Warriors: Crazystar's Battle

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

                Crazystar hurried back to camp as quickly as she could, but it was still well past sunhigh when she arrived at camp. She was instantly greeted by Brightpaw. “Hi, Crazyflame…I mean, sorry, Crazystar! Was it fun?” her apprentice asked eagerly, but then rushed on before she could answer. “I can’t believe my mentor is the leader of ThunderClan! Hey, can I be your next deputy?”

                Crazystar laughed. She could hardly believe this was the same nervous kit she’d seen on the same day Splashheart became deputy.

                Cloudheart dashed over and guided Brightpaw away from her. “Sorry, Crazystar,” she apologized. “Brightpaw, you shouldn’t be bothering poor Crazystar! She must be tired from visiting the Moonpool. Now…”

                “It’s fine,” Crazystar meowed before climbing the Highledge and entering her new den.

                The den smelled like Cloudstar, and she couldn’t help but feel like she was an intruder and was just stealing his den. It seemed unreal that the white-furred tom was dead, Splashheart was a traitor who was gathering some cats to attack, and she, the cat who hadn’t even been a warrior for four seasons, was leader. Her first apprentice, Brightpaw, wasn’t even a warrior yet!

                She settled down on the mossy bedding in her den and quickly fell asleep.

***

                It was just past moonrise when she woke up. Cloudheart was guarding the camp. “I’ll be right back,” she told the she-cat. “I’m just going to go hunting.”

                As soon as she was out of sight, she ran towards the WindClan border. She was dreading the words she’d have to tell Stonestream. I can’t meet you here anymore…

                Stonestream was pacing back and forth anxiously as she showed up, and he looked relieved when he saw her. He ran towards her. “Crazyflame!” he shouted excitedly.

                Crazystar backed away. “Stonestream, please, no,” she meowed.

                He skidded to a halt, looking confused. “What’s wrong, Crazyflame?” he asked, his gentle, caring voice tearing her heart to shreds.

                “It’s not Crazyflame, it’s Crazystar,” she responded finally.

                “Congratulations! That’s great!” he exclaimed. “I mean, it’s not great that Cloudstar is dead but…”

                “Stonestream,” she interrupted. “I love you with all of my heart. But my responsibilities as leader mean I can no longer come here anymore.”

                Stonestream took a deep breath. “Fine,” he sighed. “I could never leave you. I’ll join ThunderClan. I’ll come onto your territory just after sunhigh and wait for a patrol. Then I’ll ask to be taken to camp.”

                “Oh, Stonestream, that’s so sweet,” she meowed. “But you know I’ll have to pretend like you’re just any old intruder. And you have to act like you don’t know I’m leader.”

                “Of course,” he replied. “I’d do anything for you.”

***

                Crazystar woke up again just before sunhigh. She walked out to the Highledge. “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!” she called.