Chapter 7
There was no way, Stonepaw thought grimly, that RiverClan could continue to survive like this. They were exposed in the tall grass and slowly growing hungry as the still-violent flood drove away all of the fish and woodland prey. The entire Clan was exhausted, but no warrior would give.
How much longer can this flood go on?
Standing at the edge of the murky water and staring across its churning surface, Stonepaw could almost believe that it would never end.
"Don't look so down," Bluefur glanced sympathetically at the dark blue-gray apprentice. "Floods like this aren't uncommon, and always, always the waters recede again and leave the river even clearer and more bountiful than before."
Duskfall nodded. "She's right. As soon as the waters go down all of the extra moisture will bring even more vivid life to our territory, and we will thrive."
"I hope it's soon," Stonepaw sighed wearily.
"It will be," Duskfall's voice was quiet and firm, and left little room for debate as the thin black warrior turned and continued leading his patrol down the river's edge.
It did seem that the water was lower than last Stonepaw was on patrol, but he was reluctant to believe it was true. After all, there could still be more rain. He glanced at the sky, pleased to see that even if the flood hadn't subsided, the sky wasn't nearly as overcast as it had been in the past half moon. Hopefully the good weather will bring some prey out of hiding.
When they'd finished their patrol, Duskfall led them back to RiverClan's make-shift camp, heading to the center of the small copse to report to Oakheart. Bluefur followed, greeting her mate fondly and sitting beside him as he listened. Stonepaw made his way to the patch of grass the elders were sleeping in, knowing that at least one of his siblings would be tending to the retired warriors. As he approached, scent told him that it was Sorrelpaw.
"Is that better?" He could hear his brother's muffled mew.
"Much," Timberfur sighed as Stonepaw pushed his way into the grassy shelter. "Ah, if it isn't young Stonepaw. Come to help your littermate?"
Sorrelpaw glanced up at him through pleading arctic eyes, a stick clamped firmly in his jaws. Stonepaw wrinkled his nose as he caught the bitter scent of mousebile. "Actually," he coughed. "I came to see if he wanted to hunt, but it seems he's busy."
Lilystem yawned and stretched in her scraped together nest of reeds and grass. "I could stand to have a water vole to whet my appetite," she purred. "You've checked us all for ticks already, go wash your paws and hunt. Tell Leopardfur if she has a problem with it she can take it up with me."
"And me," Ottersplash grunted. "I'm withering into bones over here."
Sorrelpaw's whiskers twitched. "Alright, alright," he joked, "I hear you. I'll be back with a piece for each of you."
Stonepaw backed out of the den, Sorrelpaw hot on his tail. "You take that mousebile back to… Mudfur, I'll go ask Duskfall about hunting." The gray apprentice swallowed hard. He had almost said 'Brambleberry.' Pushing the still-fresh sorrow from his mind, Stonepaw trotted lightly across the clearing to his mentor. "Duskfall," he called. "May I go hunting with Sorrelpaw? He's already seen to their ticks, and they told him to fetch them fresh-kill."
"That's fine," Duskfall agreed. His eyes were warm, as if he was proud of Stonepaw's initiative. "I'll be hunting myself, for Sedgenose. Be back by sundown, and be careful of the flood."
"Yes, Duskfall!" He hurried to the lip of the slope, watching with barely-contained amusement as Leopardfur swatted playfully at her apprentice, chasing him away from her the warriors' den with a mock hiss.
"Let's go!" Sorrelpaw flashed past. His tail-tip vanished into the reeds and Stonepaw plunged after him. Stonepaw burst out of the copse, blinking in mild surprise when his brother's rich red pelt was nowhere to be seen. "Sorrelpaw…?"
A weight crashed down on his shoulders, knocking all of the air out of his lungs before he could even let out a startled cry.
"Always be aware of your surroundings," Sorrelpaw crowed triumphantly. "If you were a ThunderClan cat, you would be crowfood."
"Get off me, you great lump of fur, or you'll be crowfood!" Stonepaw struggled vainly under Sorrelpaw's wide forepaws. They were pretty evenly matched in size, and gaining quickly on their father.
Still snickering, Sorrelpaw sprang aside. "You should have seen your face."
Stonepaw stood and shook himself roughly. "You were above me; you didn't even see my face." He swatted half-heartedly at the red apprentice, but he didn't have the energy to retaliate. The apprentices fell silent, both standing completely still, their ears erect and nostrils flaring. "I'll head towards the gorge," Stonepaw finally murmured.
"Good idea," Sorrelpaw angled his ears in a path parallel to the gorge trail. "I'll meet you there."
Stonepaw slipped away, parting his jaws to taste the air as he stalked through the grassy fields. He soon caught the scent of a vole. Crouching even lower, Stonepaw stalked forward slowly. Once he'd pinpointed its position, he pounced, killing the skinny piece of prey with a solid blow to the neck. He buried it at the roots of a stray beech tree to pick up on his way back and continued towards the gorge. He picked up a mouse on the way, and after meeting Sorrelpaw on the WindClan border the pair of apprentices turned back towards their camp. The worked their way slowly back, each picking up another piece of fresh-kill to add to their catches. Though they carried it all in one trip, Stonepaw was proud of how much they'd managed to catch.
Oakheart seemed proud as well, his eyes flashing as he saw the two apprentices padding back into camp. "Great job," he rumbled. "Sorrelpaw, take yours straight to the elders; Stonepaw, put yours right on the fresh-kill pile. Once you've finished come see me, I need to have a word with both of you."
Sorrelpaw and Stonepaw exchanged a bewildered glance and hurried to obey. Stonepaw deposited his catch swiftly and padded back to their father's side. "Have we done something wrong?"
Oakheart waved his tail. "I'll tell you once Sorrelpaw is here." His posture was relaxed though, and his tone warm, so Stonepaw let his mind ponder the good things it could be as opposed to the bad. When Sorrelpaw joined them again, Oakheart flicked his ears.
"I've just been speaking to Crookedstar," the deputy meowed. "He thinks—based on the reports from our patrols—that the flood has begun to recede. In three days' time, granted that the floods are going down, he wishes to journey to Highstones to seek guidance from StarClan. You've been training for nearly five moons now, and we think it's time you both made your journey to Mothermouth."
Stonepaw sucked in a sharp breath, and the fur along Sorrelpaw's spine bristled slightly.
"Really?" He worked his paws in the grass. "We're going to Highstones?"
"Yes," Oakheart's whiskers twitched. "In three days."
Stonepaw tilted his head. "Will you be coming with us?"
To that, Oakheart growled apologetically, "Afraid not. I'll have to stay to keep watch over the Clan, and to hopefully start the move back into our camp." He raised a paw to cut off Sorrelpaw's next question. "But," he added, "I believe Leopardfur will be joining you." He glanced at the rapidly setting sun. "For now, get yourselves something to eat and get some rest, I've got to meet Rainclaw and Falconheart for the evening patrol."
The two apprentices picked out pieces of fresh-kill nearly at random, still buzzing with excitement at the news they'd just received. Mistypaw flattened her ears as they joined her and Shiverpaw. "What are you two so giddy about?" she asked, her eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"What's it to you?" Sorrelpaw teased, plopping himself down next to Shiverpaw and tearing into his mouse. Stonepaw lay beside Mistypaw.
"Oakheart just told us that we'll be making our Highstones journey soon," he explained. Try as he might, Stonepaw couldn't keep the eager edge out of his voice.
"That's great," Shiverpaw purred as she swallowed her last bite of water vole. She sat and began grooming, adding softly, "That means it can't be long before it's our turn, Mistypaw."
Mistypaw, however, seemed angry. She lashed her tail furiously. "Why can't we go with you? We all started our training at the same time—we should all go to Highstones together!"
Sorrelpaw snorted. "Are you joking? It won't be suspicious at all for Crookedstar to go meandering through WindClan's territory with a whole patrol of cats. They wouldn't believe that he was just on his way to Highstones if Hailstar himself came down and told them so!"
Mistypaw only let out an irritable hiss and whipped around to disappear into the make-shift apprentices' den. Shiverpaw sighed and followed, flicking her tail-tip across Sorrelpaw's ear as she went to let him know she'd handle it. For his part, Sorrelpaw just rolled his eyes towards Silverpelt. "She-cats!"
Stonepaw turned back to his meal with twitching whiskers, unable to really feel bad about the honor they were being given. It will be their turn soon enough, he reminded himself as he picked the mouse clean. And after that… He could practically taste their warrior names on his tongue as he and Sorrelpaw shared tongues in the fading dusk. We'll be warriors.
Fire Rising: Updated!
Thanks for the favs and follows and reviews you guys! I look forward to hearing back from you all, especially since there are some warrior ceremonies about to take place.
If you have any ideas or suggestions for Stonepaw, Mistypaw, Sorrelpaw, or Shiverpaw's warrior names, please let me know! There are very few chapters between now and the time I'll need them~
See you next chapter!
