Ravensong's Challenge

Chapter One

Ravenpaw dashed after the rabbit, her paws skidding on piles of dead leaves. Her prey turned and twisted through the undergrowth, trying to lose its pursuer. However, Ravenpaw never gave up. Seeing a fallen oak ahead, she bunched her legs beneath her, leaping on top of it. As she had expected, the rabbit squirmed underneath the tree. Ravenpaw pounced, landing squarely on her prey. She quickly took its life, then spun around as she heard pawsteps behind her.

"Nice catch." Ravenpaw's mentor Tigerfrost padded out from behind a clump of bracken. She felt her chest swell with pride at her mentor's praise.

"Thanks," she replied, setting her catch down onto the leaves. "Did I do ok?" she asked pensively.

Tigerfrost nodded. "Like a warrior. In fact," he said, pausing for emphasis, "I wouldn't be surprised if your warrior ceremony was held today..." His mew trailed off at his apprentice's delighted squeal.

"Yes!" Suddenly she dipped her head, embarrassed. "I mean, that'd be great, Tigerfrost."

Tigerfrost laughed. "Come on, let's go meet up with the others."

"I hope Strikepaw did alright," Ravenpaw mused. She and Tigerfrost padded side by side through the trees, Ravenpaw dragging her prey with her. As they traveled, she picked up the evil stench of foxes, but she didn't give it much thought. This day was turning out to be too perfect to be spoiled by any old fox. Soon she heard the excited mews of the other apprentices.

"Did you see that leap I made?"

"Those birds never had a chance!"

Ravenpaw smiled to herself as she rounded a boulder and saw her brother, Strikepaw, reenacting a hunting move for their friends Honeypaw and Slatepaw. He caught sight of her, and then her prey.

"Whoa!" he mewed in amazement. "Great catch!"

"You too!" Ravenpaw called back, nodding at the two robins at his feet.

Her best friend Honeypaw bounded over. "Oh, you should have seen it. Strikepaw was great! I've never even imagined a cat could jump so high!"

Ravenpaw nodded, her mind on other things than her littermate's feats. "Do you think we've done well enough to become warriors?" she asked anxiously.

"Of course, silly! Dovestar must have bees in her brain if she doesn't let us now." Honeypaw sounded so sure. She licked Ravenpaw's ear comfortingly. "Don't worry, we'll all get our warrior names together, like we've always wanted."

Ravenpaw smiled back at her friend, reassured for a moment. Just then, Tigerfrost called the order to return to camp, and the cats sped off through the forest to the gorge where SkyClan had its home.

As soon as they returned, Tigerfrost headed straight for Dovestar's den, obviously wanting to report the apprentices' success to the Clan leader at once. Ravenpaw watched him go, nerves squirming around in her belly once more. She couldn't help but worry about the ceremony. What if I mess something up? What if I say something wrong? What if-

"Hey there, worry-paws!" Ravenpaw's thoughts were cut short by her mother's voice. "What's the trouble?" Blackcloud asked, padding over to her daughter. She was an exact image of her kit, excepting the splash of white on Ravenpaw's chest.

"Oh, um..." Ravenpaw decided to choose her words carefully. She didn't want Blackcloud to worry about her. "I guess I'm just a bit nervous about the ceremony," she confessed.

Blackcloud began grooming her daughter's jet-black fur, dusty from the chase in the woods. "It's perfectly natural to be nervous. You should've seen me when I was made a warrior. My paws wouldn't stop shaking!" She paused, then mewed, "Don't worry Ravenpaw. You've worked hard for this, and every cat knows it. Everything will be fine."

Ravenpaw leaned against her mother, purring her thanks for the encouragement.

Just then, Tigerfrost came bounding out of the leader's den, followed more slowly by none other than Dovestar herself. Her gray fur gleamed in the bright leaf-fall sun as she padded across to the Rockpile. Leaping upon it, she yowled, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Rockpile for a Clan meeting!"

A thrill coursed through Ravenpaw from nose to tail-tip as she saw the Clan assemble, different pelts mingling as one. She took a deep breath before hurrying after the other apprentices. This is it! she thought excitedly, all nervousness forgotten in the heat of the moment. They lined up in front of their leader, waiting for her to speak.

"Cats of SkyClan," Dovestar began, her tail waving in the air. "We gather together today for one of my favorite duties as your leader." She glanced fondly at the apprentices below her, who were watching her every move with shining eyes. "The making of new warriors." Lifting her muzzle to the sky, she continued, "I, Dovestar, leader of SkyClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn." She turned her green eyes toward the apprentices, her full attention on them now. "Ravenpaw, Strikepaw, Honeypaw, and Slatepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

They all replied in unison, "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names." Descending from the Rockpile and directly facing Ravenpaw, she announced, "Ravenpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Ravensong. StarClan honors your intelligence and your determination, and we welcome you as a full warrior of SkyClan." Dovestar then stepped forward and rested her muzzle on Ravensong's head, and in turn she gave her leader's shoulder a respectful lick. As Ravensong backed away, her head reeled with excitement. She was finally a warrior!