AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! This is way, way overdue and you guys are the best for waiting for so long
Disclaimer: look in previous chapter
Tigerpaw stretched each of his limbs in turn. This had become routine for him very morning since they had stumbled upon this world.
It had been 3 moons since they came upon ThunderClan and everyone seemed to finally be accepting the thought of becoming a cat.
Something was troubling him though. As he padded out of the apprentice den he looked up to the sky. A cool breeze ruffled his fur as he noticed that the first signs of leaf-fall were coming.
They sky was filled with the colored of dawn. Tigerpaw had actually come to like getting up to greet the morning sun, it was the time that everything was the quietest. Almost no cat was up unless they had set out for dawn patrol.
"Today will bring trouble," came a mew from beside him. Tigerpaw turned his head to see Riverpaw padding up to him from the general direction of the medicine cat den. A purr rumbled deep in his throat at the sight of the she-cat.
"The clouds look as if they have been died with blood, this means trouble, so Leafpaw and Cinderpelt tell me." The she cat sat down on her haunches beside the tom.
"I hope not, everything has been quiet for the past two moons I don't want it interrupted," Tigerpaw mewed.
"Shadowstars seems restless, and she has been since her naming ceremony at the moonstone," Riverpaw spoke. Tigerpaw nodded his head in agreement he had noticed it too.
"And Milkpool has been worrying his fur off over it," he commented.
A moon ago Shadowpaw and Milkpaw had been taken to the moonstone for their warrior naming ceremony. None of the others had received their names and not a cat had been told about any events that took place at the ceremony. Apparently they were told not to tell.
Upon their return to camp and the announcement of their warrior names all the cats seemed shocked at Shadowstars's name. They all howled about how only the leaders could have 'star' at the end of their name and resented Shadowstars a bit despite Firestar pointing out that her name was Shadowstars there was a difference. Eventually the cats gave up on it and accepted her as a full fledge warrior.
The memory of the moonstone's glow filled Tigerpaw's mind. It's shine had bleached his fur to a bleak silver as did it to every cat. Though Shadowstars was particularly amazing it had glowed bright silver as bright as the stone itself.
The five of them had been brought there for their nine lives around two moons ago. The ceremony had freaked Tigerpaw out a bit. As he was given each life a cat from the past also gave him a quality of a leader. Though to receive it the cats ghostly form ran through him often leaving a rather unpleasant side effect.
He was snapped from his thought as a voice rang out from behind the two apprentices. "Riverpaw we would like to speak to you," it was obviously a she-cats voice.
It was Riverpaw's mentor Sandstorm, as well as Firestar, and Cinderpelt. The two apprentices immediately bowed their heads in respect. Riverpaw followed this with her mew of, "of course Sandstorm."
Tigerpaw watched as the four cats padded over to Firestar's den and stepped though the lichen that was draped over the entrance.
Tigerpaw looked around the camp to find someone to talk to when he noticed Shadowstars padding over to him looking rather flustered. Tigerpaw watched her curiously as she stopped next to him and sat on her haunches her tail lashing at the air.
"What happened to you?" Tigerpaw asked.
"You know how I was out hunting with Milkpool yesterday and we didn't catch much?" Shadowstars asked.
Tigerpaw nodded his head, "it had rained just before you left there wasn't much pray out so it was to be expected." He stated proving that he remembered.
Shadowstars ear twitched, "well Brambleclaw had the nerve to ask if we had done something to wind me up in the nursery." By this point Shadowstars claws were unsheathed and gripping the soft peaty ground.
Tigerpaw's whiskers twitched with amusement. "You have to remember Shadowstars that it's normal for cats your age to do those kinds of things, once you become a warrior you are eligible for that. Also don't forget that you have been making it obvious to the rest of the clan that you and Milkpaw are together." Tigerpaw pointed out.
Shadowstars sighed, "I know."
"How did Milkpool take it?" Tigerpaw questioned.
"He looked like he would die of embarrassment, " Shadowstars answered truthfully.
"Looks like you might need to smooth things over with him he might feel kinda weird around you now that someone suggested it," Tigerpaw suggested.
Shadowstars nodded her head. "You're right I'll go find him," with that the black she-cat bounded in the direction if the warrior den.
Tigerpaw heard a twig snap behind him. He whirled around. "Who's there?" He mewed. He caught a glimpse of dark brown but nothing else. "Must have been a squirrel," he murmured to himself and started to groom his chest.
A few moments later Riverpaw bounded toward him her tail held high. "Tigerpaw guess what!" She mewed coming to a halt in front of him.
Tigerpaw blinked, "what?" He mewed.
"I'm gonna be a medicine cat apprentice!" She purred.
"That's wonderful," Tigerpaw pressed his muzzle to her fur.
Riverpaw withdrew from the friendly gesture much to Tigerpaw's surprise. "But if I am going to be Cinderpelt's apprentice I can't have kit's or be with a tom," she mewed a pang of sadness drifted on her mew.
"But that doesn't matter because we aren't going to stay here forever we are going back home remember?" Tigerpaw said in a convincing tone.
Riverpaw's ear twitched but she looked back up to Tigerpaw "I guess you're right," she said her spirits lifting.
Tigerpaw brushed his tail over her muzzle, " I know so, we'll get home eventually."
"Now I have to go and find some burdock root, Cinderpelt wants me to go and find some before sun high." Riverpaw didn't even say goodbye before bounding off toward the gorse entrance.
"Tigerpaw, have you seen Milkpool?" Tigerpaw turned around to see Sparrowpaw trotting over toward him a huge squirrel in his jaws.
"No I haven't, but I bet you he's hiding some where because Brambleclaw embarrassed him big time today," Tigerpaw looked at the squirrel in Sparrowpaw's jaws. "You aren't going to eat that all by yourself are you?" He asked curiously.
Sparrowpaw placed the squirrel on the ground and spat out the excess fur. "No I have to take it to the elders, I kinda got caught eating a water vole on a hunting patrol so now I'm not allowed to eat for the rest of the day." He mewed sourly.
Tigerpaw's whiskers twitched in amusement, "well you'll live, you'll get hungry but you'll live."
Sparrowpaw narrowed his eyes and his tail lashed from side to side, he obviously wasn't amused. "I can't wait until we get home... by the way Einstein how do we plan on getting home?" The young cat asked.
"I'm not sure but we'll think of something I'm sure..." Tigerpaw was cut of by a mew from his mentor.
"Hey Tigerpaw we're going to go hunting today and maybe explore a bit of sunning rocks as well," Graystripe mewed as he padded toward them.
Tigerpaw dipped his head in respect for his mentor before mewing his reply "alright."
"Great, I'll give you a bit to finish your conversation then meet me a t the gorse entrance alright?" Graystripe informed. Tigerpaw made a gesture with his tail that meant he understood.
Graystripe ran off in the direction of a group of warriors. As Tigerpaw watched him run away he mewed to Sparrowpaw, "I need to talk to the rest of the gang together to figure out any ideas but until then keep watch for anything suspicious... I don't know why but... I feel like something is about to go horribly wrong."
Ok as a heads up I start school on Friday so things like posting ff are going to be extremely slow, though I should have time on weekends to do a bit of typing now and then… I know I don't like it either but you'll just have to deal with it.
purpletail
