Warriors AU: Skyclan's Destiny

Chapter 25

Poppystar dozed in her den until sunhigh. By then the shower was over and the sky had cleared; the rocks steamed as the hot sunlight sucked up the rain. Looking down into the gorge, Poppystar saw that most of the cats had returned from patrol. Cherrytail and Egg were sitting together near the fresh-kill pile, talking with their heads close together as they ate. Haze and Stumpy were with them, too.

Egg seems to be settling in well, Poppystar thought.

She ran lightly down the trail into the gorge and jumped onto the Rockpile. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Rockpile for a Clan meeting," she yowled.

Most of the Clan were already there, glancing up curiously at Poppystar poised on top of the rocks. Tangle and Lichenfur emerged from their nests, their fur rumpled with sleep. Echosong appeared from his den and padded up to listen.

"We have a new Clanmate," Poppystar announced, angling her ears to where Egg sat beside Cherrytail. "Egg has decided to join us, and will become an apprentice today." With her tail she beckoned Egg forward until she stood alone at the foot of the Rockpile. "From this day forward," she went on, "this apprentice will be known as Eggpaw. Cherrytail, you are a brave and skillful warrior, and I know you will pass on these qualities to your apprentice."

Cherrytail showed no surprise in being named Egg's mentor. He dipped his head to Poppystar, then padded over to Egg and touched noses with her.

"Eggpaw! Eggpaw!" the Clan cats yowled, crowding around the new apprentice to congratulate her. Tinycloud and Rockshade looked particularly pleased, pressing up close to her and burying their muzzles in her shoulder fur.

Poppystar spotted Leafdapple on the edge of the crowd; he had called out Egg's name to welcome her, but he still looked slightly doubtful. Poppystar reminded herself to ask what was worrying him when she had the chance.

As the yowls of welcome died down, Egg looked up at Poppystar where she still stood on the Rockpile. "Er... Poppystar. Eggpaw's an okay name, but if you don't mind I'd like to stay as Egg. Haze said that's what he and his friends did."

Poppystar's tail-tip twitched. She didn't like the way that Haze and the other newcomers didn't think that warrior names were important, and she was even more annoyed that they were spreading their opinion throughout the Clan. Names matter. They're part of who we are as warriors.

The Clan waited in tense silence for their leader to make her decision, while Egg gazed up at her, blinking cheerfully as if she had no idea that she had said anything wrong. With an effort Poppystar hid her irritation. There was no point in putting Egg off right at the beginning of her apprenticeship. Maybe when she's been with us for a while she'll be ready for a warrior name.

"If that's what you want," she replied evenly. She was relieved when none of the Clan cats argued, though she saw Snookpaw lean over to say something to Leafdapple, and she caught the young cat's murmur. "I think Egg should be proud to have her apprentice name!"

Poppystar's paws were itching; she jumped down from the Rockpile and made her way over to Cherrytail and Egg as the crowd around them broke up. "I missed out on hunting this morning," she meowed. "Do you want to come out with me now? Cobaltclaw, you and Frecklepaw can join us."

"Good idea," Cherrytail replied, while Egg kneaded the ground in front of her in excitement. "Egg will get an idea of how Skyclan cats hunt."

Poppystar headed for the bottom of the trail, weaving a path through Waspwhisker's kits, who were wrestling together near the foot of the Rockpile. But before she had gone more than a few paw steps, she heard Echosong calling her name, and waited for the medicine cat to catch up to her.