Story Part 24 Part 1 *Assessment Time! {Good luck}*

Snowstar awoke to a wave of cool air from outside her den. She sighed in relief. The summer had just been unbearably hot this season. The breeze died as soon as it had come. Snowstar rolled onto her paws and padded out of her den.
Now that she was in the sun, she realized her den had been cool. Ugh... I wish I could stay in there forever, she thought. But I can't. I have a Clan to look after. And, thinking about that, some assessments should be done today on some apprentices. I'll have a word with Jingletail about having Featherpaw's assessment today along with Rockpaw. Hmm... and maybe ask Dawnfeather and Raincloud about having Oakpaw and Leafpaw have their first assessments too. Wow!!! There's lots to do today.
Snowstar padded over to the fresh-kill pile and grabbed a silver fish. Picking it up in her jaws, she walked over to where Jingletail was.
"I'm thinking Featherpaw is ready for an assessment today," she mewed. "Why don't we have her and Rockpaw go out in the forest and catch prey for their final assessment before becoming warriors."
"Great idea," Jingletail replied.
"I was also thinking that Oakpaw and Leafpaw can have their first assessment today. I'll have a word with their mentors and get some extra warriors who aren't on patrol to help out." she continued.
Jingletail finished his meal and stood up and glanced toward the apprentice den. Featherpaw emerged conveniently, with Oakpaw and Leafpaw behind her. "I'll have a word with Featherpaw and the others right now."
Snowstar nodded, scanning the clearing for Dawnfeather and Raincloud. First she told Dawnfeather, and then Raincloud. Next she headed to the apprentice den to find Rockpaw. Supprisingly, he was still asleep.
Snowstar smirked, remembering the tricks they had played on each other as apprentices. For some reason, she felt the urge to prank him now. No cat was in the den but him, and all the others were across the clearing, except the elders, whose hearing was rather poor.
"WAKE UP LAZY BONES!" she yowled at the top of her lungs.
Rockpaw started and leaped to his feet. "Who what where?" he asked.
Snowstar shook with silent laughter. "You should have seen the look on your face!!!" she managed to wheeze out.
Rockpaw frowned, then began to smile, chuckle, then laugh. If any cat had seen them at that moment, they would have seen Snowstar rolling on the ground with laughter with Rockpaw laughing a few tail-lengths away.
"Anyways," Snowstar had finally recovered from laughing, "Congratulations, your assessment to become a warrior is today. Featherpaw will be doing it along with you. Oakpaw and Leafpaw will also be having their first assessment today. Be ready in a few minutes. I just have to go find four warriors willing to help out assessment watching."
Rockpaw nodded, and Snowstar left him collecting his thoughts for the assessment ahead. She saw a few warriors relaxing by the fresh-kill pile, but they had been the dawn patrol. She wouldn't bother them. Next, she poked her head into the warriors den. Some warriors were asleep, but many were chilling in the shade of the den, softly speaking to each other.
"Hey, can I have four cats to help out with the apprentices' assessment today?" she asked softly. Mandarinpelt, Iceflower, Echocanyon, and Snakefang stood up, ready to help. "We'll meet by the tunnel."
They all met at the tunnel, and Snowstar gave the instructions. Usually, since she was leader, she didn't help out with assessments unless she had spare time, but she had her apprentice in the assessment, which was sort of a special occasion. She automatically took control of the assessment. "Okay. I want Featherpaw to head toward the SnowyOak for prey. Jingletail and Mandarinpelt will be watching you discreetly." She watched as the gray apprentice bounded off excitedly with Jingletial and Mandarinpelt following slower. "Oakpaw, Dawnfeather, and Iceflower will head toward the rapids of the river. Leafpaw, Raincloud, and Echocanyon will head toward the calm stretch of the river. Which leaves Rockpaw, myself, and Snakefang heading toward the fallen tree bridge across the creek. Good luck, everyone."
Rockpaw padded toward the natural bridge that had fallen across the stream many moons ago. Good thing I taught him the lay of the territory, was Snowstar's final thought before she followed Snakefang and Rockpaw toward the tree.
*     *     *     *     *
"Told you we should have waited and tagged along on the sun-high patrol," Etharpaw huffed to her brothers.
"Aww... Then we'd be stuck along the boarders." Eaglepaw made a frowny face.
"Good thing we made this hunting patrol," commented Winterpaw.
"Will you three shut up?" barked Hawkfeather, who was leading the patrol of the three apprentices, Heatherfeather, Hollyfeather, and himself.
"Do you think it's funny that those three all have their name beginning in H and feather as the last part of their names?" asked Etharpaw in a low tone.
"Yep," replied Winterpaw in a loud voice. Eaglepaw and Etharpaw winced.
"Glad you agree with me," boomed Hawkfeather. "You and your sister, come with me. Eaglepaw, go with Heatherfeather and Hollyfeather.
"What did I agree to?" Winterpaw asked innocently to Etharpaw once Hawkfeather was a few fox lengths ahead of them.
"Probably splitting up to hunt," Etharpaw mewed, putting two and two together. Her ears twitched, hearing a mouse. All thoughts but the hunt left her mind.
*****
Eaglepaw was within two tail-lengths of his prey, a pigeon, when in suddenly squawked and flew off.
"Mouse dung!" he spat, leaping after it and missing.
When he landed, he realized that the bracken to his left was shivering slightly. That must have scared off the pigeon. The bracken rustled more. What rotten luck. The bracken was still rustling, harder than before. What the??? "W-who's there?" croaked Eaglepaw, mouth dry with fear. Two cats leaped clear of the bracken. Eaglepaw's claws slid out. I must win.

Story Part 23 *Thoughts*

Etharpaw wanted to disappear.
"And that's how Etharpaw caught the fish," Blackslash had just finished the story of her falling in the river and using the fish as an excuse.
She felt she would be ashamed forever. So what, she thought. I'll defend myself now.
"Well you see, I was trying out a new hunting method. Different animals catch fish in different ways. Bears catch them by swiping them out of the river. Twolegs use sticks that they point and then pull in fish on an invisible string..."
Etharpaw would have gone on, but someone in the crowd scornfully mewed "What creature catches fish by falling in a river?"
"I didn't fall in!" she cried. "And otters catch fish by swimming in the water, just like I did."
Hisses of annoyance filled the air. Etharpaw pushed her belly to the ground, trying to hide, but it wouldn't go away. The sound rose in a crescendo, louder and louder and louder....
"STOP!" she screeched.
"Stop what?" asked Eaglepaw groggily.
Oh, it was just a dream. "Nevermind," Etharpaw mewed. Her mew was strong but silent, the nightmare had jerked her awake.
It was just a dream, it was just a dream. It didn't happen, it didn't happen, she told herself over and over. Actually, Blackslash had never told anyone of her terrible mistake. He had known, but had kept it a total secret, not even saying anything when cats congratulated her on her catch. I wonder why, was her last thought before she drifted back to sleep.
*     In The Warrior's Den     *
I bet Etharpaw's wondering why I didn't tell on her, thought Blackslash. And then, another thought popped into his head. Is it wrong to fall in love with my own apprentice? Hmm...
 

Story Part 22 *Uncertainty*

"Doesn't Snowstar seem to have a permanent frown on her face?" Winterpaw whispered to Eaglepaw.
"Yeah," he whispered back. "Must be stressful being the leader and... you know... Lilypaw..."
Winterpaw put his head on his paws and gave a silent sigh. He really missed his sister. They had done so much together while Eaglepaw and Etharpaw went off on the mission to save FrostClan. And then... She was gone, because some cat named Rockpaw had taken her place. Winterpaw hated him for it.
"Eaglepaw!" called a voice from outside the apprentice den. "It's time to go hunting, or have you forgotten."
Eaglepaw scrambled to his feet. "Coming, Wolfstorm! Catch you later," he added to Winterpaw.
Winterpaw watched the bushes rustle and then settle as the two raced out of camp. Still, he stared at the bushes. They rustled again and Snowstar came padding in with...ugh...Rockpaw behind her. Rockpaw padded straight for the fresh-kill pile, but Snowstar came padding toward Winterpaw in the apprentice den.
"I know that you blame Rockpaw for Lilypaw's death, but it's not that way," meowed Snowstar. "He told me that he never meant for it to turn out like this." Snowstar told Winterpaw about the forest, and how Lilypaw had fallen in a hole and Rockpaw had been unable to help her out, and somehow was thrown back into the living world.
"I see now," Winterpaw mewed, "But I'll always look at him and see Lilypaw as she should have been now."
Snowstar sighed, "Sometimes that happens to me too." She rasped her tongue over Winterpaw's ear and left the den.
*      *      *      *     *
This is it, thought Etharpaw. This is my chance to impress Blackslash. Etharpaw and her mentor were in training. Advanced training. She crouched on the branch, claws digging into the bark.
"Ready!" called Blackslash from below.
Etharpaw gathered her strength in her hindquarters and leaped to the next tree, and the next, and the next. She knew Blackslash was running below her, but didn't dare look down. The trees were thinning out as she traveled toward the river. The next thing she knew was she was falling, falling, falling! Her eyes were wide as she plummeted toward the river below her. I have to make this look like I did it on purpose, was her thought as she hit the water below.
The river, usually icy cold from melted snow, had been warmed by the gracious summer sun. Her eyes were still open underwater, as she looked around. There! A fish tried to flash past her, suprised at her sudden appearance. She was too quick for it, and killed it in one claw swipe, clasped it in her jaws and paddled strongly toward the surface.
She looked around, and saw she had been swept a ways downstream. As she dragged herself from the river with her fish, she saw Blackslash appear on the shore.
"Etharpaw, I so KNOW you did not do that on purpose," Blackslash exclaimed to his sodden apprentice.
"Well, I did," Etharpaw lied.
"Sure!" Blackslash mewed sarcastically. "Just wait 'til I tell the whole Clan you caught a fish by falling in the river," he added, racing toward camp.
"No!" cried Etharpaw, racing after him.