Chapter 1: Old Alliances, New Friendships
"Hollypaw, look out!" Lionpaw yowled, fur bristling in fake horror. "ShadowClan are coming!"
"I can scent them from the east!" Hollypaw confirmed. Suddenly Jaypaw stalked out of the Medicine Cat den.
"Jaypaw, come help Lionpaw and I defend camp!" She yowled to her blind brother.
"I have to find marigold leaves." Jaypaw mumbled pathetically, slipping out of camp before she could get in a word of protest.
Why has he been so mad lately? He never even talks to us any more. Never stops to play, always has some excuse ready. I'm starting to think that he never leaves the medicine cat den unless he has a reason, just so he won't have to see us! Hollypaw thought.
"Why is Jaypaw always so…" She didn't have to finish, Lionpaw already knew what she was thinking.
"I think he's still just mad about the whole medicine cat thing." Lionpaw told her sympathetically.
"But that was moons ago!" She murmured, shocked.
"I think he just hasn't gotten over the fact that we're going to be warriors one day, and he never will." His eyes glanced toward the camp entrance, where Jaypaw had just walked out. His eyes were shamed, and disappointed. "He still thinks that he's worthless to the clan. That we don't need him, or want him. He's wrong."
"But how can he think that?" She asked, her eyes clouded with confusion. "After all that he's done for the clan- he's saved lives, both of ours included! And in you're case, not once, but twice! Last moon, in the tunnels, and at the day gathering, when you and Breezepaw… I just can't believe he would think that." Her voice was full of the pain that colored her eyes.
"I know. I hate it too. But he'll realize eventually what he is to the clan. And then he will stop avoiding us, and we can be friends again, the three of us, just like we used to be." He soothed her.
"It's just that… well, we used to be inseparable, the three of us, and now, we're never together, not all three of us at once."
Lionpaw looked like he was about to say something, but was interrupted by Firestar. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather here beneath high ledge for a clan meeting!" Their leader yowled. Hollypaw flicked her tail towards Firestar, as if to tell Lionpaw to stop talking. Then she turned her attention to her leader.
"We have two kits that are old enough to become apprentices, and are in need of mentors. Foxkit, Icekit, please step forward. You two have waited a long time to start training as a warrior, and now you are ready. From this day until you earn your warrior names, you will be known as Foxpaw and Icepaw. Whitewing is a very responsible young warrior, and she knows how apprentices are meant to behave very well from her long time being one herself. She will mentor Foxpaw, and I have no doubt that she will be an excellent teacher." Whitewing looked shocked as she stepped forward to greet Foxpaw, who seemed more than thrilled about his mentor. "Graystripe, you're return to the clan was long overdue, and we are thrilled to have you back. I am sure that you will pass down to Icepaw all your knowledge about clan life, and also that of the outside world." He said, smiling vaguely at his old friend.
Millie's blue eyes shone with happiness. She had recently moved into the nursery for her soon to be born kits, and Foxpaw and Icepaw had quickly gained her liking. She looked thrilled that her mate was going to get a chance to get to know them as well.
Firestar nodded at the apprentices, and leapt down from the wall that towered over the rest of camp, into his den, where he was quickly joined by Sandstorm.
"Do you think he was right to give Graystripe an apprentice? I mean, he's been with us for 4 or 5 moons and all, but some cats still don't trust him." Lionpaw said to Brambleclaw.
"Yes, Graystripe was the right choice. He is a great warrior." Brambleclaw told his son patiently, but there was doubt in his voice- he did his best to hide it, and it may have been buried deep, but it was still there.
"Alright then." Lionpaw said, not bothering to hide his discontent. As Brambleclaw padded away, Hollypaw joined her brother.
"Why do you think that Graystripe isn't a good choice?" She asked her brother innocently.
"Who said that?" Lionpaw asked, his fur bristling.
"Lionpaw, I know that you feel that way. You can't hide it from me." She said stingily, and then added in a calmer voice, "I just want to know. I won't say anything. Do you think that he's threatening Brambleclaw's position? Is that it?"
"I don't know. I just… I don't trust him." He confided her.
Hollypaw's eyes were wide. "He's Firestar's best friend!"
"I know… there's just something about him." He said in a tone that ended the conversation.
"Why don't we go ask if we can train together?" Hollypaw said brightly, trying to change the subject.
"That sounds good." Lionpaw said dejectedly, his wild eyes suddenly ashamed.
She smiled, trying to lighten the tension suddenly between them.
She glanced around camp looking for her mentor. She saw him with Cloudtail, trying to expand the warriors den by adding more leaves and twigs to one of the walls. "Brackentail!" She called to him, running over so she wouldn't have to shout. "Can we train with Lionpaw and Ashfur today?" She asked, breathless.
"Actually, Firestar asked me to lead a hunting patrol, so we could ask them to join us. Icepaw and Foxpaw will be coming too; their mentors want to show them the territory." He told her, smiling at his eager apprentice.
"That's great!" She called over her shoulder, already running back toward Lionpaw. "He says you and Ashfur can come on hunting patrol with us!" She mewed to her brother.
"That's good." He said, not appearing interested at all. He walked toward the apprentice den, and she followed.
"Where are you going?" She asked, curious.
"I… Ummm… I want to get some rest before we go. He said, looking annoyed.
"Oh. Well, maybe I will to." Hollypaw said, noticing her brothers slightly angry face.
"Ok then." He said, an air of disappointment in his voice. He ducked into den awkwardly, curling up in his worn down nest. Hollypaw followed him into her own nest, curling up beside him.
"Hollypaw," A chorus of voices greeted her. "Hollypaw, wake up! Hollypaw, don't let him go!" An echo of airy voices continued.
She woke up violently, her short dream still ringing in her ears.
"Lionpaw?" She asked groggily. Her eyes opened wide, because when she looked over to the nest beside her, it was empty. And it wasn't supposed to be.
She bolted out of the den, just to find a camp full of cats surrounding her. That was comforting. He couldn't have gotten far, not with the whole camp watching him!
She followed his scent out of camp, and through the territory towards the WindClan border. She gained speed, and broke into a run. Finally she spotted his golden fur standing out next to the leaves.
"Lionpaw!" She gasped, barely loud enough for him to hear. But he turned to glare at her.
"You followed me!" He accused.
"Lionpaw, you're going to see Heatherpaw. I know it. And you can't! Things have happened before, Lionpaw. Things just like this. And I can tell you, they didn't end well. Don't do this, not to her, not to yourself. Because you know that you can't be with her, it's not right. And if you really need her that much, than you have to chose. Her, or the clan." She finished, ending her little rant.
"What do you mean 'Things have happened before'? Who else did something like this?" He asked his sister, feeling a little calmer.
"Leafpool and Crowfeather." She said casually, as if it were obvious. "Please don't tell me you never noticed the way she always gets stiff and nervous at the gatherings, and the way they are always so awkward when they are together."
"I noticed that, yes, but you didn't just think that up on your own, did you?" He asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Well no," She said, avoiding his gaze. "Actually, Cinderpaw told me."
"How did Cinderpaw know that?" He asked doubtfully.
"She was there." Hollypaw answered indirectly, still not meeting Lionpaw's gaze.
"Ok, fine." Lionpaw mewed curtly, unsatisfied.
"Lionpaw, please come back to camp, just this once?" She pleaded.
"Fine, but only because we have to go on patrol." He said, already padding back toward camp.
"What can you scent?" Brackentail pressed Hollypaw.
"Squirrel… and mouse, and a thrush, and…" her eyes went wide in alarm. "WindClan!" Her fur bristled, and her panicked gaze flicked around. Then, as she spoke, four wind clan cats stepped into view. She recognized them as Whitetail, Harepaw, Crowfeather, and- she held back a gasp. A face she knew all to well was sitting next to Crowfeather, licking her paw. Heatherpaw.
"Greetings, Brackentail, Ashfur, apprentices," Crowfeather said, ignoring Graystripe and Whitewing, who sat behind us. "We come in peace. We need you're help."
"With what?" Ashfur asked, glaring at the Windclan cats.
"We need to take your medicine cat to our camp. Morningflower is sick."
Ashfur's glare intensified. "You have a medicine cat." He stated simply.
"Barkface doesn't know what it is." Crowfeather told him, ignoring his spiteful glaring.
"Why should we" Ashfur started, but was interrupted.
"It's ok. I'll go." Leafpool said, stepping through the trees to face the visitors.