Smoke and Mist



Dawnpaw yawned and stretched in her nest in the apprentices den. Poplarpaw rustled in the nest in the other corner of the den. He and Willowpaw had been sleeping in the Apprentices den for moons now. Amberpaw, Smokepaw and herself were nearly ready to be made warriors. Ashclaw was no doubt excited for when she was made a warrior, she could tell he was pining away for her. Dawnpaw wasn’t so sure. He was nice enough, she guessed. She pulled herself out of her nest. It was just before dawn. A Sparrow on the fresh-kill pile caught her attention. It was cold, from last night, she thought, but Dawnpaw was starving. She picked   it up and went to sit beside the waterfall. “Hey Dawnpaw, come sit by me” it was Gingerblaze. She turned towards him and lay down in the frosty grass. Gingerblaze’s warm red pelt pressed into her back. She finished her sparrow and fell asleep.



   Amberpaw woke up just after dawn. The apprentice den had a nasty chill that made her want to just crawl back into her moss. She didn’t though. Nightclaw told her, Dawnpaw, and Smokepaw to spend the day hunting. He had hinted that they might just be being watched. She heaved herself to her paws and shook the moss from her pelt. Padding outside, she looked across the camp. Dawnpaw was asleep beside Gingerblaze. Ugh. Amberpaw wondered what her sister saw in that arrogant bird-brain. Amberpaw trotted over and nudged her sister awake. “Hunting, come on sleepy.” Dawnpaw rolled over and batted at her paw. “Come on! We have to go hunting” “huh- wha? Oh, fine I’m getting up.” “Can I come?” Gingerblaze woke up and asked Amberpaw. “Oh… I don’t know. Nightclaw told us to go out hunting today, and he hinted that someone might be watching, so I’m not sure.” She answered him. She knew he was an arrogant mouse-brain. But Dawnpaw liked him, she could tell, that was enough. He must act different around Dawnpaw, or she didn’t know how she liked him.



   Smokepaw, Amberpaw, and Dawnpaw ran out into the forest. Dawnpaw glanced from side to side. Every so often, she caught a glimpse of flashes of fur. She knew their mentors were following them.

   The three of them arrivied at the Old Cottonwood. Dawnpaw immeidiatly spotted a thrush and stalked toward it through the leaves in the trees and pounced. Hiding it in the leaves, she continued on.



   What Amberpaw really needed was a catch like Dawnpaws, an old crow would. She saw a mouse nibbling on some seeds on the ground. She shrugged. Skyclan didn’t really eat mice, but no one would turn up their nose at it. Suddenly, a cry high in the sky told Amberpaw of the hawk. She looked up. It was coming for the mouse. Her mouse! She saw Smokepaw stalking a sparrow in the leaves next to her. He caught it, then turned to her. She flicked her tail in the hawks direction, who was now nibbling on the dead mouse. Smokepaw understood instantly. He lept from the tree without a sound. She watched him stalk the hawk carefully. Dawnpaw saw Smokepaw and came at it from the other side. Amberpaw smiled. She hoped Nightclaw was watching. If the three of them caught this, they would be warriors be sunset. She turned her attntion to Smokepaw. He was a taillenght from the hawk. He signaled to Dawnpaw. They both charged at it. The hawk flapped once and rose above the two apprentices claws. Amberpaw raced to the end of her branch and leapt farther than she thought possible, landing squarely on the birds back, bringing it crashing to the clearing. Dawnpaw and Smokepaw grabbed its wings in their teeth while Amberpaw bit its neck, killing it instantly.

   Nightclaw, Poppystripe and Petalwhisker burst from the bushes. “Great catch, Amberpaw!” Poppystripe yowled. “amazing idea! I’ve never seen anything like that!” Nightclaw nodded. “That was very impressive. You three are more than ready to be made warriors. Gather your prey and head back to camp. I’ll speak with Snowstar about your warrior ceremony” Amberpaw gave a little bounce. Warriors at last!



   Amberpaw struggled back to camp under the weight of the hawk. Dawnpaw carted a heavy load of two sparrows, a squirrel, and a very young crow. Smokepaw held two thrushes and a small sparrow. They dropped most of them on the fresh kill pile as Dawnpaw took two sparrows to the elders, while Smokepaw brought thrushes to the nursing queens. Amberpaw set the hawk down, as Bluetail bounced over to congratulate her. “Great catch Amberpaw!” He said. “You caught that all on your own?!” “Dawnpaw and Smokepaw helped, though.” He shook his head “I bet you did all the work, though.” He touched her shoulder with his tail. “You’re a great hunter.” He bounced away, quick as he had come. Poppystripe walked up to her with Cloverpelt, giggleing. “You’ll be so sweet together” She said “What?” Amberpaw asked, surprised “Haven’t you noticed? Bluetail’s been following you around for moons! He obviously likes you!” She said “Yeah. A lot.” Cloverpelt added. They left Amberpaw alone, to think about what she had just heard.



   “come forward.” Snowstar said. they stood firmly in front of her leader. “These apprentice has trained hard to follow and understand the ways of your noble code. I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Amberpaw, Dawnpaw, and Smokepaw. Do you promise to uphold and protect the warrior code?” “I do.” Amberpaws eyes shone with determination. “I do.” Dawnpaw spoke, her voice full purpose. “I do.” Smokepaw said, though his voice wavered, if only ever so slightly. “Amberpaw, From this moment on you will be known as Ambereye. Starclan honors your skill and courage.” Ambereye stepped back. “Dawnpaw.” He paused “from this moment you will be known as Dawnsky. Starclan honors your kindness and compassion.” Dawnsky stepped back beside Ambereye, her eyes gleaming. “Smokepaw,” Together they watched their brother step toward Snowstar. “Smokepaw, From this moment on you will be Smoketail. Starclan honors your bravery and strength.” The three new warriors beamed at each other. Finaly! “Ambereye! Dawnsky! Smoketail!” Their clanmates cheered for them with their new names. “Come on, Dawnsky, you can sleep by me in the warriors den.” Ashclaw walked up. “Okay.” Dawnsky trotted away with Ashclaw his tail resting on her shoulder. “Dawnsky has a hard choice ahead of her.” Cloverpelt commented, standing beside Ambereye. “Ashclaw and Gingerblaze. She likes them both, I can tell.” Ambereye nodded. She didn’t envy her sister in the moons to come.



   That night her and her littermates sat vigil in the

watch-tree above the skyclan camp. in was a massive oak that towered higher than the other trees in the forest, granting a clear, birds-eye view of the forest. Amberpaw wondered what Moonpaw was doing tonight. She would receive her full name when Silverwing found her ready. Moonpaw had told her it wouldn’t be long now. Amberpaw glanced at the moon. tommorow night it would be a half-moon. Moonpaw should receive her full name.

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<p class="MsoBodyText">   Smoketail raced through the trees towards the skyclan border. It was the day after he was made a warrior. He was going to see Mist again. He visited her often now, she seemed so lonely. She was starting to warm up to him, he could tell. He wasn’t sure, but he knew he had feelings for her. He just had to figure out what type.

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<p class="MsoBodyText">   Smoketail crossed the border and arrived at Mist’s home on the now-frozen river. Prey would be getting scarcer soon, he knew, espiacely for Mist, without anyone to help her. He knew she wouldn’t accept his help, but still, he feared for her. “Mist! Mist, where are you?” he called toward her den in a little hollow under a hanging, tangled willow, right on the river bank. In Greenleaf, the water would come right up to her den walls, and in Newleaf, he knew the water would rise and completely flood her den. She told him she would retreat to a small dirt overhang, much like the apprentices den in camp. Mist emerged from the tangled branches. “Smokepaw!” She yowled, running to meet him. She curled around him, beaming. He couldn’t help smiling. “It’s Smoketail now.” He said, proud to boast about his warrior name. “You were made a warrior! That’s great!” just as she had shown him about her life, he had told her about the clans. “I wish I could see your camp, Smoketail. I now I can’t, but I’d like to.” She said. “I will take you, someday. You could even become a clan cat. They would welcome you.” Mist shivered and withdrew. “I’m not good around other cats. I always mess up, say something stupid.” She told him. “you got used to me, didn’t you?” “Yes, but it was a stretch. Besides, your special. Very special. I don’t know what I would do without you.” Smoketail didn’t know what to say. He stood in the snow, at loss for words. “Come on. Its cold out here. We’ll be warmer in my den. She led him into the tangled willow.

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<p class="MsoBodyText">   In Mist’s den, it was very warm. She lay down in the soft feathers and snow she gathered for her nest. “Come on, sit down beside me, Smoketail. I caught some mice this morning, we can share.” She stretched over and dug in the snow, uncovering to young mice. She grabbed one and tossed it to Smoketail, and kept one for herself. “I couldn’t ever live with your clan, Smoketail. You know that. But you could come and live with me. Together, we could live out here. Together, we would be Smoke and Mist.