chapter 2- many new faces

"How are you?" turning, i face the speaker and my heart skips a beat.

"Well let me see Rockheart, we made it to the forest... we found the camps, split the territory, and found the island for gatherings... I'm ecstatic!" i shout sarcastically.

"Then why do you not sound so ecstatic?" Rockheart meows, lying down next to me and brushing his pelt against mine.

"I don't know. I guess because even though we have the territory... we have no cats to occupy the spaces."

"Yeah... so? Now we can just worry about finding them instead of finding a home too," He purrs, licking my shoulder," But right now lets worry about the cats we do have." We shove to our feet and dive into the water. Reaching the other side, we shake our pelts, water droplets spraying out.

"Race ya!" I shout, taking off in full speed for the Riverclan camp. As we race through the forest i can't help but smile. We burst through the tunnel to find Sunpaw and Shadepaw practicing their battle moves. Moonpaw comes trotting in with a big squirrel and a blackbird in her jaws. Morningray is talking to Alligatortooth and sorting herbs while trying to teach him how to make poultices.

"Hello Morningray, Alligatortooth," I greet them with a flick of my tail," How's the herbs coming along?"

" We have a lot for so little cats Bramblefeather and trying to train all these cats about them is simply harder than it looks." Morningray mumbles through a mouthful of comfrey.

"Yes i know, but hopefully on our scouting today we will pick up a cat interested in medicine more than fighting and hunting." i meow back, jumping onto the high rocks for a clan meeting. All the cats stop and turn, excited to see who is going on the scouting patrol.

" The cats going in search of more members are me, Rockheart, Sunpaw, and Morningray. All others i want some hunting done and some fighting practice. Alligatortooth, you are in charge until i return. Lets head out!" Jumping down, we head for the tunnel and into the forest. As we enter twolegplace i hear a mewl coming from a dumpster near an abandoned building. As i get closer i hear voices.

"Shush Daisy! Your gonna wake your sister!" the voice hisses quietly. I jump up onto the edge and look in to find four cats. The tom hisses and the she-cat surrounds her kits.

"What do you want?!" The tom yowls, his voice shaking from hunger.

"Simply to ask if you want to join us." i meow calmly back.

As we enter the camp i see that everyone is practicing their fighting. Shadepaw is pinned by Moonpaw and Alligatortooth is giving pointers. I jump onto high rocks and let out a yowl, hinting that everyone should listen up.

" Today has been successful... we have gained seven cats... four would like to join Thunderclan, one would like to join Riverclan, and two would like to join Shadowclan. Please step forward," i meow gesturing at the silvery grey tom,"Minnow, do you swear to uphold the warrior code, even to your last breath?"

"I do!" he meows confidently.

"Then by the power of starclan, for your bravery and hunting skills, we name you Minnowsplash," after the cheers die down i go on,"Floss ,do you swear to uphold the warrior code, even to your last breath?"

"I do!"

"Then by the power of starclan, for your honesty and kindheart, i name you Silversong!"

"Minnowsplash! Silversong! Fallenpaw! Dragonflame! Rainbowstream! Vampirefang! Frostpaw! Nightpaw!" the clan shouts.

"Go train apprentices!" with this Fallenpaw and Shadepaw take off with Rockheart to the training hollow and Alligatortooth, Nightpaw, Morningray, and Sunpaw head out on a hunting patrol.

" Hey Bramblefeather?!," Frostpaw meows from the building site of the elders den," Can you take me and Moonpaw out to the hollow too?"

" I will later, i promise, but right now i have to go on another patrol for new recruits!," i shout back," Minnowsplash, Silversong, Dragonflame, and Vampirefang, Lets go!"

As we head out i hear Rainbowstream messing with the herbs. I THINK THUNDERCLAN HAS THEIR MEDICINE CAT.

"Vampirefang, Dragonflame, and Silversong go down that alley and travel till we meet up again. Rockheart, Minnowsplash, and I will go this way," I meow, gesturing with my tail for us to separate," You know what to say and do when we meet others, so be prepared and proud. Good luck and we will meet back here by sun high." We head out and not long after we separate my patrol runs into a problem. A construction hole is not seen and Rockheart falls in.

"Rockheart!," I yelp jumping back and grabbing Minnowsplash's tail so he does not fall in," Are you okay?"

" Yeah I'm fine! It's just really dark down here!" He shouts back up.

"Minnowsplash," I turn to address the light grey warrior," I need you to go find the others and tell them of our problem. Do not come find us because we know where we are. If you find other cats, try an recruit them. You are not limited on time. If we do not come back by the next gathering, I want you to be the next leader and Silversong to be the deputy. While i am gone, i want Dragonflame to mentor Frostpaw, Rainbowstream for Moonpaw for medicine cat reasons, Silversong for Fallenpaw, and Vampirefang for Shadepaw. Good luck! Now go!" I shout at him before jumping down into the hole.

"There are tunnels over here," Rockheart meows uncertainly," But there are two tunnels."

"So lets take the first and if its a dead end we know that we have to try the other." We head into the first tunnel and everything goes black.

Minnowsplash's P.O.V

I walk swiftly through the allies looking for other cats, as well as Silversong and the rest of her patrol.

"Excuse me?" I jump as i hear a soft voice to my left. Turning i see a white she-cat crouching in the shadows.

"Can you help me?" She mews pitifully.

"What's wrong?" I question, stepping closer and seeing her fragile frame.

"I'm hungry, but i don't know how to hunt." I nod and head to another part of the alley. I return with three mice.

"Here! Two for you and one for me." I sit next to her and as we eat i explain clan life. Though i don't really know her, I can't help but want to always stay by her side.

Bramblefeather's P.O.V

"Wow! It's getting really dark now!" Rockheart meows from infront. We have been walking for what feels like a moon and i can't help but ask if we can stop.

"Of course," Rockheart meows with a purr," Come lie beside me." He curls up on a ledge and flicks his tail for me to lie with him. As i curl up with him he twines his tail with mine and we are both soon asleep.

A rockslide and an almost flood later, we exit the tunnels.

"Finally!" I shout and start to groom my fur from all the cobwebs.

"Hello," I turn to see a small dark grey tom and a red tom lying in a garden box," What's your name?" Asks the small grey tom.

"I'm Bramblefeather and this is Rockheart," I meow kindly," And we are from Riverclan."

"Those are weird names," he mews with a hint of laughter in his amber eyes," My names Fuzz and this is Fox." He gestures to the red tom with his tail.

"Nice to meet you." I shoot into the story of the clans.

"Home sweet home," i meow happily as i see the Riverclan camp up ahead," Welcome to Riverclan." We head into the dip and what i see amazes me.

There are at least 20 cats in the hollow. I can tell that they aren't just Riverclan recruits but i can see a lot of new faces.

"Bramblefeather, Rockheart! Your back!" purrs Minnowsplash from the fresh kill pile.

"Yes now will you please introduce me to these new cats?" I purr back, licking his shoulder.

"Of course!," He meows running to the high rocks," but i didn't name them. I thought you should do the honor."

"Thank you." And with that i jump to the high rock to rename many new warriors.