By the time Aurorastar woke, it was nearly sunhigh. Nightsun had already left, leaving a pile of flat moss where he was sleeping.
Still feeling groggy, Aurorastar stood up, stretched, and left her den. Hunger clawed at her stomach, so she trotted down off Brightledge and to the fresh kill pile.
"Greetings, Aurorastar," Cherry mewed, friendliness gleaming in her green eyes. Her dark brown and white fur, now sleek and healthy, gleamed in the greenleaf sun.
"Greetings, Cherry," Aurorastar replied back equally as kindly. "How are you?"
"Wonderful. I love it in SunClan. Even Flower's kits are finding it much more appealing here." Cherry suddenly looked a little embarrassed. "Falcon, Flower, Storm, and I have all agreed that we would like to stay here permanently, if you will have us."
Aurorastar waved her tail in pleasure. She had hoped the rogues would want to stay, and they had proved their loyalty to SunClan in the battle. "Of course SunClan would love to have you." She touched her nose to Cherry's cheek. "I can even make it formally permanent right away." With a wave of her tail, Aurorastar leaped onto Brightledge.
The rogues will become a wonderful part of SunClan, it was good that we did not turn them down. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Brightledge for a Clan meeting!"
Cats began to gather around immediately. Tigerpaw and Nightpaw whispered excitedly, while Stoneclaw and Bluegalaxy stared up at Aurorastar intently. Dragonclaw, Brambleblaze, Ravensong, and Seaserpent bounded out of the warriors den. Aurorastar noticed Cherry exchanging a few words with Storm, Falcon, and Flower. They all nodded their heads, their eyes bright.
"I have decided that it is time to welcome new members into our Clan. Falcon, Cherry, and Storm fought like true SunClan warriors in the battle with DarkClan, and Flower's loyalty to not only her kits, but the Clan and other queens' kits has been remarkable. I wish to formally invite them into the Clan as true warriors."
Cherry, Falcon, Storm, and Flower stepped forward, while Flower's kits watched their mother with bright eyes.
"I, Aurorastar, leader of SunClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these cats. They have learned the ways of your noble code and proven themselves worthy, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn." She turned to the four cats, who were gazing at her in awe. "Cherry, Falcon, Flower, and Storm, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend SunClan, even at the cost of your life?"
"I do," they all replied in strong voices.
"Then, by the powers of StarClan, I grant you your warrior names. Cherry, from this moment on your shall be known as Cherryflight. Falcon, from this moment on you shall be known as Falconstrike. Flower, from this moment onward you shall be known as Flowerheart. And Storm, from this moment on you shall be known as Stormsky. StarClan honors your courage, wisdom, and selflessness, and we welcome you as full warriors of SunClan."
"Cherryflight! Falconstrike! Flowerheart! Stormsky!" the Clan cheered with full enthusiasm. Wren, Robin, and Hawk raced towards their mother, purring happily.
"I have one more ceremony to perform," Aurorastar told the Clan. She beckoned Flowerheart's kits forward. "Robin, you shall now be known as Robinkit. Wren, you shall now be known as Wrenkit. Hawk, you shall now be known as Hawkkit. I am sure you will all one day become warriors SunClan will be proud of."
"Robinkit, Wrenkit, Hawkkit!" The Clan cheered once more. Hawkkit puffed out his chest while Robinkit and Wrenkit glowed with pride. Remembering about kits, Aurorastar also added, "I also wish to congratulate Petalblossom and Silverblaze on their new litter."
A friendly murmur rose from the Clan. Aurorastar had not heard any news on Petalblossom other than that she was well and had kitted healthily.
Dismissing the meeting, Aurorastar decided to visit the new SunClan kits. As she walked to the nursery, she passed Moonshine and Honeysplash.
"You will be a great mother," Moonshine meowed, curling his white tail affectionately around his mate's swelling belly. Honeysplash purred loudly.
"Hello, Aurorastar!" Redkit scampered out of the nursery entrance to greet her. His red kit-soft fur bristled excitedly. "Have you come to see Petalblossom's kits?"
"I have," Aurorastar purred. Though Redkit had close to no SunClan blood, he felt especially close to SunClan and to his foster mother, Crystalclaw.
Redkit lead her inside, ducking under a loose bramble trend sticking out of the wall. I must talk to Nightglow about expanding the nursery, Aurorastar reminded herself. Immediately, the warm scent of milk hit her nose.
Walking inside, she noticed Waterfall crouched at the back of the den, trying to groom Thunderkit's pelt.
"Not so hard!" he protested, shaking free of his mother.
"Thunderkit, I won't let you go outside until I have groomed your pelt!" Waterfall said, sounding exasperated.
Aurorastar cast Waterfall an apologetic glance before walking over to the opposite side of the den where Petalblossom lay. Silverblaze crouched beside her, licking her ear every now and then.
"They're beautiful," Aurorastar murmured, sitting down and staring at the three tiny bodies curled up around Petalblossom's belly. "Have you named them yet?"
Petalblossom turned to look at her kits. Though she looked exhausted, her bright blue eyes shined with the love for her new litter. "Yes," she rasped. She pointed her tail at the largest kit, a pale orange tom. "This is Goldkit." Then she moved her tail to a black she cat. "This is Lilackit." Her tail moved over the last kit, a white tom with black spots on his face and tail. "And this is Swankit." She purred when Swankit mewed loudly.
"How come Petalblossom's kits have to be so loud and obnoxious?" Jewelkit complained from behind Aurorastar.
"You were much more loud as a newborn kit," replied Crystalclaw. "Now stop complaining and come outside with me." Grumbling, Jewelkit followed her mother out.
Aurorastar turned back to Petalblossom and Silverblaze. "They're beautiful. Welcome to SunClan, precious kits."
"Have you ever thought about having kits of your own?" Petalblossom asked.
Aurorastar's fur prickled with embarrassment. "Er, I haven't really thought about it."
Petalblossom gazed at her warmly. "You would make a wonderful mother."
Aurorastar gazed back, dipped her head, and padded out of the nursery.
Would I really want to raise my own kits? She imagined caring for them as kits, watching them rolling around and playing, teaching them the ways of a SunClan warrior as an apprentice, and then making their Clan proud as warriors.
Maybe I would.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter! ^.^ I'm sorry they haven't been very long, but they will got quite longer as the story goes on.