Chapter 9.
Hello, readers. I updated the Allegiances at the beginning of the book. Normally, they would have to stay the same through out the book because it can only be printed once, but on Wattpad we can change things! Happy Thankgiving!
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"Welcome home, Icestar! How was your journey?" Grasspelt called from the bottom of Highlog.
"Successful! Is Icewing in the camp? I'd like to have a word with her. How has it been here?" Icestar replied.
"Everything is fairly peaceful. We have started rebuilding the wall." Grasspelt flicked his tail towards Pebblefoot and Rushrunner, who were taking out old reeds that had been torn up. "And Toadstrike says he is feeling a little better, but not enough to start hunting again." Beechpaw hurried off to check on him. Then Grasspelt gave Icestar a questioning look. "I sent Icewing out on a border patrol. I hope everything is fine?"
"Oh, yes, only good news." Icefrost gave her deputy a small smile. He nodded and smiled in return.
While waiting, Icestar went to help Pebblefoot and Rushrunner in cleaning up debri. The three worked in cleaning the camp floor until Icewing's patrol entered the camp a little past sunhigh.
Icestar immediately dropped the bundle of branches, achieving a startled look from the other two workers, and padded over to Icewing. Icewing had gone over to Grasspelt to report that there had been no activity by the border with ShadowClan. Just before Icewing was about to take a nap in the warriors den, Icestar called to her. The senior warrior turned around, slightly surprised to be called by her leader.
"What is it, Icestar?" Icewing dipped her head to show respect.
"Come with me." Icestar lead Icewing into the leader's den for privacy. The old smell reminded them both of their beloved former leader, Minnowstar. When they sat down, Icestar thought a moment. I'm not supposed to talk about my ceremony with other cats, she thought.
"When I was receiving my lives, I saw Brownpaw." Icewing visibly tensed."He told me to give you a message. He said that you should not worry about having more kits. He will make sure they are fine. You should just do what you think will make you happy."
Icewing seemed to ponder a little about this, but was more relaxed. She stared at Icestar with an inquisitive gaze. "That is all," Icestar mewed quickly. Icewing nodded but didn't make any move to get up. She slowly started to smile a little, which was one of the rare things that she did lately. She nodded again while standing up to leave.
"Thank you. I think I needed to here that." Icewing dipped her her to Icestar, turned around, and walked out of the den with a small spring in her step. The spring was only slightly visible, but Icewing seemed to be in her own world which had just found a new source of light, a new sun.
Icestar was left alone in her new den surrounded by an air of dawning happiness. Feeling as though she had done her job, Icestar sat to think what to do next. It was her first day as an official leader. She could tell Grasspelt that she would like to take out a hunting patrol. She could take a nap. She could help with the camp wall some more. She felt as though she could do anything, aside from things that were, of course, against the warrior code.
This was a new sense of power that Icestar had not experienced before. This was what it was like to be leader, to have all the power over a clan, to have the ability to influence all the clans. It puts a lot of pressure on just four cats that potentially could change the clans to be like never before. When Icestar thought about it that way, her position became suddenly more overbearing and ominous. Her role was like a shadow: it doesn't seem that scary until you've had time to sit down and think about it. Maybe this is why some leaders seem to go a little awry, they have so much pressure on them.
Determined not to let these new thoughts bother her, Icestar stood up and shook herself. She would do the best she could, and if she was half as good as some of the greatest leaders in Clan history, then she would succeed. The new leader padded outside and looked around.
Icestar spotted Pebblefoot and Rushrunner taking a break from the wall. Duskfur and Acornstream were talking outside the nursery, while Mallownose was lying in a sunny patch of ground. It had been a while since Acornstream announced she was having a second litter. The kits would be coming any day now. Toadstrike was sitting outside the warriors den sharing tongues with Brighttail.
Icestar walked over to the two newest warriors. "Hello, you two. How are you feeling after the battle?"
"Great!" Toadstrike replied. "Beechpaw said I could start going on patrols again tomorrow. It'll be great to finally get to do warrior stuff!"
"I told him to be careful anyways." Brighttail rolled onto her back and playfully batted Toadstrike's ear. "I don't want my brother to get hurt again."
"I will, I will!" Toadstrike said, exasperated. "You don't have to remind me!"
"It sounds like you both are feeling good." Icestar said with a smile. "I'm going to go check on Cedarbrook. She didn't seem to fare well in the battle with WindClan." She began to head inside the warriors den.
"Wait, Icestar! There's something I want to mention before you go." Toadstrike called. Icestar backed out.
"What is it?" Icestar sat back down. Even Brighttail appeared confused.
"I've been worried about Beechpaw. When Willowshine died, she didn't give Beechpaw her full name." There was silence as Toadstrike chose his next words carefully. "I- how- what are you going to do? Can you give Beechpaw a medicine cat name?"
Icestar had not thought about this deeply, being made leader only last night. Of course, she had realized it at different intervals, but not really considered it."I don't know. I think Willowshine has to do it, but she is... well, dead. Maybe I can visit her at the Moonpool. Thanks for saying something."
Toadstrike nodded. Icestar stepped back into the warrior's den to check on Cedarbrook as she mulled this over in her head.
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Hey! I did it! I met my goal. :D This is like my first filler chapter, besides the very first, and it's also my eighth one! XD
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