Much time passed as Frostpaw trained. She had many mentors as no cat wanted to train her for very long, and no cat could keep up with the speed at which she learnt battle techniques. Skyfeather became her permanent hunting teacher, during which Frostpaw found she enjoyed his sessions. Skyfeather was fun and though quite a bit older than Frostpaw, he was still jovial and childish, making him a great friend for Frostpaw. Frostpaw was starting to wonder if Skyfeather was that tom Amberfrost had spoken about. He certainly mooned over her enough!
It didn't take very long for Frostpaw to be asked to take her warrior assessment. She had barely been training for three moons when Amberfrost approached her and simply stated that it was time.
"I'm ready? So, when is the assessment?" Frostpaw asked, confused. Assessment! Already?! She was so new. And what about her siblings? It wasn't like she cared about Cloudpaw or Windpaw, but ... Really?
"Even Hawkfeather has noticed you, and he doesn't see much. He wants you a warrior early," Amberfrost meowed.
It was Hawkfeather's idea? Frostpaw wondered, frowning slightly. The medicine cat requested for new warriors? Why did that seem off, and why did Amberfrost look as uncomfortable as Frostpaw felt?
"If you say so," Frostpaw meowed, unconvinced.
"Great. Stonestar will hold your ceremony now," Amberfrost meowed.
"Now?" Frostpaw gawked.
"Frostpaw, manners. And yes, now. When else?" Amberfrost asked coolly.
Frostpaw stared back flatly. Amberfrost was acting weird. Like, really weird. She wasn't usually this... mean. Well, sort of. "Stonestar is actually gonna do it?" Frostpaw asked.
A flicker of annoyance passed across Amberfrost's muzzle. "Of course he is. He's Clan leader. I mean, he is a nincompoop at times, but he won't deny an apprentice her warrior name. After all, he kind of named you his bodyguard publicly?"
"I'm not becoming his bodyguard! That's trashy!" Frostpaw protested.
"You may not have a choice," Amberfrost responded grimly.
Frostpaw hurried out underneath the High Rock and waited patiently. Amberfrost had definitely called her Clan leader a nincompoop, and yet, for some reason, she couldn't find the heart to disagree with the deputy. He was being a nincompoop - rumor had it that he'd turned away all the other Clans. The three medicine cats who had visited two moons ago hadn't been seen since, and even though they had talked about transferring their prophecy cats to other Clans, there had been no sign of any of them.
Stonestar jumped onto the High Rock and Frostpaw felt a flicker of apprehension. Was she actually ready for this? Cloudpaw and Windpaw were watching her with obvious envy, and for some reason, Frostpaw felt bad about it. They weren't her siblings - Stormwind was. And again, a flicker of apprehension crossed her stomach. She'd awaited this day excitedly since her first day as an apprentice, but she'd always imagined that Stormwind would be there with her, cheering her on. She wasn't there.
"Your new name is Frostheart. And stuff. Yeah bye." Stonestar jumped off the High Rock and went back into his den.
Frostheart stared after his fat form in disbelief. Those weren't even the proper words of the ceremony! And how could he call her Frostheart? She hadn't thought she'd ever get a name like that! That was like calling her coldhearted, and obviously, she wasn't that. But seeing that dazed, uncaring look in her leader's eyes... it was like he'd used the first name that crossed his head for her warrior name. And that first name was the lousy one called Frostheart. And that was her name now?
Frostheart stared around, looking to who, she didn't know. That was when she remembered - she didn't have friends or family. She technically had family, but Cloudpaw and Windpaw were so far gone from her, gone even during kithood, that she knew they weren't ones she could turn to. But who else, then? She'd pretty much set an invisible border between her and the entire Clan, turning only to Stormwind for everything. Recently, she'd busied herself in her training, trying to make herself forget that her sworn sister was already dead, and had collapsed, exhausted, into her nest each night, too tired to bother interacting with the other apprentices, which happened to only be her not-siblings. She'd basically turned everyone away, so that now in this kind of situation, she had no one to turn to. I guess I'll never trust anyone but myself, Frostheart thought grimly, looking away from where she'd been staring - the leader's den. SeasonClan's hopeless leader was probably moping in there, maybe thinking of other awful names for Cloudpaw and Windpaw. Frostheart shouldn't care, but she did. Cloudpaw really hadn't done anything wrong except to fall for Windpaw's tricks. He was still her brother, like it or not. He'd never really renounced her ties to him.
Frostheart lowered her head and trudged over to the warrior's den. Perhaps she could manage a short nap before her vigil. Would anyone wake her up if she overslept? No - they'd just let her endure the embarrassment. So it looked like there wasn't going to be any napping. She just let out a shuddering sigh and turned away from everyone. Eyes bored into her, because usually, new warriors celebrated their accomplishment with the Clan. It should especially be her, because she was made a warrior early. But what did she have to celebrate with the Clan anyway? She was alone even among her Clanmates, even among distant family, and nothing would ever change that. There was no purpose in her life.
But then it clicked. She had some sort of purpose, even though she didn't know it. There had been a prophecy and she was a part of it. She was that snow-white cat. Although she didn't know what it meant, which was annoyingly frustrating. She could remember those words clearly:
The snow-white cat will save you all,
The cat silver as the moon will bring peace,
The burning flame will bring destruction,
The tortoiseshell leaf will bring the flames.
These cats were born with a great destiny
However the destinies are not all good.
Frostheart knew that she was that snow-white cat, but she was supposed to save everybody? That was complete nonsense - she didn't even have friends in her own Clan! But the other prophecy cats - she had to meet them. Streamlight, Flamewing and Turtleleaf. The good thing was, Streamlight's Clan was SpringClan and SpringClan had a border with SummerClan. Streamlight's one was also positive - the cat silver as the moon will bring peace. Meaning she was going to bring peace, something the Clans would definitely need. The burning flame will bring destruction - Flamewing, the nervous, jittery cat, was going to bring destruction? It seemed strangely impossible.
"It's time for the gathering," Amberfrost called, breaking Frostheart away from her thoughts.
Frostheart frowned, trying to remember. But then it dawned on her - she'd never been to a gathering, and she was going to miss this one because she had her warriors' vigil. Wait - then why did she know Flamewing was a jittery cat? Had someone told her? Frostheart racked her brains, but she couldn't remember. What... did the prophecy cats have some kind of mental telepathy? Even as she thought of it, messages were crossing her mind, voices of strangers, the kind you'd always assume were just other parts of your head talking. But these voices... they'd always been there, only she'd ignored them. And so they went:
We have to figure out who the last prophecy cat is. He or she should have this mental telepathy too, right, Streamlight?
Of course. But Turtleleaf, we can't be sure. Your voices only became prominent to me after I became a warrior, so maybe the other prophecy cat is still an apprentice, and can't hear us clearly.
That's mouse-brained! Why have telepathy when only warriors can access it?
Stop shouting at me, Turtleleaf! I'm already getting sick of this telepathy because all you do is yell at me!
Alright, alright, sorry! Flamewing, don't you have ANYTHING to contribute?
I'm just disturbed by the prophecy - I don't wanna bring destruction!
By now, Frostheart was starting to distinguish the voices, that of Streamlight, Turtleleaf and Flamewing, and she was trying to figure out how to add her voice to the telepathic conversation.
Hey, she tried.
Whoa! Who's that? Flamewing's voice shouted in surprise.
It's me - your last prophecy cat. My name is Frostheart, Frostheart intoned.
OH! You used to be Frostkit! I rescued you from the river! Streamlight's voice cried with happiness.
Well, not you. Your mentor. But... yeah? Frostheart muttered in her mind.
Well, that was easy, Turtleleaf's contemptuous voice meowed. Last prophecy cat, check. Now, to proceed with our plans.
Plans? Frostheart yelped. She tried to send a mental message just to Streamlight. Streamlight, why are we conspiring with them? Flamewing's going to bring destruction and Turtleleaf will turn him to do it! The tortoiseshell leaf will bring the flames, remember?
What? Streamlight's voice cried. What do you mean, the tortoiseshell cat will bring the flames?
How do you not know? Haven't you heard the prophecy? Frostheart cried. She recited: The snow-white cat will save you all, the cat silver as the moon will bring peace, the burning flame will bring destruction, the tortoiseshell leaf will bring the flames. These cats were born with a great destiny, however not all the destinies are good. It was only then that she realized it wasn't a private conversation at all, and that Flamewing and Turtleleaf had been getting all of their messages to each other. The two of them knew of the prophecy now.
Wait - that wasn't right! Flamewing had known from the beginning!
Didn't you know it all? Frostheart asked, confused.
We knew some things, Streamlight replied wryly. For one, we each knew our part of the prophecy. I knew mine, to bring peace. Flamewing knew his, too. But Turtleleaf didn't know. We only found out she was a prophecy cat through telepathy.
So... Turtleleaf didn't know her destiny was as bad as Flamewing's? Frostheart sighed. But didn't you realize? Someone had to turn Flamewing. He's too jittery to do it himself. Bring destruction? Flamewing? That's ridiculous.
This is completely ridiculous! I'm not going to turn Flamewing over! I'm going to stop him from causing the destruction! We all are! I'm not evil! Turtleleaf cried, her voice getting shriller and more desperate. Please, no. It can't be me - why is the bad cat me?
Hey, Turtleleaf, I'm a bad guy too, Flamewing reminded her, but Frostheart could tell by his voice that his expression was stormy. We're in it together.
Frostheart knows the entire prophecy, Streamlight meowed. I don't know how you do. Tell us!
I overheard the medicine cats when they visited SeasonClan camp a moon ago, Frostheart explained. That's when I overheard them. They told the prophecy to each other. I'm actually not sure if I'm the prophecy cat. Skytail is convinced that it's Cloudpaw, my not-brother.
Your... not-brother? Streamlight asked, confused.
It's a long story. Anyway I have to go. I've got no idea what I look like while sending these messages. Frostheart snapped out of the telepathic conversation and looked around.
"Are you okay? You were staring into space and mumbling," Skyfeather meowed, peering at her with concern.
"Oh, I'm alright. Nothing serious, like, a daydream, I suppose," Frostheart meowed, feigning a yawn.
"Well, you have to stay awake the entire night!" Skyfeather meowed in amusement. "No more daydreaming then!"
"Yeah sure," Frostheart meowed, yawning for real this time. "Has the gathering party left yet?"
Skyfeather shook his head. "Amberfrost's still trying to coax Stonestar into joining them."
"I'm not sure if that's wise," Frostheart meowed. "Isn't it better for Amberfrost to go? She's a strong deputy, whereas Stonestar will make us seem weak. If Amberfrost goes on ahead, says Stonestar is sick and couldn't come, then that solves everything, right? It's nearly leaf-bare, early outbreaks of greencough aren't abnormal."
"But that's the thing. We can't admit we have greencough in camp!" Skyfeather exploded.
"We don't have greencough." Then Frostheart frowned, confused. "Do we?"
Skyfeather nodded grimly. "We do. And that's the thing - Amberfrost caught whitecough an hour ago. It's not serious, but she can't go coughing to the gathering. Stonestar is perfectly healthy so he's ideal."
"Oh. If Amberfrost has whitecough... do we say both of them have whitecough?" Frostheart asked. "Just say, nothing serious, turns out, both of them have whitecough! Viola!"
"And who will speak for the Clan, then?" Skyfeather asked testily.
Frostheart could easily see his point, though. No one in the Clan was quite brave enough to stand there and announce what had gone on in the Clan, especially since this time would have to involve Sunstar's death and then oof, Stonestar and Amberfrost are sick! Leader and deputy almost going to be down! Frostheart almost wished Amberfrost was the one with nine lives and not Stonestar. She was the leader they needed during these trying times, and she was sick. Frostheart wanted to say she'd do it, but she had to stay in camp and stand vigil so she couldn't. It wouldn't be nice to give everyone false hope like that.
"I don't know," Frostheart sighed, and she let her shoulders sag. "Maybe it's pointless."
Word count: 2172
You waited a long time I suppose, but that wasn't exactly because I was neglecting this - I went on holiday for nine days. So... yeeeeaaaaaaaaah.