SparkClan Shifts

Chapter 10: Longbeak

Sparkpaw watched her siblings from the medicine den with a heavy heart. Curlstripe had just cut off her infected tail, but that meant she couldn't be made a warrior along with her litter-mates. "Hailpaw!" yowled Brickstar from the leader's rock. "From now on, you will be known as Hailpelt. StarClan honours your determination, and we welcome you as a full member of SparkClan!"

Sparkpaw squinted to see Brickstar turn to Grousepaw. "From now on, you will be known as Grousecrackle! We honour your fortitude and welcome you as a full warrior of SparkClan."

Sparkpaw noticed Thymepaw's eyes light up with excitement. She knew there was nothing her sister wanted more that to serve her Clan. "Thymepaw," proclaimed Brickstar, "you will be known as Thymebadger." A few snickers spread through the Clearing and Thymepaw stared at the floor, looking downcast. Sparkpaw felt a wave of anger towards the Clan. They shouldn't be making fun of Thymebadger! She had been waiting so long for this moment. Sparkpaw noticed Grousecrackle unsheathing her claws and sinking them into the ground as well.

"StarClan honours your loyalty and we welcome you as a full warrior of SparkClan!" Thymebadger looked happier now that the ceremony was over.

Suddenly, a cat marched into the Clearing. Sparkpaw dragged herself out of the medicine den, to see what was happening. She was a ticked light grey cat with cold blue eyes. Sparkpaw felt as if she had seen her somewhere before, but as she tried to picture where, her memories were all hazy. Warmleaf's pelt bristled. "You?" he hissed.

The pale she-cat nodded calmly. "Me," she mewed. "You look fiercer than when you were an apprentice."

"He is," commented Icee. "He can be real scary when he wants to be ever since he became deputy."

Warmleaf gave the elder an annoyed glance.

"So you're deputy now, eh?" mewed the pale she-cat.

"How do you know what a deputy is?" asked Warmleaf, narrowing his clever eyes.

"Didn't your friend just talk about it?" Hubert pointed out.

"She didn't tell you what it was."

"Your patrols are very noisy," sighed Hubert.

"You're lying, you've just been spying on us!"

"Fine," admitted Hubert, "I may have listened purposefully to a conversation or two. Anyways, were are the other cats that were on patrol?"

Warmleaf's mew caught in his throat. "Dead."

"I see," mewed the she-cat. "I'm sorry."

Warmleaf and the she-cat kept on staring at each other.

Sparkpaw noticed her gaze flit to Kasi for a second before returning to look at Warmleaf.

A few moments passed before Brickstar coughed. "Who... is this?" she asked.

"Hubert," mewed Curlstripe to the leader. "I've never met her, but Warmleaf was injured by her when he was still an apprentice on patrol with Cone and Tulip. Well, Tulipstar back then, I suppose."

"I want to join your Clan," mewed Hubert. "I am have been thinking about asking to join SparkClan for a long time." Besides Sparkpaw, Kasi chuckled weirdly, before quickly stifling the noise. Everything Kasi does is weird anyway, thought Sparkpaw. "The hot and cold temperatures combined with my age have made me decide to ask for your shelter. I will remain here as a warrior, but in all honesty, I know I will retire soon."

"All right," mewed Brickstar. "You can join SparkClan."

"No!" mewed Warmleaf. "She's a two-faced snake!"

"You've only met her once many seasons ago," pointed out Fudge from the elder's den. "Even though you might feel angry at her because she hurt you when you were still an apprentice, I think we should still give her a chance to join the Clan."

"You're right," sighed Warmleaf. He turned to face Hubert. "Welcome to the Clan, Hubert!"

"Can I have a new name?" she asked. "I want my old life to be no more."

Brickstar nodded and quickly gave Hubert the name of Longbeak.

The Clearing dissolved as cats left to continue their duties. Longbeak stayed in the Clearing however, looking as if she didn't know what to do.

Sparkpaw padded up to her. "I can show you camp if you want!" Longbeak gazed at her and gasped. It must be because of my absent tail, Sparkpaw thought miserably.

"Thank you," purred Longbeak.

Sparkpaw bounded over to the nursery, finding it hared to balance without her tail. "This is the nursery," she mewed. "This is where queens raise their kits. There are currently no nursing queens, so it is empty."

Sparkpaw then walked over to the warrior's den. Inside were Hailpelt and Grousecrackle sleeping. They're lucky they get the excuse of having to sleep before the vigil so they can visit the Dark Forest. 

"Why are your litter-mates sleeping at this time of day?" Longbeak questioned, a glint of curiosity in her eyes.

"They have to rest before their vigil," Sparkpaw quickly explained.

Soon they reached the elder's den, where Icee and Fudge were resting. 

"Hello, Longbeak," mewed Fudge. "Fudge and I also came from the outside." 

"Although we were both kittypets," pointed out Icee. "I can't imagine what being a rogue would be like."

Hubert nodded.

Sparkpaw tugged the old cat's paw. "This is the apprentice den," she mewed. "The current warrior apprentices are me, Brindlepaw, Shypaw, Shorepaw and Icypaw."

Then Sparkpaw moved on to the medicine den. "This is the medicine den. Those are all the herbs. That's where the cat's rest. The medicine cats are Curlstripe, Sandstripe and Dreampaw. Dreampaw is kind of a weirdo. He puts blueberries under his ears."

"Disgusting," mewed Longbeak disapprovingly.

"Lastly," mewed Sparkpaw, "this is the leader's den. It's were the leader sleeps."

Hubert looked at that den with slightly obsessed eyes. Sparkpaw didn't mind. As long as it stayed between them, Longbeak had nothing to worry about.