Firepaw hissed in pain when Spottedleaf placed the mixed poultice on his scratches and wounds, he watched with curious eyes as Spottedleaf wrapped the cob-webs around his shoulder and back.
She does this everyday... Like how we hunt everyday and patrol?
"Thanks." Firepaw spoke quietly, still feeling guilty leaving Spottedlaef behind with two ShadowClan cats.
"I'm sorry." Firepaw added on a few seconds later, "I thought I drove Clawface out and- Blackfoot, I thought he was Whitestorm."
Spottedleaf didn't look angry or disappointed, she only smiled warmly.
"It's alright Firepaw, You came in the end didn't you?" Spottedleaf tried to comfort him,
"Spottedleaf..." Firepaw felt the dream tearing him up again.
I can't keep it a secret... Anymore.
"I need to confess something." He looked to the side of the den, avoiding her eyes.
"Yes?" Spottedleaf looked at him with those warm amber eyes of hers,
"I... I ... Knew you were going to die today." Firepaw mewed softly, "I know it sounds outrageous and mouse-brained but, I had a nightmare."
Spottedleaf settled down beside him, ready to listen.
"I... Dreamt that you were killed, by Clawface. I saw everything that happened today." Firepaw murmured, his eyes flashed at Spottedleaf, guilty.
"If StarClan wanted you to die, and I stopped them, is it wrong?"
He felt guilt and annoyance tearing him up in the inside,
Why did StarClan send me this message, not Bluestar or Yellowfang? Why me?
Spottedleaf looked at him, and finally answered.
"Maybe because you were supposed to prevent me from my death? Who knows." Spottedleaf spoke calmly, "But if they sent the message to you, it surely meant you were the one to do something about it."
Firepaw sunk low, "Spottedleaf... If you died now... What will happen?"
Spottedleaf let out a mrrow of laughter, "Die? I guess I'll go join my mentor in StarClan."
Firepaw twitched his ears, "Your mentor?"
Spottedleaf purred, "He was a significant Medicine Cat, one admired by all four clans. His name was Featherwhisker."
He shivered, "Featherwhisker?"
Spottedleaf nodded, as she lifted her head to speak about her mentor. "He was a hard-working medicine cat and didn't complain, his brother was also Sunstar."
Firepaw paused, "You admire your mentor don't you?"
Spottedleaf twitched her tail, "He's my mentor after-all."
Ravenpaw never liked Tigerclaw.
"Those cats who don't follow Warrior-Code. Do they feel lost sometimes?" Firepaw wondered aloud,
Spottedleaf purred, "You should ask yourself that question."
Every hair on Firepaw's pelt tingled when Spottedleaf's tail wrapped around his,
"I feel more lost with StarClan." He admitted, remembering all the talk about Prophecies, Leaders before, Medicine Cats before.
"They give us prophecies but don't tell us what's going to happen. Some cats like warriors don't make huge differences unlike Medicine Cats and leaders."
"That's not true." Spottedleaf reminded him, those grieving eyes of hers again.
"If one Warrior died, it could change the outcome of the battle."
Firepaw pricked his ears to sounds of many paws, he heard a screech,
"Retreat! Retreat! ShadowClan retreat!" A frail black tom yowled, "ShadowClan retreat!"
Like a waterfall, the ShadowClan cats streamed out of ThunderClan camp, there was a yowl. Firepaw easily could tell from the sound that Bluestar was calling for a clan-meeting, Spottedleaf nudged him forward.
"What about you?" Firepaw complained as he circled around her,
"I can hear from here!" Spottedleaf mewed as she pushed him towards the entrance,
"Lean on me, we can go sit outside the Medicine Den." Firepaw urged,
"Fine, Fine," Spottedleaf rolled her eyes to the flame colored tom's stubborness, paw-step by paw-step they finally escaped from the den.
Fresh air battered him in the face, as he let out a long sigh and sat beside Spottedleaf, realizing she was carrying Frostfur's kits.
Bluestar was seated on the high-rock, her head bowed, feeling ashamed of herself.
Finally the leader spoke,
"As we know, ShadowClan and a group of rogues invaded us today. We were careless to think this was over, during the fight many warriors were injured." Bluestar meowed, still not losing her aura of a leader.
"In this fight, Lionheart, ThunderClan's brave and fierce warrior lost his life."
There were several gasps, including Firepaw.
Lionheart...Died? But... But he's so strong! He felt and looked like a lion in real battle!
Bluestar looked towards Firepaw, as if reading his thoughts, she mewed:
"Not all strong warriors survive battles, they all lose their lives one day." Bluestar dipped her head, "Go bid your farewells to Lionheart before he is burried at dawn. Warriors will sit vigil and respect his brave death."
Bluestar blinked as she raised her voice over the murmurs and whispers of ThunderClan,
"I will name the new-deputy before moon-high." She meowed, "Until then, pay your respects to Lionheart." With-that, the blue-gray she-cat leapt off the high-rock.
The clan broke into whispers, Firepaw felt Spottedleaf's tail touch his shoulder, he flinched slightly.
"I'm going to go pay my respects to Lionheart." Firepaw murmured , the loss of Lionheart just added more pain to the wounds he already had.
"Go on then." Spottedleaf nudged him forward, Firepaw padded on achingly tired paws and bowed his head to Lionheart.
There he saw Graypaw, his face burried in the warrior's fur,
"Graypaw." Firepaw mewed softly, the dark gray apprentice lifted his head, "Lionheart-He's-" Graypaw choked on the last word and shoved his face back into Lionheart's fur.
Firepaw settled beside Graypaw and breathed in his scent for the last time, as he whispered his good-byes.
"Thank you Lionheart, for everything you've done to a kittypet like me- and even gave me a chance to join this clan..."
Firepaw stood up on all fours and watched painfully as Graypaw groomed his mentor's pelt and spoke quietly to him as if he were still alive.
I'll give Graypaw some time...
Firepaw murmured to Graypaw, "I'll be leaving first."
Without waiting for an answer Firepaw turned and padded back to the apprentice's den, he just needed to rest his paws and clear his head.
From the corner of his eye he could still see Graypaw, with the fallen Lionheart. Firepaw just stayed in the apprentice den for a while, closing both eyes and trying hard to fall asleep. Just to ease the pain of losing a strong cat, after a long time, he was still awake.
He was tired but he knew the clan still needed them, He forced his tired paws off the soft bed as he limped to the Medicine Den.
The line was huge with many cats, Spottedleaf was around rushing to help patients.
Where's Yellowfang?
He observed the clearing and saw a dark gray she-cat who was speaking to Bluestar about something.
Bluestar looked troubled but noddded her head, Yellowfang nodded gratefully before bumping into Firepaw.
"Where were you?" Firepaw looked away, "Lionheart passed on, the camp's wrecked and Spottedleaf is running her tail off."
Yellowfang flicked her ears, "I was out collecting herbs until I heard battle-cries, I raced back to camp and found ShadowClan warriors raiding us."
Firepaw growled, "Where were you then?"
"Defending the nursery." Yellowfang snapped, "Are you deaf?"
"I can prove that," Frostfur stood out, "She was here the whole-time after Blackfoot left."
Firepaw felt guilty, doubting Yellowfang like that.
"I'm sorry, I'm just-"
Ignoring him, Yellowfang padded into the Medicine Den, Firepaw could see her helping Spottedleaf to treat Mousefur.
Firepaw sighed as he looked up to the darkening sky,
Who will take Lionheart's place? I pray to StarClan that it's not TigerClaw...Please...
Before he knew it, he had fallen asleep beside the fresh-kill pile, when his eyes opened again it was Graypaw prodding him.
"Hurry up, Bluestar's announcing the next deputy!" Graypaw mewed, he didn't look eager but more tired.
"I heard you!" Firepaw moaned as he shook himself awake, Graypaw led the way and they sat together close to the high-rock.
"As we know, according to the warrior code: A deputy must be named before Moon-high." Bluestar meowed, "I have thought hard and decided that," she paused.
The cats below were whispering their thoughts,
Please not TigerClaw! Not TigerClaw!
"I hope it's Whitestorm." Graypaw mewed his eyes desperately trying to keep their shine,
"Y-yeah Whitestorm would be a good choice..."
Bluestar signaled for silence,
"The new deputy will be TigerClaw."
Firepaw felt strong-hooked claws rake down his spine, and he knew who's claws those were. TigerClaw's.
The dark brown tabby bowed his head, "Thank you. I will do my best to assist you."
Firepaw felt the hair on his neck rising, Graypaw looked worried.
"It's over."
All the cats began to cheer,
"Tigerclaw! Tigerclaw! Tigerclaw!"
The one who started the cheer was Goldenflower, Graypaw looked wearily at Firepaw as they joined in unwillingly.
(AN: Thanks everyone for your support and reviews :D Finally an update! Chapter 4 and the next chapter is going to skip directly to when Firepaw is "Fireheart" and when he's appointed his first apprentice! Look forward to Spottedleaf getting jealous and Sandstorm attempting to 'hog' Fireheart along with Cinderpaw trying to get Fireheart to notice her feelings...)