Authors note: I'm posting up a new warriors fanfic, called The Hidden Warrior (Dun dun dunnn!). Follow Brightspring as she lives in Thunderclan, generations after the Great Battle between Starclan and the Dark Forest. Rouges come to Thunderclan, and she must make the decision to protect her clan. Credit goes to Simply Peachy, winner of my warrior contest, who created the character and story!

A quick thank you to Foxbracken for reviewing!

Chapter Ten: Haven't Caught Up Yet

Coalpaw watched his brother take another bite out of the hare they were sharing. The camp was quiet and most cats were out at the gathering that night. He sighed, looking at the empty camp, where only Addercrawl sat out in the cool night. He turned back to Redpaw, who had eaten another bite. His brother had walked up to him after the gathering party had left, and asked if they wanted to go hunting. One hare later, here they were.

I guess that's his way of an apology, or maybe just a truce between the two of us. Coalpaw took a quick bite of the hare, and felt his hungry stomach settle a bit.

"Who do you think the father of Addercrawl's kits is?" Redpaw whispered, glancing over at the queen. "She hasn't told any cat yet."

"She's probably too ashamed to say who is." Coalpaw snorted, not wanting to think about Addercrawl's betrayal to Windclan.

Redpaw looked at him with wide eyes. "Do you think it's an out of clan tom?"

"We shouldn't be talking about our clanmates like that." Coalpaw's mother's voice rang out behind him, and he turned to see Quailfeather sit between him and Redpaw. "It's up to her if she doesn't want to tell us."

Redpaw sighed, but then perked up again as the gathering started to file back into the camp.

Cedarfur was first, his ear bleeding onto the grass. "I can't believe those kittypet Thunderclan cats! How dare they call themselves warriors!" he growled, shaking his head to stop blood from getting in his eyes. Pinetail darted from his den, herbs already between his mouth.

Waterdrop and Foxtail followed behind. "Don't be too quick to fight them next time." Waterdrop scolded. "It is a full moon; you didn't think Thunderclan would get mad?"

Foxtail curled his claws. "I think we need to show them a lesson. They've hurt us too many times."

"I'm with you there." Stormclaw mewed, Minnowpaw at his side. She saw them sitting not far, and rushed over, her eyes wild with excitement.

"No fighting will go on unless Gorsestar says so!" Jaybird yowled at Foxtail, who sent her an evil look.

Greystorm stepped up between Jaybird and Foxtail. "Don't touch her, Foxtail." The semi-blind she-cat hissed.

"You'll never guess what happened!" Minnowpaw gasped at them, after giving them each a hello lick on the ear. She even gave Coalpaw one, so he guessed that she wasn't all that mad at him anymore.

"Well tell us!" Redpaw pressed.

"Gorsestar asked Thunderclan for hills behind the stream back, and Birchstar was all 'I'd rather Thunderclan be taken over by kittypets'" Minnowpaw's voice became deep as she mimicked the Thunderclan leader "And Cedarfur said Thunderclan was already taken over by kittypets, which is true! But a then a small fight broke out, and Silverstar called an ending to the gathering, before any of the other leaders had a chance to talk!"

Coalpaw felt anger rise in him. Those pesky Thunderclan cats! He'd show them how it was to fear a real Windclan warrior. "I wish Gorsestar would have let me go!" he mewed, looking over to where the warriors were still bickering. "I could have fought."

Quailfeather let out a loud sigh. "Coalpaw, how many times have a told you not to fight other clan cats? Especially after . . . you know . . . the last Thunderclan battle. . . "

"You mean where I killed a cat, mother?" Coalpaw snarled, blood rushing to his ears. "Why can't you just say it? Accept the fact that your son has killed." He growled at her.

Quailfeather gapped at him, open mouthed, then she whispered, "That's what I've feared," before walking away.

Coalpaw growled once more before stalking to the apprentice den, leaving his kin behind.

-x-

Coalpaw felt the small patters of rain drops on his shoulders, the rain clouds above a deep grey. Starclan must have been mad about the fight at the gathering if they're making it rain so early in Leaf-Fall. Coalpaw shrugged and kept walking through the hills of Windclan. It was too crowded in camp for him, he needed to get out. Plus, the rain felt good on his fur after days of hot sun.

"Coalpaw." A cat called out.

He turned, and felt relief. "Vix."

"I have been waiting for you, it is time for you second task." He mewed.

"Okay!" Coalpaw mewed. "I'm ready now."

Vix shook his head. "No right now, Coalpaw. This may take a bit of planning on your part. Your task is to kill a cat from another clan." He held up his tail before Coalpaw could talk. "I know you have done this before, but this is different. This has to be out of cold blood, Coalpaw. No battles, no defending one-self. You need to find this cat, and just kill them."

Coalpaw nodded, he could do this. It would be easier than Fernwhisker. The measly cat wouldn't even expect it. "I can do that." He mewed. He already knew which clan to start in.

-x-

"Good job on the move, Minnowpaw!" Jaybird purred at Minnowpaw expertly attack Redpaw to the ground. Coalpaw flattened his ear, bored. Vix had taught him this move moons ago.

"Okay, Coalpaw you go now." Gorsestar nodded his head to Redpaw.

Coalpaw padded forward, his eyes locked on where he would attack. Before Redpaw could settle back on his paws, Coalpaw pounced, hooking his paws under Redpaw's and flipping the tom over. Redpaw landed on his back and Coalpaw twisted to land on top of him, pinning him down easily. He turned to the mentors, who both had their jaws hanging open in admiration.

Gorsestar only nodded. "Very well then, I suggest that we have a battle between all there apprentices. Winner doesn't have to clean out the elders den."

Minnowpaw jumped up. "No way! That would the best!"

"Help! Help me!"

All cats turned their heads. Coalpaw flicked his ears, that didn't sound like any cat in Windclan, was it a Thunderclan cat? He wondered, but then the sound of crashing bushes got closer, and Jaybird and Cedarfur crouched down, their hackles raised to whatever was coming towards them.

A brown tom rushes out of the brambles, his eyes fearful and his body covered in wounds. He reeked of blood, and Coalpaw wanted to reach out and give him an extra slash. The tom stopped to look them and then fell to the ground. But whatever was still chasing him was tearing through the - Fox!

Jaybird and Cedarfur pounced on the animal with no hesitation, their claws raking it's fur. Gorsestar turned to Coalpaw. "Go get Pinetail, and tell him there's a cat that needs help!"

Coalpaw didn't stay. He could take on cats, but a fox was a different matter. He turned and starting running to camp, willing his black legs to go faster. Soon he smelled the entrance, and gained an extra burst of speed.

"Pinetail!" he yowled, running to the tom's den.

Pinetail swiveled to where Coalpaw was. "Coalpaw, what's the matter?" he mewed.

"There's a fox!" Coalpaw gasped for breath. "Attack in the territory. Gorsestar told me to tell you a cat is hurt."

"How bad?" The medicine cat mewed, his ears pricked and ready to go.

"He's losing a lot of blood." Coalpaw mewed.

Pinetail started to collect herbs in his jaws and turned around nodding at Coalpaw to tell he was ready to go.

Coalpaw turned, but saw the russet pelt of his brother and the blue one of Jaybird walk through the camp entrance. "There they are." He mewed, motioning to the brown bundle that must have been the hurt tom.

Pinetail ran over to them, swabbing cobwebs over the tom without question. Cats in the camp pricked their ears with curiosity, and a mummer swept through the camp of what had happened. Coalpaw studied Jaybird, Cedarfur, Minnowpaw and Redpaw. Not cat seemed to be injured by their attack of the fox and Gorsestar was already walking up to the highrock.

"Let all cats old enough to chase their own rabbit gathering for a clan meeting!" He yowled. Windclan turned to see what Gorsestar had to stay. He continued; "A fox was attacking this tom through our territory, and even though it was a group effort, I want to shine light on two apprentices who helped protect those around them. Redpaw, Minnowpaw, please step forward." He mewed.

Minnowpaw gasped, looking at Redpaw. Quailfeather darted forward, giving of their cheeks a lick before they step forward.

"I Gorsestar, leader of Windclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turn. Minnowpaw, Redpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?" the old leader mewed.

Redpaw and Minnowpaw both nod, mewing "I do." to their leader.

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name, Minnowpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Minnowtail. StarClan honors your honor and bravery. Redpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Redheart. Starclan honors your leadership and skills and we welcome both of you as a full warrior of Windclan."

Coalpaw slapped down on the grass below him. He still stood in Pinetail's den as he watched his mentor make his kin warriors. How dare him! I had no time to fight because Gorsestar sent me all the back to camp. How could he keep his word for waiting an extra moon?

"You seem upset."

Coalpaw turned around to see Yarrowleaf standing there. "Yeah." He mewed softly, unsure on where they stood with each other.

Yarrowleaf dipped her head down, and looked out over to where Windclan was chanting out "Redheart! Minnowtail!" His kin stood proudly in their ceremony. "You want to talk about this?" she mewed.

Coalpaw nodded, and followed her out the medicine cat's den and out the back of the camp.

They walked through the tall grasses that grew around the camp, some coming up to only Coalpaw shoulder, some growing past his head. He followed Yarrowleaf's tail until she decided to stop a far distance away from camp. They were closer to the horseplace more than anything. Coalpaw shivered with the tension that filled the air.

"You should have been getting your warrior name too, Coalpaw." Yarrowleaf finally said.

He didn't say anything.

"They could call you Coalheart instead of Redheart." She purred at her joke.

He still remained silent.

He finally heard her sigh. "You're a good cat, Coalpaw."

No I'm not, I'm going to have to kill a cat soon, and I'm fine with it.

Her cheek pressed against his. "I don't want to fight. Can we forget about this? I was upset by Mist. I was jealous from her." She scoffed at her own words then looked at him. He could feel her gaze.

He stepped forward, and licked her shoulder. "I think we can forget about it."

Yarrowleaf purred. "You're such a fox-heart sometimes Coalpaw."

Coalpaw chuckled, and closed his eyes, smelling her scent of a warm nest. That night he became more a warrior than any of his siblings.

Authors note: Not much to say but review. ^.^