Hey everyone thanks for all the reviews! I forgot to mention last chapter that I am so, so ecstatic that I passed my goal of 100 reviews. 114, baby! My deep gratitude goes out to every single one of you who reviewed. ^-^ Now I'm going to try and reach 150 reviews by the end of this story, lol. Okay, here are the comments (: (oh and this chapter, Echopaw's getting her warrior name! ^-^)
Rainy1212: *gasp* I am not planning to kill Rowanstrike! . Lol about Adderflight though…nah, I dunno. We'll see what happens. I don't have a format for every chapter planned out; I just kind of write whatever comes to me. Kinda like one of those "spur of the moment" things. :P
Butterfly that flies at dawn: Yeah, I know...I'm wondering what'll happen to them too and I'm the writer! Lol
Guest: you know, that Crowstar idea is actually really interesting…maybe I could make it that Echopaw realizes that she doesn't have to completely kill him, she just has to kill the evil side of him…huh. Thanks for the ideas! Here's your Crowstar plushie! *throws one*
Quadethepeanutbutter: Oh great StarClan could you imagine that? "From this day forward you will be known as Echobelly. Your growling stomach is a good warrior quality that StarClan themselves blessed you with." :D :D :D :D nah, you'll find out her warrior name this chapter so don't worry. ;)
Spottedfire7 : dun…DUN! Dun dun dun dun…dun dun dun duuun…lol
Mistyflower68: Thank you so much! I really am deciding against a sequel cause to me they just seem too hard to write because you have to keep the characters from the last book mixed in with the new ones and ugh…Lol thank you for respecting whatever my decision will be. Wht plushie would you like? Hmmmmm?
Hollyflower: That's not a bad idea! And of course you can have both *throws plushies* thanks for the support! And yeah, I was thinking of the similarities when I was writing it :P
Iceflower of thu: Lol I noticed that sometimes you don't completely spell some words….XD and I might kill him but idk yet.
Alrrrriiiiiigght, here's one chapter that has been long awaited for many reasons. ^-^ Oh, and the update Allegiances will be posted at the end!
"Great StarClan," Echopaw breathed as she stood frozen and stared wide-eyed at the foxes. They were humongous, with saliva pooling from their snarling mouths, yellow eyes narrowed into slits, and sharp fangs bared in what could have been a twisted smile. The smallest of the three had a few scratches but the larger ones were mostly unscathed. Adderflight, however, didn't look too good.
Just as one of the bigger foxes prepared to lunge at the tom, Echopaw finally found the will to move. Racing forward with a screech to distract the fox, the small apprentice threw herself at it with claws unsheathed.
The rusty animal yowled in surprise as she jumped on its back and started pummeling it with her hind legs. It reared back and tried to shake her off but she desperately clung on.
The surprise had worn off and now one of the other ones was advancing towards her. She was getting slightly dizzy as the fox beneath her swung from side to side and struggled to get her from off its back. Thinking quickly, Echopaw realized she was by the fox's head and so she adjusted her position as best she could and bit down with all her might on one of its ears.
The burnt taste of blood entered her mouth as the fox howled with pain. It gave a fierce shake and Echopaw slid off its back and landed on the ground with a dull thud, her head slamming against a large tree root. Black spots covered her vision and her head pounded with pain. Her eyes frantically skimmed the clearing and saw that the foxes had turned their attention back to Adderflight. Where was the rest of the patrol?
As if her thoughts had summoned them, Tanglewhisper, Furzebelly, and Shineheart rushed into the clearing. Without hesitating, Tanglewhisper sprinted towards one of the bigger ones with a loud caterwaul and started swiping at the fox. Furzebelly quickly barged into the other and soon the whole clearing was filled with the noises of battle.
Echopaw struggled to her paws and shook her head. The stars were gone and the ache in her head was not so fierce. Surveying the area, she saw that no matter how hard they fought three foxes were just too much for their small patrol.
She spotted Tanglewhisper determinedly slashing at his opponent and rushing around it to confuse it. Suddenly, the fox got an idea of what the tom was doing and snapped its jaws a whisker from Tanglewhisper's face. The warrior reared back hastily and the momentum carried him onto his back. Before the fox could take advantage of the situation Echopaw dashed between them and lashed out with a hiss at its muzzle.
Tanglewhisper jumped to his paws and together they back the fox in a corner. Echopaw lurched forward and nipped its hind leg quickly. The fox whined in pain and without a second thought turn tail and fled.
"And don't come back!" she yowled triumphantly. A sudden whimper made her turn around and she gasped when she saw that the fox with the bitten ear had Adderflight hind leg in its jaws and was shaking him hard. Furzebelly and Shineheart were too busy trying to keep the other one at bay and couldn't help the tom.
"Let go of him!" she shrieked, propelling herself towards it. The fox looked up just in time to see her before they collided. The fox let go of Adderflight's leg as the two crashed to the sandy ground. They rolled over and over, paws swiping at anything, trying to get the power.
Huge glistening fangs snapped right by her ear and she hastily pulled away. When they finally slid to a halt, she found herself underneath the massive fox. She squirmed to try and get away but her limbs were heavy and aching from the fight. She weakly attempted to claw at its stomach with her hind legs but she only got fur. The disturbing yellow eyes glared down at her and the fox growled. Echopaw knew what was going to happen so she just closed her eyes as the menacing teeth clamped around her neck.
Abruptly the crushing weight lifted off of her and her green eyes flashed open. Stormstripe was standing over her with his jaws clamped around the fox's throat. It thrashed wildly but the gray warrior flung it so hard against an oak tree that the branches shook.
Dazed, the fox slowly got to its paws and whimpered like it was calling for something. After a moment, the three kits emerged from a bush, their wide eyes staring mutely at what Echopaw assumed was the mother. She suddenly felt a rush of sympathy for the lithe fox. She was just trying to make a home for her kits…it's a shame she had to choose ThunderClan territory though.
Stormstripe started to advance slowly, growling and hackles raised threateningly. Echopaw saw the harsh glint of battle in his eyes and lifted her head. "Wait," she rasped.
Stormstripe halted and scowled at her. "This animal tried to kill you, Echopaw."
The creamy apprentice carefully pushed herself off the ground, wincing slightly when the fur shifted around her neck. The feeling of the fox's teeth would take a while to forget. She faced her attacker who was standing protectively in front of her kits, teeth bared. Even though Echopaw knew she was trying to me threatening, the small she-cat could see the light of panic in her yellow eyes.
"Go," she commanded sharply, waving her tail to the trees. "Go and don't come back." She knew the fox could understand her, but Echopaw figured she would get the general idea.
The mother fox tilted her head slightly and let out a lout bark. Her three kits looked up at her and then raced towards the trees, disappearing through the bushes and ferns. The fox slowly backed towards the direction her kits went off to and then, with one last final growl, turned and left.
Echopaw sagged with relief and weariness as Tinyfeather and Dustclaw chased off the remaining fox. She looked around the clearing and saw that the cats from the other patrol had gotten there just in time. I'd be fox food if Stormstripe hadn't helped me. "Thanks," she meowed to the gray tom. He nodded and padded away to where Furzebelly sat licking his wounds.
A small cry came from Sunwhisper as she rushed to Adderflight's side. The tortoiseshell tom was unconscious and had the most wounds out of all of them. His hind leg hung at an awkward angle and the wound on his throat was covered with dried blood. The golden she-cat gently licked between his ears, her amber eyes worried and fearful.
Echopaw limped over to her and asked, "Is he dead?"
"I don't know!" Sunwhisper choked out, nudging his still body with her muzzle. "You can't be dead you mouse-brained fur-ball. I need you."
Echopaw gaped at her in shock and surprise. Sunwhisper was in love…with Adderflight? But how was that even possible? The tom had never shown himself to be capable of any feeling other than his usual aggression so how could a cat as kind and softhearted as Sunwhisper be in love with him? She narrowed her eyes skeptically and the she-cat noticed.
"You don't believe me," the golden warrior meowed flatly. She stated it as a statement not a question but Echopaw shook her head. Sunwhisper sighed and gazed down at Adderflight. "He stole my heart, Echopaw. I know you doubt my feelings for him but it's the truth. Whether you believe me or not is totally up to you."
Echopaw shook her head, overloaded. It was all too much for one morning. Suddenly, her conversation with Rowanstrike seemed so far away. Had that been just a little while ago? "It's not my business how you two feel towards each other," she murmured. "It just shocked me."
Sunwhisper's eyes turned warm and tender as she looked down at the dark furred tom. "Yeah," she whispered. "Love can do that to you."
Their second conversation of the day was (thankfully) interrupted as Stormstripe and Dustclaw came over to carry Adderflight back to camp. Echopaw didn't know how many more sentimental talks she could have with Sunwhisper before she threw herself into the lake. The golden warrior somehow always seemed to make her second guess everything she was thinking and feeling without even trying to.
A wave of dizziness crashed over her and Echopaw swayed on her paws. A slender shoulder caught her just as she was about to tip over. She looked up to see that it was Tinyfeather who was beside her.
"Steady there," the silver she-cat instructed gently. With Tinyfeather's help Echopaw somehow managed to make it back without getting a face full of dirt. When they reached the brambles, they halted and let Dustclaw and Stormstripe carry Adderflight into the camp first.
"He better not be dead," she muttered to her friend, pushing her way roughly through the entrance. "I almost got my neck bitten off trying to save his life. Not that he'll thank me or anything, ungrateful piece of mouse-dung." However, her heart wasn't into the insults. She secretly hoped that Adderflight lived, if only to keep Sunwhisper's heart in one piece.
"Littlewhisker!" Shineheart shouted as the two toms set Adderflight down on the ground.
The silver tom poked his head out of the Medicine Cat den. "What's wr-oh great StarClan, hold on." He disappeared back inside but quickly emerged with a bundle of herbs and Iceheart followed, her front paw swabbed in cobwebs.
More cats came out of their dens and gathered around them. Petalstream hurried forward with Hawkstar a little bit behind her. For once, the tabby leader looked alert and in the present and his fur looked better than it had earlier. For a moment Echopaw wondered what the deputy had told him in order for him to try and be the leader he once was.
"What happened?" Hawkstar demanded.
As Furzebelly quickly explained the story-saying that Adderflight had found "another trail" instead of running off-Littlewhisker pushed himself through the throng of cats.
"Let me through," he snapped. When he reached his patient he dropped the herbs and leaned forward until his ear was right by Adderflight's muzzle. After a moment he nodded once and calmly started to lick the dried blood from around the wound. In between licks and told Iceheart, "Can you start preparing a pulp for this?"
Iceheart nodded and began chewing up the different leaves. After she was done she placed a paw on Adderflight's hind leg and moved it a bit. The tom moaned in pain and his eyelids flickered but he didn't wake up. The RiverClan Medicine Cat looked at Littlewhisker. "This leg is dislocated. Do you know how to fix it?"
Littlewhisker shook his head and began smearing a green pulp onto the open wound. Echopaw could see that now, without all the dried blood, the gash wasn't too deep. "Featherpool didn't teach me it before she…died." He swallowed hard and Echopaw knew he was remembering that night.
"Good then you can learn," Iceheart replied. When Littlewhisker was done addressing the wound she motioned for him to stand next to her and he took his place by her side. "Now, put your front paws firmly right here so that it doesn't move when I push it back in. Good, now on three I'm going to push it alright? Okay, one…two…three!"
Adderflight's leg slid back into place with a sharp click and Littlewhisker sighed in relief. "So that was it?"
"Yep, good job. Now you've learned just about everything."
The small tom's green eyes glowed at her praise, reminding Echopaw that he was not too much older than her. Thank StarClan he has Iceheart, she thought. Letting them finish up with their patient she turned back to where the rest of her Clanmates were gathered around Hawkstar and Petalstream. Furzebelly was at the end of telling their encounter about how the second patrol had gotten to the clearing just in time.
"The foxes outnumbered us in strength and if Dustclaw's patrol hadn't arrived there would be more wounded than just Adderflight," Shineheart put in when he was done talking. Echopaw padded up to the front so that she could listen better.
"It's a good thing Echopaw attacked that fox or else Adderflight would have been shredded," Tanglewhisper meowed, shooting her a respectful glance. Her pelt burned as her Clanmates turned to look at her and she saw Forestfur nod in approval.
Hawkstar was also looking at her, but more intently. "You saved Adderflight's life?" he asked.
She couldn't meet his eyes, not knowing what she would find there. She shrugged, uncomfortable with all the attention. "Not really. I just did what any other apprentice would do." Yeesh that's the second time I've said that today. She wished they would all just forget about the whole thing.
Tanglewhisper, it seemed, had a different idea. "I was helping her chase off one of the other foxes and when we heard Adderflight make a noise she turned around and just threw herself at the one who was holding him by the leg." She shot him a glare hoping he could read in her eyes that he was not helping.
"The fox had its jaws around her throat right before I pulled it off of her," Stormstripe added.
"She fought like a true warrior." Shineheart's gaze was warm.
"Not really," Echopaw repeated and shuffled her paws. Her fur itched from everyone staring at her. She had fought alright and yeah, okay, so she maybe might have helped out Adderflight, but it wasn't as if it was the first time a cat had helped a Clanmate.
Hawkstar, who had stayed silent this whole time, suddenly announced loudly, "Well, then I think it's time for something a bit overdue in my opinion" Echopaw jerked her head up to see him head towards the Highledge and climb stiffly up it. Her heart started to pound faster. He couldn't possibly mean…
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather under the Highledge for a Clan meeting!"
He didn't have to actually say those words, seeing as every cat was already there. Echopaw stood frozen to the spot as her Clanmates joined together into a loose cluster and took their spots beneath where her father stood.
"Just look at your fur!" A sudden rough tongue started to hastily the fur around her neck and Echopaw realized it was Jaypath. "Honestly, he could have at least waited until you were properly cleaned!"
Her words struck something in Echopaw and everything came crystal clear. She was becoming a warrior today. Right now.
Right.
Now.
Her heart thudded against her chest with excitement and her eyes glowed with happiness. She was finally going to get her warrior name! She pulled away from Jaypath even though her foster mother hadn't yet finished cleaning her pelt.
"Thanks Jaypath, but you don't have to keep cleaning me," she purred, feeling a wave of affection towards the blue/gray she-cat.
"Echopaw," Jaypath murmured softly, looking at her with such love that Echopaw's heart squeezed. "Brightfeather was my best friend and I have loved raising you. Sandfur and I love you as one of our own, you know that right?"
Echopaw swallowed, her throat closing up. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice thick.
"I wish things could have been different for you but I'm sure your mother and brother and Featherpool are looking down right now and watching over you. I'm glad to have been given the chance of being a mother to you and Pinepaw," Jaypath mewed sincerely.
At the mention of her brother Echopaw stepped forward and touched noses with the cat she had always thought of as her mother. "And I'm honored to have been raised by you and Sandfur. I know Pinepaw feels the same way."
Jaypath dipped her head and faded back into the crowd of cats as the creamy she-cat padded forward until she was standing by herself in front of everyone.
"Echopaw step forward," Hawkstar commanded, jumping down from the rock and padding to where she stood. He halted in front of you and she warily met his gaze. She saw no anger or annoyance or that distant grieving look in his amber eyes, only tender love and pride. She went weak with relief and happiness as she realized that no matter what she had thought, he had never stopped loving her.
"I, Hawkstar, Leader of Thunderclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard and has lost much to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn. Echopaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend you Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
Echopaw closed her eyes and thought of all the afternoons she had spent playing with Pinepaw as a kit and the many times they had trained together in the hollow. Then her mind went to Featherpool and how her friend's caring green eyes blazed with the determination that there is always hope. And finally, she thought of Lionflame and how he had never had the chance to be a warrior when he was alive.
She opened her eyes and meowed with conviction, "I do."
Hawkstar let out a loud purr. "Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Echopaw from this moment on you will be known as Echowing for your strong compassion and sense of justice. StarClan honors your will to fight for what is right and your unflinching loyalty to the cats you love and we all welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." He gently rested his graying muzzle on the top of her head and Echowing licked his shoulder.
She stepped back and felt fierce pride overwhelm her as her Clanmates called out her new name.
"Echowing! Echowing! Echowing!"
"Echowing!" Hawkstar called out loudest of all, his amber eyes burning with a blazing joy at seeing his only living kit finally make it to warrior rank. "Tonight you will sit a silent vigil on guard, Echowing."
The creamy she-cat was too chocked up to speak so she just nodded.
Her father gazed at her for a long moment. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "For not being there when you needed me."
Echowing said nothing, just blinked slowly at him and gently touched her muzzle to his. She knew that in just that simple gesture, all the harsh words between them were forgiven, if not forgotten. "You have lost a lot," she meowed softly.
Hawkstar's eyes grew sorrowful. "So have you, Echowing. I guess I just forgot that you were only an apprentice, not a warrior. You look so much like your mother that I felt she was never truly gone from me. I always had you and Pinepaw to remind me of her but when he…died," he swallowed but continued, "I wondered why StarClan could be so cruel to me to take everything from me."
"But I was always here," Echowing answered, heart heavy.
Hawkstar touched her gently with his tail tip. "I know, and I'm sorry. I'm so glad that you are finally a warrior."
Echowing broke into a purr and gave his cheek a lick before turning to join where her friends were waiting for her. But, just as she was about to walk away, she looked back and asked, "What would Pinepaw's warrior name have been?"
Hawkstar gazed at her thoughtfully. "Pineheart," he replied softly.
Echowing nodded, thinking about how her kind and caring her brother had been. "It would have fit him," she mewed.
"I think so too," Hawkstar purred before heading back to his den.
Echowing looked up at the sky and even though it was only a little after sun-high, she could just make out one pale twinkling star. Are you watching me Pinepaw? I wish I could share this moment with you. I remember thinking we would always have each other's backs, no matter what. I hope you're happy in StarClan, brother. I love you.
No answer came this time, no magical voice in her head appeared, which strangely comforted her. In a certain way, Echowing felt that her brother didn't have to tell her how much he loved her or wished they could be side by side right then.
Because she already knew.
YAAAAAAAAAAAY! She finally got her warrior name! And I added the Pinepaw thing because one of my reviewers (I don't remember which) asked me what his name would have been. I like the name Pineheart because it's simple and yet I think fits him perfectly. ^-^ So, tell me what you think about Echowing's name, please!
Oh, and here's the updated allegiances!
Allegiances
THUNDERCLAN
Leader: Hawkstar-dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes
Deputy: Petalstream- pure white she-cat with blue eyes
Medicine cat: Littlewhisker- small silver tom with green eyes
Warriors (toms and she-cats without kits)
Sandfur-dark ginger tom with amber eyes
Dawnfeather-light brown she-cat with white paws, chest, and belly and blue eyes
Stormstripe-dark gray tabby tom with green eyes
Whitepelt-huge white tom with blue eyes
Sunwhisper-quiet golden she-cat with kind amber eyes
Adderflight-tortoiseshell tom with hard blue eyes
Windfur- silvery she-cat with amber eyes
Furzebelly-long-haired gray tom with green eyes
Shineheart-brown she-cat with amber eyes
Hollyfrost-black she-cat with white paws and green eyes
Dustclaw- gray tom with blue eyes
Fishleap-lithe ginger tom with amber eyes
Jaypath-blue/gray she-cat with blue eyes
Forestfur-black she-cat with amber eyes
Iceheart- (formerly Medicine Cat of RiverClan) white she-cat with pale eyes
Rowanstrike- dark red-ish tom with light blue eyes
Tinyfeather- silver she-cat with blue eyes
Tanglewhisper- light brown tom with darker ears and paws, and amber eyes
Echowing- cream colored tabby she-cat with small white paws and ears, pale green eyes, and three scars running down the side of her face
Apprentices (cats six moons and older, in training to become warriors)
None
Queens (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)
Ivypetal-dark gray she-cat with blue eyes (expecting Fishleap's kits)
Elders (former warriors and queens, now retired)
Mouseclaw- grumpy gray-brown tom with a sharp tongue and amber eyes
Goldenmist- pretty golden she-cat with blind green eyes
WINDCLAN
Leader: Swallowstar-handsome gray tabby tom
Deputy: Breezewater-silver she-cat
Medicine Cat: Bluepool-blue/gray she-cat
Warriors
Pinestripe-ginger tom with darker stripes
Clawfoot- dark tabby tom
Poppyheart-white she cat
Rushfur-bright gray tom
Cloudstorm-white tom
Reedstrike-light tom
Snowpool-white and gray she-cat
Foxleaf-light orange tabby tom
Queens
Moonsong-midnight black she-cat, mother of Swallowstar's kits: Rockkit (dark gray tabby tom) and Rainkit (silver and black she-cat)
Elders
None
SHADOWCLAN
Leader: Shadestar-dark tom
Deputy: Graystorm-gray tom
Medicine Cat: Mossflame-cream she-cat with a rusty colored nose
Apprentice: Petalpath (rose-colored she-cat)
Warriors
Firespirit-orange she-cat
Brightwing-white and brown she-cat
Bramblefire-brown tabby tom
Tigerfur-pale gray tom with dark brown paws
Starblaze-white she-cat
Honeypoppy-sweet golden she-cat
Snowstorm-white tom with gray ears
Mistypelt-gray she-cat
Apprentice: Talonpaw (dark brown, almost black tom)
Snakefang-molted tom with an irregular sized fang
Tallfeather-white she-cat with a long dark stripe running down her back
Blackfrost-black tom with blue eyes
Queens
Firespirit-orange she-cat (expecting Tigerfur's kits)
None
Elders
Longmist-gray she-cat, formerly the deputy
RIVERCLAN
Leader: Crowstar-large compact brown and white tom
Deputy: Willowfeather- tortoiseshell she-cat
Medicine Cat: None
Warriors
Rainpelt- gray tom
Clumpfur-broad white and black tom with lumpy fur
Brindlewhisker- orange and white she-cat
Ashtalon-dark and light gray tom
Sunleaf-bright yellow she-cat with white ears
Raindusk-black and gray tom
Mapleshadow-orange and cream she-cat (formerly a loner)
Clawear-scrawny brown tom with shredded ears (formerly a loner)
Darkblood-scrawny black tom (formerly a loner)
Deadtail-orange she-cat with half a tail (formerly a loner)
Cinderfang-huge gray tom (formerly a loner)
Birchfur-tabby tom
Hailsplash-white she-cat
Queens
Cherrybloom-White and gray she-cat, mother of Cinderfang's kits: Minnowkit (pale gray she-cat), Skykit (white she-cat), and Stormkit (dark gray tom)
Elders
Mousefoot-dusty brown she-cat