Warriors: Fire and Ice - Book Two (Completed)

Chapter Five

Bluestar was talking with Firehart, Graystripe and Tigerclaw when Waterpaw and Yellowfang padded back into camp. Waterpaw itched to speak with Bluestar about her dream she shared with StarClan. She sat down and began washing herself vigorously until Bluestar was finished with Fireheart. She could hear part of their conversation. Tigerclaw seemed agitated as they continued. 

"They didn't agree to let you travel through their territory!" Spat Tigerclaw. "You still don't understand Clan ways, do you?"

Bluestar stood up. Her eyes flashed as she looked around at the three cats, but her voice was calm. "You should not have entered RiverClan's hunting grounds. It was a dangerous thing to do." She looked sternly from Fireheart to Graystripe. 

Waterpaw flinched at their cries of hostility and she glanced over, looking at their reactions. Fireheart was looking down at his paws, in shame. Graystripe did the same. Tigerclaw's eyes were flashing with anger as he stalked away. Fireheart and Graystripe followed him into the clearing then they padded to the fresh-kill pile. 

Bluestar was free and alone. Waterpaw trekked to her den and announced who she was. "It's Waterpaw." She meowed, trying not to sound too urgent.

Bluestar made a soft mew sound and Waterpaw padded inside her den. It was dark in most spots except the one spot her moss filled nest that had light shining on it. Bluestar sat a few fox-lengths from her bedding and she looked up at Waterpaw with curious eyes. She wrapped her scrawny tail around her front paws.

Waterpaw mimicked her position and stood up straight as she began speaking. "I have a message from StarClan. I believe Spottedleaf told me this." She started.

Bluestar didn't say anything, but Waterpaw knew she was interested.

"She told me, fire alone will save the clan." She paused, waiting to see if Bluestar reacted to those words. She didn't seem surprised, so Waterpaw guessed that she was told about the prophecy, but she continued anyways. "Fireheart is the one that will save us." She finished, not taking her gaze off Bluestar's bright blue eyes.

Bluestar blinked and stayed silent. Waterpaw wondered if she had even heard her. She felt like she should swipe Bluestar's ear to make her come back to this world, but then Bluestar began to speak. "Thank you, Waterpaw." She meowed, softly.

Waterpaw winced at her words. That was all that she said? Had she already guessed that Fireheart was the one going to save them? Waterpaw felt herself getting dizzy with unease and wanted to shriek with anger, but held in all her emotions. She dipped her head, then padded out of Bluestar's den in silence. She went into the medicine den and laid down to sleep. She was exhausted from the travel home and wanted nothing more than to sleep the whole day away.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the highrock for a clan meeting." Yowled the familiar voice of Bluestar. 

Waterpaw woke up and padded tiredly into the clearing. Her eyes were half closed when she sat down near Whitestorm and Runningwind. Whitestorm looked at her, but didn't say anything.

"We are gathered here today for two special kits becoming apprentices." Bluestar glanced over at two young kits sitting by their mother, Frostfur. Their eyes gleaming with excitement. "Cinderkit, come forward." She mewed.

Cinderkit's eyes widened and she almost leaped to Bluestar. She sat down in front of the highrock and her whiskers were still trembling with excitement. She couldn't control her emotions and hoped others didn't think she was acting like a tiny kit.

"Cinderkit, from this moment on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Cinderpaw." Bluestar scanned the crowd of cats and her eyes stopped on Fireheart. "Fireheart, you are a brave warrior and I know you will teach her all that I have taught you."

Fireheart padded to Cinderpaw. He bent down his head and touched her cheek. "You're doing great." He meowed softly.

"Cinderpaw! Cinderpaw!" Cinderpaw heard her new name being called out. She purred excitedly.

Bluestar looked up at the crowd and continued, "Brackenkit. Until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Brackenpaw. Graystripe, Lionheart was your mentor, I know all that you taught will be brought down to your new apprentice."

Graystripe padded up to him and touched his nose to Brackenpaw's. Brackenpaw mimicked Graystripe and purred happily just like Cinderpaw.

"Brackenpaw! Brackenpaw!" Shouted the whole clan.

Waterpaw noticed a sudden sadness in Graystripe. Ever since he and Fireheart came back from bringing back WindClan Graystripe seemed to be sad about it. Waterpaw wasn't told about most of the gossip, so she wasn't surprised that perhaps the whole clan knew besides her. She padded back to Yellowfang who was sitting at the entrance of the medicine den. Her tail was twitching, but Waterpaw couldn't tell if she was happy or angry. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about Graystripe, would ya?" Mewed Waterpaw ignoring her twitching tail.

Yellowfang shot her a stern look like she was thinking it was a badger asking her a stupid question. Waterpaw froze, but kept her gaze on Yellowfang. 

Yellowfang then looked away into the clearing. "He accidentally killed Whiteclaw. He fell over the gorge when they were fighting with RiverClan." Yellowfang's eyes narrowed to slits. "RiverClan should have known that was too dangerous for an attack." She added, bitterly.

Waterpaw didn't respond. She didn't know Whiteclaw, but she could feel the pain that Graystripe was probably going through. Having someone die in front of you is not easy to experience. Waterpaw then began thinking of Spottedleaf again. 

Spottedleaf was her mentor before Yellowfang and she was the most patient cat Waterpaw met. Yellowfang can barely stand to let Waterpaw think of the right herbs to treat a simple scratch. Waterpaw padded to her moss nest a few tail-lengths from the small pool and wrapped her fluffy tail over her nose and closed her eyes with pain. She missed Spottedleaf too much. She, too, blamed herself for her death. I should have been there for her. Instead I got knocked out and woke up after everything was done. Waterpaw flinched from her own thoughts and re-adjusted her body the opposite way and she faced the wall. A tiny tear began to run down her cheek. Oh, Spottedleaf, I wish you were here to help me! What am I to do without you?