Remember Me | A Warrior Cat Novella

Chapter 1

A small fluffy mouse was eating a few seeds that were scattered around the base of a prickly dark green pine tree quietly, completely unaware of its' surroundings as a shadowy tom creeped up on, the only thing visible on the tom were his two glowing yellow eyes, narrowed as he focused on his prey intently. He snuck closer and closer, each paw step drawn out with precision and he kept his black fluffy tail low, as it lightly brushed the undergrowth around him.

At the last moment, he pounced, the mouse saw him and it froze in shock, dropping the seed in its' paws and attempting to escape. However the tom was too quick for it, sinking his claws into its nimble body and picking it up in his jaws proudly.

"You drew that out," he whipped round in shock, seeing his mentor, Brightshadow emerge from behind the very tree the mouse had been under.

"You scared me!" he mewed defensively at his mentors purr.

"You could've caught that mouse the moment you saw it," she twitched her white whiskers with amusement as the tom felt himself turn warm, "But good job, Oakpaw, I admire your showing-off-skills."

"Stop teasing me!" Oakpaw replied roughly, however his tail flicked playfully, showing he wasn't serious.

"I'm just playing with you," the tortoiseshell laughed softly at her apprentices' oversensitive manner, "But good news! You've passed your assessment!"

The blacks toms eyes lit up in surprise and joy as he heard the news, "Great! What about Eaglepaw?" As he said the name, Brightshadow's eyes darkened sadly.

"I'm afraid that your brother.. he.." her light blue, sky coloured eyes held grief and sadness in them, "He.. passed as well!"

"You had me worried there," Oakpaw nudged his mentor playfully, sighing in relief. Brightshadow laughed and skipped along, back to camp, she has even more energy than me! He thought to himself as he followed on, bringing his mouse and two toads along with him.

"Hah! Guess who passed their assessment with flying colours!" Eaglepaw bounced towards him happily, his forest green eyes couldn't keep still, darting everywhere, "Me!"

Oakpaw purred softly, "I know, Brightshadow told me.. congratulations! I passed too, but I was terrified I wouldn't."

"I knew I was going to pass, I'm basically leader all ready," he lifted his head proudly, the gentle breeze ruffling his short brown tabby fur.

"Don't get ahead of yourself there," Brightshadow walked by, purring with amusement at Eaglepaw's kit-like behaviour, "You're just becoming a warrior now, leaders a while off."

"Wait, right now?" nervousness and excitement burst through Oakpaw as he saw that the leader, Hollystar, was sitting on the Burnt Oak; where Clan meetings were held.

"All cats of ShadowClan, gather round the Burnt Oak for a warriors ceremony," she began, and the scattered cats in the camp drew to her like magnets, muttering among themselves, "Oakpaw, Eaglepaw, and Dewpaw; please come up."

As the green-eyed black and white tabby called the names, Eaglepaw bounded over to sit at the base of the tree, followed by Dewpaw and an anxious Oakpaw.

"I, Hollystar, leader of ShadowClan, 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 in their turn," Hollystar finished the speech and turned towards Oakpaw, I'm first? What if I mess it up? He shrunk back, but Hollystar continued anyway, "Oakpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I-I do," he nodded, smiling awkwardly down at Brightshadow who gave him an encouraging smile.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Oakpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Oaksplash. StarClan honours your determination, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan," Hollystar finished off, taking a pause before continuing with the other apprentices.

Oaksplash felt pride spread through him as he let the cold breeze ruffle his midnight black fur. He barely even noticed Dewpaw or Eaglepaw as they became warriors, but when he looked back around Hollystar was finishing off Eaglepaw's ceremony; as Eaglepaw impatiently flicked his tabby brown ears, clear excitement shining in his eyes, "Eaglepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Eaglewing. StarClan honours your enthusiasm and good-nature, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan."

"Yay!" Eaglewing hopped up and down, earning a playful glare from his mentor as he made a ruckus.

Cats started cheering their new names, "Oaksplash! Eaglewing! Dewshade!"

Oaksplash felt himself grow hot and fidgety, smiling nonetheless, however Eaglewing was enjoying the praise; raising his head in pride at the Clans' cheers.

When the ceremony finally ended, and ShadowClan returned to normal, Oaksplash felt himself relax, "It was a bit overwhelming up there," he mewed to Eaglewing, grooming his black pelt slowly, "I mean, how everyone was staring at you."

"Really, you thought so? I thought it was nice," Eaglewing purred, drawing his tongue over his own white chest fur, "And you love showing off, you're never shy!"

"I'm usually not shy, and showing off is easy as long as there is only one cat. The whole Clan staring at me was very different," Oaksplash retorted, rolling his sun-yellow eyes.

"Oh well, we should probably sit vigil now before Brightshadow starts nagging at us to," Eaglewing twitched his light pink nose, making his way over to the camp entrance, Oaksplash following close behind.

****

Oaksplash sat on the soft damp grass, Eaglewing and Dewshade sitting either side of him in silence. Eaglewing's eyes were droopy as the sun setted slowly, a few bright sparkling stars appearing above their heads.

As the sky became darker and darker, and the moon began to rise from the shadows; Oaksplash felt himself drift off in a state of semi-consiousness. Blurs of black and white filled his mind, and dappled fur. He felt happy and a song was playing in his head loudly, a sweet joyful, repetitive tune that echoed through him.

However, he was still aware that he was standing outside the entrance to camp, yet his mind was in a whole different place.

Quite suddenly the song in his mind stopped, and he was left in silence. He was snapped back into reality, and felt his heartbeat increase, something is very wrong.. his fur pricked as he heard growling noises, am I still dreaming?

He barely had time to think as a creature launched at him from the darkness, terrifying him as he attempted to claw the animal off of him.

"Get off! Who are you?!" he managed to push it off of him and jump up, his fur bristling. However it was like the creature couldn't see him as it stumbled past him and into the camp, "No!" he yelped, finally realising that the creature was a badger.

"Badger!" he tried to warn his Clanmates as more and more badgers tumbled into camp, Dewshade, Eaglewing and Oaksplash were having trouble holding them off.

"I'm gonna go help!" Eaglewing screeched over the badgers' roars, and Oaksplash gave him a swift nod in the darkness before helping Dewshade tackle another one of the creatures. Slowly, they drove the badger out and it scampered off into the shadows, but just as they did so Oaksplash heard his brothers kit-like squeal and his heart started racing as he dashed into camp.

If Eaglewing's hurt.. it will be my fault, I shouldn't have dozed off, now my Clanmates might have to pay the price, maybe even my own brother..