Dark Secrets: Part 2

Note: So sorry! Tonight's the gathering, actually. So everyone on yesterday's post will go tonight, OK?

The link is: www.thewarriorgathering.blogspot.com

Now onto the real post:

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Silentpaw ducked underneath Slatetail's hard jab, flipping underneath the she-cats belly before sinking her claws into the center of Slatetail's belly, blood leaking onto Silentpaw's paws. Slatetail let out a yowl of pain before Silentpaw pushed up, flinging the she-cat into the churn of twigs and dead bracken.

"Excellent, Silentpaw. Your enemies won't know what hit them." Silentpaw turned to see Coldgaze nodding with approval.

"Thank you, Coldgaze," Silentpaw said, dipping her head to the white tom.

"Dumb apprentice..." Slatetail mumbled underneath her breath as she limped off into the bushes to lick her wounds.

"I think your ready to meet the others." Coldgaze meowed, flicking his tail for Silentpaw to follow him. The... others? She thought as she padded with him into a clearing. Three more cat were their, two circling each other as the third sat upon a large rock. Silentpaw looked at Coldgaze, who nudged her forward.

"Thistlefang, Oakstar, we have another apprentice." Coldgaze announced to the two toms. The gray-and-white tom looked up from circling his shadowed opponent, before hungrily staring at Silentpaw.

"Fresh meat?" he hissed, pacing forward to come near Silentpaw. She ducked back, shifting closer to Coldgaze.

"Thistlefang, stay back and let me asses this new cat." A huge brown-and-white tom with black ears and burning orange eyes snarled to the gray-and-white tom known as Thistlefang.

He circled Silentpaw before stopping and nodding to Coldgaze. "Seems in good shape, and bears the scars of a Dark Forest apprentice," he growled to Coldgaze. The black-eared tom prodded Silentpaw's flank, the side were she received a grueling scar from Slatetail. Silentpaw held in a holler of pain. "And not soft. You have found a proper apprentice this time."

"Of course, Oakstar." Coldgaze dipped his head.

"Silentpaw?" The shadowed cat from before meowed, coming from the shadows.

Silentpaw's fur prickled with shock as she realized who this cat was.

"Foxclaw?"

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"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting!" Fernstar mewed, sitting atop the rock.

Silentpaw cast a frightful glance at the battered Foxclaw, who shared her suspicions.

"Today, we are naming new warriors! Brookpaw, Creekpaw, step forward.

"I, Fernstar, leader of ShadeClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these two apprentices. They have trained hard to learn the ways of your code, and I commend you make them warriors in turn. Do you, Creekpaw and Brookpaw, promise to uphold the warrior code, and protect ShadeClan, even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do." Both cats declared proudly.

"Then warriors you will be. Creekpaw, from this moment forward, you will be known as Creekleap. StarClan honors you for your courage and bravery, and welcomes you as a full warrior of ShadeClan. Brookpaw, from this moment forward, you will be known as Brookfeather. StarClan honors you for your kindness and strength, and welcomes you as a full warrior of ShadeClan."

"Creekleap! Brookfeather! Creekleap! Brookfeather!"

"Meeting dismissed!" Fernstar called, leaping off of the Highrock. Silentpaw watched as Creekleap bounded towards Whitepaw, happiness in both of their eyes. Silentpaw unsheathed her claws and dug them into the floor.

Will no cat ever like me? She thought bitterly, stalking into the apprentices den. At least in the Dark Forest, I get noticed!


~Fernstar