Troutpaw stretched out in the sun, recalling last night's gathering. He had talked mostly to the two RiverClan warrior apprentices (Sneezepaw, the medicine cat apprentice, had sat with the medicine cats) and found Warblingpaw in particular to be fascinating in the way that, despite endless teasing from his brother Sequoiapaw, he was able to be successful as a half-blind warrior in training. Both had said that by the next gathering, Soarkit, Stridekit, Plainkit, and Spottedkit would be apprentices and that some of them would probably attend. He couldn't wait!

All the breath was suddenly knocked out of him as he was tackled from behind. "Uhh!" He wheezed as he hit the ground. Whipping his head around, Troutpaw snarled. "Westernpaw!" 

"What?" His littermate blinked down at him innocently. "'A good warrior is always prepared,'" she added, quoting her mentor, Billowstar. She smirked down at him. "Who's the best fighter in WindClan?"

 "Not you!" He sprang upwards, throwing her off, then pounced on Westernpaw and raked his paw down her belly. "'Never let your confidence get the best of you,'" he quoted his mentor, Quakingchest, as he jumped off his sister. Quakingchest impressed him even more so than Warblingpaw, because Quakingchest was completely blind. Having a blind mentor made Troutpaw a better warrior, in fact, because his mentor never talked about relying on your sight, instead pressuring soon the other senses. Troutpaw could now track a mouse and dodge an attack with his eyes closed.

"Hmmph." Westernpaw sat up and licked her white chest fur. With a purr, Troutpaw went to help groom the tabby she-cat. He jumped as Billowstar leaped up to the Tallrock, which was where he made announcements from. 

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey!" He practically screamed. "Gather at my paws for a meeting." Billowstar was... Well, he was sensitive. One might even say prone to overreaction. Troutpaw had no doubt in his mind that this would be an example. He recalled that the leader of RiverClan, Figstar, was similar, going on and on at the gathering about the new warrior, Southernpath.  Hermitstar's announcement of her own apprentice's warrior name, Gyrfalcontoe, had been much shorter and more humble. He had quickly decided that ShadowClan's leader was the most levelheaded of the five.

"There are ROGUES in our TERRITORY!" Billowstar yowled, drawing Troutpaw's attention back to him. "I'm sending a patrol to get rid of them TODAY. Magpieclaw, Hawkthorn, Quakingchest, Troutpaw, go at Sunhigh. They're near the Horseplace. Magpieclaw knows where.

"In OTHER news, one of our apprentices is ready to become a warrior. Briarpaw, step forward." The tortoiseshell tom did as his leader asked, eyes shining. "I, Billowstar, leader of WindClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn.

"Briarpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Billowstar looked down at his brother's kit seriously. Briarpaw nodded slowly.

"I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Briarpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Briarclaw. StarClan honors your energy and battle skills, and we welcome you as a full warrior of WindClan." Billowstar jumped down from the Tallrock and rested his muzzle on top of Briarclaw's head. Briarclaw, obviously overwhelmed, licked his shoulder.

"Briarclaw! Briarclaw! Briarclaw!" The Clan chanted as their leader scrambled back up the Tallrock. Westernpaw was cheering with a lovestruck expression, and Troutpaw rolled his eyes. Briarclaw melted back into the crowd.

"Two WindClan kits are ready to become apprentices," Billowstar went on. "Cootkit, Laurelkit, come forward. Cootkit, from this moment on until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Cootpaw. Your mentor will be Magpieclaw. Magpieclaw, take him on the patrol later — it's good practice. Laurelkit, from this moment on until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Laurelpaw. Your mentor will be Iciclegoose."

As the new apprentices touched noses with their mentors, the Clan, including Troutpaw and his trouble-making sister, cheered. "Cootpaw! Laurelpaw! Cootpaw! Laurelpaw!"

Billowstar dipped his head. "Last of all, my mate, Emberfly, is moving into the nursery. Clan dismissed."

Troutpaw whisked his tail and went to congratulate the new apprentices when a terrible scent stole across the air. He turned in time to see five cats, all stinking of RiverClan, strode into camp. He recognized Figstar, Jaggedsnow, Eaglenose, Hollypounce, and Warblingpaw. He caught Warblingpaw's working eye and tried to send a silent message: What in StarClan's name are you doing here? The RiverClan apprentice shook his head uneasily and looked away.

Figstar raised her head to look — no, to glare — at Billowstar.

"I see I've interrupted something. But it appears that your whole Clan is here, so I must have very good timing. I want you all to hear this."

Hollypounce tensed, ready for a fight. Warblingpaw glanced around nervously, realizing they were quite sorely outnumbered. But Figstar's gaze was level, and she met Billowstar's eyes with no fear.

"I am declaring war on WindClan — unless you execute Westernpaw and Briarpaw by the next full moon."