Warrior Cats: The Thistle and the Feather

Chapter 7

   His assessment was starting, Thistlepaw felt wide awake. Rocktuft made him get extra sleep the past few days because of the upcoming test. Rocktuft padded next to his apprentice.

   "First skill, hunting," He pressed, "Find me a gray mouse."

   Thistlepaw thought in surprise. A gray mouse? Those are fast, and rare! But he didn't argue. Thistlepaw parted his jaws.

   "Don't forget you're also graded on time, let's say your mother is ill, and really needs prey, go get it!"

   Surprisingly, Thistlepaw picked up the scent of a gray mouse and stalked the scent until he found it's burrow.

   "Fox-dung!" He cursed.

   He heard scuffling though, Thistlepaw quietly backed up, his shoulders were tense, ready to pounce. The gray mouse darted right outside the hole, and as soon as he saw it, Thistlepaw pounced, landing square on it's spine. Thistlepaw picked up the mouse and brought it to Rocktuft.

   Rocktuft sniffed it, "Good. Battle skills are next. Say I'm a GloomClan warrior who wants to steal your prey. I won't go easy on you, but my claws will be sheathed."

   Thistlepaw nodded and crouched, waiting for Rocktuft to make a move. Rocktuft's tail was twitching... hmm, right! Thistlepaw should try and predict what move they are going to make. It's obviously a GloomClan battle move too. Thistlepaw noticed that most of Rocktuft's weight was shifted to his hind legs. Forepaw Slam!

   Rocktuft jumped, and Thistlepaw dived forward, Rocktuft missed him by a hair. Thistlepaw needs to interpret their next move faster. Rocktuft's weight was again on his hind legs, but his tail was tucked in. What move was that? Right! The Forepaw dive.

   Rocktuft dived, grabbing for Thistlepaw's legs, but the apprentice jumped, and Rocktuft once again missed.

   "Pick up the mouse, let's go back to camp and I'll report your results to the leader," The two cats padded back into camp, Featherpaw was already back. She seemed on edge. Thistlepaw walked over to her.

   "I wonder if I passed," She murmured.

   "I'm sure you did!" Thistlepaw purred.

   Both Twigwhisper and Rocktuft were in the leader's den. Nettlestar and the warriors popped up, the leader jumped onto the Great Rock.

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

   Every cat swiftly gathered beneath the Great Rock. This was going to be an important meeting, they knew.

   "Today, we have two new apprentices!" Nettlestar peered down to where Larkstripe, Pikekit, and Flowerkit sat.

   Thistlepaw choked, Featherpaw crouched down in disbelief. Did they fail their assessment?

   Nettlestar hopped down, since the kits were too small to jump up there, "Pikekit and Flowerkit, come forward.

   "Pikekit, from this moment on, you will be known as Pikepaw," Nettlestar turned towards the black warrior in the crowd, "Bouncestep, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You will be mentor to Pikepaw,

   "Bouncestep, you have shown yourself to be a determined and strong warrior. Do all that you can to pass on what you know down to Pikepaw."

   Bouncestep pressed his muzzle to Pikepaw's, "I will do my best to impress you, Nettlestar."

   Nettlestar turned towards Flowerkit, "Flowerkit, from this day on you will be-"

   "Wait!"

   "What?" Nettlestar cocked his head to the side.

    "I want to be a medicine cat apprentice," Flowerkit mewed.

   Nettlestar peered at Gorsestorm, "Gorsestorm? Do you agree to take Flowerkit as your apprentice?"

   "I guess I need one," The medicine cat rasped, "Cats of LightningClan, it is time for me to take on an apprentice. Your next medicine cat will be Flowerpaw."

   Nettlestar turned back to Flowerpaw, "Flowerpaw, do you accept the post of apprentice to Gorsestorm?"

   "I do."

   "Then at the half-moon, you must travel to the Moon Bush to be accepted by StarClan before the other medicine cats. The good wishes of all LightningClan will go with you."

   "Pikepaw! Flowerpaw! Pikepaw! Flowerpaw!"

   Nettlestar cleared his throat to get everyone's attention, "We also have two new warriors!"

   Thistlepaw and Featherpaw stared at Nettlestar. They passed! The apprentices leaped up onto the Great Rock with their leader.

   "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," Nettlestar looked at Featherpaw, "Featherpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

   "I do," Featherpaw replied strongly.

   "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Featherpaw, from this moment you will be known as Featherwing. StarClan honors your honesty and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of LightningClan."

   The leader looked at Thistlepaw, "Thistlepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

   Thistlepaw swallowed, "I do."

   "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Thistlepaw, from this moment you will be known as Thistlestorm. StarClan honors your courage and protection, and we welcome you as a full warrior of LightningClan."

   The Clan cheered loudly, "Thistlestorm! Featherwing! Thistlestorm! Featherwing!"

   The newly made warriors beamed with pride, they, now twelve moons old, were true warriors of LightningClan. Thistlestorm caught sight of Yang and Timberleap, looking at them with pride. Thistlestorm purred, "I will protect this Clan with all the strength that StarClan has bore to me!"

   The Clan roared in agreement, but Thistlestorm caught Yellowgaze hiss, she was jealous. He needed to learn what happened to her and her brother.

*()*()*()*()*()*

   Thistlestorm walked over to Willowfoot, sleeping peacefully in her nest. She was taking only a nap, he hated to bother her, but he needed to know this.

   "Willowfoot?" He prodded her ear gently.

   "Cloudkit!" She yowled and bolted awake, "Oh, sorry," She flattened her ears.

   "Actually, I've come to ask exactly about that."

   "I thought you'd ask," She sighed, come with me. The cats padded out of camp as Blossomheart organized the dusk patrol, they walked amongst their side of the river. RainClan territory lay beyond it.

   Willowfoot lapped at the water, not thirsty, Thistlestorm patiently waited. The she-cat rose and sat up, "Not too long before you and your sister was born, Bouncekit, Yellowkit, Cloudkit and I were playing Mossball. Then Owlstar and some of his warriors came in and said they were in desperate need of a medicine cat apprentice... That their medicine cat died, and they had no apprentice of their own. They found someone who would temporarily take place, but would leave in a few moons. Nettlestar said he couldn't, " Willowfoot choked on her words, "He said he couldn't leave a Clan to die because they had no real medicine cat. And... Owlstar," She grimaced, "Took my precious Cloudkit. I... I still miss his presence." She looked at her reflection in the water.

   "I'm sorry," Thistlestorm said, "I shouldn't have asked."

   "It's fine, it's better that you did," And then she walked away, alongside the river. Thistlestorm didn't follow, he ought to leave the she-cat alone. Then he started back towards camp, his vigil is tonight.