FLAREPAW

Flarepaw let out a sigh of relief. They had just returned from giving the SmokeClan kits to SmokeClan.
Flarepaw, Alderpaw, and Shinepaw sprinted ahead of the patrol into IceClan camp.

Riverpelt was lying in the middle of the snowy clearing, her head resting sadly on her paws. As she heard pawsteps, she sniffed the air. "My kits!" she cried. She leaped up and raced past Flarepaw, Shinepaw, and Alderpaw to meet the rest of the party as they emerged from the tunnel.

The kits rushed over to Riverpelt and nuzzled into her side. She curled her soft body around them and licked them each in turn, purring loudly.

Leafeye hung back at the entrance and looked on silently.

Poolstar strode up to the returning patrol. She glanced fondly at Riverpelt and her kits and turned her eyes to Featherfall. "Are they all right?" she asked.
"They're fine," meowed Featherfall.
"Well done, Featherfall. IceClan honors you."
Featherfall bent her head to accept her praise, and nudged Flarepaw. "But it was thanks to this apprentice that we found them."

Shinepaw nodded. "Flarepaw was the one who heard them where they were hidden."
Flarepaw inhaled. Shinepaw, you better sleep with one eye open tonight! I will not hesitate to snap your neck in your sleep. Who came up with the battle strategy?

"I actually came up with the battle plan," she mewed to Poolstar, shooting a quick glare at Shinepaw.

Shadowfoot's accusing snarl came from across the clearing. "Why did you bring back that traitor?" The white warrior stalked up to the patrol and stood beside his leader.
Flarepaw hissed, and stood right in front of Shadowfoot.
"She is no traitor," Flarepaw mewed firmly.

"She killed Owlpool," spat Jayclaw.
"Look between Owlpool's claws," Alderpaw suggested. "You will find the white and black fur of Splash, not Leafeye's tortoiseshell fur!"
Poolstar nodded at Splashstream, who darted away from the crowd, turning to the spot where Owlpool's body lay, waiting for its dawn burial. The Clan waited in tense silence till she returned.
"Alderpaw is right," Splashstream panted, rushing back to the clearing. "Owlpool was not attacked by a tortoiseshell cat."

"But that doesn't mean she didn't help to take the kits!" hissed Shadowfoot.

Flarepaw let out a snarl, and glared at Shadowfoot.
Doing something she should of done a long time ago.. Standing up to Shadowfoot.
"Without Leafeye we never would have recovered the kits!" Flarepaw spat. "She knew that a rouge had taken them. She was hunting for them when we found her. She risked her life returning to Claw's camp. It was Leafeye who thought up the battle plan that got us into the rouge camp and gave us a chance to defeat Claw!"

"She's right," Featherfall meowed. "Leafeye is a friend."
"I'm glad to hear it," murmured Poolstar.

Riverpelt's anxious meow sounded from the crowd. "Is Claw dead?" she asked.
"No, he and his rouges escaped," Featherfall told her. "But he won't be leading an attack for a long time."
Riverpelt sighed in relief.

Poolstar nodded and leaped onto the Highrock and let out a yowl for cats to come forward. She looked down at Leafeye. "Leafeye, it is known knowledge that you have served the Clans for many moons. You became a warrior when I only was an apprentice. Leafeye, is it your wish to give up the name of a warrior and go join the elders?"
Leafeye dipped her head. "It is."
Poolstar purred. "Your Clan honors you and all the services you have given to the Clans. I call upon StarClan to give you many moons of rest."

As Clan cheering faded away, the elders bounded over to Leafeye with greetings.
"You'll have to excuse Ravenbird's snoring," Springleaf grinned.
Ravenbird huffed.
Leafeye purred with amusement as the elders led her towards the elders' den. "I think I can live with that."

"Where's Icepaw?" mewed Poolstar suddenly, gazing the crowd of cats.
"Yes," Shadowfoot chimed in, "where is my apprentice? Strange that she should disappear along with Claw." He looked meaningfully around the Clan.

"If you think she might have been helping Claw," Flarepaw hissed boldly. "Then you're wrong!"
Shadowfoot stiffened, a menacing gleam in his yellow eyes.

"Icepaw is dead," Flarepaw went on, dropping her head as if weighed down with grief. "We found her body in SmokeClan territory. From the scents around her, she must have been slain by one of Claw's rouges."
"No!" Shadowpaw cried out.
Flarepaw remembered with a flinch of guilt that Shadowpaw and Cherrypaw were Icepaw's siblings.

"I never said that Icepaw was a traitor," hissed Shadowfoot. He paused and allowed an expression of sorrow to cloud his eyes before he turned to address the rest of the Clan. "Icepaw might have made a fine warrior. Her death has come too soon, and her loss will be felt by many of us for a long time."

"Tsk," Flarepaw snorted.

Poolstar broke the silence. "We will miss Icepaw, but we shall mourn her tomorrow. First there is another ritual that must be performed—one, I know that Icepaw would have taken pleasure in." She looked down at Flarepaw, Alderpaw, and Shinepaw. "You three have shown great courage tonight. Did they fight well, Featherfall?" she asked.
"Like warriors," Featherfall replied solemnly.

Poolstar first though, gazed at Shadowpaw and Cherrypaw first.
"Shadowpaw and Cherrypaw, step forward."
They did and they looked up with excitement.
"Shadowpaw, StarClan honors your honesty and skill. You will be known as Shadowwing."
"Cherrypaw, StarClan honors your kindness and intelligence. You will be known as Cherryfall."

The Clan started chanting. "Shadowwing! Shadowwing! Cherryfall! Cherryfall!"

Poolstar then turned to the three apprentices. "I, Poolstar, leader of IceClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn."
She looked down at them, narrowing her eyes. "Shinepaw, Alderpaw, Flarepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Flarepaw felt something stir within her, a fire that burned in her belly and rang in her ears. She remembered going on the Moonstone journey, meeting the baby red cardinal, saving Icepaw, and stopping Claw.
She knew she was ready.
"I do," she replied with determination.

"I do," Shinepaw mewed, gazing up at Poolstar.
"I do," mewed Alderpaw, his face full with determination.

Poolstar dipped her head and continued, "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names":

"Shinepaw, you have shown grace and kindness to the cats you love, and have shown to speak from your heart. Shinepaw, from this moment, you will be known as Shinefall. StarClan honors your dedication and bravery."

"Alderpaw, you walked from a place not from our borders. You have no Clan blood, but speak as any Clan warrior. Alderpaw, from this moment, you will be known as Alderclaw. StarClan honors your strength and loyalty."

"And finally, Flarepaw. I am glad to have had you as my apprentice. You have the fiery spirit that is needed to help defend IceClan. Flarepaw, from this moment, you will be known as Flarepelt. StarClan honors your determination and courage."

The Clan started chanting. "Shinefall! Shinefall! Alderclaw! Alderclaw! Flarepelt! Flarepelt!"

Poolstar looked at her new warriors with pride, and cast a look at Flarepelt that she couldn't understand. "Serve your Clan well, young one."

Flarepelt dipped her head as padded forward to groom Poolstar's shoulder, as did the others.

"It is nearly moonhigh," meowed Poolstar. "In the tradition of our ancestors, the newly warriors must sit in silent sigil till dawn, and guard the camp alone while we sleep."
The new warriors nodded solemnly.

As the moon started to rise and cats began to pad to their dens, Shadowfoot padded over and mewed quiet enough only for Flarepelt, Alderclaw and Shinefall to hear. "Don't you think you can outwit me. Be careful what you tell Poolstar." He then padded away to the warriors' den.
Flarepelt spat a snarl at him, and in an instant, it was like they both knew.

She was a warrior.
She had made an enemy of the Clan's deputy, but Shadowfoot had made an enemy of her.
Flarepelt was not the same judgmental young cat when Dovenose died those moons ago.
She was bigger, stronger, and faster.
If she was destined to stop Shadowfoot, so be it.

She remembered Owlpool's words.
"The fire will spark in the darkness."

She nodded, a determination like a fire.
Well, destiny, I'm ready.