Warriors: A New Beginning #1: The Beginning

Chapter 14

"Helloo? Anybody home?"

Wavepaw groaned, keeping her eyes closed. "Who is it?"

"You'll have to open your eyes to find out."

Wavepaw's eyelids felt very heavy as she opened them. "Hi Tussledpaw."

"Speckledfur wants you." Tussledpaw's eyes were glittering mischievously. "I wonder why?..."

Wavepaw stood up and left the den. Outside, Speckledfur was standing by the gorse tunnel.

"What do you want?" Wavepaw asked. "I'm really tired, you see..."

"Oh, really?" Speckledfur feigned surprise. "Well, I guess you can't do your final assesment then..."

"What? To become a warrior?" Wavepaw was immediately awake. "I said I was tired? I'm not anymore..."

"I thought so." Speckledfur grinned. "Flamepaw and Tussledpaw are getting assessed too."

Wavepaw sighed. "I wish Wheatpaw could too..."

"She'll be a warrior soon enough," Speckledfur meowed. "Don't let that spoil your excitement of becoming a warrior. Come on, let's start." She started running into the forest, Wavepaw following her.

***

"Okay," Speckledfur whispered, stopping. "First, I scent squirrel. I want you to track it down and kill it."

Wavepaw nodded and parted her jaws. Sure enough, there was squirrel scent. She tried to be quiet as she crept in the snow.

The squirrel was clinging to a tree trunk.

Wavepaw leaped at it. The squirrel ran up the tree trunk. Wavepaw speedily climbed up the tree and killed the squirrel.

"Well done!" Speckledfur called from the bottom. "Now can you get down?"

"Of course!" Wavepaw scrabbled down the trunk, clutching the squirrel in her jaws.

"Now..." Speckledfur paused. Suddenly, she leapt toward Wavepaw. Surprised, Wavepaw dodged it. Dropping the squirrel, she pushed her mentor down into the snow, claws sheathed.

"Good work." Speckledfur's voice was muffled. She got herself out of the snow and shook, spraying snow everywhere. "You reacted well."

"I have a good mentor," Wavepaw mewed.

***

Wavepaw padded into camp, proudly carrying her squirrel and a mouse. Speckledfur had wanted to see how she hunted in a pair, so Wavepaw had caught a mouse with Dawnpool.

She dropped her fresh-kill on the meager pile. Tussledpaw ran up to her. "Did you pass?"

"I think so!" Wavepaw exclaimed. "What do you think your warrior name will be?"

"I have no idea," Tussledpaw meowed. "I just don't want a weird one...like Tussledsplash!" She smiled.

Wavepaw nodded. "Same. Though Wavesplash would sound pretty nice."

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!"

Reedstar was standing atop Highrock.

Wavepaw and Tussledpaw exchanged an excited glance and ran up to Highrock. Flamepaw was already there, his eyes glittering.

"Three of our apprentices have been assessed today," Reedstar started. "Flamepaw, Tussledpaw, Wavepaw, come forward."