Warriors || Hopestar's Choice: Book 1 (1 of 3)

Chapter 8

Hopepaw woke the next morning to Tigerstar yowling for a clan meeting. Groaning, Hopepaw rolled over onto her other side only to find herself face to face with Bramblepaw. She sat up quickly just before he opened his eyes. The dark brown tabby apprentice stretched his front paws and yawned.

"Is Tigerstar calling a clan meeting?" Bramblepaw wondered. All the other apprentices were already out there.

Hopepaw nodded, "Yes, but I don't know what about." Her fur felt hot with embarrassment as she remembered last night. Bramblepaw and her had laid there under the stars for what felt like a lifetime. They had returned to camp just after moonhigh. Hopepaw felt extremely deprived of sleep, but it had been well worth it.

She exited the den with Bramblepaw right behind her. They joined the other apprentices and she noticed Sorrelpaw and Tawnypaw give her a look. Hopepaw tried to ignored them and focused on the meeting.

"TigerClan, today it is my pleasure to announce that Fernpaw and Ashpaw have reached their warrior assessments." Tigerstar announced and the clan erupted into cheering. Tigerstar silenced them with a flick of the tail. "When TigerClan was weaker and known by the name of ThunderClan, our apprentices proved themselves through a monitored hunt and battle by their mentors. But now, in this new era of strength, we will assess our apprentices a bit differently."

Tigerstar jumped down from Highrock and walked to the center of the crowd. "Make space for our two apprentices." The clan moved back until there was a considerable amount of space at the center of the clan. Hopepaw's belly twisted at the realization of what they had formed: a fighting ring.

"Each apprentice will face off with a seasoned warrior. If they prove themselves formidable in battle, then they will receive their warrior names." Tigerstar growled. "Ashpaw, you will go first. You will fight Darkstripe. Claws unsheathed." Murmurs of disbelief and anger rose up from the clan, but no one dared confront Tigerstar-the death of Smallear still fresh in their memories.

Ashpaw made his way to the center of the ring where Darkstripe waited. Hopepaw sized up each fighter. Darkstripe was a big tom, not as big as Tigerstar, but still big. His long claws looked frightening from where Hopepaw sat. She glanced at Ashpaw. Although the pale gray tom has proven himself, he still would need everything he had to beat Darkstripe.

"And...begin!" Tigerstar yowled.

Darkstripe lunged for Ashpaw and the pale gray apprentice narrowly avoided him. He spun around and lashed Darkstripe across his haunches. Then, Ashpaw leaped on top of Darkstripe only for the great dark tabby tom to fall back on top of him. Hopepaw winced at the sight.

When Darkstripe stood up, he turned to claw Ashpaw against his belly. Hopepaw noticed Brindleface, Ashpaw's mother, watching with a horrified expression. Ashpaw suddenly lunged for Darkstripe, securing his front legs around Darkstripe's neck while his hind claws raked down Darkstripe's belly.

Blood spilled onto the ground and Ashpaw let go of Darkstripe. The dark tom had fire in his dark eyes, and he launched himself at Ashpaw. Hopepaw sighed in relief when Ashpaw dodged him. Just before they could go at each other again, Tigerstar called them off.

"Ashpaw," Tigerstar walked into the ring towards the pale gray apprentice. "You have proved yourself a formidable fighter. Do you promise to uphold the Code of TigerClan, to fight until the death to protect this clan, and to draw blood like a warrior?"

Ashpaw dipped his head in respect. "I do."

Tigerstar stepped forward and raked his claws across the right side of Ashpaw's face. Blood dripped from Tigerstar's deadly claws. "Then I name you Ashfang, warrior of TigerClan."

The clan, still mortified by the display they had watched, was hardly able to cheer Ashfang's name. It took them a few moments to regain their minds, and then they cheered for the newly named Ashfang.

Tigerstar then turned to Fernpaw. "Fernpaw, you will be fighting Swiftwind."

Hopepaw watched her friend enter the ring. Fernpaw looked scared and determined at the same time. Her attention turned to Swiftwind. The black and white tom had been an apprentice of Longtail's and he had adopted the same arrogance that Longtail and Darkstripe possessed. Hopepaw worried that he would be too hard on Fernpaw.

"Begin!" Tigerstar yowled.

Fernpaw was the first to lunge. She clawed Swiftwind across the face and the warrior angrily retaliated with a few well-placed blows. The fight didn't last as long as Ashfang's, but Fernpaw definitely had been able to hold her own. When Tigerstar stopped them, Fernpaw had a few gashes, so did Swiftwind.

"Fernpaw, you have proved yourself a formidable fighter." Tigerstar went to stand in front of Fernpaw. "Do you promise to uphold the Code of TigerClan, to fight until the death to protect this clan, and to draw blood like a warrior?"

Fernpaw lowered her head and replied: "I do."

Tigerstar raked his claws on the right side of Fernpaw's face, just like he had done with Ashfang. "Then I name you Ferncloud, warrior of TigerClan."

"Ferncloud! Ferncloud!" The clan cheered. Hopepaw couldn't bring herself to cheer. What was happening to the clan? They seemed to be growing accustomed to Tigerstar's sadistic ways. Hopepaw noticed Sandstorm didn't join in with the cheering, neither did Cinderpelt nor Whitestorm.

But Hopepaw wanted to fit in. She wanted to be accepted by her clanmates, especially Bramblepaw. So she joined in with the cheering. Besides, Tigerstar was trying to make them stronger.

Tigerstar suddenly silenced the clan, leaping back onto Highrock. "Tonight, TigerClan will attack ShadowClan. It is time that two clans became one. TigerClan is the strongest clan, and I see it as our destiny to unify the clans. The forest will shake underneath our power and pride. Nothing can break us. We are TigerClan!"

"TigerClan! TigerClan! TigerClan!"

Again, Tigerstar silenced the clan. "Tonight, I will bring with me all of my warriors except for Halftail, Patchpelt, One-eye, and Dappletail. I will also bring every apprentice."

The clan erupted into cheering. Tonight, TigerClan would make its move to rule top he forest. Hopepaw only hoped the future would be as magnificent as Bramblepaw had promised.

~

A/N
Some of the warriors will not have the same names as I don't believe Tigerstar would've chosen the exact same names as Bluestar. For example, Ashfur is Ashfang. Please vote and comment!