Blossompaw's Escape

Part Three: The Clan

"Braveheart the fresh kill pile is getting low, organize a patrol to go out and hunt more," Blossomfang called out to her deputy. Chance dipped his head and set off to gather a group of cats. The sun high patrol entered the camp, just finishing checking the borders.

"We refreshed the markers, no loners in the area," Foxtooth reported. Blossomfang flicked her ears to signal she had heard.

"Where is Whisperpaw?" she called out to no one in particular. The old cat had seemingly vanished into thin air.

"He is out to gather herbs for his store. With leaf fall approaching he said he needed to build up his stores," Fawndapple answered before leaving the camp with Chance Rabbitpaw and Shiverpaw to go hunting.

"Alone? He needs a guard with him," Blossomfang muttered to herself. She would've liked if one of Fawndapple's kits had wanted to be a medicine cat apprentice but they had all made it perfectly clear they wanted to be fighters. Speaking of the younger apprentices...

"Are Tansypaw Dovepaw and Pebblepaw training again?" She asked Foxtooth.

"We ran into them on the patrol. Flintpaw took them out to the mossy patch," Foxtooth explained. Blossomfang let out a sigh and settled down. A few weeks had passed since she found the last cats of Ashclan. The full moon was fast approaching, signaling the halfway point of the time trial. They had made so much progress, but still had so much more to do.

The twoleg nest had been transformed into the main camp. The fallen beams were shifted and reconstructed to form dens. They had a warrior den, an apprentice den, a medicine cat den, and a nursery. The older apprentices slept in the warrior den while the younger apprentices slept in the actual apprentice den. Blossomfang didn't have a leaders den yet since she wasn't a leader, so she slept in the warrior den as well. In the center of the camp a pit had been dug for fresh kill. And the left over beams had been fashioned into steps for Blossomfang to deliver announcements from.

In their expansive territory they found special locations for different purposes. The mossy patch was a wide circle surrounded by trees that was used for training. The cherry orchard was the main hunting grounds. A cluster of round boulders in the heart of the territory was the undisclosed gather place. A clear stream that ran all the way to the cliffs was their water source.

But they still needed a meeting place with Starclan. Ashstar had not visited her in days and Adderfang only came to her in her dreams to train her more. Whenever she asked him about a meeting place he simply gave her a small shake of the head, saying he could not tell her.

It had been a wild couple of weeks filled with busy planning and frantic explaining of what it means to be a clan. But Ashclan was finally starting to feel like a clan. The decision of course remained up to Foxtooth and Fawndapple, so Blossomfang was always walking on eggshells around them. But even they seemed to be warming to the idea of clan life.

"Flowerfeet, you look tense," Flintpaw said with a smirk as he walzed into camp. Blossomfang gave him a playful shove. The three young apprentices entered the camp with heavy pawsteps. Blossomfang was about to ask how training was but they dropped into their nests before she could even open her mouth. She was fairly certain they were asleep before their heads hit the moss.

"Want to go hunting? I just need to clear my head for a bit," Blossomfang suggested. Flintpaw shrugged and let her lead the way back into the forest. They went in the opposite direction of the cherry orchard, not wanting to get in the way of the hunting patrol.

"Are you proud?" Flintpaw asked as they wandered through the trees.

"Of course. Everyone is working so hard and learning really quickly," Blossomfang smiled genuinely.

"I mean are you proud of yourself? You found Ashclan, and you convinced Fawndapple and Foxtooth to listen to you. You accomplished all of this when Shiverpaw and I wouldn't even have your back."

"But your here now," Blossomfang pointed out. Flintpaw held up his tail for silence as he spotted a squirrel nibbling at seeds in the grass. Blossomfang sneacked around behind it and Flintpaw charged forward to scare it into her waiting paws.

"We make a pretty good team Flowerfeet," he laughed and sat down to share the prey with her.

"You really should call me Blossomfang," she said with a smile so he'd know she was only kidding. Flintpaw looked at her, his green eyes searching her blue ones. She wanted to look away but their gazes were locked.

"Okay Blossomfang," he said at last and continued eating the squirrel. After they finished Blososmfang stood up and shook out her ruffled fur.

"Feeling better?" he questioned.

"Much. Thank you," Blossomfang nodded and they went back to camp. Braveheart had returned with a full freshkill pile. Blossomfang caught Foxtooth and Fawndapple's attention and called them outside of camp with her. They looked wary as they sat down to talk.

"I think we need to discuss Ashclan's progress," Blossomfang started. "We need a plan for when your decision comes."

"I understand," Foxtooth said. "If we decide we don't want to be a clan you need to know where you'll all go."

Blossomfang flinched. It sounded like he had already made up his mind with what his decision would be.

"Yes, that's what I mean. We can't stay in the forest, and we can't return to the city," Blossomfang sighed.

"There are lots of forests, you traveled this far you can survive another journey," Fawndapple said coldly.

"Alright," Blossomfang said meekly. That discussion hadn't gone at all how she had hoped. She didn't want to end it on such a bad note either.

"I want to invite more cats to join Ashclan," she threw out. Fawndapple and Foxtooth looked taken aback by her outburst. She rushed on to explain before they could say no. "We could take in a few rogues or loners to build up our numbers. The clan is too small right now, with more cats..."

"No." Foxtooth said.

"Yes." Fawndapple interjected at the same time. The mates exchanged looks and Blossomfang waited nervously for them to reach a conclusive decision. Fawndapple spoke for the both of them.

"We have to approve of anyone who wants to join the clan. And make it perfectly clear if we decide no at the end of the two moons they are not welcome to stay."

Foxtooth grudgingly nodded in agreement to Fawndapple's terms. Although he wasn't too enthusiastic about rogues joining the clan he would soon see the importance of numbers.

"Of course. And one more thing. I think it is time for a few warrior ceremonies," Blossomfang smiled broadly. She hadn't even planned on appointing any warriors that day. But she wanted to have a good number of warrior before they began recruiting. The young apprentices still had a lot to learn, but several cats had proved their worth. She rushed back into camp and scurried up the wooden ledge.

"All members of the New Ashclan gather here for a clan meeting!" she called out quickly. It didn't take long for the clan to group together below her. She saw fortunately Whisperpaw had gotten back from collecting herbs so everyone was present.

"Tomorrow night is the full moon where we will have our first gathering as a clan. And I want to have new warriors there to celebrate. While as a clan we still have a lot of progress to make there are a few cats who deserve their names. Flintpaw, Shiverpaw, and Rabbitpaw please step forward."

The stunned group of cats made their way to the front of the crowd. Shiverpaw and Flintpaw exchanged excited looks, like a pair of nervous kits. Rabbitpaw was grinning broadly, he had come so far since their imprisonment at the testing facility.

"I, Blossomfang, leader of the new Ashclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code and in turn are ready to be made warriors. Rabbitpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code to protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?" Blossomfang asked. Rabbitpaw stepped forward, his black and white pelt gleaming and his eyes burned with pride.

"I do," he said quickly.

"Then by the powers of Starclan I grant you your warrior name. Rabbitpaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Rabbitleap. Starclan honors your courage in the face of danger and your loyalty to those around you. We welcome you as a full warrior of Ashclan."

She rested her head on his muzzle and whispered for him to lick her shoulder as per tradition. Rabbitleap stood to her side as she called Shiverpaw forward.

"Shiverpaw you have trained hard to learn the ways of the warrior code and in turn are ready to be made a warrior. Do you promise to uphold the warrior code to protect and defend even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Shiverpaw said clearly. Blossomfang had no doubt that Shvierpaw meant that. She had been reluctant at first to help Blossomfang rebuild Ashclan but had proved her loyalty.

"Then from this moment and on you shall be known as Shiverpsots for your orange and white pelt. Starclan honors your quick thinking and passion. We welcome you as a full warrior of Ahclan."

Blossomfang completed the naming by resting her muzzle of Shiverspots head and Shiverspots licked her shoulder before standing beside Rabbitleap.

"Flintpaw, you have trained hard to learn the ways of the warrior code and in turn are ready to be made a warrior. Do you promise to uphold the warrior code to protect and defend even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Flintpaw said softly, his deep green eyes were solemn as he spoke.

"Then by the powers of Starclan I grant you your warrior name. Flintpaw form this moment and on you shall be known as Flintmask for your flamepoint features. Starclan honors your initiative and independence. We welcome your as a full warrior of Ashclan," Blossomfang finished.

"Rabbitleap! Shiverspots! Flintmask!"