(Book 1) Warriors: Separations - Six Stars

Chapter 19

 "Goldenpaw! Goldenpaw!"

Goldenpaw opened her eyes drowsily. "What is it, Starlingpaw?" she growled sleepily. She sniffed, unable to scent the rest of the apprentices. Must already be outside. That means I'm the last one to wake up. She thought. She got up, shaking her pelt of dry moss and leaves. She sniffed around for a bit before finding her sister. Padding over to her, Goldenpaw sighed. "I'll be getting my mentor today, right?" She asked Starlingpaw. Starlingpaw rested her tail on Goldenpaw's shoulder. "Yup! I'm excited to see who mentors you now." Starlingpaw said happily. Starlingpaw already had a mentor, but Goldenpaw was sort of a delay. She was the medicine cat's apprentice for a moon or so, however it was quickly discovered that medicine cat life just didn't suit the blind apprentice. Hopefully I can adjust to warrior life. She thought, doubt seeping into her mind.

"Let all cats old enough to lurk in the shadows gather around the shade rock for a clan meeting!"

Goldenpaw heard Foxstar call for a clan meeting. Her heart started pounding in her chest. It's happening... she thought. Her legs wobbly, she hesitantly walked over to where Starlingpaw sat, sniffing for a second to make sure it was Starlingpaw.

Foxstar began. "As you all know, one of our apprentices, Goldenpaw, has had some difficulty finding somewhere to train. However, that ends now." he mewed. Goldenpaw's heart raced even faster, however, she forced herself to remain calm. I wonder who's gonna mentor me... She thought about some of the warriors. Graysplotch is nice... She's always acting weird around me though. I'm pretty sure it's because I'm blind. She thought begrudgingly. Tigerleap was the only other warrior that didn't already have an apprentice. I can tell he's always judging me, he talks a lot behind my back too. I don't think he knows he actually whispers really loud. She thought, amusement and resentment battling each other inside of her.

Foxstar continued. "To solve this dilemma, I have made the decision to keep Goldenpaw as an apprentice. She may receive a warrior name, however she will be moved to the elder's den early, given her lack of talent in any field."

Goldenpaw's heart dropped. I'll be made an elder early?! Pure, unfiltered outrage welled up inside of her chest until she couldn't contain it anymore.

"No!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. Immediately after that, she felt the entirety of Shadowclan looking at her, their glares burning into her fur. She felt intimidated, but she carried on, fury carrying her onwards. She looked up to where she believed her leader was, and spoke. "You will make me a warrior. Even if you don't today, I'll tell you every single day. Do you even know how cruel it is to keep me from having a mentor, turning me into an elder while I'm still only seven moons old?!" she growled.

She then felt Foxstar's anger radiating off of him, so intense Goldenpaw thought it'd knock her over.

"You dare challenge me?!" he snarled at her. "You will move to the elder's den, no amount of nagging will make me change my mind. You serve no other purpose to your clan. We've already gotten a medicine cat apprentice, and even if we didn't, you couldn't so much as treat a simple scratch!" he growled at her.

Goldenpaw scoffed. "Make me a warrior apprentice then, mouse-brain!" she hissed at him. Outrage immediately began pulsing from Foxstar's pelt, but Goldenpaw continued. "In fact, exile me if I'm so useless!" she yelled.

Just then, she felt fur brushing up against both her sides. She smelled Littlepaw and Starlingpaw. She then noticed the scents of Firepaw, Scarletpaw and Polarpaw as well. Starlingpaw snarled. "No way you're getting exiled without us!" she told Goldenpaw. Firepaw chipped in. "Yeah, if Foxstar can't be fair, we won't be either! Goldenpaw is useful, you just haven't given her a chance!" He yowled with determination.

Fury pulsed off of Foxstar, but he just took a deep breath, and the anger seemed to die down.

Clearly realizing that the apprentices had a monopoly on him, he continued. "Fine. Graysplotch, you have displayed strength and adversity in even the toughest of times for Shadowclan, and you have remained loyal to your clan since the day you were born. Do you promise to share your knowledge with Goldenpaw, and teach her the warrior code to the best of your ability?" he asked the warrior.

Surprise leaped off of Graysplotch's mind like a frog, and she quickly stammered, "I-I do!"

Foxstar sighed. "Happy now?" he growled at Goldenpaw. A feeling of warmth and appreciation for the other apprentices swept over Goldenpaw. They were all friends, but she didn't realize they'd go that far just to help her get a mentor. Quickly nodding her thanks to them, she padded over to Graysplotch to touch noses with her new mentor. She could feel the doubt and nervousness radiating from Graysplotch's fur, and even though it somewhat annoyed her, she ignored it to the best of her ability.

After touching noses with Graysplotch, she strutted back over to the other apprentices and sat down. Goldenpaw could sense the resentment coming from Foxstar, but she didn't care one bit. I'm going to be a warrior!

Even though she was nervous about training as a warrior, she shook off her feelings of doubt. She was going to be the best warrior Shadowclan had ever seen, no matter the circumstances.

"Clan dismissed." Foxstar huffed.

Immediately, all the apprentices except Polarpaw gathered around Goldenpaw. Littlepaw burrowed her nose into Goldenpaw's shoulder. "You're going to be a warrior some day, I can't wait for you to get your name!" Starlingpaw squealed excitedly. "All of us are gonna get our names together!" she mewed happily. Scarletpaw sighed. "Not all of us. But still, congratulations, Goldenpaw!" Scarletpaw touched noses with Goldenpaw. Goldenpaw smiled. "We'll just stay apprentices until you get your medicine cat name!" she told the she-cat reassuringly. Littlepaw laughed. "Exactly! Then we'll all get our names at the same time!" she squealed. Scarletpaw seemed to cheer up. "Yeah, but I'll be at the Moonstone." she remarked. Littlepaw scoffed. "As if we'd let that stop us! You'll just go to the Moonstone, get your name, and once you come back, we'll all have them!" she meowed excitedly.

Graysplotch came up to the group. "Settle down, you all. You've all got training tomorrow, better rest up. You can't stay up all night every night if you wanna be a good apprentice." she chastised them. Goldenpaw nodded. "Alright." She and the other apprentices all waltzed over to the apprentice's den, their hopes high.

Goldenpaw settled down in her nest, the scents of all the other apprentices and her own sister warming her heart. Before long, she drifted off to sleep.