Dark Sky

Chapter three

Embertail stretched under the warm sun rays bursting throught some gaps in the nursery walls.

The bright light achieved to wake her up, and she tought that Foxeyes would love to lay there in the sun with her.

No, she remembered in a painfull flash-back. Foxeyes was dead. Her brother was dead. She shivered as shame filled her heart when she realised that she probably missed his burial and slept instead of mourning him.

The leader's call pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Let all cats old enought to catch their own prey join here beneath the high root for a clan meeting", Briarstar meowed. She rose to her paws with effort, and walked in the clearing, ignoring the looks of pity her clanmates shot her.

She sat down beside Featherfoot, who looked as terrible as her, since Foxeyes was her mate, and the two eproved she-cats supported each other silently. Once everyone was gathered in the clearing, Briarstar continued to talk.

"I brought you here for two reasons. First, as you probably know by now, Foxeyes died last night, defending his clan for the last time. He was always here for his clanmates, and with his bright spirit and loyalty to the warrior code, he had every qualities for a great warrior. I hope he will be remembered seasons after seasons, and that queens will tell his story to their kits, and their kits to their kits. I always considered him as a son, and he will be dearly missed," the Clan chanted the dead warrior's name. Every cat exept for Snowstorm.

The leader went on. "Embertail", he called.

"Yes, Briarstar?" she stood up.

"Do you feel strong enough to tell his story to the whole clan? You were with him when he-", the leader's voice broke.

Embertail was panicking. How could she talk about what happened last night, when she couldn't even think about it? Then, she remembered his last words, and took her courage in her paws.

Embertail glanced at Snowstorm, searching for approval in her mate's gaze, but his gaze was cold and fixed on the horizon.

Taking a deep breath, she rose to her paws and answered. "I will", she said in a barely audible, shaky voice.

"Then, come on the High Root and take my place", he quietly said. Embertail hauled herself up on the massive root, shivering under the curious and sad gazes of her clanmates. She gathered all her courage as she started her story with a shivering voice, the silence often broken by Featherfoot's soft sobs.

She told the clan how he saved her even if it meant he had to die, she told how he jumped on the most dangerous cat in the forest for her, and she added, looking at Featherfoot:

"He loved you, he always did, and he asked me to tell you that he loves you more than anything.

"Did he really said that?", she whispered, her gray eyes filled with tears.

"Yes", Embertail said solemnly, then jumped down the root to join her. As she did, she heard a faint whisper, so subtle it could've been her mind making it up.

"Thank you."

She sat back at her place, a small smile painted on her muzzle. He was with her, he would always be by her side, she knew it.

Briarstar's voice jerked her back to reality.

"The second thing I have to do is to honor two warriors who fought during the battle against Shadowclan, defending one of their injuried clanmate as well as the elders' den by themselves. Yewpaw, Streampaw, please come foward. Yewpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this clan, even at the cost of your life?", asked Briarstar. "I do", the young tom answered, stars sparkling in his green eyes. "Then, by the powers of Star Clan, I give you your warrior name. Yewpaw, from this moment you'll be known as Yewclaw. Starclan honors your skills in battle and your loyalty to the warrior code. We welcome you as a warrior of Skyclan. I know your mentor isn't with us for your ceremony, but I'm sure Foxeyes is proud of how strong and smart you became", he said, and rested his muzzle on Yewclaw's head as the new warrior licked his shoulder as a mark of respect.

Briarstar then named Streampaw Streamflight and, while the clan cheered them loudly, Embertail saw the young warrior look up at the sky and heard him yell.

"I did it! Mom, Dad, can you see me? Are you proud?"

Yewclaw's parents had died moons ago, when he and his littermate were still kits. Her mew hitched when she congratulated the pair, and she only ran her tail down his flank, a bittersweet smile on her face.