmured. "Your clan honors you and all your service you have given us. I call upon Starclan that they give you many seasons of rest." He mewed and the two cats dipped their heads. "Birchfall! Whitewing! Birchfall! Whitewing!" The clan yowled. "That is not the only ceremony I'm performing today." Bramblestar announced and turned to Sparktail and flicked his tail. Pride flooded his eyes as she led her kits towards her father. "Thunderclan is lucky to have their nursery full, and the camp packed with warriors. We have many apprentices that will defend and protect their clan in the future." He mewed before turning to Hailkit. "Hailpaw, your mentor will be Badgerblaze. He is strong and brave, and I hope he will pass on all he knows on to you." He mewed. Badgerblaze trotted toward the little tom and touched his nose to his before they drew to the side. After a short while, Littlepaw was apprenticed to Smokeheart and Squirrelpaw to Bramblestar. Oakshade was hardly surprised, as the headstrong apprentice was named after her mother's mother, and Bramblestar's mate. "What about Featherkit?" Frogleap called out. Oakshade pricked his ears when Jayfeather and Alderleaf padded forward. But Thunderclan already had two medicine cats! Did they really need more? Then Jayfeather mewed. "I know what you're all thinking, but it says nothing about 'only two medicine cats per clan' in the warrior code or the medicine cat code." Jayfeather began. "Featherkit has a very powerful gift and will be a great medicine cat in the future. Alderleaf and I will mentor Featherpaw." He mewed and then Bramblestar stepped forward. "Featherpaw, is it your wish to walk the path of a medicine cat?" He asked. Featherpaw dipped his head. "It is, Bramblestar." He squeaked. "Then at next half-moon, you will travel to the Moonpool with Jayfeather and Alderleaf to be accepted by Starclan. All the good wishes of Thunderclan will go with you." Bramblestar mewed. Featherpaw scampered to Jayfeather and stretched his nose to touch the older medicine cat's and then Alderleaf's. "Hailpaw! Littlepaw! Squirrelpaw! Featherpaw! Hailpaw! Littlepaw! Squirrelpaw! Featherpaw!" The clan yowled, cheering for their new apprentices.