Warriors: Wishes For Four

Chapter 7

"From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as SharkPaw." SharkPaw sat below the highrock. Who will my mentor be? I haven't thought of that. What if- they don't like me... SharkPaw thinks nervously, although excited to finally be an apprentice. SpottedStar's voice broke her thoughts. "FinchNose." he began, "I believe you are ready to be a mentor. You've received excellent training from SilverBreeze, and I expect you to pass on everything you know to SharkPaw." SharkPaw stiffened as a young white she-cat walked through the crowd of cats. She hadn't seen her before, but she looked friendly. "Thank you, SpottedStar." she mewed, then looking at SharkPaw. The two touched noses and SpottedStar leaped down from the highrock. Unexpectedly, he pulled SharkPaw aside for a moment. Oh no, am I in trouble? SharkPaw thought. SpottedStar looked uncertain. "SharkPaw, did a Starclan cat visit you?" he asked, his face serious. SharkPaw was surprised. How did he know? "Y-yes..." she responded. "What was their name?" SharkPaw blinked. "Uh, I think it was... VioletClaw?" SpottedStar looked shocked. "O-okay. SharkPaw, just...just let me or DarkFlower know if something like that happens again, okay?" SharkPaw couldn't help but feel like she had done something wrong. "Yes, SpottedStar." she mewed. SpottedStar smiled. "Now go on, FinchNose and the others will give you a tour of the territory." SharkPaw went on happily, trying not to think about that conversation, or what's been happening in her dreams. FinchNose was waiting for her by the thorn tunnel, along with SpeckledPaw, who and his new mentor, StripeFur, and ShimmerPaw and her new mentor, FoxLilly. Together, the new apprentices and their mentors walked out of camp. The warriors showed them the Burnt Sycamore, the Carrion place, and some good spots to hunt. Once they got to the thunderpath, SharkPaw realized that the others hadn't seen it before. She remembered her dream with VioletClaw and the thunderpath. How did I know what it was?! StripeFur explained what the monsters were, and there were some things about them that SharkPaw didn't know before, like how they carried twolegs in their bellies to help them get around. "Why would they do that?" ShimmerPaw yapped. SharkPaw listened closely as the warriors explained how strange the twolegs were. "BadgerPaw said he saw a monster off the thunderpath!" SpeckledPaw shouted. The three warriors exchanged uneasy glances. "Well, those are different monsters." StripeFur meowed. "They've all gone onto Thunderclan territory now. Not our problem at the moment." FoxLilly looked grumpy. "They deserved that." she muttered. SharkPaw looked at her confused as StripeFur shot her an angry glance. "We should be getting back now." FinchNose mewed, standing farther away. The other cats followed her back to camp. SharkPaw was gazing around in awe at the sights of the forest. Suddenly, FinchNose came to a stop, her large ears perking up in alarm. "What?" FoxLilly asked, annoyed after bumping into her. "Do you hear that?" FinchNose meowed, worried sounding. SharkPaw curiously listened closely to the slightest sounds of the forest. Among the rest, she heard many pawsteps, getting closer and closer to them. FoxLilly wrinkled her nose. "I smell riverclan." she mewed softly. StripeFur turned to the three apprentices. "Go back to camp. We'll be right there." "W-we don't know the forest very well-" SpeckledPaw mumbled. StripeFur waved his tail forward. "It's just up ahead. Keep going straight and you'll find the opening of the thorn tunnel. We'll stay here and see what this is. It could be bad." ShimmerPaw sighed. "We never get to have fun." she groaned. SpeckledPaw defended his mentor. "Listen to StripeFur, he's a warrior." he whispered to his litter-mate. The two of them walked off, and SharkPaw followed a bit hesitantly. FinchNose turned. "Tell SpottedStar where we are, SharkPaw." SharkPaw nodded and followed the others back to camp.