SandClan's Destiny Book 1: A Flame is Lit

Chapter 11: Time Flying Through the Wind

It had been nearly a moon since Firepaw discovered who her father really was. She never really thought about it afterward, and why? She wouldn't really meet him again anyway, not after Rockpaw attacked him and sent Bigstar into a lot of pain.

However, Bigstar improved. She stopped trying to talk to Rockpaw, or make him like her. It was useless, all he did was ignore everyone nowadays. He talked to Stormpaw though. Sometimes.

Firepaw was sleeping in the apprentice den, the leaves rustling in the slight breeze of mid new-leaf. It was nice, the warm weather. Her eyes felt stuck together, but she knew she must wake up. If not, her mentor would wake her up anyway, and she'd have less time to eat, and would have to hurry.

Firepaw thought in her head, I'm not that hungry anyway... and slept on. She ignored the hunger-pains in her tummy and hoped they would ebb away as she fell back into a deeper sleep.

In the distance, she heard a sound, and her dream took shape to mold the noise into an image. "Let all cats old enough to swim on their own, join here beneath the Slanted Rock!" Bigstar formed in her mind and displayed in front of her. Bigstar's shape melted, literally, as Firepaw woke up to the meows of clanmates speaking and the footsteps of cats. 

Her eyes winked open, and she erupted in a huge yawn. She sat up and saw the meeting, and quickly rushed over to take her place besides Rockpaw. He was out on the morning patrol earlier.

"What'dya think this is for?" He asked her, whispering.

"'Dunno. Since Venomclan went over the border.. d-do you think it's battle plans?"

Rockpaw thought about it for a second. "Venomclan intrudes all the time. So why would we?"

"But exactly! If they do, then why WOULDN'T we teach them a lesson?" Her tail flicked in anxiety.

Berryclaw's paw prodded Firepaw's back, and as she turned around, saw Berryclaw whisper, "Hush. Bigstar's going to speak." Then the russet she-cat with supple black paws stationed back near her feathery tail turned back towards the leader.

Bigstar began, "Sandclan is doing well, all accept the one mishap with Venomclan... but that was nothing." She assured them.

Cats murmured.

"But, I have to perform two ceremonies for two cats who really deserve it, not to mention they are more than ready..."

Firepaw tilted her head. Not her, right? Her green eyes dimmed with worry, and widened with apprehensiveness. I'm not ready!

She looked to Rockpaw, who remained emotionless and eyes glued to the scene.

"Stormpaw."

Firepaw sighed in relief and felt a swelling pride for her friends. She hoped at the gathering the other cats'd cheer out their names with enthusiasm and mutual pride.

Stormpaw trotted up, looking happy and surprised, his long black tipped tail sticking straight up, his green eyes glowing with pride.

"It was time you became a warrior. You fight bravely, and possess a happy attitude that cheers up any cat around you. You are great to have in the clan. From this day forward, you shall be known as Stormtail. Stormtail, tonight you will hold vigil for your clan, and for Starclan to see."

"Stormtail Stormtail Stormtail!" Firepaw cheered. He really did deserve that ending 'tail.' His tail was one of his most prominent features, long, slender, and certainly noticeable whenever he strode across camp with it waving in the air like a flag.

Rockpaw sat up from his usual slouch and joined in with the "Stormtail Stormtail Stormtail" heartily.

Bigstar touched noses to Stormtail's forehead, and he licked Bigstar's shoulder in return. After, he took his seat below Bigstar's perch, and he looked to his sister who was up next.

"Orangepaw."

The orange she-cat padded up with a friendly sparkle in her eyes.

"It is finally time you became a warrior. You are always positive, and possess the same cheery nature your brother has, but perhaps even more. When anything goes wrong, you never panic, and you are always true and pure to your word. From this day on, your warrior name will be... Orangesun. May you sit vigil and let Starclan approve upon my choice." She leaned over to touch noses to her forehead, and let Orangesun lick her shoulder.

"Orangesun Orangesun Orangesun!" The clan's voices rung out heartily.

The two stepped down and the meeting was over as Bigstar dismissed the warriors with a flick of her tail. The cats streamed away, some greeting the two new warriors with purrs and murmured 'congratulations.'

Firepaw joined Stormpaw... Stormtail, rather, next to the fresh-kill pile as he was retrieving a plump vole to eat. "Hey, congrats." She mumbled.

"Thanks." He lifted up his head with the vole dangling from his jaws by it's tail. "It won't be soon 'till you join the rest of the warriors, too." He shrugged. "Wanna share?"

"S-Sure." She hesitated a little, thinking of the patrol she had to go on. It didn't matter, she could eat with him before she left. It was also a good way to save prey.

*~*~*

The sun was setting, and the camp was calm. The clearing shone with a pale dark orange glow. Stormtail and Orangesun, (who was coincidentally the color of the sun while it was setting at the moment) took places for vigil in separate spots near the entrance of the camp.

Warriors were sharing prey, sharing tongues, and the elders were sharing stories. Firepaw approached one of these stories, in which her littermate was attending. She sat down besides him, purring in content.

Hollyeyes continued, "Then we CRASHED through their camp, claws out, teeth barred, ready to teach Venomclan for stealing our prey!"

"Wow..." Midnightkit breathed, her dark pelt even darker as the sun began to disappear.

"So we went for their leader... the leader at the time who was.." Hollyeyes had to think for a moment, trying to remember. Not that he was alive back then-- these stories are passed down from a long time.

The other elders were dozing off, almost asleep. Rockpaw was looking tired as well, and Firepaw felt a little sleepy herself. She was excited for the next gathering and to hear her friends' names announced. However, that was not her soul reason for being so excited. She wanted to hear the news of the other leaders, and wondered if anything would brew again and if Starclan would finally reveal their wrath. She hoped not, but at the same time, she was oddly curious. 

"Blazestar. You know, the uh.. the bright orange and red swirly tabby guy. Right?" Hollyeyes looked back to the other elders who snored gently in their nests. His ears flicked in irritation.

"Who?" Whitekit teased.

"The EVIL one!" Hollyeyes exclaimed.

Midnightkit purred a little from next to her littermate, but was snoring a little just a moment before. Now she was just curled up, eyes flickering The elder went on and on, on and on even some more, until even his eyes began to flicker as well. He sighed. Rockpaw, Firepaw could notice, was getting tired as well. The sun was fully down now.

Hollyeyes flicked his tail, and Firepaw knew it was time to go. She could not wait until the gathering... it really tickled at her chest just thinking about it, not to mention it prodded her mind constantly.

She trudged back to the apprentice's den. She curled up tightly, expecting more bodies to be next to her, and getting a little confused without Orangesun or Stormtail laid besides her.

She finally could spread out though...

One leg kicked her brother's flank, and he grumbled something. She turned a little, and spread back out, but not as much.

Her eyes winked closed, and the darkness grabbed her in safe arms and swept her off as she fell asleep, dreaming of the gathering that was to come, and finally feeling at home within the calm, and now sleeping, Sandclan camp.