Ten

"Until they have proven themselves as warriors, these cats will be known as Nightpaw and Pepperpaw. Tigerheart, you have more than proven your worth as a warrior. You will be Nightpaw's mentor." Dovestar watched in amusement as Tigerheart proudly touched noses with Nightpaw, whose tail had been twitching with excitement until then. He and his brother had been more than eager to prove themselves as apprentices when they started learning the ways of LakeClan. Even Aspencreek was starting to understand how the Clan operated a little better. She wasn't as eager to let her two sons go out into the world as apprentices, but she was still proud of them. "Maroonpelt, you will be Pepperpaw's mentor."

The dark ginger tom blinked in surprise before accepting this task.

It took a while for Dovestar to figure out who their mentors would be. She knew she was showing favoritism in giving Tigerheart an apprentice as well, but he was also one of their most senior warriors alongside Hollyleaf and herself. Hollyleaf already had Perchpaw as an apprentice, and she had her paws full with that one.

A moon passed since the rogues joined their Clan. In that time, Flosspelt's belly was beginning to show signs of her pregnancy while Minnowtail's kits were getting bigger and bolder. They spent more time exploring camp and playing games like 'chase the moss ball' or 'catch the mouse'. Dovestar had been amused with their antics until they started playing with the fresh-kill.

It was obvious Minnowtail hadn't been teaching them how to respect their fresh-kill, and it burned her inside that the queen hadn't said anything to stop them. It took herself and a few other cats to finally convince the kits not to play with fresh-kill, and even that wasn't enough to stop them.

The sooner they are made apprentices, the better off everyone will be, she told herself.

The Clan would need more paws once the newcomers adjusted to their new roles.

She was lucky the rogues adapted to Clan life so quickly. They went on regular patrols with Hollyleaf or Tigerheart to see what the territory was like. There had been a few instances where they ran into Lightning's gang of cats, but they usually came out victorious. Dovestar was more than pleased to see the progress the rogues made. In spite of her earlier misgivings, she could see that the Clan was finally getting along the way she hoped it would.

Of course, life was never as easy as she hoped it would be.

Olivepaw still made it her life's goal to make everyone else miserable. In spite of having Perchpaw to cool off her temper, she made training as difficult as she could. Dovestar did her best to ignore the fact that Olivepaw was testing her temper. She knew the apprentice well enough now to understand that this was simply how Olivepaw operated.

She was spiteful and filled with conviction. Dovestar learned to use that to her advantage through sparring practice. She and Hollyleaf would work together to ensure that Perchpaw trained alongside Olivepaw since the apprentice was a bit more experienced in sparring sessions.

Olivepaw took full advantage of Perchpaw's naivety, and there had been more than a couple of occasions where the young tom would return with fresh scratches. He never seemed to mind though. To Dovestar's surprise, he took it all in stride and even encouraged Olivepaw's brutality. Apparently they were good friends long before Perchpaw went with the rogues, which explained some of his behavior towards Olivepaw.

That doesn't excuse the fact that she's using him as a tree to sharpen her claws with. He needs to learn how to stand up for himself if he wants to survive.

"It's good to see the Clan thriving now," Mothwing meowed when the meeting dispersed. Hollyleaf had given her some time off by taking Olivepaw with her to the training area. She was more than grateful for the break, even though it irritated her that she couldn't handle Olivepaw's behavior all the time. "Even Olivepaw seems to be getting along with some cats."

"Don't even remind me of her," Dovestar shook her head in disbelief. The dappled she-cat blinked in amusement as they headed for the medicine cat's den. Dovestar shared a knowing look with Tigerheart when he and Maroonpelt left to show the newly named apprentices the territory. They would likely spend the evening together again, like they had been since they confessed their feelings. "I don't know what I'm going to do with her. Perchpaw acts like nothing is wrong when she's been using him as her personal scratching post."

"My guess is that he has a crush on her," Mothwing flicked her tail in amusement. Dovestar looked at her in disbelief as Mothwing prodded at the pile of herbs she collected over the last couple of days. Truthfully, she hadn't thought of that notion. Cats acted differently when they had a crush on someone. "At any rate, I have noticed that you've been spending more time with Tigerheart lately. Maybe that's another reason behind Olivepaw's temper."

Dovestar's chest suddenly felt tight with embarrassment when she realized what Mothwing was implying. Mothwing didn't seem to mind though. If anything she was stifling a purr of amusement as Dovestar gave her chest fur a few quick licks.

She wasn't sure how the older cats would see her relationship with Tigerheart. Mothwing and Hollyleaf had teased her constantly over the fact that he was practically 'mooning' over her. She hadn't realized until then how obvious he made it. Aside from spending the night together and sharing a nest, nothing else really changed.

Though she knew she was only fooling herself.

Her behavior changed dramatically when Tigerheart began spending more time with her. As much as she hated to admit it, it felt good to have someone look out for her. Tigerheart could never replace the rest of her Clan or her family, but he did a good job caring for her.

"We've been trying to keep it discrete," she admitted guiltily.

"Honestly there's no need to," Mothwing dismissed her guilt. "In fact, I'm glad that you've finally opened up to him. You've been sleeping better than you have in the past moon." Dovestar wasn't sure what was worse. The fact that they had been hiding their relationship for nothing, or the fact that she really had been sleeping better since they got back together. "There is something else we should discuss before it happens though."

She took a deep breath as she guessed where this was headed. There had never been a recorded instance where a female leader had kits while leading the Clan. She knew Bluestar had given up her own kits so that she could become deputy and eventually lead the Clan later. Or at least that was what she heard.

"I'm not sure if either of us are ready for that step," she said quietly. Mothwing looked even more amused than before as she looked down at her paws sheepishly. "I mean, we've talked about it but…"

"If and when it does happen, there's always a backup plan." Dovestar blinked in surprise when Mothwing said 'when' rather than just 'if'. It wasn't lost on her that there was a real possibility of having kits. Her fur prickled with unease at the prospect of starting a family of her own, especially under such conditions. "Hollyleaf has already agreed to take over until you're ready to leave the nursery."

Her heart nearly skipped a beat when she realized Mothwing had already discussed the issue with her deputy. She knew the Clan was in safe paws under Hollyleaf's guidance. The deputy had already proven herself ten times over. Still… she didn't like the fact that they had been planning this without her consent. As leader she needed to know what her Clanmates were planning, whether it involved relationships or something else.

"Look, whether or not we're prepared for kits doesn't matter," she dismissed Mothwing's concern with a wave of her tail. She tried to swallow her pride. She understood the fact that they meant well. Mothwing was concerned about the Clans wellbeing, and Hollyleaf had become her deputy for a reason. The black she–cat was the second oldest cat in the Clan aside from Smoketuft and Flosspelt, which made her the best choice for deputy. "I will continue leading this Clan regardless of what happens."

"I'm not suggesting that you aren't capable of leading the Clan," Mothwing quickly corrected herself. "But the day your kits are born you will need some kind of backup plan, especially if Lightning decides to launch an attack, or worse."

A shiver swept through her. Mothwing was right to point out the fact that the rogues and the Dark Forest still posed a threat. The last thing she wanted was for the Clan to feel vulnerable just when the rogues recently joined. Having kits would add to their numbers, but she also didn't want to force any cat to start a family either.

There is no easy solution to that particular problem, she reminded herself.

She wasn't sure what she wanted at this point. She knew she wanted Tigerheart as more than just a friend and a Clanmate. That was part of the reason they had been spending more time together. That and the fact that Tigerheart wanted to make up for his absence helped. She loved sharing her den with him, and more importantly, she cherished the time they had together.

She knew there wouldn't be an easy answer to the problems Mothwing sprang on her. As difficult of a decision as it was, the Clan needed more capable paws as well. She wouldn't force any molly to become a mother unless they wanted kits of their own, and she wasn't going to do the same for herself.

...

It was late by the time Tigerheart returned from his first day of training with Nightpaw. The whole day was spent touring the territory with Maroonpelt and Pepperpaw. It was difficult getting the two young cats to cooperate, but eventually they seemed to understand the importance of their task. In the end, Nightpaw had already proven himself a capable apprentice by catching his first mouse. Pepperpaw lacked the patience his larger brother seemed to have, which would give Maroonpelt an interesting challenge. The dark ginger tom didn't appear to have the confidence of a seasoned warrior either, which added to the challenge.

Overall, Tigerheart wasn't sure if bringing the rogues with them had been a good idea.

Some of them were already showing signs of improvement as they adjusted to life in the Clan. He saw how easy it was for cats like Emberleaf and Aspencreek to adjust to Clan life. Meanwhile Maroonpelt still struggled with the basics of getting along with his Clanmates. Twice already he had to intervene before Maroonpelt snapped at Pepperpaw for playing with Nightpaw. Granted, it was their first day out, but Maroonpelt would need to learn how to be more patient if he wanted to be a decent mentor.

"Did you catch your first mouse?" Aspencreek was quick to greet her sons when they returned from an exhausting day out. Tigerheart looked on in amusement as Nightpaw practically burst with pride and excitement. "I couldn't be more proud of my sons… it won't be long before you're filling up the fresh-kill pile with your own catch."

"But I didn't catch anything," Pepperpaw complained.

"You can share the mouse with me, Pepper," Nightpaw crowed.

Pepperpaw merely glared at his brother, though he didn't bother arguing as the two young cats made their way to the apprentice's den. Tigerheart shook his head in amusement once they were gone, knowing exactly what it was like to be Nightpaw. He and Dawnpelt used to argue like that all the time. It was mostly over petty things such as how much prey they caught during a hunting session, or how much progress they made during their training sessions. He didn't realize until then just how much he missed her, or how he longed to be surrounded by his family again.

His heart sank at the realization that he would never share that experience again with his siblings. It had taken some time for their family to recover from the loss of Flametail. In fact, their family was divided after Flametail drowned in the lake. Ever since Dawnpelt took Crowfrost as her mate, she spent more time with him and less time with her family. He still regretted to this day the fact that they were never able to fully recover from that mess.

"Thank you for taking care of them today." Tigerheart blinked in surprise when Aspencreek suddenly spoke up. He glanced at her warily, but all he saw was warmth and relief written across her face. "I know how much of a pawful they can be, so I'm glad to see that they're getting along."

Tigerheart flicked his tail dismissively, though his pelt warmed at her praise, "It was nothing, really. Actually, Nightpaw reminds me a lot of my late sister. We used to argue all the time when we were apprentices."

And even when we were warriors, he reminded himself. His sister had always been incredibly competitive with him, and things only got worse when Flametail decided to become a medicine cat. With so little competition around, she always felt as if she had to be on top. Tigerheart was only just beginning to understand why that was the case.

"You must miss her," the dark gray molly meowed thoughtfully. "I've heard the others talk about their lost Clanmates. I can't imagine what that must have felt like."

A knot formed in the pit of his chest as he pictured all the bodies. He still suffered from the occasional nightmare revolving around said battle. Thankfully they didn't occur as often, especially now that he was spending more time with Dovestar. But there were moments when the nightmares would come back suddenly, and it usually took a while for him to recover from the aftermath. He knew Dovestar shared a similar conviction. She and Ivypool had been close before the Dark Battle. So losing her only sister the way she had must have been devastating.

"I wouldn't wish that kind of death on anyone," he replied without missing a beat. "No cat deserves to suffer the way they did, regardless of their past."

"Well, hopefully such an event won't happen again."

Aspencreek dipped her head before joining the other newcomers, though not without giving a wave of her tail in thanks.

The newcomers had formed their own group of friends since joining the Clan. Tigerheart found it interesting how quickly they adjusted to Clan life, but they were still cautious about being around the rest of the Clan. Then again, they already knew each other well before joining the Clan. He tried pushing those thoughts away as he reached Dovestar.

"I take it your first day with Nightpaw went well?" she quipped when he sat down beside her.

He hadn't missed the way she watched his interactions with Aspencreek and her sons. His fur suddenly prickled with unease when he realized how easy it was to speak with the newcomers. Then again, the Clan was made up of mostly rogues and former Clan cats. He needed to remind himself that they were all from different Clans, yet they lived together as one.

"He's a good cat," he nodded in agreement. He relished the way she leaned into him as his tail curled around his paws. He licked her forehead affectionately, purring at the way she melted into him. "I am a little worried about how Maroonpelt will train him though. It seems he doesn't have that much confidence in himself."

Dovestar must have caught on to that as well. When they returned to camp, Maroonpelt made a beeline for the warrior's den before Aspencreek could stop him. He suspected Maroonpelt was still getting used to being a part of the Clan. Or at least, he hoped that was the case. Not all of the newcomers were all that thrilled to be involved with the Clan. The only reason Maroonpelt agreed to go was because his sister wanted to leave.

The last thing he wanted was to judge a cat based on their recent behavior. That was what led to some of the many problems he faced in ShadowClan. When he was just an apprentice, many cats accused him of looking just like Tigerstar. More often than not, cats judged him on his appearance and never gave him the chance to prove himself, much like his own mother and uncle.

He knew that was part of the reason a rift had formed within his family. Between losing Flametail and everything else that happened in ShadowClan, it wasn't a wonder that the Clan hadn't dispersed sooner. He supposed in some ways, they were lucky that hadn't occurred until the Dark Battle.

"Give him time," she hummed after giving his concern some thought. "It might take a while for him to adjust to life as a mentor and a warrior. Maybe spending time with you will give him the encouragement he needs."

How is it you know exactly what I need to hear? he found himself wondering.

"You're beginning to sound more and more like the confident leader we need," he suddenly whispered. It wasn't until feeling her stiffen that Tigerheart realized he might have said something wrong. "Though I'm guessing there's something else bothering you, isn't there?"

He didn't miss the anxious look sweeping across her face when they temporarily broke apart. She glanced around the clearing warily before signaling for him to follow her with a flick of her tail-tip. He did just that, though not without glancing around his shoulder himself. He knew it would look suspicious for him to leave the clearing with Dovestar. But it seemed as if everyone was used to seeing them together, or at least they didn't bother calling them out for such behavior.

"Mothwing seems to think that if I have kits I won't be able to lead the Clan." It was Tigerheart's turn to stiffen in surprise. Admittedly the idea of having kits never occurred to him until then. He doubted she was in any hurry to start a family either, which made the situation that much more awkward. "It's bad enough that I have Minnowtail constantly questioning my authority… the last thing I need is our medicine cat questioning me as well."

Tigerheart couldn't help but look down at his paws doubtfully. He knew this wasn't the most ideal situation for a she–cat. It wasn't unheard of for male leaders to have kits, but they didn't have to stay in the nursery and suckle them either. It was different for she–cats, and he couldn't help but wonder if that was what Mothwing worried about. Even so, Dovestar also made a valid point about being questioned around every corner.

"Those rules are so old and archaic that they need to be rewritten," he finally rolled his eyes in exasperation. Dovestar looked at him in surprise as he let out a heavy sigh. "You're more than capable of leading this Clan. Both Mothwing and Minnowtail can see that, and if they don't, then they've got fleas for brains." Relief swept through him when Dovestar let out a purr of amusement. "At any rate, you should be allowed to have kits regardless of whether you're leader or deputy."

By now she was purring with laughter at his remark. He knew it wasn't easy for her to adjust to life as leader either. Given the lack of experience and the fact that she was practically forced to take that position, he couldn't blame her for feeling so overwhelmed. He would support whatever decision she made. He would also be there to help her whenever she needed someone to talk to.

"So does that mean you're not opposed to the idea of starting a family?" she suddenly asked.

He was taken aback by her sudden question. His tail curled at the prospect of starting a family with anyone. Yet the idea struck his mind long before they formed LakeClan.

"If it means being able to call myself the father of your kits, then yes," he replied without hesitation.

Her eyes glowed with warmth, and Tigerheart couldn't feel happier than in that moment when they were alone together. He realized with a start that she made him feel this way. She brought out something in him that he couldn't explain. Whatever happened, he planned on being there to protect her as more than just his leader.