Warriors: A Dangerous Path - Book Five (Completed)

Chapter Twenty Three

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" Called Bluestar from the highrock. Waterlily tiredly opened her eyes; she yawned then slowly got to her paws and padded to the edge of the clearing. She could feel sudden tension as her eyes locked to the front where Fireheart and Cloudpaw sat. Was Fireheart worried about Cloudpaw again? She dove deeper into his thoughts as he sat in silence, staring out into the distance. Something had gone down with Longtail and Darkstripe. He dared not to enter in deeper, or she might find out something that she had no business in.

"I, Bluestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn." Her voice was harsh, as if she still didn't believe in StarClan and their rituals, though she did it because she knew it was time for someone to become a warrior. 

"Cloudpaw," Bluestar continued, "do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." Cloudpaw meowed fervently.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name." Bluestar went on, each word dragged out of her like thorns. "Cloudpaw, from this moment you will be known as Cloudtail. StarClan honors your courage and your independence, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

Waterlily could hear her voice crack when she mentioned StarClan. Leaping down the highrock, Bluestar padded to Cloudtail and rested her muzzle on his head. Cloudtail gave her shoulder a respectful lick, then went over to stand beside Fireheart.

Normally at this time, the Clan would yowl his new name in acceptance, but there was only silence. It felt like everyone could feel Bluestar's disbelief in StarClan when she recited those words. Cloudtail was beginning to look a little crestfallen when Brindleface, who had suckled him as a tiny kit, padded up and pressed her tabby muzzle against his. "Well done, Cloudtail!" she exclaimed. "I'm so proud of you!"

As if she had given a signal, Cinderpelt came up, and then at last the other cats began to crowd around, greeting Cloudtail by his new name and congratulating him. Waterlily glanced over at Fireheart and sensed his relief once warriors began coming up to the new warrior and congratulating him. 

"You're keeping vigil tonight." Fireheart reminded his former apprentice, trying to sound as if this were like any other warrior naming ceremony. 

Cloudtail nodded and padded off to take up a position in the center of the clearing. His head and tail were raised proudly, but Fireheart knew that the ceremony had been shadowed by the jealousy of the other apprentices, and by Bluestar's transparent loss of faith.

Waterlily padded over to Cloudtail and dipped her head. "Well deserved." She purred softly. "You will make a fine warrior." She added, then padded back to her den with her tail held high, without seeing Cloudtail's respectful nod. 

Later, as Waterlily tended to her herbs near the medicine den, she saw Fireheart approaching. She nodded in greeting, her expression serious. "I saw what you saw," Fireheart murmured as he sat down beside her.

"Do you think she meant it?" Waterlily met Fireheart's disheartening gaze.

"What she said about Cloudtail?" Fireheart now looked worried that maybe he was wrong about Cloudtail being ready.

"No, about Bluestar saying stuff about StarClan in the ceremony." She flicked her tail and softly pawed at the ground. She wondered if Fireheart was really thinking the same as she was. Cloudtail was on his mind, not Bluestar.

Waterlily could hear Fireheart sigh with relief just before he spoke. "No. She revokes them entirely." He meowed rather angrily. "She won't ever believe in them again." He added, flicking his tail irritably. 

Waterlily shuffled her feet in annoyance. She knew that Fireheart wanted his leader to believe in StarClan, but he had such little hope nowadays, nothing would change his mind. 

*** 

A few sunrises had passed and Waterlily began to feel a sudden chill breeze as the air began to get a little colder as the moon rose high in the sky. The night seemed to have quickened and seemed like it last only just a few seconds. Waterlily woke up to a loud yowl calling out her name just outside her den. She scrambled to her paws in alarm.

"Waterlily!" She heard a voice call out again as she made her way out of her den. 

"What happened?" Her eyes were wide in alarm, seeing that no cat was injured. 

"It's Brightpaw a-and...Swiftpaw." Cloudtail meowed in panic, panting hard as he spoke.

"Show me." She quickly mewed and followed Cloudtail to the place where both apprentices were laid. Cloudtail zigzagged his way through the trees. Waterlily almost found it hard to stay close to him and was worried about losing sight of him. Then finally he stopped a few tail-lengths from Fireheart and Sandstorm. She padded to their side, slowly, noticing their heavy breathing and worry. She looked in between the two warriors and alerted her ears in horror as she spotted Swiftpaw's black-and-white body laying motionless, and just beyond him, Brightpaw. 

Waterlily padded to the two lifeless bodies and pressed her ear against Swiftpaw's chest. No sounds or breathing was heard. Swiftpaw was dead. Then she padded over to Brightpaw, expecting to feel the same thing. But to her surprise, she felt very little movement as if Brightpaw was trying to gasp for air. She checked multiple times, thinking maybe she has gone delusional, but she felt it each time. 

"Cloudtail." She mewed softly. "Brightpaw is alive." Cloudtail pricked his ears and lifted his muzzle in sudden surprise. He padded slowly up to her. Waterlily could almost hear his heart pounding in fear. "It's alright." She added. "Help me get her back to camp."

Cloudtail carried Brightpaw in his jaws, letting her paws drag on the floor. All four cats arrived back at camp and all eyes turned to Cloudtail as he padded with what looked like a lifeless body. Shocked voices were heard, scattered around, as Cloudtail padded into the medicine den. He put down Brightpaw and sat down, waiting for Waterlily's next orders. Waterlily could feel all the cats wondering what had happened. She sprang up onto the highrock and flicked her tail. Once the Clan was mostly out into the clearing, she began to speak. 

"Swiftpaw is dead." She exclaimed with a heavy heart. "Brightpaw will most likely make it. I do not know what did this to them." She admitted cooly, then jumped down from the highrock and padded back into the medicine den. 

She nudged Brightpaw softly with her muzzle, hoping she would wake. "Brightpaw." She whispered. "What happened to you?"

A thin wailing came from Brightpaw, which gradually formed into words. Waterlily stared at her in horror as she made out what she was trying to say. "Pack, pack." She whispered. "Kill, kill."