BLACKPAW HELD HER TAIL STILL AS she crawled closer to the bush. She peeked her head out, watching as the small creature nibbled on a small seed. A droplet of warm water fell on her nose, startling her. She gasped quietly, and snapped her jaws shut, not wanting to scare away her prey. Looking up, the she-cat saw the snow as it melted away. A warm feeling of excitement coursed through her body. Leaf-bare was finally ending. 

The mouse continued its hunt for food, unaware of the hunter, that was crouching behind the bush. Blackpaw waited for the mouse to move closer. She knew, if she moved herself, the mouse would know and run away. Yes, she had been an apprentice for that long. Her kit fluff was gone, and smooth, black fur had replaced it.

But something had changed, when her fur had grown. She used to be a jet black kit. Now, she had grown silver hairs on her paws and around her muzzle. It looked as if she had dipped her paws and muzzle in starlight. The fur on her tail had grown thicker and bushier too. She had, indeed, changed. 

A  growl escaped the hunters throat as she hunched her muscles and threw herself at the smaller animal. The mouse realized nothing, until it was too late. 

"Thank you StarClan, for the life of this prey." Blackpaw muttered as she buried it. She would come back and fetch it later. 

"Great catch, Blackpaw." The calm meow of Ashbrook's praise sent a pleasant warmth through her. 

"Thanks Ashbrook." She chirped and waved her tail. 

Padding closer, she touched noses with her mentor, who had been sick with green cough. "Fernpelt let you out of the den! You must be all cured now." 

Ashbrook purred and nodded. "I'm all well. Which means, I get to train you again." 

"Oh, thank StarClan. About time too. You see those gray hairs on my muzzle? I'm sure I grew them because of Cedarjaw. I didn't know a cat could be so bossy!" 

Ashbrook purred and cuffed her around the ears. "How dare you talk ill about my fellow warrior in front of me. Talking about Cedarjaw, where is he?" 

Blackpaw pointed her tail towards a big bush. "Somewhere down there. He insisted that he hunted alone today. He want's to catch a rabbit and impress Runningmist." 

A loud yowl interrupted her. Cedarjaw burst through the bush, chasing a rabbit. Reacting on instinct, Blakcpaw slid out her claws and snarled. The rabbit ran straight towards her, not getting a chance to change course or stop. Blackpaw jumped and dug her claws into its shoulders, holding it still, while Cedarjaw ducked and gave a killing bite. 

"YES!" He exclaimed as soon as the rabbit stopped thrashing. "I knew I would find a rabbit! I could feel it in my bones!!" 

Blackpaw laughed and shook her head. 

"Ashbrook! I didn't see you there." Cedarjaw walked towards the younger warrior and flicked his ears. "Are you sure you're okay now? I don't want to risk catching a cough from you." He sniffed. 

"I'm sure, Cedarjaw." Ashbrook answered him. 

"And you're well enough to train Blackpaw? I think you should rest some more before you return to training her. We can't risk her not getting proper training." 

The fur on Ashbrook's shoulder rose in frustration. "If you're doubting Fernpelt's skills of healing, then you should go talk with Kestrelstar." 

"No, there's no need for that. Well, I'll get going. Runningmist should have her rabbit while it's still warm." He dipped his head in goodbye and left with his rabbit. 

Blackpaw and Ashbrook purred as soon as he was out of eyesight. 

"He's a weird one, all right." Blackpaw twitched her whiskers. 

"Enough about Cedarjaw. I need to see how good you've become in all this time." Ashbrook waved his tail. "Let's go find a clearing so I can see how good you are in battle." 

Ashbrook and Blackpaw ran through the forest, side by side. Their fur would brush here and there, making Blackpaw's insides churn with happiness. She had missed her mentor greatly, while he had been sick with green-cough. 

"This clearing should do." Ashbrook meowed and sniffed around. "Now, face me and attack." 

Blackpaw nodded and waited for her breathing to ease. As she relaxed, she looked at Ashbrook, taking in his size. He was bigger than her in size and muscle, but she was skinnier than him, which means... 

I'm faster on my paws than he is! Blackpaw narrowed her eyes and curled her lip, revealing her sharp fangs. She fixed her eyes on his left shoulder and sprang with a low growl. 

Ashbrook met her attack mid-air. He broke her jump and sent her thrashing to the ground. 

"Too easy Blackpaw!" 

Blackpaw snarled and attacked again. She jumped past him, aiming for the tree behind. Her claws unsheated, she grabbed the soft bark and climbed a few tail-lengths up. When she was satisfied with her height, she jumped with a yowl and landed on her mentors shoulders. 

Ashbrook, whom had watched her with eyes wide open, grunt in surprise as his legs gave under. He collapsed to the ground, with Blackpaw on top. Not getting a chance to react, he could feel the younger cat's teeth grasp the soft flesh of his throat. 

"There, now you're badly wounded." Blackpaw meowed through a bunch of fur. 

Ashbrook shook her off and stood, shaking his fur. "That was amazing Blackpaw! Did Cedarjaw teach you that move?" 

"No, the only thing I learned from Cedarjaw is how to hunt by myself..." Blackpaw meowed and shrugged. 

"Are you saying you just came up with that?" Ashbrook had a thoughtful look in his eyes. "I mean, that was really fantastic. We should show Kestrelstar. We don't climb the trees like SkyClan, but we have big-built bodies which gives us an advantage if we push ourselves off the trees like that."

Blackpaw nodded, feeling excited and pleased with herself. 

"Well, I-I mean we could show Kestrelstar and see what she decides, right?"

Ashbrook purred and padded closer to her. "I'm so proud of you, Blackpaw..." He meowed, with a twinkle in his blue eyes. 

I just invented a new move, and new-lead is approaching. My life is perfect. 

✦✦✦

Blackpaw dropped her fresh-kill on the pile and looked around in camp. She spotted Shadowpaw and hurried towards him. 

"Hey Shadowpaw." She greeted him and dumped herself beside him. "Whew! I'm so tired and hungry. I could eat a badger!" 

Shadowpaw purred and licked her ear. "Well, I'll just go get you the biggest badger in the forest so you can eat it." 

"Oh yes, dear brother. Please dooo!" Blackpaw sighed dramatically and put her paw on her eye. 

Shadowpaw laughed and shook his head. He walked towards the fresh-kill pile and started sniffing around.

While Blackpaw waited for her brother to return, she saw Ashbrook in deep conversation with Kestrelstar. Her ears warmed at the thought of her mentor, telling their leader about the new battle-move she had just created. 

Across from her, she saw Lionpaw pad quietly out of the den. He yawned at the entrance and started stretching his body. Blackpaw saw hard muscles rippling underneath his fur, and felt as if she had swallowed a bone. Her fur tingled and her ears flicked in wonder. 

When did he grow that much..?  Blackpaw looked at her own paws and wondered when she would be as tall as the other warriors. 

Shadowpaw returned with a small pigeon and a fat mouse. He dropped the prey in front of them and settled down to eat beside her. 

"I have got you your badger, my precious sister." 

"I never noticed how much feathers badgers have.." Blackpaw rolled her eyes and sniffed the pigeon. Its warm sweet scent bathed her tongue, and her belly grumbled in hunger. 

"Please silence your inner monster." Shadowpaw meowed though a bunch of mouse. 

Blackpaw bumped his shoulder with hers. "Stop talking and chewing at the same time. It's disgusting to look at!" 

She bent her head and took a bite of the pigeon, finally relaxing after a day of hard training. 

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the branch for a meeting!"

Kestrelstar's voice rang clearly in camp, making all cats look up from their prey. Blackpaw stopped mid-chew and looked at Shadowpaw. She was met with the same questioning glance. 

"Why is Kestresltar calling?" Shadowpaw asked her. 

"How would I know, you mouse-brain. Does it look like I can read thoughts?"

Blackpaw licked her muzzle and stood. She beckoned her brother to follow her with a flick of her tail. She spotted a empty place beside Branchpaw and headed towards it. A weird feeling in her belly made her look around. Her eyes locked with Lionpaw's, who was watching her with anger in his green eyes. 

She changed her mind and went to sit beside him instead. 

"Oops, sorry for stepping on your tail, Brokenface." She apologized before the bad-tempered warrior could react on her step. 

In reply, he glared at her and curled his tail tight around his paws. 

She skipped happily over to Lionpaw who was watching her with a tilted head and sat beside him. 

"Hi!" Blackpaw chirped. 

"Uhm, hi?" Lionpaw's reply filled Blackpaw with guilt. She knew she had been too focused on her training. So focused, that she hadn't talked with Lionpaw ever since her apprentice ceremony. 

"Uhh, I just wanted to say-" 

"We are gathered here today, as I have heard that two of our apprentices are ready to become warriors!" 

Kestrestar's voice interrupted Blackpaw, and she suppressed a growl of frustration. 

What is it with everyone interrupting me?! She thought crossly and flicked the tip of her tail. 

"Daisypaw, step forward."

Blackpaw's eyes widened in surprise.  How could I forget about that? Daisypaw and Harepaw have been talking about it nonstop since two days ago. 

"I, Kestrelstar, leader of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn. "

Daisypaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Daisypaw straightened her posture. She breathed in deeply and nodded. "I do." 

"Then by the powers of StarClan , I give you your warrior name. Daisypaw, from this moment on you will be known as Daisystep. StarClan honors your courage and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan." 

"Daistystep! Daisystep! Daisystep!" 

Daisystep purred happily as she moved closer to Kestrelstar. Blackpaw watched as her leader rested her muzzle on top of the new warriors head. She saw Daisystep lick her shoulder in respect and retreat to the circle. 

Kestrelstar turned around and beckoned for Harepaw to step closer. 

""I, Kestrelstar, leader of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. 

"Harepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Harepaw looked sure and determined. He looked around, before he answered. 

"I do." 

"Then by the powers of StarClan , I give you your warrior name. Harepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Harepelt. StarClan honors your courage and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan." 

Harepaw ducked and licked Kestrelstar's shoulder, while she rested her muzzle on his head, just as she had just done with Daisystep. 

"Harepelt! Harepelt! Harepelt!"

Harepelt purred and walked to sit beside his sister Daisystep and their parents, Littlebelly and Adderstripe. Specklepaw raced over from beside Fernpelt and touched noses with her littermates. 

Kestrelstar raised her tail, demanding silence. 

"I am sure the new warriors will be missed greatly in the apprentices den, but I would just like to remind you, that we have three kits who will join you soon." 

Excited mews and squeaks erupted from besides the nursery, where Emberheart had brought Seedkit, Sagekit and Blossomkit outside. 

"I also wish to tell you, that Ashbrook has told be of a possible new battle move that Blackpaw has created. I would like for the senior warriors to go see this move tomorrow and report to me if it is usable or not." 

Blackpaw felt a rush of excitement course through her body like lightning. She purred and ducked her head shyly, as every cat in the clearing turned their heads and looked at her. 

"That is all." Kestrelstar meowed and retreated to her den. 

Blackpaw jumped happily and faced Lionpaw. 

"Did you really invent a new move?" 

"Well, as Kestrelstar said, a possible  new move." She said, putting pressure on the word 'possible'. "It was by accident, honestly. I just acted on instinct I guess." 

"Whatever it is, I'm sure it's amazing." Lionpaw meowed and looked at her, with a look in his eyes that said more than his tongue. 

"I'm really sorry Lionpaw. I know I've been too-" 

The camp entrance rustled violently as Robinspot ran inside. His fur was smeared with blood and he panted heavily. 

"Applebreeze is dead!"