My Warrior's Story!

[Hawkshadows/Wildpelt]

Eaglewind blinked out the sunlight that shone in his eyes. 'I'm not in the apprentice den!' he thought. 'Where am I?!' Then it all came back to him. He was made warrior yesterday. Eaglewind could see a shadowed figure linger near him. "You're vigil is over Eaglewind." the cat rasped. He looked up to see the senior warrior Coldbelly. He dipped his head politely. "How was the night?" Coldbelly said in the same raspy voice. 'Coldbelly was pretty old. He would be an elder soon.' Eaglewind commented to himself. Coldbelly's white belly fur towered over him as he got up to answer his question. "It was fine Coldbelly." he yawned. Motioning with his tail, Coldbelly walked out of the tunnel. As Eaglewind emerged he could see the clan awakening as well. Skystar was streching at the entrance to her den and Foxfire, the deputy, was already assigning patrols by the warriors den. Eaglewind walked over to the deputy to ask about a patrol himself. Foxfire did not like lazy warriors. In fact, he wasn't very patient at all with disobediant clan cats! "What do you want Eaglepaw?" Foxfire asked when Eaglwind approached. Foxfire shook his head. "Sorry." he appologized. Eaglewind acknowledged his apology with a curt nod. "Go on a hunting patrol with Coldbelly. Pick some other cat to go with you as well." "Thank you Foxfire." Eaglewind meowed formally. Coldbelly heard his duty and asked, "Why don't you get Stripedfeet to come with us eh, young 'un?" Eaglewind thought for a second. "Of course Coldbelly." he said. He walked into the warriors den and saw Stripedfeet stretching out. His black striped paws stood out in the green moss he had slept in. "Morning!" he greeted Stripedfeet who was at least 6 moons older than him. "Mornin'" Stripedfeet greeted back. "Can you come on a hunting patrol with me and Coldbellly?" Eaglewind asked hopefully. "Sure, sue, sure." Stripedfeet said. "Just let me wash myself..." Eaglewind blinked and went back to Coldbelly. "He'll be out in a minute." Eaglewind reported. "Mmmhmm." Coldbelly murmered. As they waited in silence Stripedfeet emerged from the den. "I'm ready!" he told them cheerily. "Let's go then!" Eaglewind exclaimed exitedly as he ran ahead. 'This will be my first hunt as a warrior!' the thought. As the others caught up and they came to a good hunting spot, Eaglewind inhaled the sweet Thunder Clan scent mixed in with woods. He smelled a vole behind some nettle and crept towards it. Eaglewind could see the others were on scent trails of their own. 'This will do Thunder Clan good.' he thought eyeing the vole. He was about a tail length away from the mouse when he stopped, readied, and pounced! The vole tried to squeal but the sound came out muffled. Eaglewind's sharp teeth tore it open and it was over. He buried the vole under the holly bush and kept on hunting. When the all met back up Coldbelly had a pheasant and a squirrel, Stripedfeet and two magpies and a mouse, and Eaglewind had a vole a starling and a chipmunk. They carried their kill back to camp and set in the pile. "Well done!" Foxfire praised as he saw their claim. Just as he finished Skystar's voice drifted from the high rock down to them: "All cats old enough to catch their prey, please gather under the high rock for a clan meeting!"

[Hawkshadows/Wildpelt]

Eaglewind pricked up his ears and headed over to the high rock to where Skystar was standing. Peering from behind her was a pair of bright green eyes which he didn't remember seeing... Sitting between Coldbelly and Stripedfeet Eaglewind awaited the new annoucenment. Skystar smiled from atop the high rock as she began. "As almost everyone knows," she began. "Today I went on the Dawn Patrol myself." she let the clan suck in the news. Alarm spread through thinking she ran into trouble. Skystar held up her tail for silence. "I was patroling the border heading into the uncharted territories." she explained calmly. "Every clan is aware that there are rouges there." More shocked alarms spread out. Skystar sighed. "Please!" she called impaitiently. "I found a rouge." she let it out. The clan didn't say anything this time, but stared at their leader. She motioned to something behind her with her tail. Eaglewind strained to look at what would appear from behind. When the gasps arrived, Skystar new that the clan was expecting something much much different. Eaglewind was too. What stepped out from the behind Skystar was merely a kit! 4 moons old at the most too! Snorts of amusment came from the clan. Clawfoot even dared to yell, "What a load of fox dung! Kick it out!" Skystar waited for the noise to die down. The kit now stood in front of the high rock and you could see it clearly. Eaglewind decided that the 'it' was a 'she'. But he had to admit the kit WAS beautiful. She had long golden fur with silver paws. A long chesnut colored stripe ran from her nose all the way down her spine and her tail was a pitch black color. But her eyes amazed everyone. Her eyes were a very bright, bright, bright, green. Even Foxfire seemed stunned! "Go on. Tell the clan your story." Eaglewind could hear Skystar whisper to the kit. The kit quavered as she stepped forward, and timmidly introduced herself. Her first words were a mere squeak saying: "I don't have a name." Skystar urged her on. "My mom lived with Up-walkers." The clan cats obviously made out that she meant to legs and hissed at the poor kit. Eaglewind said nothing. His brown and white pelt ruffled in the breeze that was blowing through. The kit looked hurt. Skystar pressed her tabby fur against the kit's gold flank. The kit continued. "I have a brother and a sister." she told the clan. "Where are they at!" Clawfoot yowled. "Are we gonna bring 3 kittypets into the clan!?" The kit looked like she was about to cry. Skystar nuzzled and she started again. "My mom ran away from her Up-walkers before we were born. My brother, sister, and I lived with her in the forest as...as..." she stuttered. "Spit it out!" Clawfoot screamed. "Rou- rrrr- roug- rooo- rouges!" she managed to say. Clawfoot spat on the ground. Eaglewind rolled his eyes. Clawfoot was all talk. In battle he was SHY! He hated killing. Eaglewind knew he never really meant what he said. Everyone did. Otherwise Skystar would be scolding him. From above all the noise the kit spoke again. "My mom went away one day and never came back." The old female queens looked like they felt badly for the kit. "One day my brother went looking for her and he didn't come back either..." she trailed off trying to remember. 'She is so small.' Eaglewind thought. 'This is all really hard for her.' "My sister and I walked off together and we became seperated as well. "That was a day ago. Then I found her." she looked at Skystar. "She hasn't eaten in a day I hope you realize." she pointed out to the clan. "I have told Foxfire about the whole situation she said. "I never showed him the kit but I told him. Both him and I agree that she should stay here!" she told the clan. The queens all nodded happily. Toms, like Clawfoot, hissed, "No! Throw her out! Throw her out!" Skystar looked at them viciously. "Throw a kit out to die?!" she screeched at them as they all stopped chanting. "You all discust me sometimes! This meeting is over! The kit will stay and be nursed by Dovesand!" Skystar was a great leader but was overly protective about kits. Eaglewind watched her storm into her den. Everyone started to wander away but then turned when they heard: "Who's Dovesand?" she little kit squeaked. "I'll show her." said Stripedfeet suddenly in a gruff tone. Foxfire didn't interfere and went to comfort Skystar in her den. Coldbelly walked back to the warriors den to talk with the other senior warriors, so Eaglewind followed Stripedfeet. The golden kit struggled to keep up.

[Hawkshadows/Wildpelt]

Stripedfeet noticed and slowed a bit so he could keep steady pace with the kit. The kit stared wide eyed at them both. "Are you warriors? Does that mean you get to hunt, and fight, and care for your clan?" she went on exitedly. Stripedfeet's face softened. "Yes, little one. Yes it does." Eaglewind was surprised the kit was aware of that. "She might make a good warrior." he whispered to Stripedfeet who nodded in return. As they entered the nursery, they could see Dovesand suckling her only kit, Sacredkit, who was only a bit older then the one they were about to show her. She pricked up her ears as they entered. "Hello!" she said brightly. The little kit ran up to her. "Are you Dovesand? Skystar told me you were nice." Dovesand laughed. "I am Dovesand, and I don't know what to think of Skystar sometimes!" she smiled to herself. "She's a very good leader and I want you to know that." she turned to Eaglewind. "Is this the one I'm supposed to take in?" she asked. Eaglewind looked at Stripedfeet. "Only if you'll take her." Stripedfeet, said carefully. Eaglewind backed him up by nodding. "Of course. How could I not?" she licked the kit and her own. The kit's eyes gleamed brightly. "Do you have a name?" Dovesand asked. Forlornly, the kit shook her head. Dovesand looked up at the sky for a moment and closed her eyes, murmering to herself. She suddenly looked back down and said, "Hawkkit." The kit tilted her head. "Haw-what?" she asked. "Hawkkit." Dovesand replied. "Do you like that name?" The kit eagerly bounced up and down. "Yes, yes, yes!" she snuggled close to Sacredkit and Dovesand. Dovesand nodded and went back to nursing, shooing the two toms away with her tail. "Hawkkit." Eaglewind was saying to Stripedfeet as they left. "I really think she'll grow up nicely." Stripedfeet looked at him. "Really? I don't know. She is a rouge..." Stripedfeet pointed out. "Does it really matter? It's not like she's a badger or something." Eaglewind said in defence of Hawkkit. Stripedfeet didn't reply. Soon Eaglewind walked into the warriors den, to get some shut eye. He lay down, though he could not rest. For his first day, being a warrior wasn't much different then being an apprentice. Since he was so young, everycat still ordered him around like he didn't know anything. 'Today was boring...' he thought. 'Exept...' he jumped up. 'There's a Gathering tonight!' he had completly forgotten. Skystar probably wouldn't let him come since his ceremony had just been last night, but he decided to ask her anyway. Picking up his paws one by one, he bounded across the clearing to Skystar's den. He was about to ask Skystar if he could come in, when he heard, "Eaglewind? Why are you here?" Eaglewind blinked. 'She always had a good sense of smell.' he cringed and walked in. Smiling he greeted her, "Hello Skystar." he paused long enough for Skystar to say, "Well, what is it?" he glanced up at her. "I was wondering if I could go to tonight's Gathering..." he asked quickly. Skystar gazed past him. "I haven't talked to Foxfire about it, but you can come Eaglewind. Tell Stripedfeet he can come too." she flicked her tail dismissing him but still gazing intently to something Eaglewind couldn't detect. Shrugging to himself, Eaglewind walked out of the den. He spotted Stripedfeet moping around the fresh kill pile and motioned him to come over. "The Gathering's tonight..." he started off. "And?" Stripedfeet questioned him. "We're going!" he let the news out. He and Stripedfeet exchanged happy purrs.

[Hawkshadows/Wildpelt]

When the moon was almost risen, Skystar was on the high rock again. "Foxfire and I have decided who will attend the Gathering!" she annouced after calling everyone over. "Accompaning me is, Foxfire, Greytail, Clawfoot, Bellpaw, Floraltail, Stripedfeet, and Eaglewind!" some unhappy groans could be heard from the cats that were not chosen. "Let us depart!" Skystar announced and left with Foxfire. Eaglewind and the other cats from Thunder Clan going to the Gathering followed their leader. Once there the moon was full and Shadow Clan and Wind Clan were already there. Robinstar and Stormstar were sitting atop the highrock and their deputies, Scarletpool and Brambleheart, were sitting at the bottom. Skystar bounded up beside the two leaders, and Foxfire took his place beside the deputies. River Clan was not here yet. They had seemed pretty...weak...the last anyone saw them. Stormstar's pale gray fur could be seen and the top of the rock. He didn't seem to care that River Clan was not here. "Attention!" he growled. When every cat's gaze was upon him, he sat down. "As you all know, I am getting very old and will probably die soon." Eaglewind rolled his eyes. 'That's Stormstar for you. Always looks at the bad side of things.' he continued. "In the next moon or two my deputy Brambleheart will probably take my place." he gestured to the brown and black she-cat. Brambleheart stood up and dipped her head. As Stormstar went on and on rumbling could be heard throughout everycat. Eaglewind to a whiff of the air. "Hey Stripedfeet," he whispered. "Do you smell River-" he was cut on. Dragging themselves into Four-Trees were Ashenstar, and his warriors. They looked absolutely awful! Ashenstar had cuts all along his side, he limped along with a bloodied leg, and he had cuts on his ears and tail. His warriors had similar injuries. "They've looked bad for the past couple moons. I didn't know it was that bad though..." Stripedfeet breathed to Eaglewind. He nodded in agreement. Even Stormstar had shut up to watch River Clan arrive. Ashenstar clambered unsteadily atop the highrock, wobbled to the back, and collapsed, breathing hard. Skystar looked horrified and could do nothing but star. Robinstar stopped grooming her bright ginger chest and backed up a bit. Everycat was silent now. Stormstar made his way over to Ashenstar. "Erm..." he was unsure of what to say. "Ashenstar, what happened?" Ashenstar lifted his gaze so it focused on the old Shadow Clan leader. "Nothin-" he choked. "Nothing...good." he rasped and closed his eyes.