Chapter Thirty-Eight: Kits
"I call this spot!" Brightstripe declared, plopping himself down on the warrior's den floor.
"Butt out. It's mine," Lionheart laughed, shoving his striped friend aside and laying down on the soft turf. Frostcloud, a ways off, rolled her eyes.
"Males," she mouthed to Cricketpaw, who had followed her brother to check out his new sleeping quarters. Cricketpaw snickered, and nodded.
"There's nothing wrong with males," Buzzardflight retorted, sticking his head in the den. Cricketpaw gasped, startled, before flicking him with her tail.
"Butt out," she giggled, stealing her brother's words.
"Lionpaw!" Amberpaw skipped into the den.
"This den has a capacity limit, you know," Buzzardflight grumbled.
Amberpaw ignored him, and made a beeline for her brother. She pressed against him, purring loudly, eyes shining like two little moons. "I'm so proud of you- Lionheart!" she exclaimed, relishing the way that sounded in her mouth. "It's so grown up."
"I know. He doesn't deserve such a mature name," Brightstripe grinned.
"Shut up," Lionheart mumbled, smiling fondly at his younger sister. She rasped her tongue along his ear once before backing off, and her eyes flicked towards Brightstripe.
"You've grown up a lot, as well," she murmured. "StarClan has much in store for you."
Brightstripe, not sure how to react to that, shrugged and smiled crookedly. "Er, thanks?" He said it like a question. Amberpaw's eyes laughed, and she nodded in welcome.
"Well, I think Frostcloud got the best name," Cricketpaw crowed. Amberpaw pressed herself against her sister, purring in amusement.
"Me, too," Frostcloud smirked at Lionheart in a take-that kind of way.
"Everyone has equally good names," Buzzardflight said loudly, sensing a light-hearted argument between the three friends. Cricketpaw fondly hushed him with a gentle slap of her furry tail. The laughter quieted after a moment.
"It's amazing. I can't believe we finally did it. Warriors!" Frostcloud cherished the word.
"It was time," Buzzardflight replied sagely, sitting down on his gray haunches.
"You and Rowanpaw are soon, I'm sure," Amberpaw added kindly to her sister. Cricketpaw fluffed out her chest and flattened her ears, sort of mocking her father.
"Cricketpaw, from this day forward, you will be known as Cricketbutt! May StarClan light your path." The group erupted into laughter, except for Buzzardflight, who looked torn between amusement and embarrassment over his love's joke. Cricketpaw may be an attractive young apprentice, but she still had some maturing to do before becoming a warrior.
"Lighten up, mate," Brightstripe told the lanky warrior.
Before he could respond, someone padded towards the den, and slipped inside the mouth. Everyone fell silent immediately.
"Hi, Rowanpaw," Amberpaw said sweetly.
Rowanpaw shot her a sour look, and turned to Frostcloud. "Sister, I'm proud of you," he said quietly, voice genuinely pleased. Lionheart watched carefully, thinking back to his exchange with Rowanpaw before the struggle with Featherfoot.
"Thank you, Rowanpaw," Frostcloud murmured, gazing at her brother with a certain fondness Rowanpaw never received. She pressed her cheek against his, chest rumbling happily for a moment. Everyone was quiet, a bit awkward about witnessing this private exchange with Rowanpaw.
There was much talk over why Rowanpaw had not been chosen to be named a warrior alongside his sister. After all, he had fought just as bravely with Lionheart to defeat Featherfoot- in fact, he'd saved Lionheart's life. Lionheart had a bad feeling that Snowstar was purposefully keeping Rowanpaw in apprentice training a bit longer, just so that he could keep an eye on him. After all, the differences between Rowanpaw and a younger Longfang were scarce.
Rowanpaw straightened up, and gazed around at the warriors den, almost longingly. Finally his cold eyes met Lionheart's. To Lionheart's surprise, there was no anger in his eyes; just a calm, swirling peace. He nodded ever so slightly, and Lionheart, filled with a strange emotion, nodded back.
It was a sign of respect, from apprentice to warrior. Lionheart almost felt... well, guilty. Guilty that he was a warrior before Rowanpaw, even though they were the same age and had trained equally as hard.
Rowanpaw turned to leave, briefly looking at Amberpaw, before disappearing.
Lionheart took a deep breath, and gazed around him. Cricketpaw, Amberpaw, Buzzardflight, Brightstripe... Frostcloud... All his friends, his family. They surrounded him, happy and glowing for one night. Lionheart realized that this was a haven; a golden moment in the coming storm, a moment he would perhaps look back upon sadly one day, remembering when everything was perfect.
As they laughed and talked, Lionheart slowly looked at each of them. Buzzardflight, the young warrior wise beyond his years... with a jolt, Lionheart realized that Buzzardflight was family now. His eyes strayed to his youngest sister, Cricketpaw. She laughed at something Brightstripe had said, her eyes glowing with happiness. She was so young, so innocent. A child. Lionheart cringed to think of any harm coming to his beloved little sister.
His eyes continued to swivel around the group. Amberpaw... his beautiful, graceful, brilliant sister. Pebbleheart's apprentice, the young medicine-lion who dreamed with the stars and spoke with the ghosts of their ancestors. She was wise, perhaps wiser than her age should allow, and behind those twinkling eyes... she knew things. Things Lionheart was scared to know.
Lionheart's gaze settled on Brightstripe. His noble, ridiculously selfless best friend. His eyes glittered with amusement... and yet there was a new maturity there. A realization that had dug deep inside his mind; and Lionheart knew that his friend was cherishing these precious, brief moments just as much as he was. Brightstripe knew, perhaps better than all of them, how fast life went. He knew that good things didn't last forever.
And finally... Lionheart's eyes came to a stop at his love. Frostcloud, his beautiful, witty, brave, hotheaded lioness. His heart missed a beat when he thought of her delicate scent, when he imagined her soft fur rubbing against his. Males truly were idiots. Why had it taken him so long to see her? To think of all the time they wasted, fighting and refusing to admit their true feelings. Lionheart shook his head, shadows creeping across his mind as he thought of their future. What did it hold in store for them? The fury of Longfang was far from being over.
What if he hurt her?
Lionheart's whole body grew cold at the very thought of losing Frostcloud, and he quickly shook the poisonous thoughts from his mind. He could never let that happen. He'd like to see Longfang try and touch his lioness.
Lionheart sighed, heart surging. He loved his Clan so much. How could he possibly deal with the loss he surely faced in the future... that wasn't so distant all of a sudden?
Frostcloud frowned at Lionpaw, then muttered something to Amberpaw. The lithe lioness nodded, and said loudly, "Well, I think it's time we leave the new warriors to get some rest before they begin their night-time guarding of the camp."
Cricketpaw looked like she might argue, but seemed to read something in her sister's wide eyes, and nodded. Amberpaw ushered Buzzardflight and Cricketpaw out, and finally, the three newly-named warriors were alone. Just like old times.
Frostcloud glanced at Lionheart, and he frowned. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"
She sighed, and stretched her slender body. Lionheart watched, a little distracted, before she settled herself down beside him. "I know you well so well, you stupid furball, that it even scares me sometimes. I can tell when you're having that deep, dark inner monologue, like you're telling a story of something."
"She's right. You kinda had this scrunched-up face, like you were seeing the end of the world," Brightstripe chimed in, laying down on the other side of Lionheart. The three friends lay there in a brief silence, Lionheart trying to gather his thoughts.
"I just... I want to remember this moment," he whispered.
Frostcloud gazed at him, and then pressed her muzzle against his. "There will be plenty of more moments like this. I promise," she breathed into his ear, tickling the tiny hairs there.
"Yeah, totally. I mean, you guys are gonna get busy and have cubs. So there's a moment to look forward to!" Brightstripe grinned, eyes flashing meaningfully.
"Alright, that's it," Frostcloud growled, leaping at him and playfully swiping at his ears.
"Ah! Lionheart, keep your lioness in check!" Brightstripe cried out, dodging another blow.
Lionheart felt a crooked smile growing on his lips. Frostcloud was right, he realized. There were going to be moments to treasure in the future; moments to look forward to. And suddenly, a weight was lifted from his chest.
Whatever happens, he thought, I'll be able to face. Because these two furballs will be right there beside me, the whole time.
And with that, Lionheart let out a laugh and joined the three in their games that made them feel like kits again, safe in the nursery with Bluefur there to watch them fondly, with no real worries. He didn't have one more thought of Longfang.
Because tonight, for the first time in a long time... was perfect.
When writing Battle at Midcreek, I knew one thing: I wanted the story to be bookended. The follow-up of their warrior ceremony and the final battle at Midcreek (hence, the story's name.. har har) is peaceful, because right now things are in the eye of the storm. I sort of love this chapter because it's so simple and child-like; their ways remind me of the beginning chapters, when they were all new apprentices, except now we can see how much each and every character has grown. It's a bittersweet moment for an author,
sort of when a parent realizes their children have grown up.
Do not be alarmed; there are still two chapters left, but I'm no longer sure if I will be making any sequels. It depends on your reaction.
Thanks for reading, and keep an eye out for the next update!