Chapter 14

Rekindling

I was numb and cold, wandering through darkness.

I couldn't feel anything, I couldn't even see anything. I was gasping for air but found there to be none.

I had a whole new life to live, and I had already wasted it.

Something came into my vision, something blue, but not the scent of starlight.

"Even following StarClan's orders to the death, it seems."

I snapped open my eyes to see that I was back in the Place of No Stars. In front of me was a cat I did not recognize. She was tall, imposing, but beautiful all the same. Her fur was thick, her tail long and white as patches of her tortoiseshell fur almost gleamed in the light of fireflies. I was struggling to breathe, sucking in the damp air of the forest around me.

"It certainly has taken a while for you and I to meet, hasn't it, dear?"

"Who are you?" I wheezed.

She smiled. "Mapleshade." She explained with a dip of her head. "It's an honor to finally meet you, twoleg."

I glanced around, cold terror gripping at my stomach. "A-Am I dead?"

"Not yet." She reassured me as she swerved around me and draped her long tail over my shoulders comfortingly. "There's still time to kill before you join us. Unless you wanted to strike a deal of sorts."

I flashed my green eyes at her desperately. I was not going to allow the prophecy to fail, ShadowClan needed Flametail, but they didn't need me. "What do you want?" I asked through a low hiss.

The she-cat sidestepped me and looked away. "You have power, my dear, even if you haven't fully discovered it yet. You held the power of the stars in your paws, and it makes me so hungry. Your fiery determination, your tireless energy, and your twoleg insight, it's all so beautiful."

She flicked her tail across my nose.

"I want it."

I blinked in shock. "Excuse me?"

"You must relinquish your role as a twoleg and give up your part in that prophecy. To whom it goes to- I do not care." She shrugged and gave a devilish smirk. "If you want that little medicine cat to live, then you must give up those facets of yourself. Otherwise, the both of you are going to die and wander the Place of No Stars forever. That would truly cripple your Clan, wouldn't it?"

The scent of Flametail was near. I whipped my head around to see his form limp and unconscious on the grass, his form shimmering in and out of view. I swallowed hard, sure that my time was drawing short. I didn't have long to decide.

I would have to give up the one trait that I retained about myself when I first came here- being a twoleg.

I would have to give up my role as a prophecy cat, and give all the weight of protecting the Clan to Flametail.

And if what Mapleshade said was true about me having a power, then I would need to sacrifice that as well.

It wasn't a hard decision to make if it meant saving Flametail.

I nodded slowly, keeping my eyes fixated on the medicine cat. "Okay, I'll do it. I'll give all of it up to stay alive. ShadowClan needs him. They don't need my tainted history on their paws."

Mapleshade smiled and rested her nose on my forehead. A shock came to my body as I felt something sap itself away from my body and life force. Flickers of memories faded away into not even distant dreams, only ancient echoes I couldn't grasp. I wheezed in a burning pain as my determination fluttered away until I felt a creeping hopelessness wedge into my chest. I couldn't breathe, I was suffocating in that water all over again.

My paws were on the verge of buckling, I was struggling to stay up.

All at once, she pulled away with a satisfied sigh. "My, you really had quite a bit for a little mouse-brain, didn't you?"

I felt hollow, something was missing, but I couldn't recall what.

I made a deal.

That's right, I made a deal with her.

"Flametail," I wheezed, "bring him back, please."

As the words escaped me, I saw Flametail's form breathe to life and flicker away from my vision. My heart was heavy, but I wasn't sure why. I couldn't say another word before I returned to being plunged in the darkness.

Voices were the first thing Fallenpaw heard upon awakening. Something felt hollow in her chest, but she couldn't discern exactly what it was. An ache in her body flowed through as the apprentice slowly heaved herself up, realizing that she was situated in a nest of straw and moss. The area was warm and insulated from the outside chill.

Fallenpaw glanced her head to the side to see the hazy figure of Kinkfur and her kittens sleeping at the queen's belly while Flametail was across the den, also sleeping soundly. His flanks rising up and down slowly, much to Fallenpaw's relief.

Her mind raced to try and recall what happened. Flametail was playing on the ice until he slipped in and Fallenpaw jumped after him. Her memories drew dark from there, however, and nothing else could surface in her mind. She was simply thankful to even be alive.

"Mama, Fallenpaw's awake," mumbled Sparrowkit who was still nestled in the paws of his thick-furred mother.

Kinkfur lifted her head with a yawn before looking at Fallenpaw and giving a gentle smile. "You're awake, good."

"How's Flametail?" Fallenpaw couldn't resist but blurt out.

Kinkfur rolled her expression to look at the slumbering Flametail. "He's fine, Littlecloud has already treated the both of you. You've been placed in the nursery to keep you two warm and dry, since it is the warmest den in camp."

Fallenpaw blinked slowly and looked down to her creamy white paws. She felt as though something was missing, but she couldn't place it exactly. She shook her head and moved to get up, but collapsed when she felt the stabbing ache of sore muscles.

"Take it easy, there's no rush, dear." Kinkfur licked the top of Sparrowkit's head again as her son bundled into a lump of tabby fur and settled amongst his sisters once again. "Rest a little while longer."

Fallenpaw's ear flicked when she caught the sound of rustling. Ivytail had rolled over in her nest to reveal her bulging white belly. It was any day now that she would have her kits and make the nursery even more crowded.

Fallenpaw shrugged off the pain. Ignoring Kinkfur, she struggled to get to her paws and stand up in her nest. Heaving with breath from the pain spiking her muscles, she finally stood up. Her breaths were heavy, but she turned to look toward Flametail, who was quietly twitching in his sleep.

Seeing his movement brought a flutter of memories back to Fallenpaw, albeit faded and distant. Somehow, she saved Flametail's life, and that was all that mattered. She had brought her friend back from the brink of death.

"What happened after we fell in?" She asked Kinkfur.

"I wasn't there," she admitted as she shook her head, "but Pinepaw told us everything. After you fell in, she and Dawnpelt raced to the camp to tell us what happened. Rowanclaw sent more cats to get you out of the ice. When you and Flametail arrived, you were both so cold, I was afraid you were both already dead."

Fallenpaw hang her head in shame. She thought she had done some good, she was sure she was going to receive a scolding from Blackstar after her recovery. She shook the leaves off from her pelt and turned to the entrance to see that morning light was barely peeking over the distant pine tops. She swallowed hard and used the remaining strength in her muscles to pad out from the comforting warmth wreathing around her in the nursery. Outside, the brittle chill of the air made her shudder, almost sending her plunging back into that icy cold water.

"Fallenpaw?"

She snapped her head up in the direction of the voice to see Applefur rushing toward her. She didn't react in time as her mentor had headbutted her apprentice affectionately on her shoulder. "We were so worried about you!"

She lifted her head to see that more cats were emerging from their dens and staring at her. Fallenpaw's fur fluffed up in embarrassment, her nose growing a bright shade of red. "I-I'm sorry," she began with dipping her head apologetically, "I wasn't thinking when I jumped in."

"You saved my apprentice's life," rasped Littlecloud as he emerged from the medicine den to face Fallenpaw. A smile curled at his mouth, much to her relief. He turned around to face Rowanclaw who had nosed his way out from the leader's den. "Rowanclaw! Let Blackstar know that Fallenpaw is awake!"

Fallenpaw felt a chill go down her spine as Rowanclaw nodded and disappeared into the shadows between the tree roots of Blackstar's den. Fallenpaw shuffled her paws uncomfortably. "Am I in trouble?"

Applefur shook her head with a low, rumbling purr. "No, the opposite. Littlecloud and I discussed your actions with Blackstar and we've agreed that it's time for you to become a warrior."

The brown tabby felt her claws flex instinctively. She didn't feel as though she was ready, Fallenpaw was simply following as the prophecy had demanded! There was still so much more for her to learn, she wasn't ready to earn her name.

Applefur seemed to have noticed her apprentice's apprehension as she nosed Fallenpaw's shoulder. "Don't look so stiff, we're sure that you've earned it."

"What's going on?"

Fallenpaw nearly jumped at the sound of Flametail's voice. The medicine cat was padding up beside Fallenpaw as he stepped out from the den. He exchanged a stare with his still blue eyes, reflecting confusion. Fallenpaw stared back at him, trying to convey her fears to her friend.

"All cats old enough to fight for themselves, gather underneath the High Branch for a Clan meeting!"

Fallenpaw whipped back around to see that Blackstar had already scurried his way to the High Branch overlooking the camp. She swallowed hard and was nudged by Applefur to get moving. Flametail sat himself calmly at the nursery entrance, looking at her quietly without expression. Did I do something wrong?

Fallenpaw padded quietly and sat down a tail-length behind Applefur, who was still beaming in pride. Her paws were prickling not in excitement, but in terror. How was she supposed to protect ShadowClan and keep Flametail's fire alive when she hadn't fully learned all that she needed to about battling and Clan life?

No, she needed to trust Blackstar's decision. He was a strong and wise cat, and he wouldn't make a mistake. As much as Fallenpaw was terrified, she knew that he knew what he was doing.

Blackstar's amber gaze bore down on her through the hazy morning fog. "We have gathered here today to commemorate one of our apprentice's bravery when nose-to-nose with death itself. Fallenpaw had dove into the ice after Flametail and saved his life, and I believe these actions prove that she is ready to be a warrior of ShadowClan." He took a deep breath and continued. "I, Blackstar, leader of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has worked hard to learn the ways of your noble code and proven herself to her Clan that she is worthy of her full name, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turn."

Fallenpaw swallowed anxiously and stood up, feeling all of ShadowClan's eyes on her.

"Fallenpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Fallenpaw sucked in a cold breath and nodded to her leader. "I promise."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Fallenpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Fallenfrost, in honor of the frost and ice you have courageously plunged through in order to save a Clanmate's life. StarClan honors your resilience and compassion, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan."

Blackstar bunched up his muscles and leaped down from the branch to land in front of Fallenfrost. The white tom towered over her and rested his muzzle on her forehead. He was warm, and Fallenfrost's leader believing in her reignited a new hope in her belly. She reached forward and drew her tongue across his shoulder as he took a step back.

"Fallenfrost!"

"Fallenfrost!"

"Fallenfrost!"

ShadowClan's cheer echoed around Fallenfrost as she took in her new name. There was a spark of pride knowing that she now shared the same suffix as her Place of No Stars mentor, Hawkfrost. Her anxiety melted away into pride and euphoria. She was no longer a loner or kittypet, but instead a full warrior of ShadowClan!