A/N -Hoo! Done! Sorry it took so long for an upload! It took me a while to type it!
First, thanks for the reveiws! I really appreciate them. They do help, beleive it or not. Okaaaay... second, there was a little confusion with Firestar's situation. I'd like to clear that up a bit, as well as I can, anyway. As far as what happened to him, the reason I didn't mention what happened to him in detail is that you're not supposed to know, just yet. Without going into detail, he left with Robin (the rogue, for those of you who do not remember. ;D) to find Graystripe and basically didn't return, with my beloved gray kitty or not. cries In answer to the other question I recieved, he's been gone for... roughly three months. (or moons. : )) I hope I've elaborated that enough for ya! If not... well just reveiw... (hint, hint) ... and I'll try to do a better job at explaining things, I guess.
Well, I hope you like it!
Disclaimer - Well, I wish I owned Warriors...
Chapter 2
By the time Brambleclaw and Birchpaw were ready to head back to camp, both cats' muscles were sore. They ended up carrying their prey back in the dark. Birchpaw had proven to be an excellent hunter.
"Thank you for hunting with me, Brambleclaw." Birchpaw mewed through a mouthful of rabbit fur.
"Hey! It's thanks to you that the pile of Fresh-Kill, which was really non-existent when we left, is now the size it is." Brambleclaw meowed, spitting hairs out of his mouth after dropping his burden on the mountainous Fresh-Kill pile, only to watch it roll back down and rest at his paws.
"Tell me we're done!" Rabbitpaw sighed, dramatically throwing herself on the floor in a huff.
"That's the last of it, Rabbitpaw." Birchpaw mewed softly. He thrust his head down, grabbing the younger she-cat by the scruff and lifting her to her paws. His whiskers twitched in amusement. He was definitely a strong young cat whose apprenticeship should have been ended long ago. Brambleclaw had realized while he was hunting with Birchpaw that he had never really gotten to know the young tom, and found that he enjoyed his company.
"Birchpaw!" The yowl rang through the clearing as Cloudtail ran across the camp. Birchpaw flinched. "Gone from sun-up to sun-down, and you don't even think to tell me where you are!"
"I'm sorry, Cloudtail! I forgot!" Birchpaw mewed.
"I would have expected better from you." Cloudtail meowed in a scolding tone. Birchpaw's head hung low. "It does look like you've hunted well, though." The white warrior observed.
"He hunted excellently." Brambleclaw cut in. "There's enough fresh-kill now to feed the entire clan tonight and tomorrow." Birchpaw lifted his head cautiously to look at his mentor. Cloudtail's gaze softened a bit.
"Alright. I won't claw your tail off this time, but I expect you to inform me the next time you plan on leaving camp for a whole day!"
Birchpaw's face brightened.
"Thank you for not being mad. I'm sorry, I'll tell you next time!" He mewed.
"Yeah, yeah. Now why don't you four take fresh-kill to the elders, queens, Cinderpelt and Leafpelt." He meowed as Darkpaw and Webpaw stepped forward with the last of the fresh-kill.
Cinderpelt! Brambleclaw had forgotten all about his need to speak with her!
"I'll take some fresh-kill to the Medicine cat's den. I'm going there anyway." He offered. "And when you're done, you'll be done working for the rest of the night. You've earned it." Each apprentice dipped their head and raced away with their jaws full. Brambleclaw looked over at Cloudtail to say good-bye, but decided against it. He's a senior warrior, too! You should tell him what you've decided on. He has a right to know. Maybe you could talk to him about his apprentice, as well… "Cloudtail, can I have a word?" He asked, gesturing with his tail to an unoccupied area beneath the Greatstump.
A/N – The Greatstump is the replacement for the Highrock.
"Of course." Cloudtail followed his deputy and sat beside him. Brambleclaw cleared his throat and began.
"I am going to the Moonshine Place tomorrow, if all goes as planned." He was growing tired of speaking the same words over and over. Cloudtail perked up.
"You are!"
"Yes, and I would like Birchpaw to come along."
"That's great!"
"I also plan on holding his warrior ceremony the day after we return."
"Excellent! I can only imagine how happy this news will make him… He's waited a long time for this."
"You both have waited far too long. He deserves it to be done as soon as possible."
"I agree."
"I'm just happy he'll be sleeping in the warriors' den where he belongs, soon." Brambleclaw sighed, relieved. Cloudtail sighed as well, but he didn't sound relieved. He sounded Exasperated. Brambleclaw followed his gaze to where Birchpaw was eating among his fellow apprentices. "Don't be too hard on him. He means well. Besides, it's as much my fault as it is his, possibly more." He meowed quietly.
"I know he does." Cloudtail replied. They sat for a moment, neither cat making a sound.
"Well, Cinderpelt'll be starving, now, so I'd better get moving."
"Careful, she'll have your ears off if you're much later!" Cloudtail mewed amusedly. He dipped his head, and Brambleclaw headed over to Cinderpelt's den, snatching a vole and a chaffinch of the pile of fresh-kill as he went.
"Cinderpelt!" He called through the entrance to her den.
"I'm here, Brambleclaw. What do you need?" She answered. Brambleclaw padded in to stand behind the Medicine Cat as she sorted herbs.
"I brought fresh-kill for you and Leafpelt… and I wanted to talk to you." He set the limp prey aside.
"Thank you, Brambleclaw. You'll have my undivided attention in just a moment."
Brambleclaw sat and waited patiently for Cinderpelt to be done. He watched as she sorted a few more herbs and stood back to admire her work.
"There! Done." She sighed. "Now, what is it you needed to talk to me about?" Brambleclaw straitened up as she sat beside him.
"Are you going to be busy tomorrow?"
"Not necessarily, why?"
"Well, I was talking with Mousefur earlier…"
"And you want to go to the Moonshine Place." Cinderpelt finished for him matter-of-factly.
"…Yes." He breathed.
"Don't sound so surprised. You know as well as I do how talk gets around in this camp. Think about it, Brambleclaw. You told Mousefur!"
"Right." Brambleclaw sighed.
"Well, that's fine with me."
Brambleclaw dipped his head to her. "Thank you."
She nodded. Brambleclaw cast a glance at the entrance.
"Yes, they are bound to know or find out about you're intentions as well. I would tell them if I were you." She mewed calmly. Brambleclaw nodded wearily. "Go on, then. I'm right behind you." She gave him a nudge. He padded out of her den to find almost the entire clan outside of their dens and looking expectantly up at him. He kept his eyes forward as he padded through the group of cats. He leapt to the Great Stump and turned to face the clan. There was no need to call them; they were all there, even the kits.
"I have decided to go to the Moonshine Place." He yowled. Yowls of approval and excited whispers echoed throughout the clearing. He waited until they quieted down. "I plan to leave tomorrow. Cinderpelt, Brackenfur, Sootfur, Birchpaw and Rabbitpaw, you will come with me. We leave at dawn." He jumped down and headed over to the apprentices. "You two had better get some sleep, we're leaving early."
"Thanks, Brambleclaw!" Rabbitpaw squealed. Brambleclaw nodded.
"It's dark…" He glanced up at the sky.
"Okay, okay." She meowed. "I'm going. C'mon, Birchpaw!" Both cats padded towards their den, followed by Webpaw. She paused.
"Are you coming, Darkpaw?" She asked, walking back to her brother. He whispered something in her ear, his blazing amber eyes never leaving the deputy's figure. She glanced anxiously at Brambleclaw and gave her brother an encouraging nudge in the direction the other two young cats had left in, but he wouldn't budge. She licked him between the ears and with one last worried glance at Brambleclaw; she dashed away after her friends.
"Darkpaw," Brambleclaw meowed. "The"
"Why Rabbitpaw?" Darkpaw demanded, cutting him off. Brambleclaw sighed.
"Okay. I was going to surprise you next moon, but I see no other way of reasoning with you. I was going to take you and Webpaw to your first gathering. I you and your sisters would each prefer what I chose for you."
Darkpaw's ears flattened in embarrassment.
"Yeah, well… I guess that's alright." He muttered. Brambleclaw's whiskers twitched in amusement. He looked past the young, dark grey tom to where the other apprentices were waiting for him.
"I think your friends are getting antsy, Darkpaw." He meowed coolly. "You might want to join them before they get cranky." He stepped back, purring with amusement. Darkpaw nodded.
"G' night, Brambleclaw."
"Sleep well." Brambleclaw watched him leave and went to sleep among his fellow warriors for the last time.
It was a dark night. Everything was pitch black. There was smoke everywhere. Then, a flash of bright yellow-orange light flew across the sky, lighting it up. Then, another flash… and another! Soon everything was orange-yellow, no more flashes, just color… and smoke, moving across the field like painted clouds. There was a single house in the field of dead, brittle grass, outlined against a blood-red sky by the orange-yellow glow. All of the sudden, the house went up in flames, licking at the stars glazed with smoke. Two yellow eyes appeared in the center of the burning cottage. They shone brighter than the fire itself. Slowly, they moved forward and out of the building that would soon be no more than ashes on the ground. Just as the eyes were about to fully emerge from the fiery abode, orange flames in the shape of a cat surrounded them. It leapt from the cottage and ran across the field, leaving a trail of flames behind it until the whole place was ablaze. It started wailing, "Brambleclaw! Brambleclaw!" in an eerie, hollow voice. It leaped; paws outstretched and yowled again, but this time louder than ever. "BRAMBLECLAW!"
"Brambleclaw!" Brambleclaw heard a voice in his ear. "Brambleclaw!" He awoke with a start, leaping to his paws. He landed facing the voice with one forepaw raised, claws unsheathed and teeth bared.
"Brambleclaw, It's me! Brackenfur sent me to wake you!" It was Rabbitpaw. Brambleclaw sheathed his claws and let his paw fall to the ground.
"Sorry, Rabbitpaw. Bad dream." He muttered. She bounced back to her paws from the cowering, crouching position she'd taken to.
"That's okay. C'mon! Brackenfur says if we wait too much longer we won't be there in time!" She squealed, jumping behind him and trying to nudge him out the den. Brambleclaw's whiskers twitched with amusement. She reminded him distinctly of Squirreltail when she was an apprentice.
"You are so much like your mentor, Rabbitpaw!" He purred.
"I know!" She squeaked. "That's what Sandstorm and Dustpelt are always saying, too!" Oh, no! Sandstorm! He'd completely forgotten about telling her like Squirreltail had advised! Now, she'd found out with the rest of the clan!
"Okay, I'll be out in a moment. Go on out without me." He meowed. Rabbitpaw flashed him a skeptical look, so he added, "I'm not going to try and go back to sleep. I just need to take care of something before we go. Go on and tell that to Brackenfur."
"Alright," She mewed after some thought. "But you'd better hurry." She dashed out of the den. Brambleclaw turned and moved to the top, left corner where Sandstorm slept with only Dustpelt curled next to her. Her eyes blinked open just as he reached her.
"Is that you, Brambleclaw?" She asked him quietly.
"Yes…"She sat up, shifting so she didn't wake her companion and looked at him.
"Well, I know you're not just sitting there looking at me for your own amusement, so what's on your mind?"
"Uh…" He coughed. "I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am for not making my decision known to you before the rest of the clan. I know you're a senior warrior and had a right to know ahead of the rest of the clan, and I meant to let you know, but I guess I didn't really get a chance to, seeing as most of the clan basically knew already, anyway. I'm sorry."
"That's alright. I understand." She replied, mildly. Brambleclaw dipped his head.
"Brambleclaw," Sandstorm mewed, thoughtfully.
"Yes?"
"Has anyone ever told you that you remind them of Firestar?" Brambleclaw let out a snort of disbelief, amusement and bewilderment. Then, he shuffled his paws in embarrassment.
"Er, no. I don't believe it ever came up in conversation." He mewed, amused.
"Well, I am. You're more like your mentor than you know, Brambleclaw."
"Uh… thank you!" Just then, Birchpaw padded into the den.
"Hello, Sandstorm." He mewed respectfully. Then, he turned to Brambleclaw. "Brambleclaw," He began awkwardly. "Cinderpelt wants to leave…" He trailed off, obviously felling unnatural about ordering his future leader to do something. Brambleclaw's whiskers twitched in amusement.
"Alright, Birchpaw. I'm coming." He nodded to Sandstorm. "I'd best be on my way, then. Knowing Cinderpelt, she'll probably skin me alive if I'm not out there soon." He purred amusedly.
"Oh, and Brambleclaw? You might want to speak with Squirreltail before you go. I think she'll want to see you before you become leader of ThunderClan." Brambleclaw nodded again before turning to follow Birchpaw to the entrance.
"Travel safe, Brambleclaw."
Brambleclaw halted immediately, fur standing on end. Those were the last words he'd spoken to Firestar, 'Travel safe!' That was when he had disappeared!
"Brambleclaw, you okay?" Birchpaw's startled mews aroused him from his thoughts.
"I-I-I…" Brambleclaw croaked. He cleared his throat. "I am. And I will, Sandstorm." He meowed, looking back over his shoulder. "Thank you."
He and Birchpaw padded into the clearing of ThunderClan camp.
"About time!" Cinderpelt meowed, seeing the two make their way out of the den. "I thought you'd never come out of there!"
"Sorry." Brambleclaw mewed.
"If you eat fast, I'll forgive you."
"Right."
"That goes for all of us. Eat fast!" Every cat but Brambleclaw grabbed a piece of fresh-kill off the pile, one for himself and one for Squirreltail, and padded into the nursery. He dropped the fresh-kill a tail-length away from where she slept with her three kits curled up by her belly.
"Squirreltail!" He called softly. He bent to lick her cheek. "Squirreltail, wake up." He thrust his cold, wet nose under her chin.
"Stop it, that tickles!" She purred. "I'm awake."
"I brought you some fresh-kill! I thought we could eat together before I left…"
"Mmmmm, is that what I smell?" She sat up, being careful not to be too rough as she moved her slumbering kits off her belly. Brambleclaw padded forward to help, holding each kit in place with his muzzle. Then, they backed away.
"They look so peaceful…" Brambleclaw murmured.
"Yes, very different from when they're awake and bouncing around the nursery. They're the trio of destruction!" She meowed in a tired voice.
"But they're our trio of destruction." Brambleclaw purred. The laughter died from his eyes when he saw Squirreltail's face and for a moment he thought she might snap at him and say something like 'Easy for you to say! You're not the one looking after them!', but instead, she just sighed, a look of pure contentment replacing the one of anger.
"I know!" She and Brambleclaw ate together for the first time in a great while. It was a hurried meal, but a nice one, nonetheless.
"I guess I'd better be going, then…" Brambleclaw meowed when they had finished, swiping his tongue around his muzzle.
"I guess so." Squirreltail replied quietly. She brushed her cheek against his chest fur. "Goodbye."
"Goodbye, Squirreltail." He rasped his tongue over her ear. The dark brown tom gave each of his kits a swift lick, and as he buried his muzzle in Flashkit's fur, she slowly blinked her eyes open.
"Daddy? Is that you?" She mewed accusingly.
"Yes, its me."
"What're you doin' here? You said you weren't coming 'till lay… lay…lay…" She yawned.
"I decided to say goodbye, that's all."
"Oh. Well, goodbye, Daddy."
"Goodbye. Go on back to sleep, now. I'll be back tomorrow, if not later on."
"I'm not tired, Daddy!" She mewled in a surprised tone. "But… if you say so…" Flashkit let her heavy eyelids droop closed, curling up next to Firekit and fell fast asleep. Brambleclaw let out a purr of amusement, sliding his tongue over her soft pelt. He padded towards the opening in the nursery.
"Brambleclaw!" Squirreltail meowed suddenly, stopping her mate in his tracks.
"Yes, Squirreltail?"
"I'll see you when you come back?" She mewed unsurely.
"Of course, you will!" He ran back and butted his head against hers, before dashing into the clearing where five other cats rest-lessly awaited his arrival.
Okay, well just the usual, I guess. You know, R&R. (I could use the reviews…) And don't hesitate to be critical! I'd like to know what I'm doing wrong and how I can improve my writing. So if you have any advice, or comments, or anything, really, please, let me know! Thanks for reading!