Wait For It | ▪︎ Tigerclaw

chapter 28

⊰᯽⊱┈──╌❊❊╌──┈⊰᯽⊱

LEOPARDFUR LIFTED HER head and yowled in the wind, "Whiteclaw! No!"

Graystripe scrambled backward until all four paws were on safe ground. His wet grey fur was bristling, and his eyes were wide with shock. "I tried to grab him... he just lost his footing... I didn't mean to..." The words tumbled out breathlessly. Fireheart bounded toward his friend and pressed his nose into his flank for comfort. Whiterose went to do the same, but Tigerclaw stopped her by placing a paw on her tail, keeping her close to his side.

One by one, the other cats turned away from the edge and looked at Graystripe. The RiverClan cats' eyes were narrowed with fury, their shoulders tense. Willowpelt and Whitestorm moved instinctively toward Graystripe, taking up defensive positions on either side of him.

Leopardfur growled deep in her throat, but it was warning to her own cats. They were to stay back. The RiverClan deputy stared Tigerclaw straight in the eye. "This has gone beyond a border fight," she murmured. "We shall return to our Clan. It has become a matter to settle at another time and in a different way."

Tigerclaw defiantly returned Leopardfur's stare. He showed no fear, but merely gave the smallest of nods, pressing closer to Whiterose. Leopardfur flicked the tip of her tail, then returned and padded away. The RiverClan cats followed her, and the whole patrol disappeared into the bushes.

Leopard's menacing words made Whiterose shudder. A sense of foreboding settled over her soul like a cold shadow as she realised this battle might have started a war.

"We should leave," meowed Deadfoot, limping forward. "Your three young warriors served us well, and my Clan thanks you." But the formal words of gratitude sounded hollow after the tragedy they had just witnessed. Tigerclaw nodded stiffly, and the two WindClan warriors began to head back to their one territory.
Whiterose flinched when Tigerclaw hissed at Fireheart, "Follow me!"

The tabby warrior turned his heated glare onto Whiterose who whimpered and followed after him quickly. Whiterose recognised the same trail that lead to ThunderClan territory, straight through RiverClan's strip of forest.

Tigerclaw halted the patrol and was waiting for Fireheart and Graystripe at the border of ThunderClan's territory. "I thought I told you to follow me," he growled as Whiterose's brother and Graystripe caught up.
"Graystripe was—"
Fireheart was cut off by the deputy. "The sooner Graystripe gets back to camp, the better."
Whiterose decided to muster up all the courage she had and spoke, "Whiteclaw's death was just an accident..." Her voice was quiet and soft, almost timid.
Tigerclaw turned away, "I know," he meowed. "But it's done. Come on, and this time keep up!" He leaped away, crossing the scent markers that bounded ThunderClan territory.

Whiterose raced after him, running by his side as the patrol followed behind them. The rain eased and they followed the familiar trail to the camp. When the patrol emerged from the gorse tunnel, some of the other Clan cats bounded out of their dens, their tails held high in greeting.

"Did you find WindClan? Are they safe?" Mousefur called. Whiterose nodded absently but felt too hollow to reply. Mousefur's tail dropped. The other cats hung back at the edge of the clearing. The expressions on the faces of the returning cats told them that something serious has happened.

"Come with me," Tigerclaw ordered to Whiterose, Fireheart and Graystripe, leading them toward Bluestar's den. Fireheart kept close to Graystripe, and Whiterose's fur brushed against Tigerclaw's.

A warm mew welcomed them from the shadows beyond the lichen. The four cats pushed their way into the snug cave.
"Welcome!" Bluestar leaped up, purring. "Did you find WindClan? Did you bring them back?"
"Yes," Fireheart replied quietly. "They are safe in their camp. Tallstar told me to thank you."
"Good, good," Bluestar meowed. Her eyes darkened as she noticed her deputy's grim expression. "What has happened?"
"Fireheart decided to return home through RiverClan territory," growled Tigerclaw.
Graystripe argued but Tigerclaw silenced him. "They were found by a RiverClan patrol. If my patrol hadn't heard their yelps in time, they wouldn't have made it home at all."
"So, you rescued them," Bluestar meowed, relaxing. "Thank you, Tigerclaw."
"It's not that simple," Tigerclaw snorted. "They were fighting beside the gorge. A RiverClan warrior who was battling Graystripe fell over the edge." Whiterose noticed Graystripe flinch at Tigerclaw's words.
"Dead?" Bluestar asked in horror.
"It was an accident!" Fireheart meowed quickly, "Graystripe would never kill a cat over a border fight!"
"I doubt Leopardfur sees it that way." Tigerclaw turned on Fireheart, his tail lashing from side to side. "What were you thinking? Travelling through enemy territory? And with WindClan cats. You've sent a message that we are their allies, which will only drive RiverClan and ShadowClan closer together."
"WindClan was with you in RiverClan territory?" Bluestar looked even more alarmed.

"Just two warriors. Tallstar gave us an escort home, we were tired..." Whiterose murmured quietly.
"You should not have been in RiverClan territory," Tigerclaw snarled. "Especially with WindClan cats."
"It wasn't an alliance. They were escorting us back home!" Fireheart protested.
"Does RiverClan know that?"
"RiverClan knew we were going to find WindClan and bring them back. They agreed to it at the Gathering. They shouldn't have attacked us—it was a special mission, like the journey to Highstones."
"They didn't agree to let you travel through their territory!" spat Tigerclaw. "You still don't understand the Clan ways, do you? Now we have to deal with the aftermath."
Tigerclaw didn't bother to flatten his bristling pelt, his amber eyes blazed like hot coals in a fire. Whiterose stayed quiet during this, feeling two times smaller than the other cats in the cave.

Bluestar stood up, her eyes calm. "You should not have entered RiverClan's hunting grounds. It was a dangerous thing to do." She looked at the three young warriors sternly.
Bluestar went on, flicking her tail uneasily. "At the same time, you did well to find WindClan and bring them back. But we will need to prepare ourselves for an attack from RiverClan. We need to start training more warriors. Whiterose, Fireheart and Graystripe—Frostfur tells me two of her kits are almost ready to begin their training. I want each of you to take a kit as your apprentice."

Whiterose felt a sudden wash of anxiety and looked up with wide eyes. Was she even ready? A small, timid cat like her couldn't possibly be a good mentor!
She looked toward Tigerclaw, who stood rigid in shock. He turned to Whiterose and looked into her green gaze; he then understood her anxiety.
Graystripe raised his head. "But none of them are six moons yet!"
"It won't be long before they are. The divisions at the last Gathering troubled me, and today..." Bluestar's voice trailed off, and Whiterose notice Graystripe look down to his paws once more.

Tigerclaw glanced at Whiterose and pressed to her side. He looked up at Bluestar, "Wouldn't it be better to ask more experienced warriors like Longtail or Darkstripe to take on another apprentice?" he asked. "These three are hardly more than apprentices themselves!"
Whiterose felt a bit hurt by the huge main coons' words but didn't show it, just kept looking down at her paws.
"I did consider that," the ThunderClan leader replied, glancing at Whiterose for a moment. "But Longtail will be busy enough with Swiftpaw, and Darkstripe is getting Dustpaw ready to become a full warrior."
"What about Runningwind?" Tigerclaw asked.
"Runningwind is a fine hunter and a loyal warrior," Bluestar answered. "But I don't think he has the patience for mentoring. ThunderClan has better use for his skills."
"And you think these three have what it takes to train ThunderClan warriors?"
Whiterose flinched along with Fireheart. Tigerclaw was eyeing Fireheart but what he thought still applied for her. Did he think a former kittypet is not fit to train Clanborn cats?
Bluestar stared back at her deputy, "We shall find out. Don't forget, they brought WindClan home. And of course, Tigerclaw," she added. "I am relying on you to oversee the training."
Tigerclaw nodded, and Bluestar turned her back on them. "Get something to eat," she ordered. "Then rest. We'll have naming ceremony for the kits at moonhigh."
Tigerclaw stayed behind with Bluestar but sent Whiterose a concerned glance. She looked at him before racing off toward the warriors' den. Whiterose wasn't hungry, so when she settled in her nest, she closed her eyes drifted asleep.
___
Willowpelt woke Whiterose with a gentle prod. "Time for the ceremony," she whispered.
Whiterose lifted her head and blinked slowly. "Thanks, Willowpelt," she meowed as the grey she-cat ducked out of the den.
In silence, she padded out of the den and into the clearing, seeing Fireheart and Graystripe waiting for her. The moon shone above the trees, turning the wet branches silver.
"Well done for bring the WindClan cats' home," Midnightpaw meowed, sitting beside her. Redstream meowed her agreement and sat on the white she-cats other side. "I'm sure it was tough!"
Whiterose nodded and looked back into the clearing.
Frostfur was already sitting below the Highrock. Three kits sat on her left, a smudgy grey, a ginger one and a rusty-brown tabby with dark stripes. The white queen twisted her head and licked behind their ears. The little grey she-kit shook her head impatiently as her mother fussed over her.
Once more, anxiousness made Whiterose's fur tingle.

Whiterose then saw Dustpaw lean to Sandpaw, "I feel sorry for Fireheart and Whiterose's apprentices. Imagine being trained by a kittypet!"

Sandpaw didn't react, but it was obvious Tigerclaw heard, because he cuffed Dustpaw over the ear with sheathed claws. Dustpaw crouched in submission and Tigerclaw gave him a stern look before padding away, passing Whiterose on the way and sitting next to Whitestorm.

Bluestar called for silence before speaking. "This moonhigh, we gather together to name three new apprentices. Come forward, you three."
The grey kit darted from her mother's side into the clearing, her fluffy tail held high and her blue eyes wide. The ginger kit came forward more slowly. The tabby she-kit hesitated but when her mother nudged her forward, she stumbled beside her littermates.

Whiterose's heart pounded. Which one will she get? She was for some reason drawn to the tabby she-kit, maybe it was because it was the same kit that she carried home from the ShadowClan battle.

"From this day forward," Bluestar meowed, gazing down at the little grey she-kit. "until she has earned her warrior name, this apprentice will be called Cinderpaw."
"Cinderpaw!" The grey kit couldn't help but mewing her new name out loud. A quietening hiss came from Frostfur, and Cinderpaw ducked her head apologetically.
"Fireheart," meowed Bluestar, "you are ready for your first apprentice. You will begin Cinderpaw's training. You are fortunate, Fireheart, to have had more than one mentor. I expect you to pass on everything I taught to this young apprentice and share with her the skills you learned from Tigerclaw and Lionheart."
At the mention of Lionheart, Whiterose pictured the golden warrior looking down on them from Silverpelt with warm, encouraging eyes. Fireheart lifted his head and returned Bluestar's gaze.

"This apprentice," Bluestar turned her gaze to the ginger tom-kit. "Will be known as Brackenpaw. Graystripe, you will train Brackenpaw. Our lost friend Lionheart was your mentor. I hope that his skill and wisdom will pass through you to your new apprentice."
Graystripe lifted his head high at Bluestar's words, and for a moment a gleam of pride glowed in his yellow eyes. He touched noses with Brackenpaw and Whiterose watched in amusement as Fireheart rushed to do the same with Cinderpaw.

"And finally, this young apprentice will be now known as Shinypaw." The tabby she-cat didn't say a word like her brother, but her eyes showed a hint of nervousness in them. Bluestar looked at Whiterose with a proud gaze. "Whiterose, you will train Shinypaw. I hope that you will share the skills you have learnt from Tigerclaw and Lionheart with her."

Whiterose gently touched noses with Shinypaw and the tabby apprentice purred. She obviously remembered the cat who brought her home those few moons ago.
Whiterose purred herself and looked around the Clan. Every cat seemed to be nodding approvingly. Then her eyes met with Tigerclaw's, and he gave her an approving and proud nod.

She then tore away her gaze and went back to her apprentice, who was staring at Whiterose with nervousness and excitement.
"I will train you to be the best warrior ever," Whiterose meowed softly. "I promise."