Chapter 6!
As soon as they returned to camp, Bluestar called her senior warriors to her den to discuss the events of the gathering. Cinderpaw sighed, noticing Thornpaw and Swiftpaw waiting outside the apprentice den for her and Brackenpaw to tell them all about the gathering.
Fireheart paused beside her, and rasped his tongue over her ear. "Good night, Cinderpaw." He murmured, not giving her a chance to respond as he padded away to the warriors' den. Another sigh passed her lips, and she followed Brackenpaw to the apprentice den, instantly bombarded with questions. She yawned, and seeming to get the hint, Brackenpaw sat down with the younger apprentices and began to tell of Nightstar's accusations. With a grateful flick of her tail, Cinderpaw curled up in her nest and fell asleep, dreaming of basking in the warmth of SunningRocks and hunting alongside Fireheart.
When Cinderpaw pushed her way out of the apprentice den the next morning, the camp was buzzing with activity. Brightpaw and Swiftpaw were making their way slowly around the camp boundaries, filling in any gaps in the protective wall with twigs and leaves, and a hunting patrol was just leaving, Dustpelt at its head, followed by Runningwind, Mousefur, and Thornpaw. Graystripe was nowhere to be seen, and Brackenpaw was leaving with the dawn patrol—which was led by Whitestorm.
She bounded over to Fireheart. "What's the plan for today, Fireheart?" The mewed, looking up at her mentor.
"Swiftpaw and Brightpaw are repairing the camp walls, and Brackenpaw is on patrol this morning, so it's up to you and Thornpaw to feed the elders. We'll be going hunting now." He flicked his ears towards the gorse tunnel as he spoke, and Cinderpaw followed him to the entrance.
"Alright!" She hurried up the ravine, then looked back down at him. "Meet back at sunhigh?"
Fireheart nodded. "Sunhigh." With a flick of his tail, the ginger tom vanished into the new leaf undergrowth, and Cinderpaw jumped down the other side of the ravine and headed deeper into their territory. Shae had already caught a mouse and a sparrow, when the breaking of a twig cought her attention.
Ears pricked, she climbed the nearest tree, hardly favoring her leg at all as she pulled herself onto a sturdy branch. There, just a few fox-lengths away from where she had been moments prior, was a huge patrol of ShadowClan and WindClan warriors. She recognized both Tallstar and Nightstar from the night before, as well as Fireheart's friend, Onewhisker.
They're attacking our camp…!
Cinderpaw held her breath as they filed past her hiding spot, before leaping down from the tree and bolting in the direction she had seen Fireheart disappear in. She had just picked upon his scent trail when she barreled into another cat, staggering back and shaking her head.
"Brackenpaw!" Her brother blinked wide amber eyes at her, putting down the mouse he was carrying, but she shook her head. "There's no time to talk! ShadowClan and WindClan are attacking our camp, and I have to go find Fireheart and tell him and you have to go get the rest of your patrol because there's a ton of warriors!" She spat it all out as quickly as she could, and Brackenpaw's eyes grew wider and wider until, with a small nod, he left his mouse there and tore back through the trees. Cinderpaw turned back to her own frantic search, finally spotting Fireheart's flame colored pelt.
"Fireheart!" She called. She didn't even notice the flutter of wings as the bird he had been carefully stalking escaped him, letting out a loud alarm cry as it went. Fireheart whirled to face her, his tail-tip twitching in agitation, until he seemed to notice her panic.
"Cinderpaw, what's-"
"ShadowClan and WindClan are on their way to attack our camp! I ran into Brackenpaw on the way here and toldhim to go get his patrol, but-" He slapped his tail over her mouth, cutting her off.
"Good job, Cinderpaw." He meowed. "We need to get back to camp—now."
With a nod, she followed him back to the camp, reaching the gorse tunnel in a matter of moments. Fireheart paused, his ears pricked, listening intently. "They haven't reached the camp yet…" He murmured. Cinderpaw felt a flash of fear, worried that they had heard her running to find help.
"I know I saw them…!" She insisted. "They-"
Before she could finish, a vicious yowl split the air, and Fireheart turned and pushed her through the gorse tunnel, following close behind.
"ThunderClan!" He yowled. "ShadowClan and WindClan are attacking!" Tigerclaw bounded forward, followed by Longtail.
"What?" The great tabby demanded.
Cinderpaw stepped forward. "I saw them." She meowed desperately. "Nightstar and Tallstar—all of them, heading to our camp!"
Tigerclaw growled. "They've come for Brokentail." Then louder, "To me, ThunderClan!" HE began charging to the gorse tunnel. "Don't let a single mange-pelt into our camp!"
The warriors left at camp—which was alarmingly few, charged after him, and Cinderpaw's eyes widened as she heard the ragged cry of, "Kill Brokenstar!"
Fireheart rushed back out, and Cinderpaw followed, aware that Bluestar was right behind them. Out on the ravine, it was a battle almost for life and death. With a quick glance around, she noticed Thornpaw struggling against a large ShadowClan tom, and hissing fury she leapt to his aid, landing a solid blow on the enemy warrior's shoulder as Thornpaw sank his teeth into his hind leg. The cat refused to give up, though, trying to shake them away and push into the gorse tunnel. Cinderpaw growled, taking her chance as Thornpaw distracted the tom to jump onto his shoulders, clinging on and giving him a vicious bite on the ear. With a yowl, the warrior finally pulled away, running back into the forest. Before she could look for another enemy, another cat was upon her, sharp claws digging into her shoulders as she hissed and tore free, whirling to face WindClan apprentice. She jumped to attack him, but another cat swiped at her ears, and she found herself in an impossible fight against the apprentice and another ShadowClan warrior. To her dismay, she found herself getting pushed slowly back down the ravine, towards the gorse tunnel, before she heard Bluestar's call of, "They're pushing through the wall—Fall back! Defend the camp!"
Tearing herself out of the mass of writhing cats, Cinderpaw followed Longtail and Fireheart back through the tunnel, running out into the open clearing and whirling to face them. Fireheart's pelt brushed hers, and she felt energy spark through her veins. No cat was going to get away with attacking their camp.
Soon, the clearing looked much like the ravine, and Cinderpaw found herself fighting side-by-side with her brother against Nightstar himself as Fireheart tackled Tallstar to the ground. This is hopeless! She thought, desperately battling any cat that tried to pass her and her brother. Then Dustpelt's patrol returned, fresh warriors throwing themselves into the fight, beginning to turn the tide of the battle.
"Stay strong!" She heard Tigerclaw growl. "Drive them back!"
With a surge of fury, Cinderpaw did just that, leaping onto the back of Onewhisker and giving him a vicious bite on the shoulder. In moments, the enemy clans were fleeing, leaving the ThunderClan camp nearly destroyed, and the warriors nearly defeated. Despite the victory, the warriors all looked grim. Brakenpaw stood beside her, and she gave his shoulder a lick.
"You fought like a LionClan cat." She meowed, blinking warmly at him. Then Fireheart approached.
"You both fought like warriors."
As Cinderpaw's heart filled with joy at his, Fireheart stepped forward and rested his muzzle against hers, and suddenly, the world was spinning. Fireheart seemed about to say something, but Tigerclaw's growl interrupted him.
"Where have you been?" He demanded, and Cinderpaw and Fireheart both turned to see Graystripe deposit a couple of plump mice on the fresh kill pile.
"Hunting." He answered, his eyes wide. "What happened here?"
"ShadowClan and RiverClan attacked." Tigerclaw looked furious, and Cinderpaw couldn't help but to feel bad for him. "And we needed every warrior-"
"It's not his fault he was gone." Fireheart stepped forward, and Bluestar stepped between her deputy and the flame pelted warrior.
"Enough." She rasped. She sounded tired, and her blue-gray pelt was torn. "The prey is welcome, young Graystripe. Since you've escaped without injury, I'll need you to go back out and patrol the border—make sure every enemy warrior is gone."
Graystripe nodded. "Of course." He meowed. "I'll be back in a heartbeat." With that, he turned and dashed back out of the camp, and Cinderpaw watched Tigerclaw's amber glare follow him. Before she could comment on that to Fireheart, Yellowfang was at her side.
"How was it?" she asked gruffly, pressing a wad of cobwebs to the slash on Cinderpaw's slender shoulder.
"How was what?" Cinderpaw blinked at the old medicine cat.
"Fighting for your clan, like you've always wanted." She rubbed a poultice into Cinderpaw's wound, and the apprentice winced at the sting.
"It was exhilarating." She meowed. "The blood was rushing in my ears, and all that mattered was defending our camp, and…"
Yellowfang purred in amusement, then flicked her tail across Cinderpaw's mouth. "You really were meant to be a warrior, young Cinderpaw." Her yellow eyes locked onto something over Cinderpaw's shoulder, and she turned to see Fireheart meeting Graystripe at the gorse tunnel as he returned, talking quietly with him and motioning first her, and then Brackenpaw.
"And it seems now may be the time…"
Cinderpaw's eyes grew wide, and she watched disbelievingly as Fireheart and Graystripe went to speak with Bluestar beneath the Great Rock. After a moment, she padded out to the middle of the clearing, summoning the clan with her ritualistic words, thought all but the queens and elders were already gathered.
"Brackenpaw, Cinderpaw, step forward."
Brackenpaw's eyes shot wide, and Cinderpaw felt electricity shoot through her veins. They obeyed, standing together in front of Bluestar—in front of all of ThunderClan.
"It was thanks to both of you that we had any kind of warning today." She began. "Cinderpaw, you saw the intruders and wasted no time alerting us—and Brackenpaw, running to find every patrol we had out so that we could properly defend out camp. You have both fought like warriors, and it's time you both earned your warrior names." She paused, gazing momentarily up at the sky. "I, Bluestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways lf your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn." She looked at Brackenpaw, then Cinderpaw. "Brackenpaw, Cinderpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan even at the cost of your life?"
"I do." Brackenpaw meowed. Cinderpaw felt her legs trembling with excitement as she echoed, "I do."
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Brackenpaw, from this moment you will be known as Brackenfur. StarClan honors your forethought and courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." She rested her graying muzzle on the top of his head, and he respectfully licked her shoulder. "Cinderpaw," she turned to the small, dark gray apprentice and Cinderpaw felt her heart soar. "From this moment you will be known as Cindercloud. StarClan honors your enthusiasm and determination, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."
"Brackenfur! Cindercloud! Brackenfur! Cindercloud!" Fireheart was among the first to call her new name, and Cindercloud felt a purr rising in her chest as the ginger tom pressed close against her flank. For amoment, she felt another brush of fur against her own, and recognized the starry pelt of Oakheart.
"You did it." He whispered, his amber eyes glowing with pride. "You've become a warrior." Cindercloud blinked gratefully at the StarClan warrior. Without him, it never would have been possible. Thank-you, Oakheart…
"Now you have to sit vigil." Sandstorm was meowing to Brackenfur. "Thank StarClan, we all get to rest easy tonight!"
Fireheart purred and licked Cindercloud's ears as the crowd dispersed. "I'll see you tomorrow, Cindercloud."
With a purr of her own, she nodded, aware of her vigil of silence. She sat, side by side with her brother, her heart still pounding. Just last leaf-bare, she had feared that she would never be a warrior. But now, her leg was almost perfect again, and she carried all of the pride and responsibilities that a warrior name brought.
I'll be the best warrior the forest has ever seen!
Thanks to my guest reviewer for the suggestion of Cindercloud, I really liked that one(: This chapter was pretty long, but bear with me, because there's more drama to come! And maybe… (Just maybe) kits;P Thanks for reading! Still looking for names for Swiftpaw and Brightpaw(: