Outcast

For a moment Jaypaw wondered why Firestar was organizing a patrol, until he remembered that the Clan deputy, Brambleclaw, was out in the forest giving Berrypaw his assessment.

“Thanks, Lionpaw,” Firestar meowed, “but I can see you’ve been working hard today.”

Lionpaw sat down again; Jaypaw could tell he was disappointed.

“I’ll go.” Graystripe spoke as he pushed his way out of the warriors’ den.

“So will I.” Squirrelflight was just behind him.

“And I’ll come with Honeypaw.” Jaypaw heard Sandstorm padding up from the direction of the apprentices’ den, with her apprentice at her side.

“Good,” meowed Firestar. “I think you should take a look at the border with WindClan. Everything’s been quiet since the kits were found, but you never know.”

“We’ll make sure the scent marks are fresh,” Graystripe promised. “And if we see—”

He broke off at the sound of excited meows and loud rustling from the thorn tunnel. Jaypaw sat up, jaws parted to distinguish the different scents of the newcomers. Berrypaw was first into the clearing, with Hazelpaw and Mousepaw bundling just behind him. They were followed by their mentors, Brambleclaw, Dustpelt, and Spiderleg.

“We did it!” Berrypaw’s triumphant yowl echoed around the stone hollow. “We all passed our assessment, and now we’ll be warriors!”

“Berrypaw.” Brambleclaw sounded stern. “That’s for Firestar to decide.”

“Sorry.” Jaypaw could feel Berrypaw’s sudden dejection and pictured him with head and tail drooping. “But we will get to be warriors, won’t we?”

“Maybe we should assess how well you can keep your mouth shut,” Dustpelt snapped.

“It’s okay.” Firestar sounded amused. “If the mentors will come and speak to me, we’ll arrange the warrior ceremony.”

“What about the border patrol?” Graystripe asked.

“It can wait till dusk. We’re not expecting trouble, after all.”

All the apprentices were gathering in an excited cluster near their den. Lionpaw pelted across to join them. Jaypaw rose, stretched, and followed more slowly.

“…and two voles,” Berrypaw was meowing as Jaypaw came into earshot. “I’d have had a thrush as well if he hadn’t frightened it away.”

Jaypaw’s neck fur bristled, but before he could speak Hollypaw jumped to his defense. “What does it matter? You passed the assessment.”

Jaypaw’s tail tip twitched. I can look after myself, thanks.

“I got a humongous vole.” Hazelpaw was too excited to notice the hostility between Berrypaw and Jaypaw. “And I brought down a blackbird just as it was flying away. Dustpelt said he’d never seen such a good leap.”

“That’s great!” mewed Honeypaw.

“I caught a squirrel,” Mousepaw boasted. Jaypaw remembered how the apprentice had climbed the Sky Oak in pursuit of a squirrel, and then was too scared to climb down again. Cinderpaw had broken her leg going up to fetch him when a branch gave way and she fell. Jaypaw would have bet a moon of searching the elders’ fur for ticks that the squirrel Mousepaw caught had been on the ground.

“I wish we were being assessed, don’t you?” Hollypaw murmured to Lionpaw. “Sometimes I think we’ll never be warriors.”

“I know.” Lionpaw sounded just as envious; then a jolt of determination shot through him. “We’ll just have to work harder, that’s all.”

Jaypaw didn’t join in the conversation. His paws were set on a different path. He wouldn’t finish his medicine cat training for a long, long time, and when he received his proper name he would still be Leafpool’s apprentice. He wouldn’t be a full medicine cat until she died. Even though his fur prickled at the thought of his littermates moving on without him, he didn’t want his mentor to die.

Besides, the prophecy said that he and the others would have the power of the stars in their paws as soon as they were born. It didn’t say that they had to be warriors first.

Firestar’s voice rang out from the Highledge. “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather for a Clan meeting!”

The clearing flooded with different scents as the Clan began to emerge. Jaypaw could make out Mousefur and Longtail, the elders, as they left the shelter of their den under the hazel bush. Leafpool came out of the medicine cats’ den and sat in front of the screen of brambles.

Then the other scents were overwhelmed by Daisy’s, as she bounded over to the group of apprentices.

“Berrypaw, just look at you!” she exclaimed. “Your fur is sticking out all over the place. And Hazelpaw—have you collected every single burr between here and the lake?”

Jaypaw heard the sound of fierce licking.

“It’s okay, I can do it,” Berrypaw protested.

“Nonsense,” Daisy scolded. “You can’t go to your warrior ceremony looking like some scruffy band of rogue kits. Any cat would think I hadn’t brought you up properly.” She began licking Berrypaw again, then broke off to add, “Mousepaw, you’re just as bad! Have you seen the state of your tail?”

“I hope Firestar has forgotten about my tail,” Berrypaw mewed anxiously. “He might use it to give me my warrior name.”