Left Flailing (Completed)

Chapter 7.

 So sorry for the super late update!!
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   The next day, Icefrost was awoken to the bright sunshine peeking into the warrior's den. Yawning and stretching, she exited the den. Grasspelt was found in the clearing at the base of Highlog, surrounded by some warriors who looked healthy enough to go on patrols after last night's battle. Apparently he was eager to start his new position.

"How about Robinwing, you lead a hunting patrol with Hollowfern and Ashenfang?" Robinwing and Ashenfang nodded, them went off to find Hollowfern.

Icefrost paused for a second, then called, "Grasspelt! Have you sent any other patrols out yet?" When he shook his head, Icefrost beckoned him and Troutjump to talk. After talking a little while, she felt decided. She padded over and leaped to the top of Highlog, feeling refreshed after a good night's rest.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join for a Clan meeting," she yowled. Some cats came out of her den, while the ones already in the clearing merely gathered around. "Last night, some cats proved themselves in battle. Brightpaw, Cougarpaw, and Toadpaw are ready to become warriors!" A loud chorus of excited mews rang out in the clearing. As the three apprentices stepped forward, Icefrost jumped down from Highlog and looked upward. "I, Icefrost, leader of RiverClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these three apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them as warriors to you in their turn." The silver she-cat looked down at the apprentices before her. "Toadpaw, Brightpaw, and Cougarpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend this clan, even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do," answered Toadpaw. The others replied soon after.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names: Brightpaw, from this moment you will be known as Brighttail. StarClan honors your selflessness and hunting skills, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan." Icefrost rested her head on Brighttail's, as Brighttail respectfully licked Icefrost's shoulder. The new warrior then went to stand by the other warriors.

"Cougarpaw, from this moment forward you will be known as Cougarheart. StarClan honors your courage and strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan." Icefrost rested her muzzle on Cougarheart's head, and he gave her another lick full of respect and gratitude. He also went to go stand with the other warriors and his sister.

At last it was Toadpaw's turn. Her heart swelled at the thought of naming her own apprentice. "Toadpaw, from this moment forward you shall be known as Toadstrike. StarClan honors your bravery and fighting skills, as we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan." As Icefrost put her head on Toadstrike's she whispered, "Congratulations," and he gave her a lick.

   As he went to go stand with his siblings, the cats started calling their new names. "Brighttail! Cougarheart! Toadstrike!" they chanted. Icefrost caught a glimpse of her former apprentice before he was swept back into the mob of cats that had surrounded him and his siblings. They shared a smile.

The rest of the morning went by fairly quick. By the time the sun was a little past its peak, it was time to get going. "Icefrost! Beechpaw has been looking for you. I think she is ready to go to the Moonpool. It's amazing to think you will be RiverClan's new leader!" Acornstream called from the fresh kill pile. The Moonpool was the clans' way of connecting with StarClan, their spirit ancestors, if help was wanted or for special ceremonies. All new leaders were to go to the Moonpool to receive their nine lives from StarClan.

   Icefrost nodded to her mother. "Let me get something to eat to start me off!" She joined her mother and chose a small mole to have. When done, she walked over to Beechpaw's den. She was found making some sort of a herb bundle.

   "We should get going. I just need to put a little golden rod poultice on Toadstrike's scratches, and then we can get going." Beechpaw mewed.

   Icefrost realized that she should check on him, too- he did used to be her apprentice recently, after all! "I'll come with you," she said. They walked out of the medicine cat's den and over to the warrior's den, where Toadstrike was resting. Squeezing in through the brambles, they found him taking a morning bath. "How are you doing? Beechpaw has come to give you some herbs to help your wounds." Icefrost mewed.

   "I'm feeling a lot better this morning," Toadstrike replied as Beechpaw started applying the poultice. "It mostly just aches now, but when I run my left hind leg doesn't feel very good."

   "I told him to rest for a few days, and not to go on any patrols." Beechpaw said, putting some juice on a scratch on Toadstrike's left side.

   Icefrost nodded. "Ok. Well, I'll be waiting outside." Exiting the warrior's den, the soon to be official leader of RiverClan sat down by the entrance to the camp and began to groom herself. She observed that the entrance to the camp and the warriors den would need to be patched and branches twisted into place. Parts of the walls would need to be strengthened or fixed, especially where there were only reeds blocking the camp from the rest of RiverClan territory. Grasspelt was organizing the morning patrols, and sending a couple cats to start on the repairs.

   Icefrost spotted Beechpaw stepping out of the medicine den. As the medicine cat hurried forward, Icefrost stood up. Together they walked out of camp and made their way to the fork in the river. The two cats swam through and shook off at the opposite bank, then pelted into the woods. Racing between trees, logs, and bushes, they reached the WindClan border.

As Icefrost and Beechpaw slowed down to a stop, they looked out before them to view the quiet border. There were no sign of cats, but a stench of WindClan, as if a patrol had been by earlier in the day. With a quick glance between each other, they started forward again and into rival clan territory.

The journey went pretty smoothly. Staying two tail-lengths from the water, as agreed by all the clans when traveling on rival territory by the shore, the two did not encounter any cats, until a WindClan patrol came by.

"Stop! Who are you?" called the leader of the patrol, Gorsetail, followed by Breezepelt and Furzenose.

   When Icefrost turned to face the WindClan warriors, they recognized her as RiverClan's leader instantly. She mewed boldly, "I am Icefrost, RiverClan's new leader after Minnowstar's death, and this is Beechpaw, the new medicine cat. I am going to receive my nine lives from StarClan."

   "Oh, well, then keep on your way. Good luck," mutteringly replied Gorsetail, now being more respectable.

   Icefrost and Beechpaw continued along the shore. They turned left at the start of WindClan's border with ThunderClan, and started up the rocky slope. Once, Beechpaw had slipped into a rabbit hole, but nothing else disturbed their trek.

When they reached the bramble wall of the entrance, the two RiverClan she-cats stopped and looked down at the sparkling Moonpool. It was quiet a spectacle as the moon was starting to rise and the sun was sinking below the horizon. The water housed only a faint ripple from the wind, making it surprisingly close to being as smooth as glass. Icefrost could clearly see her reflection, even from the top of the depression.

Icefrost started down first, as Beechpaw followed soon after. The new leader lay down calmly, and gazed into the water. She took a lick, which disturbed the water into a hundred ripples, disforming her silver tabby reflection. With that, she closed her eyes and let her chin rest on her paws.