Chapter 23

Whitestream's POV

Whitestream awoke in the warriors den. He rose to his paws and looked around. He was the only cat inside. The others must be on patrol. He thought.

It had been a moon and a half since Stormheart and Blazefur had died. All had been quiet really. Silverfire had moved into the nursery and was expecting her kits any day now. Dustpaw's training was going great. Rosekit and Willowkit would become apprentices any day now.

Suddenly a yowl broke into the clearing and Whitestream ran out of the den, just in time to see Icewhisker's tail disappearing into the nursery. He walked over to where Brackenflight was standing outside the den.

'Is everything okay?' The white warrior asked.

'Silverfire's kitting.' The tom meowed. Whitestream's eyes widened.

Suddenly another yowl came from the nursery and Lakepool, Blossomheart and Leaffire appeared at the entrance to the den with the kits.

'What is happening?' Silverkit asked.

'Silverfire is kitting.' Lakepool explained.

'Wait does that mean we won't be the smallest kits anymore?' Robinkit asked.

Leaffire nodded.

'Yay!' Bluekit squealed.

Lakepool, Blossomheart and Leaffire sat outside near the two toms watching their kits play-fight. Suddenly Icepaw appeared at the entrance.

'Silverfire has been blessed with four healthy kits.' Icepaw meowed. 'You may come and see them now.'

With that the medicine cat apprentice walked off and Icewhisker followed. Whitestream shot into the den and went over to his sister. At her belly were four kits. One was a black she-kit with a dash of white on her forehead that looked like a crescent moon. Another was a Pale blue and white spotted tom-kit with

light grey paws. Then the last two, one was a Pale blue she-cat with silver paws and a white muzzle. The last was a light grey and dark grey tom much like Stonestar but had white ears and the tip of his tail was also white.

'They are adorable.' Whitestream meowed.

Brackenflight appeared next to him.

'Have you to decide on names?' Leaffire asked as she walked over. Silverfire nodded.

'Kind of' the she-cat meowed 'Rowenkit for the pale blue and white tom, Moonkit for the black she-kit with the dash on her forehead.'

Brackenflight nodded in agreement 'How about Lakekit for the other she-kit?'

'Yes and Stonekit for the other tom.' Silverfire meowed.

Whitestream twitched his whiskers in amusement. 'I'll leave you to get some rest.' Whitestream meowed.

The white warrior left the den and saw Dustpaw play fighting with Flamepaw.

'Hey Dustpaw.' Whitestream called across the clearing. The Light brown she-cat looked over at him.

'I'm going hunting, come on.' Whitestream meowed. Dustpaw got up and sprinted across the clearing. The two cats ran out of the clearing and into the forest.

'What do you scent?' Whitestream asked his apprentice once they had gotten far enough away from clan.

'Stale scent of Sunclan still, Loners have passed through here a few days ago and wait Whitestream do you smell that?' Dustpaw looked at her mentor with fear in her eyes.

Whitestream sniffed.

'It's Sunclan but only one warrior, I'm sure it's not threat.' Whitestream meowed.

'But there is something with him or her, I can sense it.' Dustpaw meowed.

Whitestream looked into the apprentices eyes. 'Okay come on.' Whitestream meowed and followed the scent.

Soon enough the scent mingled with other, kits and other clan cats.

'I smell kits, Whitestream.' Dustpaw meowed.

Whitestream nodded. 'With the warrior.' Whitestream agreed.

A few moments later Whitestream heard voices.

'We should kill them!' One said. 'They already have too many kits!'

A squeal was heard.

'Whitestream come on!' Dustpaw meowed and ran closer to the voices.

Whitestream followed and stopped at the edge of the clearing. In front of him were two warriors and four kits shuffled together their eyes full of fear. They were Lakepool's kits!

'No wait these kits could be useful!' The other meowed. 'Think about it, we could bring them up in Sunclan!'

Whitestream suddenly recognized the cats. 'Roseleaf and Sunheart.' Whitestream growled.

'What do we do?' Dustpaw asked.

'We fight, grab the kits and get out of there.' Whitestream meowed quietly.

Dustpaw nodded.

Whitestream stepped out of the bracken and hissed at the warriors.

'What are you doing with these kits?!' He growled.

Roseleaf turned around and glared at him. 'Whitestream!' The she-cat hissed. 'Oh and let's see this must be your apprentice.'

Dustpaw growled and dug her claws into the ground.

'Get them!' Whitestream yowled and jumped at Roseleaf.

'Make sure she doesn't get the kits!' Roseleaf yowled.

Whitestream bit down on Roseleaf's neck, but not hard enough to puncture the spine. He lifted her up and tossed her over to clearing. Whitestream turned to see Dustpaw fighting Sunheart.

'Now lash out with your front paw!' Whitestream called over to her. Dustpaw did so and hit Sunheart head, knocking him to the ground.

'Thanks!' She meowed and over him, before jumping onto Sunheart.

Whitestream turned around and saw Roseleaf in front of him. She hissed and bit down on his ear. Whitestream yowled and struggled free. Roseleaf ripped off his ear and fell backwards. Whitestream hissed and launched at Roseleaf. He scratched her belly fur and bit on her hind leg. Suddenly a yowl came from be hide him and Dustpaw ran over to the kits. Whitestream quickly threw the deputy across the clearing again and Roseleaf fled. Whitestream ran over to Dustpaw and the kits. Bluekit had a small scratch on her cheek and Robinkit was bleeding on his forehead.

'You all okay?' He asked.

Silverkit and Bluekit ran over to him.

'Thank you!' Bluekit gasped. 'They were going to make us be Sunclan warriors.'

'We heard.' Dustpaw meowed. 'Come on let's get you back to camp.'

Whitestream licked Bluekit and Silverkit on the head before picking them up in his jaw.

'They aren't in the warriors den!' Whitestream heard Birchheart yowl as he and Dustpaw entered camp.

Stonestar was in the middle of camp and Lakepool paced nearby. Whitestream meowed and Lakepool turned to him.

'My kits!' She yowled and ran over to them.

Whitestream placed the kits on the ground and they ran over to their mother.

'Where did you go?' The she-cat asked. 'I fell asleep for one moment and then when I awoke you were gone!'

'Sunheart or Roseleaf stole them.' Dustpaw meowed and placed Robinkit and Ravenkit in front of the she-cat. 'They found them near the border, they were going to take them to Sunclan and train them as warriors.'

Lakepool swiped her tail around her kits.

'From now on I want at least one warrior on guard at the Rock tunnel and one at the nursery.' Stonestar meowed.

Icepaw appeared from the medicine cat den with a bunch of herbs in her mouth.

'Is anyone hurt?' She asked.

'Whitestream has part of his ear gone and Dustpaw has scratches over her back.' Stonestar meowed.

'Also Bluekit and Robinkit got hurt.' Whitestream meowed.

'Bring them to the medicine cats den.' Icepaw meowed and turned around.

'Dustpaw you go ahead I want to report to Stonestar first of what happened.' Whitestream meowed. 'Take the kits with you.'

Dustpaw nodded and the Light brown she-cat and the Silver she-cat followed with her kits. Stonestar flickered his tail and Whitestream followed him to Stonestar's den. Whitestream sat down next to Stonestar and began the story.

'I went hunting with Dustpaw, and Dustpaw scented Sunclan, only one warrior though, but he or she had kits with them.' Whitestream started. 'When we found them I saw it was Sunheart and Roseleaf, Sunheart said to kill them, while Roseleaf said that they should take them to the clan and train them.'

'We got into a fight with them and within a few moments Dustpaw had got Sunheart to flee, I threw Roseleaf across the clearing and she fled, that's when we came back to camp.' Whitestream meowed.

'Good.' Stonestar meowed.

'Stonestar, Dustpaw acted like a warrior today.' Whitestream continued.

'And you think she should become a warrior.' Stonestar meowed. 'Yes, we shall hold the ceremony at Dusk.'

Whitestream nodded and ran out of the den. He walked over to the medicine cat's den next and saw Icewhisker treating Dustpaw, while Icepaw was looking after Bluekit and Robinkit.

'What did Stonestar say?' Dustpaw asked.

'Well he agreed with what we did and he also said that a ceremony shall be held at Dusk.' Whitestream meowed. 'You're warrior ceremony.'

Dustpaw eyes light up. 'Thank you!' Dustpaw meowed.

'Congratulations.' Icewhisker meowed and turned to Whitestream. 'Which wound hurts the most?'

'My ear.' Whitestream meowed. 'Roseleaf ripped it off!'

'That's really the only wound you have.' Icewhisker meowed and placed a few cobwebs over it. A moment later Icewhisker spat the Marigold onto the wound and Whitestream hissed.

'Let all cats old enough join beneath the High branch for a clan meeting.' Stonestar meowed. Whitestream rose to his paws and looked at his apprentice.

'Stormheart would be proud.' He meowed and licked Dustpaw's ear. Whitestream followed Dustpaw out of the den and into the clearing. The other clan cats were already looking up at Stonestar. Whitestream pushed his way to the front and sat down with Dustpaw.

'It's time a new warrior was named.' Stonestar meowed. 'Dustpaw step forward.' The light brown she-cat looked at Whitestream for a moment before taking a few steps forward.

'I, Stonestar, leader of Streamclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the way of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in turn.' The tabby Grey leader meowed. 'Dustpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior and to protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?'

Dustpaw looked uneasy for a moment but held her head high. 'I do!' She yowled.

'Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior name.' Stonestar continued. 'Dustpaw, from this moment you will be known as Dustflame. Starclan honours your bravely and kindness, and we welcome you as a full member of Streamclan!'

Stonestar jumped for the Highbranch and placed his muzzle on her head. Dustflame waited a few moments and then licked her leader's shoulder.

'Dustflame! Dustflame!' Whitestream and the clan yowled as Dustflame walked over to Whitestream.

Once the noise died down Stonestar spoke again. 'You must sit vigil tonight, Dustflame.' Stonestar meowed and retreated into his den.

Most of the cats said a few words to Dustflame while others, including Darkpaw, Firepaw, Flamepaw and Birchheart licked her cheeks and sat with her for a few moments.

'Well it's time for your vigil; I will be out in the morning so you can come inside and sleep.' Whitestream told her and retreated into the warriors den.

He curled up on his bedding and fell into a deep slumber.