This was the happiest Sharppaw had felt in days and in moons. He was finally going to have his warrior assessment, along with Lightpaw. I wish Fluffypelt was here. 

Stormpaw, Stalkpaw, and Monarchpaw wouldn't be having their assessment until next half-moon, but it was still pretty exciting. 

Ambertuft's mew snapped him back into reality. "Ok, Sharppaw. It's time for you to catch as much prey as you can," she meowed. "And remember, I'll be watching you the whole time, so do your absolute best." As she padded away, Sharppaw stalked into the undergrowth, keeping low.

Vole washed Sharppaw's jaws, and he quickly darted forward into a clump of ferns, later emerging quickly with the small creature in his jaws. He dug a shallow hole in the ground and dropped the prey there, covering it up. He crept forward again, hoping that Ambertuft had seen that catch. 

Sharppaw could smell squirrel, and, creeping forward more, he spotted the fluffy ginger creature poking at a nut. Its fluffy tail flicked. 

Sharppaw crept forward, but didn't see the twig under his paw. It cracked and the squirrel perked up, fear-scent drifting from it. Quickly, Sharppaw darted forward. The squirrel climbed the tree and Sharppaw climbed up after it. He swiped at its tail, making it lose its balance on the tree. The squirrel then twisted from his paws and fell to the ground, trying to limp away from the tree.

Sharppaw jumped down and bit into the squirrel's neck, killing it. He buried the squirrel and pricked his ears, looking up as he heard a crack above him. Was that Ambertuft watching him?

Shaking his thoughts away, Sharppaw could smell thrush. He then scented kittypet as well. Holding back a sigh, he crept forward. He saw a black kittypet sitting by a tree. Bristling, he crept forward.

"What are you doing on ThunderClan territory?" Sharppaw hissed.

The black kittypet looked up, fear glimmering in his eyes. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't know this was Clan territory! I'll back off now!" He whimpered.

"Why are you so scared?" Sharppaw asked. 

"Because some Clan cat slaughtered Arbonx a few moons ago. He was one of my friends and I miss him so much," the black tom meowed. "My name is Lucky."

Sharppaw instantly felt grief flood over him. He tried to not make it seem like he was the one who had killed Arbonx. "Well, I'm sorry for you. But get off ThunderClan territory now, or you won't be able to avoid injury," he hissed.

Lucky turned away and ran through the undergrowth.

Sharppaw bristled. That kittypet scared off all the prey surely with all that noise! He resisted the urge to find the kittypet and claw his ears. Sharppaw spotted the thrush that he'd smelled earlier sitting on a branch. It was sleeping with three baby thrushes.

Grief and pain stabbed Sharppaw in the chest like a large claw. He felt breath tighten. Looking at that family of thrushes, he was reminded of Fluffypelt nursing him, Lightpaw, and Frostheart as small kits. He shook the thoughts from his head. I can't kill them, I can't do it....

Sharppaw turned away from the tree away crept through the undergrowth.

Sharppaw was returning back to camp, two mice and a squirrel in his mouth. He'd have to make a second trip to get the vole and sparrow that he'd caught. He wondered where Ambertuft was. 

Suddenly, a pale yellow flash fell from the tree. Lightpaw! 

Sharppaw jumped back, startled. Lightpaw suddenly darted forward, lashing at Sharppaw's ears. 

Sharppaw avoided the blow. "What are you doing?" He hissed, dropping the prey. 

"A practice battle, duh!" Lightpaw meowed. He reared and slammed his paws down hard on Sharppaw's head, making him stumble. 

Sharppaw kicked out with a hind paw as Lightpaw darted towards him. His brother landed on his side, hissing as Sharppaw grabbed his scruff, panting. He heaved the tom away and slammed a paw hard on his shoulder.

Lightpaw slipped and lashed out as he staggered, catching Sharppaw's muzzle. Sharppaw flinched back as he aimed for his ears, then darted forward. He swiped one paw at Lightpaw's shoulder, then struck Lightpaw's chest, knocking him over. He leaped on his brother, pinning him down. "Give up?" He hissed. Suddenly, he felt Lightpaw's hind paws start to pummel his belly. Sharppaw leaped on his brother and quickly shoved him onto his side, grabbing his scruff again. 

Sharppaw heaved his brother onto his belly and leaped on his shoulders. Sharppaw placed a paw on Lightpaw's head.

"Great job!" A loud meow sounded behind Sharppaw.

Ambertuft and Bramblehawk padded from the undergrowth, their eyes warm. 

"You both did great," Ambertuft meowed, flicking her tail at Sharppaw. "You can stop now."

Sharppaw backed off of Lightpaw. He watched as his brother rose to his paws, shaking out his pelt. He was panting. "Where's your prey?" He asked.

"I already returned it to camp," Lightpaw explained. 

"And I took your vole and sparrow back to camp," Ambertuft meowed to Sharppaw. "I saw how you dealt with that kittypet. Good job," she praised.

Sharppaw's pelt felt hot with embarrassment. "Did I pass my assessment?" He asked.

"Yes," Ambertuft purred.

"Both of you," Bramblehawk meowed.

"I'll take the rest of your prey to camp, Sharppaw. You two can get yourselves cleaned up for the ceremony," Ambertuft meowed. "Bramblehawk, go tell Squirrelstar about their assessments."

"Sharppaw and Lightpaw, come forward," Squirrelstar meowed, her green gaze warm.

Sharppaw padded forward, his chin high, Lightpaw at his side. 

"I, Squirrelstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you a warrior in their turn," Squirrelstar meowed, lifting her chin. 

Sharppaw felt his chest tighten. It was finally happening. Then he spotted a slightly faded cat standing by Squirrelstar. It was Fluffypelt. Her blue eyes shone. 

Squirrelstar leaned forward. "Sharppaw, Lightpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" She asked.

"I do," Sharppaw meowed bravely, lifting his tail.

Lightpaw leaned forward. "I do."

Squirrelstar blinked warmly at them. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Sharppaw, from this moment on you will be known as Sharptalon. StarClan honors your courage and skill in battle, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan," Squirrelstar meowed, her voice clear. She jumped off the High-Rock, leaning forward to rest her chin on Sharptalon's head. 

Sharptalon licked her shoulder in return.

Squirrelstar turned towards Lightpaw. "Lightpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Lighttail. StarClan honors your bravery and determination, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan," Squirrelstar meowed, leaning forward to rest her chin on Lighttail's head. He licked her shoulder.

"Sharptalon! Lighttail! Sharptalon! Lighttail!" The Clan cheered.

Sharptalon and Lighttail padded towards the fresh-kill pile after the cheering was over. Stormpaw and Monarchpaw rushed over. 

"Great job, Sharptalon!" Stormpaw purred. She licked Sharptalon's shoulder, purring loudly.

"Soon it will be your turn," Sharptalon purred, resting his tail on Stormpaw's shoulder.

"I think I was the only one calling your name the loudest!" Stormpaw meowed.

Ambertuft padded over. She licked Sharptalon's ear. "I'm proud of you and your brother. Your determination, your courage, your skill in battle. I honestly thought you'd never pull through Fluffypelt's death, but you made it, and now look how far you've come. You're a strong warrior, Sharptalon," she purred.

"Well t-thank you! I never thought into hear that come from my mentor!" Sharptalon admitted.

"Any time," Ambertuft purred, blinking warmly at him. "Don't forget that you have to sit vigil," she reminded.

"I know," Sharptalon meowed. He glanced up at the sky. It was getting dark. "It's close to night," he murmured.

"Stormpaw!" Berrynose called. "We need to do some hunting. Come on," Berrynose meowed.

Smallfeather padded from the crowd, coming to stand to beside the cream-colored warrior. "You too, Monarchpaw."

"Aw, but do I have to go? I wanted to praise Lighttail," Monarchpaw protested.

"You can praise him when we get back. Lets go," Smallfeather meowed.

Sharptalon glanced at Lighttail. "Lets eat."

The moon hung in the sky, shimmering brightly. Sharptalon looked at Lighttail. "I wonder if Fluffypelt is happy," Lighttail muttered.

"Of course she is. Why wouldn't she be?" Sharptalon whispered. "We should be quiet."

As Lighttail turned away, hunching his shoulders and pricking his ears, Sharptalon couldn't help but let his thoughts wonder.

I still wonder what Fluffypelt meant by not being able to change my destiny...