"What happened and who's with you?" Jayfeather's tense meow greeted them before anything. Dovefur was prancing her paws together in excitement. Quickly Lionblaze launched in to an explanation but Graystripe, bounding over from nowhere, cut him off.
"Ravenpaw!"
His excited meow dragged all of the older warriors from their dens and resting areas. Dustpelt pricked his ears and the defensive senior warrior walked over with a slight purr in his throat. Ferncloud slipped out from the nursery to greet her old friend. Thornclaw, Brightheart and Cloudtail followed next. Squirrelflight and Leafpool pressed against him as Spiderleg nodded hello from a distance. It was Brambleclaw was greeted him last with an affectionate nuzzle. His eyes were shinning brightly at all his former clan mates and he gazed around at all the new ones.
"Introductions anyone?" He laughed carefully. He wasn't used to so many cats but he would get used to it soon enough. Once he knew who was who. Brambleclaw purred.
"You've meet my kits already. Ashpaw, Wingpaw and Echopaw."
"Squirrelflight's no doubt?" Everyone chuckled uneasily at what not so secret, secrets they knew. "Lionblaze and Cinderheart belong to?"
"Cinderheart is one of my kits." Brackenfur said. "Sorreltail is her mother."
"Lionblaze is mine." Leafpool's meow though it didn't shock anyone there made Ravenpaw freeze. His eyes stretched wide before he turned around.
"But you're a medicine cat!"
"I was. My other kit, Jayfeather is now."
"Who…?"
"Crowfeather. He used to be Crowpaw."
"He's a Windclan cat!" Ravenpaw meowed more calmly. He clearly realized everything had been more or less dealt with already. He touched noses with Leafpool. "I know you would not make decisions lightly."
Slowly the rest of the introductions went around. Ravenpaw greeted the young cats warmly and openly. The warriors he showed respect and was a bit more reserved. Firestar watched him and realized why.
"Since the clan is here I think now is a good time to have the ceremony." He said bounding up to Highledge. "Briarpaw, Blossompaw and Bumblepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, even at the cost of your life?"
Briarpaw looked up in surprise. Blossompaw stopped in mid grooming and Bumblepaw was first to be excited over what was happening. He walked calmly, though, composed and sat in front of his leader.
"I do." Within moments his sisters joined him and echoed his promise.
"Then from this moment on, Bumblepaw, you will be known as Bumblestripe." He said walking to rest his head on his muzzle. "We honor you for you courage and trust."
"Blossompaw, from this moment on you will be known as Blossomthorn. We honor you for your skills and thoughtfulness." He finished with her and turned to her sister. "Briarpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Briarfur, we honor you for your tactfulness and courage."
The clan called out the three cats names and they're parents purred with pride. Ravenpaw sat off to the side once he congratulated the new warriors and watched. His eyes glazed with memories. He sighed heavily. Graystripe and Sandstorm ran up to Firestar and meowed frantically. The cats that were there from before the great journey added in their little chimes.
"I have a long over due ceremony to perform. A cat earned his warrior name in my eyes far more then I have. He has fought along side us many, many times. Ravenpaw, do you promise to continue to uphold the warrior code, even at the cost of your life?" The black tom shivered involuntarily. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. The scent that blew on the breeze was achingly familiar to all his friends, the smell of home, their old home and the tang of Thunderclan.
"I do."
"Then from this moment on, Ravenpaw, from now on, you will be known as Ravensong. We honor you for your devotion, integrity and faithfulness."
The calls that went up echoed loudly to Jayfeather as he watched cats from Starclan call out the warrior's name. He shivered as he caught sight of Tigerstar glaring at the cat with the up most hatred. Trouble was coming. It was coming quick.
Firestar waited until the next day to appoint mentors to Ravensong's kits. Daypaw had been shy while approaching Brightheart but there was no disgust or fear. Just shyness. Brightheart had smiled joyfully before gently touching noses with the small tom. Cloudtail and Moonpaw on the other hand… she had glared daggers at him seeing what he was made off. She was a tough one and Cloudtail was not the one to be pushed around. He glared right back as he touched her nose, a bit more pointedly then needed and she winced.
"Jayfeather, Skypaw needs you. She needs you to help her. She is destined to be a medicine cat but Firestar is not sure even though she asked him." The cat that was next to him was eyeing the she cat thoughtfully. Her gray form mangy as ever but Jayfeather had a grudging respect towards her.
"Yes Yellowfang." Carefully he padded through the crowd of cats and brushed accidentally by Cinderheart. Heat rushed through him. He could hear Yellowfang cursing his emotions across the clearing but he blocked them out. Firestar was about to appoint her to someone in the crowd when he reached the front. "Starclan has spoken her approval to me. She will be my apprentice, Firestar, if you would."
He added the end in realizing how forceful he sounded to his leader. It was not his fault! Yellowfang always irritated him though. She rubbed him the wrong way and did it purposely.
"Are you sure?" Firestar questioned lightly. Jayfeather hissed his answer through clenched teeth.
"As sure as I'll ever be with Yellowfang stalking me!" The red tom blinked fondly at the mention of the old she cat. Jayfeather considered him crazy right then. How could anyone be found of her?
"Fine. Skypaw wishes to be a medicine cat, and Jayfeather accepts. Good luck." They touched noses and walked over to the den where Jayfeather could set his boundaries.
"Ivyheart," A massive brown tabby purred. "Congratulations on your warrior name. Now, we have a few things to discuss."
"Thank you, and of course, Tigerstar."
Lionblaze watched as his cousins practiced with the other apprentices. Cinderheart, Foxleap, Icecloud, and Brightheart had volunteered with him to teach them fighting moves while everyone went out the hunt. The young cats had been doing well and all really wanted to practice their fighting. So, now they were sparring.
Ashpaw leapt toward Daypaw but the small tom reared on his hind paw and caught him. He wrapped his paws around the larger cat and tried to roll but Ashpaw's larger weight pinned him down. The brown tabby purred and his amber eyes shinned with encouragement.
"You tried but you forgot I'm bigger then you. Use your size to your advantage." He glanced over at Brackenfur to see if he gave the right advice and was pleased when his mentor nodded. "Try again."
After a few tries he was getting closer and closer to pinning Ashpaw. The last time he had a plan. Sometimes he just couldn't do things alone. He rushed Ashpaw, never intending to touch him and the large cat sidestepped him. He spun his body to face the smaller cat and send a paw at his ears. Daypaw ducked and grinned wickedly. Ashpaw and swung his body in to Wingpaw's range. Within seconds it was a mass of brown tabby fur and no one knew who was going to win.
A sudden yowl of pain made both toms spring apart. Everyone's fur went up as the faced the other clearing. Foxleap was standing rigid next to Dewpaw and Icecloud was snarling fiercely at Echopaw. The ginger tom glanced down and shuffled his paws. Owlpaw sat off to the side panting heavily. No one could see what had happened but the mentors quickly went over.
"Icecloud?" Lionblaze prompted while resting his tail tip on the she cat's shoulder. She didn't even look at Lionblaze when she answered. Her eyes narrowed to slits glaring at Echopaw.
"It was a practice! You told me he would be a good choice to teach the younger ones their moves."
"Oh my!" Brightheart's voice came from where she was nosing at Owlpaw. As she turned to lead him back to camp Lionblaze felt dread run through him. The apprentice had a jagged tear in his shoulder. Blood was welling up quickly.
"Everyone go ahead I'll talk to him."
"Talk? Talk!" Icecloud growled. "What kind of apprentice hurts a fellow apprentice?"
"It's happened before!" Lionblaze replied calmly though his fur was rising. Foxleap stopped walking away and turned back, Cinderheart at his side. They glanced anxiously at each other.
"You would know wouldn't you? You've done it too. You even fought your old mentor Ashfur!"
"Icecloud go back to camp, now!" Icecloud snarled something and Lionblaze leapt towards her. His claws were sheath but the blow to her head made the she cat stumble. For a dizzying second she swayed and then she leapt, her brother with her.
"Wingpaw, go and get Brambleclaw or Firestar. Hurry!" Instantly her apprentice took off. His brown tabby fur fluffed up in fear. Cinderheart bunched her muscles under her gray coat and launched herself in to the fray. She pried Foxleap away from Lionblaze and they tumbled away. The tomcat wasn't aware she was only trying to restrain him and sent a paw full of thorn sharp claws over her muzzle. Dewpaw had gone ahead with Brightheart and her brother so Ashpaw did the only thing he could think of. He tackled Foxleap and with Cinderheart's help kept him pinned to the floor.