CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Climbing the mountains was just as difficult as Birdpaw anticipated.
The harsh climate hadn't helped matters when the Clan began moving upwards. Birdpaw had to stay between two cats to keep herself protected from the strong winds that would sometimes pick up. The worst and most terrifying aspect was the biting cold that sometimes gripped the Clan. Between that and the snow, Birdpaw was beginning to wonder if they would ever make it to the top.
Emberstar continued leading the Clan forward, despite the overwhelming fear felt by most of his Clanmates. Birdpaw knew that if they stayed in the mountains any longer, their lives would be in danger. As much as she hated to admit it, she understood why he wanted to get away sooner rather than later.
"I still don't understand why we're wasting our time with this journey in the first place," Ebonypaw complained as she trailed behind her mentor.
Birdpaw nearly rolled her eyes at the older apprentice's complaint, especially when she saw Hollowstorm nod in agreement. It seemed as if the pair fed off of each other, and Birdpaw was getting tired of listening to them complain.
"Because even if we didn't find our way to the Clans, we'd still need to find a new territory to claim," Mothflower growled as she stalked ahead.
The black-furred apprentice's lips curled in disgust at the thought of needing to look for new territory, but Mothflower was right. The gorge no longer existed, and Birdpaw couldn't help but wonder if SkyClan was forever cursed to wander the land.
"How can you even be sure the other Clans will be there when we show up?" Hollowstorm spoke up from behind his apprentice. "For all we know, they may not even be around the lake anymore. Or worse, they could reject us entirely like they did in the forest."
A shiver of unease swept through Birdpaw at the thought of facing rejection. It was a possibility, one that she feared would happen if they continued complaining about it. The elders used to tell stories about how SkyClan had been forced to leave the forest when their territory was destroyed by Twolegs. Now, the same thing was happening to them again at the gorge.
It was bad enough to lose our home once, she thought bitterly, but to lose it again is just a blow to our pride.
"StarClan is on our side this time," Birchpelt meowed in a matter-of-fact tone. Birdpaw nearly leaped out of her fur when her mentor joined them. She hadn't even realized that Birchpelt was behind her until the SkyClan deputy spoke up, "The Clans would not want our ancestors to condemn them for making the same mistake twice."
"How does Emberstar and Dewstep know the way to the lake?" Birdpaw asked curiously once Ebonypaw and Hollowstorm were out of earshot.
She could practically feel the tension rolling off her Clanmates, and she didn't like it one bit. The last thing they needed right now was fighting, especially since they still had a long journey ahead of them. Besides, Birdpaw suspected they would regret fighting among themselves if they started.
"That's not for me to say," the deputy admitted after looking at Birdpaw skeptically.
Carefully, she leaped over a rocky ledge that the rest of the Clan had been jumping over. Birdpaw just barely made the jump, gasping in shock when her paws skidded with the stone. Luckily, Birchpelt lunged forward before she could lose her footing, grabbing her by the scruff.
"My legs are too small," she complained once she recovered from her initial surprise. "I just barely made that jump."
Sympathy flashed across Birchpelt's eyes when she realized what Birdpaw was implying. As much as she hated to admit it, she was anything but ready for this journey. She hated knowing that she could be slowing the Clan down. Even the elders were having a better time at making the journey.
"They will grow in time," her mentor reassured her.
Birdpaw looked at her tiny paws doubtfully, not missing the fact that Birchpelt did have longer looking back legs compared to her front. Though what really made her stand apart was how much more muscular Birchpelt was compared to herself.
How am I ever going to keep up with the Clan at this rate? she wondered.
The rest of the Clan moved on with Emberstar still in the lead. Birdpaw watched with interest as Dewspots continued keeping an eye on the Clan. As the medicine cat, she needed to make sure that everyone was healthy and fit during the journey. Anything less could have led to disaster on her watch.
"I'm going to need to collect more herbs before nightfall," she sighed after noticing how the elders had slowed to a stop.
"This whole journey is mousebrained nonsense," Bouncestep complained while plopping down beside Goldenpelt.
Birdpaw couldn't help but frown as she noticed just how thin the elders looked compared to everyone else. She hadn't missed the fact that they were having a more difficult time with this journey than she herself did.
"I don't get why we were forced to leave the gorge with the others," Ivyclaw grumbled with a nod of agreement.
"We should all take a rest while we can," Emberstar sighed after realizing that everyone else was beginning to side with the elders.
For the first time since they started this journey, Birdpaw could see that he himself was utterly exhausted. She frowned at the thought, wondering if it would be worth going to the lake after all of this was said and done. While she didn't have a say in the matter, she knew it wouldn't be long until the rest of the Clan began to agree with the elders.
ALLEGIANCES
ThunderClan
Leader: Petalstar - light gray she-cat with white paws, belly and muzzle; has blue eyes
Deputy: Hawktalon - light brown tabby tom with amber eyes
Medicine Cat: Dusknose - gray tom with a darker gray nose
Warriors
Oakfire - ginger-brown tom with tabby markings along the tip of his tail
Apprentice: Hazelpaw
Stormshadow - dark gray, almost black tom with yellow eyes
Apprentice: Lilypaw
Feathermist - gray and white she-cat with feathery-tipped ears
Apprentice: Kestrelpaw
Robinwing - brown and white tabby tom with amber eyes
Apprentice: Flamepaw
Roseclaw - ginger and white she-cat with green eyes
Shademask - gray tom with a darker gray, almost black face
Apprentice: Shrewpaw
Timberleaf - slender brown she-cat with pale green eyes
Foxfur - dark ginger tom with green eyes
Apprentices
Hazelpaw - tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes
Kestrelpaw - light brown tabby tom with amber eyes
Flamepaw - ginger tom with faint brown stripes along his tail
Lilypaw - pale ginger she-cat with amber eyes
Shrewpaw - light brown tom with darker brown stripes along his legs and tail
Queens
Heatherpelt - pale gray she-cat with yellow eyes, expecting
Elders
Rockfur - dark black tom with a white-tipped tail and pale amber eyes; partially blind
Daisytail - black and white she-cat with amber eyes
Kits
None
ShadowClan
Leader: Russetstar - brown tom with dark ginger paws
Deputy: Grayshadow - gray and darker gray tom
Medicine Cat: Scorchheart - dark ginger tom with green eyes
Apprentice: Ravenpaw
Warriors
Cloudfall - white she-cat with patches of gray along her fur; has blue eyes
Apprentice: Snowpaw
Sageleaf - gray and white she-cat with green eyes
Barktail - light brown tabby tom with amber eyes
Apprentice: Mousepaw
Talonclaw - pale tabby tom with yellow eyes
Briarheart - brown, white and black she-cat with amber eyes
Sleetstorm - very pale gray, almost white she-cat with pale green eyes
Nightclaw - black tom with yellow eyes
Apprentices
Mousepaw - light brown tabby tom with amber eyes
Snowpaw - gray she-cat with amber eyes
Ravenpaw - darker gray she-cat with yellow eyes
Smokepaw - dark black she-cat with piercing green eyes
Queens
Poppyfur - brown and ginger she-cat with green eyes, mother of Longkit, Bramblekit, Marshkit and Newtkit by Talonclaw
Thistlepatch - spiky-haired tabby she-cat with amber eyes, expecting
Elders
Pineclaw - dark tabby tom with amber eyes; former deputy
Kits:
Longkit - pale brown she-cat with green eyes
Bramblekit - light ginger tom with amber eyes
Marshkit - tortoiseshell she-cat with pale green eyes
Newtkit - pale ginger tom with amber eyes
WindClan
Leader: Icestar - white tom with gray paws
Deputy: Rowantail - gray and ginger dappled she-cat with a tabby-striped tail
Apprentice: Owlpaw
Medicine Cat: Furzewhisker - light brown she-cat with unusually long whiskers
Warriors
Wildheart - mottled brown and ginger tom with amber eyes
Apprentice: Sprucepaw
Larksong - tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes
Harewhisker - gray tabby tom with white paws and yellow eyes
Apprentice: Antpaw
Leafshine - tortoiseshell and white she-cat with green eyes
Apprentice: Sootpaw
Ferretpelt - short-haired tabby tom with yellow eyes
Apprentice: Olivepaw
Whitebirch - white she-cat with brown spots along her back leg
Twigfur - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes
Berrystripe - brown and ginger tabby tom with amber eyes
Apprentices
Owlpaw - silver tabby tom with green eyes
Sootpaw - dark gray tom with amber eyes
Antpaw - brown tabby tom with yellow eyes
Olivepaw - brown and white she-cat with amber eyes
Sprucepaw - slender pale brown she-cat with amber eyes
Queens
Palemist - pale gray tabby she-cat with yellow eyes; Mother of Wildheart's kits, Gorsekit, Harekit and Mosskit
Elders
Redstripe - dark ginger tom with stripes along his legs
Sparrowsong - very old brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes; Larksong and Leafshine's mother
Kits
Gorsekit - gray and ginger dappled tom with amber eyes
Harekit - gray and white tom with amber eyes
Mosskit - gray-brown she-cat with yellow eyes
RiverClan
Leader: Minnowstar - light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes
Apprentice: Reedpaw
Deputy: Mintwhisker - gray tom with amber eyes
Medicine Cat: Blizzardwind - silvery white she-cat with pale green eyes
Apprentice: Scarletpaw
Warriors
Watertail - gray-blue she-cat with amber eyes
Apprentice: Hollypaw
Ashfang - silver and gray she-cat with amber eyes
Cinderfire - dark ginger tom with green eyes
Foampelt - silvery gray she-cat with blue eyes
Pricklefur - long-haired dark gray tom with yellow eyes
Apprentice: Willowpaw
Blossomwind - tortoiseshell and white she-cat with amber eyes
Apprentice: Larchpaw
Eagleclaw - brown and white tom with amber eyes
Pebblepelt - fluffy gray and white tom with yellow eyes
Acorntail - golden brown tabby tom with amber eyes
Apprentices
Scarletpaw - dark ginger she-cat with green eyes
Reedpaw - long-haired silver tom with pale blue eyes
Hollypaw - black and white she-cat with amber eyes
Larchpaw - gray and white she-cat with amber eyes
Willowpaw - gray she-cat with yellow eyes
Queens
Ambertail - brown she-cat with a ginger-tipped tail; mother of Redkit, Dawnkit and Firekit
Elders
Ripplecloud - silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes, mother of Blizzardwind, Watertail, Ashfang and Mintwhisker
Sandfang - pale ginger tom with green eyes
Kits
Redkit - light ginger tom with green eyes
Dawnkit - dark ginger and brown she-cat with amber eyes
Firekit - ginger tom with amber eyes
SkyClan
Leader: Emberstar - ginger tom with darker ginger ears
Deputy: Birchpelt - silver she-cat with light ginger markings
Apprentice: Birdpaw
Medicine Cat: Dewspots - gray and darker gray spotted she-cat with yellow eyes
Warriors
Thorntalon - smoky black tom with pale yellow eyes
Apprentice: Wrenpaw
Mothflower - tawny colored she-cat with amber eyes
Apprentice: Brightpaw
Hollowstorm - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes
Apprentice: Ebonypaw
Lightningstrike - black tom with green eyes
Apprentice: Driftpaw
Darkflower - black and white she-cat with green eyes
Frozenfoot - gray she-cat with darker gray paws
Specklewing - tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes
Apprentices
Wrenpaw - gray-brown she-cat with amber eyes
Brightpaw - tortoiseshell and white she-cat with bright green eyes
Ebonypaw - dark black she-cat with amber eyes
Driftpaw - pale gray tom with darker gray paws
Birdpaw - white she-cat with gray patches of fur and dark blue eyes
Queens
None
Elders
Goldenpelt - golden ginger she-cat with amber eyes
Ivyclaw - dark gray she-cat with yellow eyes
Bouncestep - long-legged tabby tom with amber eyes
Kits
None
Cats Outside Clans
Frost - white and dark gray she-cat with pale green eyes, mother of Smoke, Luna and Dusk by unknown tom
Luna - dark gray she-cat with yellow eyes
Dusk - smoky gray tom with green eyes
Pinion - spiky-haired tortoiseshell she-cat who lives near the abandoned horseplace