Warrior Cats: Darkness Rising. (2/3)

Chapter 7

Hurrying down the steep slope, Cloverpool bolted past Swifstrike and let out a yowl of triumph. Swifstrike reared before springing after her. Their paws pounded on the forest floor. The snow had melted, but it constantly rained. But today, not even a single raindrop had fallen. They leaped over a large fallen log, and when their paws met the ground on the other side the pelted on. Two moons had passed since the former rogues had received their warrior names. Cloverpool let out a squeal of excitement when she felt a warm breeze ruffle her pelt. "Do you think newleaf is coming?" She yowled to Swifstrike. "I sure hope so!" The black and white tom yowled back at her. She was getting closer and closer to Swiftstrike with each passing day. They skidded to halt on the lakeshore, and gazed out onto the long stretch of rippling water. Waves lapped at their paws. Cloverpool leaped away when Swiftstrike took a flying leap into the lake. Her eyes widened when she saw the warrior swimming, kicking out strongly with his hind legs like a Riverclan cat. "I thought you were pure Thunderclan!" She mewed out to him, splashing out into the water until it lapped at her belly fur. She shivered as the freezing cold water seeped through her fur and touched her skin. "I am." Swiftstrike purred, wading out of the water and towards her. He gave her a lick on the ear before padding out onto the dry shore again. Cloverpool followed him and the two cats shook the water out their pelts at the same time. The sun was sinking behind the treetops, turning the sky scarlet with long streaks of flame. Cloverpool sat down on the shore, and she let out a purr when Swiftstrike sat down beside her and pressed his flank up to hers. She pricked her ears when she heard Swiftstrike's heart pounding in his chest, louder than thunder, and she knew what was coming. "Cloverpool?" He murmured, his voice high-pitched with nervousness. "Yes?" She mewed turning her head towards him. He cleared his throat and gazed into her yellow eyes. "I'm not sure if you know, but I'm so deeply in love with you, and I love you more than life itself." He mewed. Cloverpool's eyes widened and she gave him a lick on the cheek. Her heart thudded in her ribcage and she felt as if she were going to explode. "I love you too, Swiftstrike." She whispered, rubbing her cheek along his. The two cats purred in rhythm and turned their heads to the lake again. They gazed out onto the rippling water until the moon was rising, and then they headed home, side by side.

Cloverpool slowly lifted her head from where she was curled up beside Swiftstrike. She slowly rose to her paws, careful not to wake up her sleeping mate. She pricked her ears when she saw Timberheart's pelt soaked through. He wouldn't be that wet if he'd only gone to make dirt. Has he been out all night? She wondered. Dawn light was filtering through the branches, just enough to give the color of the other warriors in the den. She suspiciously sniffed Timberheart's dark brown pelt. The scent of pinesap and other undergrowth touched her nose. Shrugging, she decided to ask him about it later. Padding out of the den, the bright sun shone into her eyes, and she blinked a few times to adjust. Fernleaf and Sootfall were sharing tongues outside the warriors' den while Foxpaw and Hazelpaw tussled outside the apprentices' den. Sparktail and Cinderheart were resting outside the nursery while Cherryfall pushed herself out of the bramble thicket, her five kits tumbling out after her. Cloverpool felt a purr rising inside her. A quarter moon ago, Cherryfall had kitted Fernsong's kits. Featherkit was a small grey tabby, her blue eyes shining. Emberkit's russet pelt set her on flames, and her amber eyes glowed like fire in the dawn sun. Cloudkit let out a yowl of triumph as the little grey and white tom bowled his brother, Webkit, over. The white tom sprang to his light grey paws, but wobbled on his unsteady paws. The most adventurous kit, Dustkit, sprinted to a clump of ferns and started sniffing it with his nose. And just then, Fernsong padded into camp, muscles rippling underneath his thick pelt. Pigeonwing, Nightstorm, Oakshade, Icepaw, Smokepaw and Acornfall emerged after him. Cloverpool sat down. It wouldn't be long until Smokepaw and Badgerpaw would be made warriors, and then Redkit, Spiderkit and Silverkit would become apprentices. She turned her head when Icefeather padded out of the warriors' den. "Any trouble?" Icefeather asked, trotting to Fernsong. The golden tom looked up from where he was playing with his kits. "Everything peaceful, Icefeather." He mewed. Icefeather nodded slowly and turned when Bramblestar padded from his den. Cloverpool got to her paws when the clan leader yowled out the clan summons. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the highledge for a clan meeting!" He yowled. Cloverpool turned to the entrance and watched the warriors pour out of the den. Swiftsrike finally emerged, his pelt ruffled. "What's going on?" He yawned as he stretched. Cloverpool shrugged. "I'm not sure." She murmured as she led her mate to the middle of the clearing. Bramblestar leaped down the tumble of rocks when the cats had settled. "Today, I have two ceremonies to perform." He mewed. "Badgerpaw and Smokepaw have earned their warrior names, and Acornfall and Frogleap agree with me." Badgerpaw sprang to his paws, but his laid-back brother rose more slowly. Badgerpaw had grown into a huge cat, just a bit bigger than Timberheart. Smokepaw led his brother to Bramblestar and the leader lifted his chin proudly before mewing loudly. "I, Bramblestar, leader of Thunderclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these apprentices. They have trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code, and I condemn them to you as warriors in their turn." He mewed before turning to the two toms. "Smokepaw, Badgerpaw, do you both promise to uphold the warrior code, and to defend and protect this clan, even at the cost of your own lives?" He asked. Cloverpool twitched an ear when she saw the hungry look in Badgerpaw's eyes. "I do!" The two toms mewed in a chorus. Bramblestar dipped his head before padding to Smokepaw. "From this day on, you'll be known as Smokeheart, Starclan honors you for your forethought and courage." He mewed before resting his chin on Smokeheart's forehead, and the smoky grey warrior gave him a lick on the shoulder. Then Bramblestar turned to Badgerpaw. "Badgerpaw, from this day on, you'll be known as Badgerblaze. Starclan honors you strength and fighting skills." He mewed before resting his chin on his head and Badgerblaze gave him a lick on the shoulder in return. "Smokeheart! Badgerblaze! Smokeheart! Badgerblaze!" The clan cheered. Daisy and Thornclaw hurried to the throng to congratulate their sons. When the clatter had died down, Bramblestar added. "Thunderclan also has three new apprentices to be named. Silverkit, Redkit and Spiderkit, step forward." He added. Squeals of surprise and excitement sounded from the nursery as the three kits hurled themselves out of the entrance and wove themselves through the cats in the clearing, mewling wordlessly. Cinderheart shot out after them, eyes wide. "You didn't tell me their ceremony was today! I haven't had time to clean them." She mewed to Bramblestar as her kits skidded to halt in front of the leader. Bramblestar let out a rumbling laughter. "Kits will be kits, Cinderheart." He mewed before turning to the three kits. "Fernleaf, you have shown yourself as a determined warrior with good fighting skills. I trust you to pass on all you know on to young Silverpaw." He mewed. Fernleaf's eyes widened and she hurried to Silverpaw's side. Cloverpool felt her heart swell in pride as her sister bent to touch noses with Silverpaw's black nose before leading her to where the other cats sat. "Timberheart, you are strong and brave, and I trust that you will pass on all you know on to Redpaw." He mewed. Cloverpool fidgeted with excitement as her brother padded to Redpaw and touched noses with him before they drew to the side. Would she or Oakshade mentor Spiderkit? She asked herself as the little tom fidgeted in impatience and excitement. Her heart sank when Bramblestar called to Oakshade. She didn't hear the rest of the ceremony. But there were only three kits to be apprenticed, and she and her littermates were four. Sighing, she brightened up by knowing that she would hopefully mentor one of Sparktail's kits. "Wait, the meeting is not over!" Bramblestar called as cats began separating into groups. Cloverpool turned her head up at her leader. "Featherkit has had a sign from Starclan." Bramblestar began, flicking his tail. Surprised murmurs rippled through the cats in the clearing and all eyes turned to the little tom that shrank back. "He says that a patrol must go to find catmint if the clans are to survive." Bramblestar continued. Cloverpool shivered as cats all around her gasped in shock and a kit wailed for its mother. "This must happen right away. Honeyleaf, Hollytuft, Leafheart, Rainsong, Acornfall, Frogleap, Fernleaf, Ivypool, you are some of the best fighters in the clan. Nightpaw, Goldenpaw and Redpaw will escort you to twoleg place." He told them. "You'll leave at dawn."