Nightstar's Promise (Pending rewrite)

Chapter 4- Up and Down

"Let all cats who are old enough to catch their own prey to gather at Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Birchstar yowled.

Oakpaw, Flamepaw and Russetpaw were going to become warriors, and Nightkit envied them. He wasn't even an apprentice yet.

Oakpaw's ceremony was delayed as when he had returned, he was distracted and Rainstep explained that the event was traumatising, so he needed some time to cool off.

Nightkit remember the Clan's reaction when Darkthorn and Oakpaw came back together, and Petalstorm had been happier that her mate was back.

"Strikepelt, Ashwhisker, Fuzzytail," Birchstar addressed their mentors, "Have your apprentices learned the ways of a true warrior?"

"Definitely," Strikepelt mewed confidently.

"Of course," Ashwhisker replied causally, flicking his tail from side to side.

"I enjoy teaching Russetpaw, even for a short time," Fuzzytail added.

Birchstar nodded in approval and announced, "These three apprentices are deemed worthy by their mentors, and I will make them warriors."

"I, Birchstar, leader of ThunderClan, 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."

"Oakpaw, Flamepaw, Russetpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?" he asked.

"I do," all of them replied.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names: Oakpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Oakblaze. StarClan honours your commitment and bravery, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

"Flamepaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Flamenose. StarClan honours your loyalty and determination, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

"Russetpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Russeteyes. StarClan honours your eagerness and courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

"Oakblaze! Flamenose! Russeteyes!" the Clan yowled. Nightkit found himself yowling with the rest of the Clan, his heart thumping with joy that that sort of ceremony would happen to him one day.

"According to the warrior code, our new warriors must have a vigil of silence. Meeting dismissed," Birchstar finished.

As the new warriors padded towards their former denmates, Nightkit congratulated them warmly.

"You will be an apprentice soon," Oakblaze mewed kindly. "Then after that, we can be warriors together!"

Flamenose and Russeteyes nodded.

"It's time for our silent vigil," Oakblaze mewed, looking at the darken sky. "See you the next morning."

"I hope we don't freeze first," Russeteyes commented laughingly.

"I can't freeze!" Flamenose mewed. "I can melt all the snow, although it's not leaf-bare, and warm up everything."

All of them laughed. It was good to be happy and relaxed again, after the tension from RiverClan a moon back.

~~~~

A cat padded towards Snakerocks on his own. He lifted up his nose to scent for prey. Among a snake scent, the scent of grass, he could sniff out a mouse.

He pinpointed it and dropped into a hunter's crouch. The mouse was gathering seeds to bring to its den that night, but it was unaware of its predator, ready to pounce.

When the hunter pounced, the mouse had no time to squeal for help and the cat snapped its neck with a quick bite.

He glanced up at the dark sky and thought, I should get back soon.

But he scented another prey nearby. It was a small rabbit this time. He carefully sneaked towards the prey and lunged forward, catching the prey in his jaws.

He then buried the rabbit with the mouse he caught earlier. He smiled as he had managed to catch a decent amount of prey in the night.

However, that cat didn't know that he was not always the hunter. The cat that had been hiding in the bushes sprung out, pinning the other cat strongly.

Without hesitation, the cat slashed its victim's throat.

As quick as the murderer came, the cat left, leaving the other cat laying motionlessly on the grass.