The tom rushed to Bramblestar and nosed him. After that, he nosed Leafpool. "Birchfall!" Bramblestar purred as he put his nose into his pelt.
Hearing the warrior's cries, other cats began to gather around Bramblestar and yowled his new name. However, he could not see his mate, Squirrelflight. He asked the medicine cat apprentice Jayfeather, "Do you know where Squirrelflight is?" Jayfeather nodded and beckoned towards the Nursery with his tail.
Bramblestar shouldered his way to the Nursery and entered it. The warm scent of mothers' milk hit Bramblestar's nose, making him feel like a small kit again.
Around him, the Nursery queens were sitting and their kits were suckling from their soft bellies. There were nine kits in total; Lilykit, Stonekit and Oakkit of Millie and Graystripe, Mosskit, Redkit and Willowkit of Spiderleg and Daisy and Spottedkit, Amberkit and Brookkit of Ferncloud and Dustpelt.
The cats in the Nursery dipped their heads and mewed, "Bramblestar!" Bramblestar purred and nosed each one of his friends.
Just behind them, a cat purred, "Bramblestar!" Bramblestar faced the she-cat and then was overwhelmed to see three kits beside her.
"Squirrelflight!" He purred affectionately as he padded over to her mate and nosed her pelt and licked her ear. 'Squirellflight! The kits have come?" He asked, eying his three kits. " Squirrelflight nodded and put her paw on a tiny dark ginger she-cat with amber eyes."They came just yesterday. This is Goldenkit. This is Sandkit and this is Firekit."
Sandkit was a pale brown tabby she-cat with green eyes. Firekit was a dark ginger tom with amber eyes. Bramblestar licked each of his offspring and muttered, "I am glad that I am sure that these kits are mine. Why did you hide the truth from me about our foster-kits Lionblaze, Hollyleaf and Jayfeather? I would have loved them the same." Squirrelflight's eyes were full of pain and love as she nosed her mate. "Oh Bramblestar. Do you think I did not want to? But Leafpool is a medicine cat. I thought that if any cat knew that she had mated with Crowfeather......" Bramblestar nodded and whispered, "I understand. But I would have kept the secret." Squirrelflight showed him a sad smile before saying, "That was were I was wrong."
Bramblestar's and Squirreflight's foster kits were Lionblaze, Hollyleaf and Jayfeather. However, they were in fact the kits of Leafpool, the ThunderClan medicine cat, and Crowfeather, a warrior of WindClan. As medicine cats were not supposed to have kits, Leafpool was forced to give them up to Squirrelflight, her sister. Squirrelflight had raised the kits up telling all the other cats that they were her own. However, in a disasterous ThunderClan fire, Ashfur, a dead evil ThunderClan cat had intended to hurt the three and to stop him, Squirrelflight told him the truth. For a long time, the three did not talk to their foster parents;nor did Bramblestar talk to Squirrelflight. However, things had patched up between the five when Leafpool confirmed that Squirrelflight was then carrying Bramblestar's kits in her belly.
"Were the three excited?" Bramblestar asked as he licked his kits' ears and made contact with them. "Excited? Thier feeling must be called excited. They were so happy that they squealed like kits and almost ran all around. And look at them, they ar warriors." Squirrelflight purred and laughed.
Bramblestar looked out of the den. It was almost moonhigh. He stood up and nosed Squirrelflight before mewing, "I have to go now to appoint a new deputy. After that I will come right back, okay?"
Bramblestar padded out of the Nursery went over to the Highledge. He looked at, grief clouding his heart when he thought of the last time Firestar had stood on it.
His beloved former mentor and leader was not there now.
Bramblestar leapt onto it and yowled, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highledge!"
All the cats began to gather beneath the Highledge. They were all looking excited and sad at the same time at the first meeting with their new clan leader. They all missed Firestar, Bramblestar knew. However, they respected and like him too.
"Cats of ThunderClan, I have received my nine lives and am now Bramblestar. I am honoured to serve my clan as the clan leader and will lead you to the best of my abilities."
All the ThunderClan cats mewed and dipped their heads in respect.
"The time has come for to appoint a new deputy. In the name of StarClan, I choose Graystripe as the new deputy. Graystripe did not show a hostile attitude when Firestar let me remain the deputy. He is a strong and brave warrior."
The cats below yowled in agreement. Graystripe, with his eyes shining, stood up and said loudly, "Thank you Bramblestar, for the great honour. I will serve the clan with my body and heart."
Bramblestar dipped his head to Graystripe and continued, "It is time to make 5 kits apprentices. They fought well in the battle of the clans. Rosekit, Toadkit, Briarkit,
Blossomkit and Bumblekit, come up to the Highledge."
The 5 kits came up to the Highledge. They were quivering with excitement. They blinked at Bramblestar and tried to stand still.
"Rosekit, in the name of StarClan, I name you Rosepaw. Cloudtail, come up to the Highledge," Cloudtail, beaming, came up to the Highledge and stood beside Rosepaw.
'Cloudtail, you are a brave and skilled warrior. You will pass these skills to Rosepaw. Rosepaw, touch noses with your new mentor." Rosepaw nuzzled Cloudtail and together, they left the Highledge.
"Blossomkit, in the name of StarClan, I name you Blossompaw. Sorreltail, come up to the Highledge," Sorreltail came up to stand beside Blossompaw. "Sorreltail, you are a courageous and a smart warrior. You will pass these skills to Blossompaw. Blossompaw, touch noses with your new mentor." Blossompaw nuzzled Sorreltail and they left the Highledge together.
"Briarkit, in the name of StarClan, I name you Briarpaw. Spiderleg, come up to the Highledge," Spiderleg came up to stand beside Briarpaw. "Spiderleg, you are a brave strong warrior. You will pass these skills to Briarpaw. Briarpaw, touch noses with your new mentor." Briarkit nuzzled Spiderleg and they left Highledge with their pelts brushing.
"Bumblekit, in the name of StarClan, I name you Bumblepaw. Brackenfur, come up to the Highledge," Brackenfur came up to stand beside Bumblepaw. "Brackenfur, you are a courageous and skilled warrior. You will pass these skills to Bumblepaw. Bumblepaw, touch noses with your new mentor." Bumblepaw nuzzled Brackenfur and with their tails interwined, left the Highledge.
"Toadkit, in the name of StarClan, I name you Toadpaw. I shall mentor Toadpaw myself." Quivering with excitement of being the apprentice of the leader of the clan, the new apprentice nuzzled his mentor and left the ledge.
"The meeting is over!" Bramblestar yowled before he leapt from the Highledge and made his way to the Nursery. He thought his life was perfect; he had a beautiful mate, had wonderful kits and had the support of all cats as the Clan leader. However, he never knew of all the dangers and mishaps those were going to shadow his and the ThunderClan cats' lives.
A/N: Chapter 2 is up!!! What do you think about it?? Nice? Well, I am not a mind-reader so you have to review!!!! Please review! Pretty please with an ice cream cake. (Is there any stuff like that? Yum) Hope you like it and pardon me for all the errors in the story. Remember, the credits go to Erin Hunter. Toodles!!!
(P/S: Thanks 2 everyone 4 reviewing!!!!! I will acknowledge u specially in the next chapter.)