A/N: This update is coming out a little sooner than expected because the chapter just kind of ended on its own... bleh. I'm iffy on this chapter, simply because a lot happens in under 2,000 words and that just... blah. Oh well. The things that happen are important, so I hope you all enjoy this chapter, even if its wayyyy shorter than the one before it xD
MY REVIEWERS
To everyone who has reviewed the past chapters and not gotten an individual answer: I am sosososososososooooo sorry pleaseforgiveme! I will do better. I promise. PROMISE. Please don't stop loving me.
Pandean: Thank you for still loving me! I'm so glad I'm still getting reviews and feedback from you! I hope you like who I chose to mentor Nettlekit :3
NOW on with the story (:
Chapter 20
Hollystep sighed. Not for the first time, she found herself wishing she was deaf. The wound isn't even that bad. She cast a baleful glare towards the source of her discomfort—the nursery. Spottedkit and Nettlekit were play-fighting with Snowpaw outside while yowl after yowl rang from the entrance and echoed through the hollow. Brambleclaw had been ordered out of camp for fear of him pacing a hole into well-trodden ground, and Firestar had gone with him, unable to listen to the wails of his kit as she brought her own kits into the world.
Never. Hollystep rested her chin on her front paws with a seething sigh. Not in a million seasons.
She glared at her brother as the lighter tabby took a piece of fresh-kill from the pile, almost wishing he and his cheerfully waving tail would catch fire under her hot amber gaze as he approached her. "How are you so chipper?"
Birchfall blinked. "You haven't heard?"
"Apparently not." Another yowl from the nursery set Hollystep's fur bristling.
"Whitewing's kits are going to be apprenticed tomorrow."
The darker tabby brightened. "Were you chosen to mentor one?"
Birchfall shook his head. "No. Didn't we already have this talk? I can hardly stand you most days—what would I do if I had to mentor Nettlekit?"
Hollystep rolled her eyes. Her paws prickled with discomfort as another pained screech escaped the nursery. Birchfall ate quietly, his amber eyes watching Hollystep carefully. Finally, he licked the last morsels from his jaws and spoke. "It's frustrating for all of us."
Hollystep flicked her ear impatiently. "What is?"
"Not being able to help Squirrelflight. We're warriors, not mice, but there's nothing we can do to help her right now." He rested his tail on Hollystep's shoulder. "She's strong, and Leafpool is a great medicine cat. Everything is going to be fine."
Try as she might, Hollystep couldn't bring herself to protest her brother's comforting words. She only shrugged his tail from her shoulder and rested her chin on her paws again. With a sigh, the lighter tabby warrior began grooming his sister's ruffled pelt. Hollystep let him, closing her eyes and sending a quick prayer to StarClan. Don't you dare take Squirrelflight from us—or a single one of her kits!
When she opened her eyes again, Hollystep realized she'd dozed off. The sun was setting. She sat up suddenly, her eyes snapping to the nursery. She pricked her ears, angling them forward and straining to hear. A sense of comfort washed over her when she heard the faint mewls and squeaks of newborn kits.
"Nice nap?" Spiderleg greeted her with a wave of his tail as he settled down outside the warriors' den to eat. "You should go see the kits," he urged her without waiting for a reply. "There's four. Four!"
We were both wrong, Hollystep thought with a quiet snicker. She stretched stiffly as she stood and thanked StarClan that the pain in her neck had faded to a dull throb. As cautiously as she would creep up on a mouse, Hollystep padded towards the nursery. Sandstorm slipped out as she approached.
"They're beautiful," she told Hollystep, pride kindling in her green eyes. Hollystep didn't say anything as she entered the nursery. Brambleclaw's purr filled the warm den, and his eyes lit up as he saw Hollystep.
"Come to see ThunderClan's newest warriors?" He looked as if he would burst as Hollystep bent to peer into Squirrelflight's nest.
"Do they have names?" She inquired, keeping her voice a low whisper.
"Yes," answered Squirrelflight drowsily. "Brambleclaw will tell you."
The deputy nodded importantly and touched his tail-tip to the biggest kit, a tom with his father's dark tabby pelt. "This is Dusk-kit." Next was a she-kit with dappled tortoiseshell and white fur, "Speckledkit," beside her was a smaller she-kit with dark ginger fur, "Littlekit," and finally a pale ginger tom with darker ginger stripes decorating his fur, "and Redkit."
"Good names," Hollystep acknowledged with a nod. Will Snowpaw be a warrior in time for me to mentor one? She drew her tongue over Squirrelflight's shoulder. "You did brilliantly," she offered softly.
"You would do brilliantly, too," Squirrelflight teased, her eyes flashing. Hollystep curled her lip.
"No thanks. Rainwhisker knows how I feel about kits."
Brambleclaw rolled his eyes. "You'll change your mind one day, Hollystep."
With a cross flick of her tail, Hollystep bit out a farewell and left. Don't count on it.
When she emerged, Firestar was climbing the Highledge. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!"
Relieved to have something on her mind other than kits, Hollystep joined Ashfur and Sorreltail towards the front of the group. "Apprentice ceremony?" She inquired.
"Yep," Sorreltail's tail curled in delight. "I hope whoever Firestar chose is ready!"
Hollystep glanced at Ashfur, who looked about as proud as Brambleclaw. So which one will he be mentoring? She watched as the two kits bounced to the front of the Clan.
"Today, we have much to celebrate," Firestar began warmly. "Squirrelflight's kitting was a success, and now, we welcome two kits as apprentices." He turned his bright green gaze to the kits. "Spottedkit, from this moment, until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Spottedpaw. Ashfur, you did a great job with Birchfall, and you are beyond ready for your second apprentice. Pass on all you know to young Spottedpaw." Ashfur stepped forward and touched noses with the black and white she-cat, then led her aside.
"Nettlekit," Firestar continued. The black she-cat tilted her chin up proudly. What I wouldn't give to mentor her as well! "From this moment, until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Nettlepaw. Dustpelt, you have been without an apprentice since Squirrelflight took her warrior name. Pass on all of your courage and wisdom to young Nettlepaw." As Dustpelt touched noses with his new apprentice, her eyes flashed defiantly. He's going to shred her!
"Spottedpaw! Nettlepaw!" Snowpaw was among the first to greet his adoptive sisters, purring loudly as he congratulated them. Hollystep joined in the cheers, though fatigue was catching up with her again. Whatever Leafpool had given her was certainly keeping her down. As the cheers died down the tabby she-cat slipped into the warriors' den and sank into a deep, dreamless sleep.
"Alright, you're good to go." Though she seemed reluctant, Leafpool's tone was certain as she stepped away from inspecting Hollystep's wound. "There's no reason you can't go to the Gathering tonight."
Hollystep rolled her shoulders appreciatively. "Good," she growled. "And what about training? Birchfall can't watch Snowpaw for me forever."
"It should be fine," the medicine cat sighed, exasperated. "Just go easy on the battle training for a few days."
"Great!" Hollystep jumped to her paws. "Thanks, Leafpool!" Her head and tail high, Hollystep shouldered her way out of the screen of brambles.
"What did Leafpool say?" Whitewing called. She had also been chosen to go to the Gathering, and was already waiting near the thorn tunnel.
"All clear," Hollystep announced.
"Good," Dustpelt nodded. "The moon's nearly up, as soon as Firestar comes down from the Highledge we're leaving."
Hollystep waited impatiently, her tail flicking. She had been confined in camp for three agonizingly long days, and she couldn't think of a better way to stretch her legs than going to a Gathering. Soon, Firestar emerged from his den and padded to the thorn tunnel. He raised his tail to gather his warriors and led the way out of camp. They ran through the forest with their tails high and shoulders relaxed. New-leaf had already started to strengthen ThunderClan. Their pelts were sleek and glossy, and their muscles rippled easily as they ran. ThunderClan is certainly making a strong showing, Hollystep thought smugly. Four new kits, two new apprentices, and strong, well-fed warriors. The other Clans won't be quick to start trouble along our borders.
With every ounce of patience she had, Hollystep hung back and let Hazelpaw and Snowpaw cross the tree-bridge before her. She followed her apprentice closely, aware of Birchfall's breath on her tail.
"Only RiverClan," Brambleclaw observed as Hollystep landed on the shore.
Hollystep tasted the air. "They've brought a large patrol," she added, falling in step beside ThunderClan's deputy as they headed towards the main clearing. "They must have important news."
"Hawkfrost may tell us." As he mentioned him, Brambleclaw waved the RiverClan warrior towards them with his tail. He shouldered his way towards them with his head high.
"It's good to see you, Brambleclaw," Hawkfrost rumbled. His ice blue eyes raked critically over Hollystep. "And you're Hollystep, right?"
Hollystep dipped her head curtly. "I am."
"RiverClan's brought a large patrol," Brambleclaw pressed on, unaware of the chilling tension growing between his half-brother and Clan-mate. "Has something happened?"
Hawkfrost bowed his head. "Mistyfoot has gone to hunt with StarClan."
"Your deputy?" Hollystep blinked in disbelief. She'd only met the RiverClan deputy once, but she respected Mistyfoot's calm authority. "What happened?"
The great tabby lashed his tail. "We're not sure. We found her body on the WindClan border—I think Leopardstar intends to accuse WindClan of murdering her in their silly attempt to appear strong." There was scorn in his arctic eyes. She couldn't put her paw on it, but there was something else there, too. Something that set her on edge.
"She will be missed," Brambleclaw murmured. "Then does that mean…?" He looked at Hawkfrost as if he already knew.
"I'm the deputy now," the dark tabby confirmed.
"Congratulations!" Brambleclaw head-butted Hawkfrost's shoulder.
Hollystep echoed him unenthusiastically. Why would WindClan kill Mistyfoot? She didn't get any time to think it through as ShadowClan rushed into the clearing, followed by WindClan. Firestar called for the Gathering to start.
Blackstar spoke first, announcing little. Firestar followed, proudly sharing the news of Squirrelflight's kitting and the naming of their newest apprentices. Before Onestar could stand, Leopardstar has stepped forward.
"RiverClan comes bearing sad news. Mistyfoot is dead." Shocked yowls and murmurs of sorrow rippled through the crowd. "Our new deputy is Hawkfrost."
Hollystep felt a chill creep down her spine as the dark tabby stood and fixed Onestar with a frosty glare. "Mistyfoot's body was found on the WindClan border," he snarled. "Would you like to explain yourself?"
Chaos erupted in the clearing. Onestar hissed furiously as objections rose from his warriors. "WindClan had nothing to do with Mistyfoot's death, if that's what you think," he spat.
"She was murdered," Leopardstar growled. "Her wound matched that of a warrior's death blow."
"So you assume it was a WindClan warrior?" Crowfeather lashed his tail as he stood to challenge Leopardstar.
"Prove to me that it wasn't," the golden she-cat snarled. "You've been playing show and tell on our border for the past moon. Give me proof that you didn't kill my deputy or there will be war." She didn't wait for an answer, leaping from her perch and gathering her warriors with a flick of her tail. Hawkfrost stood at her shoulder, his head high and his eyes challenging any who looked his way.
"We're leaving, ThunderClan," Firestar's tense mew drew Hollystep's attention, and she reluctantly got to her paws and joined her Clan. This isn't good, she thought darkly as she fell in step beside Whitewing. This isn't good at all.