Raven (A Warrior Cats based Story)

Chapter 5.

*Pic is Swiftstream

The day after I earned my new name and position in Stormclan, I awoke to the sound of a cat calling my name. Why can't mother just let me sleep a while longer in this nice warm nest! Blinking my eyes open in annoyance, I was confused for a moment at the sight of plant life surrounding me and not concrete. Then I remembered everything from the past couple of days. Grief, sadness, hope and excitement filled me at the thoughts of what had happened, and what has yet to happen. "Ravenpaw? Are you awake?" The voice called out again, and this time I recognised it as the voice of Swiftstream, and not my mother. Glancing over to where Hailpaw and Riverpaw had been sleeping I was surprised to see their nests empty. "I am awake, Silverstream. I will be out in a moment." Stretching, I remembered the afternoon before.

After I had received my name and Swiftstream had welcomed me to the clan, Swiftstream, decided to show me around the camp. "Being that you are new to the camp, I'll show you around and introduce you to some of your new clanmates." Flicking her tail toward the rock and Highbranch, Swiftstream continued "I'm sure you've figured this out already, but this here is the Highbranch and the Leader's Den. Mudstar conducts all clan meetings from on top of the Highbranch so that the whole clan can see and hear him." After having given a nod of understanding I followed Swiftstream as she lead me around the camp. By the end of the day I had learned which den was which and had been properly introduced to the sand coloured tom who had sat next to me. The Apprentices' Den, which is where I was now, was under a thick growth of ferns that grew near the edge of camp. From the front of the den, a cat had a clear view of most of the camp, including the Elders' Den, which is under an Elder bush, and the Nursery, which is hidden amongst a clump of nettles that had been interwoven with twigs and tendrils of brambles to reinforce it against possible attack. Swiftstream had also pointed a spot where the brambles had grown further into the camp than the rest. These brambles enclosed the Warriors' Den, which had a clear view of the  entire camp. The last place that Swiftstream had shown me was a cave made of two rocks leaning against each other. This was the Medicine Cat's Den, and where I was to go if I ever became sick or injured.

Padding out of the Apprentices' Den, I found Swiftstream sitting and kneading the ground impatiently. "I thought you were never going to come out of there for your first day as an apprentice!" Smiling at Swiftstream's enthusiasm, I mewed in reply "Sorry to keep you waiting Swiftstream." Eyes glinting, Swiftstream flicked me over the ear with her tail. "Come on, I'm going to show you around the territory so that you know where you'll be hunting and what land you'll be fighting for." Standing up, Swiftstream turned around and began to trot toward the gap in the bramble wall that served as the entrance to the camp. Excitement began to course through my body as I followed. Upon exiting the camp, Swiftstream mewed "First we'll go this way, heading up toward the border with Lightclan. We'll pass the Training Hollow, where most of your lessons will take place." Swiftstream then turned to the right and started trotting along a small trail. After while, we came across an open clearing with moss covering the ground. "This is the Training Hollow! The moss here is not to be used for bedding or water unless things are desperate, as it makes the ground here soft enough to prevent cats to fall in practice without injuring themselves." Swiftstream's eyes were shining with humour at some memory unknown to me. Continuing on, Swiftstream led me to the river, where I paused on the bank, surprised at how wide it was. "It's wider than the thunderpaths back home" I mewed quietly in awe. "You mean it's wider than the thunderpaths in the twolegplace. Stormclan's territory is your home now Ravenpaw." Swiftstream's held a serious, yet gentle tone. Looking into Swiftstream's blue eyes, I caught a hint of worry there. "Of course Stormclan's territory is my home now. I'm just still used to thinking of the alleyways were I used to sleep as home." My words appeared to reassure Swiftstream, as the worry disappeared from her eyes. It appears that I've already made a friend here in my new home! "Take a deep breathe, Ravenpaw, and tell what you can smell." Taking in a deep breath, I started sorting through the scents that I picked. "I can smell water from the river, the grasses, a stale scent of mouse, the scent of some sort of bird and something that smells similar to mouse. I can also smell a faint trace of cat scent that's unlike Stormclan's." Swiftstream nodded, clearly impressed. "Most apprentices don't mention the scent of the river or the nearby grasses because they deem them us unimportant scents, but there could be times where knowing that a cat can smell the river could be important. Like if we were further away from the bank and after a heavy rain you said you could scent the river, that would be important. The bird scent you picked up, is that of a swan. They don't come here very often, which is a part of what makes their feathers so treasured. That and they're softer than other feathers. The mouse-like scent is that of a vole. Voles usually stay on Lightclan's side of the river for some reason. Speaking of Lightclan, the cat-scent you picked up belongs to them. It's a scent that you will do well to remember. Now, let's continue around the borer toward Four Stones!" Before I could ask any of the questions now crowding my mind, Swiftstream practically ran along the river from where we had be standing. After running some distance, Swiftstream began to slow down until she had stopped. Panting, it took all of my self control to prevent myself from collapsing on the ground. While I wasn't unused to running, it was nearly sunhigh and the only food I had eaten in the past few days had been the rabbit that Mudstar had brought me the day before. "Look across the river. Do you see the clearing with those stones?" Looking up I saw that the river was wide, shallow and fast moving here at the bend. On the other side were a few trees and beyond them a clearing could just be seen, in which a couple of large stones were standing. Giving a nod, I listened to Swiftstream as she continued speaking. "Those stones in that clearing are the Four Stones. Every full moon the clans meet there in a one-night truce to share information and stories. Beyond them and up on the open moor is Sunclan's territory. You won't be able to pick up there scent now that the wind has shifted to blow our scent up to them rather than theirs down to us." Giving another nod, I followed Swiftstream as she led the way further down the river. It wasn't long before each pawstep became an effort and my stomach began to voice its opinion on not receiving food recently, once again. "We'll return to camp soon." Looking up at Swiftstream, I saw that she was looking at me sympathetically. Looking closer I saw that she too was beginning to look tired from our day long trek. "Further downstream, the river becomes a vast marsh that contains many hidden deep spots and mud that is so thick and sticky that it can drown a cat. As a result both Darkclan and Stormclan have laws against entering it and have set up makers near where the more dangerous parts of the marsh begin." Taking a deep breath in attempt to pick out those markers, I smelt another clan's scent instead. "Is that Darkclan's scent?" Swiftstream looked surprised. "It is! I didn't think you'd be able to pick up on it as it's so faint at the moment." After seeing my shrug, Swiftstream started to lead me away from the river and marsh, further into Stormclan's territory.

Once back at camp, Swiftstream told me to pick up some food and try to be awake earlier tomorrow. Padding over to the pile of freshkill I picked up a thrush. I glanced around for a place to sit and eat my meal and was relived to see Riverpaw gesturing for me to join her and Hailpaw near the Apprentice's Den. Joining the gray apprentices, I settled down to eat. "How'd your first day as an apprentice go, Ravenpaw?" Riverpaw asked. Before I could reply, Hailpaw meowed "Yeah! Did you scare off any enemy cats with your fierce twolegplace cat moves?" Confused at the hint of hostility in Hailpaw's words, I stopped eating and tilted my head. "Don't be mean Hailpaw!" Riverpaw snapped at him. I began to feel uncomfortable as the two cats started glaring at each other, and quickly finished my meal before meowing a quick goodnight and going to my nest. Curling up I decided to put the hostility out of my mind and focused on what I had learned today as I fell asleep.