Shadowpaw:

"Good, she's awake." A chorus of pleasant voices rang as one in Shadowpaw's ears, as she opened her eyes into a sudden light. Was it the light of the fire? No, it was something warmer, mellower. From the line of cats that greeted her, Shadowpaw could only recognize a few; one was especially familiar.

"Blackstream!" she mewed, rubbing against her mother. Then, she turned to face the rest of the cats, noticing the stars shimmering faintly in their fur. "Am I dead?" she asked. And what about Lightkit?

"No, little one." Blackstream looked younger and stronger as she spoke again. "It is not your time yet. You are simply unconscious, and we will send you back in just a heartbeat, while you recover."

"No!" Shadowpaw protested. "Send me back before Lightkit dies!"

Blackstream gazed at her, and for a heartbeat, Shadowpaw could see a flicker of amusement in her eyes. "I see you have spirit, more than I had ever thought you had during my lifetime. Very well, we will send you back now." She led the black apprentice over to a pool of water... or was it water? It seemed to shimmer and glow, the light glittering as it struck the water. "Goodbye, Shadowpaw, and good luck."

Before Shadowpaw could say anything else, something - was it Blackstream? - pushed her, and she tumbled into the pool, not just falling, but being pulled down by some invisible force, down, down, down...

Shadowpaw blinked awake to see the flames ebbing away. She was unable to see through the thick smoke, and she could tell her pelt was scorched, though it was black. Lightkit lay under her, a burn on her flank. "Lightkit?" She prodded the she-cat.

Lightkit blinked and stood up. "You were unconscious for so long! I thought you were dead!" Shadowpaw simply purred and flicked her tail. "Thank you! You saved my life!"

Shadowpaw simply licked Lightkit over her ears and pressed against her, warmth glowing in the depths of her green eyes. "I'm just glad you're okay," she mewed. She had always been friends with the young she-cat; this incident would most definitely create an even stronger bond between them. She let out a sigh of relief, seeing the ash around the camp. "The danger is over. Come on, let's catch up to the others." She picked up Lightkit in her jaws and gingerly made her way around the smoldering trees and smoke.

She didn't have to look for her clanmates for long. Almost as soon as she padded through the sooty thorn tunnel that seemed like it would collapse soon enough, she was greeted by the shocked mews of her clanmates, who were returning from the island. "Shadowpaw!"

"She survived!"

"She found Lightkit!"

Nightbreeze made her way through the crowd and greeted Shadowpaw warmly. "Thank you, Shadowpaw." She gently took Lightkit from her jaws. "I don't know what would have happened if I lost Lightkit."

"Shadowpaw?" Moonblaze was staring at her with an expression of pure shock on her face. "What happened? How did you do it?"

Shadowpaw looked at her. "I... I don't really remember."

Lightkit bounced toward her. "She leaped over a burning log to get into the nursery, and then she found me! And then, there was no way out of the camp, and we were surrounded by fire, and Shadowpaw stayed on top of me when the fire got really close to us and surrounded us." Her eyes were wide as she spoke. "And then, she passed out, on top of me. When she woke, the fire was gone."

Shadowpaw shot her a grateful glance, which she returned with a small dip of her head. "Well done, Shadowpaw." It was Moonblaze who spoke, her eyes glittering with affection. "You showed great courage when you went back to save Lightkit. She would have died without you." Shadowpaw studied her paws in embarrassment as the clan murmured cheers and congratulations to her. "Now, what is the state of the camp?" Shadowpaw sensed fear and anxiety behind her mew.

"The thorn tunnel needs to be reinforced, and the nursery is blocked by a huge log. Uh... the elders' den and leader's den are completely destroyed. The medicine den is perfectly fine, I believe... and so is the Highledge. Everything else doesn't need immediate attention, but does need to be strengthened later on." Moonblaze gazed at her with a newfound respect in her eyes and dipped her head, her tail kinking over her back, a gesture for the clan to follow as she entered the hollow that made ThunderClan's camp.

Ashfire was suddenly beside Shadowpaw. "I was so worried! I was sure you were dead! What you did was amazing, but it was risky. Don't ever do that again!" Shadowpaw purred and nodded in mock respect. She knew Ashfire was just worried for her.

"I guess I'm going to be the leader's apprentice," Shadowpaw remarked, falling in beside her mentor as they padded into camp.

Moonblaze turned to her. "No, you won't."

"What?"

Moonblaze simply leaped up onto the Highledge. Am I going to have a new mentor? There was no need to call the clan together; they were already there. "It is with sorrow that I announce that Jaystar has gone to hunt with StarClan. I am your new leader, but I cannot afford to visit the Moonpool today, because of all that has happened; I will go tomorrow."

A yowl or two sounded from below. "Moonstar!"

The rest of the clan took up the call, including Shadowpaw. "Moonstar! Moonstar!"

"First, I have two ceremonies to perform. I say these words before StarClan, so that the spirits of our warrior ancestors may hear and approve of my choice. Goldenshine will be the new deputy of ThunderClan. Goldenshine, you have proven yourself a loyal warrior in your turn," Moonstar mewed, addressing the golden-furred senior she-cat. "Do you accept the position of deputy?"

Shadowpaw was silent as Goldenshine dipped her head. "I do."

"Thank you." Moonstar nodded to Goldenshine.

"Goldenshine! Goldenshine!" Shadowpaw yowled, alongside her clanmates, cheering for the new deputy. She deserves it.

"Another thing," Moonstar mewed. It's about me, isn't it? Shadowpaw thought. I'm going to have a new mentor? "Shadowpaw has shown exceeding courage during the fire." Shadowpaw gasped. I'm becoming a warrior! Agreeing murmurs broke out among her clanmates.

"Go on," Ashfire whispered. "You deserve it."

"I approve of Shadowpaw's training, and believe that she deserves to be a warrior, and so much more," Moonstar mewed. "I, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior anscestors to look at this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn. Shadowpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." Shadowpaw's voice was clear as it rang out. Just that, I have a sister in another clan.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Shadowpaw, from this moment onward, you will be known as Shadowflame, because you have proven that even the darkest of shadows have their light. StarClan honors your loyalty and courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

Shadowflame puffed out her chest and licked Moonstar's shoulder with respect. "Shadowflame! Shadowflame!"