Warriors Return #1 Rise of LeafClan

Chapter 9

Softsong stared in horror as the young kit choked on a death berry."yarrow quick!" Softsong commanded.Leafstar jumped into action and fetched yarrow as fast as her long,ginger legs could carry her.Softsong dabbed her wet paw on one of the dry leaves and held it up to the kits mouth."eat this if you want to live!"Softsong begged the dark brown tabby kit.Pain glimmered in his brilliant purple eyes.coughed and choked not attempting to eat the herb.I can't loose my first patiant! Softsong thought.Gatorfang,who had liked the kit already,pushed his way through."Listen to me.do you want to live and be a great warrior like me?"he asked the kit despritely.the kit shook his head violently."then eat this,its got special warrior powers.I eat it all the time to keep me heathy!"Gatorfang urged.The kit gulped down the herb.He stopped choking and coughed up the herb and the death berry he collapsed on the ground."he'll have to rest for a while.Thank you,Gartorfang,he wouln't of survived without your help."Softsong meowed."we should name them now." Palmstripe suggested.she leaned in torwards the ginger tom.he had a white splotch on his shoulder."look at this.The shape of that mark looks like a spruce tree,doesn't it?"palmstripe pointed out."I have a name for you!Sprucekit!"Palmstripe mewed happily."i like it!Sprucekit.so why does my name end in kit?why isn't my name just spruce?"Sprucekit asked palmstripe."when you turn six moons old your name will become sprucepaw and when you've trained hard enough you'll get your warrior name.The leader decides what your warrior name will be.it could be anything.It could be Sprucetail,Sprucestripe,Sprucefoot,Spruceclaw,Spucefur.There is lots of names."Palmstripe explained."I wanna name!"the dark,Ginger she-cat mewled."me too!"the other kit mewed weakly."i want to be called Poisonkit.becuase i survived the deadliest poison.Right?"the brown tabby meowed."right.that's a perfect name."Leafstar nodded to poisonkit."and you."she glanced at the dark ginger she-cat."how about redkit for you?"Leafstar asked her.she squinted her eyes and shook her head."dawnkit?"the kit shook her head again."ive got one." Rosethorn said padding into the den."how about Spicekit?"the kit's yellow eyes brightened at the sound of the name."yeah! now that's more like it!"Spicekit meowed.Softsong snickered at Leafstar.Leafstar's pelt grew hot and she dashed out of the den."what's wong with her?" Rosethorn asked softsong.She shrugged and crouched down by poisonkit."you feel better?"she asked him."I'm tired and hungry."poisonkit mewed."were hungry too."Sprucekit licked his lips"Gatorfang will you take care of them i need to speak with Leafstar."Softsong climbed out the entrance.she clawed up the tree to high-branch and stalked into Leafstar's den.Leafstar was curled up in a ball looking at the ground."what's troubling you Leafstar?"Softsong sat near her Leader."palmstripe..."Leafstar sighed."Palmstripe?!what did she do?"softsong meowed shocked."

"it's a long story."

"ive got time"

"i had a dream last night.it was bluestar a former leader of a clan called thunderclan.she told me that a living tree would betray all and can't be trusted."

"a living tree?that sounds a little silly Leafstar are ya sure she wasn't pullin your tail?"

"positive.i think this living tree is palmstripe."

"why would you think that?youve known palmstripe since you were very young.she is a loyal hardworking deputy."

"well she's been tired today and she didn't do much besides a patrol and organizing them.She told me she's been working on a 'surprise' in the night time with nightwhisper but...i dont think she really was.i feel like she has been somewhere."

"mabye she was really just working on that surprise and you're just overeacting?"

Leafstar grumbled and laid her head on her dark ginger paws.softsong rose and padded torward the entrance."well im tired and it's almost moon-high so goodnight leafstar."Softsong streched her jaws into a long yawn.She headed for her den and curled up in her nest.

several moons had past since Leafstar,Palmstripe and gatorfang had found the kits.Now it was time for there apprentice cerimony.sandwing and Gatorfang sat proudly beneth high-branch.Sandwing ran over to help leafstar climb up to high-branch.Leafstar was heavy with kits,Sandwing's kits."let all cats old enough to climb join at high-branch."Leafstar yowled.Rosethorn's kits tumbled out of the nursury."Sprucekit,Spicekit,and Poisonkit,is it your wish to become an apprentice?"Leafstar questioned them.the three kits stared at leafstar with there eyes as wide as full-moon.they were so shocked and proud they could only shake their heads.Leafstar drew in a nervous breath.Will I remember what bluestar told me to do? She thought I better!"Poisonkit,you have reached the age of six moons and it is time for you to become an apprentice.From this day forward,until you receive your Warrior name, your mentor shall be Gatorfang.I hope Gatorfang will teach you well and I... know he...will."Leafstar's voice was shaky as her vision blurred.spots of black and yellow dotted her vision as she felt herself fall off the branch.a riple passed through her stomach.My kits are coming!