Brambleberry's Path

Chapter 16:

Brambleberry stared at Icepaw, Swiftpaw, and Frogpaw as they stood before Wetstar. After four more moons they were ready to be warriors. Frogpaw was the most mature out of the three and he was the largest, and Icepaw was the smallest. Swiftpaw was the fastest, he was even faster than his mentor, Ripplewave.

Hawkwing stood next to Brightface and the two she-cats stared at their apprentices with pride. Hawkwing leaned over towards Brightface and stared at the three toms while she spoke.

"I can remember when we became warriors like it was just yesterday." She mewed. Brightface purred but stopped when she remembered all the cats they had lost that day. Hawkwing seemed to notice her change in mood and looked over at her friend.

"Try not to think of the loss we had." She mewed, bumping the silver tabby's shoulder gently.

"Frogpaw, you shall now be known as Frogleap." The leader touched his nose to the tom's forehead and Frogleap licked his shoulder before stepping back and standing tall, head held high and pride shining in his eyes. He glanced back at his old mentor. Hawkwing purred with pride and nodded her head to him.

"Swiftpaw, step forward." Wetstar mewed. The small grey tom stepped forward and stared up at Wetstar with wide blue eyes.

"Swiftpaw, from this moment forward, you shall be known as Swiftbreeze." Wetstar mewed, touching his nose to the tom's forehead and Swiftbreeze licked him on the shoulder before stepping back. Wetstar padded over to Icepaw and stared down at the smallest littermate.

"Icepaw, your mentor, Brightface, has taught you well. It is time you became a warrior. From this moment on, you shall be known as Icewing." Wetstar mewed, resting his muzzle on Icewing's head as the small cat tried to crane his neck to pick his leader's shoulder.

Brightface glared at Hawkwing as she tried to hold in her chuckle of amusement, but was failing to contain it.

"It's not funny!" She hissed, fur fluffing up. Hawkwing shook her head and tried to stop smiling. Brightface turned back to her former apprentice, glaring at her friend all the while.

"Waterclan, welcome your new warriors!" Wetstar yowled. The clan let out cheers and surrounded the three new warriors, congratulating them and chattering excitedly with them. Icewing slipped away from them and padded towards his former mentor. Halfway to her he didn't look so confident as he was before. Hawkwing purred and padded away from her friend to go talk to Birdpaw.

"Um, Brightface?" Icewing mewed. She looked down at him and tilted her head. His head reached the top of her chin now that he was older, but he was still small.

"Yes, Icewing?" She mewed. He shuffled his paws and stared up at her with nervous amber orbs.

"W-would you like to hunt with me?" He asked. Brightface purred and nodded, and both cats headed out of the camp. Brambleberry rolled his eyes and went to follow Hawkwing. He stood behind her as she chatted with Birdpaw, unaware of his presence looming behind her.

"I can't believe that Frogleap is a warrior now. Kits grow up so fast, don't they?" Hawkwing mewed with a sigh. Birdpaw stared at her with amusement.

"Well, just think, if you had kits of your own, you would have twice the pride a mentor does." Birdpaw mewed, flicking her tail. Brambleberry's ears pricked up at her comment and his eyes darted towards Hawkwing. Her fur had started to bristle and he could scent the panic that roll off her in waves.

"I'm not going to have kits! No way!" She denied. Brambleberry's ears drooped and so did his tail. Birdpaw stared at Hawkwing with amusement.

"You won't be saying that for long. Just watch, you'll have kits soon. You just aren't ready yet." She mewed, turning and padding away from the warrior. Brambleberry felt his heart rise when he saw Hawkwing look across the clearing towards the nursery. He just knew that she was going to be a mother sometime in the future.

He was determined to be the father of those kits.