Snowcloud's Wish

Chapter 7

"Oh Snowpaw," Brightpaw meowed. "We can't train together now!" Snowpaw nodded gloomily. She had been a moon in the medicine den already. "Wish you good luck on your assesment." She meowed. Brightpaw nodded and murmured to Snowpaw's ear. "I will pass it. For you." Snowpaw smiled, for the first time in sunrises, "Thanks." She thanked Brightpaw.  Brightpaw meowed, "See you later!" Snowpaw limped out of the den. "Hi Squirrelflight." She greeted the deputy. "You're finally good! It's so glad to see you!" Snowpaw smiled, "Thanks!" She sniffed. Mouse, squirrel, shrew...She flipped through the prey and found a mouse, which she liked. She brought it back to the medicine den since Leafpool is calling her so she could put on a poultice. Snowpaw meowed, "Leafpool, would you like to share this mouse?" Leafpool didn't reply, but Snowpaw could feel a blast of shock coming out of Leafpool. "Jayfeather..." She stammered. "Look at this mouse." Snowpaw heard pawsteps as Jayfeather and noise as Jayfeather nosed the mouse. "Leafpool, this mouse has burns, a leg broken, and blind eyes. There is also some catmint its paws are clutched in. " Leafpool meowed, her fur bristling in fear. "Jayfeather, we must speak with Bramblestar. Now." Jayfeather and Leafpool went out of the medicine den. 

Snowpaw nosed the mouse. She gasped as she felt exactly what Jayfeather and Leafpool said. She picked up the mouse and put it away. She limped out of the den again to get a vole to eat. As she crouched down and munched on the vole, and thought, was that an omen from StarClan? Leafpool and Jayfeather had finished talking with Bramblestar by the time she finished the vole. Jayfeather, who was rarely gentle, murmured, "I'm sorry Snowpaw." Snowpaw was confused. After her wounds heal, she can go back to training with Sorrelstripe! Leafpool let out a sign, and Snowpaw flinched at the coming emotions bursting from the tabby she-cat as Leafpool's insides screamed, No! StarClan why?!

Jayfeather meowed, changing into his normal grumpy self again, "Leafpool, hurry up and put these herbs into a pulp and put it on Snowpaw's pelt." Leafpool replied, her voice brisk, "Okay. Here, you put these away. We don't need catmint. But the catmint away." Jayfeather silently put away the herbs. Snowpaw didn't notice as Leafpool plastered the cool poultice on her burns. What did Jayfeather mean? She thought. She heard paw steps coming back to camp. A pang caught her attention. Brightpaw! And rabbit, mouse, squirrel and vole! Her sister must be back from her assesment. 

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey come beneath highledge for a Clan meeting!" Bramblestar yowled as he leapt onto Highledge. Snowpaw limped out of the medicine den. She mouthed to her sister, I will be the first one to call you by your new name. She smiled at Brightpaw. Brightpaw padded to her sister and whispered quickly, "Thanks so much, I will too at your ceremony." Then, Brightpaw padded beneath Highledge.

"Hollytuft, is Brightpaw ready to become a warrior?"

"She is. I am proud of her."

"Then I shall begin the ceremony. Warriors of StarClan, I ask you to look down at this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code" He lowered her gaze from the twilight sky to the quivering apprentice. "Brightpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and defend your Clan always, even at the cost of your life?" 

Brightpaw meowed in confidence, "I do."

"Then with the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Brightpaw, from now on you will be named as-"

"Wait!" Brightpaw meowed.

Bramblestar gave her a questioning look. "What is it?"

Brightpaw meowed, "I would like to request my suffix..."

Bramblestar narrowed his amber gaze, "What is it? You may request."

Brightpaw meowed, "I would like to be named Brightsnow, in honour of my sister, who has sacrificed the rank she wanted most because she fulfilled the wish of a Clanmate, even though she had a great risk. Without her, some of us might have died already." 

Snowpaw's ears perked up, surprised, then limped as fast as she could to her sister. "Thank you so much." She purred. Brightpaw purred back.

Bramblestar meowed, "Very well. You will now be named as Brightsnow. StarClan honours your fighting skills and your love for your kin." 

Bramblestar continued, "As the tradition of StarClan, you must sit vigil and watch over camp tonight."

Brightsnow nodded, and like any other newly made warrior, took her place at the entrance of camp. 

"You may begin now." Bramblestar announced.

Snowpaw flicked her sister's ear with her soft tail, to wish her luck, and limped back to the den, where Leafpool was calling for her.

Leafpool meowed, "I'm sorry Snowpaw. You-"

Snowpaw defended, "You think that I can't be a warrior? Well I will be! After all my wounds heal!"

Leafpool sighed, "Snowpaw, StarClan has sent an omen. You must train as a medicine cat. It's your destiny."

Snowpaw turned away from Leafpool's tail on her shoulder, then hissed, "I hate being like this! I wish my destiny has never been like this!"