"WillowClan is responsible for this!"
"Cougarstar is out of her mind!"
"What are we going to do, Blizzardstar?"
Heronpaw shifted his paws uneasily. The clan had gathered around and was arguing about what to do next. Blizzardstar was conferring with his senior warriors, but that had devolved into more shouting.
Dawnheart had finally awoken but he couldn't remember anything and Plumleaf was determined that no cat bothered her patient. Frayclaw was at Dawnheart's side regardless. Plumleaf and Petalpaw were tending to the wounded. Hawkpaw had somehow managed to get himself into the senior warrior's circle and was arguing alongside Kestrelfeather.
Heronpaw wasn't doing anything.
He didn't know what to do. The revelations at the Gathering had left him confused, worried, and unsure. How was it that Falconstorm and Kestrelfeather's lost brother was not only alive but the deputy of a rival clan? How did Cougarstar know the intimate secrets of every clan? Has she orchestrated the rouge attack?
Heronpaw's head spun.
"We have one of them here. We should make him talk." Brushfire's angry words caught Heronpaw's attention.
The senior warriors were splitting into two groups. One side, with Brushfire, Kestrelfeather, and Elkheart, looked angry. The other side just looked unsure. Whiteshade and Falconstorm were among the calmer group. Blizzardstar stood flanked by his deputy and Sweetsorrel. His expression was hard to read.
"What exactly are you suggesting?" Whiteshade growled. "Torture?"
"He's suffered enough." Shadowgrove said.
Heronpaw looked across the clearing to where Specklepaw and Morningpaw were guarding the rouge who had been blinded by Honeyleaf's kits. The scraggly black tom was curled in a tight bundle, shielding his scarred face from the mid-morning sunlight.
A group of warriors, Brushfire in the lead, marched over to the prisoner. Heronpaw's belly lurched as he saw Kestrelfeather and Crowfrost among them.
Morningpaw took a step forward and blocked Brushfire's way. Specklepaw's eyes grew round with awe
Brushfire's brown eyes widened with anger. "Move." She hissed.
Heronpaw got to his paws, nervous.
Morningpaw held her ground. She stared Brushfire in the face without a trace of fear or unease on her face. "I have orders from Blizzardstar."
Brushfire tossed her head. She spun around and glared at her leader.
"This piece of filth tried to kill kits!" she snarled.
"He lost his eyes for it." Swiftwing pointed out. His eyes were sparkling with pride.
Talonscore stepped up beside Brushfire and lashed his tail. "He should have lost his life."
Heronpaw skirted around the fresh-kill pile until he was at Hawkpaw's side. Hawkpaw was bristling but he hadn't joined Kestrelfeather and Brushfire in their attempt to retrieve the rouge. The brothers exchanged glances.
"We have to know how the rouges found the camp." Elkheart said, tearing up the frozen dirt with his claws.
Talonscore stepped forward. "Somecat was leading them."
"He must know who." Spat Slatefoot.
"What makes you think he'll tell us?" Swiftwing shot back.
"We can't torture him." Ferntail protested. "He's helpless."
More arguments broke out at that.
Heronpaw turned to Hawkpaw. "What do you think?"
Hawkpaw kneaded his paws in the thin snow. "I don't know." His gray eyes flicked from Brushfire to Shadowgrove as they argued head to head.
Heronpaw didn't know either. On one paw the rouge could have valuable answers. On the other…he glanced back at the wretched cat. His back oozed blood from several scratches he had left unattended. Heronpaw suppressed a shiver as he imagined what it must feel like for thorn-sharp claws to pierce a cat's eyes.
"We should help him." He said, louder than he had intended.
The eyes of every cat nearby turned to Heronpaw. He wilted under their gaze until he locked eyes with Ferntail. The pride in her face gave him courage. He straightened his shoulders a little.
"I agree with Heronpaw." Every voice died away at the sound of Blizzardstar's words. Each cat turned to face their leader. He stood at the far edge of the group. His dark blue eyes found Heronpaw and he nodded. Heronpaw felt pleased and nauseous simultaneously.
"Why should we help him?" Brushfire demanded. Her tail bushed out to twice its normal size as she rounded on Blizzardstar.
A few cats gasped at Brushfire's brazen disrespect. Blizzardstar's gaze hardened. He strode up to Brushfire. The ginger she-cat held her ground.
"We have shown nothing but weakness this past moon." Brushfire continued. Her eyes flashed with pent-up frustration-turned-fury. "We have taken offense after offense from WillowClan and done nothing. We had to rely on outside help to cure the greencough, we had no idea the rouges were coming, and now you are suggesting we take in a cat who tried to murder our young?"
A few murmurs of reluctant agreement rippled through the crowd. Cats were looking at their paws, shoulders sinking. Even Kestrelfeather deflated slightly. Heronpaw's belly squirmed.
Blizzardstar looked around at his clan. "Do you all feel this way?" he said. There was no anger in his voice.
Brushfire squared her shoulders and continued to glare. Her companions, however, didn't look as sure. Elkheart shuffled his paws and looked away. Kestrelfeather swung his tail back and forth. A few others made similar non-committal gestures.
Blizzardstar looked around. His gaze lingered on each cat in turn. Heronpaw shivered as dark blue eyes regarded him for a heartbeat.
"I am sorry," Blizzardstar finally said. "For letting you down. I was doing what I thought was right. I have made mistakes, but you all have made up for my short-comings."
Brushfire met Blizzardstar's gaze for a moment before shrinking slightly and dropping her eyes to her paws.
"Without your strength I would be nothing." Blizzardstar continued. He padded among his warriors. Heronpaw watched him, breathless.
"I commend your sacrifice and your nobility. You have achieved much despite my failings. You drove WillowClan from our borders. You have beaten the rouge force twice now. You banded together and protected one another from this early leaf-bare."
The great white cat had walked the length of the group of cats now and had turned to face them all once more. The sun shone above the trees behind his head.
"The CedarClan I know," Blizzardstar boomed, "Is strong, noble, and fearsome, but," His heavy voice fell from the height it had slowly been climbing to. His next words were soft. "There is strength in mercy. There is nobility in patience. There is ferocity in peace."
Heronpaw's pelt tingled with the effect of Blizzardstar's words. Every cat was motionless.
Blizzardstar nodded to Brushfire. "I understand your desire. I share it."
Brushfire swished her tail through the still air. "We need answers, Blizzardstar." The anger had melted from her voice.
Blizzardstar nodded. "I agree." He turned to Hawkpaw and gestured with his tail towards the medicine den. "Fetch Plumleaf."
Hawkpaw jumped slightly and bounded away.
A strained silence hung over the warriors as they waited for Plumleaf. It wasn't long before she emerged from the medicine den. Her mouth was stuffed with herbs. Without a word to anycat she bustled past the gathered clan and to the rouge's side. With soft paws she began murmuring to the miserable lump. Eventually she coaxed his paws away from his face.
Heronpaw's stomach clenched. In place of where the rouge's eyes had been was a crisscross of torn and bloody flesh. Wetness dribbled from both sockets. As Plumleaf's gentle paws brushed herb pulp onto the very edge of the wounds the rouge made a choked, agonizing wail.
Several cats in the crowd made noises of revulsion. Brushfire herself took a step back. Heronpaw had to look away.
Blizzardstar watched Plumleaf work with a solemn look on his face.
The cats of CedarClan exchanged glances in silent agreement.
This cat had suffered enough.
. . .
With a sigh, Heronpaw dropped his catch onto the fresh-kill pile. Hunting had been slow-going. The commotion of a battle and subsequent flight of the rouges had driven much of the prey into their burrows. Heronpaw counted himself as lucky to have found these two mice.
The day had gone by in a solemn haze. Plumleaf had moved the rouge into her den and was treating him there. His intermittent wails of fear and agony hadn't stopped since.
Despite their wounds and exhaustion, the cats of CedarClan had gone about repairing the camp and filling the fresh-kill pile. A run in the forest had given Heronpaw opportunity to stretch his aching shoulder and ample time to think. He had hoped to run into Snowbreeze but he had no such luck. Even so, he had come back to camp with an idea of what was going on. All he needed was confirmation from the rouge.
He and the other apprentices ate their evening meal in silence. They took turns watching Blizzardstar's den and the entrance to the medicine clearing. It had been a while since the rouge's last cry.
The sun had set by the time Petalpaw scurried from the medicine den and bounded along the edge of the clearing to Blizzardstar's den.
Heronpaw perked up and blinked away the tiredness in his eyes. He nudged Hawkpaw who was snoring gently beside him.
The cats who had stayed up were lifting their heads and twitching their ears. Cherrynose ducked her head into the warrior's den. A few moments later Stonepelt, Cloudspots, and Ferntail emerged. Swiftwing disappeared into the nursery and returned a moment later with Honeyleaf and Runningriver. Even the elders were waiting, bright eyed, at the entrance to their den.
Blizzardstar appeared at the end of his hollow log den. He strode towards the medicine den, Petalpaw and Whiteshade trailing him. They disappeared behind the lichen painted rocks.
Heronpaw nudged Hawkpaw again. Hawkpaw grunted and jerked awake. Specklepaw jumped to her paws and began dancing from one side to the other. Morningpaw sat still, her eyes fixed on the medicine den.
The moon had moved a paw-width before Blizzardstar returned. By the time he had crossed the clearing and reached his perch on the Highbranch the whole clan had gathered. No cat bothered sitting. They stood and awaited the news.
Heronpaw took a spot between Ferntail and Hawkpaw and trained his eyes on his leader.
Blizzardstar settled himself onto his branch and looked over his clan. "Our prisoner, Spider, has named his leader." He began.
A ripple of tense excitement passed through the waiting cats.
Blizzardstar paused and looked down at his paws. "The cat who has been leading the rouges is Cranewing."
Shocked silence met his words. Heronpaw gripped the ground with his claws. His suspicions had been confirmed.
"Is that all he knows?" Elkheart called, breaking the silence.
Blizzardstar nodded solemnly. "He gave me the name willingly. I do not believe he is hiding anything else."
Heronpaw's pelt itched. He needed to tell someone what he knew. If he was right then there wasn't much time. He nudged Hawkpaw. The tabby apprentice shot him a sideways glance.
"We need to make a move." Shadowgrove said gruffly.
Blizzardstar nodded. "We will discuss that in a moment, first I need to take care of something long overdue."
Only half-paying attention, Heronpaw hardly reacted when he heard Blizzardstar call his name along with Hawkpaw's and Morningpaw's. Heronpaw's ears flicked and he blinked stupidly at his leader.
Ferntail whirled around and stared at her sons with shining green eyes. Heronpaw stared back, confused.
His exhausted, worried, confused mind finally worked out what just happened.
Heronpaw watched, dumb, as the clan parted around him. Kestrelfeather was watching him, his chest puffed out with pride. Specklepaw was bouncing up and down with excitement. Every eye was turned to the three apprentices.
Hawkpaw straightened his shoulders and began to stride towards Blizzardstar. Morningpaw flanked the tabby apprentice. Their tails were entwined. Heronpaw watched them walk away from him.
"Go ahead." Ferntail murmured with a gentle nudge to his side. Heronpaw blinked and forced his paws to start moving.
Was this really about to happen? He had been so focused on the mystery of Snowbreeze and her warnings that he had completely forgotten about becoming a warrior at all.
Without telling them to, his paws carried him up to the front of the clan. He came to a rigid halt at Hawkpaw's side. Blizzardstar dropped down from his perch and padded up to the apprentices.
"Today you three have proved beyond a doubt…" Blizzardstar's speech faded into the back of Heronpaw's attention as movement to his right caught his eye. He turned his head slightly and saw Falconstorm sitting just a tail-length away.
The dark tabby warrior was watching Heronpaw with discerning gray eyes. For a moment Heronpaw froze like he had done every time those eyes fell on him for his whole life. He relaxed, however, as he saw something new in his father's face.
Pride.
It was twisted, slightly off, but it was there. Falconstorm was looking at Heronpaw with pride.
"Morningpaw, Hawkpaw, Heronpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
Heronpaw was shocked back into listening to the ceremony. He had almost missed the entire thing. A strange emotion was wriggling about in his belly. It was soon squashed by the rush of pride, excitement, and awe that Blizzardstar's question brought.
"I do." All three apprentices said at once. Heronpaw glanced at his denmates. Morningpaw was standing tall under Blizzardstar's gaze. She had grown strong and fearless. The boasting, clumsy, argumentative Hawkpaw was gone. A new cat, brave, loyal, and trustworthy stood in his place.
Heronpaw couldn't help but feel glowing pride for his denmates.
"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior names. Morningpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Morningsong. StarClan honors your courage and endurance and we welcome you as a full member of CedarClan."
A shiver ran across Morningsong's pelt as Blizzardstar touched his nose to her forehead. Shaking, she licked his shoulder. Blizzardstar backed away and looked at his daughter, his face glowing with joy and pride.
He lingered on Morningsong for another heartbeat before moving on to Hawkpaw. Hawkpaw raised his head and looked Blizzardstar in the eye.
"Hawkpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Hawkstrike. StarClan honors your loyalty and enthusiasm and we welcome you as a full member of CedarClan."
Hawkstrike bowed his head to let Blizzardstar touch him. He gave his leader's shoulder a respectful lick and backed away. His paws were shaking with repressed excitement. Heronpaw's heart swelled for his brother.
In a heartbeat Blizzardstar was standing before Heronpaw. The huge white tom looked Heronpaw in the eyes. Heronpaw could hardly find his next breath.
"Heronpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Heronflight. StarClan honors your sacrifice and your careful thinking and we welcome you as a full member of CedarClan."