The sun lifted into the night sky and I yawned before nudging Brambleclaw. Brambleclaw blinked open his eyes and looked at me. I pointed my muzzle to the sun and he smiled. Whitestorm padded over to us. "Good morning, you three. You may speak. Your vigil is over." he meowed. I stretched out my aching jaws.
"That was the longest time I've been quiet!" I exclaimed. Tawnypelt sighed.
"It was so peaceful." she murmured blissfully. I shoved her with a chuckle and she laughed. "Well it was!" she purred. Brambleclaw yawned and stumbled to the warriors den and we watched him go.
"Aww, look at the little warrior. He's so sleepy, he can't even keep his little balance!" I gushed. Tawnypelt chuckled and padded after him. I followed them to the den with a smile. I walked in to see Brambleclaw fall on Mousefur. I snorted as he just laid there and went to sleep. "Mousefur's going to kill him when she wakes up." I chuckled. Tawnypelt laughed. Then Mousefur's eyes flickered open. "Here it comes." Mousefur lifted her head up to see Brambleclaw sprawled all over her. She growled as his paw swatted her in her muzzle.
"Get off me, you great lump of fur!" she snapped, swiping his head roughly. Brambleclaw snorted awake and looked around in confusion.
"Wha- Ow!" he yowled as Mousefur slapped his nose.
"Get off or I'll give you more than a sore nose!" she snapped. I laughed as Brambleclaw retreated to an empty nest. Mousefur grumbled as she settled back down in her nest and closed her eyes.
"Mousefur! You're on the dawn patrol, let's go!" Tigerclaw's voice called. Mousefur growled loudly and jumped to her paws.
"Brambleclaw, you owe me big time!" she snarled. Then she stomped over to us. Me and Tawnypelt hurried out of her way as she shoved past us. Mousefur spat at us in anger. "You could've stopped him from sleeping on me, you mouse-brains!" she snapped, before stomping out. Me and Tawnypelt watched her leave then shared a look. We laughed and walked over to the nests beside Brambleclaw. Brambleclaw was already snoring loudly with his body all over the place. I chuckled and settled down in my nest. I let out a sigh and closed my eyes to sleep.
Bright light filled my vision and I blinked open my eyes to see me back in Leopardclan. I yawned and padded out of my nest. Silver Frost padded up to me. "Hey, Storm Dream. Sleep well?" she mewed. I smiled. Silver Frost is so much better as a cub.
"I did, thank you." I purred.
"Wanna take a walk with me?" Silver Frost asked. I nodded and followed her out the camp. We padded into the forest in silence. "I know what you think of Thunder Light." she murmured suddenly. I looked at her.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"He's not the cat you think he is. Ever since Gold Heart died, a part of him died with her." Silver Frost murmured. Gold Heart must be Thunder Light's old mate. "He was devastated for a whole season! Until Gold Heart came to him in a dream and talked him into moving on. Ever since, he's just been trying hard to find a new mate. Every she-leopard he tries to love, he always ends up hurting them. He was going to give up… until you came along." Silver Frost mewed looking at me. I looked at my paws. "He really cares about you, Storm Dream. And I know that he may seem like a stuck up pain, but he's a really sweet tom at heart. It does kinda hurt him when you just shut him out when he tries to impress you." I sighed and closed my eyes for a moment. I thought the same way about Riverpaw… and now look at us. He found a new she-cat. He treats me like I'm just some old rotten fish.
"I know. It's just… I'm not ready for a mate. And I don't want to lead him on if there isn't any feelings between me and him. He deserves so much better than that." I meowed. Silver Frost nodded and smiled.
"At least you care about him enough to not be a tease." she murmured. I gave a small smile and looked at her.
"You sound like you care about him. Maybe you like him?" I said. Silver Frost blushed and shied away under my gaze.
"Maybe… but he just sees me as an apprentice. Nothing more." she mewed. I smiled.
"Let me talk to him. I'll tell him that he deserves a better cat. Someone who understands him. Someone like you." I murmured. Silver Frost smiled.
"You'd do that for me?" she asked. I nuzzled her cheek with a purr.
"Of course I would. You and Ocean Breeze are like sisters to me. I would do anything for you." I purred. Silver Frost purred in happiness and nuzzled my shoulder.
"Thanks, Storm Dream. You don't know how much this means to me." she murmured. Then she padded away back to camp. I stared after her in thought. Then I thought about the older Silver Frost and Ocean Breeze. They watched over me since the start. All I ever did was doubt their wisdom and denied their words when they were only trying to make sure I wouldn't get hurt. They truly are sisters to me. I smiled. I'll make it up to them. I'll stop Killing Storm even if it will cost me my life.
I woke up back in Thunderclan and Brambleclaw was standing over me. "Come on! Bluestar called us for the gathering!" he mewed excitedly. I jumped to my paws and followed him out the den. Tawnypelt was waiting for us with the other warriors by the entrance.
"Finally! We were about to leave you!" she purred. I rolled my eyes and followed them out into the forest. We padded excitedly to Four Trees and looked at the gathered clans. Bluestar stopped us before we could go down.
"Remember. There is a truce. No fighting with Riverclan and Shadowclan. Thunderclan will not be as low as them." she meowed. Longtail scoffed.
"If they start the fight, I can't promise to let them get away with it." he muttered. Bluestar pricked her ears.
"What was that, Longtail? Were you asking to go back to camp?" she snapped. Longtail flattened his ears.
"No, Bluestar. I just had a tickle in my throat." he meowed. I scoffed at his pathetic lie. Honestly, Longtail! If you're going to lie, at least make it a good one. Bluestar nodded in satisfaction then led the clan into the clearing and I padded over to the Windclan cats. The she-cat who helped me in the battle looked at me with a friendly smile.
"Hi! I never asked for your name." she purred.
"Well when we first met, I was Leopardpaw. I'm Leopardstorm now." I mewed. The she-cat purred in delight.
"Congratulations! You deserve it. I'm Ashfoot. You fought well in the battle. If it wasn't for you, I might've never seen the day my kits will be born." she meowed. I purred.
"You're expecting kits? That's great news! You and your mate must be so proud!" I purred.
"We are. I'm just glad that they'll be born in our home instead of some scary tunnel." Ashfoot meowed.
"Me too. I can't wait to meet the little guys." I purred. Ashfoot smiled and lifted her chin proudly. Then a tail tapped my shoulder. I turned around to see… Riverpaw.
"Hey…" he murmured. I glared at him and turned away.
"Hi." I sniffed. Ashfoot looked at us awkwardly.
"I think I hear my mate calling. Coming, sweetie!" she chuckled nervously. Then she quickly padded away.
"Great. You scared Ashfoot away." I snapped. Riverpaw chuckled.
"I think it was that scary look in your eyes that scared her away." he chuckled. I glared at him and he flattened his ears. "To be honest, it's kinda scaring me too."
"What do you want, Riverpaw?" I snapped. Riverpaw flicked his ear.
"Riverfang." he meowed. I looked at him with a raised eyebrow. Did he just correct me?
"What?" I snapped.
"Riverfang. I'm a warrior now." Riverfang mewed.
"Congrats. What did Crookedstar honor you for? Lying and breaking hearts?" I meowed. Riverfang lowered his head and flattened his ears.
"Leopardpaw, I'm-"
"Leopardstorm." I corrected. Riverfang sighed.
"Leopardstorm." he began again. "I'm really sorry for what I did. It's just that… I don't want to be disloyal to my clan. I have always wanted to be the best warrior I could be and-"
"So what you're saying is, is that I'm getting in the way?" I snapped.
"Yes- I mean, no. What I'm saying is, is that maybe we should just… you know… just be friends." Riverfang murmured. My whole world just crashed around me. Did he just... ? Oh that little… I glared at him and my lip curled in anger.
"How can we be just friends after everything we done together?" I snapped.
"Same way we met each other." Riverfang meowed bluntly.
"Oh that's a great idea! Let me just think of a story to tell and then we can be considered friends. Hmm, how about the story of the stupid tom who get's his tail shoved down his throat?" I growled.
"I meant that we just ignore our feelings and try from the very beginning. We can act we never met and just start all over. It would be better for both of us." Riverfang said. I hissed and dug my claws into the earth.
"You know what. Fine. Except that when we act like we never met, we should just keep it at that. After all. Like you said, it's better for both of us." I meowed. Before he could say anything, I flicked his nose with my tail and padded away with my snout and tail in the air. Stupid toms! All they know how to do is break hearts! I don't need him. I don't need any of them. Except my brother and father, of course. I padded over to Tigerclaw who was sitting with my siblings.
"Leopardstorm? What's wrong?" he asked. I flicked my ear and sat beside them.
"Just had a little talk with Riverfang. Well Riverpaw but he's a warrior now." I meowed. Tigerclaw bristled and he tensed up.
"He's here? Where?" he growled.
"Don't worry about it. I got it handled." I mewed.
"Well now it's my turn to handle him. Where is this cat?" Tigerclaw snapped. Tawnypelt rested her tail on Tigerclaw's shoulder.
"It's a truce. You can't do anything to him. Besides, the other cats might hear and it will only make things worse for Leopardstorm." she murmured. Tigerclaw sighed and scratched the dirt.
"I hate it when you're right." he muttered. I chuckled and beckoned him to the other deputies.
"You should go to your place. The gathering's about to start." I meowed as the leaders jumped onto the Great Rock. Tigerclaw nodded and padded over to his spot among the other deputies. Tallstar stood on the Great Rock with his head held high and his tail wrapped neatly over his paws.
"Windclan is doing well. One of our elders have died last night but other than that, the clan is still thriving- and fit enough to fight another day." he said looking at the two leaders. Crookedstar growled while Nightstar flattened his ears.
"Thunderclan is also doing well." Bluestar meowed before they began to argue. "Five of our apprentices have become warriors, Sandstorm, Dustpelt, Tawnypelt, Brambleclaw, and Leopardstorm." Windclan and Thunderclan cheered our names while Riverclan and Shadowclan kept silent and I flicked my ear. Disrespectful.
"Riverclan is doing terrifically. In fact so terrifically, that we are fit enough to fight for seasons!" Crookedstar announced, glaring at Tallstar. Tallstar bristled and his hackles rose.
"Good because if you ever attack us again, we'll give you more than just a few scratches to remember us by!" he snarled. I widened my eyes as light clouds began to drift in front of the moon and Bluestar stepped between them.
"Enough! The battle is over and fought. We are at a gathering. Learn some sense and grow up. Nightstar. How is your clan?" she snapped. I smiled and flicked my ear in approval. You tell 'em, Bluestar! Nightstar looked at the leaders.
"Shadowclan is also doing fine. Hunting is great and our clan is thriving." he announced. Bluestar nodded and stood up.
"Then the gathering is over." she meowed. The clans dispersed and went to their territories. I followed my clan through our forest.
"Bluestar is great." Tawnypelt meowed. I nodded in agreement.
"She reminds me of Mousefur sometimes." I chuckled. Tawnypelt laughed.
"Speaking of Mousefur, hey Brambleclaw! Does your nose still hurt from yesterday's swatting?" she snickered. Brambleclaw growled and I laughed.
"We must never speak of that again." he snapped. I rolled my eyes and followed my clan to camp. I padded into my den and settled in my nest. Brambleclaw and Tawnypelt settled in their nests beside me and we drifted off into sleep.