Chapter 25
A few moons later, Mapleleaf's kits were ready to become apprentices. "Stay still!" Mapleleaf scolded, trying to give her kits fast groomings.
"We'll be great apprentices!" Marshkit boasted.
"I'm sure you will," Rosepetal puffed, her belly swollen with kits. Speaking and sitting up were an effort now for the heavily pregnant queen.
"Now, walk slowly and don't behave like kits," Mapleleaf instructed. "Let's go!"
"I'm just going to go back to sleep," Rosepetal murmured, "I don't feel too good..."
Deerfoot was waiting for Mapleleaf outside the nursery. He looked as though he was about to burst with pride. "Are they ready?" Deerfoot asked Mapleleaf.
"Yes," Mapleleaf purred.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather under Highledge for a clan meeting!" Bramblestar called.
"This is it!" Flowerkit squealed.
"Today Mapleleaf and Deerfoot's kits are ready to become apprentices! Come forward!" Bramblestar called.
Mapleleaf's kits left her side, quavering in excitement. "Cloverstem, you are ready for your first apprentice. You will be mentor to Flowerpaw!" Bramblestar continued.
Flowerpaw touched noses with Cloverstem, her amber eyes gleaming in excitement. "Cloudshade, you too are ready for an apprentice. You will be mentor to Marshpaw!" Bramblestar called.
Marshpaw touched noses with Cloudshade. "Mapleleaf," Bramblestar started. Mapleleaf looked up at him in surprise. Mothers didn't normally mentor their own kits.
"Mapleleaf, you will be mentor to Hatchpaw!" Bramblestar called.
"Did you know?" Hatchpaw asked, touching noses with Mapleleaf.
"No idea," Mapleleaf replied.
Then Goldenkit was apprenticed to Honeypelt, and Maplekit apprenticed to Larkflight. "One last thing," Bramblestar called, "Whitewing, Birchfall, and Squirrelflight have decided to retire!"
This meant that Thunderclan needed a new deputy, Mapleleaf noticed and that meant the elders' den was more crowded than ever. "I say these word before our ansestors so they may see and approve my choice. Deerfoot will be the new deputy of Thunderclan!" Bramblestar called.
Mapleleaf saw Deerfoot's shocked expression beside her. "Congratulations!" Mapleleaf purred.
"Cats of Thunderclan!" Deerfoot called, "I never expected to receive such a high position, but I will do my very best to serve you!"
"Meeting dismissed!" Bramblestar called.
"Do you want to see the territory now?" Mapleleaf asked Hatchpaw.
"Oh yes!" Hatchpaw said, happier than Mapleleaf had seen him since the death of his mother and sister.
Mapleleaf lead the way out of camp. "Let's go to the lake first!" Hatchpaw said excitedly.
"All right," Mapleleaf purred.
Mapleleaf led Hatchpaw down the slope to the lake. "Wow!" Hatchpaw exclaimed, looking at the lake.
"Beyond it is Riverclan territory," Mapleleaf said. "Now, we're going to the Shadowclan border."
Mapleleaf tasted the air once they reached the border. The brambles on the other side of the Shadowclan border. A patrol stepped out. Mapleleaf recognized Tigerheart, Snowbird, Stoatfur. There was a gray and black apprentice and a pale tabby Mapleleaf didn't recognize.
"Greetings," Mapleleaf called.
"Greetings," Snowbird replied.
"I see Shadowclan has made apprentices," Mapleleaf said.
"Indeed." Tigerheart replied. "These are Plumpaw and Flightpaw."
Plumpaw and Flightpaw meowed greetings shyly.
"I see Thunderclan has also," Stoatfur added.
"Yes," Mapleleaf replied, "This is my apprentice, Hatchpaw."
"Nice to meet you!" Hatchpaw mewed.
"We'll be seeing you," Mapleleaf called, "Let's go, Hatchpaw."
"Wow!" Hatchpaw bounced, "That was sooo cool!"
Mapleleaf let out a purr. "Let's show you the Windclan border."
When they got back to camp, Thunderclan was in uproar. "What's going on!?" Mapleleaf shouted to Deerfoot.
"Rosepetal's having her kits, but she's suddenly become very ill," Deerfoot replied.
"Oh, no!" Mapleleaf replied, "Hatchpaw, you can go sort out a nest in the apprentices' den."
"Okay!" Hatchpaw replied, then with Mapleleaf's other kits, disappeared into the apprentices' den.
Mapleleaf padded to the nursery and popped her head in. "Is there anything I can do to help?" Mapleleaf asked, as Rosepetal shrieked with Bumblestripe crouched worriedly beside her.
"No, " Jayfeather replied, "Her kits are nearly here."
"What's wrong with her?" Mapleleaf asked.
"She has a high fever," Leafpool replied.
Just then, Rosepetal shrieked, and a tiny black kit slide out onto the moss. She wasn't moving. Leafpool gave the she-kit a gentle prod. "Oh, Rosepetal," Leafpool said sadly, "She's dead."
Rosepetal let out another shriek an a ginger tom slide out onto the moss. "He's dead," Leafpool whispered.
"And soon I'll be with them," Rosepetal whispered.
"No! Don't talk like that!" Bumblestripe said, frantically pawing Rosepetal.
"Stop," Rosepetal whispered. "Goodbye, Bumblestripe."
Then she fell still, never to move again. "No!" Bumblestripe wailed, burying his face into his mate's fur.
"She's with Starclan now," Leafpool said gently.
"I'm going to name the black she-kit Duskkit and the ginger tom Scorchkit." Bumblestripe whispered, "They should have names to take with them to Starclan."
"I'll tell the clan," Mapleleaf murmured.
Mapleleaf slipped out of the nursery. "Well?" Blossomfall demanded.
"She's dead and the kits," Mapleleaf whispered.
"Oh no!" Daisy, who was Rosepetal's mother wailed, "I've already lost Toadstep and Hazeltail!" she sobbed. Berrynose and Mousewhisker vainly attempted to comfort her.
"May Starclan light Bumblestripe's path," Millie murmured.
Many moons passed. Mapleleaf trained Hatchpaw and finally he was ready to become a warrior along with her kits and Mapleleaf couldn't be more proud. Sandstorm and Graystripe peacefully died in their sleep. Like she had predicted, Honeypelt had Cloudshade's kits. Petalkit and Nutkit could hardly ever keep still.
"Today we come together to make five apprentices warriors!" Bramblestar called. Mapleleaf noticed for the first time how old he looked.
"Maplepaw, you will be known as Mapleheart, Goldenpaw, you will be known as Goldenheart, Flowerpaw, you will be known as Flowerstorm, Marshpaw, you will be known as Marshstep and Hatchpaw-" Bramblestar said, but Hatchpaw interrupted
"Wait," Hatchpaw said, "I'd like to be known as Hatchtuft, in honor of Hollytuft, Patchface, and Quietkit.
"Very well," Bramblestar said, dipping his head.
"Mapleheart! Goldenheart! Flowerstorm! Marshstep! Hatchtuft!" their clanmates called.
"We're so proud of you!" Mapleleaf purred, going over to her kits.
"Thanks," they purred.
Suddenly, a bark sounded in the distance. It wasn't that far away. "Dog!" Honeypelt screeched, shoving Petalkit and Nutkit into the nursery before covering the entrance in bramble.
"I'll lead a patrol and Deerfoot, Cloudshade, Poppyfrost, Mapleleaf and Lionblaze will come," Bramblestar called, "Meeting dismissed!"
Bramblestar lead the way out of camp. "This way!" he ordered.
Mapleleaf pelt after her leader until they reached the slope leading to the lake. There they saw the dog. It was a large brown brute with long teeth ad savage yellow eyes. With a howl, it charged. "Scatter!" Bramblestar yowled.
The dog turned and followed Bramblestar. His eyes widened with fear as the dog gained on him and Mapleleaf yowled, "No!"
With a sickening crunch, the dog grabbed Bramblestar and gave him a shake and dropped him to the ground. Bramblestar did not move.
Mapleleaf bared her teeth and leaped onto the dog's back and dug her claws into its back. Deerfoot let out a yowl and together, they drove the dog away.
Mapleleaf ran to Bramblestar's limp form. "He's dead," Mapleleaf whispered. Then she turned to Deerfoot, "You're our leader now."
Deerfoot nodded dully. Mapleleaf and Poppyfrost gently hauled Bramblestar's body onto Lionblaze's shoulders. When they got back to camp, the clan let out yowls of shock and horror at the sight of their leader's body.
"I must travel to the Moonpool immediately," Deerfoot said, "And I must have a deputy.
He turned to Mapleleaf. "Will you be my deputy?"
Mapleleaf looked into his amber eyes. "Of course," she replied. The clan was his. And she would help him every step of the way, until the very end.