Red Snow

CHAPTER 8

Two moons had passed since the ShadowClan patrol joined them and Snowshade had his vision. He kept seeing those familiar faces, night after night, in his dreams. What were they trying to tell him? To go and find them?

Snowshade stood next to Flintstar on the high ledge and puffed out his chest to hide his worry. Perhaps all they were was dreams, and nothing more. Flintstar was just about to call a Clan meeting.

"Let all cats old enough kill their enemies join beneath highledge for a Clan meeting!" Rang the familiar words.

Foxtail, the former RiverClan warrior, was already in the clearing with his ears pricked and eyes narrowed. Dustclaw padded out of the warriors den with Finchfoot and Sandspirit. The three apprentices scampered over to their mentors, Goldensplash, Birchflight, and Sandspirit, while the former ShadowClan warriors, flanked by Batwing, slowly walked into camp from the ravine. Whitesong and Sandfeather sat comfortably outside the nursery with the elders.

"As some of you may have noticed, yesterday we gained a new warrior from WindClan. She came willingly, and without the knowledge of her Clan. We honor her bravery and welcome her to BloodClan with joy." The leader mewed politely.

For the first time, Snowshade noticed the light brown she-cat known as Briarstorm, sitting next to Sandfeather and Frecklepelt, other former WindClan warriors.

"Briarstorm! Briarstorm!" BloodClan cheered.

Flintstar raised his tail for silence and went on with the meeting. "There is one more thing. Larchkit, Thistlekit, please come here."

The two kits scampered forward excitedly, their pelt sticking up every way. Their mother, Whitesong, rolled her eyes, "just look at them!"

"These two kits have reached six moons of age and are ready to begin their apprentice training. Larchkit, from this day forward you will be known as Larchpaw. Snowshade, you are more than ready for your first apprentice and I trust you will pass down all your warrior qualities to Larchpaw."

Snowshade purred with pleasure and jumped down from the highledge to touch noses with his new apprentice. Larchpaw, a burnt ginger tom, squealed in excitement. "The Clan deputy is my mentor!"

"Thistlekit, from this day forward you will be known as Thistlepaw. Yarrowfur, you have proved yourself as a loyal BloodClan warrior and I hope you will pass down the meaning of loyalty to Thistlepaw." Flintstar finished and passed back into his den as the Clan cheered the new apprentices names.

The former ShadowClan warrior looked pleased that he was chosen as a mentor, when just two moons ago he was loyal to ShadowClan.

Snowshade led Larchpaw over to his brother and his mentor. "Can we go hunting?" Larchpaw asked eagerly, while Thistlepaw quietly murmured agreement.

"Not today." Snowshade shook his head, then thought quick when he saw the look of disappointment on the apprentice's faces. "We need you to rest today, because tomorrow we'll explore the whole territory!" He added more enthusiastically, and breathed a sigh of relief when Yarrowfur nodded. He knew the warrior had to agree with him, but he still worried about others opinions of him.

"Okay!" Thistlepaw yelped. "I can't wait!" He ran after his brother into the apprentice's den, and soon after the three older apprentice's walked out, their tails lashing in annoyance.

"Do we really have to share a den with them?" Winterpaw meowed in disgust, with another look towards her den.

The deputy held back a purr. He'd been like that once. "If you train extra hard you three can move into the warriors den, and be done with them sooner."

Brindlepaw bounces in excitement. "That's exactly what we'll do! Come on!" She meowed to her littermates and hared over to their mentors.

Snowshade turned to chat with Yarrowfur, but the tabby was already gone and talking to Whitesong. It was hard to miss the gleam in the newcomers eyes as he talked to the she-cat. Was something going on there? No, there couldn't be. Whitesong's kits just became apprentices, and she's still Birchflight's mate... right? He turned his green gaze to the brown tom, who was watching through narrowed eyes from the fresh-kill pile.

Deciding he better not get into their drama, he called together the Clan for patrols. Since the ceremony, all cats had been in camp, with the exception of the dawn patrol. "BloodClan gather around!" He called while scrambling up the highledge. Most cats were still in the clearing, and he didn't have to wait for more to come. "Finchfoot, take a hunting patrol over by the old twoleg den." The tom was still recovering from his wounds in the ShadowClan battle, so he sent him hunting. "Dustclaw lead a patrol to the WindClan border. Take Poppysky, Frecklepelt, Briarstorm, and Foxtail. Gingerleaf, you take one to the ShadowClan border. Take Sandspirit, Batwing and Birchflight. And one last hunting patrol... Sorrelflare, you lead it. Take whoever you want to the Old Oak." When he was finished, he jumped down from the ledge and visited his sister in the nursery. Her belly was huge now, when Ravensoul's unborn kits.

"Hey, Snowshade." She purred when he came him.

He licked her forehead and purred back. "How are you?"

"Fine, kind of lonely since Whitesong left. Her kits are so cute! I can't wait to have my own." Sandfeather sighed and laid her head on the side of her nest.

He blinked, "it can't be long now."

     "What are you calling me fat?" She meowed, drawing back in fake hurt.

     Snowshade laughed, "of course not." When her expression changed to worry, he titled his head. "What's wrong?"

     She hesitated as if she was afraid to confide in him. "I'm nervous about my kitting. Who's going to help me? You don't have a medicine cat."

     That was the first time he thought of that. What was going to happen? They desperately needed a medicine cat, and if Flintstar couldn't see that, he had bees in his brain. "It'll be okay. Whitesong and all the other past queens will help you."

     "You're probably right." She sighed.

     I really hope I am.