A/N: Estel here! What's up, guys? You may be loyal fans, or just bored people, but you're still appreciated for reading this. You may or may not know, but we have decided to skip Preserving Midnight. Why? Because we like to be cryptic and we don't like spoiling stuff. Plus, this has a much better plot than PM would have if it existed. Just think of Trouble and Then Some as prologue. If you haven't read Trouble and Then Some, it's okay, because you didn't have to read that to understand this. But, if you want to read it, it's fine with me. The more fans, the better! Well, I'll shut up now-
Raven: But, we're on coffee break! And you know how I can be without my coffee...
* shoves away * Get out of the author's notes! You've already signed your invincible soul-binding contract, remember? Heh-heh...
Lily: Aww, but I wanted to sleep... It's two in the morning!
I TOLD YOU TO GET OUT OF THE AUTHOR'S NOTES- * is smacked on the back of the head with a dictionary by Linde *
Linde: Get on with the story, already!
... * pouts and resumes typing *
The description: Secrets.
They're always there, a wisp in the back of your mind. But secrets escape sometimes, and then they become whispers.
And those whispers become reality.
Two cats, shivering with joy and excitement, stared up at their leader. "Lilypaw, come forth." The cat beside Lilypaw, her sister, mewed encouragement and stepped forward. "From this day onward, you shall be known as Lilystorm." The sister watched as Lilystorm tried to contain her joy, her tail twitching occasionally. "Starclan commends you for your compassion and strength, and may you serve loyally to Riverclan."
Lilystorm let out a trill of happiness as Mistystar called Ravenpaw closer. Ravenpaw cautiously stepped up, knowing that someone glared from the crowd. "From this day forward, your name will be Ravenfrost." Ravenfrost closed her eyes and savored the sound of her new name. "Starclan commends you for your wit and bravery, and may you serve loyally to Riverclan." Ravenfrost stepped back, standing next to Lilystorm. Her eyes shone with elation as the clan called out their names. "Ravenfrost! Lilystorm! Ravenfrost! Lilystorm!"
"Warriors at last," Lilystorm whispered. "Took long enough," Ravenfrost muttered. "Oh, lighten up, Ravenfrost," mewed Lilystorm. "We're finally warriors! Can't you be satisfied with that?" "Not when she's glaring at me," murmured Ravenfrost, waving her tail towards Mallowbright. Their mother was glowering, and had chosen not to come and congratulate them. Lilystorm snorted. "Who made dirt in her fresh-kill?All that matters is that we're warriors together."
"I'm happy you're a warrior at last," sounded Stromcrow's voice behind them. Ravenfrost purred, butting her head into his flank affectionately. "Glad to finally be rid of me?" "I'm just hoping you got some knowledge into that stubborn head of yours," he meowed jokingly. Ravenfrost scoffed. "You're kidding, right? I've learned so much from you." It was Stormcrow's turn to purr. "It's wonderful to hear that from you," he purred, then turned around to let Greenleaf come up. "Congratulations, Lilystorm," she mewed quietly. "Thank you so much, Greenleaf! You've taught me a bunch of things that I promise I'll remember." "I know you will," she purred, and stalked off after Stormcrow.
Nightshard was next. He had his warrior's ceremony before them, due to being older, but he had become a great friend to them both. "I missed you two," he started, "but now we can share a den again!" Ravenfrost touched her nose to his ear. "I missed you, too, you frog-brain." Lilystorm flicked her tail over his ear. "We can go on patrol together tomorrow!" Carpwhisker ran up to them, giving Nightshard a cuff over the ear. "Stupid furball, they've got to watch over the camp tonight! I don't think they'll be fit for patrol," said Carpwhisker. Ravenfrost whisked in front of him and crouched, trying to look as menacing as possible. "We're fit for everything!" she yowled, drawing herself to her full height and looking toward the sky triumphantly. Nightshard poked his brother with a claw, causing him to jump, startled. Carpwhisker let out a fake growl and pinned Nightshard to the ground, who was convulsed with little "mrrow"s of laughter.
During the mock fight, their friend Heronstrike stepped up past his brothers to greet them. Flicking his tail at his younger siblings, he mewed, "I'm glad you two weren't their sisters." Lilystorm purred as Ravenfrost exclaimed, "Who says?" "We always knew that you were one of the toms," mewed Lilystorm, before being smothered by her tabby friend. Meanwhile, Carpwhisker was promptly knocked off of Nightshard by both Brookpaw and Honeypaw, their former den-mates.
"Good job, you two," Lilystorm purred, pushing Ravenfrost off of her. "We couldn't let them ruin our ceremony!" "That's right," Brookpaw crowed, lashing her tail. "No one trashes our friends' ceremony!", yowled Honeypaw. Carpwhisker, Nightshard and Heronstrike said good-bye and raced to their den, with Honeypaw and Brookpaw on their tails.
After watching the humorous scene, Mistystar leaped off of the highrock, nodding to her two new warriors. "You know what you two must do, am I correct?" "'Course, Mistystar," mewed Ravenfrost. "C'mon, Lilystorm, we've got to guard the camp entrance." Lilystorm jumped as Ravenfrost poked her with her paw. "Oh, yes, right. The camp entrance. We're on it, Mistystar." Mistystar purred as she watched the two warriors race each other across the stepping stones. Ravenfrost leaped over Lilystorm while on the stepping stones, but she lost her balance and fell into the river. She surfaced moments later, coughing and spluttering, and swam up to the bank, her strong legs pumping with little effort. Lilystorm mewed something in her ear, and in response, Ravenfrost smacked her wet tail into Lilystorm's face.
"Hey, what gives?" said Lilystorm, rubbing her sore face with her paw. "I am not a stupid drypaw," grumbled Ravenfrost, but she wasn't unhappy at all. She had finished her apprentice training, and had become a warrior. It was definitely worth everything she had gone through, and everything she had done. Nothing could change that, not her mother, not Lilystorm, and especially not the nagging thought in the back of her head- Why am I different? The thought was still there, but it had subsided. She was now fully accepted, and she knew that that would never change.
Ravenfrost felt something prodding her side. Lilystorm was standing next to her, confusion in her violet eyes. "What are you standing around for? We have to guard the entrance until dawn, remember?" "Yeah, of course I remember. I was just thinking." "Save that for when you're standing around in the cold," mewed Lilystorm. "I feel like leafbare will never let up." "I thought you were the optimistic one," purred Ravenfrost, taking her place at the entrance. Lilystorm turned to look at her after she sat down. "Not everyone is who you think they are, Ravenfrost. We all have hidden depths. Now, we've got to be absolutely silent," she mewed, converting back to her old demeanor, "or Mistystar will have our tails!"
Staring off into space, Ravenfrost reflected on what Lilystorm had said to her. What did she mean by that? Did she mean that I don't know who she really is? On the inside? That was when Ravenfrost realized that she herself didn't know who she was on the inside. Her depths were hidden, and not just for everyone, but even for herself. Why am I different?