Chapter 2
"But I don't want to come in! I wanna talk to Poppyclaw and Rippledawn!" Lightningkit complained.
"Now you don't want to make Goldentail mad do you? Nettletail wouldn't want to hear that his precious kits disobeyed their mother, now would he? And those two are on their vigil, they mustn't talk untill sunrise." Lilacpetal mewed.
Snowkit, Rainkit, Thunderkit, Mistkit, Sugarkit, Firekit and Thornkit all stolled over to the nursery. Lightningkit was shocked how easy it was for Lilacpetal to take charge of rowdy Thornkit and she-tom Rainkit without any backlash. He suddenly felt as if his paws were moving toward the nursery without him moving them.
Little, quiet mews and yawns only things you heard in the nursery. Also with the two queens trying to quiet their kits, or more like Goldentail trying to quiet Thunderkit, Lightningkit and Rainkit.
The three kits wailed in protest while their little sister, Snowkit, was asleep so soundly it seemed like she was knocked out. Lilacpetal's kits whispered ever so quietly it seemed like they weren't even saying a word.
Poppyclaw and Rippledawn sat proudly on Skyrock.
Rippledawn gazed over at the clan, admiring the ever so beautiful view of the camp, felt Poppyclaw's tail twine with her's. She felt her fur get hot and pressed up against him. His warmth sent tingles down her spine. He kept the blue-gray she-cat warm. It may have been Greenleaf, but nights got sort of chilly in the ravine. Her yellow eyes wanted to close, but she felt Poppylcaw's steady breathing and it kept her awake. Poppyclaw kept his mouth open to taste the air for any mysterious scents. Rippledawn purred as the two cats cuddled together atop Skyrock, and above the leader's den. The two cats felt such power siting in the very spot Stormstar adressed the clan from. I wish it could be like this forever... Rippledawn thought. As apprentice's Rippledawn always had a thing for Poppyclaw. Or back then, Ripplepaw and Poppypaw.
The sun began to rise over the ravine, right in the middle of the Skyclan camp. Lilacpetal's kits were already awake, sitting at the nursery ledge, watch the sunrise begin.
"You four can go to Sun Ledge if you're careful." Lilacpetal purred.
The four kits hurried to the ledge watching the sunrise. It was the best place to watch the sunset or sunrise. When you sat turned left, the sunset or sunrise was right in front of you.
I wish that Poppylcaw and I could be there, tails twined, pelts brushing and happy. Rippledawn was swept away in thoughts of her and Poppyclaw becoming mates. In time, Rippledawn, in time. She thought.
"No! NO! Fernflower, wake up! Fernflower! Please!" A she-cat's voice echoed from the Medicince Den.
"Robinfeather, you have to accept that she has gone to Starclan. She'll be happy there, with her sisters, brother, mother and father. Let's go and let Vineleaf and Tangledfern bury her in the Birch Hollow after the night vigil." Feathersong was trying to clam her down, resting her tail tip on Robinfeather's shoulder.
Sobs came from Robinfeather as she mourned over her former mentor. She was the closest thing to family Fernflower had after her 2 sisters died, her brother killed, and parents dead.
Dovepaw and Feathersong carried Fernflower's limp body to the center of the camp, the clan lost a great cat, and Stormstar knew it.
"Let all cat's gather by the body of Fernflower to pay respects to out beloved clanmate." Stormstar called.
All of the clan, even the 8 kits, padded over to Fernflower to pay respects. They all sat near her body, her Skyclan scent becoming masked by the scent of death, the warmth in her body fading to become cold like the stone of the ravine in Leaf-bare. All of the clan cats' heads were bowed down.
"Starclan, we hope that you will accept this wonderful cat into your ranks. Skystar, take care of her. Mother her as she mothered our clan. She was gentle to all cat's, weither Skyclan, Riverclan, Thunderclan, Windclan or Shadowclan. Please let her live in peace up with you, and you in which she had faith and loyalty to. May Starclan ever be with you, Fernflower. Destinystar, thank you for blessing us with the life of this wonderful cat." Stormstar meowed solumly mewed over the body of Fernflower.
"Fernflower, Fernflower!" The clan chanted for the last time.
Robinwing sat herself next to the body of Fernflower, and so did Dewyfield, Soulpelt, and Eaglewind.
"What are they doing, Daddy?" Sugarkit curiously asked Stormstar.
"They are sitting vigil, but only the cat's closest to Fernflower are allowed to sit vigil." Stormstar whispered.
"Now, you four kits need to go to bed and get a good rest." Lilacpetal mewed tiredly.
A gentle sob was heard from Robinfeather and Dewyfield rested her tail-tip on her shoulder.
"It'll be okay, I promise, I should know of all cats." Dewyfield mewed sadly.
Dewyfield watched as her life had been ruined, the battle killing her whole family as a kit. She only narrowly survived, luckily, stumbling into a Skyclan patrol. She collasped and all she remembered was waking up in a ravine. She has fought harder than any cat to defend her clan, the clan that saved her.
The sun was setting and the stars of Silverpelt shone brightly above the ravine camp.
"I am so excited!" Rippledawn mewed joyfuly.
"I know, I am too." Poppyclaw replied.
"Our first gathering as warriors!" Rippledawn mewed.
"It's not tonight, though." A she-cat crept up behind them.
"Hello, Nightfall." Poppyclaw meowed with respect. She had been his mentor and the clan deputy.
"Hello." Rippledawn bowed her head.
"You will have to behave tomarrow night at the gathering, no chatting with anyone while the leader's are speaking like you were brand-new apprentices'." Nightfall mrowed sternly.
Nightfall went into the crevise near the middle of Skyrock, her den. Her den was right below Stormstar's.
Poppyclaw and Rippledawn drowsily leaped into the warriors den and into their brand-new nests. It was their first night in the warriors den. Their first night of being warriors was spent on the vigil.
The sun began to rise as the stars of Silverpelt began to fade one by one and the moon began to disappear in the suns overwhelming light.
Thunderkit, Lightningkit, and Rainkit were out of the nursery as soon as the smallest trace of sunlight hit the nursery while Snowkit was helping their mother, Goldentail, clean out their nest.
"Thank you so much. You five were extra helpful." Goldentail smiled.
Snowkit, Mistkit, Sugarkit, Thornkit and Firekit all helped out clean the nursery, when the two apprentices Bushpaw and Mintpaw came in to do clean the nursery they saw the kits had already done it.
"Here is some fresh moss and quail feathers to weave in to your nest." Mintpaw mewed kindly. Mintpaw was Stormstar's little sister.
"Thank you, you little starling." Lilacpetal replied.
"Mintpaw! Bushpaw! Time to get going to the Training Oak Hollow!" Lilyblossom meowed loudly to her apprentice and Shinningtail's.
The two young apprentice's rushed over to their mentors' and headed out of camp to the hollow that lay underneath the Tall Oak's roots, hollowed out by a river ages ago.
As the two apprentices climbed the rocky slope out of camp. Their mentors leaped up ledges and got to the top faster.
The apprentice's shook all the pebbles and gravel out their fur as they dissappeared with Lilyblossom and Shinningtail into the forest.