Chapter 31
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the White Tree for a clan meeting," the cry woke Silvertear from where she was sleeping in the nursery. Foamfur jolted awake next to her. Her two kits, Orcakit and Songkit, blinked sleepily. Orcakit looked exactly like her father. Songkit resembled her mother.
"Is it sunhigh already?" Silvertear yawned.
"I guess so. Tell me how it goes," Foamfur mewed. Silvertear nodded and started to walk out of the den.
"I want to go the apprentice ceremony," Orcakit squealed behind her.
"Yes let's go," Songkit agreed.
"You can't go," Foamfur mewed. Silvertear was too far away to hear the kit's reply. Most of the clan was already gathered by the time Silvertear emerged. She hurriedly sat at the edge of the group.
Bigkit, Furledkit, and Whitefox sat under the White Tree. They were each nicely groomed. Whitefox looked like she would burst with pride.
"Bigkit," Maplestar mewed. The grey tom looked up at her. "From now on, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Bigpaw. Lichenheart will be your mentor," Maplestar mewed. The mottled brown she-cat stepped forward and touched noses to her new apprentice.
"Tundrafoot is our new deputy. He already has a lot of responsibilities, but I think he can handle another. Tundrafoot shall be the mentor to Furledpaw," Maplestar mewed. Furledpaw leapt up with a squeal of excitement. He ran to his new mentor and slammed his nose against his. Tundrafoot stumbled backwards with a tiny yelp of pain.
Mews of laughter rippled through the clan. Tundrafoot looked down shamefully and returned to his seat next to Stormstep. Silvertear felt a pang of sympathy for the grey and white tom. He was the brand new deputy but no one seemed to treat him like it. Lichenheart and Heronpaw were the worst about it. They still missed Shardclaw terribly.
"The meeting is over," Maplestar finished. She leapt from her branch. Her gaze focused on Tundrafoot. He shakily leapt onto the root where Shardclaw normally sat to give orders.
"Lichenheart and I will do a border patrol with our apprentices," he mewed. His voice shook slightly. Taking a deep breath he continued. "I want Stormstep to take Snowyowl and Heronpaw hunting," he mewed. His voice was solider when he said his brother's name and his former apprentice's name.
Snowyowl and Stormstep nodded. They got to their feet and headed out of camp. Heronpaw hurried after them. Tundrafoot leapt from the root and left camp with Lichenheart, Bigpaw, and Furledpaw.
Silvertear rose to her paws and walked back to the nursery. Foamfur looked up when she entered. Orcakit and Songkit were nursing. "How was it?" she asked.
"Fine. Lichenheart is mentoring Bigpaw and Tundrafoot is mentoring Furledpaw," Silvertear informed the golden queen. She looked mildly surprised.
"Tundrafoot?" she asked. Silvertear nodded.
"Maplestar believes he can handle it," she mewed. Foamfur shrugged.
"He's strong and smart. He did a good job training Snowyowl," Foamfur commented. Silvertear smiled.
"He did an excellent job with Snowyowl," Silvertear purred. Foamfur laughed.
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Duskpaw settled down in a warm patch of sun. Her paws ached from collecting herbs all day. Tiredly she lay down and closed her eyes. It didn't take long for her to drift to sleep.
"I want to name this one Shadekit and this one Whiskerkit," an achingly familiar voice mewed. Creamfoot, Duskpaw thought. She opened her eyes to find herself outside the nursery. It was dark and the sky was blanketed with stars.
"Those are great names," another voice purred. Duskpaw recognized it to be Twigshade. She opened her mouth to call out to them but she stopped when a starry figure approached her.
"They can't hear you," Softsnow mewed. Duskpaw blinked. She had never dreamt of Starclan when she wasn't at the Star Tree. "We want you to see something," Softsnow continued. She flicked her tail for Duskpaw to follow and walked to the entrance of the nursery.
Duskpaw slowly followed her. Peeking inside she saw Twigshade starring lovingly at Creamfoot. The she-cat had her back to Duskpaw. Maplestar was also in the den. She looked happily at her sister.
"They'll be brave warriors sister," she purred. Duskpaw tipped her head. Creamfoot only had one litter. Her and Silvertear.
"What's going on?" Duskpaw asked. Softsnow continued to stare at the scene. Duskpaw looked back at them.
Creamfoot gasped. "What happened?" she asked. Twigshade rushed to her side. He bent down and nosed something.
"What's going on?" Maplestar demanded. Twigshade's eyes were dark. He and Creamfoot exchanged a look.
"They've punished us," Creamfoot whispered. Maplestar looked at her in confusion.
"Who's punished you?" she asked. Creamfoot raised her sad blue eyes to her sister.
"Starclan has taken them," she mewed. Shifting her body the kits came into full view. A creamy tom with dark brown paws and a white she-kit with black-tipped ears and tail. Duskpaw blinked in confusion.
"What in the name of Starclan are you talking about?" Maplestar demanded. Twigshade and Creamfoot exchanged a look. Creamfoot took a deep breath. Duskpaw leaned forward to catch what she was going to say. Then Twigshade glanced in her direction.
Everything went black. Duskpaw yelped in surprise. Her eyes flew open to see the still unmoving camp she had left behind. The sun was steadily sinking in the sky. Snowyowl was teaching Heronpaw some battle moves. Bigpaw and Furledpaw watched in awe.
Duskpaw shook her pelt as if she was shaking off cobwebs. Her heart was beating abnormally fast and she took a few breaths to steady it. After she had calmed down she tried to find out what she had just seen.
Creamfoot had another litter of kits. Whiskerkit and Shadekit. Starclan had taken them from her for some odd reason. Why would Starclan take kits? She wondered.
"It makes no sense," she muttered.
"Maybe I can help," someone mewed behind her. She whirled around to see Maplestar. The dark ginger she-cat was looking at her cheerfully. "What doesn't make any sense?" she asked.
"Well I was just wondering, would Starclan ever take any kits?" she asked. Maplestar's eyes darkened.
"Why do you want to know?" she asked.
"I was just curious," she shrugged, pretending she didn't notice her leaders change in attitude.
"If the mother or clan needs to be punished then Starclan will take the kits so that the parents suffer but the kits are safe from every harm," Maplestar mewed. Duskpaw was silent. Did Creamfoot break the code? She thought.
"Well thanks," she mewed. Getting to her paws she began to walk towards the medicine cat den. She felt Maplestar's gaze burning into her back the whole time.
A/N:
Sorry for a short chapter. And that it took me so long to update. I've had lots of homework from my crazy math teacher. She gave us homework our first day. This lady is nuts. Oh well. Shadekit and Whiskerkit were given to be from Rockstorm101. Thanks Rocky. Well make sure you review.
P.S. Do you want to see from the point of view from someone else in the clan? Just to see what they think of life in Frostclan.