Flowerkit flattened her ears against her head. She could see them arguing again, no doubt about her. It wasn't my fault! She would tell them. I can still be a warrior! But she could never tell them that. Her silver pelted mother gave one last retort to her white furred father, her ice-blue eyes slits of anger. Flowerkit's father shook his head at his mate and lashed his tail as he walked away.
Silverdawn spotted Flowerkit peeking out from the nursery and smiled at her. "Good morning," she mouthed. "How is my little flower?"
Flowerkit beamed at her mother. At least she loved her. Iceheart never would. "Mama!" she mouthed.
Silverdawn nuzzled Flowerkit's ears, then moved back so Flowerkit could read her lips. "Don't let anyone tell you what you can't do, flower. You will be the best warrior EmberClan has ever seen! You will show them all."
Flowerkit grinned again. "I sure will!"
Silverdawn glanced behind her, then turned back to Flowerkit. "Froststar has called a meeting. Follow me."
Flowerkit followed her obediently, sitting next to her and watched as Froststar's mouth moved. "... kit who can't hear. But StarClan has never seen anything wrong with a disability in a warrior before. Just look at Dapplepelt. She was born with three legs and is still a formidable warrior." Froststar's blue eyes found Flowerkit's. "And that is why Flowerkit shall be made an apprentice today. Are you ready, young one?" Flowerkit nodded. "Then until you have recieved your warrior name, you shall be known as Flowerpaw. Silverdawn, you are her mother, but you have shown great patience with her, and I know you will train Flowerpaw well."
Flowerpaw turned eagerly to her mother, touching noses with her. As she leaned back, Flowerpaw spotted Iceheart glaring at her. She ignored him. She was finally an apprentice, and she wouldn't let anything get in the way of her special day.
As the moons went on, Flowerpaw learned how to use her loss of hearing as an advantage. Her paws were far more sentitive, and her eyes quick to catch things not many others would notice. This made her a formidible hunter, and while she wasn't the best at fighting, Silverdawn told her she was getting better.
One day, they were out training, when Flowerpaw felt a strange thundering in the ground. She held up her tail to her mother. "I feel something," she told her.
"What is it?" Silverdawn asked.
"Pounding," Flowerpaw answered. She used her sensitive paws to pinpoint where it was coming from, and spotted dark pelts moving in among the trees; the unfamiliar, short pelts of SunClan. She looked alarmingly at Silverdawn. "SunClan!" she mimed emphatically.
Silverdawn's eyes widened. "We need to warn Froststar. Hurry! Behind me!"
Flowerpaw raced after her mother, watching the ground carefully for twigs and branches they might have stepped on, avoiding uneccessary noise at all costs. They finally reached the camp, and Flowerpaw watched Silverdawn's mouth move up and down rapidly, telling Froststar what was happening. Froststar gave her a nod and gathered up a patrol to meet the SunClan invasion.
The intruders didn't succeed. They were ambushed by a furious EmberClan patrol, causing them to turn tail and run the other way without even trying to fight back. Silverdawn told her daughter later that the leader of SunClan wasn't even in the party; the SunClan warriors must have attacked without their leader knowing.
Froststar caught Flowerpaw's attention before lifting his head to address his Clan. "Cats of EmberClan!" he began. "I have an announcement to make. As you may know, it was Flowerpaw who was the first to feel the SunClan cats coming to attack us." Out of her peripheral vision, Flowerpaw could see cats nodding. "I have decided to give her her full name, but I need to know if she is ready for this. Silverdawn, what do you say?"
Flowerpaw turned to see what her mother would say.
Silverdawn's face was filled with nothing but pride. "I have often worried that Flowerpaw would not be able to be a full warrior because of her loss of hearing, but I have seen how she moves and uses the things around her to see where her enemy or prey is. She is more than ready, Froststar."
"Good. I, Froststar, leader of EmberClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has struggled with finding her place in the Clan and has now heard more than any of us ever could. Flowerpaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Flowerspirit. StarClan honours your courage and understanding, and we welcome you as a full warrior of EmberClan." Froststar held up his tail for silence that Flowerspirit assumed was needed. "Flowerpirit, you have taught all of us that it doesn't take hearing to really listen. Sometimes, even the most experienced warrior is deaf."