Bubblebreeze's Story

Chapter four

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather around Highrock." Sounded Darkstar's voice from Highrock.

Darkclan cats streamed from their dens, yawning and stretching.

When every cat sat below Highrock Darkstar began talking: "Sloepaw, Swiftpaw step forward."

The two apprentices excitedly stepped forward, their tails high up in the air.

"I, darkstar, leader of Darkclan, 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 as a warrior in their turn." Darkstar said. "Sloepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do."

"Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. Sloepaw, from this moment you will be known as Sloefoot. StarClan honors your courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Darkclan."

"Swiftpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do."

"Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. Swiftpaw, from this moment you will be known as Swiftleaf. StarClan honors your speed, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Darkclan."

Darkstar jumped down from high rock and rested her muzzle on Sloefoot's head and he licked her shoulder.

Darkstar rested her muzzle on Swiftleaf's shoulder and he licked her shoulder.

The clan started cheering: "Sloefoot! Swiftleaf! Sloefoot! Swiftleaf!"

When the cheers slowly died darkstar firmly said: "You'll sit vigil over the night while we sleep in our nests. So you might wanna get some rest."

The new warriors nodded and trotted over to the warriors' den.

Owlfeather took her usual spot underneath Highrock and began organizing patrols.

"Does your leg hurt?" Owlfeather asked as Bubblebreeze trotted over.

"Not really," Bubblebreeze mewed. "I think I can go on a patrol."

Owlfeather nodded, then raised her voice. "Tonight there is a gathering." She began. "I want Birchscar, Pinkear, Bubblebreeze, Dawnheart, Violetberry, Blackpeak, Mothtail, Speedypaw and Mumblepaw to come along."

Bubblebreeze nodded.

The freshkill pile wasn't as big as it used to be.

I don't really have anything to do, so I might as well catch a mouse or two Bubblebreeze thought, her mouth watering by the thought of it.

She trotted out of camp and into the forest, heading for the training clearing.

She caught the scent of a vole, dropped down on her haunches, crept forward, leaped and killed it.

The bushes behind her rustled and Mothtail's head appeared. "Hi, good catch there."

"Thanks," Bubblebreeze mumbled through fur.

"Do you want to hunt together?" Mothtail suggested. "The freshkill pile isn't looking so good."

"Sure," Bubblebreeze said. "The more prey, the better."

She buried her vole to fetch it later.

"So," Mothtail mewed as they walked. "How's it to have an apprentice?"

"It's nice," Bubblebreeze said.

"I wish that I had an apprentice as well," Mothtail purred. "It sounds like a lot of fun."

"Yeah," Bubblebreeze purred. "Rainpaw's an easy learner, too."

"Nice," Mothtail said awkwardly.

When Bubblebreeze and Mothtail arrived in camp, they had caught a vole, two mice and a squirrel.

Bubblebreeze took a mouse from the freshkill pile and trotted over to sit with her friends.

She sat down and began eating her mouse.

"Darkstar," bubblebreeze began. "Mothtail says that he really wants an apprentice. Don't you think he can take on one?"

Darkstar swallowed some squirrel. "Of course, Acornkit and Honeykit are 6 moons old soon, too."

Bubblebreeze took another bite of her mouse and appreciated the late greenleaf sun on her pelt.

I was almost moonhigh and the Darkclan cats waited for Darkstar's signal.

Darkstar twitched her tail and the cats streamed down the side of the hollow.

Bubblebreeze skidded to a halt when they were at the bottom and found a spot a between a tabby Cloudclan she-cat and a tortoiseshell Heatherclan she-cat.

The tortoiseshell she-cat turned to look Bubblebreeze in the eye. "Hello!" The she-cat mewed. "I'm Leafwing."

"Hi, I'm Bubblebreeze."

The she-cat was almost as small as a big apprentice.

"Is this your first gathering as a warrior?" Bubblebreeze asked, judging by her size.

"Yes, it is!" Leafwing mewed excitedly. "Isn't it exciting?"

Bubblebreeze purred. "Yes it sure is."

She looked around at the cats, all different sizes and colours.

She spotted Darkstar talking to Lightstripe and a brown tabby Cloudclan apprentice.

The leaders stepped up on The Great Rock and started the gathering.

Lionstar was the first to speak. "Fernclan's apprentice Marigoldpaw has decided to become a medicine cat apprentice." He began. "And we have a new apprentice Dovepaw." The Fernclan cats cheered.

Not gonna talk about your defeat, huh? Bubblebreeze triumphantly thought.

As Lionstar stepped back Stormstar stepped forward. He talked about prey and new warriors and apprentices.

Darkstar stepped forward. "We recently defeated Fernclan in a fight for territory." She began. "After the battle I named two new warriors Sloefoot and Swiftleaf."

"No cat was severely harmed under the battle with fernclan, and we have plenty of prey." Darkstar continued

As the last Ploverstar stepped forward. He also spoke about prey and cats. Leafwing looked shy when he mentioned her warrior ceremony.

When the gathering was over the cats raced back to camp.

Bubblebreeze hurried to her nest, past Highrock and Swiftleaf and Sloefoot.

When she reached her nest she yawned and immediately collapsed.