Hey, people! Guess what – this is the last freaking chapter! Cool, huh? Read it!
Chapter Nine
"Bluefur! I mean, Bluestar! You're back!"
Willowpaw's mewling alerted the rest of the Clan. They stood up quickly and padded over to me, congradulating me about becoming Clan leader. Spottedleaf walked over to me and mewed,
"Remember, you have to appoint a deputy before moonhigh."
I nodded, barely able to do just that. I was so exhausted I thought my legs would fall off. I was looking forward to curling up in my new den and falling asleep. But I couldn't let my Clan down, so all I did was pad over to my den and sit down, thinking hard.
The den still reeked of Eaglestar's scent, and I nearly panicked when I considered the fact that greencough might still be inside. But then again, maybe Eaglestar wasn't really sick after all – he was just stressing under his Clan's troubles. Maybe.
And then I thought about who should be the next deputy of ThunderClan. At first I considered Whitestorm or Lionheart. Both of them were strong and brave, old, yes, but not so old that they were on the verge of joining the elders.
But then I thought back to the battle on ShadowClan territory, when the two warriors had stopped me from reaching Eaglestar. It had been Redtail who had pulled the cats off me. I was impressed by his incredible strength and bravery when he had done this, and I couldn't help wondering if Whitestorm or Lionheart would have done the same, or could have done.
Redtail is the new Clan deputy, I thought, glad that was settled. All I needed to do now was announce it to the Clan.
I exited my den quickly before the Clan had settled down and was sleeping. I leapt upon the Highrock and announced proudly, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join me beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!"
It felt good to say it.
The Clan exited their dens, blinking up at me with new respect. I took a deep breath an mewed,
"The time has come to name a new deputy." I paused, feeling that it would make it more dramatic. "The new deputy of ThunderClan is Redtail."
Redtail stood up, looking shocked. He dipped his head respectfully to me and mewed, "I am honored to be your deputy, Bluestar."
"Thank you, Redtail," I replied as the small tortoiseshell tom sat down again. I leapt down from the Highrock and padded over to Willowpaw. "Hello, Willowpaw."
"Hi, Bluestar," she replied, dipping her head respectufully.
"We can practice fighting and hunting moves today," I continued. "I need to make up for it for not allowing you to come to the battle."
Willowpaw shook her head. "Oh no, Bluestar, it's all right. I understand! I hadn't been in training for even a moon – I'd only be in the way."
"You're right," I mewed hesitantly. I nudged Willowpaw with my head. "Come on, Willowpaw, let's go training."
My apprentice's training went very well. I had to admit that she was a skilled hunter and fighter, and would soon receive her warrior name.
After training was over, I left the camp to hunt by myself. At least, that's what I told the Clan. Where I was really going was RiverClan territory. I hid in the bushes and waited.
After a while, a patrol came by, with Oakheart. He told them that he was staying behind to drink water, before turning across the river. "Bluefur?"
I padded hesitantly out of the bushes toward my mate. "It's Bluestar now," I mewed.
He leapt back in shock. "Bluestar!" Oakheart hastily swam across the river and nudged me with his head. "I don't believe it. Eaglestar is dead?"
"Yes," I answered. "He died in another battle with ShadowClan."
Oakheart shook his head pityingly. "You seem to have lots of quarrels with that Clan. Do you think their new leader will be better?"
"Well, it's Raggedclaw," I mewed hesitantly. I narrowed my eyes and looked at my paws. I would never admit that Raggedclaw was a good leader or warrior after he had killed Goldencrest.
Oakheart suddenly sighed. "Listen, Bluestar – I'm really sorry for the way I acted all those moons ago. You haven't seen me since and it's been lonely. I'm sorry."
I purred and nudged him. "It's fine, Oakheart. How are the kits?"
"They're Mistyfoot and Stonefur now," he answered proudly.
"I know that. Tailtip told me – " I stopped right there, disgusted with myself. I was Clan leader for StarClan's sake! I shouldn't be blurting out things about the rituals of being made a leader – least of all to a cat in another Clan!
Oakheart peered closely at me, then shrugged. "Who's your new deputy?"
"Redtail," I answered.
"Redtail? He's a new warrior. I think you should have picked Lionheart."
I shrugged. "So, how's life in RiverClan?"
"The aftermaths of the greencough are still around," he answered grimly. "We've lost Jadetail and Flowertail, our medicine cat and a warrior."
I gasped in shock. "No! Losing your medicine cat is horrible!"
Oakheart nodded. "So now the medicine cat is Mudfur. He just received his warrior name."
I let out a sigh. "I have to go, Oakheart, I'm sorry," I whispered. "I just came back from the Highstones and I'm so tired I can barely stand up. But I'll see you soon. Look for me."
"Sure," he answered, and we separated.
A moon had passed after the battle with ShadowClan and it was time for a Gathering. I was looking forward to seeing who ShadowClan had chosen for their new deputy, or even if they didn't allow Raggedclaw to become leader.
The named cats and I padded toward the Fourtress. When we had arrived, I leapt onto the Highrock. Tallstar and Crookedstar stared at me.
"Bluefur? Is Eaglestar ill?" asked Crookedstar.
"Eaglestar is dead," I answered grimly. "I am Bluestar."
Tallstar looked surprised, and Crookedstar dipped his head to me.
"I am sure you will lead your Clan through times of trouble, Bluestar," he meowed.
I nodded. "Thank you, Crookedstar."
ShadowClan was just arriving. I was pleased to see that Raggedclaw was the one padding up onto the Great Rock. I peered at him.
"Are you Raggedstar?"
"I am," he replied.
"What happened to your leaders?" wondered Tallstar. "Do we have the right to know?"
"You do," I answered.
The cats of the Clans fell silent as I stepped forward nervously.
"A little while ago," I began, "Eaglestar demanded that ThunderClan attacked ShadowClan. So there we went, and in the heat of the battle, Shadestar killed Eaglestar." I hesitated, swallowing hard. "I then leapt upon his neck, killing him. Shadestar's last words were, 'Raggedstar.' Since he lost Rippletail, the deputy, in the battle, there was no other cat for the job."
"Shadestar wanted revenge on ThunderClan for killing Breezestar," added Raggedstar. "But the Clan was delayed because of the sickness in ThunderClan. We underestimated them, and they attacked when we thought they were still sick." He looked embarrassed. "But that won't happen now, I can assure you, Bluestar," continued Raggedstar. "As long as I am leader, there will be no meaningless attacks on your Clan."
I said nothing, but gave a curt nod. I would never forgive Raggedstar for killng Goldencrest.
Raggedstar narrowed his eyes at me, guessing what I was thinking. He turned to the cats of the forest. "Our new deputy is Brokentail," he mewed. "We also lost our medicine cat, Treevine," he added. "Our new medicine cat is Yellowfang, and she has an apprentice, Runningnose."
Yowls of surprise and approval rang through the clearing. I was just as surprised as the others; I had never known Yellowfang to have to have some connection with medicine cats. I thought that she was just an ordinary warrior.
I stepped forward. "Our new medicine cat is Redtail," I mewed. More yowls of surprise. "He is a young, skilled, able warrior, who helped me in times of trouble during the fight against ShadowClan."
"You just chose him because he's your friend!" yelled out a WindClan apprentice, Mudpaw. His mentor scolded him.
I gazed down at the dark brown tom, feeling fury burn through me. The arrogant little mouse-brained fool!
"I am leader here!" I snarled. "I make the decisions."
I do not think I like that apprentice.
Mudpaw said nothing, but sank down to the ground and rested his head on his paws.
Crookedstar stepped forward. "One of our apprentices, Mosspaw, is now Mosspelt," he mewed. As approving cries of cats sounded, he continued, "and Shadepaw, Leopardpaw, and Greenpaw are ready for apprentice training. Their mentors are Loudbelly, Blackclaw, and Oakheart."
Oakheart! I thought, feeling my chest swell with pride. My mate had received an apprentice!
With that, Crookedstar stepped back beside me, and Tallstar took his place. "One of our apprentices, Onepaw, has become Onewhisker," he mewed. "And Whitepaw is ready for training – his mentor is Ashfoot."
The cats shouted out with approval. But Tallstar was not finished.
"A noble WindClan warrior, Skycloud, was killed when a badger came into the camp." He bowed his head sadly. "There was hardly anything left of him when we found him. Apparently, the badger is hungry."
I felt my throat tighten in fear. I leapt to my paws and faced Tallstar. "When did this happen?" I demanded.
"About a week ago." He sounded puzzled. "Why?"
"Because there is a badger living close to the Thunderpath on our territory."
I listened to my ThunderClan cats murmur nervously to each other. I felt the same way. The badger could attack ThunderClan camp at any moment! The other leaders sensed my fear, and they called the Gathering over.
"Let's go," I meowed to my Clan as I leapt down from the Highrock. Understanding how important it was to get home, my Clan followed me quickly through the forest, finally into ThunderClan camp.
"Nooo!" moaned Willowpaw. "Orangecoat!"
I was amazed that my apprentice could recognize the mottled mess of blood and ginger fur. It was most certainly Orangecoat, and she was dead.
Mousepaw and Longpaw walked over to her to share tongues with her for the last time. They were, after all, her kits.
Redtail ran into the nursery to see if Speckletail was all right. He came out again, nodding his head.
We just lost Orangecoat, I thought. How many more cats are we going to lose?
About three weeks later, Brindleface, a tabby she-cat, and Frostfur, a white she-cat, walked over to me as I came back from traning Willowpaw. "We are moving into the nursery," she announced. "I have kits coming."
"Really?" I exclaimed. "Excellent! The Clan needs more kits."
The two of them nodded to me and headed over to the nursery, where Speckletail was already staying.
Willowpaw nudged me. "Bluestar, how long have I been in training?" she asked.
I thought hard. "Two moons?" I guessed. "You'll be made a warrior soon, Willowpaw, you can be sure of that."
"Great!" The young pale-gray she-cat ran to the apprentices' den where her siter, Goldenpaw, was resting.
About a two moons later, their kits were born. Speckletail gave birth to two kits – a she-cat and a tom, Sandkit and Dustkit. Then Brindleface gave birth to Ravenkit, a tom, and Frostfur Graykit. I thought that the little gray kit looked strange next to Frostfur – I'd have though he'd have been a white-pelted cat, like her.
While those four kits were playing in the nursery, I was busy training Willowpaw to become a full warrior. The pale-gray apprentice was doing awfully well.
"Concentrate," I told her, inside the Sandy Hollow. I suddenly launched at Willowpaw, but she hastily leapt out of the way and launched onto my back. "Good! That's the surprise I was talking about."
Willowpaw let go of me, looking pleased. "Thank you, Bluestar!"
"I think we'd better start thinking of your warrior ceremony," I mused. "Goldenpaw, too. What do you think of that?"
Willowpaw leapt to her paws, extremely excited. "That's great! I mean, thank you, Bluestar!"
I purred with amusement and headed back to camp. I spotted Dappletail beside the fresh-kill pile and padded over to her.
"Hello, Dappletail," I mewed as the pretty tortoiseshell she-cat dipped her head to me. "Is Goldenpaw ready to become a warrior?"
"She is, Bluestar," answered Dappletail. She hesitated. "But after this, I think I will join the elders. My senses are not as sharp as they used to be."
I nodded sadly. "They will welcome you."
I padded over to the Highrock and leapt upon it. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join me beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting."
The cats filed out of their dens, stretching in the sunlight of newleaf. I flicked my tail at the two apprentices coming out of the den and mewed, "Willowpaw, Goldenpaw, come here, please."
Murmurs of surprise rang through the Clan as the two apprentices joined me on the Highrock. I was not surprised. Willowpaw and Goldenpaw had only been apprentices for four moons. But Tigerclaw had been an apprentice for three, and they welcomed him…
"I, Bluestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these two apprentices," I began. "They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and we commend them to you as warriors in their turn."
I turned to the two apprentices. "Willowpaw, Goldenpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your own life?"
"I do," answered Willowpaw.
"I do," replied Goldenpaw.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Willowpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Willowpelt. StarClan honors your loyalty and your intelligence, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." I rested my head on Willowpelt's before I faced Goldenpaw.
"Goldenpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Goldenflower. StarClan honors your loyalty and your intelligence, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." I rested my head on Goldenflower's before I leapt down from the Highrock.
Sure enough, as soon as the ritual was over, I saw Dappletail move over to the elder's den.
Dappletail unfortunately wasn't the only one after that. Halftail and Patchpelt came to me and told me they would join the elders as well, for the same reason. There were now five elders in the Clan.
A few weeks later, I padded alone through Twolegplace, searching for someone I had seen about three moons ago. The strange scent of Twolegs and kittypets filled my nostrils as I crept throguh the tall grass of Twolegplace. I froze suddenly.
A very young cat – probably around a moon – was sitting on the fence, gazing into the forest longingly. It was a tom, and his pelt was a ginger bright color, like flame. This cat had to have been the son of the orange kittypet I had seen three moons ago.
Why do I feel like there is something about him? I wondered, staring hard at the little kit. He could not see me, of course, he was just a kittypet and a kit – he could see me if he was a warrior.
Firekit, I thought. That would be his name.
Weeks later, after I came back from a hunting patrol with Redtail and Runningwind, they told me that their apprentices, Longpaw and Mousepaw, were ready to become warriors.
I set my mouse down in the fresh-kill pile and gazed at the pile. Prey was many in newleaf, and we were most certainly getting used to eating well. I turned to my friends and mewed,
"You are certain?"
"Quite sure, Bluestar," answered Redtail, dipping his head respectfully. I flicked my tail in his face.
"Oh, don't do that," I mewed. "I still like to think that I'm a little apprentice with you guys again, and that I'm not Clan leader, and that you don't have to bow to me like I'm leader of the world."
Runningwind chuckled. Redtail looked up at me.
"Fine then, Bluepaw."
"That wasn't what I meant!"
Minutes later, I called the Clan for the ritual of being made a warrior. Mousepaw and Longpaw stood in front of me.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Longpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Longtail. StarClan honors your loyalty and your intelligence, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."
I turned to Mousepaw after I had rested my head on Longtail's. "Mousepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Mousefur. StarClan honors your loyalty and your intelligence, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."
As I rested my head on Mousefur's, I realized that there were no more apprentices in training. Not good, I thought, my eyes shooting toward the nursery. When would Sandkit, Dustkit, Graykit, and Ravenkit come of age?
The next Gathering we attended was an…interesting one. The cats that I had called and I padded toward the four great oaks called Fourtress. I leapt onto the Great Rock next to Tallstar, Crookedstar, and…Brokentail?
"Where is Raggedstar?" demanded Crookedstar.
Brokentail let out a long sigh. "He was killed by a band of rogues," he answered slowly.
"So you're Brokenstar now," he mused. Then Crookedstar dipped his head to Brokenstar. "May StarClan let you lead your Clan well."
Brokenstar gave a little nod. I could not help noticing how smug and proud he looked, like he was glad to be leader, like he was hiding something.
"He was killed by a band of rogues?" I repeated.
Brokenstar nodded. "That's right."
"Hmmm." I narrowed my eyes suspiciously, but said nothing more.
Tallstar stepped forward. "One of our apprentices, Mudpaw, has taken the warrior name of Mudclaw," he mewed.
The annoying dark brown warrior stood up proudly, gladly welcoming the yowls of approval that the other Clans gave.
When the Gathering was over, ThunderClan headed home.
In late newleaf, the kits in the nursery finally came of age for apprenticeship. Sandkit and Dustkit were given mentors first, because Brindleface and Frostfur insisted that Ravenkit and Graykit were not ready.
"Redtail," I mewed, "you are ready for your second apprentice. You will mentor Dustpaw."
The light brown tom leapt down from the Highrock to touch noses with his mentor.
"Whitestorm," I continued, "you have not had an apprentice in a while. You may mentor Sandpaw."
Sandpaw, a light ginger she-cat, touched noses with Whitestorm.
Half a moon later, Ravenkit and Graykit began their apprenticeship with their mentors, Tigerclaw and Lionheart.
It was the day after that one day that I told Lionheart to send Graypaw to Twolegplace, where I knew he would find Firekit. I had a feeling that the little ginger tom would be in the forest when he comes. I could watch him fight, see if he was good enough to be a warrior.
The fight was quick and no wounds were given, but Firekit seemed to have the upper hand. He stood on his haunches, ready to spring again, fur bristling.
Minutes later, Lionheart and I came out of the bushes we were hiding in. I asked Firekit to join the Clan. He seemed surprised and excited about the offer, and he asked for a day to think about it. We let him have until the next evening to give us his decision.
I sent Lionheart and Whitestorm to be there for him. Much to my surprise, the young ginger cat agreed.
"From this moment on, until he earns his warrior name, this apprentice will be known as Firepaw," I yowled to the Clan, ignoring the protests.
And I watched Firepaw pad nervously toward Graypaw, flicking his tail. I had no idea that one day, he would take my place as leader of ThunderClan.
The end!
I'm serious…
Okay, I am so, so sorry for skipping through all that, but I practically had no choice, you know? Really sorry.
I will be back soon with a Animorphs fic and a Warriors fic. Look for me!