Warriors; MoonClan: Fire [ 1 ]

Chapter Nineteen

Snow covered the camp ground. The sky was visible through the bare branches of the trees. Moonpaw longed for the warm sun of late Greenleaf.

 Putting the mouse on the pile, Moonpaw's chest tightened. He had passed the last assessment! He would be a warrior by moonhigh. All of the cats were gathering, so no call was needed. The sun had almost set. "All cats..." Hawkstar was calling, but his voice trailed away as he saw that his Clan was already gathered.   

"Well, Moonpaw and Weaselpaw are called up," Hawkstar meowed. Moonpaw and Weaselpaw filed more gracefully than they had their apprentice ceremony up to Highledge. "I, Hawkstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. Weaselpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Weaselpaw, from this moment you will be known as Weaselface. StarClan honors your warmth and kindness, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

Hawkstar's gaze burned into Moonpaw's. "I, Hawkstar, leader of ThunderClan," Hawkstar was saying, but Moonpaw could barely hear the words and they rang about the clearing, "call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. Moonpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend your Clan even at the cost of your life?"

"I do!" Moonpaw mewed loudly.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Moonpaw, from this moment on your will be known as Mooneyes. StarClan honors your bravery and independence, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

"Mooneyes! Weaselface! Mooneyes! Weaselface!" yowled the Clan. 

Mooneyes turned to Weaselface. His brother swished his tail.  He beamed, knowing he could not speak. Grayfoot and Yew-wing caught up with them. "Go guard now, no speaking," Yew-wing mewed.

Mooneyes felt mildly disappointed at the thought of not getting wisdom as one of his virtues, but he was happy nonetheless. When Mooneyes finally sat down after eating, of course defying his brother's former mentor's instructions, the moon was showing brightly. "Mooneyes," Weaselface whispered. Mooneyes turned his head towards Weaselface. "Shhh," he hissed.

Weaselface flicked his tail. Mild wheezing sounded from Hawkstar's den. He's getting better! Mooneyes assured himself silently. It was dry, though. Everyone in camp was sleeping by moonhigh. Mooneyes had started to drift off when he heard pawsteps behind him. Hedgeclaw was there, blinking at Mooneyes. "Night hunting, can't sleep," Hedgeclaw explained. Weaselface and Mooneyes looked at each other and shrugged. They let Hedgeclaw pass.

"Wake up," Weaselface mewed. Mooneyes was on his side, spit creeping out of his mouth. He licked the spit back in. The moon was still in the sky, but the stars were fading to show sunrise. "You stayed up?" Mooneyes asked. "I knew you'd fall asleep, mouse-brain," Weaselface spat.

A head popped out from bushed in front of them. It was Hedgeclaw, carrying a thin shrew and pigeon.

Mooneyes shivered. It hadn't snowed in a few days. But it was cold. Hedgeclaw nudged his way to the fresh-kill pile. He yawned and went to sleep. A few cats emerged from the warriors' den. Yew-wing, Darkcloud, Ferretheart, and Grayfoot. "Go to sleep," Yew-wing mewed as they passed.

Mooneyes get up and yawned, making his way towards the medicine den. "Has he gotten better?" he asked. He widened his tired eyes as he saw Hawkstar in the medicine den, wheezing and coughing.

Dappleheart opened her yellow eyes. "No," she mewed. Hawkstar's icy blue eyes had taken on a small shade of green. They showed weak and exhausted. Could today possibly be his last day? "Worse?"

Dappleheart gave a tiny nod. "Much worse?" Mooneyes' voice was barely a whisper. Dappleheart nodded. Mooneyes walked out of the medicine den. He chose the fattest prey he could find: A large furry squirrel. He took it to Hawkstar, who scarfed it down faster than you could say squirrel. 

When Mooneyes walked out, Weaselface was staring at the fresh-kill pile sadly. "Did you take the squirrel?" "To Hawkstar, yes," Mooneyes replied. "Update on him?"

"Worse, much much worse," Mooneyes mewed solemnly.

"Could he die, worse?" Weaselface asked. 

"I guess so," Mooneyes said.

He yawned and walked into the warriors' den without eating, and fell asleep.