Leopardfur lifted her head into the wind," Whiteclaw,no!"
   
   The gray tom who had just been battling Whitclaw scrambled backwards until all four paws were of safe ground. His fur was matted with dried blood and his eyes were filled with shock. "I tried to grab him... he just lost his footing... I didn't mean to!" the tom threw the words out breathlessly, begging Leopardfur for forgiveness. But Fernpaw had known Leopardfur long enough to know that she didn't give forgiveness lightly.

    Fernpaw tensed when she saw Leopardfur's muscles flex. She knew that Leopardfur would love nothing more than to sink her teeth into the ThunderClan cat's throat. The ThunderClan patrol must have seen this too because they took up defensive positions on either side of the gray tom.
    
    Leopardfur growled deep in her throat; a warning for her patrol to stay back. Leopardfur stared defiantly at a massive dark brown tabby tom. This was Tigerclaw, ThunderClan's deputy as well as the most feared warrior in all the territories.

    "This has gone beyond a border fight," she murmured. "We shall return to out Clan. It has become a matter to settle at another time and a different way."

    Tigerclaw returned Leopardfur's defiant star which was just as fierce. They both showed no fear, no emotion, and no sign of backing down. They gave each other the slightest of nods. Leopardfur flicked her tail, and turned and padded away. Fernpaw and rest of the patorl quietly turned and followed.

    Fernpaw glanced back at the ThunderClan patrol and at the white tom. He was
staring back with waves of sadness and regret flowing off of him. Then she saw Tigerclaw pad towards the forest and the white cat followed.
    

    Fernpaw couldn't help but wondering why the white cat looked so sad. It was as if it hrut him to attack Fernpaw. The whitle cat looked like her was one of the best warriors in ThunderClan. Sadness and regret was not what you'd see coming from a top warrior in the heat of battle. Fernpaw shurgged her shoulders and continued following Leopardfur to the RiverClan camp.



    A cloud of intensness hung over the patrol as they pushed through the reeds that led to the RiverClan camp. Crookedstar, RiverClan's leader, was stiing in the clearing talking ot Nightflower, a RiverClan queen. "My kits are almost ready to begin their training," Fernpaw heard Nightflower meow. Crookedstar nodded. "River Clan has plenty of excellent warriors to mentor them."

    "Crookedstar!" Leopardfur meowed. Crookestar turned his attention to the patorl. His crooked jaw  formed a frown when his eyes fell on the battle tattered sunhigh patrol. "Was there a border fight?" Crookedstar asked grimly.

    "It went beyond a border fight," Leopardfur replied, almost hissing. "A ThunderClan warrior pushed Whiteclaw into the gorge. We need to attack ThunderClan for revenge, now!"

    "No we don't," Crookedstar meowed calmly. "There's no use in losing more warriors." "Why not?" Leopardfur grumbled. "ThunderClan and WindClan are forming an alliance anyways." Crookedstar's ears twitched with interest. "Go on," he meowed.

    "The reason we found ThunderClan on our territory was because they were returning their territory after bringing WindClan home.  It's shorter cutting through our territory than going through Four Trees. And there were a couple of WindClan cats with them. I assume that they were giving them a escort."

    Crookedstar nodded grimly. "So we lost a great warrior over a border fight," he murmured. "One day ThunerClan will reave the consequences, but not today."  Then Crookedstar turned his gaze eye level with Leopardur's "WindClan has returned to the moorland?" he asked. Leopardfur nodded. " Then we shall stop the patrols into WindClan territory. The last thing we need to do is to spring an alliance between ThunderClan and WindClan because we were stealing rabbits." Leopardfur gave the slightest of nods.
  
    No addressing the rest of the patrol, Crookedstar meowed," Go see Mudfur so he can attend to your wounds." He pointed his tail towards the medicine cat's den.

    "Crookedstar, may I speak to you in your den wehn you have the chace?" Mistyfoot asked. "Yes, I've got the chance now," Crookedstar replied. He flicked his tail for Mistyfoot to follow. Fernpaw bowed her head respectfully as Crookedstar and Mistyfoot padded to Crookedstar's den.



    "You've go a pretty bad gash on your shoulder, Fernpaw," Mudfur meowed as he sniffed a deep claw mark in Fernpaw's shoulder. "Hold still while I apply marigold to it." While Mudfur was working, Fernpaw glanced over to Icepaw who was sitting with her back towards Fernpaw , with her shoulders hunched.

    'It must be hard to lose your mentor,' Fernpaw thought to herself. The sound of Crookedstar's huge paw steps nearing made Fernpaw look to the den's entrance.

    "Mudfur, may I see these apprentices in my den after you're finished?" "Yes, infact I'm done now," Mudfur replied. Crookedstar nodded and padded out of the den. Mudfur gently nudged Fernpaw. "Go see what your leader wants," he mewed.

    As Fernpaw padded beside Icepaw to Crookedstar's den,  Fernpaw could tell that Icepaw was fighting back tears.

    Fernpaw stopped when they reached the entrance to Crookedstar's den. His den was a large hollow log that the river had washed ashore many moons ago. Fernapw called agreeting into the log and was replied by a soft "Come in." Fernpaw and Icepaw cautiously paded through the entrance, for the had never been inside the leader's den.

    Crookedstar sat patiently in the middle of the log. A beam of light from a crack in the roof of the log made his tabby fur look golden. Crookedstar nodded, signaling them to sit. Then Crookedstar spoke.

    "Are your claws sharp?" Crookedstar meowed. There was a hint of enthusiasm is his voice. Fernpaw and Icepaw nodded. "Are your skills sharper?" Fernpaw and Icepaw nodded once more.  A smile formed on the leader's face. "Then we will hold your warriors ceremony this evening. Mistyfoot tells me that you two are long over due for your warriors ceremony."

    As Fernpaw padded out of Crookedstar's den, her heart glowed with appreciation for the blue-gray warrior, Mistyfoot. She always treated Fernpaw with almost as much respect was a full pledged warrior.

    Fernpaw padded twards the apprentices' den to rest until the ceremony. 'Today's excitement has made me almost as lazy as a badger.' Fernpaw entered the den that had been fashioned out of riverside growing reeds.

    One of Fernpaw's denmates, Shadepaw, was already resting in her nest. Fernpaw's nostrils filled with the scent of fresh moss. The other apprentices must had changed outht e bedding while she was out on patrol. Fernpaw kneaded the soft moss with her white paws. Purring softly, she curled up and closed her eyes as she closed her eyes and entered a deep sleep.



    Fenpaw awake when a paw prodded her side. When she blinked her eyes open she saw Icepaw standing over her. "It's almost time for for the ceremony," Icepaw mewed. Fernpaw looked upat the sky. The sun was almost down. Fernpaw got onto  
her paws and arched her back to stretch. As she did so, her mouth parted wide into a yawn.

    "You should groom yourself first," Icepaw whispered. "Your fur's ruffled up." Fernpaw twisted her neck and began to lick her fur flat. Then she turned back to Icepaw. "How do I look?" Fernpaw asked. "I like a warrior," Icepaw replied sincerely. "You too," Fernpaw meowed sincerely. Icepaw smiled back. Fernpaw nudged Icepaw in the shoulder. "Come on. I can't wait to make my nest in the warriors' den."

    Icepaw nodded and they padded side by side into the clearing were the rest of the Clan was gathered. Crookedstar sat on the log with his head held high. Fernpaw caught Leopardfur's eye and she waved her tial to come and sit.

    "Crookedstar's about to start the meetin," Leopardfur murmured. As soon as she spoke Crookedstar raised his tail, signaling the Clan to be quiet.

    "I'm sure that you're all aware that WindClan has returned," Crookedstar began. A samll ripple of murmurs spread through the crowd.  Crookedstar waved his tail for
silence. "There will be no more patorls into WindClan territory," Crookedstar continued. As soon as he spoke grumbles out, Crookestar waved his tail once more imidiatley. He clearly didn't want to discuss this subject and further.

    "Today Whiteclaw was killed defending his borders. StarClan will welcome him gladly into their ranks," Crookedstar meowed grimly. Wails and mourning broke through the Clan. Crookedstar waited pationtly with his head bowed. When the mouring faded meowed loudly with sincerity," Tonight we sit vigil for Whiteclaw."

    "But there is some good news," Crookedstar spoke when the Clan grew loud again. "Two apprentices will be made warriors tonight. Their mentors have informed
me that they are ready to receive their warrior name. Fernpaw, Icepaw, come forward."

    Fernpaw and Icepaw glanced at each other wiht excitement gleaming from their bright blue eyes. Toghether, they leaped onto the log and took their places in front of Crookedstar.

     "I, Crookedstar, leader of RiverClan, ask my warrior ancestors to look upon these apprentices. They have trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code, and I ask you to make them warriors in their turn. Fernpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

    "I do," Fernpaw replied with determination.

    "Then from now on, you will be known as Fernwhisker. StarClan honors your strength and determination and welcomes you as a full warrior." Crookedstar rested his head on Fernwhisker's as she respectfully licked his shoulder.

    "Icepaw," Crookedstar turned to the white she-cat. "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

    "I do," Icepaw mewed.

    "Then from now on, you will be known as Icewhisker. StarClan honors your intellegance and loyalty and welcomes you as a full warrior." Crookedstar rested his head on Icewhisker's while she licked her shoulder.

    "Fernwhisker! Icewhisker! Fernwhisker! Icewhisker!" RiverClan chanted.

    "You have done well," Crookedstar murmured. Fernwhisker and Icewhisker leadped off the log to greet their Clanmates.

    RiverClan gathered around the two new warriors to congradulate them.

    "StarClan decreed that all new warriors must sit vigil for one night and not speak until sunrise," Crookedstar meowed above the Clan. "Fernwhisker and Icewhisker will continue that tradition." Fernwhisker and Icewhisker nodded at each other with out speaking.

    Congratulations, Fernwhisker," a voice meowed. Fernwhisker turned to see Lepardfu approaching. Pride glowed from her green eyes. "You've trained hard." Fernwhisker nodded in reply. Fernwhisker glanced around to see were Icewhisker was.

    Icewhisker was sharing tongues with Mistyfoot. Jealousy stabbed Fernwhisker. Her own mother died when she was only a kit. Fernwhisker's mother wasn't even ther to watch her warriors ceremony. 'But she watched it from Silverpelt.' Fernwhisker glanced up at the constellation that made the shape of a cat. When a cat dies, they each her their own star in Silverpelt. 'I wonder which star is Whiteclaw's.'

    Fernwhisker turned as she heard paw steps from behind. The belonged to Stonefur, Fernwhisker's father as well as Mistyfoot's brother.

    Fernwhisker padded up and brushed cheeks with Stonefur. "I'm so pround of you," Stonefur mewed. "When I looked up at you receiving your warrior name, you looked just like your mother when she received her's."

    Fernwhisker smiled. She suddenly felt a pang of sympathy for Icewhisker. She didn't even know who her father was. Stonefur tapped Fernwhisker's shoulder with his tail. "You should begin your vigil," he meowed.

    Fernwhisker nodded and padded over to where the warriors where sitting vigil for Whiteclaw. She sat down next to Icewhisker and looked up at the stars.  'I give you my thanks, Whiteclaw, for teaching me so much.' Fernwhisker said silently.

    The whole Clan silently said their good-byes to the fallen warrior. Nightflower go up quietly to return to her sleeping kits. Then Stonefur og to his paws to head for the warriors' den. One by one, the Clan dispersed to their den's until it was just Fernwhisker and Icewhisker sitting underneath the stars of Silverpelt.