Chapter 3:D
Graystripe pushed his way out of the den and into the pale morning sunlight, stretching slowly. With a content sigh, Graystripe sat in the shade outside of the warrior's den and gazed at his home. Leopard fur sat in the middle of the camp, organizing border patrols and hunting parties for the day, while Heavypaw was bringing breakfast to the elders. Outside the nursery, Mosspelt was watching as Stormkit and Featherkit—Graystripe's own kits—tackled Shadepaw as she brought some fresh-kill to the nursery. The dark gray apprentice purred as she gently tussled with them, and Graystripe felt his heart warm.
"Morning, Graystripe." Stonefur pushed his way out of the den beside Graystripe pausing to shake some moss from his blue-gray pelt.
"Morning, Stonefur." Graystripe meowed, dipping his head. Stonefur had been on watch last night, and despite waking up so early, he looked completely ready for another full day.
"Have you seen Shadepaw?" Stonefur looked at him curiously.
"Oh, the last time I saw her she was playing with the kits." Graystripe pointed with his tail to where Shadepaw sat outside the nursery, teaching Stormkit and Featherkit a basic hunting crouch.
Stonefur let out a light purr as he watched his apprentice.
"She'll make a great mentor one day." Graystripe complimented.
Stonefur's eyes sparked with amusement. "She'll make a great mother one day, too." He nudged the lighter gray warrior with his nose before padding off to get instructions from Leopardfur. "You should probably eat something. Long day ahead of you!" He called back over his shoulder, and Graystripe sighed. His moon of adjustment had flown by, and to his greatest surprise—the gray warrior hardly ever thought about his birth-clan anymore. Much less miss it. Between Stonefur's amused guidance and Leopardfur's brutal training regiment, Graystripe had barely had time to sleep. And when he wasn't under the watch of his "mentors", Graystripe found himself enjoying the company of the dark gray apprentice he had come to know so well…
Ismyaffectionthatobvious?
Graystripe sighed as he padded towards the fresh-kill pile. He just couldn't tell if she felt the same way about him.
"Graystripe!"
He turned to see none other than Shadepaw bounding towards him, her eyes glowing with their usual energy.
"Hey, Shadepaw." He purred, touching noses with her—as had become their customary greeting.
"Stonefur just told me that I was on hunting duty until sunhigh, so I was wondering if maybe-"
"Graystripe!" Leopardfur stalked over to the two cats. "Crookedstar wants to see you in his den. Now."
Shadepaw drooped, and Graystripe sighed. "Yes, Leopardfur." Graystipre turned to head to Crookedstar's den when Shadepaw suddenly tackled him.
"Wait!"
"What?" Graystripe chuckled as he gently shook her off. Her eyes were glowing again.
"You've been here for a moon now!" Graystripe tilted his head slightly. "What if it's about your warrior ceremony?"
And suddenly, Graystripe shared her enthusiasm. "You're right, Shadepaw!" He purred. Leaping back to his paws, Graystripe bent down slightly to give the smaller cat a gentle lick between her ears. "I'll be back in a moment!"
Filled with new energy, the gray warrior hardly noticed how openly affectionate he had been with the apprentice, and hardly noticed the same affection reflected in her dark blue eyes.
"Crookedstar?"
"Enter!"
Graystripe padded into his leader's den, looking at him curiously. "You needed me?"
"Yes… How do you feel you're adjusting, Graystripe?" Crookedstar looked at him through wise amber eyes.
Graystripe purred. "I love being here, Crookedstar. I hardly ever even think about ThunderClan anymore, and when I do… Honestly? It's about why I ever thought sunning rocks ever belonged to ThunderClan."
Crookedstar purred at the joke, but quickly got serious again. "The other cats seem to be adjusting to having you around."
"Yes." Graystripe agreed, thinking of how he and Mistyfoot had hunted together while Leopardfur, Stonefur, and Shadepaw had been on patrol, and how Loudbelly had shared a fish with him the other day, and how Shadepaw had become one of his closest friends. "They're all very nice."
"One in particular, maybe?" Crookedstar's eyes glimmered with amusement and Graystripe felt his ears flush in embarrassment.
Great StarClan, it is that obvious, isn't it?
Seeing the young warrior shuffle his paws in embarrassment, Crookedstar purred in amusement. "Clan leaders tend to notice these things, Graystripe. But that's not why I have called you to my den. I am ready to make you a full-fledged RiverClan warrior, Graystripe. Leopardfur and Stonefur have both been turning in wonderful reports about you, and Leopardfur told me just a few sunrises ago that you've finally mastered swimming?"
Graystripe purred. "Yes. It wasn't nearly as hard as I was thinking it would be."
"So you are ready?" Graystripe met Crookedstar's steady gaze evenly.
"I've never been more ready to prove my loyalty to my Clan."
Crookedstar nodded, his approval clear. "Good. Your ceremony will take place at sundown. For now though, isn't there some one wanting to hunt with you?"
Graystripe shuffled his paws in embarrassment, but nodded none the less. "Yes… Thank-you, Crookedstar."
"Yes, yes… Now go, don't keep her waiting."
With that, Graystripe left his den, searching for Shadepaw. Finally he spotted the apprentice picking at a huge fish outside of the nursery, talking with Mosspelt while the kits played. Picking up a small water vole, Graystripe padded over to join her.
As he dropped the water vole, the gray-black apprentice looked up at him, her eyes sparking. "You want to trade? This fish was a lot more than I thought." She purred sheepishly. And Graystripe laughed.
"Sure." He swapped prey with his friend, then settled down beside her. The gray warrior had to force himself not to purr as she shifted to get more comfortable, allowing the pelts to brush.
"Father!" Stormkit and Featherkit darted to their father's side as he began eating his fish.
"Hey there Stormkit, Featherkit." He purred as he swallowed his mouthful.
"It's no fair." Stormkit mewed. "Dawnkit is going to be an apprentice in three days! When do we get to be apprentices?"
Graystripe chuckled. "Soon enough, Stormkit." The bigger kit sighed.
"Hey, Stormkit, let's go ask the elders to tell us a story!" Featherkit nudged her brother, and Graystripe purred.
"Bring them a piece of fresh-kill- that's good manners."
Stormkit brightened. "I'm going to bring it to them!"
"No way! I am!" Featherkit objected as they raced to the fresh-kill pile, and then to the elder's den.
Shadepaw was purring as she finished her water vole. She stood up and stretched. "Some on, slow-poke! I've got hunting to do!"
Graystripe quickly swallowed his last bite, jumping up. "Come on then," he meowed. "I'll go with you!"
Soon, the two cats were padding through the territory together, the pelts brushing as they walked in a comfortable silence.
"So, is Crookedstar going to make you a full warrior?" Shadepaw looked at him curiously.
Graystripe purred. "Yep!"
"That's great!" The dark gray apprentice leaned over and licked his shoulder.
Then the gray warrior froze. A vole was scurrying among the reeds. Shadepaw saw it, too, and crouched low in the grass, signaling with her tail that he saw it first, it was his catch.
Graystripe dropped into a flawless hunting crouch, stalking forward until he was only a tail length away from the small creature. And then he pounced, easily dispatching the prey.
"Good catch!" Shadepaw paw called, padding forward to join him. Graystripe put it at the roots of a tree.
"Let's just start piling it up right here." He meowed, and Shadepaw nodded.
"Should we split up then?"
Graystripe thought for a moment. "Yeah. You head towards the training hollow, and I'll head towards the gorge. Meet back here at sunhigh and we'll bring it all back to camp."
Shadepaw nodded, starting off in her assigned direction. "Whoever catches the most wins!" She called over her shoulder before bounding away.
Graystripe felt his competitive spirit kick in, stalking off through the reeds.
When sunhigh finally approached, Graystripe headed back to where he and Shadepaw had split up. Shadepaw was already there, a rather admirable catch at her paws, but that wasn't what drew his attention. The beautiful she-cat sat in a cool patch of shade, eyes intently following a brightly winged butterfly as it flew through the small clearing. Shaking his head, Graystripe padded into the clearing, dropping his own catch next to hers.
"Looks like I win!" She mewed, jumping up, flicking his flank with her tail. Her eyes glowed as she gazed at him, and he nudged her with his nose.
"You're a great hunter, Shadepaw."
She purred. "Alright, let's get this back to camp!"
It took the two of them three trips to carry their monster catch back, and they received many approving meows and nods as they deposited it in the fresh-kill pile.
"Looks like some one's been busy!" Stonefur meowed as he approached.
Shadepaw straightened up proudly. "Yep!"
"Great job, you two. You deserve a feast!" His eyes shone as he looked at his apprentice and Graystripe, his pride obvious.
"Great StarClan, it looks like we're going to have one, too!" Leopardfur padded up beside the blue-gray warrior. "Did you two catch all of this by yourselves?"
Graystripe nodded. "Yes, Leopardfur."
"Excellent job." She meowed. She certainly was becoming friendlier, Graystripe noticed. Shadepaw was purring at the praise. "Now, get something to eat and rest up. You've got a long night ahead of you, Graystripe."
With that, Leopardfur flicked her tail against Graystripe's flank and padded off, beckoning for Stonefur to follow her.
"You too, Shadepaw. You deserve a good break." And then he was gone.
"Come on." Graystripe mewed, licking her ear gently. "Go pick a spot and I'll bring you something, we can eat together."
Shadepaw mewed an agreement before slipping off, and Graystripe gazed at the pile for a moment before selecting two fish and bringing them to where Shadepaw sat outside of the apprentice's den, in the shade and out of the new-leaf sun. He dropped her fish in front of her before settling beside her, and digging into his own prey.
They ate quietly, and as Shadepaw finished before him, Graystripe let out a deep, rumbling purr as he felt her tongue rasp over his shoulder, grooming his fur. As he finished, the two cats sat and shared tongues, murmuring about hunting and patrols, and the next gathering—which they were both hoping to attend as warriors. As the sun began slipping behind the trees, Crookedstar emerged from his den, yowling for a clan gathering. With one last lick to Graystripe's shoulder, Shadepaw got up and padded over to join her Clan-mates.
Graystripe followed, suddenly feeling nervous.
"Cats of RiverClan, I have call this meeting to make a new warrior." Murmurs of excitement rippled through the crowd. "Graystripe has now been among us for a moon, and I have heard nothing but good reports about him, and I am ready to welcome him as a full warrior of RiverClan!" The cats yowled their approval and Graystripe felt his heart warm. This is where he belonged. This was his home.
"Graystripe, step forward."
The gray warrior padded forward to stand in front of Crookedstar. "I, Crookedstar, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this young warrior. He has tried hard to prove his place in this Clan, always following your noble code, and I commend him to you as a true RiverClan warrior in his turn. Graystripe, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
Graystripe lifted his chin proudly. "I do."
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I recognize you by your warrior name, Graystripe. StarClan honors your determination and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan." Crookedstar rested his muzzle, and Graystripe licked his shoulder respectfully.
"Graystripe! Graystripe! Graystripe!"
Graystripe felt his heart swell with pride as his Clan greeted him as a full warrior of their Clan—Shadepaw being the first, closely followed by Stonefur and Leopardfur.
And as Graystripe sat through his silent vigil that night, he reflected deeply. Born in ThunderClan, trained by Lionheart, former mate of Silverstream and father of two beautiful kits… Now a full warrior of RiverClan, trained by Stonefur and Leopardfur, father of two beautiful kits, and strong admirer of Shadepaw- a she-cat that he longed to claim as his own. Life was good.
Well, that's the end! ... Maybe. I'm seriously considering going deeper into Graystripe and Shadepaw's relationship, so... Tell me what you think! Let me know if I should or shouldn't, and I may or may not:) Reviews are welcome! And if I do continue with this fic (and the Graystripe and Shadepaw pairing) I'm open to suggestions for not only Shadepaw's warrior name (though I may just stick to Shadepelt) but also possible kit names and appearances. So, if you have any suggestions, let meh know~!
