A Moonlit Path by Chocolatemeerkat (shoe dog free ebook .txt) 📖

to touch noses with her new apprentice.
"Fernkit, from this day on, until you recieve your warrior name, you will be known as Fernpaw. Your mentor will be Foxtooth." Bramblestar continued.
Murmurs of suprise and shock broke out as the tall ginger tom stepped forward, shocked at being picked as a mentor.
"Are you mouse-brained?" Tigerpelt growled, springing up to his paws. "A loner training a apprentice? Hedgehogs will fly before he even gets the point of how important loyalty is!"
"Is that a challenge, Tigerpelt?" Bramblestar meowed coldly, narrowing his eyes.
"You are wrong, Tigerpelt." Eagletalon piped up, rising to his paws. "I was a former loner, but I chose to be a clan cat. Lionclaw and Lostsong are two other examples of former loners. Since gaining our warrior names, we've been loyal to ForestClan ever since, and remember that Lostsong was Bramblestar's first deputy? At this moment in time, Lionclaw and I both have apprentices who are progressing well in training and the whole clan trusts us. I have three kits and a best friend, so where is your proof that loners can't be loyal?"
"Eagletalon's right." Echopath hissed. "Perhaps you should pipe down and respect other cats rather than caring for no one but yourself!"
"I support what my brother said." Lionclaw mewed from the other side. "Loyalty is who we are, not where we come from!"
"Silence!" Bramblestar yowled, raising his tail. "I chose Foxtooth because he is brave and clever. He will be a good mentor, I can sense it."
"I-I am delighted to have this so early on as I progress on as a F-ForestClan warrior." Foxtooth stammered. "T-The reason I joined was to commit myself to something big. And joining the clan has taught me a lot about life." He then turned to Tigerpelt calmly. "I don't know everyone here yet, like I barely knew the apprentices, but I'm trying my hardest to learn everyone's names. You're lucky, to have grown up with these cats who have protected you and cared for you. Ghostfire and I, we almost died many times with just our mother defending us. When she died, our world fell apart. How would you feel, to have your loyalty questioned because of your past?"
He is brave to say something like that in front of Tigerpelt. Eagletalon thought. Even I don't have the nerve to argue like that with a senior warrior. I've got a feeling that Foxtooth will make a good leader.             "Carrying on now, there's one more kit left." Bramblestar meowed. "Toadkit, until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Toadpaw. Your mentor will be Echopath."
Eagletalon instantly turned to Echopath, who was beaming in delight at her name. "I told you." He mewed, happy for his friend.
"Echopath, you are a gifted hunter and one of the fastest cats in the clan. I know that you will pass your qualities onto Toadpaw." Bramblestar explained. "Clan dismissed!"
The clan cats watched as the three new mentors touched noses with the apprentices, who were bouncing around in joy. Amusement twinkled in Eagletalon's eyes as he watched them, remembering his apprentice days.
"Eagletalon!" Sandtail called. "Could you lead a training program for the new apprentices? Bramblestar will want all of them to learn some battle moves, just in case ReedClan or CourageClan decide to attack."
"Sure." The white and gold warrior meowed, signaling Spiderleg, Gorgepaw and Heatherpaw to come over. "Come on, we're going to the training hollow with Poppyfoot's kits and their mentors."
"Can I teach Toadpaw some battle moves?" Gorgepaw begged. Eagletalon shook his head in amusement. "There's some moves you need to learn before you can go and shredding new apprentices." ~3~

Echopath followed her clanmates through the forest as they approached the training hollow. Beside her, Toadpaw was bounding across the ground, trying to catch up with his mentor. His green eyes were filled with excitement and his long dark brown fur ruffled by the wind.
Strong memories flowed over Echopath as she watched the apprentice. Her apprentice days were a long time ago, with many other cats who were now loyal warriors like her. She kept many of her friends close, yet some had gone off her.
I hope Lionclaw understands why I can't be with him yet. Echopath thought in her mind, remembering what had happened earlier today. Lionclaw had asked the young silver she-cat to be his mate, but she refused, knowing that her clan was in danger of starving. This caused the golden tabby to become rather upset, for he had been fond of her for a long time, but Echopath's best friend was his brother, Eagletalon.
"Keep up, Echopath." Eagletalon warned her. "At this time, we are unaware of any suspecting cats that could be trying to attack us."
"Why would they go after a large band of warriors armed with apprentices?" Echopath inquired. Eagletalon flicked his tail to Toadpaw and his sisters, his green eyes showing worry. "You tell me. Those three are new apprentices who don't know the territory, let alone any battle moves. There are a lot of us, yes, but if one of the apprentices are killed..." He trailed off, and Echopath comfortingly pressed herself against him. "In all the fights we've been in, the clan hasn't lost in a long time. Have faith."
"Echopath is right." Twistpelt piped up from behind. "I'm a younger warrior, but ForestClan never surrender. Every cat should fear us!"
Before anyone else could reply, Gorgepaw and Heatherpaw rushed back to the warriors, panting. "H-Help!"
"What's happened?" Eagletalon demanded.
"T-There are o-other w-warriors in our t-territory!" Heatherpaw gasped, collasping. Spiderleg darted over to her side and nudged her up gently, but as the little apprentice got up a patrol of CourageClan warriors appeared. Eagletalon jumped in front. "What are you doing here?" He snarled, flexing his claws.
"We are here in peace." Noblespirit responded, showing no threat in his voice. "Although, we will attack if required."
"If you noticed, we never asked to be attacked." Echopath retorted. "Two apprentices, a warrior and a deputy looks like a battle patrol!"
"No, three warriors." Noblespirit flicked his tail to Thunderpaw and Hollypaw, two CourageClan apprentices. "Thunderpaw is Thunderstrike and Hollypaw is Hollyberry. Then there's Crowpelt and me, obviously."
"I bet Crowpelt is here to see Dawnsong and bring her kits back to CourageClan!" Spiderleg spat. "You won't get through us!"
"Dawnsong has kits?" Noblespirit seemed a little suprised. "We were unaware of that. And besides, CourageClan are not here to steal kits. We simply request to speak to Bramblestar."
"What about?" Foxtooth growled from behind, but Echopath flicked her tail across his muzzle for silence. "We can handle this." She murmured gently. "You don't need to get involed."
"We'll discuss that with your leader, not his border patrol." Noblespirit replied coldly.
"We're actually training apprentices." Twistpelt hissed. Echopath stepped in front of the two cats, with Eagletalon stand beside her. He stared up at Noblespirit, green eyes annoyed. "In case you've got any ideas, Echopath and I will escort you back to our camp." He flicked his tail over to Spiderleg. "Take the apprentices to the training hollow. Keep an eye out for any more trespassers."
Despite Eagletalon was younger than Noblespirit, the CourageClan deputy followed his order. Echopath felt a lot braver at this moment. She knew that Eagletalon was brave, but even she didn't have the courage to order around another clan's deputy. Maybe that's why Willowstream became his mate. She realised. Eagletalon is brave and fierce, yet he cares deeply for his clanmates. I shouldn't have given him such a hard time.    "Come on." The gold and white warrior growled, taking the lead. Echopath darted after him, with the four CourageClan cats following close behind.

*4*

"There are CourageClan cats in our camp!"
Dawnsong woke up with a start to hear Leapthroat's voice echoing across the territory. Curiously, she poked her head out of the entrance and saw Echopath and Eagletalon leading a small patrol of CourageClan cats. The young queen instantly reconised her brother, Crowpelt, and the new deputy Noblespirit. There were two cats who looked like apprentices, one of them was Thunderpaw, whom Dawnsong had met before.
"Why are you here?" Sandtail growled, lashing her tail in anger. "Or does Bravestar think that her warriors can go wherever they like?"
"We come in peace." Noblespirit replied, stepping forward. "We have a message from Bravestar that urgently needs to reach your leader."
"And we'll attack if needed!" Crowpelt snarled from behind, but he instantly went calm when he saw Dawnsong. His blue eyes lit up in delight and he waved his tail in greeting.
"They're here to take Dawnsong back to CourageClan!" Otterswim hissed. "Isn't it obvious why they've brought her brother? It's so he can sweet talk her into coming back!"
Mews of alarm broke out within the clan cats. Dawnsong glanced back and fourth anxiously, but before any one else spoke, Bramblestar darted over from his den. He dipped his head to the CourageClan cats respectfully. "Greetings." He spoke. "Why are you here before me?"
"Bravestar wishes for us to send you a message." Noblespirit replied, not a trace of fear or threat in his voice. "She is very ill at the moment, which is why she sent us."
"Who are these cats with you? I only reconise Crowpelt." Bramblestar enquired, glaring at the other two cats. Noblespirit flicked his tail to the black she-cat. "Hollyberry." Then his tail went over to the light grey tom. "Thunderstrike. Both of them are new warriors."
"I see." Bramblestar glanced over at the nursery. "For now, Noblespirit, I will only speak to you. ForestClan give no harm to those who don't try to attack us. Your clanmates will be guarded over there by Tigerpelt, Rabbitleap, Pigeonwing and Ghostfire."
"Wait!" Crowpelt stepped in front of Noblespirit, his blue eyes frightened. "Would it be possible for me to speak to my sister for a few moments? Please?"
"Granted." Bramblestar growled. "But if you're hatching some plan to invade or something similar, we'll increase our border patrols."
Dawnsong watched as her brother rushed over to her. She smiled warmly at him. "It's nice to see you, Crowpelt." She greeted him politely.
"Your clanmates are ever so thin." Crowpelt observed. "Thinner than I remember from the last gathering. I'm worried about you, Dawnsong."
"We're fine." Dawnsong insisted. "But your clan aren't looking so great either. Especially those new