WARRIORS // Uprooted

Epilogue: Part 1

"Tigersong, shut up!"

"Why? I caught more prey than you, that means I'm cooler than you!"

"You're not cooler than anyone!"

Leechblossom was smiling as she listened to Dipperwhisker and Dunlinfang's kits, now grown, bicker.

They were fifteen moons old now. She was twenty-two moons old. The thought shook her sometimes, how much time had passed, and how much life had changed in that time. From a fearful, submissive Thrall to a chatty Queen and Warrior.

"All cats old enough to wander the boughs of the trees, join me under the Tilted Log for a Clan Meeting!"

Leechblossom sat up. "Flowerkit, Birchkit!" she summoned.

Flowerkit came pelting out first, tail raised and paws flopping clumsily on the ground. Birchkit came out behind her, equally as energetic, and they raced each other to the traditional meeting spot. Leechblossom trotted along behind them, joined by Thriftcloud, tails intertwined.

Once everyone was assembled, Leopardstar sat and puffed her chest out proudly. "It is my highest honor to name the first SnagClan-born apprentices! My niece and nephew have reached six moons of age and are both very, very, very ready to begin their training. Isn't that right, kits?"

"YES!" Flowerkit shrieked. Everyone flinched.

"Good!" Leopardstar said, flicking her tail enthusiastically. "It is my joy to name you, my little screambird, Flowerpaw! You will be mentored by Limpetheart." 

"Oh!" Limpetheart chirped, surprised. "Me?"

"Of course," Leopardstar said. "You've shown some fantastic hunting skills and are extremely dedicated to everything you do!" she said. "I'm hoping that - and your sense of when to scream and when not to scream - will come in handy in training our angry goose here."

Flowerpaw whipped around and tripped over herself to greet her new mentor, bouncing circles around him.

Birchkit looked up. "Is it my turn?" the little black tom asked.

"That it is, sir!" Leopardstar said with a smile. "You, mister don't-talk-but-say-what-everyone's-thinking, are now Birchpaw! You'll be mentored by Darkbranch."

"Oh," Darkbranch said.

"Darkbranch, you're quiet and honest like Birchpaw is, and I think you two will get along nicely. You might teach Birchpaw a thing or two on when it might help to speak up a bit!"

Birchpaw turned and trotted in long strides to his new mentor, sitting beside him and studying him with curious amber eyes.

"You two, feel free to bring your apprentices on a walk of the territory. I'm sure they'll be interested in all the landmarks we have to offer for their adorable eyes," Leopardstar said.

"Can we see the gorge?" Birchpaw asked.

"Yeah! Or the Great River?"

"We'll see the river first," Darkbranch said, looking nervously to Limpetheart.

"Sure," the other warrior said, nudging Flowerpaw. "But you have to keep yourself calm or you'll miss everything!"

Flowerpaw nodded, and turned her head. She trotted back over to Leechblossom and Thriftcloud.

"Mommy?" the little leggy molly asked, looking to Thriftcloud. "Do you think I'll be a good Warrior?"

"Of course you will!" Thriftcloud chuckled. "You've got a great mom in Leechblossom and a great mentor in Limpetheart, there's no way you won't be!"

"Even if I'm jumpy and scream all the time?" Flowerpaw elaborated.

"Of course, my little love. Everyone loves your loudness, you just need to harness it for the power of good," Leechblossom said, flicking her tail and trying to hide the tears in her eyes. "Scream at foxes and stuff so they get startled and go away."

"Oh." Flowerpaw beamed. "Okay! Bye, Mama! Bye, Mommy!" she called out, and bounced away. Together, she, her littermate, and their mentors disappeared out of camp, leaving little tiny pawprints in the snow left over from yesterday.

Leechblossom began to cry.

"Oh! Are you alright, dearest?" Thriftcloud leaned to catch the queen's eye.

"Yes, I'm fine," Leechblossom laughed. "Just- I'm just so dumbfounded that we actually made it. We- we've been here six moons and it still feels unreal to me that we're here, that we're free. That they're free." She indicated the entrance where the kits had gone. "I can't wait to see where our kits go in the future."

"Me neither," Thriftcloud said, walking alongside her mate as they rubbed against each other. "They're strong and sweet and kind, the best SnagClan could ask for, and like I said - they have the perfect mentors! They'll be warriors in the blink of an eye."

"That's what I'm afraid of!" Leechblossom chuckled, approaching the freshkill pile. It was piled impressively high, full of delicious prey Leechblossom could never have dreamed of as a kit.

Thriftcloud selected a pheasant from the pile. "Tigersong caught this," she said with an impressed twitch of her ears. "Can you believe that? He's a fantastic hunter."

"And not a drop of that talent was wasted on OakClan," Leechblossom agreed.

"Rightly so. I bet they're starving right now," Thriftcloud laughed.

"I hope so. Serves 'em right, to live like Thralls." But Leechblossom couldn't help to think of Fox, and wonder how she was doing. How that whole 'i'm mates with Thornbright' thing had worked out.

Oh well. She'd chosen her path. Leechblossom had a beautiful mate in Thriftcloud, and two beautiful kits, and a wonderful Clan she'd give her all to. She didn't need anything else in life.