Warrior Cats: The Thistle and the Feather

Chapter 5

   Rocktuft was pushing him even harder now that the his assessment was right around the corner. "Thistlepaw! Climb up that tree and catch that squirrel, now!" Thistlepaw growled with effort as he pulled himself up the trunk. The squirrel had no idea it was going to become Pikekit's and Flowerkit's supper. He was right below the squirrel now.

   "Any day now, Thistlepaw!" The warrior called.

   Thistlepaw searched through his memory, you have to come from below.. be quiet..  snatch it from the branch or hole that it's in! Thistlepaw bunched up his hindquarters, struggling slightly to keep his grip on the trunk, and pushed himself up. He grabbed the branch above him with his paws and dug in his claws. He quickly snatched the squirrel with his teeth and bit down harder, feeling successful as the squirrel went limp in his jaws. Blossomheart always praised Bouncepaw, no longer Bouncekit. Same with Yellowpaw. They both earned their apprentice names again, after Nettlestar realized he was just grief-stricken. Thistlepaw scrabbled down the tree quickly. Was he quick enough? He knows this isn't his assessment, but Rocktuft keeps commenting on his speed.

   "Not quick enough!" Rocktuft growled, but softened as he saw Thistlepaw flinch under the harshness, "I'm sorry Thistlepaw, I just want to make sure you pass the assessment. There are certain rules I have to grade you under, you can't just fail and I just let you pass because I feel like it." The warrior purred.

   Thistlepaw straightened up, "I'll make you proud, Rocktuft!" The apprentice remembered when he was a kit, it was a dream he always had to be apprenticed to Rocktuft. It was a kithood dream come true. 

   "You already have impressed me," Rocktuft twitched his whiskers and stared at Thistlepaw's paw. The apprentice realized he was stepping in dung.

   "Yuck!" Thistlepaw jumped up, the squirrel dangled from his jaws.

   Rocktuft chuckled, "Come on, I think that's enough for today."

   The two cats were greeted with purring warriors, as usual. Rocktuft departed from his apprentice to play with his son and daughter. Thistlepaw flicked his ear, he wondered if he'd have his own kits one day. Catching his sister's eye, Thistlepaw ran over to share the vole she was eating.

   "Did you catch that vole?" Thistlepaw twitched his whiskers in amusement.

   "Oh shoot, yeah," Featherpaw fell over dramatically, Thistlepaw purred, taking hint of the sarcasm in her voice. The two apprentices finished the vole together and started chatting about how their training is going.

   "Rocktuft says I'll do a great job at my assessment!" Thistlepaw licked his paw and brought it over his head.

   "Twigwhisper says I'll be better than you," Featherpaw purred.

   "Oh I'll see about that!" Thistlepaw got into a hunting crouch but the leader's call stopped him.

   Nettlestar stood confidently on the Great Rock, "All cats old enough to hunt for themselves, gather beneath the Great Rock for a Clan meeting!"

   The cats huddled under the rock and peered up at their leader. Thistlepaw whispered in his sister's ear, "It can't be our warrior ceremony can it?"

   Featherpaw shook her head, "Look!" Bouncepaw and Yellowpaw were climbing up the Great Rock.

   "Bouncepaw and Yellowpaw are well over their warrior ceremony due. I fixed my mistake with their punishment. We as a Clan will now welcome them as a true member of LightningClan."

   Nettlestar turned towards the apprentices, who looked as big as warriors, Thistlepaw was envious, "I, Nettlestar, leader of LightningClan, 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,

   "Bouncepaw and Yellowpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Nettlestar looked intently at the to-be-warriors.

   "I do," They said in unison.

   "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Bouncepaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Bouncestep. StarClan honors your determination and pride. Yellowpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Yellowgaze, and we welcome you both as  full warriors of LightningClan." Nettlestar touched his muzzle to each of the warriors' heads.

   The Clan cheered, "Bouncestep! Yellowgaze! Bouncestep! Yellowgaze!" Willowfoot's cheers were more audible than the rest.

   The two new warriors would sit vigil tonight, and watch over the Clans. It's a rule in the warrior code to show that now, as warriors, they must be responsible, and not foolish. But it's still Sunhigh, and the Gathering is tonight.

   Nettlestar had not yet called off the meeting, he was talking to Timberleap, Larkstripe, and Darkclaw. The Clan watched the cats talk amongst themselves. Nettlestar addressed the Clan once again, "Darkclaw, you have served this Clan for many moons, and now shall we serve you for many moons to come. You have decided to enter the elder's den a little early, but I suppose that LightningClan agrees you've served us well enough?"

   "Darkclaw! Darkclaw!" The Clan chanted.

   "From now on, Darkclaw, you are an elder of LightningClan. You deserve seasons of rest." Nettlestar licked Darkclaw's shoulder. Darkclaw purred and hopped down. She would be lonely in the elder's den for a while.

   "Timberleap and Larkstripe are now returning to their warrior duties, as a Clan, we've been helpful to them in their time as a queen, now it is once again their turn to serve us and each other. Timberleap stayed away from her warrior duties longer than she wanted to, so she could help Larkstripe with her difficult birth."

   The Clan chanted again, "Timberleap! Larkstripe!"

   Everyone shared tongues that afternoon, speaking of what great warriors Bouncestep and Yellowgaze would be, and how they finally had an elder after Woodfeather passed away. They also talked about how happy Sandcloud and Woodfeather were in StarClan, they were both very close littermates, neither had an actual family of their own.

   Today had been tough and long, Thistlepaw and Featherpaw were alone now in the apprentice's den, Thistlepaw settled down in his nest and fell asleep.