Russetstripe sat in front of the nursery as she watched Flamekit chase Shellpaw in circles. Shellpaw leaped over Flamekit, batting her playfully with his striped gray paw. Tigerkit and Lionkit ran circles around Stormpaw, while Hazelpaw watched from the corner of camp, a chuckle escaping her mouth. Stormpaw's head whirled as he tried to keep up with the two kits.
"Flamekit!" Shellpaw exclaimed as the ginger-and-white she-kit headbutted him. "That's not how you're supposed to do the move!"
Flamekit got to her hind legs. "Aren't I almost six moons?" she complained. "Why can't I be an apprentice now?"
"'Cause you're too excited." Stormpaw walked over and tousled Flamekit's small head with his paw. "You gotta learn to calm down."
"Oh, this is coming from my incredibly calm, composed brother?" Shellpaw poked fun at Stormpaw. Stormpaw glared playfully at Shellpaw, and his gray tabby brother grinned at him. Hazelpaw rolled her eyes and walked over to Flamekit, touching noses with the kit.
"Don't worry," Hazelpaw said. "It should be any day by now."
"I'm going to be the best apprentice ever!" Tigerkit meowed. "Better than my dad!"
"Huh?" Runningflame's voice was deep, and Russetstripe got to her paws as she watched the ginger-and-white tabby tom pad over to the group of kits and apprentices, Rippleheart by his side. "Did I see a little lad try and rival me in terms of my skills?" He padded over to Tigerkit, rubbing his paw against his head.
"Yeah!" Tigerkit squealed. "Rippleheart has told me so many stories about you when you were an apprentice! Like, when you fell into the river, and then you fell off that tree, and when you hit your head cliff diving, and—"
"Stop!" Runningflame exclaimed, his face turning red with embarrassment as he glared at Rippleheart. Rippleheart turned his head away, looking innocent. Tigerkit hopped around Runningflame's paws, just as innocent as Rippleheart was. Russetstripe walked over to them, nuzzling Tigerkit and purring loudly.
"We all were young once," Russetstripe meowed, trying to defend Runningflame. "We've done dumb things."
Lionkit tugged onto Russetstripe's fur. "Mom!" he whined. "I want to be an apprentice. Do you think I'll make a good one?"
"The best," Russetstripe said, examining her son – he had Russetstripe's long, downy fur, and Runningflame's thick, broad figure. She had noticed that he was fast, just like a WindClan cat, while Tigerkit was able to swim easily and beat his siblings in play-fights, and Flamekit shared a combination of both qualities. She hadn't noticed any discrimination from any RiverClan cats about the cats' half-Clan heritage, and she wasn't sure if it was because RiverClan was welcoming or if Shimmerstar and Runningflame had put a stop to it the moment it first happened. Regardless, Russetstripe was relieved that her kits were welcomed in RiverClan, and she felt more at home every passing day. She couldn't wait to serve RiverClan as a warrior – she wanted to prove to them that she was a loyal warrior and she was thankful for the kindness they showed her.
Darkshadow walked over to Russetstripe, brushing her fur against hers. Her gold eyes met Russetstripe's green gaze. "I'll tell Shimmerstar," she purred. "If they're not apprenticed today, I'm sure that's all you'll hear for the next half-moon. That's how I got my little ones apprenticed." She brushed her tail down Shellpaw's spine. Shellpaw looked up at his mother, his blue eyes shining.
"Thanks, Darkshadow," Russetstripe meowed as the dark gray she-cat disappeared into Shimmerstar's den. Hazelpaw dragged Stormpaw away as they bounded over to their mentors, Moonshade and Sunshine.
"Shimmerstar!" Shellpaw mewled. "She said she'd take me out today! I gotta go find her!" He bounded over, following Darkshadow as he searched for his mentor. Russetstripe watched him go, purring.
"Your kits are good ones," Russetstripe told Rippleheart.
"So are yours." Rippleheart's blue eyes were soft as he watched Lionkit and Tigerkit wrestle together, while Flamekit watched with piercing green eyes the activity of camp, clearly eager to be part of it. Love warmed Russetstripe's heart as she studied her kits. I'm so proud of them. She walked over to Runningflame, brushing her thick fur against his. Runningflame grinned at her.
"I want to mentor one of them," Runningflame meowed, watching his kits bound away with a soft look in his eyes. "I asked Shimmerstar if she'd give me Flamekit. I gotta teach my daughter not to let any other cats mess with her."
"Don't ruin her," Rippleheart sighed.
"I'd never." Runningflame shoved Rippleheart playfully. "She's my daughter. I love her. And my sons, too." He touched his nose to Russetstripe's. "And of course, my little cara mia."
"Hey, now." Russetstripe brushed her muzzle against his. "Let's see if Shimmerstar will actually apprentice them today."
"Sure, sure." Runningflame stretched out his paws as he got to his feet, and Russetstripe followed him. Runningflame walked over to where Darkshadow and Shellpaw had disappeared, while Russetstripe stopped and gathered her kits together.
Tigerkit jumped onto Russetstripe's back. "Mom!" he exclaimed. "Did Dad go to Shimmerstar?"
"He sure did," Russetstripe meowed. "He's going to ask if you can be apprenticed today. Isn't that what you want?"
"Yes!" Lionkit yelped. Flamekit's green eyes sparkled as Shimmerstar exited her den. She gestured with her tail towards Runningflame and Russetstripe. Russetstripe licked Lionkit's head.
"Stay here," Russetstripe told him. Lionkit nodded as Russetstripe followed Runningflame towards Shimmerstar. Shimmerstar looked down on them, her blue eyes warm, and then her gaze followed the three kits, who play-wrestled with each other. A loud purr swelled in Shimmerstar's chest as she fixed her gaze on Runningflame and Russetstripe.
"Six moons has gone by fast, hasn't it?" Shimmerstar quipped.
"Sure has." Runningflame nodded. "So, Shimmerstar? What do you say?"
"Of course," Shimmerstar purred. "Runningflame, do you want to mentor one of them?"
"Yeah," Runningflame replied. "I'll turn my lass into the best warrior the Clans have seen."
"Flamekit, then?" Shimmerstar asked.
Runningflame nodded.
"Mm. Then I'm sure you'll like who I'll give Tigerkit to, and even Lionkit." Shimmerstar grinned broadly and leaped onto the Streamrock. Russetstripe watched her go, thankful for the tawny she-cat's kindness. "Let every cat old enough to fish gather underneath the Streamrock for a Clan meeting!"
The RiverClan cats, just like WindClan, gathered immediately as their leader called. Wolfheart's torn ears twitched, while Moonshade walked beside his sister. Minnowflight sat at the base of the Streamrock, while Rippleheart swerved through the crowd to find Darkshadow. Their kits – Shellpaw, Hazelpaw, and Stormpaw, sat behind them. Iceshine and Meadowdawn gazed at Shimmerstar, their blue gazes unreadable, while Starlingfern sat outside the medicine den, her apprentice, Echopaw, next to her. Echopaw's siblings, Lightpaw and Dawnpaw, were just entering the camp, with their mentors, Snowstorm and Swiftcloud.
Shimmerstar cleared her throat. "It's time that Runningflame and Russetstripe's kits are apprenticed. Tigerkit, Lionkit, Flamekit, come up here, please." She looked down at the three kits, who glanced up at Shimmerstar, their eyes shining. Russetstripe walked over to them, herding them into a single file line as they walked over to the Streamrock. Shimmerstar leaped down from the rock.
"Thank you," Russetstripe whispered under her breath as Shimmerstar landed squarely on the sand. The RiverClan leader nodded to Russetstripe before looking down at the kits, a smile, genuine as it was, it was tinged with sorrow, on her face.
"Tigerkit, Lionkit, Flamekit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed," Shimmerstar meowed, her tail swaying back and forth. She touched noses with Tigerkit. "Tigerkit, from this day forward, you will be known as Tigerpaw. Your mentor will be Rippleheart. I hope he will pass down all he knows to you."
Rippleheart's blue eyes glowed as he walked over from Darkshadow towards Tigerpaw, touching noses with the dark ginger tom, his faint stripes resembling a tiger's. Tigerpaw could barely hold back a cry of excitement as he followed the gray tabby tom into the crowd. Shimmerstar watched them go, and then turned to Lionkit. Lionkit's pale tabby fur was fluffed up with excitement.
"Lionkit, from this moment on, you will be known as Lionpaw. Your mentor will be Minnowflight. I hope she will pass on all she knows to you." It had been a known fact in RiverClan that Minnowflight had been appointed deputy without having an apprentice – Shimmerstar had known this when she had made the gray she-cat deputy, and Runningflame had told Shimmerstar that she could have one of his kits when they were ready. Russetstripe had agreed; she trusted Minnowflight over the course of the moons that she had come to known her.
Minnowflight bounded over to Lionpaw, touching noses with the tabby tom. "We're going to make a great team!" she promised her new apprentice.
"Bet I'm faster than you!" Lionpaw exclaimed.
"No way." Minnowflight shook her head.
Shimmerstar laughed. "All right, let's save that for the training clearing."
Minnowflight and Lionpaw nodded immediately as the dark gray she-cat led Lionpaw into the crowd. Russetstripe watched Flamekit, who was alone now, in the center of the camp. But the sun shone on her ginger-and-white tabby fur, making her pelt blaze like the fire she was named for. Shimmerstar cleared her throat. "Flamekit, from this moment on you will be known as Flamepaw. Your mentor will be Runningflame. Family usually don't mentor their own kits, but I've been told you have the spirit that only your father can rival. He will treat you the same way he would treat any other apprentice."
"Good, 'cause I don't want any special treatment!" Flamepaw exclaimed. She walked over to her father, and Runningflame bent his head down to touch noses with his daughter. The ginger-and-white tabby tom rolled his eyes in good humor but love and pride sparkled in them as well. Shimmerstar watched them, a smile on her face, before concluding the Clan meeting and leaping from the Streamrock.
"I hope the mentors were okay," Shimmerstar told Russetstripe.
"They're perfect," Russetstripe told Shimmerstar. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Shimmerstar brushed her tail down Russetstripe's spine. "How are you liking it in RiverClan?"
"It's great," Russetstripe replied. "Thank you for giving me a chance to live here and for raising my kits here. I really do feel like I belong."
Shimmerstar grinned. "I try my best. Runningflame is lucky to have you. Even though you've been through so much together."
Russetstripe blinked softly at Shimmerstar. "Even if I had to relive those days over again, knowing what I do now, I'd still have fallen in love with him."
"Did you want to go on patrol with me?" Shimmerstar asked. "I bet you're aching to stretch your paws out after so long in the nursery."
"I'd love to take you up on that." Shimmerstar was right – Russetstripe's arms felt cramped from spending over six moons in the nursery. She watched as Runningflame walked over to her, giving a nod to Shimmerstar before gazing at Russetstripe.
"Are you happy, lass?" Runningflame asked her. "Our kits are apprentices! And they've got some pretty damn good mentors."
"They do," Russetstripe meowed joyfully, brushing against him. "I'm going to go hunting with Shimmerstar. Keep an eye on them, all right?"
"You know it." Runningflame flicked his tail, nuzzling Russetstripe before the rest of her kits came bounding up to her. Russetstripe stepped back, letting out a chuckle of amusement at the joy blazing in her kits' eyes.
"Can you believe it, Mom?" Flamepaw was mewling, jumping up and down. "I'm finally an apprentice! And I have Dad as my mentor! But I'm going to be a better warrior than him."
"We'll see about that," Russetstripe purred, licking her daughter's head. Flamepaw mewled in agreement before racing after Runningflame. Lionpaw and Tigerpaw focused their bright gazes on Russetstripe.
"We'll make you proud!" Tigerpaw exclaimed.
Lionpaw nodded in agreement.
"You already have," Russetstripe meowed. "Go on, now! Make sure to tell me everything when you're back." She nudged the two toms, who took off after their new mentors. Shimmerstar watched them go, amusement in her eyes, and then turned to Russetstripe.
"Shall we go?" she asked.
"Yeah," Russetstripe replied, following the big tawny she-cat out of the island and into the marshland. She studied the old scars on Shimmerstar's pelt, wondering what exactly she had been through to get to where she was – the leader of RiverClan, after a tumultuous civil war. Russetstripe leaped over the stream and trotted after the she-cat as she approached a patch of reeds. The she-cat stopped, sniffing the reeds intently.
"Do you miss Dapplestar?" Russetstripe found herself asking.
Shimmerstar looked over her shoulder, her blue eyes widening for a moment. "Yeah," she replied. "I do."
"Why?" Russetstripe asked. "She caused so much chaos."
"A powerful warlord rises to the top, changes the world, and then departs," Shimmerstar murmured. "To change for the world for the better requires ambition, and although as much as Dapplestar was hated, and rightfully so, she had it."
"But so do you," Russetstripe meowed.
Shimmerstar nodded, flicking her tail back and forth. "I know what Dapplestar did was horrible and merciless. But I stood by her for so long, and I think we will always have a bond, no matter how twisted it was, that will never go away." She glanced over at Russetstripe. "I hope you understand. I know how horrible she was to WindClan."
"It's okay," Russetstripe replied, her gaze darting towards the stream, where she waited for a fish to swim through. "I had family who did horrible things to try to change the world for the better. I didn't forgive them because of how my relationship was with them. If I had a better relationship, I'm not sure how I would react to their actions, whether I would forgive them or not."
"Swiftstar and Adderstripe, right?" Shimmerstar asked.
Russetstripe nodded.
"Yeah, Swiftstar was the cat who told me that I could create a great land, while I only heard about what happened with Adderstripe." Shimmerstar brushed her tail down Russetstripe's spine. "I think both of us have went through a lot, but it made us strong warriors in the end. Was it worth it? In the end… I believe so."
Russetstripe glanced at Shimmerstar, the kindness in her eyes making her feel more at ease as she talked with the RiverClan leader. Shimmerstar was just like her – she had been through so many troubles in her life to become the strong cat she was today. I understand why Runningflame looks up to her. And I do, as well.
"Oh!" Russetstripe spotted the dark shape of a fish, and she lashed her paw out, sinking her claws into its slimy skin and flicking it out of the water. She sank her teeth into its neck, and it died underneath her. She let it drop to the ground, satisfaction warming her pelt.
"Wow!" Shimmerstar exclaimed. "That was great. How did you learn how to do that?"
"Runningflame taught me," Russetstripe replied. "A long time ago."
Shimmerstar smiled. "He's a good cat."
"Yeah, he is." Russetstripe focused on the stream, aware of the emotions fluttering from Shimmerstar. But she hadn't done anything to destroy their happiness. No, she had been kind to them and defended their half-Clan relationship from the rest of RiverClan, visiting them often and even playing with the kits when she had the chance. Just like Blackdove. Russetstripe stepped back when an odd, musky odor drifted around the two she-cats. Shimmerstar unsheathed her claws, narrowing her eyes.
"Badger," Russetstripe warned Shimmerstar.
"Attack it from separate sides," Shimmerstar ordered as the black-and-white creature emerged from the patch of reeds, its round nose sniffing the air around it. Its claws were long, digging deep into the ground, and once it locked gazes with both Russetstripe and Shimmerstar, it sprung immediately. Shimmerstar jumped to one side, while Russetstripe leaped to the other. Shimmerstar slammed her big body into the badger's side, and Russetstripe soared over it and landed on its back, digging her claws into the gray creature's broad spine and raking them down. Her claws tore out tufts of fur.
The badger roared in pain, aiming its jaws towards Shimmerstar's throat. Russetstripe sheathed her claws and jumped onto the badger's snout, shutting it tight before jumping off again. Shimmerstar gasped as she pulled back in the nick of time. She gave Russetstripe a brisk nod, and the badger let out a whine, swinging its head back and forth as it studied both cats. Blood drained from its wounds and the two she-cats stood in front of it, ready to continue the fight if necessary. Then, the badger grunted, clearly surrendering as it limped away, its broad tail lashing behind it as it disappeared into the marshland.
"Let's make sure it's left the territory," Shimmerstar said.
Russetstripe nodded as the two she-cats trailed the badger. The badger seemed to notice it was being followed, as it quickened its pace, dragging an injured paw behind it as it disappeared past the scent lines of the marshland, into the unknown. Russetstripe skidded to a halt, watching it leave. She glanced over at Shimmerstar, impressed by the ferocity the she-cat had displayed when fighting the badger.
"Good job!" Russetstripe meowed. "You saved my life. I haven't been fighting or hunting for a while, I was so slow on my feet."
"You stopped it before it could bite my neck," Shimmerstar pointed out. "You did just as well as I did."
"Aha." Russetstripe chuckled. "Then I guess we both did good, didn't we?"
"Yeah, definitely." Shimmerstar cleared her throat. "Let's go get the fish that you got and hunt a little more. Then let's head back to camp. By the time we're done, I'm sure your kits will be back and eager to tell you about their day."
"Sounds like a plan," Russetstripe said, following the RiverClan leader back to the stream as the two cats continued about their day. When the sun started to set, causing the world to turn into a blaze of orange and red, they picked up the prey they had amassed and headed back to the island. Russetstripe crossed the stream and dropped the fish in the center of the camp, and Shimmerstar was close on her heels.
"Thanks for letting me hunt with you, Shimmerstar," Russetstripe told the RiverClan leader.
"My pleasure," Shimmerstar replied. "I may be your Clan leader, but under it all, I'm just Shimmerstar, so feel free to ask me to hunt or patrol whenever you want. Or I'll ask you."
Russetstripe grinned as the tawny she-cat walked over to Shellpaw, who was anticipatedly awaiting her arrival. Shellpaw greeted his Clan leader respectfully, and the two cats left the island. Russetstripe assumed they were doing the evening patrol. That one doesn't stop, does she? she thought. It must be why she's the one to rule the realm.
Just as Shimmerstar left with Shellpaw, Russetstripe spotted the pelts of Runningflame and Flamepaw crossing into the island. Russetstripe trotted through the clearing over to them, touching both their noses affectionately. Flamepaw's green eyes were glowing as she bounded around Russetstripe.
"I learned how to fish!" Flamepaw exclaimed.
"Yeah?" Lionpaw's voice was bright but challenging as he entered behind her. "I saw the Clan's borders."
"And I learned my very first fighting move against a fox!" Tigerpaw cried out, leaping over Lionpaw until he landed in front of Flamepaw.
"Looks like you all did something today," Russetstripe remarked as their mentors approached them. Runningflame walked over to Flamepaw.
"Great job," he meowed to her. He turned over to Tigerpaw and Lionpaw, who gazed at him, pleading in their eyes. "And of course you two, lads. The Clans will never see a finer warrior than you all!"
"Thanks, Dad!" Lionpaw puffed out his chest, and Tigerpaw visibly beamed. Flamepaw let out a smile on her face, and Russetstripe brushed against her three kits, pride swelling in her chest. She was glad that they would get to grow up in a world full of peace and friendship, and they wouldn't fall victim to any of the senseless wars between the Clans. Of course, there would still be fighting – the fight with the badger proved that. But the wars were over, and her kits would grow up not fighting for their lives, but fighting for their Clans against foreign enemies, while working with the other Clans.