- I sat, astonished at Gorsestar's offer. "Um," I began. "Why don't you offer this to Smoothpaw?"
- "Because WindClan wouldn't like it," Gorsestar replied.
- "They probably think he's dead," I commented. "He's been here for a moon."
- Gorsestar nodded. "Good point. He'll train with you."
- "How will he know that?" I asked.
- "Goldfoot!" Gorsestar yowled.
- Oh, no... I thought.
- The golden-brown cat stuck his head through the entrance of the den. "Yes, Gorsestar?"
- "I need Smoothpaw."
- "We don't have an apprentice named Smooth- oh. Okay," Goldfoot mewed, and his head disappeared.
- "Goldfoot is a good deputy," Gorsestar mewed, "but he can be a little slow at times." He twitched his whiskers with amusement.
- Soon, Smoothpaw was shoved into the den by Goldfoot. "Let go of me!" he yowled.
- I realized that Goldfoot must be holding onto his tail.
- "Here you go," Goldfoot mewed from behind Smoothpaw's tail.
- "Let go of his tail," Gorsestar mewed sternly.
- Smoothpaw's tail was dropped as Goldfoot left the den.
- "I want you both to be warriors of ThunderClan," Gorsestar explained.
- Smoothpaw was instantly on his feet. "No way," he hissed. "I'm from WindClan! Why would I join ThunderClan?"
- "Because WindClan thinks you're dead." I stepped forward. I knew that I had to get him in ThunderClan, so I... I lied to him.
- "No they don't." Smoothpaw raised his chin in sudden defiance. "A cat tried to rescue me just last night."
- And Smoothpaw yowled in pain.
- I realized that Gorsestar had just clawed him across the face. Now the cut was bleeding.
- "No prisoner of ThunderClan gets rescued," Gorsestar growled. "Ever."
- Smoothpaw raced out of the den.
- I heard yowls of disbelief outside the den. "Stay here," Gorsestar ordered me. He raced out.
- "He's escaped, Gorsestar!" I heard a cat yowl. "He was a blur- I didn't expect it-"
- "Be quiet, Bearface." I heard Gorsestar growl at the cat, who had obviously been guarding the camp.
- "He just rushed right by me-"
- "Bearface!" Gorsestar yowled, "be quiet."
- Bearface was silent.
- "Gorsestar, Bearface didn't expect it, he was turned the other way!" I heard Goldfoot stick up for his Clan mate. "It's his first time guarding the camp!"
- I stuck my head out.
- "Water, come here," Brackenclaw called.
- I padded across the camp to him. "What?"
- "Did you two plan this?" he asked.
- "No," I said cautiously. "I didn't know that-"
- "That your apprentice ceremony is right now!" Gorsestar yowled from the Highrock.
- The ThunderClan cats gathered around.
- "Until you receive your warrior name," Gorsestar began, "you will be known as Waterpaw."
- There were halfhearted calls of "Waterpaw!"
- "This cat is going to be mentored by one of the greatest warriors in ThunderClan history. His bravery has shown. So has his kindness. I hope that Goldfoot will pass these attributes on to Waterpaw."