Six

The sun was just beginning to rise when they returned to the old RiverClan camp. Neither she nor Mothwing were sure where to begin when it came to the ceremony. Technically speaking, she wasn't supposed to talk about it. She knew from tradition that leaders weren't supposed to share what they saw during their nine lives ceremony. Those were just some of the many secrets StarClan kept from the Clans.

Then there was the added memories she had of her time with Ivypool and Whitewing.

She hadn't realized until then just how desperate she had been to see them again. Her own sister had chastised her for acting like a kit. Much to her amusement and annoyance, Ivypool hadn't changed a bit since joining StarClan. Whitewing on the other paw had been more poised when providing a life. Her mother had shown the love and affection she missed after they were killed in the battle. And she realized with a start that she was grateful she had the opportunity to see them again.

Now that the ceremony was officially over, she wasn't sure where to begin next. She knew they would need to make changes and accommodations to any newcomer to the Clan. The code would need to be changed as well since there was only one Clan. She doubted Hollyleaf would approve of those changes, but the old code had been created to accommodate four Clans, not one.

The biggest challenge she faced was how to handle her role as leader.

She never had an apprentice before, and most cats that became leader had to have at least one apprentice. The same could be said for their deputy as well. As far as she was concerned, Mothwing and Minnowtail were the only cats qualified for those roles. And she wasn't too keen on letting Minnowtail become her deputy.

It may seem biased, but Minnowtail's attitude and behavior don't sit well with me, she reminded herself.

"How are we going to go about this?" she finally cut through the awkward silence. "I mean, beginning a new Clan… it just seems so…"

She wasn't even sure how to describe how overwhelmed she was with the new challenges they would face. Between juggling with her role as leader and everything else, she didn't know where to begin. Plus there was also the fact that she hardly had any experience to begin with. She knew Mothwing and Hollyleaf would help her throughout her journey, but she hated having to rely so heavily on them.

"Well, for one thing, you'll need to pick a new deputy," Mothwing replied. The dappled she-cat flicked her tail thoughtfully as she led the way. "For another, we may need to find a new camp. As nice as it would be to have familiar territory, the Dark Forest also knows where we are as well. Until we find a new place to call home, our lives will always be at risk."

I hadn't thought of that, Dovestar thought guiltily.

Her heart sank at the thought of dealing with the Dark Forest again. She shuddered as memories of the battle came rushing back. The bodies of her Clanmates were scattered all over the place, waiting for the scavengers to pick on. She was more than grateful that they buried the bodies of their former Clanmates. The last thing she wanted was to think of what could happen if they were left for crowfood.

Dovestar tried pushing those thoughts aside when they returned to camp.

Hollyleaf and Tigerheart were currently guarding the camp's entrance when they arrived. They were already taking their guard duty seriously, and that was something Dovestar secretly admired. She remembered the many days and nights when she and Ivypool would guard the camp entrance together. Or the few nights they dared to venture out on their own without getting caught by the guards. She almost purred at those memories, relishing every heartbeat she had with her family. If she had known what would happen to them moons later, she would have spent as much time with them as possible.

Relief swept through her when she spotted Smoky and Floss. They hadn't left as promised, and to her surprise, a fresh-kill pile had already started piling up in the clearing. She flicked her tail in appreciation to the fact that they were providing for the Clan in their own way. Even if they had lived their lives as kittypets, they were already starting to act like Clan cats.

"I suppose it's irrelevant to call for a Clan meeting," she started once everyone had gathered. Even Minnowtail, for all her grumbling the other day, was outside the makeshift nursery with her kits. Dovestar suspected the commotion from earlier had woken them up. "StarClan has approved of my nine lives and the new Clan. We're officially going to call ourselves LakeClan, in honor of living by the lake." She paused to let this information sink in. It was overwhelming to begin with. To her relief though, everyone seemed to take it in stride. "Mothwing has also informed me that it's best to move from this camp. The Dark Forest cats may have fled the scene, but that doesn't mean their allies are still out there. We'll need to find a suitable camp and territory for the time being."

Hollyleaf dipped her head in approval, while Tigerheart's ears flattened at the prospect of leaving yet again. Minnowtail looked as if she was ready to argue when she seemed to think better of it. Mothwing shot her a withering look that dared the queen to argue. If any cat was going to argue, Dovestar couldn't blame Minnowtail for disapproving. She had kits to look after, and they weren't even weaned yet. The biggest challenge they would face was moving the kits from one location to another without stressing them out too much.

"There is also the matter of picking a new deputy for our Clan," she went on once everyone grasped that news. She hadn't missed the way Smoky and Floss were taking everything in. The two kittypets were still new to all of this, so seeing their reactions was mildly amusing. She was more than pleased to see that they weren't completely overwhelmed so far. "As leader of LakeClan, I call upon our ancestors for approval…" She hoped she wasn't mincing her words. She hadn't experienced a deputy ceremony yet, so it wasn't as if she had anything to go by. "Hollyleaf will be my deputy."

The black she-cat blinked in disbelief when her name was called. Dovestar had been thinking of who would be her deputy. She wanted someone who had enough experience to guide her and the Clan. Minnowtail certainly had the experience, but Dovestar didn't quite trust her. After the way she reacted when Mothwing told everyone about her dream, Dovestar suspected there was something else going on. Plus, Hollyleaf was a seasoned warrior who had been on her own. She had more than enough experience between that and her time in the Clans.

"Another ThunderClan rat?" Minnowtail scoffed in annoyance. "Figures that you'd show favoritism."

Dovestar's hackles rose at the insult. She should have known Minnowtail would disapprove her choice.

"My father happened to be a WindClan cat," Hollyleaf deadpanned with a withering glare. "Whether I approve of it or not, I am also half WindClan as well. I'm not doing this in honor of ThunderClan."

Minnowtail's lip curled with outrage, "Even worse! A Half Clan spawn! How in StarClan is this an appropriate choice?"

Stand up for yourself, mousebrain! a voice scolded her.

"Enough!" she finally snapped. Her tail lashed as she glared at Minnowtail, though she did her best not to make things worse as Minnowtail's hackles rose with fury. "My decision stands firm. You are not in any condition to take that position, and Hollyleaf has had the most experience out of all of us. Not only has she had outside experience, but she is also a seasoned warrior. I trust her to guide this Clan with that knowledge."

And something tells me that you would only cause us grief, she added silently.

To her relief, Minnowtail finally backed down from the challenge, though not without scowling in annoyance. Dovestar nearly rolled her eyes when the kits started mewling in distress over their mother's sudden outburst. She knew the kits would likely feel whatever their mother was feeling in that moment. She only hoped that would help alleviate the tension between them, but it seemed Minnowtail was determined to pick a fight with everyone.

"We would like to take on warrior names for ourselves," Smoky suddenly spoke up. Dovestar looked at him in surprise when he stood up, with Floss nodding in approval. "We've talked about it for a while now, and after everything we've seen, I think it's best for us to stay and join this Clan… if anything for the sake of our future kits."

Her heart warmed at the prospect of the kittypets helping them out. She was more than grateful that they offered help at a time when the Clans needed it. Daisy once mentioned that she came from the farm, so she had fond memories of her time there. The only reason she joined the Clan was to keep her kits from being taken by Twolegs.

"Then from this moment on, you will be known as Smoketuft," she announced after wondering how she would handle their ceremonies. "And you will be known as Flosspelt. The Clan welcomes you with open paws."

Both cats looked more than pleased with their new names. Dovestar blinked in amusement when Smoketuft puffed his chest out a little with pride. In spite of his hesitation to join the Clan earlier, he seemed more than happy to be apart of it now.

She shook her head at the prospect and left it at that, knowing full-well there was still so much to do.

Thank StarClan that's over, she thought guiltily.

"You handled that well." She flinched at the sound of Mothwing's voice. Her ears flattened in embarrassment as she thought of Minnowtail's argument and how poor her reaction was. The only reason Minnowtail dropped her argument was because Hollyleaf stood up for herself. Dovestar knew somewhere deep down that she was far from ready for this role. "No cat expects you to be perfect at your job. Every new leader makes mistakes, even if it seems like a big one."

"Minnowtail doesn't seem too pleased with my decisions," she admitted warily. She looked down at her paws as she found herself wondering if she made the right choice. Minnowtail made a point in suggesting that Hollyleaf was a half Clan cat. Not to mention her mother had been a medicine cat. That was the biggest sin to StarClan of all. "But I still stand firm in what I said about Hollyleaf. I think she would have made a better leader than I would."

"StarClan didn't choose you because of what you experienced," Mothwing shook her head in amusement. "I don't think Leopardstar would have shown me that sign if she didn't know what she was talking about. You have compassion, and that is something every leader needs."

Dovestar wasn't sure how to respond when she realized what Mothwing was implying. She thought back to the way she wanted to stay with Olivenose, even though Olivenose had been an enemy warrior. The ShadowClan cat had been dying at the time, and Tigerheart didn't want to leave her side. So, Dovestar stayed with him until her last breath. Then there was the added notion that she wanted to keep the memories of her Clanmates alive through LakeClan. She knew somewhere deep down that Mothwing was right. As hard to believe as it was, she cared about her Clan and the cats she considered family.

Once that was settled, they went to work searching for a suitable place to call their camp.

She and Mothwing had found something that could work during their trip back from the Moonpool. It was far from the stone hollow she had grown up in, but it was suitable for everyone else. The camp was already cleared out and surrounded by a thick band of trees. Nearby was a marshy area that Tigerheart was familiar with, along with a creek that ran through it. Mothwing had already found herbs that could be stored for leafbare. At the farthest edge of the clearing was a hollowed tree that looked as if it was struck by lightning at one point. Dovestar chose that as her den. She realized that as leader, she would have her own den to sleep in.

Another change that will take some getting used to, she told herself.

The Clan worked in relative silence as they started developing what passed for a camp. Smoketuft and Hollyleaf were hard at work twining a barrier to shield the vulnerable opening they had. Hollyleaf had already suggested finding thorn branches to use as a tunnel for their entrance. Apparently, the thorns were used in the past as a defensive barrier to any intruders.

"These branches should be strong enough to keep foxes out at least," Hollyleaf grunted while dragging a bunch of twigs and branches towards the nearest barrier. Dovestar watched in amusement as Smoketuft worked another branch into the barrier, though not without getting a thorn snared in his thick pelt. "And the thorns might be a nuisance to us, but they can keep us safe."

"Just how many threats are there to these Clans?" Flosspelt asked.

She resorted to light duties after trying to help. Unlike her mate, Flosspelt was smaller and in less shape to handle the tasks Smoketuft was working on. So she tried helping Minnowtail with the nursery, though that was no easy task in itself.

"There are enough threats that we need to ensure our camp is secure," Tigerheart explained. He gathered whatever moss he could to line the barriers up. The nursery was the most difficult task since it had to be made from scratch. Thankfully they were halfway finished by the time the sun began setting. "One of the reasons the Dark Forest invaded so easily we because of how divided we were. With one Clan, it should be easier to defend ourselves."

"Could something like that happen again?"

Flosspelt's eyes widened with horror at the prospect of getting caught in a battle. Dovestar threw Tigerheart a wary look. The last thing she wanted was to traumatize them. They had already seen what happened before LakeClan was formed. Flosspelt handled it better than she anticipated though, but Dovestar doubted the same could be said if something like that happened again.

"Well, I know for one thing that we will never let them hurt anyone else," Hollyleaf meowed. "Tigerheart is right: Our Clans were so divided and scattered that the Dark Forest took advantage of it. If we had been united, maybe we could have stood a chance. We aren't going to let that happen again."

The fierce determination in her voice was enough for Dovestar's heart to warm. She knew the Clan was in good paws after picking Hollyleaf as her deputy. She had been worried that she made a mistake in choosing cats from the same Clan. But it seemed as if Hollyleaf was more than prepared for her role.

Thankfully, they dropped the subject after realizing that it was still difficult to discuss.

Dovestar shook her head and focused her attention on her side of the clearing. There were open patches that needed to be fixed. So she worked on those patches for a while before feeling someone else join her.

"I'm surprised a certain someone isn't working with you," Hollyleaf quipped after finishing the last piece. Dovestar nearly rolled her eyes as she went inside the hollowed tree to find a comfortable space for her nest. "All he talked about while you and Mothwing were gone was how much he missed you."

Is it really that obvious? she found herself wondering.

Dawnpelt mentioned the fact that she could practically smell Tigerheart's affection. The fact that a ShadowClan cat pointed it out left her mind reeling with surprise.

They had been spending more time together. Ever since she became a warrior, she and Tigerheart would often sneak out during the night. She never felt any shame in doing so because of how much she cherished those moments. Tigerheart was unlike any other cat she knew. Whenever she drank in his scent, she felt warm and secure. The more she thought about it, the guiltier she felt for acting like a moon-struck kit.

"Is it that obvious?" she muttered out loud.

She knew there was no denying the affection she had for Tigerheart. The more time they spent together, the easier it was to forget that he was from a rival Clan.

"Considering how attached he is to you, I'd say so," the black she-cat replied without missing a beat. Dovestar's ears flattened with embarrassment as Hollyleaf purred in amusement. They sat down for a few moments rest. "But I wouldn't be too worried… you look better than you have in days. And I'm guessing that spending time together has helped."

Now she was even more embarrassed that Hollyleaf pointed that out. Her fur rose a little as she recalled refusing to eat for the first couple of days after the battle. It hadn't been easy adjusting to the shock of losing everyone. She still hadn't gotten over their loss. The only consolation she had was the fact that now she had something worth fighting for.

"I guess it does help talking about it," she let out a heavy sigh. "Mothwing said that keeping those feelings bottled up won't do me any good. And I'm starting to think that she might be right."

"Take it from someone who has suffered from heartbreak," Hollyleaf suddenly put in. "Talk to him before it's too late. Otherwise you might lose your chance."

Dovestar looked at her in surprise when she left it at that. She desperately wanted to ask Hollyleaf if she had ever loved anyone. The question came up on more than one occasion, but she never had the heart to ask. It wasn't in her place to ask such a question when Hollyleaf first returned. Now she had that opportunity, but something stopped her from doing so.

The moon was just beginning to rise by the time she finished lining her den with moss. She made sure that the rest of the Clan had places to sleep before lining her own nest. She wanted them to be as comfortable as possible before she had that opportunity. Considering she had nine lives now to spare, it was the least she could do.

"This looks homey." Dovestar flinched at the sound of Tigerheart's voice. She heard his pawsteps from a distance, not realizing that he was approaching her new den. She turned in time to see him looking at her apprehensively. "Sorry. Hollyleaf left and I figured you were finished getting your nest ready—"

"Shut up, mousebrain," she cut him off with a purr. Tigerheart merely looked at her incredulously as she reached him and butted her forehead with his. "Actually, I was wondering about what you were going to say before Mothwing and I left for the Moonpool the other day. You were about to say something important."

She didn't miss the way his amber eyes flickered with an emotion she couldn't decipher. He had been avoiding her since they found their new camp. She wasn't the only one to notice that subtle change. Then there was the fact that he hadn't said a word to her since she and Mothwing returned. She knew something was wrong, but she didn't have the heart to ask until now.

"Actually, I thought we should talk about that," he let out a heavy sigh. A knot formed in the pit of her stomach when he sat down and looked at nothing in particular. "We've been spending too much time together, and with you being the leader and all, I'd be nothing more than a distraction. I think it's best for us to stay away from each other."

It took a few heartbeats for her to register what he was implying. Her mouth opened and closed a few times as she tried to comprehend what he meant by that.

"Tigerheart, you know that isn't true," she tried reasoning with him. Even Hollyleaf approved of their time together, and she had been hard-set on following the warrior code to a point. "The warrior code was designed for four Clans, not one. And you wouldn't be a distraction."

"From what I've seen with Minnowtail, I'd say that's far from the truth," Tigerheart scoffed. Her hackles rose when he narrowed his eyes in annoyance. "Look, you're new to leading the Clan. I'll still be around to provide whatever support you need, but that's it."

She was ready to snap something in her defense when he left it at that.

What in StarClan's name just happened? she suddenly wondered.

She wasn't sure, but one thing she did know was that she had gotten too comfortable around him for own good. She knew then and there what a mistake it had been to trust him so openly. Or to let her emotions get the better of her. Either way, she wasn't going to let this set her back. She needed to act like the leader StarClan had chosen. Otherwise Minnowtail would be right, and something told her nothing good would come out of that.