The Blessed Warrior #1 - Fire Stream

Chapter 1

     Something jabbed Swanpaw in the side; she twitched away from it, batting feebly at her attacker. It poked her again and she hissed, lashing out with unsheathed claws this time.

     "Swanpaw! Would you stop that and get on the dawn patrol!" her father, Bronzeleaf scolded her like a kit. Swanpaw groggily opened her eyes and stared up at the golden-brown tabby, then jumped to her paws.

     "Sorry, Bronzeleaf.. I.. I was dreaming.." she stuttered hastily, bounding out of the apprentices' den, accidentally stepping on Lakepaw's tail. He grunted and turned over in his sleep. She whispered an apology and headed out into the hollow which held the BirchClan camp. A small stream ran through the centre of the camp, and a narrow slope leading upwards out of the dip made the exit to the camp. Tall birch trees surrounded the dell, hiding the camp from intruders.

      Waiting for her by the thick tree stump that held the fresh-kill pile, was her denmate, Redpaw. His russet-coloured fur shimmered in the early morning sunlight like the autumn leaves falling around them. His green eyes had their usual cheeky glint in them as she padded up to him.

     "Hi! You're up early." she greeted him.

     "Well, I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep I was so excited."

     "Excited about what?" Swanpaw frowned.

      "Didn't you know? Autumnstar's coming with us to see how our training's coming along!"

     "Really?!" Swanpaw bounced up and down with excitement. She was desperate to prove herself to the BirchClan leader.

     Tangledbriar, Swanpaw's mentor appeared behind Swanpaw. "Someone's excited." she purred. Swanpaw immediately stopped hopping around.

     "Sorry, Tangledbriar," she meowed. Then Swanpaw lowered her voice and whispered, "Do you think Autumnstar saw?"

     Tangledbriar purred again. "No. But you better behave, just in case.."

     "Come on! We're waiting!" Swiftstep, Redpaw's mentor called from the bottom of the slope that led out of camp. Waiting with him, was Autumnstar, his orange-brown coat dappled with sunlight. Swanpaw, Redpaw headed towards him, followed by Tangledbriar.

     "Are we all ready?" Autumnstar asked the patrol. They all nodded. Swanpaw was buzzing with excitement - she had the chance to show Autumnstar what a good apprentice she was!

     The dawn patrol started up the gently sloping path. The air was fresh, but not as cold as it had been, that winter when she and her sister, Starlingpaw, had been born. She couldn't really remember, but the elders were always full of dramatic tales of that harsh leaf-bare. Dew glistened on the few clumps of grass that adorned the dusty pathway; shining spiders' webs hung from the thorn bushes either side of them. Swanpaw was so engrossed by the beauty of the morning, that she nearly didn't hear the voice calling her name.

     "Swanpaw! Swanpaw, wait!" A familiar voice floated up to Swanpaw; it was Starlingpaw, racing up the path towards her sister. Swanpaw looked around, embarrassed. Autumnstar was watching them, his expression unreadable.

Oh no, Starlingpaw... not now!  Swanpaw thought despairingly as Starlingpaw rushed to her side.

     "Swanpaw! I'm soo glad I caught up with you! I thought you'd gone already..  I just want to say good luck! I wish I was you - getting to show the leader what you've learnt! Anyway, good luck again!" her sister bobbed her head quickly, then hurried back down the slope.

     Swiftstep eyed her dryly. "Can we go now, or do you have to see every other member of your family before we get going?"

     Swanpaw blushed. "No, sorry. We can go now." Autumnstar brushed her back with the tip of his tail.

     "Don't worry, Swanpaw. I know how much this must mean to you."   

     Swanpaw dipped her head to him, and the patrol set off into the forest. 

     Sun dappled onto the ground through the densely packed leaves above them. The fresh, but getting warmer, air was filled with the joyous calls of many birds.

     The dawn patrol stopped at the mossy brook that marked one edge of BirchClan territory.

     Autumnstar looked towards the two young apprentices. "Right. Swanpaw, Redpaw, tell me what you can smell."

     The red apprentice lifted his head, mouth open, and scented the air. "PineClan, and.. OakClan."

     Autumnstar nodded. "Well done, Redpaw. Swanpaw?"

     The grey-and-white patched she-cat blinked her light blue eyes. "The same as Redpaw.. hang on, what's that... oh, a mouse!" She dropped into a crouch and crept along the ground towards the base of a thick tree.

     A mouse was sitting, oblivious, eating a nut on a oak tree's root. Swanpaw snuck along the forest floor, until she was close enough, then she pounced, and snapped its neck.

     "Good catch, Swanpaw," Tangledbriar praised her. Autumnstar also blinked warmly at the apprentice. Swanpaw felt like she as about to explode with joy and pride.
     "Well done." Redpaw meowed.
     The dawn patrol carried on through the thick, moss-covered forest. Redpaw caught a squirrel and Swiftstep, his father, killed another mouse to add to the fresh-kill pile. The patrol were heading back towards the camp, when, over the border, they spotted an OakClan patrol.
     Autumnstar called out a greeting, and the OakClan warriors bounded up to the border, their eyes slightly narrowed.
     "Hi, Autumnstar," mewed Leapardspots, a light brown and black spotted tom, his voice guarded.
     "What a fine leaf-fall morning, isn't it?" Autumnstar said casually. Swiftstep's tail twitched slightly; he obviously wanted to get back to camp.
     "Yes, it is. We spotted a PineClan patrol hunting on our side of the borders today." Leaopardspots replied, then his ears flattened, as if he'd said too much.
     Autumnstar purred, almost inaudibly. "Well, PineClan are known for not being able to keep to their own borders."
     Leopardspots nodded briefly, then gestured with his tail towards the OakClan patrol. "Well, then, we'd better be going. Good morning to you, Autumnstar."
      "Same to you too, Leaopardspots." the BirchClan leader meowed. The OakClan patrol turned and headed back along the border. Autumnstar did the same, and led his warriors back through the forest of tumbling leaves.
     It was nearly sunhigh by the time the dawn patrol arrived back at the camp. Starlingpaw rushed up to Swanpaw as soon as she put one paw in the hollow.
     "Well, how was it? How did it go?"
     "Hang on, I'll talk in a minute," Swanpaw mumbled from behind the mouse she was carrying. She padded up to the fresh-kill tree stump, and placed the warm mouse onto it. As she was turning back to her sister, Tangledbriar strolled over.
     "Great job today, Swanpaw. That catch was amazing!"
     Swanpaw dipped her head gratefully. "Thanks, Tangledbriar."
     "I'm taking you on a training session this afternoon, if that's okay. Until then you can have a rest."
     "Yes, please, that would be amazing! Thanks again, Tangledbriar!"
     Her mentor purred, then padded off to sit in the shade, just as Starlingpaw came racing over again.
     "So, how did it go?? What happened?"
     Swanpaw stifled a mew of laughter at her sister's enthusiastic curiosity, and began her story.