Brightpaw was panicking. What shall I do? She thought in horror. Her friend, Crystalpaw, the medicine cat's apprentice had just delivered a prophecy. A prophecy of doom. The end is coming.... Bright Fire born of Water and Wind, Misty Water of the Storm, Snowy Hawk from the Shadows and water, Air's Echo of the Wind, Frosty Ice from the Sky, and the Light of the Crystalline Stars will unite to bring the New Dawn and end the everlasting Night... Crystalpaw's prophecy echoed in her mind. Even Willowshine, the elderly medicine cat did not know about this herald of demise. Tell not a soul...yet... Her friend had whispered. Brightpaw was certain that the elements mentioned in the prophecy represented one cat of each Clan. Crystalpaw had determined that the 'Fire born of Water and Wind' meant Brightpaw herself, due to her half-RiverClan-half-WindClan parentage. Who else? The others were unknown. 

"Brightpaw! Where are you? You're late for your final hunting assessment!!!!" Brightpaw's mentor, Duskfur, screeched. Shaken out of her thoughts, Brightpaw turned around, and her mentor was standing behind her, stomping his paw with impatience. 

"Okay, I'm coming!" Brightpaw mewed, "I know when the assessment is, oh great and mighty mouse-brain" She added under her breath. She padded over to the shore of the lake.

"It's your lucky day, Brightpaw! First, you'll be catching some carp, easy enough a task, but then, there's a challenge. The challenge, since it's the breeding season for trout, will be catching the biggest trout you can carry. They breed in deep water, so I suggest you take extra care not to stay down there too long, or you'll drown." Duskfur mewed briskly." Brightpaw stepped into the shallows, and dived. She could faintly see the shapes of the other apprentices diving in as she stuck her muzzle into the cool, green-blue water. She quickly spotted a fat, coppery-brown scaled fish. A carp! She glided towards it, paws barely touching the bottom. She froze. Pebblepaw and Sandpaw had also spotted it, but they, intent on the sleek bronze-colored fish, only saw fresh kill in their mind's eye, not aware of Brightpaw, or the large water snake closing in on them. Brightpaw quickly darted over and grasped the snake in her paws. The thing thrashed around, trying to strike the silver tabby she-cat with sharp fangs and ferociously whipping tail. Prey. A voice at the back of her mind said. She felt her claw tips tingle. Her long, hooked claws glowed blue. The writhing snake fell limp at her paws. It was dead. A set of claw-shaped scorch marks, tinged brilliant blue were on its grey green body, exactly where Brightpaw had held it. Puzzled, she flipped the reptile onto her back and hung it over her shoulder, waiting to carry it to shore. Sandpaw had lost the carp. The carp was hiding in a patch of kelp. Brightpaw drifted over, and hooked it out of its hiding spot, killing it instantly. That's odd, She thought. They normally don't die when I pick them up. She held it up. Another scorched claw-mark was on the fish's fat flank. She paddled back to shore and laid the fresh kill at Duskfur's paws.

"Is that a water snake? Her mentor exclaimed in astonishment. Rippletail bounded over.

"What's what?" The blue gray she-cat mewed. "Oh WOW!!! A water snake! They do taste nice! And such a big one too! Did you catch this, Brightpaw?" 

"Err, I guess I did." Brightpaw shuffled her paws. Rippletail was Reedstar's sister and the Clan deputy. She was also Brightpaw's kin.

"Well, back to work. You still haven't caught any trout yet." Duskfur mewed sternly.

"Wait just a moment." Rippletail mewed. "I think Brightpaw should be made a warrior now. She caught a water snake. It could feed half the Clan! By the way, I think she is ready."