Lionblaze-ThunderClan

The wounds healed quickly. Sprucefang was Jayfeather's biggest worry, with a swollen eye, but he too, recovered. I was shocked at my own wound inflicted by Heathertail, and Jayfeather was worried. It wasn't deep, but the fact that I had been injured was scary enough.

Rosepetal recovered enough from her kitting to help Jayfeather treat the wounded, and Amberbreeze had regained consciousness enough to fall back asleep. My dreams were haunted by Heathertail staring up at me through the ice and Emberfoot wailing. Stripe occasionally entered my thoughts, but I would always push it away.

Bramblestar hopped out onto Highledge. It was nearly sunhigh, and so far, the whole Clan had to share a single thrush. The queens and the elders split it between them so that every cat got a decent mouthful before passing it on to the next cat.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here by the Highledge!"

I shared a puzzled glance with Jayfeather. "What this about?"

"Quietpaw had a vision at the Moonpool. We've figured out what it means, and then there was the battle with WindClan…"

I felt my pelt grow hot. "It wasn't my fault. She attacked me."

"Uh-huh." He sat down at the edge of the crowd and I went to join Cinderheart.

"There is a cat here that showed extreme courage during the battle against WindClan, and she is a strong young cat ready for her warrior name. Heronpaw, step forward."

Next to Thistlepaw, my daughter stepped forward. Cinderheart let out a gasp as she hurried forward. "Thornclaw, are you satisfied that your apprentice, Heronpaw, is ready to become a warrior?"

Pride rose inside me as Thornclaw answered. "Yes, she is ready."

"I, Bramblestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. She has trained to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her as a warrior in her turn." He turned to Heronpaw. "Heronpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

It shocked me to see her pelt well-groomed, though every rib was clearly visible through her pelt. Cinderheart noticed too, and pressed against me. "I do," my daughter answered steadily.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Heronpaw, for now on, you will be known as Heronfrost. StarClan honors your battle skills and intelligence, and ThunderClan welcomes you as a full warrior." The Clan yowled, "Heronfrost! Heronfrost!" I blinked with pride as I stared at my daughter. Cinderheart let out a purr. Thistlepaw, a much younger apprentice who had just witnessed her first battle yesterday, ran up to Heronfrost. "I'll be alone in the den, now that Fogpaw's got greencough."

"You'll be a warrior in a moon or so. Icecloud's a great mentor for you." The new warrior gave the apprentice a reassuring lick.

Fogpaw lurched out of the medicine cat's den, staring at his sister in awe. She turned around and pressed against him. "You should be here with me, you know."

He shook his head, looking firm. "You deserve it. I heard you made Swallowtail very, very angry. Guess you fought good."

"She was brilliant," Mousewhisker mewed. "She chased Nightcloud past the border, halfway across the moor!"

Cinderheart purred again, looking happy, though there was a shadow of grief in her eyes. "Our o0ther kits would be apprentices now, Lionblaze."

I nodded softly, sharing her fear. Fogpaw was ill. Heronfrost was strong and healthy, but greencough could take down the most powerful leader.

Bramblestar went on. "I am happy to see we have so many warriors in our Clan." But his gaze lingered over Leafpool, Foxleap, and me. I felt a pang of protectiveness towards Heronfrost and Cinderheart. Quietpaw rushed Fogpaw back to his nest. Cinderheart lingered a moment longer before heading for the nursery, and Icecloud took her apprentice, Thistlepaw, to a hunting practice.

"The Gathering is tomorrow," Dustpelt meowed to Bramblestar. "Who are you bringing?"

He shrugged and went to the nursery. Cinderheart was in the nursery….I slipped past Dustpelt and went into the bramble den.

But Bramblestar was just visiting Squirrelflight, who was a moon away from kitting. I glanced at the ground, feeling self-conscious. Bramblestar glanced back at me, his eyes hardening. "Lionblaze, take Mousewhisker, Ivypool, and Poppyfrost hunting."

"What about Heronfrost?" I blurted. "Her vigil doesn't start until nightfall."

"Fine," he sniffed. "Take her."

I nodded, feeling the spike of tension in the air. Cinderheart waved her tail in farewell as we left. I nodded to Mousewhisker, who was still chatting with Heronfrost, and Poppyfrost, who was sharing tongues with Berrynose near the Highledge. Ivypool glared at me through narrowed eyes as I called her over from where she was sharing a meal with Bumblestripe and Briarlight. I felt a pang of guilt, knowing it was probably the only mouthful of prey she'd had in days. I waved my tail at her, and she gulped down her share before joining us. "Where we going?"

"Hunting," I answered. "Near the abandoned Twoleg nest."

"All the mice will be in the nest," Poppyfrost objected. "Why not go inside the nest?" Her amber eyes glittered at the prospect of hunting, and I realized she had a valid point.

"Okay," I agreed, but I had my own doubts. Ivypool took the lead as Heronfrost and Mousewhisker took the rear, continuing to talk. I felt a flash of impatience-they were scaring off the prey. By the look of Ivypool's twitching tail, she was irritated, too. But when I met Poppyfrost's eyes, she meowed softly, "Looks like your daughter has a mate."

I rolled my eyes. Heronfrost had never shown an interest in any cats. But she and Mousewhisker seemed like close friends. I shrugged in answer. "It's her choice. I mean, I can't do anything about it."

She blinked in agreement. "Cherrywhisker and Moleclaw hunted up here a few days ago. They didn't go in the nest, but they did catch a few mice. This is the best place to hunt so far."

I nodded and crawled up to the hole in the wall of the Twoleg nest. "C'mon, guys! I smell mice!"

Ivypool stalked off into a corner of the nest. I heard a squeak, proof that she'd made her kill. She sat up, a mouse dangling from her jaws. "It's skinny, but bigger than the prey we've found anywhere else." Mousewhisker and Heronfrost creeped up on a skinny rat at the top of a steep slope that led to another part of the nest. With a hiss Mousewhisker slammed his paw on its head, and Heronfrost darted forward to nip it sharply.

Poppyfrost angled her ears to a mouse that was staring in horror at the massacre of its rat companion. I nodded and she instantly jumped in front of it. Terrified, the creature ran straight into my paws.

We waited a little while longer to see if we could find more prey, but after several moments we all decided it was too cold to wait around too long. Ivypool caught a small chipmunk near the hollow. Then we dropped our prey on the pile. Dustpelt's eyes widened. "Where did you catch so much prey?"

Truthfully, I had seen apprentices catch more on their first assessment. But it was the most prey any cat had seen at one time this moon. "Ivypool caught the chipmunk near the hollow. Poppyfrost came up with the idea of going inside the old Twoleg nest."

Dustpelt nodded. "We'll send a patrol there later today," he decided. "Take the rat to the elders. Poppyfrost, take that mouse to the nursery. Heronfrost, take the other mouse to the medicine den. Our sick cats are hungry."

As they left, I sat down next to Mousewhisker. He seemed uncertain, but he sat down, too.

"You seem to like Heronfrost," I remarked.

"She saved my life," he said defensively. "Nightcloud would have killed me." There was a silence before he added, "She's an impressive cat."

"Well," I mewed, "Good luck with her. Heronfrost doesn't like many cats." He nodded, looking amused. Then she came back and meowed to Mousewhisker, "Let's go hunting again. We can go to the shore." I watched as they left. Then, feeling tired, I went to my nest and fell asleep.

Stripe entered my dreams, and when I woke, I felt even more tired. I went outside to see Sprucefang meow to Heronfrost, "Your vigil's over. Go find a nest in the den."

I knew exactly where she would put her nest. Right next to Mousewhisker.

Later that day, Dustpelt was announcing the cats that were chosen to attend the Gathering. "Cloudtail, Brightheart, Thornclaw, Hazeltail, Mousewhisker, Lionblaze, Icecloud, Ivypool, Sprucefang, Heronfrost, and Thistlepaw."

"My first Gathering!" Thistlepaw exclaimed. She bounced around like a kit, although she was almost halfway done with her training. I purred with amusement and shared a skinny vole with Thornclaw and Berrynose. Then, we left.

I would have been more comfortable crossing ShadowClan territory, but we went the usual route. We met with WindClan at the tree-bridge, and ThunderClan made it across first. RiverClan and ShadowClan had already arrived.

"I will begin," Mistystar mewed. "Recently, our medicine cat, Mothwing, passed away. StarClan will honor her memory. On a happier note, we have one new warrior, Maplesmoke."

Blackstar stepped forward. "Prey is scarce, but we are managing well. We have three new apprentices, Stonepaw, Sootpaw, and Moonpaw. Also, two of our warriors died fighting a fox, Badgerclaw and Snailtail." I saw Bramblestar narrow his eyes. Toadstep's children! I couldn't see them present, or their father.

Bramblestar started talking then. "We have recently lost Blossomfall due to infection. She will be greatly missed. Not long after, Thrushpaw was killed in a cowardly attack led by WindClan."

"He crossed the border!" Emberfoot snarled.

Bramblestar went on. "Several sunrises ago, Spiderleg died from….greencough. On a happier note, Rosepetal has kitted. She has two healthy kits. We also have a new warrior, Heronfrost."

Onestar hesitated until the cheering for the new warrior died down. "WindClan has lost several kits due to illness, and Whiskernose was injured hunting. Heathertail drowned when she was trapped under the ice. Ashfoot has retired from her duty as deputy. Emberfoot will be the new deputy."

Bramblestar leapt from the tree and the Clans broke apart to talk and gossip. I saw Ivypool and Heronfrost talking to Tigerheart and Ferretclaw. The only Clan that didn't mingle was WindClan. They left instantly.

And I realized for the first time, it was absolutely my fault Heathertail had died. And now, her mate would be the next leader of WindClan.