Warriors: A New Beginning #1: The Beginning

Chapter 47

"I'm not sure."

Mintleaf stared down at Reedstar's body after patching it up with poultices of herbs. "I'm not sure he'll survive."

"You can't give up!" Flamefur protested. "He's survived something like this before... right?"

Mintleaf looked up, his gaze worried, and said nothing.

"He's on his last life, isn't he?" Wavepelt murmured.

Mintleaf nodded slowly.

Flamefur gasped. "But... then I could be ThunderClan's leader in a few moments!" He closed his eyes, shaking. "I'm not ready. I never expected to be deputy. I don't think I have what it takes to be leader."

"Of course you do." Wavepelt nuzzled him. "You're a natural leader. "I'm sure you can do it."

"...Thank you, Wavepelt," the ginger tom whispered.

"You should probably tell the Clan about Frostclaw," Wavepelt suggested. "They'll soon notice her disappearance."

"Okay." Flamefur nodded and padded out of the den. Soon Wavepelt heard him calling a Clan meeting. She stood up and joined the cats in the clearing.

"Cats of ThunderClan," Flamefur began. His voice was a little shaky at first, but it gained confidence. "This morning, when Frostclaw, Wavepelt and I were patrolling, an unexpected event occurred. Frostclaw... well, you may have noticed her disappearance."

Shocked gasps rose from the crowd.

"Is she dead?" Featherdapple asked.

"She isn't," Flamefur replied. "She has left ThunderClan."

The shocked gasps turned into yowls.

"And you let her do that?" Splotchpelt demanded, standing up. "Frostclaw is my kit, remember."

"I can't stop her from doing what she thinks is right," Flamefur retorted. "She won't let anyone bring her back. Frostclaw has what she wants."

The yowls died down as he finished speaking. Blossomleaf and Hawkclaw were huddled together, staring at the ground. Mousetail had stayed a tail-length away and was also looking at his paws. Wavepelt knew what they felt.

But this is almost worse than having Frostclaw die, she thought. They can't see her in StarClan.

"And what about Reedstar?" Barkstripe asked. "Will he recover?"

Flamefur was silent for a few heartbeats. Then he meowed:

"His wounds are healing."

Barkstripe didn't seem satisfied with the answer. But he just curled his tail on his paws and was silent.

Flamefur had leapt down from Highrock.

"Well... that went better than I thought," he remarked.

"Of course it did!" Wavepelt exclaimed fondly. But she was still worried about Reedstar. When he loses his last life...

What kind of a leader will Flamefur be?

***

"Wow!" Featherpaw cried.

Wavepelt looked up to see a hunting patrol coming back. Briarpaw was trotting proudly next to Ashheart, a huge squirrel in his jaws.

"How did you do that?" Featherpaw asked, running over to her brother.

Briarpaw dropped the squirrel on the fresh-kill pile. "I was lucky, I guess."

"Keep that up, and you'll be a warrior soon," Ashheart told him. Briarpaw beamed.