Warriors || Hopestar's Choice: Book 1 (1 of 3)

Chapter 23

A/N
This chapter is dedicated to @Hawk_Sun , Thank you for being this book's biggest supporter!

~*~

Hopepaw crouched on the fishing rock with her eyes trained on the water. She could feel Graystripe's eyes boring into her filled with expectations. She's been in RiverClan for about a moon now and the entire clan accepted her. And tonight, she would meet with Bramblepaw.

A shadow moved underneath the surface and Hopepaw struck out her paw with her claws unsheathed. She scooped the fish from the water and it landed on the rock beside her. Hopepaw bit it once and it was dead. Then she looked to Graystripe for approval.

"Very good, Hopepaw." Graystripe purred. He padded over to her and she could see the pride in his yellow eyes. "You're turning into a very fine fisher."

"Thanks, Graystripe." Hopepaw purred back and her pelt felt slightly hot with embarrassment.

What Graystripe said was true. She was a very good fisher and had developed a love for the water. If only her TigerClan clanmates could see her now they might not recognize her. Hopepaw was finding it harder and harder to keep her mind clear on the mission. She was here to gain intelligence, not to be their clanmate. And, when the time came, she would need to fight against them.

"You know, Hopepaw, when no one's around," Graystripe hesitated, "You could try calling me 'father'."

Hopepaw looked around. There wasn't another soul in sight. "Okay, uh, father." It felt weird to call someone that since she's never called someone father her entire life. But she realized how amazing it felt to know that her father was alive and well, not just some figment of her imagination.

"I think you're tired, Hopepaw," Graystripe meowed. "You've been working awfully hard lately. Let's head back to camp." He stood up and led the way away from the river.

~*~

Night fell over the camp slowly and Hopepaw watched the sun set behind the trees. She watched RiverClan return to their dens and nests for the night. When she looked up at the darkening sky, Hopepaw saw the first stars begin to come out. Everyone in RiverClan told her that each star was a fallen warrior in StarClan, but she couldn't quite fathom it.

She heard pawsteps from behind so she glanced over her shoulder to see the RiverClan medicine cat, Mudfur. The dark tom sat beside her and fixed his gaze on the stars. For a long moment, they said nothing to each other. Then Mudfur broke the silence.

"It's comforting, isn't it?" Mudfur murmured, "To look up into the stars and know that they're our warrior ancestors looking down on us?"

Hopepaw shuffled her paws in nervousness. What was she supposed to say? "In TigerClan, I was taught that StarClan didn't exist, that they were mere stories to entertain kits."

Mudfur turned his eyes on her. "Do you still believe that?"

Hopepaw hesitated, "I don't know. I'm not sure what I believe anymore. I feel like I have to live up to so many different expectations and I'm not sure who I am anymore or where I belong."

Mudfur nodded slowly, "I think that you've gone through a lot, Hopepaw. You're strong, stronger than most cats your age. But you have to know that you're safe here in RiverClan. This could be your home, if you let it."

Hopepaw stood up and glanced at Mudfur. "I don't know what lies in my future, but I do know that I want to be more than just another warrior, you know? I want to leave my pawprint on the world."

"Well, I wish you good luck, Hopepaw. I'm here if you ever need to talk." Mudfur mewed before heading back to his den.

Hopepaw slipped out of camp before the night guard appeared. She ran through the forest, her paws swift even in the darkness. The forest looked more forlorn in the dark, but she didn't bother with fear. When the river came into view, Hopepaw dived right in. She felt the river help carry her to the other bank.

On the TigerClan bank, Hopepaw shook out her long-haired pelt. Then she headed deeper into the forest. She followed the familiar trail to the clearing where she and Bramblepaw had agreed to meet. When she stepped into the clearing, moonlight bathed her fur. The grass here went up to her bellyfur except for in the center-it was shorter there.

At the center of the clearing was a willow tree. It's vines flowed all the way down to the forest floor, creating a curtain. A few wildflowers grew here along with dandelions. A gentle breeze carried a new scent to her. Bramblepaw.

He stepped from the undergrowth and into the clearing. His dark brown tabby pelt shone brighter in the moonlight. The light reflected in his amber eyes, making them appear to glow. Bramblepaw purred when he saw her and he stepped closer.

"Hopepaw," Bramblepaw breathed. He was close enough for her to touch him.

She reached out and rubbed her cheek against his chest. "I missed you. How is TigerClan?" Hopepaw looked up at him with big, green eyes.

"Well, Sootfur, Rainwhisker, and Sorreltail are warriors now." Bramblepaw announced. Then, sheepishly, he added: "Sandstorm and your littermates miss you."

Hopepaw's heart began to ache. "I miss them, too. Hopefully I can return soon."

Bramblepaw nodded, "What's it like living in RiverClan? I see that you're all wet. Do you swim now?"

Hopepaw purred with amusement. "Yes, I swim and fish. I'm actually quite good at it. I've got a great mentor."

"Yeah? Who?" Bramblepaw asked, his whiskers twitching.

Hopepaw hesitated, knowing what every TigerClan cat thought of Graystripe. "Well, my mentor is Graystripe..."

Bramblepaw stared at her for the longest time. "Graystripe? Why would they trust a traitor to train a new, mysterious apprentice? Are they mouse-brained?"

Hopepaw's heart throbbed with heartache. She couldn't win either way. "He's not a traitor, he's actually...very kind."

Bramblepaw snorted in disbelief and a certain menace appeared in his eyes. "You can't seriously believe that, can you? He was friends with Fireheart, the cat who killed Bluestar! Or have you forgotten?"

"I haven't forgotton!" Hopepaw argued defensively. "But, I don't know, maybe he's not as bad as everyone says he is?"

Bramblepaw stared at her for the longest time. "You've gone soft, Hopepaw. If I were you, I'd remember what clan you belong to." He sighed and stepped closer. "I didn't come here to argue with you."

Hopepaw shook her head. "Me neither." She leaned into Bramblepaw and took in his familiar scent.

"Do you remember when I promise you that you'd be my deputy one day?" Bramblepaw wondered.

Hopepaw nodded, "Yes, but that was a long time ago."

Bramblepaw leaned in closer to whisper in her ear. "I still mean it. When I'm leader of TigerClan, you'll be my deputy."

They laid there under the moonlight until the sun started to rise. Hopepaw left feeling warm in her heart and lighter on her paws. She crossed the river and headed back towards RiverClan camp. It didn't matter if she liked RiverClan, they weren't her clan. TigerClan was. That is where her future lies.