I woke up and it was raining again, drumming steadily on a stone roof. My first thought was that I was back in Storm's den, our den. It certainly smelled like it. "Storm," I moaned.
"Right here," his soft voice said.
"Move, son. I'm still working," Rosepool said gently. "C'mon, hon. You came back from the dead once, you can't leave now," she muttered, almost to herself. I blinked my eyes open and realized I was in the medicine cat den in camp.
"Rosepool?" I asked. "Where's the other cats?"
"Which other cats?"
"Them. The other ones."
"Oh. They're outside, resting. What's left of them, anyway." I felt my blood run cold and stood.
"Ripplepaw! Lie down this instant!" Rosepool commanded.
"No," I replied. "Please, Rosepool. I have to talk to them." I brushed past her. She protested but Storm said something softly to her and hurried after me, letting me lean on his shoulder. I limped across our clearing, which bore many bodies, with cats huddled around them, the other Clans' medicine cats hurrying from group to group. The other Clan, the nameless Clan, was huddled by themselves off in a corner of the overcrowded camp around their own dead. Heads turned as I walked by, whispers piercing the silent air. The nameless Clan rose to their paws almost as one, lowering their heads to me.
"Why are they doing that?" I whispered to Storm.
One of the other cats picked it up and called back, "Because you stopped the battle. You understood." His fellows nodded, their eyes filled with gratitude. I ducked my head and limped over to Highboulder. Storm helped me up and I stood there for a second. No cat argued.
I took a deep breath. "We have all suffered greatly tonight." Heads nodded in agreement. "It was not the fault of the group who now rests over there," I insisted, flicking my tail at the Clan. "It was the fault of one cat and one cat only. Flamestar is the only one cat at fault for this battle. But the Clans from long ago are also at fault." The looks of agreement on the Clan cats' faces changed from agreement to confusion, while the nameless Clan nodded.
"She's right," one called.
"What?" one of our cats yowled
"Listen!" Dawnflight snapped back. Silence fell once more.
I nodded at her and continued. "I don't quite know the full story," I said. "But I do know that the Clans have, long ago, wronged these cats. They are a Clan. They belong here, but they were driven away for reasons unknown. They were forgotten. Flamestar no doubt offered them their territory back. They could not refuse. They assisted him in an effort to right the wrong we committed so long ago."
Yowls of confusion and protest broke the silence, but they were quieted again by another yowl.
Two cats stepped forward from the nameless Clan. A grey she-cat and a black tom. The she-cat spoke first. "How do you know all this, youngster?"
I shrugged. "I listened."
The nameless Clan nodded approval. "Well done," the tom rasped. "Yes. We are DarkClan. Clan of Darkstone."
Shocked gasps rippled through the camp.
"Why did you leave?" I asked.
"It wasn't a good place for a Clan. The terrain was so unstable, and a rockslide crushed our camp and killed several of our cats." (Storm and I exchanged a glance.) "We sought new territory, but the other Clans would give us none. We fled the valley and we're living close. We send scouts out once in a while, to check out the other Clans. One of us met Flamestar, and he offered us a deal. We were foolish enough to accept it."
"Flamestar was a lying scumbag," Dawnflight replied. "He fooled many others. Don't worry about it." The black tom nodded gratefully.
"I'm afraid we have no territory to offer you except for your old home," Blizzardstar said regretfully.
Storm leapt up beside me. "I have lived on Darkstone for over seven moons, my family longer. It is a wonderful place," he insisted
"It has been stable for many moons," Stonestar added. "The rocks have not thundered any time in living memory."
The DarkClan cats began nodding. "It's better than nothing," the grey she-cat pointed out. "We won't be able to make it out of the valley like this. We should stay a while," she pressed.
The black tom sighed. "I suppose."
I smiled. "Welcome."
Stonestar, Rainstar and Blizzardstar nodded. "Welcome. I am Blizzardstar," Blizzardstar said.
"I am Rainstar."
"I am Stonestar."
"I am Nightstar," the black tom said. We nodded welcome. A few cats cheered.
"Where's Flamestar?" I asked. Stonestar flicked his tail at the orange body. I winced. Storm leaned over and whispered to me.
"You'd better get down." He helped me off the boulder and back into the medicine den, where a lovingly ticked off Rosepool hustled me into a nest and started grabbing herbs.
"We are here today to name a new apprentice, and two warriors," Lilystar announced from atop Highboulder.
"Shykit, come forward." The grey she-kit bounced forward. "From this day forward, until she earns her warrior name, this apprentice shall be known as Shypaw," she said. "Meadowjay, you shall be her mentor. Pass on all the courage and skill you poses to her."
Won't take much, I thought as the Clan cheered and mentor and apprentice touched noses.
"Ripplepaw and Storm, come forward." The two of us stepped up. Storm looked nervous, but I comforted him with a gentle lick. "This ceremony is long overdue," Lilystar said, "But it's better late than never. Sooo..." She took a deep breath and looked down at the two of us. "Ripplepaw, Storm, do you promise to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
No duh, I couldn't help thinking. "I do." Storm nodded his agreement.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I grant you your warrior names. Ripplepaw, from this day forward, you shall be known as Ripplefern. Storm, you shall be known as Stormheart. StarClan honors your skill, courage, intelligence, and everything else that allows us all to be standing here today, with a new Clan in our midst. Welcome, warriors!" she cried. The Clan erupted into cheers.
I felt like I was going to cry. I lifted my head to the heavens and prayed. You hear that, Rainstep? You hear that, Firstar? You hear that, Frostleaf? Your little apprentice is finally a warrior.