Warrior cats | Forbidden Secrets

Chapter 4

"Well done Brightpaw!" Ivypool praised.

Lionblaze dipped his head in agreement and shook the dust of his pelt.

They had been training in the clearing for a long time now and the sun had already passed its peak.

"Okay show me a belly rake" her mentor instructed.

Brightpaw sunk into her starting position.

She sized Lionblaze up and cast a quick glance to the space behind him, then she pushed off with all her might and leapt nimbly over her opponent as he darted forward.

Then as quick as a mouse she dashed under him and used her hind legs to push him into the air.

He landed a few fox lengths away, before the small apprentice could plan her next attack the large warrior used his size and ran at her, unbalancing her.

Brightpaw thought quickly and jumped on his back, and as he rolled over to try and force her off, she leapt to the side and batted his soft flank, to recreate a belly rake with sheathed claws.

"Very good!" Ivypool meowed, her eyes shining with pride.

"you're going to be a formidable warrior someday" Lionblaze said warmly.

"What about me!" Rosepaw whined indignantly.

"Well let's see then" Lionblaze challenged.

Rosepaw leapt and landed to the side of Lionblaze.

He whipped around and darted at his apprentice.

Rosepaw hopped over him and batted his nose, before going to his side and swiping it a few times.

Lionblaze turned fast and used his forepaws to topple her over before batting her to the side, squaring up for his next move.

Rosepaw aimed for his back and landed neatly, jumping up as he attempted to push her off.

She landed lower on his back and pushed down with her legs to make him rear back, before darting quickly to the side, as he exposed his soft flank.

She quickly batted it a few times before letting him get up.

"Stop going easy on them Lionblaze" Ivypool meowed in amusement.

Lionblaze flicked his tail, "you've both done well today, I'll consider asking Bramblestar if you'll be able to come to the gathering later"

The two apprentices had been in training for almost three moons and it had been annoying to watch Thistlepaw go to the gathering.

They trotted back to the hollow and saw Leafkit, Larkkit, Honeykit and Moonkit bustling around in the clearing.

Brightpaw remembered when Moonkit arrived at the camp, the small she kit had no clan scent and no cat had any idea of where she came from.

Brightpaw padded of to Thistlepaw and he touched his tail to her flank.

"Hi" She meowed in greeting.

"Hi, I saved you a mouse" he pushed the small creature over and she dug in gratefully.

Rosepaw dragged over a squirrel, "thanks for waiting" she grunted through the fur.

Brightpaw swatted her sisters muzzle and looked round to try and find Fawnpaw.

She spotted her sister talking to Alderpaw and beckoned her over.

Fawnpaw said goodbye to Alderpaw and walked over.

A large group was gathering beneath the high rock.

"They're probably picking who gets to go to the gathering" Brightpaw squealed, leaping up and running over.

"Slow down Brightpaw!" Ivypool warned, sharing a good natured look with her littermate, Dovewing.

Her friends padded over, and they settled with the rest of the clan.

"Yes!! we're going to the gathering!!" Rosepaw squeaked.

"Okay so we're leaving soon, so get ready" Squirrelflight instructed.

Rosepaw saw her mother walking over and she bounded up to her.

Sandstorm gave her a comforting lick on the head.

"Your first gathering!" she meowed.

Brightpaw barrelled into her and sent a pillar of dust into the air.

"Get up you naughty kits" their mother scolded.

"We aren't kits!" Brightpaw argued, picking herself up out the dust.

"Well don't act like it then!" she meowed exasperatedly.

She started grooming Rosepaw, before moving onto Brightpaw.

"Ouch watch the ears" She groaned squirming and fidgeting.

"Stop it" her mother said sternly.

She wriggled a bit more then waited until her mother finished.

They left the camp and charged down the hill towards the lake, walking towards Windclan territory.

Brightpaw opened her mouth to taste the air and edged closer to her mentor and sister.

They crossed the Windclan border and made it all the way through the moors without seeing any Windclan cats.

They bounded through the stretch of Riverclan territory to the fallen log and made it across with ease.

Bramblestar paused at the edge of the island, all the clans were here already.

The clan dispersed and Lionblaze and Ivypool beckoned them over.

"Remember, the truce only lasts for tonight, so be careful what you tell to which cats, as you might have to meet them in battle someday"

They nodded briskly and stuck by their mentors as the mingled with the other clans.

"Brightpaw, and Rosepaw, this is Larkwing of Windclan and Curlfeather of Riverclan"

They looked up at the pale brown she cats in awe.

The two warriors flicked their tail in amusement.

"New apprentices" Larkwing said warmly, dipping her head.

Lionblaze lifted his head and the two new apprentices looked at the Great Oak as the leaders took their position.

Rowanstar stepped forward, and addressed the waiting clans.

"ShadowClan is doing well, Newleaf has been kind to us, our prey is plentiful, and we have plenty of new kits and apprentices"

"Even if ShadowClan was on the cusp of death they'd still say they were well fed and that prey was in abundance" Larkwing whispered.

Brightpaws tail flicked in amusement.

"Windclan is strong" Onestar started, stepping forward, "Our moors provide more fresh kill than we can eat, and we have some new queens"

A soft murmur rippled through the clearing, new kits was always celebrated by all the clans.

"We have three new apprentices" Bramblestar announced.

Brightpaw felt her mentor pushing her to stand up and she saw her sisters doing the same.

"Brightpaw" Bramblestar listed, "Rosepaw, and Fawnpaw, our new medicine cat apprentice"

They waited until the chanting of their names died down before Bramblestar finished.

"And we have a new kit, Moonkit, she was found in the forest, too young to remember anything and with no clan scent or distinguishable other cat scent, so she has been taken in by one of our queens and is nursing with the rest of her litter"

Bramblestar stood back and waited till the gathering came to a close.

Brightpaw said her hasty goodbyes to the two Riverclan and Windclan and darted off to find her sister.