A/N: Thank you all so much for the reads and reviews and favorites and follows! You have no idea guys, this support came to me at just the right time. I just got a second job working at a pet store (if I've never mentioned it before, let me tell you all that I love animals), things are lining up well for me to get back to school... like. Wow. My life is coming together and I owe so much of it to being able to escape and type and getting feedback on this passion of mine, even just in fanfiction. So thank you. /end rant.

Anyway! To my reviewers!

Snowcrystal: Thank you for the feedback on the names! I was really struggling to decide, and every bit of input helps ^-^

Sierra: I think you're going to like this story a lot when things start picking up speed ;) thank you so much for the review; I can't wait to hear your thoughts on the coming chapters!

Guest: THANK YOU. I thought that I had Sorrelpaw's warrior name picked out, but you sent those suggestions that, honestly, I hadn't even considered, and just. *-* thank you. Sorrelpaw now has, I think, the best name I could have chosen for him. I hope you stick with us through this, and thank you for your input on the others as well!

Chapter 10

Shiverpaw pushed her paws out in front of her in a long, luxurious stretch. The early leaf-fall sunshine warmed her fur as dawn broke over the horizon. Oakheart was already next to the fresh-kill pile, sharing a quick fish from the night before with Bluefur. Shiverpaw padded silently to her parents' sides.

"Good morning," she mewed softly.

"Good morning," Bluefur purred, standing and touching her nose to Shiverpaw's.

Oakheart rasped his tongue across each of their ears in turn. "We'll be busy today," he rumbled. "Leaf-fall is here. Ottersplash is already complaining of aching joints."

Shiverpaw couldn't bring herself to be sad about the arrival of leaf-fall. The water may get colder, but falling maple leaves were as beautiful to the white and gray apprentice as the river. She picked out a small mouse and nibbled on it as the rest of the Clan woke and gathered around Oakheart for their duties.

"Hey, Shiverpaw," Whiteclaw touched his nose to the tip of her ear. "Do you know what Graypool has planned for you today?" His green eyes were soft and warm, and shone like a reflection of the forest in the river. Like drink of cool water, peace washed through her.

"I'm not sure," Shiverpaw admitted, standing and pressing her muzzle against the dark warrior's shoulder.

"We'll be hunting," Graypool's voice startled Shiverpaw as her mentor slipped through their Clan-mates to join them. Before Whiteclaw could speak she added dryly, "Without you. Leapardfur wants you on the dawn patrol." As she said it Leopardfur called for the young warrior.

Whiteclaw sighed. "Oh." He dipped his head to lick the gray smudge between Shiverpaw's ears. "I'll see you later, then."

"Mhm," Shiverpaw hummed, feeling a purr rising in her chest as she watched the warrior bound to his former mentor's side. It was a formidable patrol, led by Leopardfur and including Whiteclaw, Sorrelpaw, and Bluefur. Shiverpaw guessed they would be going down the ThunderClan border.

Graypool rolled her eyes. "Great StarClan, you two are worse than a couple of love-struck does." Her jibe was good-natured, and Shiverpaw felt her own whiskers twitching. She couldn't bring herself to deny her mentor's statement—Whiteclaw was a fine warrior, and her closest friend.

Shiverpaw shook her head, clearing the thoughts of Whiteclaw from her mind as she turned to her mentor. "So we're hunting today?"

"Yes," Graypool agreed. "In the fields. Stonepaw and Silverpaw are taking care of the elders today, so everything you catch will go straight to the fresh-kill pile. You're nearly a warrior, Shiverpaw, today I want to see you hunt as you would if you were the only cat capable of feeding your Clan."

Anticipation flashed through Shiverpaw's veins, warming her as much—if not more—than Whiteclaw's thick pelt and bright eyes. "You won't be disappointed," promised the white and gray apprentice.

"Good, then let's get going." Graypool led the way to the sedge tunnel and out of camp before stepping aside and letting Shiverpaw take the lead. They worked their way slowly from the island camp towards the fields, harvesting the bounty of leaf-fall as they went. It didn't take long at all for them each to catch their first prey, and their luck only improved as they moved into the soft grass near the gorge. Graypool had gone after a water vole, leaving Shiverpaw to track the rabbit scent she'd tasted on the wind. She pulled herself forward painfully slowly, keeping her jaws parted to she didn't lose the scent. A tuft of brown fur bobbed in the grass and the apprentice froze. She inhaled deeply, only to gasp in surprise and spring to her paws. The rabbit fled instantly, but the apprentice had already forgotten about it.

"Graypool!" Shiverpaw hissed, the fur along her spine beginning to bristle.

"Fox-dung!" The pale gray warrior stalked to her apprentice's side, her tail lashing. "You…"

Shiverpaw shook her head quickly, waving her tail in a silent plea for her mentor to get down and be quiet. "I've scented WindClan."

"WindClan?" Graypool's anger at losing her prey vanished instantly. She lifted her nose and inhaled deeply, before shaking her head. "Are you certain? All I smell is the rabbit you were tracking."

"Yes," Shiverpaw insisted. "This way." She pressed her belly to the ground and crawled forward, following the trace of WindClan the breeze had carried. They were nearly at the gorge when she spotted them. She pressed herself impossibly closer to the ground and angled her ears. Talltail was at the head of the patrol, slinking across the small strip of RiverClan territory that separated WindClan from ThunderClan. A full patrol followed him, wary but determined.

"Well-scented," Graypool exhaled as she halted beside her apprentice, her eyes narrowed into furious slits and her ears pressed flat against her head.

"What are we going to do?" Shiverpaw couldn't help but to notice how outnumbered they were. It was clear by the size and build of the patrol that the WindClan warriors were here not to steal prey, but to push their border all the way to the gorge. They must think we'll be too preoccupied with ThunderClan to protect this border…!

"Challenge them and pray that Leopardfur's patrol is within earshot," Graypool muttered. Only when the WindClan patrol had reached the gorge did she begin slipping into a position behind them, putting herself and Shiverpaw between the gorge and WindClan's existing border. Taking a deep breath, she stood with her chin and tail raised. "WindClan, state your business on RiverClan's territory."

Talltail spun, his fur bristling. "This land belongs to WindClan now," he growled. "You state your business to us."

"Oh?" Graypool drawled. "Because last I checked your border ended back there," she flicked her tail pointedly towards the border. "And I wasn't aware that you had to creep like trespassers in your own territory." The gray warrior lashed her tail. Shiverpaw locked eyes with Tornpaw. "Leave now, and this won't have to come to a fight."

"A fight?" Talltail crowed. "I don't know what game you're playing at, but you're outnumbered and overpowered. There's no version of this battle that ends in your victory. Run now, while you can."

Graypool's gaze slid past the patrol, and Shiverpaw followed her eyes to the riverbank. She could see Leopardfur's patrol in the distance, and as Graypool suggested, she sent a quick prayer to StarClan that they were coming this way and would hear them.

"One RiverClan cat is worth ten WindClan," Graypool snarled. "Leave or suffer the consequences."

Without another word, Talltail let out a battle cry and launched himself at the gray warrior. Shiverpaw fell into battle with Tornpaw, letting out the loudest caterwaul she could muster.

"To me, RiverClan!" Graypool yowled, struggling ferociously against two warriors as another came to help Tornpaw. Shiverpaw fought desperately. Please hear us!

Relief crashed over her when she heard the call echoed. "To me, RiverClan!"

Hearbeats later, Tornpaw was ripped off of her, water soaking the grass as Sorrelpaw threw himself into the fray. With renewed strength, Shiverpaw redoubled her efforts, fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with her littermate against a WindClan warrior. Leopardfur was rolling over and over with Talltail, leaving water and smudges of blood in the grass, and Bluefur was battling alongside Whiteclaw against two warriors as Graypool limped out of the battle. When they'd managed to drive off the first warrior, Tornpaw attacked Sorrelpaw and Shiverpaw again. Shiverpaw ducked under his paws and Sorrelpaw rose onto his hind legs to meet their adversary. Tornpaw didn't account for Shiverpaw's speed and deft paws, and she expertly pulled his hind paws out from under him. He toppled over with a startled hiss, twisting and scrambling aside before Sorrelpaw could bring his weight down on him. Shiverpaw raked her claws down his flank as he tried to jump Sorrelpaw, and when the WindClan apprentice turned to retaliate, Sorrelpaw lunged in and sank his teeth into Tornpaw's shoulder. Tornpaw let out a screech of pain and rolled over, knocking the breath out of Sorrelpaw and dislodging the red-furred apprentice. Shiverpaw dove in again, lashing out for Tornpaw's muzzle and ears, but the WindClan apprentice was lightning fast now that he'd regained his paws, and ducked easily under her blows and barreled into her. His head slammed into her chest, knocking the breath from her as he carried her off her paws. They tumbled and rolled, claws gripping and jaws snapping until quite suddenly, the ground seemed to end.

Tornpaw let out a wail as he struggled to release her, digging his claws into the ledge of the gorge as he slipped over. Shiverpaw's voice lodged in her throat as she started to fall, her paws flailing and claws tearing as they caught in the side of the wall and tore free again.

"Shiverpaw!" Teeth locked in her scruff, and Whiteclaw's familiar scent washed over Shiverpaw, accented by the heavy scent of blood and the bitter tinge of fear. "I've got you," he huffed, scrabbling backwards and sending showers of dirt and torn up grass into the swirling waters below. Shiverpaw struggled to help him with her slight weight, scrabbling at the wall of the gorge. She could see Tornpaw losing his grip, only for Sorrelpaw to lunge over the side and dig his claws into the apprentice's shoulder. For a moment, his eyes were colder than any ice, filled with a frosty resolve and cold fire that chilled Shiverpaw to bone. Is he going to push him?

But the moment passed, and he pulled Tornpaw closer, until he could grip his scruff in his jaws and haul him to safety. Shiverpaw collapsed on the grass, shaking from her ears to her tail tip as Whiteclaw crouched beside her, pressing his flank impossibly close to hers while Bluefur rushed to her side. Only Talltail remained for the WindClan patrol, helping Sorrelpaw pull Tornpaw to safety. When the apprentice was standing, shivering, beside the black and white warrior, Leopardfur caught Talltail's eye.

"You were a fool to pick a fight here," she snarled. "This has always been and always will be RiverClan's territory. You owe my apprentice your Clan-mate's life, and you will leave immediately and never return."

Unable to deny anything Leopardfur had said, Talltail only curled his lip in defiance and nudged Tornpaw roughly ahead of him, back to WindClan's territory.

When the WindClan cats had gone, Leopardfur turned to her own warriors. "Well fought," she praised them. "Especially," her eyes flicked from Sorrelpaw to Shiverpaw, "you two. You fought like warriors, and showed a warrior's virtue in saving Tornpaw. Crookedstar will hear of this as soon as we get back to camp."

Bluefur glanced at Whiteclaw, who nodded. "I'll help her, you get Graypool." He pushed his nose into Shiverpaw's bloodied fur. "Are alright?" He breathed softly. "Can you stand?"

Shiverpaw nodded, pushing herself unsteadily to her paws. She leaned heavily against the dark warrior, closing her eyes and letting his familiar scent soothe her. "You saved my life…"

Whiteclaw dipped his head and pressed his muzzle against her own. "Of course I did," he murmured, "I love you."

Shiverpaw's heart stuttered in her chest, a shaky purr bubbling in her throat as the words sent electricity sparking through her veins. The sparks ignited a smoldering flame, and despite her close brush with death, Shiverpaw felt that she could swim the length of the river a hundred times. She opened her mouth to answer his feelings, but he swept his tail along her flank and shook his head.

"You don't have to say anything," he gave her a gentle nudge. "We need to get back to camp and get our wounds checked."

It was a slow walk back to camp, but the air between them thrummed with affection, and the quiet that fell over them was colored by their mutual feelings. Shiverpaw replayed the moment over and over in her head as they walked. The look in his eyes, the raw sincerity in his voice. More than ever, she wanted to become a warrior—if not so that she could protect and hunt for Clanmates, then that she could stand beside Whiteclaw as an equal, and return his feelings completely.

When they got back to camp, Leopardfur was waiting with Graypool and Mudfur near the Great Willow. Whiteclaw and Shiverpaw joined the patrol clustered around Mudfur and waited for their turn. Crookedstar and Oakheart padded through the sedge tunnel only moments later, surprise filling their features at the sight that greeted them.

"What in StarClan's name happened?" Crookedstar padded briskly across the camp, Oakheart hot on his tail.

Graypool spoke first, her wounds already swathed in cobwebs. "While Shiverpaw and I were out hunting, we found a patrol of WindClan warriors trying to push their border to the gorge."

"They confronted them and we heard from the ThunderClan border," Leopardfur added. "We rushed to their aid and easily cleared them out. But," her eyes flashed with pride. "It should be noted that Sorrelpaw and Shiverpaw both fought like warriors. When Tornpaw and Shiverpaw tumbled over the edge of the gorge, Sorrelpaw made sure that Whiteclaw was capable of pulling Shiverpaw up and then helped the WindClan warrior, though no cat asked him to and he was trespassing."

Graypool nodded and put in, "And Shiverpaw scented their patrol long before I did, from much further away. She caught onto my plan and made as much noise s she possibly could while we were fighting to draw Leopardfur's patrol."

Crookedstar's ears pricked in interest, and Oakheart puffed his chest out, his amber eyes glittering.

"Then it seems there is a ceremony we need to perform tonight," he rumbled. "For now, eat and rest. Oakheart will rearrange the patrols to accommodate and send the other apprentices to collect Graypool and Shiverpaw's prey."

Mudfur approached Shiverpaw, checking her quickly and applying the stinging ointment to her wounds before wrapping them in cobwebs. When he'd finished, he pushed a leaf towards her that had one poppy seed on it. "For the shock."

Shiverpaw started to argue, but Whiteclaw pulled the little leaf closer. "You shouldn't argue with your medicine cat," he teased. "Especially not if Crookedstar means to give you your warrior name tonight."

The thought sent a thrill through the apprentice, and she ducked down and obediently lapped up tiny seed. When Whiteclaw's wounds had been seen to, he led Shiverpaw to a sunny spot between the warriors' and apprentices' den.

"Wait here," he mewed. "I'll fetch you something from the fresh-kill pile."

Shiverpaw rolled her eyes. "I'm not so badly injured that I need you to treat me like a kit," she scoffed.

Whiteclaw shrugged nonchalantly. "Oops. Oh well." With a playful flick of his tail-tip against her nose, the young warrior trotted to the fresh-kill pile. He came back with two gleaming fish. They ate in a comfortable silence and shared tongues until the sun was a little past its peak. Shiverpaw yawned, feeling the poppy seed's affect starting to take root.

"I'm going to take a nap," she announced with another quiet yawn.

"Alright," Whiteclaw blinked sympathetically. "I'll make sure you don't sleep through your ceremony, don't worry."

Shiverpaw purred in amusement as she curled up in the sunshine. "Thanks." Sleep came to her quickly, sweeping her into warm dreams of what was to come. She woke as the sun was setting, standing slowly and stretching just as Crookedstar emerged from his den. Mistypaw was on her in an instant.

"What's this I hear about you getting your warrior name today?" There was an edge in her voice, and Shiverpaw braced herself for the worst. But Mistypaw only drew her tongue across the ruffled fur on her flank. "Why was I the last cat to hear about this?!"

"Mudfur told me to rest," Shiverpaw explained apologetically. She hesitated before stretching up and touching her muzzle to Mistypaw's. "I know you'll be with us soon."

Mistypaw sighed. "Yeah, I know. It's not your fault that Loudbelly had me battle training today." She shook herself, as if clearing a thought from her head. "Anyway, let's go, I want to be near the front so I can beat Whiteclaw to being the first cat to call you by your new name."

Shiverpaw's whiskers were twitching as she followed her littermate to the Great Willow. By then the news had spread through the entire Clan, and by the time Crookedstar finished his summons they had already gathered. Sorrelpaw exchanged an excited glance with Shiverpaw as he sat beside her.

"Cats of RiverClan," Crookedstar began. "Today, WindClan tried to steal the land between their border and the gorge. They were met bravely by our warriors, but of the battle party, two cats in particular stood out. The first was Shiverpaw, for scenting the WindClan cats before even Graypool and helping alert Leopardfur's patrol." Cheers rippled through the Clan, and when they died down on their own, Crookedstar continued, "and the second is Sorrelpaw, who fought with all of a warrior's strength and virtue, saving a WindClan apprentice from falling into the gorge even in the heat of battle.

"With these feats, their mentors feel that it is time Shiverpaw and Sorrelpaw take their places as full warriors of RiverClan." He paused, his eyes shining as he jumped down to stand before the roots of the Great Willow. "Come forward, you two."

Shiverpaw stepped forward delicately, her paws trembling in anticipation. She could hear Sorrelpaw's heart pounding rapidly in his chest, though she was certain hers was just as loud.

"Sorrelpaw, Shiverpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Sorrelpaw's voice steady full of passion.

Shiverpaw echoed more softly, though just as assertively, "I do." Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Bluefur and Oakheart exchange proud glances.

Crookedstar dipped his head, accepting their pledges. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Shiverpaw, from this moment you will be known as Shiverfrost. StarClan honors your skill and compassion, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan." He rested his muzzle on the top of her head, and Shiverfrost stretched forward to lick his shoulder respectfully.

"Sorrelpaw," he turned his gaze to the red-furred apprentice as Shiverpaw took the open place between Graypool and Whiteclaw. "From this moment, you will be known as Sorrelfeather. StarClan honors your loyalty and strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan." Even before Sorrelfeather had licked Crookedstar's shoulder, the Clan erupted into cheers.

"Shiverfrost! Sorrelfeather! Shiverfrost! Sorrelfeather!"

Mistypaw and Whiteclaw pressed close to Shiverfrost's flanks, congratulating her warmly as Oakheart gave Sorrelfeather a hearty headbutt.

"You've got to sit vigil now," Silverpaw sighed, almost as if she was even jealous of that. "It might get chilly."

"We're warriors," Sorrelfeather snickered. "I think we can handle it."

Shiverfrost touched her nose to Whiteclaw's, unable to speak but knowing that she needn't say a word.

Tomorrow. She turned her pale amber gaze towards the stars as she settled beside Sorrelfeather for their vigil. Tomorrow I'll tell him.

Stonepaw lingered outside of the apprentices' den, apprehension churning in his stomach. This can't be right. He remembered so vividly the violent flames that had devoured the river and everything he'd loved alongside it. He remembered the wind whispering across Highstones, warbling in his ear like the songbird and lulling him into a nightmare unlike anything he'd seen before. A chilling version of his beloved forest where Sorrelfeather's ambitions raged like a fire, his feathery red fur like the vibrant flames that grasped at everything it touched and scorched it to ash.

"The same flame lives inside you," the wind had taunted him, chided him. "Longing to kindle and, yearning for something greater than the flint it was born of."

I don't want this. Stonepaw was so sure of at least that. He didn't want to see the forest destroyed—especially not by his own brother.

"Then rise."

Stonepaw shook his head, trying to push the memories away as he turned and retreated into the apprentices' den. Silverpaw and Mistypaw were already sound asleep, and he tried not to disturb them as he crept into his own chilled nest. But as he closed his eyes, he could almost feel the wind picking up again, ruffling his fur and chilling him to the bone.

"If you don't want the river to burn, then you must rise. Rise like the tide to meet it, become a flame of your own to protect your Clan. Can you do that?"

Stonepaw tucked his tail over his nose, closing his eyes tightly and willing sleep to free him from the murmuring wind. Do I even have a choice…?