Shrewstep hissed in fury as Thunderclan cats invaded their camp, claws out and teeth bared, ready for battle. "Thunderclan! Attack!" Thornstar yowled, hurling himself at Shrewstep's kin, Starkwillow. Shrewstep bunched his muscles, ready to leap at the respected leader, but a heavy weight made his legs buckle beneath him.

Brackenstripe's scent wreathed around him as he rolled over, exposing his soft belly fur, and kicked his underbelly rapidly with his hindpaws. Brackenstripe wheezed as the breath was knocked out of him and he stumbled back, stumbling to regain his balance.

"That was a cheap tactic!" He hissed, his hazel eyes blazing in fury as he lashed his tail. "You are mouse-brained to attack Shadowclan!" Shrewstep shot back, making Brackenstripe even more infuriated. With a battle-cry, he launched himself at the Deputy and dug his claws deep into the Deputies shoulders.

Brackenstripe yowled in fury as his legs buckled beneath him.

Shrewstep gave him one final blow to the ear that sent the tom fleeing into battle, his eyes wide with terror. Shrewstep was about to help Starkwillow when pain shot through his hind leg. He spun around, face-to-face with a small gray she-cat.

Her face paled as she stepped back.

"Step back." Shrewstep hissed. "Uh..." The she-cat stuttered, turning tail and hurling herself at another apprentice, Sharppaw specifically.

With a hiss of annoyance, Shrewstep finally hurled himself at Thornstar's, knocking him off Starkwillow, whom scrambled away and turned to face Sootsky, a senior warrior of Thunderclan. "Ha! You think you can beat me! Your nothing more than a rogue who joined because you felt lonesome!" Thornstar taunted, referring to Shrewstep's past as a rogue.

Shoving his past aside, he launched himself at the Thunderclan leader, claws outstretched. Before he could land a blow of the golden brown tom, he dove under Shrewstep, clamped his jaw onto his hind leg, and slammed him down. Shrewstep grunted in pain and staggered up, only to be sent reeling backwards as Thornstar scored his claws over his muzzle.

Before the leader could do anymore, Volewhisker barreled into him, pinning the leader to the ground and letting out threatening snarls. With a grateful nod, Shrewstep hurled himself at yet another senior warrior, except more strong.

Ghostshadow.

As Shrewstep neared the tom, he watched as he sent three Shadowclan warriors, Heronflight, Littlespark, and Fireshard, scrambling away. With a yowl of fury, Shrewstep threw himself at the tom, clinging to his back as he sunk his teeth into the warriors scruff.

Ghostshadow stumbled as he shook himself, throwing Shrewstep off. Before Shrewstep could get up, Ghostheart pinned him down, raising a claw for the killing blow. "Ghostshadow!" A tortishell she-cat hissed, her amber eyes blazing. "Thunderclan does not kill without reason!"

"He attacked me.....That's reasonable enough..." Ghostshadow mumbled. "He attacked you! He didn't try to kill you! I'm sure he was just defending his Clan, right?" Her amber gaze pierced through Shrewstep. It felt...warm. Shrewstep nodded as Ghostshadow stepped back, launching himself into battle.

"Thanks...I guess." Shrewstep dipped his head.

"You guess? I saved your sorry tail!" She hissed. "I'm Sorrelflower by the way." Shrewstep nodded. He liked that name. "I'm Shrewstep." He introduced himself. "Oh, I've heard of you!" She smiled. "Meet me at the border at moon high!" She hissed before making a fake yowl of pain and reeling backwards.

Shrewstep blinked and launched himself at Sootsky.

After defeating him, Thornstar's yowl made him jump. "Thunderclan! Retreat!" The battle froze and Thunderclan cats began to trail out of camp. "I am sorry, Foxstar. This was all a misunderstanding. I'll be sure to talk to Leafstor, about this." Thornstar dipped his head and Foxstar returned it, watching as he left.

"Victory is ours!" She yowled as soon as Thornstar's golden brown fur vanished.

Many yowled joined in as Marshwillow and his apprentice, Wishpaw, bounded out of the Medicine Cat den. "Anything serious?" Foxstar asked as Marshwillow inspected a few cats. "Heronflight might have an infected scratch mark and Starkwillow had a few bite marks that might get infected." Marshwillow stated, looking towards Wishpaw.

"Nothing but a wrenched claw for Volewhisker." Wishpaw sat down by the deputy as she began to treat the wrenched claw.

**********

It took from sun high to sun down, but Marshwillow and Wishpaw finally finished tending everyone's wounds. Shrewstep looked around and bounded into the nursery. Slowly, his eyes adjusted to the dim light as he located his mate and her kits.

He slowly made his way over to them, avoiding Russetcloud, and nearing Kinkpetal. "Are you ok?" She raised her head. "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine." Shrewstep relied, sitting down. Owlkit blinded open her eyes and stared up at Shrewstep, falling onto her back as she finally had his head in eyesight.

"Mother, father, when will become apprentice?" Barkkit tumbled across the floor. Shrewstep looked at Kinkpetal, trying to remember how many moons old his kits were. "Two." Kinkpetal purred, snorting afterword as she rolled her eyes at Shrewstep.

Shrewstep shrugged.

"Well, I better get some rest." Shrewstep broke the silence. Kinkpetal nodded as Shrewstep left the Nursery. As he made his way to the Warriors den, he remembered Sorrelflower's words. "Meet me at the border by moon high!" Shrewstep looked up.

It was moon high.

He looked around and noticed that Aspenleaf and Tundrablaze were guarding camp. With a gulp, he made his way towards the camp exit, and somehow, he made it out without getting spotted. With a sigh of relief, he raced to the border until he got there.

In the clearing that was lit by moonlight, sat Sorrelflower.

"About time!" She hissed. Shrewstep shrugged and bounded up to her. "Why did you want to to meet you here?" He growled, lashing his tail. Sorrelflower smirked, looking him straight in the eye. "Did you think I came alone?" Before Shrewstep could react, Thunderclan cats pinned him down. "Do you think he came alone?" Volewhisker! Six Shadowclan warriors appeared from the shadows.

"I can explain---"

"Not now." Volewhisker growled, silencing Shrewstep. Shrewstep lowered his gaze. "Sorrelflower, you and your cats will leave; Now." Volewhisker snarled, lashing his tail and his long, curved claws slowly slid out, digging into the sodden ground.

"Do not fear," She continued in a what sounded almost robot like voice. "We wish to make friends." Volewhisker's nostrils flared as his neck fur began to bristle and he drew back his lips in a snarl.

Sorrelflower snorted. "Fine! We'll leave for Starclan's sake! Keep your pelt on!" She hissed in anger and lead the Thunderclan patrol away. Shrewstep slowly stood up, shaking his pelt. "Foxstar will be interested in...this." Volewhisker hissed as Shrewstep looked down.

**********

"Shrewstep, you met a Thunderclan cat at the border?" Foxstar hissed. They had been talking in her den for awhile now, and Shrewstep was getting impatient. "Yes..." He admitted. Foxstar shook her head in dismay. "I thought I could trust you, my kit." She whispered. Shrewstep looked down. "Your father would be so ashamed.." She sighed, making Shewste-ps pelt begin to bristle.

Foxstar looked down. "There will be no punishment or word or this." Shrewstep's face lit up as he looked up. "T-thank you!" Shrewstep gasped. "Not a word." Foxstar hissed as Shrewstep walked out.

That was unexpected..Shrewstep thought. "Any problems?" Shrewstep perked his ears as he looked down at his apprentice, Willowpaw. "No. Oh, I forgot! Today's your assessment. Along with Stormpaw and Sharppaw." Willowpaw's eyes lit up. "Yay!" She bounded up and down in pure joy as Aspenleaf and Flameblaze lead Stormpaw and Sharppaw over.

"Shall we?" Aspenleaf purred as she pressed her muzzle against her mates pelt. Flameblaze purred and pressed his muzzle to hers as well. Shrewstep snorted and bounded out of camp.

**********

Shrewstep watched silently from the undergrowth as Willowpaw stalked a lizard. She set her paws down lightly and adjusted her forepaw as it neared a leaf. Shrewstep nodded. Good tactics. Willowpaw finally lunged forward, but her timing was off, as the lizard quickly scrambled away into a nearby hole.

"Fox-dung!" Willowpaw hissed as she began to stalk towards a marshy part of the territory. Shrewstep soon found her, stalking a toad. She waggled her haunches my bunched her muscles, and leapt. The toad was caught off guard, and it's life ended quickly.

"Thank Starclan for this prey!" Willowpaw carried the toad to dry ground, buried it, and bounded away to stalk a crow. She dug her claws into the ground as she locked her aim on the crow's wings. Disable the wings, and the crow would be fresh-kill.

Silently, she leapt on the crows back and dug her claws into its wings. The crow cawed as it tried to flap desperately, but it's tries did no good, as Willowpaw gave it the killing bite to the neck.

Shrewstep grew a little impatient. He let out a silent growl and watched as Willowpaw silently caught two frogs. After that, she grabbed her fresh-kill and trotted towards camp.

He met her there along with Flameblaze, Aspenleaf, Sharppaw, and Stormpaw. "What'd you get?" Stormpaw asked, besides the fact that Willowpaw's catch was right in firing of her. "Two frogs, a toad, and a crow." Willowpaw mewed through muffled teeth.

"I caught a frog, three lizards, and a shrew." Sharppaw looked at Shrewstep. "No offense?" He asked. Shrewstep shrugged. "Eh." Stormpaw groaned, and straightened herself. "What did you get?" Sharppaw and Willowpaw groaned.

"Well...I caught a Robin, sparrow, mouse, and a water vole." She promoted, almost in a bragging type of way. "Good job all of you! Now, let's head to the training hollow to test your fighting." Shrewstep cut in before they could continue on.

They shrugged.

Shrewstep growled, turned around, and raced all the way to the hollow. He was grooming his pelt when everyone else got there, panting as they collapsed, exhausted. "What took you so long?" Shrewstep smiled, letting out a mrrow of laughter.

"Haha, we've all had our laugh!" Flameblaze snorted, scrambling to his paws. "Stormpaw and Sharppaw will spar first. I want Willowpaw to see if she learns and thing." Aspenleaf continued her mate's sentence.

At the begging, Stormpaw had pinned Sharppaw, but the larger apprentice had an advantage. Using his hind legs, he propelled Stormpaw back into a tree as she fell to the ground with a grunt. "I win!" Sharppaw boasted. "No boasting!" Flameblaze hissed.

"Willowpaw and Stormpaw, spar."

Immediately, the she-cats were grappling with each other, claws sheathed ad Stormpaw pinned Willowpaw. Willowpaw gave a tiny nod to Sharppaw as she propelled Stormpaw into a tree, just like Sharppaw. "Again..." Stormpaw wheezed as she staggered to her paws,s hacking her ruffled pelt as nuts if dust and dirt flew into the air, raining on everyone else hear her.

"Sharppaw and Willowpaw."

The fight had only begun. Sharppaw barreled himself into Willowpaw, but to his dismay, she put her paws under his hindlegs and flipped him onto his back, pinning him and holding down his hindlegs. "Gotcha!" She panted, stepping off Sharppaw as he scrambled to his paws.

"Well done all of you. Now, I know another apprentices have to wait early for their full names, but...since it's near sundown, Foxstar is giving you your names when we get back to camp!" Shrewstep whispered excitedly.

Before he could continue, they were racing to camp.

Soon, they arrived, with Foxstar already sitting on the Highrock, her gaze high. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" Her yowl rang out, drawing cats out of their dens. "Today, we do one of the most important ceremonies in a Clan cat's life. The making of new warriors!" A murmur passed through the cats.

"Flameblaze, do you think Sharppaw is ready to endure the life of a warrior?" All eyes turned to Flameblaze. "Born ready." He answered and a ripple of amusement passed through the cats as Sharppaw quietly said 'yes!'.

"Aspenleaf, is Stormpaw ready to endure the life of a warrior." Foxstar looked at the senior warrior. "Readier than anything." Stormpaw's eyes lit up. "Shrewstep, is Willowpaw ready to endure the life of a warrior?" All cats eyes turned to Shrewstep, making him feel uneasy.

"Yes. She is the most ready of all."

"Good. Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior names!" Foxstar paused for dramatic effect. "Stormpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Stormcloud. Starclan honors your energy and determination, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Shadowclan!" Foxstar rested her muzzle on the new warriors shoulder, whom licked her shoulder.

"Sharppaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Sharpfang! Starclan honors your strength and courage, and we honor you as a full warrior of Shadowclan!" A murmur of sarcasm rippled through the crowd, as everyone knew that Sharpfang's teeth were sharp.

"Willowpaw, from this day forward, you will be known as Willowstream! Starclan honors your bravery and courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Shadowclan!" Shrewstep felt pride rush through him. New warriors meant a stringer Clan.

"Stormcloud! Sharpfang! Willowstream!"