Seafern's P.O.V
"Hi, Crowfeather. I thought maybe I'll have a talk with you because I can, I will and because I know you and that you like my company." I grinned, sitting down at his side. He shuffled his paws. "Oh, hi Seafern. How's Jaypaw?"
"He's great. Grouchy as ever. How's Windclan? Did you teach Breezepaw some manners?" I asked sternly. "I tried, he refused in every way possible. It couldn't be done." Crowfeather grinned. I rolled my eyes. "How comforting"
"We meet beneath Silverpelt commanded by the truce of the full moon." Called a tall cat from the tall oak tree. "Who's that?" I whispered. Crowfeather looked at me in great surprise. "You don't know who that is? His name is Onestar, leader of Windclan. My Clan."
"Oh, wow! I didn't know you lived in Windclan!" I responded sarcatically. He rolled his eyes, purring in amusement. "And who are the other two?" I asked. Crowfeather looked as if he was going to explode. "How much do you know about anything?" He replied. "My friend and I were traveling the forests and moors until we found ThunderClan. We only just joined a few days ago."
"Oh. Well, the black-footed one is Blackstar, leader of ShadowClan. And the wet-looking one is Leopardstar, leader of RiverClan. They love swimming and eating fish, goodness knows why." Crowfeather cringed. I rolled my eyes. "I personally like fish. Not as much as Catfish though." Crowfeather stared at me. "Cat what?"
"Shush!" Said a Tom nearby with grey fur. Crowfeather snapped his mouth shut angrily. "WindClan has one new apprentice this moon," Onestar announced. "Breezepaw."
I snorted. "Breezepaw?" The black-pelted apprentice lifted his chin, apparently quite undaunted by having cats from all four Clans turning to stare at him. "Leaf-bare has been kind to us this last moon," Onestar went on. "The rabbits are running, but not too fast to catch, and the windy weather has made hunting hard for the buzzards and hawks, which leaves more prey for us."
"Of course." I grunted. "Do you think he'll mention Jaypaw and I?" Crowfeather looked up. "He should." I scowled. "-Not" He finished. I rolled my eyes in amusment. "Other than that," Onestar went on, "WindClan has nothing important to report." I let out a breath, seeing Lionpaw and Hollypaw do the same. Onestar turned to Blackstar, nodding for him to speak next. "ShadowClan has one new apprentice too," Blackstar began. He looked down at a wiry brown she-cat sitting among the ShadowClan warriors. "Ivypaw." Ivypaw nodded, her eyes narrowed. She didn't look pleased or proud to be announced as a new apprentice, as Breezepaw had. Wierd. "Hunting has been good for ShadowClan since we enlarged our territory." Blackstar went on.
I stiffened angrily. He did not just say that! HOW DARE HE SAY THAT?! All the ThunderClan warriors gasped. I hissed, lashing my tail. "Our new stretch of territory is a great source of prey," Blackstar meowed. YOU LIAR! BLACKSTAR, YOU POISIONOUS MUSHROOM! I thought. Spiderleg muttered under his breath, "Firestar would never have given it up if it were!"
"ShadowClan would like to thank Firestar for his generosity in granting it to us," Blackstar finished with poisonous gratitude. Firestar stared levelly at him. "I am pleased to hear that you are getting so much out of a piece of land prey-poor by ThunderClan standards," He meowed cooly. YES FIRESTAR! BEAT HIM UP! A subdued ripple of approval passed through the ThunderClan cats. Then Firestar turned his green gaze on the crowd. "ThunderClan are fortunate to have more than one new apprentice this moon. Jaypaw couldn't come tonight." Murmurs of surprise rose from the other Clans, but the ThunderClan leader carried on. "But Hollypaw is here." Hollypaw's green eyes shone like stars, her black pelt almost invisible in the gloom. Then Firestar's gaze flicked to Lionpaw and Moonpaw. "And Lionpaw along with Moonpaw and Seafern." There was a shocked ripple through the crowd.
Suddenly, Breezepaw called out amongst everyone. "But Seafern is a warrior name! You've broken the warrior code!" There were murmers of agreement. My tail spiked up in annoyance. "Here me out! Firestar had a message from Starclan, guiding him to my name! If you disagree with Firestar, you disagree to the will of Starclan!" I yowled. Everyone turned to me. "Seafern is speaking the truth. Spottedleaf came down upon me and told me that Seafern needs her warrior name."
"Does that mean she does warrior jobs?" Someone called out. "She is treated exactly like an apprentice. The only warrior addition that she has is her name." Firestar responded. "Well that seems fair enough." Leopardstar mumbled. Suddenly, an unfamilar sound reached my ears. "I smell Thunderclan and Riverclan and the other clans! We must be close. Hold on Millie, you'll be fine." I straightened my ears. "Who's that?!" I whispered harshly to Crowfeather. "Who's who? I can't hear anyone"
"Theres two strangers on the tree bridge. Can't you hear them?"
"...No..." Then he sniffed. "I can smell it now..."
"Good. Do you recognise the scent?"
"It's sort of familiar."
There was a rustle in the bracken close to where we were sitting. I closed my eyes, seeing a grey tom move through the island. I opened my eyes again. Everyone could smell them now. Firestar fell silent and watched with the other cats as two lithe shapes emerged from the undergrowth. "Intruders!" The alert spread through the Clans like wildfire. All around me, I felt pelts bristling in alarm and battle-hungry muscles tensing, ready to spring. The WindClan warriors who were nearest lunged at the strangers. Yowling and hissing, they wrestled the trespassers to the ground. Firestar's fur was standing on end. His tail was stiff with shock, and his ears were pricked as he sniffed the air and sniffed again. "Stop!" Firestar yowled. The WindClan cats froze and drew back, leaving the two strangers standing alone on the edge of the Clans. I stared at the grey warrior.
In a voice that was taut with shock and disbelief, Firestar called a name I had only heard from Firestar himself.
"Graystripe!"
