Flowerstar's Judgement {COMPLETE}

Chapter 23

"We welcome you all as full warriors of SunClan!" Foxstar looked down at the four new warriors proudly, two of which were his own sons.

"Barkfang! Rustpelt! Willownose! Snakewhisker!" The Clans cheered, including Flowerpelt who was standing beside Thornpelt. Each of the new warriors parents and mentors were glowing with pride. Flowerpelt remembered how she felt when she became a warrior, it was a feeling that she would never forget.

"Our apprentice den is empty again." Thornpelt said once the ceremony had died down. "But we're no longer the youngest warriors so all those duties won't fall onto us."

"It won't be empty for long." Flowerpelt nudged her friend playfully, purring as well. "Icekit and Snowkit will be apprenticed next moon. Blazekit is barely a moon old but he'll probably be apprenticed before they're warriors. Then there's Moonfur's kits..." Flowerpelt looked towards the nursery. Blazekit was the newest member of SunClan, born to Fernsong and Briarheart. He was golden brown with striking, black tabby stripes. Moonfur had also moved into the nursery with Owlfoot's kits as Flowerpelt had predicted, they would be born soon.

"Do you think Foxstar will make you and Stormwind the mentors of Icekit and Snowkit?" Thornpelt questioned.

"I hope so." Flowerpelt sighed. "I've been kind of hinting at it," She flicked her tail. "I really want to mentor Icekit and I know Stormwind wants to mentor Snowkit."

"I can't imagine how hunting is going to be for those two. Their pelts are pure white."

Flowerpelt shrugged. "My pelt is pretty light, we'll help them out. They have the makings of great warriors." She looked at Icekit and Snowkit who wrestled playfully together. They were getting pretty big and were almost identical except for Snowkit's darker eyes and longer fur. Would it be weird if I went to Foxstar directly and asked to be Icekit's mentor?

"Let's not sit around wasting daylight." Thornpelt mewed. "We should see if we can't get on a hunting patrol, it's nearly leaf-bare." Flowerpelt nodded, the time had just flew by. Before Flowerpelt knew it the forest was losing its leaves and the days were getting colder. Honeywing and Featherfall were stocking up on herbs while the warriors were stocking up on prey.

Flowerpelt couldn't believe how long it had been since Firetail, Nutkit and Birchkit died. So much had happened between the last leaf-bare and the upcoming one. Would they lose any cats this season? She prayed to StarClan that they wouldn't. Please, Stonewhisker. Flowerpelt looked up at the crisp, sunhigh sky. Please don't take any cats from us. When talking to StarClan, Flowerpelt often found herself talking to Stonewhisker directly. She missed her father, somedays were worse than others but talking him in the way that she did helped her cope.

Flowerpelt and Thornpelt managed to get on a hunting patrol with Leafwhisker, Owlfoot and Flintstripe. They headed towards the river and Flowerpelt walked beside her former mentor, they hadn't done as much talking as Flowerpelt wished. "Are you excited for your kits?" Flowerpelt asked Owlfoot as they made their way out of the camp.

"I really am." Owlfoot purred. "I was a little worried about taking a mate after Firetail died, but I know she wants me to be happy and Moonfur is a wonderful she-cat." Owlfoot's eyes sparkled. Flowerpelt could hardly believe this was the same cat she saw so long ago, torn apart by the death of his mate. "Applespots and Sandfoot are incredibly supportive, they're excited to meet their littermates."

"I'm excited to meet them too." Flowerpelt purred. "If they're anything like you they'll be great warriors."

Owlfoot chuckled. "What about you?"

Flowerpelt tilted her head. "What about me, what?"

"You and Thornpelt have been really close lately. The entire Clan is wondering when you two are going to have kits."

Flowerpelt was pretty sure her pelt caught fire, she looked at her paws. "Oh, oh, no that's--" She stammered, suddenly her throat was dry. "Thornpelt and I aren't--I don't want kits right now."

Owlfoot laughed, Flowerpelt checked to make sure that Thornpelt hadn't overheard the conversation. He was too busy talking to Leafwhisker. She sighed with relief. "Well, sorry to bring it up." He flicked his tail over her ears like he did when she was an apprentice. Flowerpelt was still trying to calm herself down.

"It's just--" She still struggled to speak. "I don't know if I'll ever want kits." She lowered her voice. "I honestly want to be leader someday."

Owlfoot brushed up against her. "When you passed your warrior assessment I told you that you would be a great leader and I still think that. I hope that one day you could be leader, I know you can."

Feeling more relaxed, Flowerpelt looked at her mentor with gratitude. He had always encouraged her, even when she injured herself and fell behind on her training he was always pushing her to do more. I wouldn't be the warrior I am today without him.

The patrol hunted the best they could, but the weather was chilly and prey wasn't very easy to come by. Flowerpelt managed to catch a squirrel and a shrew but not much else, luckily the patrol together caught a decent amount of prey to take back to camp and there would be another patrol before the end of the day.

Flowerpelt deposited her fresh-kill on the pile and located her sister who was talking with Snakewhisker, Barkfang and Cloudstorm. "Hey there." Flowerpelt called to the group of cats.

"How was hunting?" Stormwind questioned in return.

Flowerpelt shrugged. "Could've been better, but we caught a decent amount." She sat down next to Stormwind. She suppressed a shiver, the day was getting colder as the sun went down. "You four are going to have a rough vigil tonight." Flowerpelt told Snakewhisker and Barkfang.

"Don't remind me." Barkfang licked a paw. "At least it's not in the dead of leaf-bare."

"Last leaf-bare we were just kits." Snakewhisker added. "We had our mothers to keep us warm, now we just have each other."

"We'll survive." Barkfang stretched out. "But," He continued. "We won't be moving from the apprentice den just yet, the warriors den is too full." Flowerpelt nodded, the warriors den was quite crowded.

"Foxstar said he would put some warriors on making it bigger, we just have a lot of warriors and not enough den." Snakewhisker mewed.

"Soon enough you'll be in the warriors den with the rest of us." Stormwind purred. "It's much more comfy in there than in the apprentice den, I'll be sure to get you a nice nest." Snakewhisker purred and he and Stormwind shared a look. Flowerpelt looked at her sister curiously. Does she have a crush on Snakewhisker? Flowerpelt purred at the thought, she wanted Stormwind to be happy and Snakewhisker was a very noble cat, he was a very talented warrior.

"We should find Rustpelt and Willownose so we can get some prey in us before our vigil." Barkfang stood up and nudged his friend. "It's gonna be a long night." Flowerpelt and Stormwind said goodbye to them and the two sisters were left by themselves.

"I hope leaf-bare is easy on us." Stormwind said, her voice suddenly quiet. Her blue eyes were looking up at the sky. Firetail was Stormwind's mentor and she had taken the loss quite hard.

"Me too." Flowerpelt pressed up against her sister's body. "But no matter what happens," Stormwind looked at her. "We'll all be okay."