Warriors: Shadows Of The Night

Chapter 7

"That's awesome!" Ravenpaw purred, blinking. Was she going to be made a warrior as well?

"It is," Silverflight agreed, padding over, "WoodClan needs all the warriors it can get right now."

"Well I guess I should let you get some rest now," Shadepaw meowed to Ravenpaw. He gave her ear a lick before padding out of the medicine den.

"Good night!" Ravenpaw called after him as the tip of his tail whisked out of the den.

"I'll be in my nest over here if you need me," Silverflight meowed, padding over to her own nest a few tail-lengths away. Ravenpaw nodded and lay back down, wincing as pain shot through her shoulder as she did so.

As she curled her tail close to her flank and closed her eyes, she thought; I hope I get made a warrior tomorrow as well!

"Wake up," Silverflight's gentle voice roused Ravenpaw from her dreamless sleep. She stretched her jaws in a yawn and blinked sleep out of her eyes to see that the medicine cat was standing over her with Thornwhisker at her side.

"Good morning," Thornwhisker meowed, "How do you feel?"

Ravenpaw sat up and flexed her shoulder. It still hurt when she moved it, but not quite as bad as it had the day before. "Better."

"You still should stay in my den for another night," Silverflight meowed, sniffing her flank and shoulder. "Just to make sure it's healing. You should also rest in here today as well."

"Okay," Ravenpaw agreed, sniffing the air as she caught whiff if something appetizing.

"I brought you a shrew," Thornwhisker said, turning and nudging the small rodent that had been out of sight toward Ravenpaw.

"Thank you!" Ravenpaw purred, pulling the shrew closer to her and taking a bite. The taste filled her mouth, and she purred happily as she ate. "Want some?"

Thornwhisker shook his head. "No. This one's all yours. I caught it just for you this morning."

Silverflight stretched her front legs and yawned. "If you don't need me, I'm going to check on the cats who fought yesterday."

Thornwhisker nodded as the silver medicine cat slipped past them and left the den. Then he watched as Ravenpaw hungrily devoured the shrew, purring with delight.

"Shadepaw told me he's going to be made a warrior today," Ravenpaw meowed, looking up from her shrew, "Will I be made a warrior, too?"

Thornwhisker looked away. Ravenpaw frowned, knowing something was wrong.

"Shallowstar says that you have to heal first," Thornwhisker told her with an apologetic look in his eyes, "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry," Ravenpaw meowed, "I understand." But inside, disappointment stabbed at her chest like sharp claws. She knew that it made sense for her to wait until she was totally healthy to be made a warrior, but she'd always imagined being made a warrior alongside her littermate.

"Wake up!" Thornwhisker was nudging Ravenpaw's good shoulder. "It's time for Shadepaw's ceremony! Shallowstar just called the meeting."

Ravenpaw sat up quickly, blinking. After Thornwhisker had left from his visit earlier, Ravenpaw had decided to nap, only waking up once when Silverflight came to check up on her.

"Really?" Ravenpaw gasped, widening her eyes. A thrill of excitement ran through her paws. She was about to watch her brother be made a warrior! Not only that- it would be the first warrior ceremony she'd ever seen in her lifetime! "That's great!"

"Can you walk?" Thornwhisker asked, taking a step back as Ravenpaw limped out of her nest. It was the first time she'd stood up since she had arrived.