Chapter Seven: Windpaw's Warrior Ceremony

Blackstar looked down on his son. Windpaw looked anxious and excited, but proud and dignified at the same time. Applebird stood in the background, a happy look on her face.

"Windpaw," Blackstar yowled, "You have been trained well by Applebird, and you are now ready to become a warrior. From this day forth, you shall be known as Windshadow. The clan honors your courage."

"Windshadow! Windshadow!" The clan chanted.

Windshadow looked around, pride swelling up within him. But as he tried to meet his father's eyes, Blackstar looked away. Windshadow's hopes faltered. Blackstar had done the same with Mosspaw. Shunned him.

Now what?

000

Windshadow sat, taking his vigil quite seriously, keeping his eyes open, though he was very tired.

"Windshadow..." A soft voice breathed in his ear, followed by the scent of... Thunderclan? At first, he hopefully thought that it was Dreampaw, but then he realized that she wouldn't know his new name, and the scent was mingled with something.

He turned to find a pretty tortoiseshell gazing at him, her amber eyes sparkling a bit like Dreampaw's did.

"Hello," She murmured, "I'm Spottedleaf."

Windshadow wasn't sure what to do. He didn't want to break his vow of silence, but he didn't want to just let this she-cat go...

Then he saw the stars in her pelt.

"I used to be a Thunderclan medicine cat," Spottedleaf mewed, "But I am a Starclan cat now. I came to see you."

Windshadow nervously shifted from paw to paw. He felt a bit embarrassed by the caring gaze in Spottedleaf's eyes, and still wasn't sure if he should speak or not.

"Don't worry," Spottedleaf assured him, "You don't have to talk. I just came to tell you this."

She looked into his eyes.

"Take care of her."

And with that, Spottedleaf was gone.

000

"Be careful, Spottedleaf," The gray she-cat said, her yellow eyes full of wisdom.

"I know," Spottedleaf sighed, her own gaze fixed on the white cat below them.

Yellowfang was unsure of what to do. It almost seemed like Spottedleaf cared for this tom more than she did for Firestar! But that would mean...

"Don't go falling in love with the living," Yellowfang growled, "It'll just get you into more trouble."
But Spottedleaf only stared at Windshadow.

Yellowfang shook her head and padded toward where Bluestar was sitting, grooming herself.

"We have yet another problem," She hissed.

Bluestar looked up. "What? Is it Spottedleaf again?"

Though the tortoiseshell had accepted that Firestar had moved on, she still caused a bit of trouble for Starclan every now and then.

"Yes," Yellowfang admitted grimly, "We shouldn't have sent her to speak to that Shadowclan warrior, Windshadow."

"Not again?"

"Possibly. Now we should just keep her away from him, and-"

"She'll go anyway," Bluestar snapped, "We can't exactly restrict her. And besides, she's been in Starclan longer than both of us."

"True," Yellowfang meowed, "Maybe you should talk to her. You've known her since she was a kit."

Sighing and shaking her head, Bluestar padded over to where Spottedleaf was sitting.

"I see you went and talked to Windshadow."

"Yes," Spottedleaf said in a wistful tone, "I've been waching that cat since he was born. I never knew he'd grow up like this. A warrior now."

Yes, Spottedleaf was smitten now. Desperate, Bluestar went to an old soft spot of Spottedleaf's.

"What about Firestar?" She asked, "Have you visited him recently?"

"There has been no need to," Spottedleaf murmured, "It has been moons. But I did speak to his granddaughter, Dreampaw. You know of her?"

"Of course," Bluestar purred, "Like you, I have been watching over him and his kits. And now his grandkits. It is an honor to have known him, an even greater honor to have been his mentor..."

"Please, Bluestar," Spottedleaf whispered, "You didn't like it when I cared too much about Firestar, and I suppose it's not any better that I care for Windshadow?"
"Just... remember," Bluestar sighed, "He is one of the living, you are one of the dead. It is forbidden for a Starclan cat to fall in love with a living cat."

Spottedleaf gave her an icy gaze.

"It's also forbidden for a Shadowclan warrior to fall in love with a Thunderclan apprentice, isn't it?"

There was a long silence.

"I'm not sure if he's in love with her," Bluestar murmured.

"Oh really?"
"Yet."

000

Which pairing do you like better?

WindshadowxSpottedleaf

WindshadowxDreampaw

Though, then again, I'm not making any promises. For either. Just VOTE and the faster you vote, the faster you'll get a new chapter!