Shade

Chapter Seventy One

Shadepool hopped down from the birch stump, trying awkwardly to avoid stepping on her bad leg. Featherbreeze had very strictly ordered her to stay in camp until it was fully healed, but it didn't mean Shadepool had to be happy about that.

Since the battle just a few days ago, Iceriver had announced that she was expecting kits with Brackenheart. Shadepool couldn't say she was all that surprised, although she wondered if it was a good idea for kits with ShadowClan blood to be born in RiverClan when tensions between the two Clans were so high. She didn't voice her misgivings aloud, though. She didn't feel that it was right to disrupt the happy spirit.

"Your leg looks better today, Shadepool," Featherbreeze commented, sniffing at the wound.

"Can I go out on patrol?" Shadepool asked hopefully.

Featherbreeze snorted. "In your dreams. You're still limping."

Shadepool sighed. "Okay. One more day."

"Oh, at least." Featherbreeze turned and started digging in her stores for some herbs. "You can go."

Shadepool limped out of the medicine den and headed to the nursery. Fireswirl's kits were six moons old, just about, and Silverstar was planning to make them apprentices so she wanted some last minute opinions on who should mentor them. Plus, she hadn't visited Brightkit and Clearkit in a while.

Flowerfoot was in the nursery, letting Brightkit nibble at a tansy leaf.

"Hi, Shadepool," the medicine cat meowed cheerfully. "Brightkit has a cough, but she'll be fine with a good night's sleep."

"Okay. Hey, Flowerfoot, do you think I'm-"

"Don't even ask," Flowerfoot meowed. "I happen to know that Featherbreeze told you no."

Shadepool scowled. "Fine. I'll just hang around camp and be useless, then."

"You're not useless, Shadepool!" Brightkit mewed. "You were so brave! Gentlepaw and Streampaw told us all about it. Streampaw said you just went like this - and then like this - and then bam! I wanna be just like you when I'm older."

"It's good to have ambitions," Shadepool purred.

"Hey, Shadepool, are we gonna be apprentices soon? We're six moons old now," Cherrykit told her seriously.

"Well, yes," Shadepool meowed. "Silverstar was hoping sometime today."

"Today?" Bouncekit squealed. "Finally!"

"Like right now?" Bramblekit's eyes widened.

"Not right now," Shadepool purred. "I still have some things to discuss with Silverstar."

"Like what?" Cherrykit pushed past her littermates to stare at Shadepool with wide eyes.

"Like who your mentors are going to be," Shadepool replied.

"I want you to be my mentor!" Bouncekit shoved Cherrykit out of her way. "I called Shadepool first!"

"No way!" Bramblekit argued. "I'll fight you for her!"

"No fair!" Cherrykit whined. "Fireswirl!"

"If you keep arguing like this, none of you will get her as your mentor," Fireswirl meowed.

"I don't think you will," Shadepool purred.

"Can I have a super strong mentor?" Bramblekit asked. "I want to be the best fighter!"

"I'll tell Silverstar," Shadepool promised.

"Me too!" Bouncekit added.

"And me," Cherrykit put in, determined not to be left out.

"I'll tell her," Shadepool purred. "Be good, kits."

"Apprentices," Bramblekit corrected, puffing his chest out.

Shadepool went back to Silverstar's den, having come to somewhat of a conclusion.

"Well?" Silverstar asked.

"I stand by my decision earlier," Shadepool meowed.

"Good." Silverstar stretched out her legs. "Let's go make some apprentices, then."

Silverstar padded out of the den and called a Clan meeting using the familiar words. Shadepool glanced over to the nursery, and saw through the gap in the brambles Fireswirl trying to pin down her three kits to clean them up before the meeting. Shadepool realised with a pang that those kits didn't have a father to lead them to their apprenticeship. She slipped away from Silverstar and went down to the nursery.

"Hey, kits," she called. "Who's ready to be an apprentice?"

"I am!" Bouncekit exclaimed first, tearing herself away from her mother.

"Me too!" Bramblekit pushed through.

"And me!" Cherrykit followed her littermates.

"Come with me," Shadepool purred. "The Clan awaits you."

She led the three kits over to where Silverstar waited on the birch stump. They sat with Fireswirl, looking up at Silverstar while they waited for the ceremony to begin.

"Bramblekit, Bouncekit and Cherrykit, you have reached your sixth moon and it is time for you to be apprenticed. Bramblekit, from this day until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Bramblepaw. Mapleclaw, you are a warrior with great fighting skill and passion. I hope you pass on these qualities to your new apprentice."

Mapleclaw stepped forward and bent down to touch noses with Bramblepaw. The warrior's eyes glowed with pride, and Bramblepaw looked up at him with undisguised awe.

Silverstar turned to the two sisters. "Bouncekit, from this moment until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Bouncepaw. Swiftfeather, you are a warrior of dedication and strength. I hope you pass on these qualities to your new apprentice."

Swiftfeather stepped forward to touch noses with Bouncepaw. The apprentice looked ready to burst with excitement. Shadepool had to suppress a purr.

"Cherrykit. From this moment until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Cherrypaw. Minnownose, you are a warrior of passion and enthusiasm. I hope you pass on these qualities to your new apprentice."

Minnownose practically skipped over to Cherrypaw, and she looked positively gleeful as she touched noses with her apprentice.

"Silverstar," Fireswirl called, stepping forward. "I made a promise before my kits were born, and I intend to keep it. I wish to retire to the elders' den."

Silverstar dipped her head. "Of course. Fireswirl, is it your wish to give up the name of a warrior and retire to the elders' den?"

"It is," Fireswirl meowed steadily.

"Your Clan honours you and the service you have given us. I call upon StarClan to grant you many seasons of rest." Silverstar padded over to Fireswirl and touched her nose to the top of her head.

"You're retiring?" Bouncepaw exclaimed. "But I wanted to go on patrols with you."

"I'm sorry, little one." Fireswirl touched her nose to the top of her daughter's head. "I'm old now."

"But..." Bouncepaw trailed off, her tail drooping.

"We'll be amazing warriors," Bramblepaw promised.

"I'm sure you will," Fireswirl purred.