Excerpt #5.

“Riverclan did what?” Firestar shouted lashing his tail back and forth, clan members around the camp turned and stared at their leader, “Firestar, Goldenbrook is dead, Riverclan has taken Sunningrocks, you must gather more warriors, we must drive them off, Sunningrocks has been ours ever since Bluestar was leader,” Roseheart meowed, Firestar shook his head, “How long?” He meowed. “How long...?” Sandstorm asked cutting in, Firestar wheeled around, “Yes, how long? How long has it been since Diamondpaw and the other apprentices have been training?” He meowed turning to look up at the stars that were shining in Silverpelt,  “Nearly 3 moons Firestar,” Sandstorm replied nuzzling him and licking his ear, Firestar shook his head and sighed, “half the time it would normally take to become a warrior,” He mewed, Sandstorm nodded, then stood up and stretched, “Firestar, think about the clan, as leader, you can do anything, if you go to war with Riverclan, your warriors will follow you to the death, but,” She paused, “Think about it, are you willing to sacrifice warriors to beat Riverclan and get Sunningrocks back?” She asked walking towards the fresh-kill pile. She turned back, and at once Firestar ran up to her and pressed his head into her warm fur, feeling her warmth spreading about his him.  “Oh Sandstorm, how will I ever tell the clan?” He said shaking his head.  “I understand Firestar, we do, need more warriors,” She replied, “Tomorrow at sunrise, I will announce the apprentices warrior ceremony,” He said, Sandstorm nodded, “As you wish Firestar,” She bowed her head and backed out of her leaders den.



Diamondpaw woke up the next morning.  He still couldn’t believe that Goldenbrook had died.  “What was Riverclan thinking? Sunningrocks is rightfully ours, and now they’ve sunken deeper now that they’ve killed a clan cat out of it!” He thought shaking his head.  He looked around lazily; several moons had passed since he had joined the clan.  He had gotten used to the daily routines.  He could smell Frostpaw’s scent, turning around, Frostpaw walked up, “Glad you’re awake,” She said, they touched noses; “Finally,” She added her eyes were filled with her amusement.  Diamondpaw smiled.  They walked to the fresh-kill pile together, Diamondpaw chose a starling from the pile and took it to eat, Frostpaw chose a vole and followed.  Gulping his meal faster then he expected he looked up in time to see Firestar and Sandstorm walk up, Diamondpaw and Frostpaw stood up and bowed their heads respectfully, Sandstorm nodded to Firestar, “We’ve spoken to Teddypaw and Skypaw, we must speak with you now,” Firestar hesitated, then continued, “Its time you became warriors,” He meowed, Frostpaw looked at Diamondpaw and did a little skip of delight.  “We will have the ceremony at Sun high, you are excused from patrols, hunting and training until then, get cleaned up nicely and be ready,” He said turning around and summoning for Sandstorm to come with a flick of his tail, Sandstorm turned, started walking off then turned back, “Diamondpaw, as your mentor, I want to say that you did extremely well, I am very proud of you, congratulations,” She said, Diamondpaw nodded and smiled, Sandstorm smiled back and followed Firestar.  Diamondpaw and Frostpaw looked at each other, smiled and ran as fast as they could towards the apprentices den.  Teddypaw and Skypaw looked up from where they were dozing in the sun,  “Did you hear the news?” Skypaw asked sitting up.  “Yes! Isn’t it great?” Frostpaw panted slowing down a bit before bowling over Teddypaw, “Well at least you hit Teddypaw and not me,” Skypaw said, before getting bowled over by a laughing Diamondpaw, they wrestled and laughed.  It was their last day as apprentices, together they had grown close, and together they had fought side by side against rogue cats, now they would become warriors!  Frostpaw leaped off Teddypaw and sat up, playfully batting his ears; Teddypaw also sat up, as did Diamondpaw and Skypaw.  Sandstorm walked over, scowling, “Its time, what happened to your grooming?” She asked suspiciously, she laughed as Skypaw batted Diamondpaw in the back of the head bowling him over, Diamondpaw shook his head and sat up, “We’re dirty...” He said starting to lick himself, the others followed suit.  Diamondpaw finished and started helping the others; they finished and followed Sandstorm to the High-Rock.  Firestar was already there, Sandstorm nodded, and he climbed onto the rock, “Let all those old enough to catch their own prey, gather here beneath the High-Rock for a clan meeting,” He shouted.  Clan cats lazily walked towards the High-Rock and gathered together and looked up expectantly.  Diamondpaw and his friends stood next to the big rock, Firestar looked around, “We have lost many warriors and apprentices this leaf-bare, thankfully, we haven’t lost any of our kits, I come to you today, introducing Thunderclan’s newest Warriors!” His voice thundered around the camp, meows of happiness came from the gathered cats, “Step forward, Teddypaw,” Firestar meowed, Teddypaw climbed the rock and sat in front of Firestar, “Teddypaw, you have shown your worth for the clan, both in hunting and battle, you are strong and show great courage, my clan, look upon this young apprentice, I ask you, is he worthy?” He asked glancing around at the cats, “He is,” They chorused.  “I Firestar, strip you, Teddypaw of your apprentice name, you shall now be called Teddypelt,” He lowered his head and touched it on Teddypelt’s head, Teddypelt in return licked his shoulder.  Teddypelt walked down back to his friends with a big smile on his face, he sat down.  Firestar continued, “Step forward Skypaw,” Skypaw started walking up the rock, she slipped and fell, twisted her paw and grimaced at the cracking sound as she stood up, she shook her head and limped up.  Firestar looked down at her and smiled, “Skypaw, you have become experienced faster then normal, your agility and speed give you great hunting abilities, is she worthy?” He asked, “She is worthy!” The clan chorused back, “Then I Firestar, strip you of your apprenticed name, you shall be called Skystorm,” He said, he lowered his head and touched it on her head, she licked his shoulder in return, limping down she sat by Teddypelt and began licking her injured leg.  “Step forward Frostpaw,” Frostpaw bounded up the rock and skidded to a halt in front of Firestar, “Frostpaw, you are ambitious, you think things through more then any other cat, you will be a great addition to our warriors, is she worthy?” He asked again, and again they replied “She is worthy,” They said, “No more will you be called Frostpaw, we had a great warrior once, her name was Frostfur, you now also will be known as Frostfur,” Firestar bent and touched his head to hers and she licked his shoulder.  Firestar called once more, “Step forward Diamondpaw,” Diamondpaw proudly bounded up the rock and sat down in front of Firestar, “Diamondpaw, you have shown how loyal you are, you fought for us against ShadowClan before you even joined us, I ask you my clan, one more time, is he worthy?” there was a silence, then a chorus of yowls from Frostpaw and the other two newly made warriors, “He is worthy!” They shouted, and then it was picked up by the rest of the clan, Firestar smiled, “Diamondpaw, you shall be called Diamondheart!” Firestar once more bent low and touched his head to Diamondheart’s, Diamondheart in turn licked his shoulder.  The clan burst out shouting all four of the new warrior’s names, “Teddypelt! Skystorm! Frostfur! Diamondheart!” Their shouting echoed through all of Thunderclan territory, it even dared enter into Riverclan and Shadowclan territory.  All four warriors smiled and nodded their thanks.  Diamondheart excused himself to rest, the other warriors followed, “What a big day!” Skystorm said yawning, “Indeed” replied Teddypelt, Frostfur nodded and started heading towards the fresh-kill pile when Diamondheart yowled and rolled on the ground with a spasm, “Diamondheart, what’s wrong?” Her eyes flew wide, he lay still for several moments, then gasping he shook his head several times,  “I--I’ve had a message from Starclan,” He replied shocked and gasping hard, “A message? What did it say?,” Skystorm meowed standing up, “Blood from the clans will be shed, when the day that dawn rose in red,” He replied standing up, then fell down and lay there shuddering, Frostfur whipped her head around, “Skystorm, fetch Leafpool, now!” Frostfur shouted, then sat down beside Diamondheart and began licking him, “Don’t worry Diamondheart, Leafpool will help you,” She said trying to soothe him, “Yes but...can she... save us...from...the--the destruction,” His eyes flew wide open, “The--the blood, the cats, stop them, don’t let them... NOOOOOO!” He screamed and lost consciousness.

~Justin D~