"Cinderpaw. Cinderpaw, wake up. It's time for his burial," Amberpaw said, nosing Cinderpaw awake from a rough sleep in the medicine den. She lifted her head, her eyes full of tiredness and grief.
"But we don't go to the burial. The elders do it," Cinderpaw pointed out sleepily, although she was already climbing to her paws.
"But Brackenstar wants us to say a final goodbye and wish him well in StarClan."
"Alright." Cinderpaw followed Amberpaw from the den, a fresh wave of grief sending a tremble through her body. Her tail drooped and her head was laying low to her chest, not wanting to see Lionsun's motionless body. It couldn't have been real, could it? It had to have been all a terrible dream.
But Cinderpaw couldn't deny it when she saw the golden tabby fur laying in the centre of camp, Brackenstar sitting on Great Rock with his head bowed. A few warriors were still making their way from the warriors den at the side of camp as the sun began to climb steadily. Cinderpaw could only scent the faint scent of death, since Mossleaf had disguised the scent with lavender. Ferngaze padded from the den, staring with narrowed eyes at her sister and the fallen deputy. The three queens peered out from the nursery, the kits hidden behind their mothers. Dovefeather sighed and left the nursery, her belly looking a bit bigger, once again.
The white queen dipped her head at Cinderpaw, grief sparkling strongly in their depths. Amberpaw prodded her friend in the side, motioning over to the group clustered around Great Rock. Nettlesand, Sunclaw and Mossleaf were gathered around Lionsun, ready to take him away at Brackenstar's signal. Finally, most of the cats had gathered around and Brackenstar lifted his head, inhaling deeply.
"Yesterday, we lost a friend. A deputy close to our hearts. His strong desire to protect his Clan will not be forgotten. If I should've lost my lives, Lionsun would've led TideClan with pride. May him run swiftly in StarClan's hunting grounds and rest with his old friends and family," Brackenstar nodded. The whole Clan dipped their heads, opening their mouths to whisper to the wind and send Lionsun off.
"My thoughts are with the stars, for my friend stopped running today," TideClan murmured.
"Sunclaw, Nettlesand and Mossleaf, take Lionsun's body to the burial place," Brackenstar blinked.
Dipping their heads respectfully, the three cats turned to Lionsun and softly grabbed parts of his body before hauling him from the camp. Cinderpaw watched, Lionsun's last words she had heard repeating in her mind. Believe that Dovefeather is your mother. The apprentice switched her gaze over to Dovefeather, her heart aching. The white she-cat noticed and trotted over to her, nuzzling the apprentice sadly.
"When will Brackenstar announce the new deputy?" Cinderpaw questioned.
"Before moon-high, it's the code," Dovefeather reminded softly. "I think you should go hunting. It will keep you distracted from the loss of Lionsun. So much has happened to this Clan." Her eyes sparkled as she seemed to reflect on the past.
"I'll see if anyone wants to come hunting with me."
"Bring Sunclaw back a fish!"
"How do you know that's what he asked?" Cinderpaw stoped in her tracks.
"He told me you were a fine hunter."
Smiling, Cinderpaw paced away, gazing around camp. Shatteredflame seemed to be Gathering a patrol, Ripplestorm by his side, even though he was a warrior, now. Maybe she could join that patrol? Brackenstar was suddenly by Shatteredflame's side, nodding. The patrol consisted of Shatteredflame, Ripplewave, Brackenstar, Skyblaze and Pinewater. And soon Cinderpaw. With a flick of his tail, Brackenstar led them from camp, tail swinging softly over the sand. The sun began to climb higher, Cinderpaw's paws itching to catch some prey.
Brackenstar stopped close to the shore of the beach and turned to look back at his patrol, his eyes still glistening with sorrow. He scanned the group, seeming to toss up who to call out first. Cinderpaw shrank beneath her pelt, in a group full of warriors, there was no way she was going to be able to hunt alone without getting told how to do things properly.
"Cinderpaw, lead Pinewater and Ripplewave out with you to the rocks and attempt to catch some fish. The water's getting cooler now, since it's leaf-fall. Be careful." Brackenstar flicked his tail and led Shatteredflame and Skyblaze away, possibly hunting over at another popular place.
Ripplewave and Pinewater looked at her expectingly, their heads tilted slightly to one side. Ripplewave motioned for her to lead away, his pelt bushed up slightly as he stepped into the water first. He jumped a bit, telling them that the water was indeed cold. Cinderpaw blinked and shook out her fur before she plunged into the water, going deeper until her toes could no longer touch the wet sand at the bottom of the sea. Pinewater splashed in after the new warrior, head held high against the small waves. Remember to stay quiet and don't make too much movement.
Bluemist's words replayed in her mind and as they neared the rocks situated a little out from shore, she slowed down to a softer paddle. She hoisted herself onto the rock with her strong front paws and shook water from her fur, droplets flying at the two warriors. They climbed up after her and chuckled, shaking their wet fur.
"Think you can tell us what do do, Cinderpaw?" Ripplewave purred.
"Oh, yes please, Cinderpaw!" Pinewater sounded like a kit begging to play with their litter-mates in the middle of the night.
"You two are acting like kits!" Cinderpaw yowled. "Alright, fine then. But as soon as we're done, you better return to your mothers'."
"Hey, who said we were kits?" Ripplewave retorted friendly.
"Who said you were a warrior?" Cinderpaw shot back, purring.
"The fish will be gone before we can unsheathe our claws if you two don't stop 'bickering' like this!" Pinewater mewed, motioning to the water.
Cinderpaw followed him, crouching beside the prickly furred tom, her claws unsheathed. The warmth of the sun pressed nicely on her back, at lest the clouds hadn't covered it yet, otherwise Cinderpaw would be beginging to freeze. It was too soon to get cold! She gazed into the water, ready for any sign of movement apart from the rippling of the waves. Suddenly, she saw a flash of silver and her paw darted into the water, and finally feeling the scaly flesh of the fish in her claws, she scooped it up, making it flop onto the rock. It wriggled, fighting to get back to the water. The apprentice quickly nipped it on the neck, ending it quickly.
Pinewater copied her actions, although they were a bit smoother than her's. Ripplewave also did the same, until they had enough fish to have plenty of full bellies. At least fish never hid during leaf-fall and leaf-bare, although they did hide under the layers of ice.
"We should get back to camp," Ripplewave meowed, picking up his catch in his jaws. Cinderpaw snatched up the prey in her fangs and dove into the water, struggling not to drop the fish. Cinderpaw hoped she'd be going to the next Gathering. It could be fun and she'd know what was going on in LeafClan.
* * *
Cinderpaw couldn't believe it. Brackenstar had allowed her to go to the Gathering! Amberpaw paced next to her, the cats padding along on silent paws. Ripplewave stalked ahead next to his former mentor, who had been given the spot of deputy. Ripplewave had been so happy when Shatteredflame had taken Lionsun's place as deputy and he was a pretty good deputy at that. His patrols were even and he was never late to announce the patrols at dawn, although everyone still missed Lionsun.
Sighing, Cinderpaw was almost bouncing on her toes. She couldn't wait for the Gathering! She couldn't wait to see Two Trees and Mountain Rock again. She remembered the two oak trees swaying behind the large boulder, cats gathered below in the hallow-like area. As TideClan came closer, they could smell the sentch of LeafClan. They finally arrived at Two Trees, pushing through the bushes before bounding down the slope quickly. Jaggedstar and Gingrsplash sat together under Mountain Rock, Brackenstar and Shatterflame joining them.
The air was full of hostility, a few LeafClan cats glaring at TideClan or visa versa. Cinderpaw scanned the crowd, searching for her LeafClan friend, Breezepaw. With Amberpaw by her side, they looked around, although they couldn't see her at all.
"Cinderpaw!" Cinderpaw recognised the voice as Breezepaw's and she spun around, although Cinderpaw noticed that Breezepaw's voice had been tinged with annoyance and hostility. What lies had Jaggedstar told his Clan, now?
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ωåтєɾfåℓℓ ➳ warriors fanfic
Fanfiction❝Watch my heart burn in the tide❞ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ {1 of Secret Intentions} Cinderpaw has never known the truth. Ever since she had been a kit, she's believed lies others have told her. Is it Cinderpaw's fault that she looks like a cat that had once ha...
