Read on to witness a certain beloved she-cat's warrior ceremony...
Cherrypaw's POV
Chapter 1
"Cherrypaw, wake up! Wake up, wake up, wake up!"
I was jerked awake as violently as grass blown in a storm as I suddenly felt two paws shake me by the shoulders.
And the sound of my lovely mentor's voice yowl into my ear.
"Cherrypaw, you have to wake up!"
Still half-asleep, I let out a yawn and rolled over onto my belly quite frankly still trying to process consciousness as Goldenshine proceeded to shake me even harder. "Goldenshine..." I then moaned as my mouth opened up into a large yawn. "What in the name of StarClan are you doing?"
"What do you mean, 'what am I doing'?" Goldenshine exclaimed, and I opened my eyes fully to meet her surprisingly alarmed gray gaze. "The camp is on fire!"
"What?"
I immediately jumped up onto my paws, the adrenaline rushing through my body, and all remains of grogginess disappearing as my mentor's words immediately set in. "Oh my goodness!" I then breathed before beginning to make a run for it. "Then we need to get out of here!"
My heart was pounding, and everything around me seemed to disappear as I was bracing myself for the horrible smell of smoke to flood through my nose, and images of a completely ash-filled and destroyed camp to stand in front of me.
But I was bewildered when I suddenly felt a tail wrap itself around my own, stopping me from going anywhere. "We don't need to do any of that," I then heard Goldenshine mutter from behind me.
I stopped in my tracks, looking back over my shoulder at the older she-cat. "Huh?"
I then blinked in surprise as Goldenshine let out a mrrow of laughter. "I was joking," she then purred, walking up to me and giving me a light nudge. "I just wanted to wake you up!"
For a moment, I could do nothing but blink a few times as I still tried to process life and its happenings. "...What?" I meowed breathily.
"I had to wake you up!"
"...What?"
"How long is this going to take?"
I then shook my head quickly, my head finally becoming fully sound as I actually gained full consciousness. "Great StarClan, Goldenshine!" I then meowed, nudging the she-cat right back as she continued to purr. "You can wake me up without telling me that the camp is on fire!"
I then scanned my eyes around the den, continuing to process all of the reasons why the camp most definitely hadn't been on fire in the first place - for one, almost every single apprentice was still in their nest, as calm as could be as they stared back at me, their eyes glowing with sympathy and humor. "Were you all in on this?" I couldn't help but ask my Clanmates.
Emberpaw stood up in her nest as she flashed me an apologetic look through her hazel eyes. "Mayyyyyybe a little..." she murmured, shuffling her paws back and forth.
Her brother, Wrenpaw, was already standing up in his nest, gathering up stray moss that was in his area. He then met me with his harsh pale blue gaze. "My sister forced me into it against my will."
"Sorry, Cherrypaw!" Lightningpaw then meowed, his eyes filled with genuine regret as he stretched out in his own nest. "I barely got a chance to stop her."
I then turned my head to my right, as I heard my brother, Molepaw, let out a snort. "To be honest," he then murmured, "I almost thought about waking you up in the same way."
"What? Why?" I then exclaimed, my voice full of laughter. I then stretched out as my mouth gaped opened up into a yawn once again. "What's the occasion?"
I then flicked my ears as I heard Goldenshine gasp, and I felt her give me another nudge. "Are you kidding?" she then nearly squealed.
"Are you?" I replied, my voice still full of purrs of amusement.
I then nearly stepped back, startled, as Goldenshine began to brush her tail right in my face. "No!" she then yowled enthusiastically. "It's your freaking warrior ceremony today, you mouse-brain!"
Great StarClan!
I then gasped, blinking a few more times, almost as if to check that the words I had just heard were real. "Oh my goodness, that's right..."
I then couldn't help but jump up in the air, squealing with excitement as it finally fully set in. "Ah, that's right!"
Somehow I had already forgotten about the last thing that I had thought about when I'd gone to sleep last night - the thing that had almost consumed my mind since I'd first had the ability to think at all. My warrior ceremony... I thought, my heart beginning to race all over again, but not from fear at all. After all of these moons, after all of the learning and the work... I made it!
I then looked back at Goldenshine, meeting her equally lively gaze. With how much fun I had, and with how much I learned, sometimes I forgot that I was even working towards something else! I then realized, my head practically feeling light as so many warm thoughts swarmed through it. But now it's here! Oh, it's here!
I then couldn't help but begin to knead my paws into the ground as everyone around me began to stir. Wrenpaw had begun to make his exit just as soon as I'd squealed, with Lightningpaw following just behind him, his yellow eyes gleaming with humor. "Great StarClan, not her too," the brown tabby tom muttered as he narrowed his eyes towards me and Goldenshine.
I ignored the tom's comment as I then practically pelted over to my brother's nest. "Molepaw, can you believe it?"
"Yes," he muttered to me in reply, stretching one last time before quickly padding over to the den entrance. "Exactly why I was up before you were."
I then watched as his tail disappeared through the brambles, and I could help but feel an excited, but nervous rush as I could already hear the voices of many cats coming from outside. "Now, come on!" the brown and cream tom then called out. "It's going to start any moment now!"
Emberpaw followed closely behind him, looking back at me briefly as she flashed me an encouraging, warm look. "Good luck, Cherrypaw! I love you!"
I let out a purr of amusement before replying to the she-cat. "Love you!"
I then took a deep breath, returning my gaze to my mentor once again, who seemed to be trying not to explode as she stared back at me. "If I wasn't so excited," I then murmured to her, cocking an eyebrow, "I would tell you that you are a cruel cat and that I am so glad that you won't be my mentor anymore."
Goldenshine did nothing but roll her eyes back at me and snort. "Oh, please - now you're joking."
I let out a huff, rolling my eyes as well. While Goldenshine is quite the goof, she always speaks the truth! I thought. Well, except when she tells me that the camp is on fire... "Yes, I am," I admitted.
I then felt a rush of gratitude, and I began to knead my paws into the ground once again. "And I'm so excited," I went on, having to hold back another squeal, "And truthfully, I'm so thankful and you're the reason I've gotten to this point, and-"
I then cut myself off as Goldenshine and I both squealed simultaneously and hopped up and down like two quarter-moon-old kits.
"Whoa!"
I looked over my shoulder as I heard a voice come from the den entrance, and I felt my heart nearly skip a beat when I quickly recognized the dark gray pelt of Swiftflight. Who quite likely has just been deafened...
I then exchanged an amused glance with Goldenshine as the tom bent down and picked up his shrew, which for some reason was on the ground. "Wow, I did not think that two cats had the physical capability to be this loud," he purred through a full mouth as he then padded into the den, his gray-blue gaze locking with mine.
A purr then began to rise in my own throat as Swiftflight then wrapped his tail around my back. "You made me drop your prey - I hope you're happy," he then muttered.
I then closed my eyes, taking in the tom's scent as he bent his head down to give mine a lick. Well, you do bring it to me every day... I thought happily, pressing even closer to Swiftflight as I reflected on how he had indeed gone out of his way every morning since the Dark Forest battle to bring me my first meal of the day. So, I think he definitely gets a pass just once...
I then raised my eyebrows in surprise as Swiftflight then lifted his head, meeting Goldenshine with an inquisitive gaze. "So, did you do it?"
Goldenshine snorted, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Duh!"
I then let out a gasp, pulling away from Swiftflight as I stared at back at him, astonished. "You were in on it too?" I exclaimed to him, pretending to look genuinely offended, although my voice was full of laughter.
I then let my gaze switch from one cat to the other. "I shouldn't have to feel so betrayed on a day like this! Especially not by my mentor and my..."
I then raised my eyebrows as my gaze went back to Swiftflight, whose eyes were gleaming with humor and curiosity as he stared back at me. "My... dearest friend?"
Swiftflight tilted his head to the side as he let out a purr of amusement. "That works?" he then replied as I continued to laugh. I then felt another large wave of affection as he then touched his head to my muzzle, the purr continuing to rumble in his throat. "I hope that the shrew is okay - I thought that you could at least get one bite out of it before your ceremony."
I looked gratefully back at the tom as I twinned my tail with his. "It always is, Swiftflight," I meowed to him just before giving him a lick on the cheek. "Thank you."
Swiftflight then gave me a quick lick on the nose. "Always," he then nearly whispered, causing my heart to nearly flip upside down, as he always did. And what amazes me is that some cats in this Clan can't even begin to comprehend how he could possibly do it...
"So," the tom then went on as he then took a step back, taking a nervous glance at his mother as she stared back at the two of us, her eyes narrowed as she shook her head slowly and smirked. "How are you feeling?"
I let out a sigh as another wave of excitement took over, almost making my chest feel as it was going to fly away from the rest of my body as I continued to think about the moment that was just heartbeats away. "Great StarClan... I can barely put it into words!" I answered fervently. "I... I just can't believe that I finally made it!"
I then looked over at Goldenshine, flashing her a reassuring glance as I heard her snort with amusement. "Well, I most definitely can believe it, but... wow!"
I then looked back at Swiftflight as I felt him put the tip of his tail on my shoulder. "So can I," he then murmured. I then couldn't help but purr as my gaze locked with his once again. "Y-You deserve it, Cherrypaw. I-believe me, I'm..."
I then purred quietly with amusement as the dark gray tom then shut his eyes, hesitating and taking a deep breath. "I'm..."
"-excited that you're moving to the warriors den," Goldenshine murmured, her eyes narrowed as she stared back at him.
Swiftflight let out a quiet hiss, shooting a glare back at his mother. "Shut up."
Goldenshine wasn't fazed by his irritated, and simply hardened her gaze. "Never," she then muttered.
Swiftflight then sighed, flashing an annoyed, yet affectionate glance towards Goldenshine before returning his gaze to me - which washed over with uncertainty once again. "I... I'm-"
Goldenshine took a step towards us, her eyes glowing with humor as she cut her son off again. "Here, seriously, I'll help - Cherrypaw, you are the most beautiful, kind, and smartest she-cat that I know, and you deserve this more than all of the apprentices in the forest," she meowed, and I couldn't help but quietly purr as she went on. "But honestly, overall, I'm just really excited that you'll be able to cuddle with me in the warriors den. I-"
This time, Swiftflight simply shut his eyes once again, raising his tail as if to ask for silence. "I once again ask you to shut up - just give me a moment."
I then watched the tom take a deep breath and opened his eyes, and I felt my stomach twist up into a knot as I looked into his warm, sincere gray-blue gaze. "I'm so, so excited for you, and you really, really deserve this," he then meowed softly as he twinned his tail back with mine. "I love you, and I'm so proud of you."
Overwhelmed by his words, I let out a purr and lightly touched my muzzle to Swiftflight's cheek. "Thank you, Swiftflight. I love you too." So much.
The purr in my throat continued to rise as Swiftflight then pulled me into his fur, and his scent flooded into my nose once again. Sometimes moments like this still made me feel as overwhelmed and excited as if I were experiencing them for the first time, because... there had been a moment... many moments, where I doubted that it would ever happen...
Although I had been scared to admit for moons and moons, I had had feelings for Swiftflight since the two of us were kits in the nursery. And while he had always been kind to me, he never seemed to reflect the amount of affection that I'd felt towards him.
I'd later found out from him that that was a result of his many nights in the Dark Forest, and it wasn't until he left his training there that he and I were able to grow incredibly close. There were still burdens, though... I told myself, a chill nearly running down my spine as I looked back on it all. Between my mother initially not approving of Swiftflight whatsoever, and Swiftflight being afraid to speak up... I did wonder if a future for us was even possible, however...
I then leaned closer to Swiftflight, digging my muzzle into his chest fur. We got past it all, and now we're closer than ever. And while we definitely considered ourselves more than friends, we didn't want to take it too far yet, with me still being an apprentice that spent my days training.
But that didn't bother me at all - we both had decided where we wanted to take our relationship once I became a warrior. But either way, I am so, so thankful for him, I then thought. I'm so glad that I have him and his support on this special day. And after today, it won't be as just a very close friend anymore...
"Um..."
My eyes then widened, and Swiftflight and I broke away from each other as Goldenshine broke through the silence. Her eyes were still narrowed, and gleaming with humor. "Hm, and as much as I love standing here and watching the sunshine radiate around the two of you - we should probably head out."
I exchanged a slightly embarrassed look with Swiftflight. "Agreed!" I exclaimed, bending down and taking a quick bite of the shrew Swiftflight had brought me before following behind Goldenshine, who was already making her way towards the den entrance. "Let's get out of here!"
I practically burst out of the apprentices den, already having run ahead of both Swiftflight and Goldenshine as I'd made my exit. I stood up straight, feeling the warmth on my fur as the sunlight burst through the ThunderClan forest around our camp.
So many emotions seemed to be rushing through my blood as I then began padding deeper into camp - nerves, disbelief, excitement, exhilaration. As overwhelming as it all was, I knew that I could only embrace it.
I then stopped in my tracks for a moment, my ears flicking with surprise. Great StarClan!
Although I'd been aware of the several voices that filled the camp just heartbeats before, I was still shocked by how many cats were already gathered in front of the Highledge, ready for Bramblestar to begin the ceremony.
The brown tabby ThunderClan leader was sitting just under the large rock, speaking with his mate, Squirrelflight, his deputy, Lilypetal, and her mate, Thornclaw. All but a few cats had left their dens, and even Purdy - ThunderClan's only elder - was sitting outside of his den, his amber eyes warm and eager as he stared up at the Highledge.
And I couldn't help but let out a snort of amusement as I noticed two more of ThunderClan's apprentices - Lilypaw and Seedpaw, who appeared to have missed Goldenshine's prank on me from just earlier, and where speaking to their parents, Sorreltail and Brackenfur.
And just as I had come out, my parents - Poppyfrost and Berrynose - and even my foster sister, Snowstorm, seemed to have been waiting for me as they all seemed to be facing my direction, their tails twitching eagerly.
As I began to run up to them, I let out a mrrow of laughter as I noticed that Molepaw was already with them, who was pushing Poppyfrost away as she attempted to fix his fur before the ceremony. Berrynose then grabbed one of Molepaw's legs with his tail and pulled him away, seeming to tell his mate that Molepaw could do it himself.
Which I seriously doubted.
When I finally made it up to them, I let out another purr as I watched my father's blue eyes light up. "There she is!"
Poppyfrost was still glaring at Berrynose when he'd begun to speak, so her own blue eyes washed over with surprise once she'd processed his words. "Oh my goodness, Cherrypaw, get over here!" I then screwed my eyes shut as she gave me a rough lick on the head. "Where have you been?"
I then raised my eyebrows as my mother looked inquisitively at Goldenshine, who had followed just behind me with Swiftflight next to her. "Goldenshine, did you really do it?" my tortoiseshell mother then sighed. "Great StarClan, you could have had her spooked for the rest of the day!"
I stared back at my mother in amazement, purring with amusement once again. "Was the entire Clan in on scaring me half to death on the day I become a warrior?"
Poppyfrost didn't reply, and simply stared back at me with narrowed eyes. "What in the name of StarClan are you chewing on?" She asked me, likely referring to the shrew that I was still working on.
Her eyes then widened with bewilderment, and I couldn't help but give her a wry smile as she then meowed, "Are you eating right before your ceremony starts?"
Beside me, I saw Swiftflight's eyes widen with obvious fear. "Whoops."
I sniffed, giving the dark gray tom a light nudge. I couldn't help but feel a bit amusement by the genuine fear that Swiftflight still sometimes felt when it came to Poppyfrost. "Oh, come on, Swiftflight. It's not your fault."
I then looked back at my mother once again to find her blue eyes gleaming with humor and mischief as she stared back at him. "In my eyes, it always is." She then muttered.
I then held back a mrrow of laughter as I watched Swiftflight shoot a hard glance at Snowstorm, who was purring with amusement next to him. He then looked over at Poppyfrost, his own gaze reflecting my mother's. "I've never been so touched in my life."
"I tend to do that," Poppyfrost then meowed, shrugging as she took a step towards Swiftflight.
I flicked my ears as Swiftflight also took a step towards her. "Don't worry, just for you, I'll let her starve from now on."
Poppyfrost's eyes slowly narrowed, a large smirk still on her face. "You're truly the best," she murmured. I then exchanged an amused glance with Swiftflight the tortoiseshell then sighed, rolling her eyes as she sat down and wrapped her tail around her paws. "And I suppose that it's nice that you bring my daughter prey every morning."
Swiftflight flashed me a warm glance before looking back at Poppyfrost. "Sure. It's the least that I can do for my..."
I raised my eyebrows as Swiftflight then hesitated, probably somewhat intimidated by the death stare that my mother was giving him. "Um, my..." He then looked at me briefly once again. "My... closest companion?"
Poppyfrost gave the smallest nod, but her expression stayed the same. "Correct."
I then let out a small purr as Swiftflight then wrapped his tail around my back, pulling me closer to him. "But... you'll allow me to call her something else after she becomes a warrior, right?"
"I suppose."
Oh, right... I thought, watching as Swiftflight then gave a grateful nod to my mother. The other reason why we haven't quite been able to become full mates yet! While Poppyfrost had more than given her approval of the two of us already, and while she and Swiftflight had actually been able to develop a very close and playful relationship with each other after so much tension, it was clear that she still was going to keep a close eye on him, and on the two of us until the day she joined StarClan.
I then let my gaze flit from Poppyfrost to Swiftflight, so much warmth and happiness rising in my heart as I once again thought about how far we had come. But honestly, as long as we still have her blessing in some form, I'm still more than happy.
I then let my gaze fall on Molepaw as I heard him snort. "I'm just picturing Cherrypaw chewing in Bramblestar's face as he gives her her warrior name."
I raised my eyebrows as I then watched Poppyfrost exchange a worried glance with Berrynose, who was shaking his head slowly. "Oh my goodness, Cherrypaw, please finish chewing."
I purred with amusement yet again, finally forcing myself to swallow the very large bite I had taken from the shrew. "Don't worry, I'm done!"
Berrynose then nudged his mate as I gave a shake of my fur. "Hey, even if we weren't certain of her capabilities of a warrior, we at least know that our daughter can eat properly."
Goldenshine, who was now sitting nearby with her own mate, Dustystorm, let out a snort. "Hey, that's the kind of mentor that I am!"
Then, as all of us shared a purr of amusement, everyone around us seemed to be bringing their own attention to the Highledge - Bramblestar finally seemed to be ready to start the ceremony, leaping up to the top of the Highledge while Lilypetal stayed at the bottom, and Squirrelflight and Thornclaw joined the rest of the crowd. Oh my StarClan... oh my StarClan!
I looked back at Swiftflight and Goldenshine, who had settled just behind me. Swiftflight was sitting up straight and dignified just as he always did, staring admirably back at me. And the biggest smile began to emerge on my face as he then mouthed, "I love you," to me silently.
I mouthed it right back, then having to hold back another purr as Snowstorm, who was still beside Swiftflight, gave her best friend a nudge and a wink before settling down next to her former mentor, Icecloud.
I then averted my gaze to my mentor, Goldenshine, who sadly would only be my mentor for a few more heartbeats. Her gray eyes were gleaming with pride as she eagerly prompted me forward with her tail.
I stared back at them for just one more moment, practically overwhelmed with affection and gratitude, before finally turning around, padding forward to stand next to my brother and giving him a light nudge.
The camp had now fallen completely silent, waiting for Bramblestar to speak his first words. Goodness, it's already going by so quickly... I thought, filled with so much panic, nerves, and excitement at the same time. This is it...
Chapter 2
When Bramblestar finally began to speak, every single other thing that existed around me seemed to disappear completely. And although basically every single cat in ThunderClan had already gathered in the clearing, it was only by obligation that Bramblestar then called out, "All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Highledge!"
Oh, dear goodness...
Molepaw and I couldn't help but exchange another glance as the camp is then filled with every single member of ThunderClan - late risers, as well as the queens and kits from the nursery came out - all ready to see the ceremony. They're all here for the two of us... how amazing is that?
Once the brown tabby leader was certain that he had everyone's attention, he then went on, the vibrations of his voice almost seeming to cause my heart to pound more strongly. "This morning, I have the honor of making two new warriors," he meowed. A chill then ran down my spine as his head then lowered, and his amber eyes fell on where me and Molepaw were sitting. "These two apprentices have only thrived through what any cat would consider to be a very tough time, being strong through a threat that we never thought we would face."
I then sat up straighter, feeling a rush of pride as Bramblestar then nodded to us, his eyes full of gratitude. "There's no question of whether or not these cats deserve to be made warriors. So..."
The ThunderClan leader then leaped down from the Highledge, then proceeding to beckon to us with his tail. "Cherrypaw and Molepaw, can you two please step forward?"
I could tell that every cat's gaze on me now, and I could almost feel the pride surrounding my friends and family behind me. And almost as if Molepaw and I had coordinated it, the two of us then walked forward to meet Bramblestar at the exact same time, and I couldn't help but flash my brother a brief look of affection. While some cats with no siblings would maybe be happy to have their ceremony all to themselves, I don't think I could be more happy or thankful to have him next to me, and that we're able to experience this together...
I then returned my gaze to Bramblestar as he broke through the silence once again, lifting his head up to the sky. "I, Bramblestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these two apprentices. They have both trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turn."
Bramblestar then lowered his head, his amber gaze falling specifically on Molepaw now. "Molepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
I glanced at Molepaw to see him dipping his head. "I do," he then meowed clearly.
I then felt myself feeling almost dizzy with excitement and shock, my vision almost going blurry as Bramblestar then shifted his gaze towards me and met me with his typical warm, welcoming gaze. "And Cherrypaw," he then went on, "Do you also promise to uphold the warrior code, and protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
I couldn't be more certain that my answer to my leader was fully honest. "I do," I meowed clearly, to my surprise - I've been trying to keep myself from squealing again this entire time, oh my StarClan!
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you two your warrior names," Bramblestar then declared. He then nodded to Molepaw once again. "Molepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Molewhisker," he then went on proudly, stepping forward and putting the tip of his tail on my brother's shoulder. "ThunderClan honors your strength and initiative, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan. And Cherrypaw..."
I then straightened myself up once again, my heart pounding in my ears as Bramblestar then made his way toward me, now putting his tail on my shoulder. "Cherrypaw," he then continued. "From this moment on you will be known as Cherryfall. StarClan honors your compassion and spirit, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."
Cherryfall... I love it so much!
Just as I leaned forward to lick the brown tabby leader's shoulder, I could hear the yowls and cheers of my Clanmates echoing my new name just behind me. "Molewhisker! Cherryfall! Molewhisker! Cherryfall!"
For a moment, I could do nothing but process as the celebratory yowls echoed around the camp, making my fur tingle as if the wind was brushing through it, touching every single piece of hair on my pelt. I'm a warrior now! I made it! Oh my goodness, so much is going to change!
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the newly named Molewhisker disappear from my side, running behind me to meet our parents. And right in front of me, I could see Bramblestar padding up to meet Squirrelflight, who gave him an affectionate nudge as she seemed to be giving him praise.
I flicked my ears and nearly let out a gasp as this made me realize something. Wait a moment... this was Bramblestar's first ceremony as ThunderClan's leader, wasn't it? I thought, my mouth dropping. Molewhisker and I were the first cats that he made warriors! How special is that?
I then blinked, letting out a huff as I finally turned away from the Highledge. And my Clanmates will certainly think that I'm a little special if I just stand here all day... I thought jokingly as I immediately turned to see all of the proud expressions of my family - each and every one of them looking so genuinely excited for me.
Poppyfrost was the first one to run up to me, a purr rumbling in her throat as she gave me a lick on the head. "Congratulations," she meowed warmly as she then pulled Molewhisker into our little embrace. I was amused to only see him resist just slightly. "Too both of you."
I then gave a sniff as my mother then nodded over to Berrynose, who was sitting just a tail-length away with his blue eyes gleaming. "Your father and I couldn't be more proud," Poppyfrost then purred, giving us a wink. "He just won't get anywhere near you in order to express that."
After Molewhisker, Poppyfrost and I erupted into laughter, my heart was then overcome with sadness as I then noticed a certain golden brown tabby pelt out of the corner of my eye.
I pulled away from my mother and brother to see Goldenshine approaching from behind me, her gray eyes glittering with extreme pride and happiness, but sorrow at the same time. "I think you'd be able to see how proud I was even if I was a whole earth's distance away."
As I then felt another wave full of heartache, I couldn't help but run up and press myself against Goldenshine, and I had to screw my eyes shut when I felt the older she-cat wrap her tail around my back. "Cherryfall," she then meowed softly, "you were truly the best first apprentice that I could have ever asked for."
"And you were the best mentor," I meowed in reply, my voice hoarse with grief. But she was more than just a mentor... she was a true friend... I thought as I then pulled away to look into my former mentor's eyes. "Thank you so much for everything, Goldenshine. I'm going to miss our training sessions so much."
"Yes, thank you, Goldenshine."
I then looked to my side to see Poppyfrost padding up to the two of us, her eyes showing as much gratitude as I felt inside. "You made her best qualities grow even stronger, and..."
I then felt my heart warm up just a bit as my mother then met my gaze. "I know she'll be ready for whatever she has to face, and I won't have to worry." I then flicked my ears with amusement as she then let out a snort. "Even though I will, anyway."
After a mrrow of laughter, Goldenshine then meowed, "It was my pleasure."
The brown tabby she-cat then gave me a nudge, pulling me into her again with her tail. "Hey, and when it comes to those lost training sessions - you can be certain that we're going out on many expeditions in the future. There's always more to learn."
With those words, almost all of the sadness I'd been feeling immediately disappeared. "Aw, I would absolutely love that!"
I then raise my eyebrows with intrigue as Goldenshine then sniffed and rolled her eyes. "Well, and even if that wasn't a factor in getting opportunities to see each other - which is impossible - you also are kiiiiinnnnddd of close to my son..."
I then let out a small purr as Goldenshine and Poppyfrost exchanged an amused glance, and Poppyfrost let out a small grunt. "Speaking of..." my mother muttered. With her eyes narrowed and a smirk on her face, she then nodded towards Swiftflight, who I noticed was standing just a little ways away from us. "What do you want?"
I could then hardly stand the cuteness as Swiftflight first seemed shocked by the attention being brought onto him, and secondly hesitantly stepped towards where I was standing. "Well..." he began warily. "I was hoping that I'd get a chance to congratulate my..."
He then nervously looked towards Poppyfrost, who was still staring him down. "My mate?"
I myself began to feel a little nervous as my mother then flicked her ears, exchanging a questioning glance with Goldenshine. Oh, dear... please. Today has been so wonderful and perfect - don't let it stop now!
To my relief and humor, Goldenshine simply shrugged and began to pad over to Dustystorm, who was speaking with his apprentice, Emberpaw over by the fresh-kill pile. "Hey, we both knew that it was coming!" she then called out.
Poppyfrost simply watched her for a moment, clearly also amused.
Then, her eyes landed on me and Swiftflight. I then flashed the gray-black tom a reassuring and warm glance as he then seemed to anxiously twin his tail with mine.
And then, after a few unbearable heartbeats, Poppyfrost finally gave a long sigh, then began to slowly pad away as well. "Your mate, indeed," she meowed just barely loud enough for me and Swiftflight to hear.
Swiftflight and I then couldn't help but exchange an excited glance as Poppyfrost ran up to meet Molewhisker, Berrynose and Rosepetal. "Congratulations again, Cherryfall!"
I then flashed my mother one last loving, grateful look before looking back at Swiftflight. And of course, immediately my heart began to pound in my ears as I met his gray-blue gaze, and my stomach filled up with butterflies.
And for a moment, I seriously questioned if I was dreaming, because truthfully, this moment was something I had thought about and hoped for most of my life. "So..." I then began after a few moments, my gaze not leaving Swiftflight's. "You were hoping to congratulate your mate, huh?"
I then heard a purr beginning to rise in Swiftflight's throat as he then nearly whispered, "Yes."
He then simply stared back at me for another moment before shaking his head quickly, as if he was bringing himself out of a really cute daze. "Yes, I was."
As both of the purrs seemed to erupt in our throats, we both almost simultaneously stepped closer to each other and pressed against each other. I leaned my head into his white chest as he then wrapped his tail around me. "Congratulations, Cherryfall," Swiftflight then whispered before pulling away to look into my eyes again. "You are the most beautiful, kind, and smartest she-cat that I know, and you deserve this more than all of the cats in the forest."
I couldn't help but purr with amusement at the tom quoting Goldenshine's mocking words from earlier, but I then proceeding to give Swiftflight another lick on the cheek. "Thank you, Swiftflight," I whispered back to him. "You're the sweetest ever."
Swiftflight touched his nose to my head. "Of course, and... I know," he then muttered, causing me to purr once again.
I then widened my eyes with concern as he seemed to hesitate. "And... while Goldenshine exaggerated a bit, of course..." he went on as he shuffled his paws back and forth. "I am... um... I am really excited for you to move to the warriors den with me."
I giggled at the tom's nerves. "Aw, don't worry, I am too!" I purred, brushing my tail along Swiftflight's flank to comfort him. "I really am."
I then simply stared reassuringly back at Swiftflight, letting him take a moment to hesitate and get his thoughts together - I knew by now how he acted when he did this - closing his eyes, shuffling his paws, even letting out little hisses of frustration as he sometimes struggled. It was what he did whatever he was trying to muster up the courage to say something that was out of his comfortable range.
It's one of the most precious things I've ever seen.
I then nodded, showing Swiftflight that I was listening when he finally took a deep breath and spoke. Although he still looked nervous, his eyes were warm and more certain now. "Well... with that in mind... I was wondering if I could have the honor of showing you the warriors den for the first time?"
I couldn't help but raise a single eyebrow, smirking as I stared back at him. "Really?" I murmured teasingly.
For a moment, Swiftflight looked completely bowled over, his eyes nearly popping out of his head as he flicked his ears and took a pawstep back. I then giggled once again as he shook his head quickly, composing himself. He then let out a purr as he flashed me a reassuring, yet mischievous look as he brushed his tail again my flank. "Yes, I just want to show you something, Cherryfall," he then purred, licking my head.
I gave my mate an eager nod, still purring as I stood up. "Okay!" I then exclaimed, kneading my paws excitedly into the ground. "Lead the way, Swiftflight!"
I continued to purr as I watched Swiftflight close his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath before leading me towards my new den. And I felt intrigued and excited as I then began to follow him, thinking about how sweet it was that he wanted to be the one to show me around. I mean, I suppose that it's only fitting that he does, considering we're going to-
I then cut off my own thoughts, feeling a twinge of nerves as Swiftflight then led me inside. And while I was more than thrilled to share this new den with him and many of my fellow Clanmates, I had remembered feeling very anxious moving from the nursery to the apprentices den - having no idea what the new atmosphere would do for me - sleeping in a different place, on a different nest, surrounded by different cats...
And those thoughts had barely been able to creep into my brain when I got my first look at my surroundings that immediately blew me away. Oh my StarClan! I thought in amazement as flashed Swiftflight a bewildered glance. It's amazing!
The first difference that I noticed from the apprentices den was that it was significantly bigger. And there was something about the way that the den walls were that just seemed different - more intricate and precise. Soft moss nests scattered the floor, and even with so many cats in ThunderClan, every cat seemed to have enough space. Wow...
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Swiftflight watching me, his eyes glittering with amusement. "Well, Cherryfall, what do you think?"
I continued to scan my eyes around as I shook my head slowly. "Swiftflight, it's absolutely wonderful!" I purred before finally looking back at the tom. "I love it so much!"
Swiftflight blinked warmly back at me, letting out a chuckle. "I'm glad."
I then tilted my head to the side with concern as he then took another deep breath and padded up to meet me. "Here, let me show you around," he then meowed, nodding towards the rest of the den in front of us.
I gasped, nodding eagerly at Swiftflight once again. "Yay! Please do."
Swiftflight then flashed me an affectionate look, brushing his tail against one of my front legs as if to prompt me to follow as he then led me forward once again. "Well, I suppose there's not much around to show, however..." The tom then quickened his pace, walking deeper into the den and gesturing to some moss nests closer to the entrance and the center. "Here are where all of the quiet cats sleep."
I tilted my head once again. "All of the quiet cats?" I asked, my voice full of laughter. "Why?"
Swiftflight then sniffed and cocked an eyebrow as he gestured to a corner with nests that were just a bit more secluded. "Because the cats that snore sleep over there."
I then let out a mrrow of laughter as Swiftflight then padded across the den towards the other corner, gesturing to certain nests as he went. "That's Lilypetal and Thornclaw's nest, Goldenshine and Dustystorm's nest... Snowstorm's nest, and, um..."
Swiftflight then came to a stop, and I furrowed my eyebrows with curiosity as I realized that he seemed to be standing in front of something. "...Then, of course... here's what I really wanted to show you..."
I then felt my stomach drop, and my heart practically fly away from my body as Swiftflight then stepped to the side, revealing a moss nest. "I'm sure you already had some idea, but..." He then looked down for a moment, shifting his paws back and forth again. "Well, we both agreed that we wanted to share a nest once you became a warrior, so... I've been working on it."
I could barely speak, feeling completely overwhelmed at the sight in front of me. "Oh my goodness, Swiftflight..." I whispered as I slowly padded up to it.
Swiftflight was clearly nervous by my reaction of very few words, but kept going nevertheless. "I-I hope it's okay," he stammered, looking down at the nest and gesturing to one side of it. "I added some extra moss to your side, because you've mentioned before that you like to feel like you're on a cloud when you're sleeping..."
He then sat down, flicking his tail towards some small yellow flowers that were lying across it. "A-and I know that you love the smell of buttercups, so I picked some and put them over on your side."
He then looked up towards the den roof, briefly flashing me another affectionate, amused glance. "And when your tail isn't over your face, I know that you love to look up at the stars in your nest, so I moved my nest to a place where there is a small hole in the den roof. We'll have to move it if it ever rains, but-"
Swiftflight's words were then cut off as I ran forward, fiercely pressing myself up against him and purring like I never had before. "Swiftflight, don't worry," I meowed to him, my voice practically shaking from how overcome with warmth that I was. "It's absolutely perfect."
Swiftflight, who had originally felt tense with nerves as I'd pressed up against him, then seemed to relax, wrapping his tail around me and resting his muzzle on my head. I pressed closer to him as I then murmured, "It's more than perfect."
The dark gray tom then let out a relieved sigh, nuzzling my head with his muzzle. "Good."
I continued to purr, drinking in my mate's scent as I touched my muzzle to his nose. He's more than perfect... I thought, as banal as that was to say - it was true. And I won't tell him this to spare him major discomfort, but if a young Swiftpaw saw his future self doing something like this, he'd probably vomit all over ThunderClan camp... and then vomit all over his vomit.
And I for sure kept that thought to myself as I then whispered, "I love you so much, Swiftflight. Thank you."
Swiftflight let out a loud purr, beginning to lick my cheek as he pulled me closer to him. "I love you too, Cherryfall."
Then, after a moment of us simply drinking in each other's scents, we both flinched as a voice came from the den entrance.
I quickly recognized my mother's assertive tone. "You know what I love? The fact that I also share this den with you two!"
As Poppyfrost's pawsteps then became more and more faint, I looked back at Swiftflight as he let out a quiet grunt. "Touché..." he muttered.
Then, as I let out another giggle, I twinned my tail with Swiftflight's once again and began to lead him out of the den - of course, feeling another wave of excitement and love as I looked back at our nest one last time before emerging into the clearing.