Chapter 9
A day had passed after the Gathering. Ravenpaw and Stripepaw had gone to sleep late, but Ravenpaw had been woken up just before dawn. She groaned when she felt the paw jab at her side. She rolled around and saw that Lionblaze was standing over her. "Dawn patrol," he meowed. Ravenpaw shook moss out of her fur before she followed him. Stripepaw opened her eyes in concern, but Ravenpaw only grinned back. Blossompaw, Bumblepaw and Briarpaw were already awake. Toadpaw and Rosepaw were holding warrior assessments, and would receive their warrior names any day now. "We'll be leaving with Sorreltail and Dustpelt momentarily," Lionblaze explained when she approached him. "You should grab a mouse before we go, it may be a while 'till you get back."
Ravenpaw did as she was told, and she was thankful she did. Her stomach was rumbling with hunger as she picked a mouse from the fresh-kill pile. It was plump, but stiff from the cool air. Once she was finished she buried the bones away from the nursery. She recalled one night hearing a story of how a kit had swallowed a mouse bone. The story didn't end well - the kit had died the following night. Ravenpaw shuddered as she remembered the story.
Sorreltail emerged from the warriors' den first, followed by Dustpelt. The two warriors were glaring at each other, as if they'd just emerged from an argument. Ravenpaw tilted her head in confusion as the two approached Lionblaze. Lionblaze's tail lashed as he led them out of the camp. Dustpelt quickly asserted himself into the front of the patrol, shoving Lionblaze aside as they entered the forest. Anger seared through Ravenpaw when she watched Dustpelt's reaction. The dark brown tabby was a senior warrior, so she shouldn't have been surprised, but she couldn't help feeling angry. "Don't let him get to you," Sorreltail meowed. "Dustpelt's just cranky in the morning."
"He's always cranky, even when it's in the middle of the day," Ravenpaw sighed in exasperation. Sorreltail flicked her tail across Ravenpaw's shoulder in amusement.
"We're checking the ShadowClan border, aren't we?" Lionblaze asked. Dustpelt was making his way towards the WindClan border, oblivious to everything but himself. Dustpelt's ear flicked back in annoyance when he realized that Lionblaze was right. "Dustpelt, is something bothering you? You've been acting out of sorts all morning."
He's not usually the sympathetic type, Ravenpaw thought in amusement. Maybe he's worried about the way Dustpelt is behaving in front of the other Clans.
Ravenpaw shook her head as they turned towards the ShadowClan border. Already pines were beginning to stretch before them. Ravenpaw looked up to see that a pair of squirrels were chasing each other. Their constant chatter made the whole forest noisy. Claws scraping against wood told her that one of the squirrels had jumped to another tree.
Dustpelt's tail was lashing from side to side when they approached the clearing. Strange Twoleg nests suddenly loomed ahead, signaling that it was close to greenleaf. Ravenpaw looked at Lionblaze in confusion, but he didn't seem to mind the strange nests. Sorreltail's fur bristled uncomfortable as she crept towards the edge of the border.
"Someone's killed a pigeon over the border!" Dustpelt's cry made Ravenpaw jump.
"Are you sure?" Sorreltail bounded over to his side, pelt standing on end as she realized he was right. Ravenpaw's eyes widened in horror when she saw that the remains of a pigeon had been spread across the clearing. Feathers and patches of fur had also been placed along the clearing, but she wasn't sure if the intruder had tried to hide their scent. "This kill must have happened in the middle of the night," Sorreltail murmured.
An uneasy silence followed as Dustpelt tried to make sense of who had killed the pigeon. Why wasn't part of his question. Ravenpaw knew that prey was abundant now with newleaf in full swing. Her whiskers twitched with anxiety as she crept forward. Lionblaze padded alongside her once he knew what was happening.
"Look at this, dark gray fur," Dustpelt growled. His voice was thick with anger as he revealed the patches of torn fur. "She must have slipped away during the night to hunt." Dustpelt suddenly whirled around to face the three cats.
"Ravenpaw was at the Gathering, Dustpelt," Lionblaze snapped. "After that she went right to her nest."
"How do you know that? Was someone keeping an eye on her?" Dustpelt's eyes flashed as he looked between Lionblaze and Sorreltail.
What did I do to make him so angry? Ravenpaw felt waves of anger wash over her as he continued to come up with reasons for a punishment. Even Lionblaze and Sorreltail were watching him in confusion. Both cats seemed unaware of the anger that Ravenpaw felt towards Dustpelt. All of the respect she had for him faded the moment he tried to accuse her.
"Dustpelt, Ravenpaw has done nothing wrong," Sorreltail meowed. "A kittypet could have come across the pigeon...or a ShadowClan cat."
"Sorreltail's right," Lionblaze hissed. "We should report this to Firestar though...it really might be a ShadowClan cat who just got too hungry for their own good."
The four cats made their way back to camp, still feeling anxious after the incident. Ravenpaw shot glares at Dustpelt when he padded past her, nearly shoving her aside. She didn't know what his problem was, but she wasn't about to make life easier if he continued behaving this way.
Camp itself was buzzing with activity as sunhigh arrived. Lionblaze approached Firestar warily. The ThunderClan leader was sharing tongues with Sandstorm, whose ginger pelt gleamed gold in the sunlight. His eyes opened for a brief moment when he noticed Lionblaze's approach.
"A pigeon was found killed over the border between ThunderClan and ShadowClan," Lionblaze explained. "Dustpelt blamed it on Ravenpaw, but she was with me most of the night."
Firestar gazed at Dustpelt, whose eyes were half-closed as he watched Ferncloud and her kits emerge from the nursery. A look of amusement suddenly gleamed within Firestar's green eyes. Ravenpaw tilted her head in confusion as she wondered where he was going with this accusation.
"Dustpelt is just overprotective," Firestar whispered. "He wants Ravenpaw punished for not treating Sparrowkit."
But Jayfeather wouldn't let me treat Sparrowkit, Ravenpaw protested silently. I would have helped him when he was sick if it wasn't for Jayfeather!
"I'll talk to Dustpelt later on today," Lionblaze declared. "This sort of nonsense has to end."
She couldn't help but agree as he padded away. Firestar's eyes closed once more as he rested his muzzle on Sandstorm's shoulder. Ravenpaw turned around and headed towards the apprentice's den. Toadpaw and Rosepaw had yet to return - she assumed they would be out all day until news was received on their warrior ceremony.
"Did anything interesting happen?" Stripepaw asked when she realized she wasn't alone.
"Dustpelt thinks I've killed a pigeon," Ravenpaw growled.
Stripepaw's eyes widened in disbelief. "But you were with me all night!" she protested. "I saw you...we went to sleep together."
"I know. I just wish Dustpelt would understand that," Ravenpaw muttered.
Stripepaw looked at her sympathetically before she was joined by Bumblepaw and Briarpaw. Blossompaw was cleaning out the elder's den; she was still in a fowl mood after everything that had happened the previous night.
"Did you hear the news?" Bumblepaw asked. His usual cheerful mew made every apprentice happy, but Ravenpaw was too busy worrying over what Dustpelt had said. When Stripepaw shook her head, Briarpaw continued for her brother.
"Toadpaw and Rosepaw are going to be made warriors tonight," she purred. "We'll have the dens to ourselves...until Sparrowkit and Honeykit become apprentices."
"Let all cats old enough gather around the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Firestar's yowl rang across the clearing, jolting Ravenpaw from her thoughts. She turned to see that Toadpaw and Rosepaw had returned with their mentors. Cloudtail and Brightheart stood side-by-side, tails twined together as they watched the two apprentices streak across the clearing. "I, Firestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors so that they may look down upon these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Rosepaw, Toadpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your lives?"
"I do." Rosepaw lifted her chin and stared at Firestar calmly.
"I do," Toadpaw replied a bit more softly.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Toadpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Toadpelt, in honor of your courage and bravery, and we welcome you as a full member of ThunderClan." Toadpelt ducked his head in embarrassment as Firestar leaped down to touch his forehead with his muzzle. In return Toadpelt gave his shoulder a lick.
"Rosepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Rosefoot. StarClan honors you for your wisdom and kindness, and we welcome you as a full member of ThunderClan." Again the same exchange had been made between leader and new warrior. Rosefoot's eyes gleamed with pride and happiness as he took a step back to welcome them.
"Toadpelt! Rosefoot! Toadpelt! Rosefoot!" The Clan chanted their names, and Ravenpaw and Stripepaw joined in, feeling their sense of joy.
"And now you must sit vigil," Graystripe meowed. "We can finally get some sleep." He turned and padded towards Millie, who was busy chattering with Squirrelflight and Spiderleg.
"Does this mean we'll be warriors next?" Blossompaw asked.
"Not if you keep blabbering and don't get your work done," Mousefur snapped. The dusky brown elder was sunning herself on the halfrock, ignoring the other noises around her. Blossompaw's lips curled in annoyance before she padded into the elder's den.
She's getting more irritating each day, Ravenpaw thought angrily. I hope we don't have to share the den with her long. Maybe Firestar will feel sorry for us and make her a warrior sooner than she thought. She knew the odds were unlikely, but she couldn't help thinking those thoughts.