Windclan's Hope

Chapter 13

Ivypaw padded into the sunlight the next morning. Sheepfur and Doveface had left behind Stempaw who had come to her earlier in hopes to have luck. Ivypaw wished him luck and shared a vole with him before he left. Now the camp was anxiously waiting for them to come back. Squirrelpaw had walked their brother out of camp and was still pacing.
Stempaw had bounded into camp with three mice and a blackbird. Next was his fighting assessment. Squirrelpaw had tried to tell him many things before he left, now she was pacing again. Ivypaw padded out with some thyme leaves and made her sister eat some. "Now lay down, you are stressing some of the others out." She instructed. Squirrelpaw listened, laying down next to where she had been sitting. "You taught him a lot, Squirrelpaw. He'll be okay." She soothed, putting her tail on the she-cats spine. Squirrelpaw nodded. "I hope so." She replied.
As darkness fell over camp, Redcall stood over Stempaw. "From this moment until you travel to the Moonstone you will be known as Stemnose. Tonight at the gathering, you will speak for us unless you want me to." Redcall mewed. "This, Windclan, is your leader!" Redcall yowled. The clan chanted except for three cats. Ratfur, Owlfeather and Birchwing. Ivypaw bounded up to Stemnose. "Congratulations!" She mewed before Squirrelpaw could get over. "You beat Doveface in the assessment! You are amazing!" Squirrelpaw purred.
Ivypaw padded around into the hollow, Stemnose leading the gathered patrol. "Remember, just tell them hunting is well, you are the new leader of our clan and you'll travel to the Moonstone tomorrow, and there are four new apprentices." Stemnose nodded. "If anyone says anything about you, your clan will see to it. We didn't bring those three cats that dont support you and they are under close watch by Squirrelpaw, Sheepfur, Briarfang and Littlewhisker." Ivypaw added as they entered the hollow.
Ivypaw listened to the leaders slightly before tuning into Stemnose speaking. "You are hardly an apprentice!" Ravenstar spat. "Yet i am up here. Starclan must have chosen me for a reason." Stemnose sniffed, glaring at the Riverclan leader. "Where is Redcall? He spoke the last few times." Splashstar asked. "Splashstar, Redcall was acting as leader and here we know why. Starclan chose Stemnose a few moons ago and he passed his assessment at ten moons old. He is talented." The Shadowclan leader, Adderstar, purred. "You have Shadowclan's support, Stemnose." The tom mewed. The shadowclan cats nodded in agreement. Splashstar shrugged. "I will believe it at the next gathering when you get your leader's name and lives." He mewed. "Thunderclan, let's go." Splashstar left, Acorntail following. Riverclan left behind them. "Shadowclan will support you in this war with RIverclan, if it comes to it. They killed your leader. This is war." Adderstar meowed before leaving. Marshclaw dipped his head to Stemnose up on the rock before they left. Ivypaw saw Stemnose's smile before they left.
Back at camp, Stemnose was speaking to Turtleheart. "I want Whiteclaw to remain as deputy. He is amazing at patrols and he is deeply respected by the clan." He mewed. Turtleheart nodded. "Announce it in the morning." She laid down. Ivypaw smiled. "You are already the best leader, Stemnose." She said, the tom smiled and padded to his den.
    Ivypaw sat down as Stemnose spoke the next morning. "Redcall, is it your wish to give up your warrior duties and move to the elders den?" He asked. Redcall nodded, "It is." Stemnose lifted his head. "Then Windclan thanks you for your wisdom and intelligence as a warrior." Stemnose mewed. Redcall moved back to sit next to Graytooth and Haresprint. "Next, I need a deputy. I would like to say that I want Whiteclaw to remain as Windclan's deputy. It seems he is deeply respected and I think he can fill in for what i dont have yet." Stemnose announced. Ratfur scowled behind her. Ivypaw turned her head to see Squirrelpaw already to her paws. "Say something again and I'll shred you from ear to tail." She growled. Chuckling, she turned back to Stemnose who was leaping down from the rock. Ivypaw padded back to her den and sorted herbs that had been left out to dry from the morning dew.
    She bounded down the moor with an escort behind her. Redcall had heard one of the Riverclan apprentices talking about how Thunderclan was allying with Riverclan during the gathering. Ivypaw had picked Whiteclaw to escort her to Shadowclan to ask for help. Once they'd met a patrol from Shadowclan they followed the four warriors that Whiteclaw spoke to calmly. In camp, she padded towards Adderstar's den beside Marshclaw and Sweetwhisker. The Shadowclan leader sat down and listened to her. "Stemnose is worried about Riverclan and Thunderclan, they have a possible alliance. Redcall heard it at the gathering last night with one of the young apprentices there." She explained. "Stemnose said if you were true allies you would help, although Windclan understands if you do not want to spill Shadowclan blood over a longlasting fued." She shifted her paws. "I will speak to my deputy and medicine cat for a moment, please sit out with Whiteclaw, feel free to eat a mouse that one of our apprentices caught. He'll want to brag about it." Adderstar purred. Turning, Ivypaw padded towards Whiteclaw who was praising a young jet black apprentice. "Ivypaw, Crowpaw wants to show you his mouse. Adderstar said he could share it with you." Whiteclaw turned. "Of course!" Ivypaw purred, whiskers twitching. "That is a great kill, how long have you trained?" She asked, taking the mouse from the eager apprentice. "This is his first day training, Crowpaw is extraordinary." A she-cat padded up. "I see that, Larkshine. You are a great mentor." Whiteclaw stretched and finished the mouse they had shared. Ivypaw eat the mouse with Crowpaw before standing.
    "Thank you Adderstar. Is there anything we can do in return?" She asked. "No, it is time this battle is at an end. Ravenstar needs to be killed." Adderstar meowed. "Take one of our older apprentices back with you, Talonpaw. He is the fastest Shadowclan cat we have. If an attack goes on in your camp send him to us. Take his father, Seedstalk. He is one of our younger warriors but he is strong. We will help Windclan win this battle." Adderstar stretched. "Thank you!" Ivypaw led the two new cats out of camp with Whiteclaw behind.
    At camp, Seedstalk and Talonpaw had gotten along with most of the cats. Although Ratfur seemed distant. Ivypaw had helped Squirrelpaw set up their den in the spare den with fresh moss and feathers from a recently caught blackbird. The two shared the blackbird. After Turtleheart and Stemnose left camp it was eerily silent. Everyone was in their dens, it was dark with clouds covering the sky. A hushed voice came above the camp, instantly, the camp grew alive. They all knew who it was.