Skyclan returns

Chapter 1

It was a bright greenleaf day, the prey was running well and hunger had not visited the ThunderClan camp in two seasons. A light breeze tickled the tops of trees and rustled through the undergrowth. Hollypaw was stalking a plump mouse that was nibbling on a seed, unaware of her presence yet. She judged her distance well, and gave a tremendous leap, coming to land on the unsuspecting creature. She delivered it a swift bite to the neck, killing it instantly.

Hollypaw buried the mouse near the base of an oak tree and tried to scent more prey. She could barely suppress a shiver of excitement running down her spine. Honeypaw, Lionpaw, and she were finally taking their last assessment; as long as they did well, they'd become full warriors! Hollypaw shook her head to clear her mind and scented again; she smelled a thrush not too far off.

It had been two seasons since she had returned from the mountains with her friends and kin, and nothing extraordinarily eventful had happened to her since then. Millie's kits had been born five moons ago, and both as were as playful and healthy as any kits. Daisy's kits were going to be apprenticed soon and Poppypaw had become a warrior, now Poppyflower. Berrynose was as annoying as ever, and Honeypaw still adored him. With Lionpaw and Jaypaw, though, things had been very different; it was as if they had switched personalities. Jaypaw was no longer the bad tempered cat he had always been, but now a patient and kinder creature. On the other paw, Lionpaw had become short tempered, but not exactly mean, and wasn't as much fun to be around anymore.

Hollypaw saw the thrush and pounced, killing it in one fluid movement before it could call a warning and scare all of the other prey away. She took it back to the oak tree and buried it there with the mouse. A small breeze ruffled her black fur, bringing with it the scent of Brackenfur. He was far off, watching her somewhere, and Hollypaw blinked her green eyes as she pictured the kind tom who had been her mentor.

Hollypaw wanted to hunt near the WindClan border where there was always prey scampering about, trying to find food, but she knew Honeypaw would be hunting there. She almost jumped when a squirrel crawled down the side of the oak tree and stopped at the base, digging at the ground. Hollypaw silently chided herself; she'd never pass her assessment if she wasn't focused on her task.

Creeping silently towards the squirrel, Hollypaw banished all other thoughts from her mind. Then she jumped, but it darted towards a bramble bush at the last second. She gave chase after it and quickly caught up with it, then swiped her unsheathed paw at it. It died instantly from a broken neck and Hollypaw added it to her pile. She was just about to see if there was any more prey in the area when Brackenfur stepped out of the brambles the squirrel had been running towards.

The golden brown tabby purred as he walked towards Hollypaw. "I think that's enough prey for one day," Brackenfur mewed. "I'll help you carry your prey back to camp."

Hollypaw's eyes shone with excitement. "Does that mean that I passed?" she asked breathlessly.

Brackenfur smiled. "Yes, you passed your assessment," Brackenfur answered. Hollypaw had to hold back a yowl of happiness. She would finally be a warrior! Brackenfur dug up the prey and took the thrush while Hollypaw carried the mouse and squirrel.

All the way back to camp, the only thing she could think about was what her warrior name would be. Could it be Hollypelt? Hollyfur? Hollytail? Hollytail, I like that! As soon as Hollypaw saw the thorn tunnel, she ran ahead of Brackenfur and charged through the tunnel, heedless of the thorns.

Bursting into camp, Hollypaw headed straight for the fresh-kill pile, where she promptly deposited her mouse and squirrel. She was just wondering what to do when Lionpaw and Ashfur, followed closely by Honeypaw and Sandstorm, ran through the thorn tunnel and into the camp. Hollypaw could tell by the excited looks on Lionpaw's and Honeypaw's faces that they had both passed their assessments as well.

"We're going to become warriors!" Honeypaw mewed to Hollypaw as she ran up to greet her newly returned friends.
"You all passed the assessment, but it's Firestar's choice if you become warriors yet," Ashfur reminded them.

The three apprentices looked so downcast, that Brackenfur quickly added, "Of course, there isn't any reason why he would say no."

Hollypaw blinked her eyes in gratitude at Brackenfur and selected a vole and a mouse from the fresh-kill pile to take to the nursery. She trotted off to the nursery entrance and crawled in quickly. The smell of milk wreathed the nursery strongly and Hollypaw had to take a few moments to get adjusted to the dim light. She saw Millie with her two kits, Molekit and Harekit, in the very back of the nursery, while Daisy was to Hollypaw's right white Rosekit and Toadkit.

Hollypaw came to Daisy, but she shook her head. "Cinderpaw already came and gave me and my kits some fresh-kill," Daisy mewed. "She was going to go back to the fresh-kill pile and bring something back for Millie, but she had to go to a battle training session with Cloudtail."

Hollypaw felt a pain of regret that she would be leaving Cinderpaw behind while she became a warrior. Cinderpaw had to stop training for awhile after she injured her leg from falling out of the Sky Oak, and she had fallen behind the other apprentices.

Hollypaw turned to Millie and dropped the fresh-kill in front of her and her kits. Millie nodded her head gratefully and pushed the mouse towards Harekit and Molekit while she ate the vole. "I heard you passed your assessment and might become a warrior soon," Millie purred. "Congratulations."

"How'd you know?" Hollypaw asked, a little surprised. The apprentices and their mentors had only just gotten back, and she was the first of the group to come into the nursery since they got back.

"Daisy was just outside and she heard all of you talking about it," Millie replied. "I hope Firestar decides to make you warriors; you've all earned it."

"Thank you," Hollypaw mewed, nodding her head respectfully. She turned around and slipped through the nursery entrance. She hadn't gone two fox lengths when she heard someone come out behind her. Hollypaw turned around and was surprised to see Harekit scrambling after her. Her gray fur ruffled in the slight breeze, and her large green eyes seemed to reflect the sunlight.

"What are you doing Harekit?" Hollypaw asked. She was immensely fond of the little kit and they played together a lot when Hollypaw had spare time. "Does Millie know you're out here?"

"Yes," Harekit replied, walking to Hollypaw's side. "Is it true? Are you going to become a warrior?" Harekit's eyes shone with congratulations, sadness, and a twinge of envy.

"I'm not sure yet," Hollypaw admitted. "Firestar hasn't told me yet."

"If you become a warrior, you won't have time to play with me anymore," Harekit murmured.

"Is that why you're sad?" Hollypaw asked gently. Harekit nodded glumly, not looking at Hollypaw. "I'll always have time to play with you." It didn't look as if Harekit believed, so she tried a different approach. "Pretty soon you'll be busy too."

Harekit looked up at Hollypaw curiously. "Why's that?" she asked.

"You're going to be an apprentice soon," Hollypaw told her importantly. "Then I'll have to call you Harepaw, and so will everyone else. You'll get to move to the apprentice den with Cinderpaw and learn to hunt and fight."

"It's going to be lonely with only Cinderpaw, Foxpaw, and Icepaw if you and Lionpaw and Honeypaw become warriors tonight," Harekit mewed.

"Rosekit and Toadkit will become apprentices before you do, so they'll be there too," Hollypaw reminded her. "Don't forget your brother, either; you'll be made apprentices at the same time I bet."

"Yeah," Harekit agreed, starting to get excited. "Thanks Hollypaw!"

Hollypaw touched her tail to Harekit's shoulder and smiled. "Anytime you want to talk, I'll always be here," Hollypaw mewed.

Harekit smiled in return and disappeared back inside the nursery. Hollypaw heard stones falling to the ground and turned around to see Firestar bounding down from his den. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather for a Clan meeting!" Firestar yowled as he stood directly below the Highledge.

Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw emerged from the warriors' den with Graystripe and Hazeltail right behind him. Cloudtail and Cinderpaw had just entered camp, and they made their way to where Brightheart was sitting with Ferncloud and Dustpelt. Mousefur came out of the elders' den, guiding Longtail with her tail, and Jaypaw and Leafpool came out of the medicine den. Daisy and Millie came out of the nursery with their kits, who were jumping up and down excitedly, while Lionpaw and Honeypaw ran across to sit with Hollypaw.

All of the cats were talking excitedly, but the noise died down when Firestar began to speak. "It is always my favorite task making apprentices warriors," Firestar began. "Today I have the privilege to do just that. Ashfur, is your apprentice Lionpaw ready for his warrior ceremony?"

"He has worked hard," Ashfur mewed flatly.

"Sandstorm, is your apprentice Honeypaw ready for her warrior ceremony?" Firestar asked, seeming not to notice Ashfur's lack of enthusiasm.

"She has trained long and well," Sandstorm replied.

"Brackenfur, is your apprentice Hollypaw ready for her warrior ceremony?" Firestar mewed.

"She has learned quickly and done extraordinarily," Brackenfur replied proudly.

"Then I, Firestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these three apprentices," Firestar called clearly. "They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Lionpaw, Hollypaw, Honeypaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this clan, even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do!" The three apprentices chorused. Hollypaw felt a shiver of excitement shudder through her body as she waited with the other two apprentices to receive her warrior name.

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior names," Firestar continued. "Honeypaw, from this moment you will be known as Honeyear. StarClan honors your enthusiasm and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Firestar rested his muzzle on Honeyear's head and Honeyear licked her leader's shoulder.

"Lionpaw, from this moment you will be known as Lionclaw," Firestar went on. "StarClan honors your determination and hard work, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Firestar rested his muzzle on Lionclaw's quivering head, and Lionclaw licked Firestar's shoulder in return.

Now it was Hollypaw's turn to become a full warrior of her Clan and receive her warrior name. "Hollypaw, from this moment you will be known as Hollywing. StarClan honors your honesty and knowledge, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Firestar rested his muzzle on Hollywing's head, and she licked his shoulder.

"Honeyear! Lionclaw! Hollywing!" ThunderClan chanted enthusiastically to greet the new warriors. Pride surged through every vein in her being as she stood before her Clan, a full warrior.

Then Thornclaw, Poppyflower, and Sorreltail broke through the thorn tunnel, and alarm evaporated her sense of pride. "Firestar," Poppyflower gasped. "There's a strange group of cats on our territory that call themselves SkyClan, and the one who leads them, Leafstar, says she knows you!"