Warrior Cats: Fallen Leaves

5 Lost and Found

Last Updated: 9 July 2017

"Cats of CreekClan, gather here underneath the Fallen Oak for a special meeting!" Mousefern opened her green eyes slowly and yawned. Whilst gazing at the almost full moon that was quite high in the dark night sky, she mewed, exasperated, "What does Hawkstar want now?"
"Have you forgotten that the new deputy must be chosen before moonhigh?" Russetdawn answered icily.
Oh. The new deputy. Her thoughts were flattened, discouraged by Russetdawn's uninterested tone and fresh grief that pierced her heart, made her tail sag. Mousefern's eyes were starting to adjust to the night light, and she saw that the russet-red she-cat was already up and halfway through washing her face. She felt the usual tense prickle as she studied Russetdawn.
"Yes. Of course I remember," she replied, in the same icy tone Russetdawn had used, "I just prefer not to think about the past."
"Certainly. It must be very hurtful to see your precious mate disappear from you." Russetdawn mocked a fake sad tone.
"And I'm sure you would feel the same way if Hawkstar were to disappear from you." Mousefern did not rise to Russetdawn's sensitive prod.
Russetdawn scowled at her, and Mousefern was sure she caught a flash of uncertainty in her eyes. Without another word, Russetdawn slinked out of the nursery, and headed towards the Fallen Oak.
She heard Birchflower stir behind her and she croaked, "Russetdawn was a right old troublemaker when she was younger, and I think it is best just to take no notice."
"Thanks, Birchflower," Mousefern replied, "It's nice to have an elder's word of advice."
"For once!" Birchflower swished her tail passively, and the two she-cats padded out of the nursery, being careful not to wake any of the sleeping kits.
They walked towards the Fallen Oak together, and they sat next to Dewfeather, an aging pale grey she-cat with green eyes that never failed a smile. Mousefern flicked her ear as the two old she-cats instantly started chattering about some elderly nonsense. She instead nudged Dewfeather's second oldest son, a coal-black tom, "Hello, Sootwhisker."
He swiftly turned his broad head, and twitched his distinct jet-black whiskers in greeting, "Hey, Mousefern. How is Wheatkit doing?"
"Sleeping," she purred in amused affection. Seeing Sootwhisker's amber eyes light up with humour, she added, "That's all what kits do these days - sleep, play, eat, play and sleep again!"
He chuckled, "I'd do anything to go back to those days - wouldn't have to move a paw!"
"Pfft. If I was your mother, I would make you run to the edge of the territory and back, just for your fresh-kill!" she joked.
Sootwhisker pretended to shudder with fear, almost knocking shoulders with Streamsplash, who yawned. "Good thing you aren't."
"Well, if I was your mother, you wouldn't even want to leave the nursery," chuckled Russetdawn behind them.
"Great StarClan, no!" Sootwhisker now put on a face on which the young ones would call... 'derpy'. "And hello, Russetdawn," he added, flicking his tail respectfully to the senior warrior.
"Greetings." She sat down on his other side, obviously away from Mousefern. "Now, what were we discussing yesterday about prey...?"
Mousefern's silver fur bristled with annoyance. Once again, Russetdawn had ruined her mood and her conversation. She sighed, frustrated, and she was thankful that Hawkstar had chosen this moment to yowl again, "Quiet down! Quiet down!"
The out-of-tune nattering that sounded like fledglings on a warm new-leaf day dropped to low murmur. Then, as the last few talkative cats started to lax in their conversations, Hawkstar began, "CreekClan, it is time to announce the new deputy. But first, we have a new warrior to add to our Clan."
Hawkstar looked down towards the centre of the assembled cats, but Mousefern didn't know who he was looking at.
"Icetalon. You have trained Pouncepaw for many moons now, and his ceremony is long over due. Do you think he's ready to become a warrior?"
Icetalon blinked, and his eyes sparked with bewilderment and surprise. Pouncepaw, on the other hand, looked on eagerly with his grey eyes centered on Hawkstar.
"Yes." Icetalon quickly sat up straight and put on an authoritative tone of voice, as all heads turned towards him. "He has trained so hard these past few moons. I have not seen such talent and skill in seasons."
Hawkstar nodded, and Pouncepaw's eyes gleamed with excitement as Hawkstar meowed, "Pouncepaw. Step forward, please."
Pouncepaw instantly bounded forward, into the small clearing just in front of the crowd. He held his tail high as Hawkstar jumped down too, raised his muzzle to the sky, and spoke the ancient words of the warrior ceremony.
"I, Hawkstar, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. Pouncepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect the Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
"I do," Pouncepaw meowed boldly.
"Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Pouncepaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Pounceprey. StarClan honors your talented hunting skills and your determination to defend the Clan. We welcome you as a full warrior of CreekClan."
Hawkstar placed his head on top of the black and white tom's shoulder, and Pounceprey respectfully licked his shoulder in return. The new warrior's body trembled with excitement. The Clan chanted 'Pounceprey!' several times and Mousefern bathed in the blissful memory of her own warrior ceremony. Yes, such bliss. But those days were gone. Wheatkit is my priority, even if he will be without a father... She shook her head and forced herself to cheer for Pounceprey. He was now in front of Icetalon, chin high and tail curled. His mentor's eyes were gleaming proudly.
"Congratulations, little brother..." Sootwhisker breathed beside Mousefern. She remembered that Dewfeather also had two other sons as well as Pounceprey and Sootwhisker: Reedfang and Nightpaw. Their father was Scarface, a frail elder now, but Mousefern saw him yowl with his Clanmates as if he were still a warrior. She broke out of her thoughts as she heard silence, then Hawkstar conducting another ceremony on the Fallen Oak - the deputy!
"I say these words before StarClan, and before the spirit of our fallen deputy. May the ancient cats of StarClan hear, and approve, of my choice. The new deputy of CreekClan will be..."
Mousefern twitched her ears as she realised that the normal ceremony words had been changed ever so slightly. But then, Foxmuzzle had been acknowledged in it so she didn't mind as much.
"...Reedfang!"
This time, the other cats waited until Hawkstar had uttered the last syllable, before they burst out, "Pounceprey! Reedfang! Pounceprey! Reedfang!"
Reedfang had the same baffled look as Icetalon, but he managed to declare proudly, "Hawkstar, I accept the honorable rank of being a faithful deputy to the Clan. I hearby promise to stand by CreekClan until I go to StarClan."
Hawkstar nodded. "Thank you, Reedfang." He waved his tail at the Clan. "Since all of you look so eager to congratulate, the meeting is dismissed."
Over half the Clan streamed around Pounceprey and Reedfang. She wanted to give her own words of congratulations, but she was too sleepy after the day's events. Her groaning paws confirmed this. She padded back to the nursery, and curled up next to Wheatkit, who slept like a rabbit. Besides his snoring.