Whiteclaw's Tale - Chapter 18

Before the patrol left a call from the elders den stopped them. "Longswoop died, he ate to much no star feed and he wasn't treated soon enough with the proper dosage." Cinderstar looked at his medicine cat.  "Whiteclaw you are a dedicated warrior but unfortunately you have caused the death of a clan mate. You may say goodbye to your clan mates when I return you must go and live the life of a loner." Whiteclaw stared but nodded as the patrol  raced out of camp. Whiteclaw turned and snuck out of the camp and after the patrol of fighting cats. He watched as the clan cats fought against the intruding cats. Darkfinch let out a yowl and charged at the largest cat which seemed to be the leader. As soon as the large cat was gone then the rest of the intruding cats fled after their leader. Soon the other cats padded towards Darkfinch. "You have a choice," one cat hissed. "You can either kill Hollytail or Cinderstar," said another. Darkfinch glared. "If you don't we will kill all 3 of you." Darkfinch looked around and launched himself at Cinderstar. Cinderstar flopped sideways an fell limp. All the cats backed away from  Darkfinch and the dead Cinderstar. All the cats fled back to the camp Whiteclaw included. Darkfinch got back to the camp and all the cats looked up. "Lionstripe," he called. "Cinderstar has died a tragic death and I need to go and get my leadership from our ancestors." Lionstripe looked up from the poultice and instructed Frozenmint to give it to Hawkeye when it was done. The next day Darkfinch got back from the camp with Lionstripe by his side. "Clan mates much to soon Cinderstar met a tragic end. I have earned my leadership from our ancestors and I have kept my warrior name I wish to prove that I am nothing special and that I am always going to be one of you." The clan looked at each other and nodded. "The time has come to name my successor and the deputy of Nightclan, ancestors above our head by my authority as clan leader I appoint Hollytail as the deputy and next leader of Nightclan." The clan whispered and turned back to Darkfinch as Hollytail made her way to her brother's side. "I will serve Nightclan for as long as I live, and I promise that if my time has come to soon to move to the stars then it will be after defending my clan." the clan nodded and approved of Hollytail's words. "One thing that Cinderstar did before he died was banish Whiteclaw. I disapprove of that and as long as Whiteclaw can prove that he is loyal to Nightclan for now he has permission to stay. The same goes for all of you, you all must prove you are loyal to Nightclan." With that Darkfinch whipped around and stalked into his den.

Whiteclaw's Tale - Chapter 17

Whitepaw couldn't believe it, his warrior ceremony already? Cinderstar beckoned for him and his littermates to step into the center of the clearing. "Today marks the day for 3 apprentices. I have talked with Blackpaw and Brownpaw's mentors and they both believe that they are ready to become apprentices. Darkfinch do you believe that Whitepaw is capable of being a warrior worthy of Nightclan?" Darkfinch glanced at the assembled clan before nodding, " Whitepaw has made many mistakes but he has learned from them and he has corrected them. All warriors make mistakes no one is perfect. Whitepaw is ready to be a warrior of Nightclan he will not let us down." Cinderstar nodded. "Whitepaw, Blackpaw, Brownpaw do you promise to uphold the code of our ancestrors and the code of our clan and promise to defend our clan even at the cost of your life?" The cats nodded. Then by the power and authority I have as clan leader I give each of you your warrior names, Blackpaw you will be known as Blackstorm we honor your keen eyesight and hearing. Brownpaw you will now be known as Brownwish we honor your hunting skills and Whitepaw. Whitepaw you will forever be known as Whiteclaw we honor your fighting skills and techniques into Nightclan. May you serve your clan well until you retire into an easy life in the elders den." Cinderstar flicked his rars signaling the end of the clan meeting and the cats began to depart. One day Darkfinch was ordering patrols for Nightclan when a patrol raced into the camp. "There are intruding cats in our territory the litterally walked over the scent line not caring and they knew that it was a border for our territory." Darkfinch turned and looked at the cats of his clan and ordered, "Everycat forget what I ordered you to donwe must go and fight off these invading cats." All th cats nodded. Suddenly Cinderstar padded forward, "I am going with you to battle these invading cats. I will not see my territory belong to anyone but my clan." Darkfinch looked surprised before nodding. "Every cat let us go and fight for what is ours." called Darkfinch. Whiteclaw looked bitter, what does that mean our territory or the position of leader he thought. Whiteclaw knew that his mentor wanted to be the leader of Nightclan and wouldn't wait much longer to get it.

Whiteclaw's Tale - Chapter 16

Rissa filled in Lionstripe said "goodbye Whitepaw," and left. Many moons passed and soon Whitepaw had grown into a fine warrior. He contributed to the group and he soon became an impressive apprentice. Cinderstar grew to trust him with more important tasks. One day he was driving a badger from it's nest inside of Nightclan territory when Darkfinch came up behind him and startled him. "Where have you been, I told you we were to go hunting today. I don't know how much of you I can trust. I still feel like you have loyalties elsewhere." Whitepaw growled, "You don't trust me because I talked to your mother?" Darkfinch turned on his apprentice with an unsheathed paw, "I don't trust you not because you talked to my mother but because you into a human garden which is one of many of your simple mistakes that could have been fixed." he snarled. Whitepaw hissed, "Many mistakes so it is my mistake that I gave Hawkeye and Longswoop the mice that you had put death berries in?" Darkfinch glared at his apprentice, "It is time you grew up and learned to be a proper warrior Whitepaw. A proper warrior does not blame other clan mates for their actions and a proper warrior certainly doesn't accuse a clan mate of framing them. You are lucky that Rissa knew the cure for no star feed otherwise you would be fending for yourself out in the forest right now. Cinderstar would have you banished I would have made sure of that." Whitepaw recoiled and ducked his mentor paw. "You would banish your own clan mate that you framed. So I need to grow up and be a warrior. If anything you are the cat who needs to learn true clan loyalty." he snapped. This time Whitepaw couldn't duck his mentor's paw. It caught the side of his ear. "You don't deserve your warrior name," he hissed now we have to go back to camp Cinderstar called a clan meeting and I need go be present which means I cannot have my apprentice frolicking in the woods." Darkfinch turned and marched with Whitepaw dragging his feet in the dust by his side. Darkfinch glared at his apprnetice one last time and loped back to camp for the clan meeting. Cinderstar looked at all ghe cats assembled around him. "Cats of Nightclan it is time for us to let the old step aside and let the young come in. It is time to make  3 new apprentices." Darkfinch shot a look at Whitepaw that made him tremble on his paws.