✧ Devious Fates ✧ | COMPLETE WARRIOR CATS FANFICTION STORY |

// Chapter Fourteen

Thistlepaw had been given her final assessment a few sunrises ago. A moon and a half had passed since she was revealed to have unsheathed her claws during a battle training session with her mentor, Squirrelchase. She had to perform the best of her ability on the final assessment; and ultimately did relatively well. She regretted her choice. I need more time! How dare I of rejected extra time to defeat a foe? But she also felt a bit satisfied. She would be allowed to leave camp on her own if she was made a warrior. Her mind was a huge debate, constantly in quarrel of what the right choice was.

She paced around camp in an anxious mess. Squirrelchase seemed to notice, as he was padding up towards the black and brown apprentice. Great. Thistlepaw's pelt bristled with irritation.

"Guess what?" Squirrelchase prompted. Thistlepaw could already predict what he was going to say. "I've been told your warrior ceremony may be occurring today." Today? No!

Thistlepaw didn't reply. She was stuck in an endless torrent of thoughts that soared through her mind. Yes! I can finally exit camp. But I can't defeat a great foe! How else will my plan to gain SkyClan back even be considered? They'll probably be more opportunities. But there might not be!

"Hello?" Squirrelchase hissed, his voice laced with annoyance. "You're probably going to be a warrior today." I heard you, sparrow-brain.

"Yeah," Thistlepaw sighed with a pang of sarcasm. "So great." She brushed past her mentor, emerging deeper into camp. I should hear from the other apprentices; ask them what they've witnessed with the possibility. She bounded to the apprentices' den. It was almost empty, except for her brother, Raccoonpaw. Supposed brother.

"Raccoonpaw?" she meowed. Raccoonpaw gaped his jaws apart in a humongous yawn. He winced at the amount of sunlight that pricked his eyes. He shifted his head and blinked at the brown and black apprentice, his optics flashing with realization.

"Yes?" he asked. He shuffled out of his nest, meeting Thistlepaw's amber gaze. "What is it?"

"Have you heard any word going around about our warrior ceremonies?" Thistlepaw queried, her eyes narrowing. Raccoonpaw's ear twitched.

"Oh, yeah," he meowed. "Eaglefeather said me and you would be made warriors sometime in the next few sunrises. We did have our warrior assessment a few sunrises ago, you know."

Thistlepaw felt a bit of anxiety well up in her stomach. "Squirrelchase told me it would be today," she added, her voice shaking. Raccoonpaw gave her a confused look.

"Isn't that good?" he mewed. Thistlepaw froze.

"Yeah," the black and brown apprentice responded. "It's great." She forced the words out of her jaws. I can't be a warrior yet! What in StarClan was I thinking when I did my final assessment? Thistlepaw twisted around and left the den. Raccoonpaw seemed to be left even more puzzled than he was before. No cat will ever consider my opinion!

Thistlepaw raced across the clearing. Then the idea popped inside of her head. If I'm sick, I can't become a warrior right? But if I fake it, no cat will believe me. She didn't consider the consequences as she darted outside of the camp barrier. She bounded across dense undergrowth, boosting herself off of tree stumps and launching herself as fast as an adder making an attack for its prey. Desperation was surging through her veins.

Thistlepaw burst ahead with fury. Lush scents of bramble thickets and shrubbery ascended into her nose. She paused for a heartbeat to check for any sign of her Clanmates; before indignantly urging herself on. Foul fragrances started brimming the air, causing Thistlepaw to wince with disgust.