Chapter Twenty-Five

"So Galestar is dead, and Ravenpelt is the successor?" Flowerpelt inquired. Burnstar nodded. He was hoping to be able to figure out a bit about the sleek black she-cat and what kind of personality she had from Flowerpelt. "She's smart. Really smart. And loyal to the death."

"Do you think she'll exile Owltalon?" Stormtail asked.

Flowerpelt nodded her head and explained, "Even if she doesn't want to, she won't have any other choice. Cats like Lightfoot and Snowface won't stand for it."

Lightfoot. That rang a bell. "Honestly, I'd rather have Owltalon in a clan than exiled. At least we'd know where he was."

"Maybe Ravenpelt will have the guts to execute him," Stormtail remarked. Both Flowerpelt and Burnstar gave her a bewildered look. "It's been done before. Very rarely, but done."

"She might," Flowerpelt admitted slowly. Burnstar allowed himself to privately carry that hope. It was unlikely, execution seemed very severe and although Galestar was a good and noble leader, it seemed a bit extreme, even for WindClan.

Their conversation was interrupted by Amberlight who wanted to remind Burnstar of the fact that ShadowClan had a huge incoming of new apprentices who were really already too big for the nursery. No time like the present, Burnstar called the clan into a meeting to apprentice the kits. Moonpelt also approached Burnstar to mention that he was ready to be an elder when the kits' apprenticeship was announced.

It was a rather slow ceremony as there were five kits becoming apprentices. ShadowClan barely had enough warriors to train all of them. Rosefur, Swiftstep and Ashtail were made the mentors of Risingpaw, Smokepaw and Thornpaw respectively. Stonefoot and Amberlight were made apprentices of Foxpaw and Fawnpaw respectively. He announced Moonpelt's retirement.

The meeting was concluded and the apprentices ran off with their mentors. Their excitement and enthusiasm was unmatchable. Burnstar quickly checked on Brackenclaw who Swampfur said that he was doing fine, but that he hadn't healed any but nor had he gotten any worse. Swampfur wasn't worried, so why should Burnstar worry?

"Burnstar," Stormtail approached him. "The sun-high patrol on the ThunderClan border picked up a party wanting to speak with you."

Trouble always made it's way back home. It was Crowstar, Bluefoot, Mintwhisker and Eclipsefur. They looked underfed. That was probably the concern that Crowstar had. Just because his son was the leader of another clan that was prospering did not mean he could ask favors.

"Greetings Burnstar," Crowstar said. He glanced at Stormtail, "Stormtail."

"What brings you to ShadowClan?" Burnstar asked coldly, narrowing his eyes. He was beginning to feel as if he were being taken advantage of and he was determined to put an end to it.

"We were just wondering if the amount of prey in your stretch of the woods was on the decline? And if it is not, that it might be," he replied, equaling his son's tone.

"The prey in our woods is still plentiful. If the prey in your woods is beginning to dwindle, that is no excuse to be taking our prey. We will defend our woods and keep you out at whatever means necessary," Stormtail growled, noticing the tension between the two leaders.

"Don't take that tone with me," Crowstar snarled in response, baring his teeth. This was getting to violent too fast and Burnstar did not want it to come to fighting.

"Our prey is fine. Stay out of our woods and I will have a party escort you back to your territory," Burnstar. "I wish for you to leave now."

"I will take them back personally," Stormtail said. She called for Cardinalflight and Sootwhisker and his apprentice, Stealthpaw to accompany the ThunderClan warriors. He watched them pad out of camp and a few seconds later scented Swampfur approaching.

"Do you distrust the ThunderClan warriors who so recently were watching out back?" he inquired. There was no accusation in his voice and yet Burnstar felt as though his medicine cat was accusing him of something.

"We were watching their backs more than they were watching ours," Burnstar replied. "There have been so many incidents where ShadowClan warriors were risking their lives for the ThunderClan warriors and I begin to wonder when Crowstar will get his clan under control."

"Do you believe that the prophecy sent to Greenfern when you were born was meant for you?" he asked. Burnstar was stunned into speechlessness. He had always assumed it had been meant for him. It made sense, for one thing. Why would Swampfur bring that up now of all times? Swampfur broke into Burnstar's thoughts and continued, "I just want you to know this for StarClan has been sending me many messages. All meaning the same thing. You face two choices in your path and you have yet to commit. Apparently, you have been avoided choosing for a long time and they are beginning to grow impatient."

"How does StarClan's impatience relate to the prophecy being about me?" Burnstar inquired. Swampfur hesitated and Burnstar insisted, "As my medicine cat, I trust you to share with me anything you think is relevant to my leadership of ShadowClan, anything I might want to know to help lead my clan better."

He nodded and answered, "StarClan has very recently shared with me that you were perhaps not the one destined to save ThunderClan, but the one who would set the cat who would save ThunderClan on the right path. To be a father figure, so to speak."