Everyone who reads this chapter, I'm really asking you to go vote on my poll. I need to find out the results of the poll so that I can decide on Birchpaw's warrior name. I must say that I abhor Birchfall. I'll try to write one more chapter with him as an apprentice but if I don't get enough votes, it won't be up anytime soon. I really want to know what to call him. I like Birchfeather and Birchfrost the best, but don't change your vote for me. Applepaw's warrior name is already decided. (and in this chapter.) I love it, my friend hates it. I dunno how you will take it. Why not review and say? -wink wink nudge nudge-
Rubyrose1 - yes, that's exactly right.
Gemia - Thank you!
Gladewing - I know. Snowpaw is a jerk:D Nah, she just likes Smokepaw and hates Applepaw. Wait... same difference.
-Birchpaw's POV-
Blissfully I lay in the sun's rays. Whitepaw is uncomfortably close to me, but I won't move and disturb her – she's sleeping. I think in the back of my mind about Applepaw, whom I haven't seen in what feels like moons, but then scold myself inwardly.
Why can't she be ThunderClan????
The Gathering is tonight and I am hoping with all my heart, mind, and soul that both of us will get to go. And by both, I don't mean Whitepaw and I. Even though she seems to think of us that way. But I know she's got Spiderleg on her trail, and seeing as she's going to be made a warrior tonight – shh, it's a secret – I think that Spiderleg might get his fondest dream to come true.
I know mine already has.
-x-
It is near sundown, and Firestar has called the Clan together so that he can give Whitepaw her warrior name.
"Whitepaw, will you please step forward," Firestar requests. Her snowy white pelt is gleaming in the little light. There is no question that she is beautiful, but I don't feel anything for her. Just as those thoughts cross my mind, she turns around and indulgently smiles at me, as if to say, 'It's alright, Birchpaw. Don't feel left out. You'll be with me soon.' Her startling green eyes lock onto Spiderleg's; he is gazing at her with such longing that I find it hard to believe that she can't tell he loves her.
"Brackenfur, are you satisfied that Whitepaw is ready to become an apprentice?"(a/n: Gladewing it's funny that both of us are writing about Brackenfur's apprentices in the same day:D)
Brackenfur's reply is strong and sure. "Yes, Firestar," he meows with conviction ringing from his voice.
"Then I, Firestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you in her turn. Whitepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to defend this Clan at the cost of your life?"
Whitepaw's voice is thick with emotion. "Yes, I do," she mews. Her throat sounds choked.
"Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. From this moment you will be known as Whiteflower. StarClan honors your loyalty and your courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan," Firestar finished, sounding solemn but certain. He steps forward to rest his muzzle on Whiteflower's head, and she flicks out her vivid pink tongue to lick his shoulder.
The Clan begins to chant. "White-flow-er! White-flow-er!" She looks thrilled as she raced back towards me. Whiteflower presses her pink nose to my cheek, and whispers in my ear, "Birchpaw, I'll wait for you."
Greatttttt.
Spiderleg is staring enviously at me, because now that crazy she-cat is excitedly twining her tail into mine and pulling me really close. I take two steps backwards. "Whitepa-flower, I'm sorry but I-"
"Tell me tomorrow, Birchpaw. Don't worry, I'll still spend all my free time with you."
Like I said before, greatttttt.
-x-
Blackstar is balanced on the tree's lowest branch, addressing the Clans. It irritates me that he didn't even speak to any cat when he arrived, just leapt onto the branch and yowled for the meeting to start. I didn't even get half a chance to see if Applepaw is here.
"Cats of all Clans, gather 'round for the meeting to begin!" he shrieks.
Sandstorm, (Firestar of course), Brambleclaw, Whiteflower, Thornclaw and I are all here. Sandstorm who's to my right is looking up at Blackstar like he's crazy.
Which, of course, he is.
Whiteflower's seated close by me, to my left. Firestar jumps a branch down and meows something into Blackstar's ear. Blackstar looks at Firestar like he wants to take a large chunk out of Firestar's throat. I rise halfway to my paws and seriously start to look for Applepaw. We agreed before that if we both came to the Gathering, we'd purposely get left behind, so we could be together. Whiteflower asks me, "Who ya lookin' for?" in this tone that seriously irks me. She's not my mate, and not my mom, so she can back off for once!
Applepaw obviously.
I respond nonchalantly. "No one in particular, just checking out who's here." Okay, so maybe there was a slight – okay obvious – edge to my voice. But she should be able to tell that Spiderleg's the one who likes her, not me!
Blackstar still voices his news first. "ShadowClan is thriving." Big whoop. "Tawnypelt has had a litter of kits. They are called Flamekit, Dawnkit, and Tigerkit!" (a/n yeah I seriously messed up the time scale. But I did it on purpose.) "We also have made two apprentices warriors! Snowpaw has become Snowstep, and Applepaw's new name-"
Oh my StarClan. Applepaw's a warrior.
"- is Applenose!" A large circle clears itself around Snowstep and Applenose. I bound forward. I don't even care if it's obvious. Applenose looks stunning. Absolutely gorgeous. Snowstep looks identical to Whiteflower. I'm not interested in her much though. My eyes are firmly fixed on Applenose, and I don't want to look away.
"Snowstep is expecting kits and will soon move to the nursery," Blackstar continues. Snowstep doesn't exactly look happy about it, which is really odd. Toadpaw looks at her fondly, and I wonder if he might be the father. Snowstep doesn't return Toadpaw's smile – instead, she is staring at Smokepaw with intense longing. Ooooh, she likes him but Applenose told me Smokepaw liked her(Applenose). Love square thingy, anyone?
Weird. If the father was Toadpaw… He was always so hard to please.
Firestar spoke next: "ThunderClan too is doing well. We are slightly short of apprentices but Daisy's kits will be apprenticed soon. We also have made a new warrior. Whitepaw has been renamed Whiteflower. That is all ThunderClan has to say."
Whiteflower is purring extremely loudly and twining her tail with mine so hard that it hurts. Everyone is watching us. Including Applenose, who, so happy only seconds before, looks like she might have an emotional breakdown. I widen my eyes at her and curl my lip at Whiteflower – everyone else had looked away, but Applenose still stares at us. Hurt crawls all over her face. I cannot bear to go on looking.
All the curses of HeckClan are boiling in my head and I am just itching to spit them all in Whiteflower's face. But instead I wrench my tail away from her death grip and wrap it firmly around my own paws. Whiteflower looks like she too might cry.
Crying she-cats suck.
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Is it good? I was pushing for inspiration. And yeah, I'm going to mess up the timeline quite a bit and apprentice Daisy's kits in the next couple chapters. I'd love reviews! Please and thank you.
(z)--Aquasteam