GoldenHeart

Chapter 4

GoldenKit looked around. "Hello?"

She noticed a flash of pale-yellow and black, and for a minute was confused. Who was that? She followed the scent trail with surprising ease, and suddenly placed the scent as LightningHeart's. The deputy, in her dream?

GoldenKit followed the scent until she spotted the deputy flopped next to two young tom-warriors nearly identical to her. Their names flew into her mind. LongTail and LightningTail?

The blood relations and memories flew into her mind. LightningHeart as a tiny kit, curled into a neon-orange flank. LightningTail hovered nearby.

"She's beautiful, AmberLight," he murmured.

A white tom and silver she-cat were talking outside the nursery. DoveWing and CloudTail! One of the legendary Three and nephew to the even-more legendary FireStar! LightningHeart carried their regal blood? GoldenKit drank in the knowledge of AmberLight being CloudTail's daughter and LightningTail DoveWing's son. More blood relations. DoveWing's daughter, MoonStream, the Gladiator, and her sister, IvyPool, the Warrior Princess. More powerful blood!

As the kin of the deputy flowed into her, GoldenKit began to understand how amazing the deputy's ancestors were. She was related to BrambleStar, to SquirrelFlight and LeafPool, to LionBlaze and JayFeather... there were so many powerful cats in her ancestory!

Backing away, GoldenKit let out a purr of amazement.

"Is my paw really so amazing?"

GoldenKit snapped open her eyes and stared at SnakeKit. One of his paws was extended towards her.

"Mama said it's time to get up," he explained. "And, I'm sorry if I hurt you."

"No, it's fine. Why do we have to get up?"

"Because SteamPaw and GrassPaw are being made warriors!" TigerKit gasped.

"Wow, really?!" BlackKit purred.

The four littermates bundled after ShadowStripe as she padded towards AdderHeart.

"MapleHeart looks like she's about to explode with pleasure," AdderHeart joked as his family joined him.

"Why isn't WolfStep?" GoldenKit asked.

"Because he's been a warrior much longer and has trained many apprentices, myself included," AdderHeart purred. "My mom picked him out herself."

"Who were your parents, Daddy? And you, Mama?" BlackKit asked.

"Mine were JetWisp, DoveWing's daughter, and LanceTail, LionBlaze's son," ShadowStripe answered. "My sister, SilverMoon, and my brother, DarkWind, died a while ago, but my other brother, WaspWhisker, lives."

"Mine were DoveWing herself and BumbleStripe. MoonStream, StarLight, and JetWisp were my sisters from the first litter; LightningTail and NightStrike were my brothers from the first litter. My brothers, PebbleClaw and GrayFur, are gone, as are my sisters, AshenHeart and DiamondPelt," AdderHeart said with a mixture of grief and boast.

"What about WolfStep?" SnakeKit pressed. "Who were his parents?"

"StarLight, DoveWing's daughter, and CroakFoot, LilyHeart's son," ShadowStripe replied. "MeteorClaw, MarshNose, and BrightEye, his brother and sisters, were lovely cats."

"There are a lot of dead ThunderClan cats," TigerKit concluded.

"Cats of ThunderClan!" StormStar summoned. "We are here to honour two of ThunderClan's apprentices by giving them their warrior names! GrassPaw and SteamPaw, step forward."

The pale gray and cinnamon apprentices approached, and sat down by their leader.

"MapleHeart, is SteamPaw ready to achieve warrior status?"

"Yes, StormStar."

"WolfStep, can you say the same of GrassPaw?"

"I can, StormStar."

"Very well." StormStar's green-gold eyes gleamed with pleasure. "I, StormStar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. SteamPaw, GrassPaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." The responses of the littermates was strong, clear, and immediate.

"Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. SteamPaw, from this moment on you will be known as SteamBreeze. StarClan honours your loyalty and compassion, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan. GrassPaw, from this moment on you will be known as GrassStem. StarClan honours your courage and honesty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

Each of the newly-named warriors licked StormStar's shoulder as she rested her muzzle on their heads.

"ThunderClan, I am pleased to present GrassStem and SteamBreeze, your two newest warriors!" LightningHeart yowled.

Cheers erupted from the crowd as they crowded around the new warriors. SweetFur, one of the oldest cats in ThunderClan, loped forward.

"NettleWhisker and SeedPelt would be very proud," she rasped around toothless gums.

Her mate, BadgerStripe, nodded. "PineClaw and I will be joining the elders' den today. Our old bones can only support us for so long."

"You and Uncle PineClaw?" MapleHeart asked as she and WolfStep approached. She and FoxFlight were BadgerStripe and SweetFur's kits, and SweetFur's brothers, PineClaw and NettleWhisker, both had a mate and kits themselves.

"About time!" SweetFur snorted.

"Is it because RainRiver's been an elder for a while?" GoldenKit asked as she padded up.

"No. RainRiver should still be a warrior. She went blind somehow," SweetFur replied. "She wanted to continue being a warrior. When StarClan handed out the stubborn genes, ThornClaw got the mother-load and passed it to PineClaw, who passed it to RainRiver!"

"There are lot of blood relations in ThunderClan, GoldenKit. Did you know that FireStar's blood flows in you?"

"Really?!" GoldenKit pawed at her tiny chest.

"Yes. Your father, AdderHeart, was son to DoveWing, was he not? DoveWing was his great-great-niece. Your father was his great-great-great nephew, and now you are his great-great-great-great niece."

"Urgh... Too many "greats"," GoldenKit muttered. "Good-bye."

"Good-bye, young one," SweetFur purred. BadgerStripe ran his tail along her back, and the two elderly cats ran to the base of the HighLedge.

"BadgerStripe and PineClaw. You two have been warriors longer than my paws have been in the forest. Is it truly your wish to give up the life of the warrior and go to join the elders?"

"It is."

"It is."

"Alright. Your Clan honours you and all the service you have given us. I call upon StarClan to give you many moons of rest."

"BadgerStripe! PineClaw! BadgerStripe! PineClaw!" The Clan parted to let the two old toms flounce to the elders' den.

"Took you long enough," SweetFur snorted when they reached her.

"My love." BadgerStripe lovingly licked SweetFur's eartip.

"Why can't you be more like him?" SweetFur asked.

"Because, I'm your brother, not your mate."

"Hmph." SweetFur stalked into the den. The toms rolled their eyes and followed her.

"WolfStep, you are ThunderClan's most senior warrior now. We honour you with a feast. Let us eat!" StormStar announced with a purr.