Chapter 5

An Unheeded Warning

"Hey Stonepaw! Stop sulking, this will be fun!" shouted an excited orange tabby.

"Fun is not the right word for a war Emberpaw," growled the ThunderClan deputy, Brownpelt. "Already word that RivereClan and WindClan have made an alliance is floating around, how long will it be before ThunderClan succumbs to the madness?"

'And now is the time to take action,' Stonepaw thought. "Brownpelt?"

"Yes?" The deputy's hazel eyes flicked to the apprentice.

"We must attack," he mewed carefully, "RiverClan's the easiest to take out."

Brownpelt whirled on Stonehenge, his claws raking across the apprentice's nose, "RiverClan is still our ally! Who are you to tell your deputy what to do?" he snarled.

'I will be a warrior one day, and when that day comes…when that day comes…' Stonepaw's thought trailed off as they walked in silence.

"I'm sorry Stonepaw, you just aren't ready to become a warrior yet," Brownpelt said with the shake of his head.

Stonepaw growled "You've held my warrior ceremony back three moons now. I'm almost twelve moons, I know warriors who aren't even twelve moons yet!"

Brownpelt shook his head and padded away.

The stone-grey apprentice padded haughtily through camp to find his mentor. He found her in the warriors den and dipped his head respectfully, "Hello Bluefur," he purred.

"Greetings my young friend," she meowed, licking her dark grey forepaw.

"Bluefur… I've seen the way people look at me; they're scared of me, but why?" Stonepaw asked.

Bluefur stopped her grooming and stared over the head of her apprentice, "It's because they see a new power rising a po-"

"A power?" he said in awe, "A power to lead the clans? Will I lead the clans?" his eyes wide and eager.

The she-cat's gaze burned fiercely as she dropped her eyes to look at the young cat "If you are murderous, reckless, and your heart is hard as stone, you will succeed."

Stonepaw's eyes went wide with excitement, "Wow, really!" he grinned, prancing off and ignoring the warning in Bluefur's voice.

Later that evening Stonepaw lay out under the dim night sky, 'Ha, Brownpelt was weaker than I thought.' The grey apprentice was smug as he stretched, admiring the blood on his claws. 'Couldn't even kill an apprentice, didn't even try,' he purred, gazing up at the deep red-orange moon. 'Echostar even watched, saw how powerful I am. She watched and when I slit Brownpelt's throat she just smiled and walked away.'

"I Echostar, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. Stonepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Stonepaw purred; his head held high.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Stonepaw, from this moment you will be known as Stonehenge. StarClan honors your strength and your diligence, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Echostar rested her muzzle on Stonehenge's head.

"Stonehenge, Stonehenge, Stonehenge!" The clan chanted in unison.

"Now Stonehenge, I don't mean to ask too much of you, but will you take on the responsibilities of Deputy, should our ancestors approve?"

Stonehenge stood there, mouth open and closing. "Of… of course," he stuttered.

"Good," Echostar purred. "Then I say these words before the body of Brownpelt, that the spirits of our warrior ancestors may hear and approve of my choice. The new deputy of Thunderclan will be Stonehenge."

"Tonight, you Featherfoot and Tigerheart shall sit your vigil." Echostar purred to her new deputy.

"Stonehenge, come quick! Bluefur's called for you," a young, grey she-cat with lengthy fur meowed, panting as she padded up to Stonehenge. With a nod from Echostar, Stonehenge followed quickly to the medicine den. "He's coming mother," the grey cat mewed as she pushed her way through the brambles.

"Thank you Featherfoot," the old warrior coughed, her breathing ragged and short. "Featherfoot, I am so proud of you," she purred, licking her daughter's cheek. "And Stonehenge," she gazed sadly at the warrior, "I am honored that you were my last apprentice-"

"Don't say that," Stonehenge broke in roughly, his voice shaky. "You'll be well again before you know it."

Bluefur smiled weakly, "You never give up. But there is no hope for me, without a medicine ca-" she coughed violently, her body shaking with cold. "Even if Spottedleaf were here I would not make it."

"Now listen," she whispered gravely, "Featherfoot, I've loved you from the day you were born and I've watched you grow into a strong, beautiful warrior. But now, I must tell you the truth." The old, dying warrior coughed, blood trickling out her nose, "You are not my kit."

"What!" Featherfoot cried, her tail dragging on the ground, "don't say that, of course I am, you just sai-"

"I know what I said," the old warrior growled, her voice hoarse. "But your mother could not take you as her own and asked that I would take you, I was pregnant then you see." Bluefur's eyes were glazed over as she recalled the story, "It's against the Warrior Code for a Medicine Cat to have kits, and Spottedleaf was my best friend, I wouldn't have betrayed her to Echostar like that. So I took you and your sister Silverkit, but she died soon after."

Featherfoot leaned heavily on Stonehenge, "but… but that's not- it's just not possible," she breathed.

"Not everything is as it seems I'm afraid," the old cat mewed, "will you forgive me?"

"Of course, there is nothing to forgive," Featherfoot purred sadly, rubbing her face against Bluefur's.

The dying warrior flicked her tail and curled into a ball, her breathing shallow and raspy. "Stonehenge, you will be one of the most powerful warriors the forest has ever known. I just hope… the price is… worth it." Bluefur breathed slowly for a moment, the young deputy still at her side, "One last thing, promise me that you'll look after my daughter?"

Stonehenge nodded solemnly. "Of course I will," he whispered to the dead warrior.