Chapter One
- White, swirling fog pressed on all sides of the young apprentice, clogging his senses. He could hear cats battle cries in the distance, and he felt anxiety building in his chest. What should he do? A soft scent wreathed around him, and he whipped around. Standing before him was the Clan's medicine cat, Spottedleaf. "I have a very important message for you, Darkpaw," the she-cat mewed quietly, her eyes drawn at his paws. "What is it?" Darkpaw asked, wishing for an answer. Spottedleaf started to fade."Beware of the one who seeks death to gain power." she blinked at Darkpaw as though she didn't register he was there. He began to panic, his sight blurring along the edges. "What does it mean?" he yowled and whippe his head around again and again. Spottedleaf was gone, blown away on the wind and fog. The battle cries were coming closer. Darkpaw squinted his chocolate brown eyes and attempted to see through the thick air. Suddenly he was transported to the Sunning Rocks, in the old territories, where an intense fight was being held. The apprentice recognized the ThunderClan deputy, Willowblossom, raking her gleaming claws down the spine of Stonetail, a senior warrior of RiverClan. Darkpaw could tell the warrior was tiring and that Willowblossom would win. He could also tell that RiverClan were growing desperate without the fish in the river, and would win Sunning Rocks to begin their reign over the entire territory. Grayshade was stalking toward Willowblossom with a determined air, after the RiverClan warriors ran yowling back into their territory. The tom gave Willowblossom a friendly lick on her shoulder, but there was a gleam in his eye. Darkpaw didn't like that look. Willowblossomwas his own mother. The Sunning Rocks, Willowblossom, and Greyshade started fading away. He knew his dream was ending.
- Barkpaw blinked open his eyes. Sunlight was pouring into the den. He lifted his head and looked about the den. All the other apprentices were still sleeping. Barkpaw guessed it was about sunrise. He put his head on his paws again, trying to fall back asleep. Still brightly awake from his exciting dream, Barkpaw found it better to get up than to lie inside the den when he could be helping around in camp. He stood up and stretched. Sitting down, Barkpaw looked at his sister, Rosepaw, who was sleeping gracefully. She was a pretty she-cat. Pure black with grey dustings along her hindquarters. Barkpaw lifted his paw and looked at it in disgust. It was plain brown. He stood up and padded out of the den. Lionclaw was in the clearing, washing a paw. Barkpaw meowed his greeting and walked over to the fresh-kill pile. He chose a vole and went over to the tree stump and settled down to eat. As Barkpaw was finishing his meal, Brighttail emerged from the elders den. He meowed and she looked at him. She padded over to him and the two rubbed muzzles. Brighttail, was Willowfur's own mother, so being Barkpaw's grandmother, and she always told the best stories. Unlike all of the other apprentices, Barkpaw enjoyed spending time with the elders and didn't complain when he was told to do something for them.
"Brighttail, do you need aything?" he asked her, standing up.
"No thank you, Barkpaw." she shook her head. "If only the other apprentices were more like Barkpaw when it comes to treating the elders." she added under breath as she turned away from him. He chuckled and trotted to the medicine cat den. Barkpaw could see Spottedleaf poking around in the storage of herbs.
"Spottedleaf?" he called softly. She looked at him, concern in her eyes.
"What is it? Are you hurt?" Spottedleaf said.
"No, I'm fine. I came to see if you needed anything." he said, silently dibating wether or not to tell her about his dream. He decided against it.
"No thanks, Barkpaw. Thank you for asking. By the way, you'd better be looking for your mentor. It's about that time." her ears twitched. Barkpaw looked up, seeing the sun was at the point of when he and Ravenwing went training.
"Ok, Spottedleaf. See you later!" With that Barkpaw walked out of the den. Sure enough, Ravenwing was looking around the camp.
"Hello, Ravenwing." Barkpaw mewed as he approched his mentor.
"Why hello to you too, Barkpaw. What do you think we'll be doing today?" Ravenwing's tail twiched in amusment as he answered.
"Hunting?" Barkpaw guessed hopfully.
"Lucky guess. You're right. Let's go." his mentor got up and walked toward the gorse tunnel, the entrance of the camp.
"Where are we hunting?" Barkpaw asked as they got to the botton of the ravine.
"The Great Sycamore." Ravenwing answered, with a small hint of excitment in his voice. Barkpaw's whiskers twitched in amusment. He was almost as big as Ravenwing and so his mentor easily saw his whiskers.
"You'll have your assement soon, Barkpaw. I am going to talk to Heartstar about that. Do you think your ready?" Ravenwing asked. Barkpaw thought this through carefully. Finally he answered.
"Yes, Ravenwing. I am ready." Barkpaw swished his tail at the thought of becoming a warrior. At last, they reached the huge tree.
"Now," said Ravenwing, sitting down. "Catch me a bird."
Barkpaw nodded and quickly began searching for a scent. Quickly he caught a scent of a woodpecker. He began stalking toward it. It was pecking a piece of bark on the tree. Without being seen or heard Barkpaw caught the bird between his paws and with a quick bite to the neck he finished it's life. Barkpaw silently gave thanks to Starclan and brought it back to were Ravenwing was waiting.
"That was quick." Ravenwing remarked. "Good job. Now you get to catch whatever you want and I'll catch myself something as well. When you have caught all you think you'll need, return to camp." The sand colored warrior got up and walked away into the woods beyond.
After that, Barkpaw caught a squirrel, a vole, and a mouse. He returned to camp with his mouth cramped with fresh-kill. Barkpaw lifted his head as he walked proudly. Everywere around him cats were chattering about how good a hunter he was and what lovely food he brought back. Barkpaw put his catch onto the fresh-kill pile and walked over to the tree stump were his sister was washing herself. He meowed his greeting. Rosepaw looked at him.
"Hey, big brother." she meowed.
Barkpaw chuckled and replied, "Why hello, oh little sister." he licked her head. Rosepaw began grooming his spine. He licked her shoulder. Willowfur walked up to the siblings.
"Barkpaw," she said, sitting down. Barkpaw stopped washing his sister. "You caught some wonderful fresh-kill. I had the vole and it was delish."
