The Shadow Glare

Chapter 11

Ashpaw yawned in his nest before blinking his yellow eyes open.
He looked around the den and saw that Windpaw was awake, but wasn't out of her nest.
"Hi, Ashpaw," Windpaw greeted. "It's my Warrior Assessment today! Brightpelt told me that you could come and help with the fighting part. So I waited."

Ashpaw shook his pelt out and then narrowed his eyes. "Why didn't you wake me?"

"Oh, well it's not until sun-high and, well, other reasons."

Ashpaw just shrugged. He didn't care what all the she-cats secrets were.
Suddenly Windpaw's brown tabby body whisked out of the den.
Ashpaw wondered for a moment if he should follow, but then decided to see if she'd come back.
Then, the slender tabby pushed her way back into the den, carrying a fluffy young squirrel. "Here, we can share this. We'll need energy for my Assessment."

"Ok," Ashpaw mewed and took a bite of the squirrel. "Thanks, by the way."

"No problem!" Windpaw purred.
When the two young cats had finished the squirrel, they padded out to see Brightpelt and Nighthowl, both looking impatient.
"Have you seen Cloudpaw?" Nighthowl asked worriedly. "I haven't seen him yet today and he can't miss his Assesment!"

Windpaw nodded. "Yes, I saw him go into the forest earlier. He said he was going hunting."
Nighthowl rolled her eyes. "I guess I'll have to go find him. Sometimes that tom is quite a pawful!"

Ashpaw mrrowed in amusement at this. "I wonder if anybody talks to Emberpaw about me being a pawful."

Windpaw cuffed him over the ears. "Yeah, whatever, Cloudpaw is the biggest mouse-brain in the Clan!"

Brightpelt had started pacing now. "Are you two going to stand there and gossip all day, or are we going to Windpaw's Assessment?"

Ashpaw and Windpaw quieted. They followed the black-and-brown she-cat into the forest.
"First, well do the fighting part of the Assessment. I'm going to see how good you do on both offence and defence.
Ashpaw, you attack her first."

Ashpaw didn't hesitate as he hurled himself at the surprised she-cat. He hit her in the face with claws sheathed, and pummelled her belly with his hind paws.
Windpaw let out a faint cry of pain.
Ashpaw immediately loosened his grip. "Are you ok?" He asked worriedly.
Windpaw flashed upward at him and purred. "Oh, so you fell for it?" Before pushing him backward.
She shivered her paws against his face and he cried out in mock pain.
Windpaw leaped upward and then seemed to fly down at him, hitting his back hard with her nimble paws.
Ashpaw growled.
Then he heard Brightpelt calling. "Ok, that's good. Great job, guys!"

Windpaw immediately stopped attacking him and stepped back. She traced the tip of her tail against his spine and whispered. "Good fight. You did well." She looked deeply into his eyes with her green ones and then added. "Well for a new apprentice, anyway."
Ashpaw saw the tease in her eyes and knew not to be hurt but then hissed playfully. "I'll get you for that!"

"Ok, Ashpaw you can go back to camp. Windpaw will let you know how the rest of her assessment was when she gets back." Brightpelt told him.

Ashpaw quickly scampered away, his long light-grey tail high in the air. When he reached the camp and pushed through the thorn barrier he could hear cats arguing.
Bluewhisker, Stormpelt and Stickscratch were saying something to Pebblestar.
Ashpaw crept closer to hear what they were saying.
Stickscratch was growling. "Pebblestar, we need to patrol more along the IvyClan border. Those mange-pelts have been sneaking across the border again. Ask them," he nodded at Bluewhisker and Stormpelt. "they scented it too."

Pebblestar looked at the two cats, her gaze questioning. The two cats nodded and Pebblestar mewed. "Very well, you may go."
As the three cats were dismissed they padded away.
Ashpaw went to the fresh-kill pile to grab some prey. Pebblestar, who was still there, asked Ashpaw: "how's Windpaw's assessment going so far?"

Ashpaw blinked. "Good, I think."

"We'll have two more good warriors by sunset." Pebblestar purred. Her voice sounded weary and tired.
Suddenly Windpaw and Cloudpaw burst through the thorn barrier.
"We passed, we passed!" Cloudpaw yowled.
Windpaw caught Ashpaw's eye and she raced over.
"Great job, today," Ashpaw purred. "You did great!"

It was sunset and Pebblestar had just jumped onto the High Peak. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the High Peak for a Clan meeting."

As cats began to pool out of dens to sit in front of the High Peak. Yellowear and Birchsky sat near the back.
The two elders; Smallstep and Longwhisker came out of their den and sat down, tails wrapped around their paws.
As Pebblestar began to speak again, Windpaw started bouncing upside down excitedly.  Cloudpaw looked at his sister, his eyes sparkling.
"Brightpelt, Nighthowl, do your apprentices fulfil the needs to become a warrior?"
Brightpelt nodded while Nighthowl said, "Yes."

"Then you may come forward, Cloudpaw, Windpaw," Pebblestar mewed.
The dark brown tom walked slowly towards Pebblestar, but even though he walked calmly, Ashpaw could tell he was trembling from the excitement. Windpaw ran forward like a kit.
"Cloudpaw, Windpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, even at the cost of your life?"

The two young cats glanced at each other and then mewed. "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan you shall receive your Warrior names. Cloudpaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Cloudswirl. StarClan honours your courage and strength and we know you will be a great warrior."
Cloudswirl touched noses with the great leader, then jumped down from the High Peak.

Then, Pebblestar spoke again. "Windpaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Windstorm. StarClan honours your loyalty and quick-paws and knows you will serve your Clan for many moons to come."

Ashpaw was the first to yowl Windstorm's name. "Windstorm, Cloudswirl!" Then the others joined in happy yowling.
"Windstorm! Cloudswirl! Windstorm! Cloudswirl!"

The two new warriors bowed their heads.
Pebblestar spoke again, her voice loud and clear. "You will keep vigil tonight."
The two cats nodded.