"All cats old enough to swim join here beneath the…" The word caught in Leopardstar's throat. She hated that rotting hunk of bones in the center of camp, "...Bonehill… for a clan meeting!"
Riverclan and Shadowclan cats came out from their dens, a patrol dropping a mouse and sparrow on the fresh-kill pile. From the other side of camp Tigerstar scowled at her, though Leopardstar paid it no mind. She had a clan to lead too. Talonkit and Smokekit, Darkflower's sons, tumbled out of the nursery, their eyes shining in hope that they would start training. But Leopardstar's gaze was caught on a shimmering gray pelt, one hind leg furless and twisted terribly. Littlecloud and Mudclaw sat beside the cat.
They're the same age as Littlecloud, Leopardstar thought, They should have gotten their name moons ago.
Leopardstar took in a deep breath, "Silverpaw, if you would please come forward as much as you can?"
The tabby's eyes shone in shock, though they didn't hesitate standing up and hopping over on their three good legs.
"Silverpaw, you have been denied a warrior name for moons because of your injury, but I have watched you overcome it, and firmly believe you are ready to fight alongside your denmates. I, Leopardstar, leader of Riverclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. They have trained hard in the ways of your noble code, and past obstacles thrown at them, and I commend them to you as a warrior. Silverpaw, do you promise to uphold the clan and the warrior code, even at the cost of your life?"
"I do!" Silverpaw rasped, though their voice was full of excitement.
"Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. Silverpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Silverstep! Riverclan and Starclan honor your courage to surpass everything you have gone through, and we welcome you as a string warrior of Riverclan and Tigerclan!"
"Silverstep!" Brownpelt, a Shadowclan tom, led the chant, soon everycat but Tigerstar was cheering. "Silverstep! Silverstep!"
Leopardstar rested her muzzle on Silverstep's head, purring.
"Thank you, Leopardstar," they muttered, just loud enough so only Leopardstar could hear, their voice shaking. When they looked up their eyes were watery. Leopardstar simply nodded, sending them on their way. Brownpelt nuzzled them as the chant quieted, Warriors returning to their duties. Tigerstar padded over angrily.
"Why did you make that pathetic waste of prey a warrior! His hind leg doesn't work, he could never fight!"
"They will be an excellent warrior," Leopardstar corrected, "They've learned to walk just fine, and their claws still work. Riverclan are fishers, hunting does not require lots of movement. And Starclan, you should have seen them at Sunningrocks after their injury!" She scowled, padding off, "They're much more a warrior than you are."
Loudbelly smiled at her as she passed. Leopardstar took a deep breath. The scent of leaf-fall hung in the air, leaf-bare just around the corner. She padded toward the camp exit, but was stopped by an all-too familiar red tabby pelt.
"And where are you headed?" She asked in her high-pitched voice.
"Out," Leopardstar responded flatly.
"For?" Russetfur pressed on. Leopardstar felt the pelt of a cat brush up beside her.
"I will guard her, Russetfur," mewed Blackfoot, coolly, "You go and welcome Silverstep to the warrior's den, hm?"
Russetfur unwillingly padded away, Leopardstar stalked out of camp, quietly hoping Blackfoot wouldn't actually follow, but, of course he did.
"What are we heading out for?"
"It'll be leaf-bare soon," Leopardstar muttered, "I figured we'd pack the nursery up with leaves and moss. Very young kits in there."
Blackfoot nodded solemnly, padding over to a tree and scraping up dry leaves on the ground. Leopardstar copied from not too far away, trying to scrape up only the most complete willow leave strands. Scraping up and oak leaf Blackstar's eye caught three stones, two tiny and one large. The two tiny ones had an imprint of a shell between them, while the larger had a rough, sparkling edge. Blackfoot let out a huff of laughter, rolling the biggest to Leopardstar.
"Here, have a present," he said simply, before carefully wrapping the other two up on his largest leaf, grabbing it in his mouth before grabbing others, careful not the swallow.
Leopardstar smiled, rubbing a paw along the bumpy edge for a moment before placing it against a tree to come back to. She too took her leaves in her mouth, and the two headed back to camp. Leopardstar directed Blackfoot to the elders den, but after setting his leaves down, unwrapped the rock leaf, and slipped inside the nursery with the two rocks, giving each of Tallpoppy's kits one.
Rowankit placed tiny paw on the shell imprint, before letting out an excitement-filled screech in Blackfoot's direction. Leopardstar heard Tallpoppy faintly thank Blackfoot, and she felt herself smile.