New chapter, yay!
Warriors (c) Erin Hunter
Cats/Clans (c) Me
Mousepaw, Harrypaw, Rosepaw (c) allie-huang
"What?!" Pepperfeet yowled, waking up every cat in the warriors' den. "That's not possible."
"But it's true," Spiritwalker insisted, puzzled by her rage. "StarClan chose you and you must answer the call."
"No, I won't," Pepperfeet growled.
"But StarClan—"
"I don't care what StarClan says!" Pepperfeet snapped, her speckled black and white fur rising. "I will never become a Clan leader like my father!" She then bolted out of the den, dashing out of the camp and into the night.
Spiritwalker got up to follow her, but he felt Iceshade's paw on his shoulder. "You should let her go," he murmured. "Accepting leadership isn't an easy thing."
The StarClan tom gazed into the current leader's sorrow green gaze. "Are you…willingly to give up yours?" he asked.
Iceshade looked away for a heartbeat. "If StarClan declares it so, then I shall honor Pepperfeet as my leader."
"Thank you for your honesty," Spiritwalker meowed with a sigh of relief. He wondered how the other current leaders would react when they were told they would have to give up their leadership. "Let's get some rest and hopefully she'll change her mind. There's a Gathering tomorrow night and her Clan needs her more than she realizes."
Spiritwalker woke to the sound of the robins and chickadees chirping outside the warriors' den.
"Hey, Spiritwalker, wake up!"
And apparently Rustlestep yowling in his ear.
"What is it, Rustlestep?" Spiritwalker asked with a yawn. He stretched out his aching limbs as he yawned once more.
"You're in Mistlethorn's hunting patrol," Rustlestep explained. "She's leaving soon."
Spiritwalker looked up. "Who's organizing the patrols?"
"Iceshade is, that is, until Pepperfeet returns. No cat has seen her since the incident last night."
"Has Iceshade sent any patrols to look for her?" Spiritwalker was concerned; Pepperfeet couldn't have ran away. Her Clan needs her.
Rustlestep nodded. "They don't know where she is."
"But I do," Spiritwalker abruptly meowed. He swiftly left the warriors' den with Rustlestep staring dumbfounded at him. "Tell Mistlethorn she'll have to find another cat."
As he quickly made his way towards the camp entrance, he was stopped by a cheerful voice. "Spiritwalker, aren't you coming with the hunting patrol?"
It was Leafspark and her bright amber gaze studied his trouble ones. "No, I'm sorry, but I need to find Pepperfeet."
"Oh, alright then," Leafspark murmured. "Perhaps later, then?"
"Sure," Spiritwalker meowed as he resumed his trek out of the camp. Please be there, please be there. The journey through the FrostClan territory seemed longer that it usually has, but that was probably because of Spiritwalker's racing mind. The pine forest opened up to a low grassy field with the Large Claws looming in the distance. Spiritwalker quickly scanned the rock-littered field for a particular stone. He glanced over it twice, but on the third roundabout, he recognized the familiar rock. Detecting the hidden hole next to it, he dived down and traveled through the tunnel. He recognized Pepperfeet's fresh scent in the tunnel and prayed that she was still there. He quickened his pace as the tunnel opened up to a large cavern. The cave echoed with dripping water falling from the stalactites and Spiritwalker quickly located his lost friend next to the Star Pond in the middle of the cavern.
"Pepperfeet?" Spiritwalker whispered, but his voice ended up echoing off the ancient walls. He trotted up next to her and found her gazing into the water. To his surprise, stars began to reappear for the first time in many, many seasons, but there still weren't as many as before.
His mission was nearly over.
"Spiritwalker, you must understand," Pepperfeet began. "I can't become Clan leader."
"Why not?"
"My father was a leader," Pepperfeet explained. "And so was his father, and his mother, and her father, and so on. Jetstream trained Bumblebee to become the next leader when we were kits. This was before our mother died. Jetstream would take Bumblebee out and teach him how to act like a leader. I would come along because at first it was just a game to us. Jetstream would put Bumblebee through different scenarios and see what he would do. He would often ask for Bumblebee's opinion when a problem arose. Bumblebee acted like a true leader, and he still does today thanks to our father's training, but I, however, don't. I would often pick the least likely option and my father would have to correct me. Don't get me wrong, I loved my father, but sometimes he made me feel like I was never good enough.
"Before you showed up, I was perfectly fine with the idea of Bumblebee running the camp, but since you said that StarClan chose me…it makes me question their ideals. Perhaps they are wrong?"
"StarClan's never wrong, Pepperfeet," Spiritwalker insisted. "They have their reasons for everything."
"Including my father's death?" Pepperfeet questioned, her eyes getting wet.
"Including your father's death," Spiritwalker spoke carefully. "If they want you to become Clan leader, then you must."
"And if I don't?"
"Eh, they don't like taking no for an answer," the cream tabby tom joked. "They are rather stubborn felines." He paused for a heartbeat. "What is a jet anyway?"
"A jet is a large and hard Twoleg bird that flies really fast in the sky," Pepperfeet replied. "Sometimes you can hear their roars as they zoom by. My father was a really swift cat in his younger days. He was quick on his paws and in his mind."
"Hmm…I always wondered about that," Spiritwalker mewed.
Pepperfeet focused her gaze over the Star Pond. The water was a mixture of a deep navy blue to a bright royal purple with clusters of stars speckled everywhere. "It's so beautiful…"
"It sure is," Spiritwalker replied. The two welcomed each other's silence as they sat in front of the water. Perhaps this is what Spiritwalker will miss the most: enjoying Pepperfeet's company and the feeling of her tail twinned against his.
Pepperfeet stalked through the grassy field, each pawstep causing the new-leaf grass to crunch beneath her paws. Spiritwalker padded on her right, his scent comforting her anxious nerves. Iceshade was on her left, his green gaze unreadable.
"Nervous?" Spiritwalker whispered.
"A little," Pepperfeet admitted.
"That's expected," he replied. "Tonight everything changes."
Behind them, Mousepaw and Peachfire were bouncing around. "I'm so excited that I get to go to my first Gathering!" Peachfire cheered.
"It's every cat's first Gathering, frost-brain," Nightfang purred.
"It's not Spiritwalker's!" Peachfire insisted and looked over to the cream tabby tom. "Right?"
Spiritwalker nodded thoughtfully. "I've been to a few."
"What are we supposed to do?" Mousepaw asked.
"The Clan leaders share the news about their Clans, the cats chat with other cats and then we leave," Spiritwalker explained. "It's a symbol of peace, but remember, there is no fighting allowed and be careful not to share too much about our Clan."
"It sounds hard," Mousepaw meowed.
Spiritwalker gently raked his tail on the young tom's ear. "It's not too hard once you get used to the format."
From the scents detected in the wind, GaleClan and SalmonClan were already there. Iceshade took the lead briefly as he led FrostClan through the crowd.
"Greetings, Spiritwalker," Juniperstar greeted, her breath warm on his ear.
"Oh, I didn't see you there, Juniperstar," Spiritwalker replied. "How's prey running?"
"Swiftly, but my cats are faster!" the dark blue she-cat purred. "Any signs from StarClan recently?"
"Actually, yes, but I'll announce it once everyone arrives," Spiritwalker meowed.
The GaleClan leader's eyes grew worrisome. "Nothing dire, I hope?"
"No, something good, actually," Spiritwalker reassured.
A yowl alerted the gathering cats that ThornClan and MapleClan had arrived. Ratstar and Sniffblaze were in the lead and allowed their cats to mingle with a wave of their tails.
"Let's get this over with, shall we?" Ratstar grumbled. "I look forward to sleep."
"Is there something troubling you, Spiritwalker?" Sniffblaze questioned.
"No, but I do have an announcement to make before we begin, if you don't mind," Spiritwalker meowed.
"Hurry up, then," Mudstar growled.
Ignoring the tom's dangerous tone, Spiritwalker leapt on top of the Frail Sheet. He felt wary about the fragile rock and he could see the Star Pond far below. Pushing back his fear of water, Spiritwalker gained every cats' attention with a wave of his tail.
"Cats of the Clans," Spiritwalker yowled, his voice ringing off the five Large Claws. "We are gathered here today as a sign of peace, that even in dire times the Clans can gather as one under the full moon.
"I have recently received a dream from StarClan—yes, StarClan themselves—about my mission. I was sent here to revive the Clans and I am pleased to see that I have successfully done so. However, there was another part of my quest, and that was to find the true leaders of the Clans, the cats that StarClan has chosen themselves to lead the Clans. I have read the signs carefully and have come to my conclusion." He gazed over the crowd and was pleased to see that every cat he needed was present. "When I call your name, please stand up here next to me. Silverfeather of GaleClan—" The silver tabby tom blinked. "—Puddlesplash of SalmonClan, Solarstorm of MapleClan, Sparrowheart of ThornClan and Pepperfeet of FrostClan."
There was a gasp followed after Spiritwalker called each name. The five cats reluctantly obeyed Spiritwalker's command and leapt on top of the Frail Sheet next to him. Silverfeather was glancing around with wide eyes, Puddlesplash looked like she really didn't want to be up there, Solarstorm said nothing but studied the rock below, Sparrowheart looked like he was going to lose his dinner while Pepperfeet gazed calmly into Spiritwalker's eyes.
Spiritwalker gazed up at the stars above him and repeated the words he proclaimed exactly a moon ago. "Oh, great and powerful StarClan, hear my cries! You have asked me to bring you the leaders of the groups who shall become great and powerful Clan leaders through you. Here I present, Silverfeather, leader of GaleClan; Puddlesplash, leader of SalmonClan; Solarstorm, leader of MapleClan; Sparrowheart, leader of ThornClan; and Pepperfeet, leader of FrostClan. Please, hear my words and show yourselves so that you may make them leaders under your omnipotent guidance."
He gazed once more fervently at the stars, hoping, praying to see one of his former Clanmates appear from the stars. The cats next to him followed his gaze and he heard whispers from down below.
Please…please…
"They aren't coming, again!" Batear hissed from down below.
"They will!" Spiritwalker snarled, much to Batear's surprise. He returned his gaze towards the sky. "They have to…"
"Look, Spiritwalker, maybe you were wrong…" Solarstorm began. "It's not that I'm not humbled—I really am!—but…I'm no leader."
"Solarstorm's correct," Puddlesplash added. "I was chosen to be Mintstar's and my brother's advisor, not a leader."
"And I'm a coward!" Sparrowheart commented. "How can I lead a Clan when I'm always afraid?"
"What about you two?" Spiritwalker asked in disbelief to Silverfeather and Pepperfeet.
"I-I'm not sure what to think," Silverfeather admitted.
"Pepperfeet?" Spiritwalker breathed.
His black and white speckled friend studied him and then the starry sky for a few heartbeats. She returned her gaze back towards Spiritwalker and buried her muzzle into his soft neck fur. "I trust you, Spiritwalker. I know that you would never lie or do anything to harm me. If you say that I am to be a Clan leader, then I believe you."
"Thank you," Spiritwalker breathed as he nuzzled her back.
"Well I don't buy any of this!" Mudstar snarled. "I am leader of my Clan, not Puddlesplash!"
"Mudstar," the brown and white she-cat nervously meowed. "Please understand. I change my mind, if Spiritwalker says that I am to be leader of SalmonClan, then I believe him."
"Never, Puddlesplash!" the dark brown tom hissed and crouched down. "I worked too hard for this!" With a mighty yowl, he leapt towards his sister with his claws extended. Puddlesplash cowered in fear and Spiritwalker shoved himself in front of her, determined to protect the new Clan leaders.
"Stop!" he screeched. Half a heart-beat later, a bright flash of light appeared, forcing the cats to close their eyes to avoid blindness. Thunder followed immediately thereafter. Spiritwalker blinked open his eyes to see a scorch of black on the ground where Mudstar was flying over. He glanced up and saw five starry cats hovering in midair, looking very pleased.
"Well done, Spiritwalker," a star-laced cat spoke named Galestar. "You have finally found the true leaders of the Clans."
"Took yea long enough," Thornstar muttered as Salmonstar roughly shouldered him to be quiet.
"You…you're StarClan!" Silverfeather gasped.
"That is right, Silverfeather," Galestar replied. "We are confident that each of you will bring your Clan to greatness."
"But I am a coward!" Sparrowheart insisted, his dark brown tabby body shaking like a leaf. "How can I lead if I'm always scared?"
"You know fear, Sparrowheart," Thornstar replied. "You understand how fear can shape a warrior. When your Clanmates are afraid, use your insight to guide them through the night. It's okay to be afraid, but it's never okay to let that fear control you. You are also quiet and watchful, and you often study how a cat behaves before interacting with them. Use this knowledge to get to know your cats, for they are to trust you with their lives.""
Sparrowheart nodded, gaining courage by the former leader's words.
"Puddlesplash," Salmonstar meowed. "You have what it takes to become a great Clan leader. You saw how Mintstar and Mudstar led the Clan, use their ignorance as what not to do. They both had courage, you have compassion. It's okay to use a little force, but it's also equally okay to be gentle as a minnow."
"I understand," Puddlesplash replied to the dark gray dappled tom.
"Solarstorm," the ginger-brown she-cat known as Maplestar spoke. "You've had to witness your Clan turn against the warrior code that you adore so much. You've seen kittens taken away from their mother's breasts to become innocent warriors that should've never have entered the battlefield. You are a parent yourself and you understand how precious life is. Use that knowledge to guide you as you lead MapleClan like a father to every cat, blood or no blood."
"I won't fail you," Solarstorm meowed determinedly.
"Silverfeather, you are a tom of patience and equality," Galestar praised, his pale gray tabby and starry fur brandishing in the wind. "You saw your Clanmates killed in battle and saw cats out casted by their Clanmates. Lead GaleClan to become a strong Clan that is willing to lend a paw to any cat who needs is, friend or foe."
Silverfeather nodded, his green eyes glaring happily.
"And Pepperfeet," Froststar meowed and gazed peacefully at the speckled black and white warrior. "I trust that you will lead FrostClan well. You have the strength of a thousand warriors, but the softness of a mother. Never let any cat bring you down without showing them what you are made of."
"Thank you, Froststar," Pepperfeet thanked the white she-cat.
The starry cats dipped their heads before the stars in the pelts began to twirl and wave back towards the sky where they belonged.
"It is time to announce your deputies and medicine cats," Spiritwalker whispered.
The cats nodded, strengthened by their ancestors' words of energy. Silverfeather padded towards the edge of the Frail Sheet. "I say these words so that StarClan may hear and approve of my choices. Juniperst—no—Juniperberry, will you become my deputy?"
"Me?" Juniperstar gasped.
"Your mate was a great leader to our Clan, and so were you," Silverfeather meowed. "I would be honored to seek to you for guidance."
"Well then I accept," Juniperberry purred.
"I would also like to reinstate Frozenwhisker as our medicine cat," Silverfeather yowled.
"Like you would've chosen a different cat," the large white tom sniffed.
"I say these words so that StarClan may hear and approve of my choices," Puddlesplash announced. "Pebblestreak shall become the new deputy of SalmonClan."
The mottled gray and white tom purred. "It would be an honor, Puddlesplash," he replied.
"Appletree, would you continue serving as our loyal medicine cat?" Puddlesplash asked.
The golden tabby she-cat happily nodded. "Of course, Puddlesplash!" she purred.
"And since Mudstar is gone for good," Puddlesplash continued. "Moonpaw needs a new mentor. From this moment onward, Moonpaw's mentor shall be Creekfur."
"Thank you, Puddlesplash," Creekfur, a pale gray tabby she-cat, thanked as she touched noses with the silver tabby tom.
"I say these words so that StarClan may hear and approve of my choices." It was Solarstorm's turn to name his deputy and medicine cat. "Batear will become the new deputy of MapleClan."
"I'm surprised that you chose me, out of every cat here, but I accept nonetheless," the small, dark brown and black tom replied. "I honor you as my leader."
"I look forward to working with you, Batear," Solarstorm meowed. He turned his attention towards a gray tabby and white she-cat sitting next to Frozenwhisker. "Softwing, will you return to MapleClan and become our medicine cat? I promise to seek you whenever I need guidance."
The she-cat paused for a few heartbeats. "Of course, Solarstorm. I missed my Clan."
"Thank you, Softwing," Solarstorm replied as the new medicine cat of MapleClan went over to touch noses with Cherryblossom, her sister.
"This is preposterous, Solarstorm!" Ratstar hissed. "You dare you not make me deputy?"
"Because," Solarstorm growled, "you are nothing but a crazy power-hungry tom. You did nothing to change MapleClan after Thistlestar died. We live by the warrior code now, and we always will until the end of time."
"Fools!" Ratstar hissed. "I should—"
"Should what?" Solarstorm snarled, fluffing up his white and ginger fur. "I banish you from MapleClan, Rattooth, you monstrous murderer! Stay away from my Clan, or you will feel my claws on your useless pelt!"
The mottled ginger and white tom hissed at the new Clan leader before dashing away into the dark.
"You should've killed him," Silverfeather whispered to Solarstorm.
"No…that's not how we do things…that's now how MapleClan do things," Solarstorm replied. "At least my brother is gone now."
Brother? Spiritwalker thought.
"Well then…" Sparrowheart meowed. "I say these words so that StarClan may hear and approve of my choices. Cinderslip, will you become my deputy?"
"It would be an honor, Sparrowheart," the cream and brown she-cat agreed. "I promise to do my best."
"Heh, so do I!" Sparrowheart chuckled. "Stumpyclaw, you have shown an interest in herbs. Will you become our trusted medicine cat?"
"Of course!" the dark brown tabby tom chirped. "I look forward to learning!"
"Do you know who you will chose?" Spiritwalker whispered to Pepperfeet.
She shook her head. "I guess I'll just have to think quickly," she whispered before yowling louder with the strength of a lion. "I say these words so that StarClan may hear and approve of my choices." She paused and glanced over to Spiritwalker for a heartbeat. Don't you dare pick me. "Bumblebee shall become the new deputy of FrostClan."
Pepperfeet's brother blinked. "Are you sure, Pepperfeet?" he asked.
"Never surer," Pepperfeet replied. "Blossomheart, will you become our medicine cat?"
"Yup!" Blossomheart purred.
"Cats of the Clans," Spiritwalker yowled. "StarClan has chosen these cats to lead their Clanmates into victory and peace. May their leaderships be guided by StarClan and their Clanmates."
"Silverstar! Puddlestar! Solarstar! Sparrowstar! Pepperstar!" the cats below yowled. "Silverstar! Puddlestar! Solarstar! Sparrowstar! Pepperstar!"
It's almost time…Spiritwalker mused to himself as he chanted with the other cats. He looked up at the shimmering stars who only stared back at him. Almost time…
I just realized that new Clan leaders' names either begin with an 'S' or a 'P'. *facelaptop*