Categories > Books > Warriors > Eagle and Hawk
"Eaglepaw, Hawkpaw, it is time for you to become warriors," meowed Redstar as he leaped to sit at the base of High-ledge.
Eaglepaw blinked in surprise, and then twitched his tail in excitement as he bounded up to stand near his father. Hawkpaw, his brother, calmly padded up to stand next to him. He did not seem surprised; just proud.
"Both of you proved that you were ready to become warriors a few days ago when you drove away that fox from the nursery," Redstar continued.
All around them, Eaglepaw sensed a wave of unease pass through the Clan as the cats recalled just how much damage could have been done. Frostcloud had just delivered a litter of kits that very day, and was in no shape to defend her kits from the hungry fox.
"I, Redstar, leader of Thunder Clan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these two apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn," the red tom mewed, gazing skyward.
Returning his gaze to his two sons, he paused for a moment to gaze proudly at them before continuing, "Hawkpaw, Eaglepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
"I do," Eaglepaw mewed, not a second before Hawkpaw replied coolly, "I do."
Redstar gave a barely perceptible nod. "Then by the powers of Star Clan, I give you your warrior names. From this moment, you shall be known as Hawkshadow and Eagleheart. Star Clan honors your bravery and intelligence, and we welcome you as full warriors of Thunder Clan," he meowed.
Redstar stepped forward and rested his muzzle on top of Hawkshadow's head. The dark brown tabby licked his leader's shoulder respectfully, and then stepped back.
Redstar repeated this with Eagleheart, and when he stepped back, the cats of Thunder Clan began to yowl their approval and congratulations.
Ghostpaw slipped forward and pressed her muzzle against Eagleheart's flank, purring hard. Nearby, Hawkshadow narrowed his eyes as he watched her.
"Congratulations, Eagleheart," she mewed, her eyes sparkling proudly.
Shadowfire bounded over to them and hastily licked one's shoulder, then the other's. Hawkshadow stepped back, away from her licks, making it clear that he was too old to be groomed by his mother.
"Congratulations, both of you," she purred, continuing to lick Hawkshadow's fur anyway. Eagleheart licked his mother's shoulder and pressed against her side.
Dreamflower, the Clan deputy, meowed, "You two had better eat quickly. Once the moon rises, you will not be able to talk or move from your post at the entrance."
Eagleheart nodded and flicked Ghostpaw's side with his tail as he headed for the fresh-kill pile. Hesitantly, she followed, as if realizing that he was now a warrior. When he reached the fresh-kill pile, he turned and asked, "What would you like to eat?"
She ducked her head. "Whatever you do," she mumbled.
Eagleheart stared at her. Picking up a rabbit, he padded over to a spot near the entrance. Sitting down, he took a bite of the rabbit and chewed thoughtfully. Ghostpaw fidgeted as she took a bite of the rabbit.
"Ghostpaw, the only thing that's changed because I'm a warrior is my name," Eagleheart meowed suddenly.
Ghostpaw swallowed hard. She looked away and answered, "You won't want to spend your free time with an apprentice now."
Eagleheart looked at her with dismay. "Don't say that!" he meowed. "You and I both know that it isn't true."
Ghostpaw didn't respond. Instead, she bent her head and took another bite of rabbit. When Eagleheart and Ghostpaw finished, he stooped slightly to give her an affectionate lick before he bounded over to the thorn tunnel and sat down.
Hawkshadow finished his mouse and swiped his tongue around his lips. He heard Eagleheart and Ghostpaw talking nearby, but instead of joining them, he looked around for Whitetail, his best friend. Hawkshadow spotted the tom a few tail-lengths away, sitting next to Tawnypelt. Sensing that Whitetail was busy, he padded over to sit next to his brother. He reflected silently over his new name and rank.
The moon rose shortly, casting a ghostly light over all the cats that had not yet crawled into their dens. Hawkshadow watched, expressionless, as Tawnypelt and Whitetail padded into the warriors' den together. Soon the entire camp was quiet, and they were the only two cats left in the clearing. Hawkshadow shifted into a more comfortable position to await dawn.
Eaglepaw blinked in surprise, and then twitched his tail in excitement as he bounded up to stand near his father. Hawkpaw, his brother, calmly padded up to stand next to him. He did not seem surprised; just proud.
"Both of you proved that you were ready to become warriors a few days ago when you drove away that fox from the nursery," Redstar continued.
All around them, Eaglepaw sensed a wave of unease pass through the Clan as the cats recalled just how much damage could have been done. Frostcloud had just delivered a litter of kits that very day, and was in no shape to defend her kits from the hungry fox.
"I, Redstar, leader of Thunder Clan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these two apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn," the red tom mewed, gazing skyward.
Returning his gaze to his two sons, he paused for a moment to gaze proudly at them before continuing, "Hawkpaw, Eaglepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
"I do," Eaglepaw mewed, not a second before Hawkpaw replied coolly, "I do."
Redstar gave a barely perceptible nod. "Then by the powers of Star Clan, I give you your warrior names. From this moment, you shall be known as Hawkshadow and Eagleheart. Star Clan honors your bravery and intelligence, and we welcome you as full warriors of Thunder Clan," he meowed.
Redstar stepped forward and rested his muzzle on top of Hawkshadow's head. The dark brown tabby licked his leader's shoulder respectfully, and then stepped back.
Redstar repeated this with Eagleheart, and when he stepped back, the cats of Thunder Clan began to yowl their approval and congratulations.
Ghostpaw slipped forward and pressed her muzzle against Eagleheart's flank, purring hard. Nearby, Hawkshadow narrowed his eyes as he watched her.
"Congratulations, Eagleheart," she mewed, her eyes sparkling proudly.
Shadowfire bounded over to them and hastily licked one's shoulder, then the other's. Hawkshadow stepped back, away from her licks, making it clear that he was too old to be groomed by his mother.
"Congratulations, both of you," she purred, continuing to lick Hawkshadow's fur anyway. Eagleheart licked his mother's shoulder and pressed against her side.
Dreamflower, the Clan deputy, meowed, "You two had better eat quickly. Once the moon rises, you will not be able to talk or move from your post at the entrance."
Eagleheart nodded and flicked Ghostpaw's side with his tail as he headed for the fresh-kill pile. Hesitantly, she followed, as if realizing that he was now a warrior. When he reached the fresh-kill pile, he turned and asked, "What would you like to eat?"
She ducked her head. "Whatever you do," she mumbled.
Eagleheart stared at her. Picking up a rabbit, he padded over to a spot near the entrance. Sitting down, he took a bite of the rabbit and chewed thoughtfully. Ghostpaw fidgeted as she took a bite of the rabbit.
"Ghostpaw, the only thing that's changed because I'm a warrior is my name," Eagleheart meowed suddenly.
Ghostpaw swallowed hard. She looked away and answered, "You won't want to spend your free time with an apprentice now."
Eagleheart looked at her with dismay. "Don't say that!" he meowed. "You and I both know that it isn't true."
Ghostpaw didn't respond. Instead, she bent her head and took another bite of rabbit. When Eagleheart and Ghostpaw finished, he stooped slightly to give her an affectionate lick before he bounded over to the thorn tunnel and sat down.
Hawkshadow finished his mouse and swiped his tongue around his lips. He heard Eagleheart and Ghostpaw talking nearby, but instead of joining them, he looked around for Whitetail, his best friend. Hawkshadow spotted the tom a few tail-lengths away, sitting next to Tawnypelt. Sensing that Whitetail was busy, he padded over to sit next to his brother. He reflected silently over his new name and rank.
The moon rose shortly, casting a ghostly light over all the cats that had not yet crawled into their dens. Hawkshadow watched, expressionless, as Tawnypelt and Whitetail padded into the warriors' den together. Soon the entire camp was quiet, and they were the only two cats left in the clearing. Hawkshadow shifted into a more comfortable position to await dawn.
Sign up to rate and review this story