Warriors: Black Dawn

Chapter 1

Blackstreak's POV:

Blackstreak opened his golden eyes and lifted his head, scanning the warrior's den. The black and white tom got onto his paws, stretched, and padded out. The bright new leaf sun sparkled in the sky as it rose. The tom's pelt itched with anticipation and his black ears flicked like crazy. He was probably going to get an apprentice!

The other day, Lightningfire brought him and his siblings, Brackenberry and Otterfog, to a deep part of the woods and told them that they may mentor apprentices soon! However, not all three of them would get one. Blackstreak would be fine if he didn't get one, but he really wanted to train a cat!

The tom began walking to the fresh-kill pile, placing each black paw carefully in front of the other. He grabbed a mouse in his jaws and began to eat. Other cats soon began to enter the clearing and began to eat and talk to one another. Brackenberry padded out of the den and lied down beside her brother. She grabbed a vole and began to eat.

"Are you excited?" Blackstreak asked, "We might get apprentices!"

"I guess," Brackenberry meowed in her calm, honey-sweet voice as her tail swayed back and forth like a slow snake. "As long as they're not too loud. Hey, where's Otterfog?"

"Sleeping in, as usual," Blackstreak sighed. Suddenly, a brown tabby burst out of the warrior den.

"Did you guys eat without me? Why didn't you wake me up?" Otterfog began to attack his siblings with questions.

"Otterfog, we were just finishing," Blackstreak chuckled. "Come eat with us!"

"Are there any fish left? I love fish!" Otterfog chirped. Blackstreak grabbed a small trout and gave it to his noisy brother.

"Thanks!" Otterfog meowed before diving in.

"I'm done," Brackenberry meowed before she began to lick her white paws. Blackstreak rolled his golden eyes at his brother and lifted his head as he looked at Midnightstar. She looked beautiful with her black and white fur, her glistening, violet eyes, and the way the sun gleamed on her fur. Blackstreak just stared at her, as if he was in a trance.

"Blackstreak...Blackstreak!" The black and white tom jumped and turned to see Otterfog staring at him.

"What?" Blackstreak asked.

"We were just talking about the apprentices," Brackenberry meowed.

"Who do you want to mentor?" Otterfog asked, his eyes full of curiosity.

"Well..." Blackstreak meowed as he thought, "I'm not sure. Maybe Cirruskit? He seems pretty tough."

"Yeah, I want him as an apprentice, too!" Otterfang exclaimed. "What about you, Brackenberry?"

"Maybe Dawnkit, but she's a bit...energetic," the golden she-cat replied.

"Ugh, you want to mentor the kittypet?" Otterfang spat in disgust.

"Otterfang!" Blackstreak shouted, "It's rude to make fun of someone for not being clan-born!"

"Well, sorry, geez," Otterfang meowed as Blackfang glanced at the nursery to see the three kits, who were excited to become apprentices. "But I wouldn't mentor her if I were you, I'm not sure if she's much use." Blackfang focused his gaze on Dawnkit, the small, cream she-cat with green eyes.

He felt sorry for her, she never knew her parents, she had been abandoned as a kit, and she was almost dead when she was found. However, one of the queens, Skyrose, took her in as she nursed her other two kits: Cirruskit and Tulipkit. Skyrose had sadly died a couple moons ago from a fox attack, but her kits were doing fine.

"Well, we should get ready for the ceremony," Brambleberry meowed as. Blackstreak looked back at his siblings. The golden she-cat rose to her paws, dipped her head in goodbye, and padded away.

"Bye, Blackstreak!" Otterfog meowed as he leaped to his paws, "I'm gonna go on a quick patrol!"

"Hurry back!" Blackstreak yowled as his brother dashed away. The white tom saw down and began to lick his paw. He didn't care about being handsome, like most she-cats and some toms, but he wanted to be decent. After all, today was a big day.

I can't wait! Blackstreak thought as he groomed his paws, his golden eyes full of excitement.

-----

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, please meet under the High Boulder for a clan meeting!"

All of the cats in the clearing raced over toward the sound of Midnightstar's voice as she called a meeting together. Blackstreak sat down beside his siblings and gazed at the she-cat.

"Today is a great day for three of our kits, and I hope they are ready to become apprentices. Cirruskit, Tulipkit, and Dawnkit, step forward." Blackstreak watched as Cirruskit and Dawnkit dashed over, while Tulipkit walked elegantly. The three reached the center of the clearing and looked up to the leader in awe.

"Cirruskit, you are now known as Cirruspaw. Your mentor will be Otterfog." The brown tabby leaped to his paws and padded forward. "Otterfog, you have shown to be a warrior of energy and determination, and I expect you pass down all you know to Cirruspaw." The two ran toward each other and touched noses. Blackstreak began to cheer for his brother.

"Tulipkit, you are now known Tulippaw. Your mentor will be Frozenstorm. Frozenstorm, you have shown to be a warrior of bravery and honor, and I hope you padded down all you know to Tulippaw. The gray and white tom padded over toward the tabby and touched his nose to hers.

"Dawnkit, you are now known as Dawnpaw. Your mentor will be...Blackstreak!" Blackstreak nearly burst with excitement. He looked at his sister, who only nodded her head. The white tom got to his paws and padded over, trying to look as serious as possible.

My first apprentice! Woohoo! he thought to himself.

"Blackstreak, you have shown yourself to be a warrior of strength and loyalty, and I hope you pass down all you know to Dawnpaw." As soon as Midnightstar stopped speaking, Blackstreak padded over to an excited Dawnpaw.

"I will try to be the best mentor ever," he whispered to the excited she-cat.

"You already are!" Dawnpaw exclaimed as she touched her nose to his. As they lifted their heads, their ears were filled with the chanting of other warriors.

"Cirruspaw! Tulippaw! Dawnpaw!" The clearing was full of harmonious cats.

StarClan, thank you for giving me an apprentice, Blackstreak thought to himself as he glanced up at the sky.