Chapter 2

Twilight had fallen when Graystar and Cinderpelt returned to the ThunderClan camp. Now there were only two challenges that faced the gray tom: who the deputy would be and whether or not Squirrelpaw was ready to be made a warrior.

He spotted Brambleclaw sitting next to Firestar's daughter, Squirrelpaw, and motioned with his tail for the tabby warrior to join him. With a soft apology to the ginger she-cat, Brambleclaw walked over and sat down in front of Graystar. Drawing a deep breath, Graystar asked, "Is Squirrelpaw ready to be made a warrior?" A look of surprise entered the tom's amber eyes as he dipped his head.

"She fought like a warrior against many challenges and saved my life more than once. I believe she is ready." His voice was a soft rumble and his surprise had been changed to happiness.

Graystar dipped his head then asked, "Will you tell her to be ready for her naming ceremony at moonhigh?" The tabby warrior dipped his head and trotted back to Squirrelpaw. Graystar emitted a soft purr, amused at the way the she-cat literally tackled Brambleclaw as he told her his news.

Turning away from the two cats, he faced the next challenge. He padded over to a small cleft in the mountain rocks that served as the leader's den and lay down. He ran through the warriors of his Clan in his mind, focusing upon Brackenfur. The golden-brown tabby tom had proved himself to be a valuable warrior and a quick thinker. He had been Graystar's apprentice but he had been trained by the late Firestar. He sighed, deciding that Brackenfur was the right choice and closed his eyes, falling into troubled sleep.

Dark shapes writhed on the ground, caterwauls and screams echoing across the sandy beach. A ginger shape rushed forward to grip the well-muscled black tom that held Graystripe down, pulling it off. Graystripe lunged to his feet, ignoring the cuts in his belly and saw Firestar battling with the tom. "Firestar! Remember you're on your last life!" Graystripe yowled, knocking the black tom away and hissing at him.

A sharp poke in his side woke him up and he saw a pale ginger shape above him. "Sandstorm," Graystar's voice was filled with pain as he looked at the queen. She narrowed her eyes then said, "It's almost moonhigh Graystar." The tom sighed as the she-cat padded away, her belly large with the kits she carried in her. Grief washed over him as he got to his feet and padded towards a small hill that served as the new gathering spot for ThunderClan.

Leaping to the top, he voiced the familiar summons. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Tallhill for a Clan meeting." As his voice shivered in the cold air, the cats of ThunderClan gathered beneath their new leader. Grief was in every cat's eyes, even the almost blind Longtail's.

Graystripe looked over at Squirrelpaw and flicked his tail, summoning her to stand before Tallhill. "Before I give this apprentice her warrior name, I will announce who my deputy will be." He swallowed his nervousness and continued. "I say these word before StarClan, that the spirits of our ancestors may hear and approve my choice." He looked down at Brackenfur and nodded. "Brackenfur will be the new deputy of ThunderClan."

A look of pleasure and surprise spread across Brackenfur's face as he blinked up at Graystar. Getting to his paws, Brackenfur padded to the bottom of Tallhill and turned to address his Clan. "Graystar, cats of ThunderClan," His voice was soft at first then swelled in strength. "I never expected such an honor and promise that I will do all in my power to serve you well."

A ripple of sound that started in the back rolled towards the front crashed over the gold-brown tabby; a chorus of mews and purrs, and calls of Brackenfur's name. Whitepaw, Brackenfur's apprentice, looked delighted and suddenly shy as she looked at her mentor. The sadness in her eyes, there since Firestar had died, was replaced by joy for a moment before they clouded again.

Graystar let the cheers continue for awhile before he flicked his tail for silence. The Clan responded and settled down, now turning their gaze upon Squirrelpaw as Dustpelt moved up to sit behind her. Graystar leapt down from Tallhill and stood a step away from the dark-ginger she-cat. He sighed, remembering the words of the ceremony then started to speak, voice rippling over the Clan.

"I, Graystar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn." Turning towards the apprentice, Graystar continued, "Squirrelpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Squirrelpaw's green eyes were dancing with excitement though her voice was calm and confident. "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan," Graystar declared, "I give you your warrior name: Squirrelpaw, from this moment you will be known as Squirrelfur. StarClan honors your loyalty, intelligence, and courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan.

Stepping forward, Graystar rested his muzzle on top of Squirrelfur's head. Squirrelfur licked his shoulder in return and then met Graystar's gaze with a look in which happiness and sorrow mingled. Graystar knew that the she-cat was remembering both Feathertail's and Firestar's deaths.

As Squirrelfur stepped back to her new place in the ranks of the warriors, Brambleclaw bounded forwards and licked her head enthusiastically, calling her by her new name and gazing at her, love for the waspish she-cat plain in his eyes.

As Graystar turned away from the meeting, cats still chanting Squirrelfur's name, his thoughts once again returned to the day Firestar died. He looked around, spotting Sandstorm, and his sadness deepened. The bitter queen was lying on her side, her swollen belly heaving. She was close to her kitting but Graystar's heart was heavy knowing what she was going through losing the one she had loved.

He shook those thoughts out of his head as he entered his den. He prodded his moss bed into a more comfortable shape and lay down, tail over his nose. The cave still smelled like his old friend and as he closed his eyes, dreams once again swept through his sleep.

He dreamed of Firestar; the orange tom sat upon the rock at Fourtrees, staring down at Graystar. When Graystar opened his mouth to speak, Firestar shook his head and pointed with his tail to the far side of Graystar. Slowly, Graystar turned his head and what he saw made him yowl with fright.

A large pack of dogs was chasing a small, slender she-cat through the forest area of their new home. The she-cat spotted a tree, what an ancient willow, and leapt for it, claws digging into its warped bark. She clambered up it and waited, shivering as the dogs sniffed around the base of it. She hissed at them, though her amber eyes were wide with fright.

Graystar couldn't help but admire the she-cat's spirit and he desperately wanted to meet her. Glancing back at Firestar, he saw the old leader of ThunderClan had amusement in his eyes and Graystar flattened his ears with a small hiss as Firestar let out a small mroww of laughter. Suddenly, Firestar spoke. "Loner and Rouge will become Clan, Clan becomes Tribe, life turns to death, and water saves all. This is the prophecy you must remember. When these events fall into place, destruction will rule the forest until water saves it."