Snowcrystal: Really? Ahhh that makes me so happy ^-^ I hope you're enjoying the others! Also thank you, I always feel like my fighting scenes are a little bland, so I appreciate the positive feedback :D

StormtheGreat: Thank you! I'm glad that makes sense ^-^''' I just always feel like my fighting scenes are lacking, so I make a point to try to make all of them different in some way :D

Thank you all for reading! Next chapter I'll have some big questions for you all, so I hope you're ready! ;)

Chapter 9

Sparkling drops spun and caught in the early sunlight as a silver fish flopped onto the pebbly shore.

"Quick," Whiteclaw urged, "finish it off before it jumps back in the water!"

Bluefur pounced after the fish with vigor, letting out a pleased purr. It was her first fish.

Graypool looked as proud as if she was Bluefur's mentor. "Well done! A little sloppy, but… hey, it'll feed a cat or two."

Whiteclaw's tail curled in delight. "You'll be one of our best hunters in no time," he insisted cheerfully.

Bluefur blinked gratefully at the young warrior before glancing at the sun. "We should get going before the sun gets much higher. Today is a big day after all."

Graypool shrugged easily. "Sure, let's go."

They all gathered their prey and started trekking back to camp. Bluefur's heart thrummed in her chest like a trapped hummingbird. Today was the day—her kits were becoming apprentices. It wasn't just a big day for them though, it was a big day for Bluefur, too. She would begin her own training, learning all of the basics of being a RiverClan warrior—like swimming.

A chill passed through her pelt as Goosefeather's prophecy echoed in her head. Water will destroy you. Her fish almost slipped from her jaws as she shook her head, clearing the irrational fears from her mind. You've left all of that behind you. There is no 'fire.'

The blue-gray queen tilted her chin proudly as she followed Graypool into camp, showing off her kill for any who hadn't left on patrol. Loudbelly was sharing tongues with Falconheart near the warriors' den, and his whiskers twitched as he caught sight of her.

"Not bad, Bluefur!" The brown warrior called, his tail curling.

"Bluefur's back!" Mistykit burst out of the elder's den, her tail sticking straight up. Her siblings weren't far behind her.

"You went hunting?" Shiverkit sniffed curiously at the fish, her eyes—which had faded from their kit-blue to a pale amber—were wide with wonder.

Sorrelkit nosed his sister aside. "Did you hear? We're going to be made apprentices! Today."

"Yes," Bluefur purred. "I heard."

Stonekit blinked curiously at her. "Do you know who our mentors will be?" His eyes—the same shade of amber as Oakheart's—wandered to Whiteclaw. The young warrior seemed to notice, and shook his head apologetically.

"Sorry Stonekit, I don't think I'll be given an apprentice of my own for a long while yet."

"You'll just have to wait and see," Bluefur told the eager kits. "Now settle down and smooth your fur out before I do it for you; you should look nice for your ceremony."

Sorrelkit opened his mouth as if he were going to object, but one stern look set him to licking. By sunhigh, all four kits' pelts were shining. Oakheart came in from the dawn patrol with a spring to his step, his chest already puffed out in pride, Duskfall and Leopardfur following quickly.

Just as the Clan started to gather in the center of the camp, Crookedstar emerged from his den. Glancing fondly at the kits as they scrambled to get to the front of the crowd, he leapt onto one of the Great Willow's roots. "Let all cats old enough to swim gather here for a Clan meeting!" The summons were hardly necessary as the last few cats took places. Sedgenose poked her head drowsily out of the nursery, and Silverkit sat in the entrance, envy coloring her green eyes. "It's come to my attention that four young kits are ready to take their places as apprentices." His gaze swept across the four kits and came to a halt on Stonekit.

"Stonekit, step forward." Stonekit obeyed quickly. Of the four, he was the calmest and most level-headed, constantly explaining to his more rambunctious siblings why their ideas were bad ones—and occasionally helping them come up with better ones. "From this day, until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Stonepaw. Duskfall, you are more than ready for another apprentice. I trust you will pass all of your forethought and skill to young Stonepaw."

As the black warrior stepped forward and touched noses with Stonepaw, Bluefur felt satisfaction warming her heart. An excellent choice.

"Mistykit, come forward." Mistykit was perhaps the most mischievous, not because she got them into trouble, but because of her ability to get her littermates out of trouble, She'll be a pawful…! "From this day, until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Mistypaw. Loudbelly, Oakheart trained you well, and you have proven yourself ready for your first apprentice. Share with Mistypaw all of your strength and dedication."

Loudbelly looked almost more excited than Mistypaw as he came forward. She jammed her nose energetically to his, leading to a ripple of amused purrs passing through the Clan.

"Sorrelkit," Crookedstar went on with a shake of his head. "Come forward." The head of operations. Sorrelkit had always been adventurous and bold. He was always charging off into something, and almost every time it was something he shouldn't be getting into. "From this moment, until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Sorrelpaw. Leopardfur, you did brilliantly with Whiteclaw, and I think it's time you took your second apprentice. Pass on all of your courage and discipline to young Sorrelpaw."

Leopardfur is perfect for him, Bluefur thought with twitching whiskers. They'll definitely challenge each other…!

Shiverkit quivered as Crookedstar's warm gaze fell on her. "Step forward, Shiverkit." Shiverkit was the most soft-spoken. She stayed back when her siblings rushed ahead, often preferring to watch and listen to everything that went on around her. "From this moment, until you have earned you warrior name, you will be known as Shiverpaw. Graypool, you have shown yourself to be a warrior of honesty and independence. Share all you know with young Shiverpaw."

Graypool padded to stand before Shiverpaw with her tail high. She touched her nose delicately to her timid apprentice's, and the Clan erupted into cheers.

"Stonepaw! Mistypaw! Sorrelpaw! Shiverpaw!"

Bluefur pressed forward to congratulate her kits, a purr shaking her whole frame as she greeted them by their new names. She was aware of Oakheart right beside her, his sleek red pelt brushing hers as he rumbled words of encouragement to their kits.

As RiverClan began splitting into their duties again, Bluefur felt a playful nudge at her side. She looked blinked curiously at Oakheart.

"Let's go," he murmured, beckoning with his ears to the sedge tunnel.

With a roll of her eyes and an affectionate purr, Bluefur followed her mate out of their camp. They walked for a while, winding through the fresh green undergrowth and enjoying the gentle breeze. Their pelts brushed and their tails twined.

"Do you remember," Oakheart finally meowed, "when we met at Fourtrees?"

"How could I forget?

Oakheart's whiskers twitched. "I am pretty memorable."

Bluefur hissed playfully and swatted at the tom's ears. "Oh put a fish in it. What's your point? Are you going to get nostalgic on me?"

"Maybe." The red-furred warrior teased. "I was just remembering how you taught me to climb trees."

"What about it?" Bluefur's pelt started prickling as they approached the river. Sunlight danced off of the lazy ripples and set the water shimmering. It would have been a beautiful sight if not for the sneaking suspicion blossoming in Bluefur's stomach.

"Well I offered to be your mentor," Oakheart danced delicately around the point he was trying to make, drawing out the inevitable. "So I thought perhaps it was time."

"Time for…?" Bluefur sank her claws anxiously into the sand.

"Time for me to finally make good on my end of that deal we made in Fourtrees. Today, Bluefur, you're going to learn how to swim."

"No."

Oakheart couldn't keep his whiskers from twitching. "That's not exactly an option, Bluefur." He gave her a firm nudge towards the water's edge. "Don't worry, I'm right here with you. Nothing's going to happen to you." One stiff paw-step at a time, Bluefur stalked to the shallows. Her hackles bristled as the water lapped at her paws.

Oakheart splashed easily to her side. "Relax," he urged her softly. "Sheath your claws, the water isn't going to attack you." He drew his tongue over her shoulder once or twice, letting the blue-furred warrior adjust to the cool water. "Are you ready?"

Significantly more calm, Bluefur nodded. "I think so."

"Good." Oakheart waded out a little deeper, enjoying the feel of the current tugging at his belly fur. "Wade out until you almost can't touch the bottom," he instructed her. "When you reach that point, tell me."

With her eyes narrowed to focused slits, Bluefur did as she was told. When the water was nearly splashing over her back she let out a growl, "If I take another step I'm going to go under."

"No you won't," Oakheart rolled his eyes. He was just a tail-length ahead of her, nearly having to swim himself. "You'll swim. Just spread your paws as wide as you can and kick, it'll come easily to you."

After taking a deep breath, Bluefur surged forward, kicking out desperately.

"Keep your eyes on me," Oakheart called. "You're doing great."

Her head only went under twice, and both times she'd resurfaced before Oakheart had been able to jump to her aid. When she reached him, he thrust his shoulder under hers and helped her paddle unsteadily back to the shallows. Bluefur staggered ashore and flopped over, panting.

"I'm still… out of shape…"

Oakheart let out a mrrow of laughter. "You can say that again." He crouched beside his exhausted mate and gave her a few rough licks. "You did brilliantly though, just like I thought you would. You'll be swimming to Sunningrocks in no time."

"In your dreams…" Bluefur wheezed half-heartedly. She sat up slowly. For a moment it looked as if she was about to say something, but a rustling on the other side of the river drew her gaze. Oakheart narrowed his eyes and stood, squaring his shoulders as a cat padded lightly out onto the Sunningrocks.

"ThunderClan," he growled, unsheathing his claws. He launched back into the river like an otter, swimming quickly to the other side. He heard Bluefur hiss something behind him, but he ignored her. As he stalked up to the smooth gray stones, he was surprised when Bluefur nearly barreled into his side.

"Don't," she nudged him behind a rock. "Don't. That's… that's ThunderClan's medicine cat."

Oakheart glanced sharply at his mate. There was something different in her eyes, something dark and unfamiliar. "And…?" He hissed softly. "He's trespassing."

"Oakheart I know you've heard at the Gatherings, every cat knows he's half-mad."

Before Oakheart could answer, the old medicine cat started meowing. "Half-mad? That sounds about right. But doesn't that mean I'm also half-sane?" There was a touch amusement in his voice, grating and taunting.

With a growl, Oakheart stepped out of their hiding spot. "I don't know what you're babbling about, but Sunningrocks belongs to RiverClan. Medicine cat or not, you shouldn't be here."

"I thought I scented traitor," Goosefeather's eyes sparked with glee. "Is this the water that's going to destroy you?"

Bluefur stepped reluctantly to Oakheart's side, her wet fur bristling. "You heard him, Goosefeather. Leave."

"I don't think I will." The ragged old tom sat and twisted to groom his tail. "I've chased this cat off once, I'd think I could do it again."

In a flash of white-hot fury Oakheart remembered—it had been Goosefeather's fault that Crookedstar had fallen and broken his jaw. The red-furred warrior unsheathed his claws and scraped them along the stones. "This is your last warning, you muttering fool."

"Wait…!" Two cats burst out of the trees, one—a large white tom—Oakheart recognized from battle, the other he thought he had seen at Gatherings, with a feathery silver pelt and a long, plumy tail. The silver tom took a stance in front of Goosefeather, though it was clear by his slight build that he was a medicine cat—Featherwhisker, Oakheart recalled. "Don't harm him," he began, "Goosefeather's just…"

"Bluefur?" The white warrior stepped forward, wonder blossoming in his sandy yellow eyes.

"Hello, Whitestorm," Bluefur relaxed her shoulders. "How's the prey running?"

The white warrior shook his head, then padded forward to touch noses with Oakheart's mate. Oakheart flattened his ears, but didn't speak. He knew Whitestorm to be Bluefur's kin; the kit she had raised when her sister died.

"You look well," he rumbled. "I never dreamed that I'd see you with wet fur."

Featherwhisker's panic died down a little, and he, too, stepped forward to greet Bluefur more warmly. "I'm glad to see you're okay," he murmured. "We've looked for you at Gatherings, but…" The toms exchanged a glance, so quickly Oakheart nearly missed it.

"She's been in the nursery," Oakheart explained. He sheathed his claws, but he kept one eye on Goosefeather. "It won't be long now before she's seen at Gatherings. Our kits were just apprenticed, after all."

"That's great news," joy tempered the sorrow in Whitestorm's eyes. "I look forward to meeting them."

Bluefur purred, a soft, motherly sound. "I'll be sure to introduce you."

"But," Oakheart cut in, "that's talk best saved for the truce of a full moon. If another RiverClan patrol comes along we'll all be in trouble. Leave now, and make sure Goosefeather knows the borders."

"Of course," Featherwhisker dipped his head. He turned and ushered Goosefeather ahead of him like a queen might herd a fretful kit. Whitestorm lingered a moment longer, sharing one last look with Bluefur before following the medicine cats into the trees. A shiver rippled down Bluefur's spine as the undergrowth swallowed the ThunderClan cats.

Concerned, Oakheart swept his tail down her flank. "Are you alright?" He nosed her ear. "What in StarClan's name was that old badger talking about?"

"Nothing," Bluefur muttered. "I'm sure it was nothing." She turned away before Oakheart could ask any more, padding to the stepping stones and leaping nimbly across. Oakheart swam to the other side, letting his paws take over as his mind tried to wrap around the strange encounter. In the end, nothing added up—but there was no mistaking the haunted look in Bluefur's eyes, or the way she so firmly shook it from her features. Whatever it is, Oakheart mused, she won't face it alone. All of RiverClan will fight alongside her.

So I discovered that I really like using Oakheart's POV. Oops. xD

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! See you all next time!