"Snowtail! Icepetal! Snowtail! Icepetal!" The cats of SunClan cheered their newly named warriors. Flowerpelt watched, pride burning in her chest as she watched Snowtail and Icepetal run over to their parents in sheer joy about being made warriors. Both of them had done perfect on their warrior assessments and Flowerpelt and Stormwind couldn't deny them their warrior names.
I feel so proud of Icepetal. Flowerpelt thought, her chest feeling warm. I can't imagine the pride that Frostclaw and Jayflight are feeling. Flowerpelt watched the family, wondering what it felt like to watch kits turn into warriors. She tried to hide the thought but it didn't leave her mind.
Over the past moon Flowerpelt and Thornpelt had become much closer, they slept beside each other in the warrior's den and hunted together whenever they could. Whenever Flowerpelt was around him her heart fluttered and she felt like she could take on the forest. Much like with Stormwind and Snakewhisker, most cats in SunClan had assumed they were mates. Flowerpelt honestly didn't know if they were or if she wanted to be, she just loved being around him.
"Hey, Flowerpelt!" Flowerpelt heard an eager voice calling her name, she turned to see Tallfern and Berrypaw. Flowerpelt padded over to the two of them, Berrypaw looked excited.
"I know you just finished training an apprentice, but I was wondering if you wanted to come hunting with us by the AshClan border." Tallfern questioned. "I was hoping you would show her that bird hunting technique you taught Icepetal, I was never good at catching them."
"I'd love to." Flowerpelt purred, it was a beautiful day out and she already missed having an apprentice to train. She always had something to do while Icepetal was still training, helping with Berrypaw would help keep her busy.
With the excited apprentice in two, Flowerpelt and Tallfern headed into the forest. "There's a tree near the border that almost always has birds in it." Flowerpelt explained as they neared the border. "We should be able to easily find birds around it."
"Thanks for doing this." Tallfern said quietly, looking over her shoulder at Berrypaw. "Berrypaw is so full of energy, I can't keep up with her half the time. I'm getting too old for this." She let out a exasperated chuckled. "But she keeps me on my toes, I might retire after she becomes a warrior."
"Sounds like a good plan." Flowerpelt purred. "Will Flintstripe be joining you?"
"I hope so. He's older than me, Snakewhisker will be having his own kits soon and I want to relax. Let all these younger cats look out for the Clan, you know?"
Flowerpelt couldn't relate that well, she wasn't old at all, but she could understand the struggle of having an energetic apprentice. Icepetal was relatively calm, but Berrypaw was incredibly exuberant, it couldn't be easy.
Just as Flowerpelt predicted, there were several birds around the area where she had said there would be. "Listen to me, Berrypaw." Flowerpelt pulled the apprentice's attention. "When you're hunting with birds you have to be focused and careful." Berrypaw gave a determined nod and looked at a sparrow on the ground. "You have to get close, if you're not close enough then a bird could easily fly away. Even with how close you get, you should be prepared to give a big leap to catch them."
Berrypaw nodded, she appeared to have listened. Tallfern and Flowerpelt stepped back and let Berrypaw hunt. She dropped into a crouch and began stalking the sparrow. Her form was pretty good for only have been an apprentice for less than two moons, Tallfern had taught her well. Berrypaw neared the sparrow, less than a tail length behind it. Her tail brushed a shrub and the bird began to fly away.
Berrypaw let out a gasp and jumped upwards, her claws hooking the sparrow's wing. Both she and the sparrow hit the ground, the white and brown apprentices landed on her stomach with a huff but she killed the sparrow.
"Not bad!" Tallfern praised and hurried over to apprentice to make sure she was alright. Berrypaw sat up with shimmering green eyes.
"I almost let it go but I bet it looked cool!" Flowerpelt held back a purr of amusement, it was certainly interesting seeing an apprentice flop to the ground on her belly with a bird in her claws, but prey was prey.
"It certainly did." Flowerpelt purred.
"Batpaw! Slow down!" Flowerpelt heard a familiar voice shout. The three SunClan cats turned to see Riverstorm chasing after a dark gray apprentice with a black belly and paws followed by a another gray tom with black paws and a brown tabby named Dustclaw.
Batpaw skidded to a halt and pointed with his paw at a buildup of moss and sticks in the river. "But it looks so cool! I wanna play on it."
Riverstorm looked at Batpaw with concern. "I don't know, it looks unsteady." She inspected the formation. It was then that Riverstorm noticed the SunClan cats. "Oh, hi there." She licked her chest in embarrassment. "Sorry about him, he's...energetic."
"It's quite alright." Tallfern purred and approached the border without crossing. "Berrypaw, here is energetic as well."
Riverstorm's gaze softened. "This is Batpaw, my apprentice, and that's Crowpaw, Dustclaw's apprentice."
"It's great to meet you!" Berrypaw ran up to the border as well, her green eyes as bright as the sun. "I'm learning how to hunt birds! Did you see my awesome catch?"
"I didn't." Batpaw's attention had turned to Berrypaw instead of the wood formation. "But I bet it was pretty cool! I caught a bird the other day." Flowerpelt watched, thoroughly entertained by the two apprentices, both Riverstorm and Dustclaw looked entertained as well. I like this, two Clans getting along with their apprentices.
"What's going on here?" All the cats turned towards SunClan territory where Feathernose was standing with semi-confused look in his green eyes.
"We're just talking with Riverstorm, Dustclaw and their apprentices, Feathernose." Tallfern explained.
Feathernose shrugged. "I have no problem with it, I'm just here for some fennel which grows down here." He brushed past Tallfern and Flowerpelt to the river where he began picking some herbs.
"Riverstorm can I please play on that?" Batpaw urged his mentor, turning his attention back to to the moss and branch formation in the river. "I bet it will hold my weight."
"I don't know, Batpaw." She looked at it once more. "It's nearly on SunClan territory."
"This thing?" Feathernose was prodding the formation with his paw. "We don't own the river." He mewed. "Let me see..." The medicine cat stepped on the wood platform, it wobbled from the current but supported his weight, Flowerpelt could help but be worried about their medicine cat. "It seems to be steady, but it's up to your mentor." Feathernose jumped off, landing beside the river.
"I wanna play on it too!" Crowpaw added, running up beside Batpaw. "If it can hold Feathernose than it can for sure hold us!"
Dustclaw and Riverstorm shared a look. "Very well, Batpaw, just be careful!" Flowerpelt looked at the river, it was running kind of fast today, but they had a medicine cat nearby and plenty of warriors to pull the two apprentices out if they did fall in.
"Can I join them?" Berrypaw spun around to face Tallfern. "I'm even smaller than they are!"
Tallfern looked up at Riverstorm, would they allow their apprentices to play with a cat from SunClan. "I don't see why not." It was Riverstorm who replied. "Just because we're from two different Clans doesn't mean we have to be at each other's throats all the time."
"Then off you go." Tallfern encouraged Berrypaw to go play with Batpaw and Crowpaw. She got on the pile of wood and moss and began jumping around and playing with the other two. While they played, Flowerpelt turned to Riverstorm.
"How is the prey running in AshClan?" She questioned politely.
"It's great." Riverstorm purred. Flowerpelt knew that AshClan had struggled during the last leaf-bare as well. Greencough had claimed the life of several cats including Goldenstar, the Clan was now lead by Ivystar. The same had happened to LichenClan with them now being lead by Jumpstar. "How about for SunClan?"
"Also great, prey is more than plentiful." Tallfern replied. "We have a den full of apprentices."
"That's always good to hear." Dustclaw added, sitting down comfortably beside Riverstorm. "Apprentices certainly bring a lot of joy to the Clan, especially energetic ones." He cast a glance at Batpaw.
"Tell me about it." Tallfern let out a laugh and rolled her eyes. "I can't keep up with Berrypaw, she has more energy than I ever did."
A cry split the air, all heads turned to the apprentices. The wood and moss under them gave way and all three fell into the water. Berrypaw's head slipped under the water and Batpaw struggled to stay afloat. Crowpaw dug his claws into a large piece of driftwood, managing to stay still.
The first cat to act was Feathernose, none of the others had a chance to move before Feathernose dove into the water. He vanished under the surface and pulled up Berrypaw who was unconscious. The silver medicine cat threw his body towards Batpaw, trying to keep him above the surface of the water but the AshClan apprentice went under.
The other warriors ran to the river with Tallfern and Flowerpelt crossing the AshClan border as Feathernose, Berrypaw and Batpaw were swept away. Dustclaw helped Crowpaw out of the water, but the apprentice's terrifying ordeal was far from over. He called out to his brother who had yet to resurface.
Tallfern, despite her age, jumped clear to the other side of the river to try and catch up with Feathernose. The weight of Berrypaw and his long fur was clearly making him struggle. The river tugged and pulled at his fur, Flowerpelt's entire body trembled with panic. Her heart pounded as she sprinted after the warriors, but the river was moving too fast.
Suddenly, Feathernose and Berrypaw vanished beneath the surface. Riverstorm let out a cry of alarm and jumped into the river after them. Feeling even more panicked, Flowerpelt ran harder. Dustclaw was beside her, he grabbed a large branch in his teeth and did his best to run ahead. He jammed the branch into the river, it went straight across to the other side.
Tallfern went into the river next, both she and Riverstorm ducked under the surface. Flowerpelt and Dustclaw just watched in horror, both of them trying to keep the river steady. There was a splash and Tallfern's head broke the surface with Berrypaw's scruff in her teeth. Where's Feathernose and Batpaw? Flowerpelt scanned the surface of the river, Riverstorm's head surfaced with Batpaw in her teeth.
Both she-cats put the apprentices on the river bank and returned to find Feathernose. Flowerpelt and Dustclaw ran to the apprentices, neither of them were moving. No! Flowerpelt put her paws on Berrypaw's chest, trying to get the water out of her lungs but nothing happened. Don't take her! Flowerpelt pleaded. Dustclaw was doing the same thing to Batpaw with just as little results.
There was another splash as Tallfern and Riverstorm came up once more, using their claws to grip the branch that Dustclaw had placed. They were using their combined weight to support Feathernose's limp body. The two she-cats managed to climb out of the river, dropping Feathernose and falling down themselves, shivering and panting.
It didn't take long for Riverstorm and Tallfern to run to their apprentices, Tallfern placed her ear against Berrypaw's chest. "She's not breathing..." Her voice trembled. "StarClan no!" She cried, falling down and burying her nose in Berrypaw's fur. "This can't be happening!"
"Batpaw..." Riverstorm whimpered, she had her head buried in Batpaw's fur as well. "This is all my fault...I never should've let you go on there...I'm so sorry..." Flowerpelt looked at Feathernose who still wasn't moving. Flowerpelt ran over to him, listening to his breathing, but hearing nothing.
"Berrypaw...Feathernose...Batpaw..." Riverstorm whimpered. "I'm so sorry...your apprentice and medicine cat are dead because of me!"
Tallfern stood up, facing the AshClan warrior. "It's not your fault, Riverstorm." Tallfern touched her nose to the blue-gray she-cats, her entire body trembling. "They were just being apprentices, Feathernose died trying to save them...it's not your fault." Riverstorm fell against the SunClan she-cat, wailing in pain over her dead apprentice.
Flowerpelt's heard felt as if it was shattering, just as it had when she lost her parents. Feathernose has done so much for me. He took care of me when I hurt my leg...he's always been there for me. What is SunClan going to do without him? She met Dustclaw's gaze, Crowpaw had his nose buried in his mentor's fur over the loss of his brother. Poor Windpaw...StarClan...why do you keep taking cats from us?
Dustclaw helped Crowpaw and Riverstorm back to AshClan territory, he promised he would share the news of Feathernose's heroic actions and that AshClan did not blame SunClan for the death of Batpaw. Flowerpelt promised him the same, that Riverstorm would not take the blame for Berrypaw's and Feathernose's deaths. Tallfern was clearly shaken by the death of her apprentice, but she put on a brave face and helped Flowerpelt carry both bodies back to SunClan camp.
When they reached camp, the first cat they saw was Brightclaw. His eyes rested on the two bodies. "What in the name of StarClan happened?" His eyes went wide with shock.
"It was an accident..." Flowerpelt felt exhausted, not only from running but from having to watch three cats die. "I'll explain more later..."
Tallfern insisted she go and tell Berrypaw's family, she brought Cloudstorm, Barkfang and Windpaw to see Berrypaw one last time. Flowerpelt put it upon herself to tell Honeywing, she couldn't imagine what the medicine cat apprentice would think.
She approached the medicine cat den, inside Honeywing was organizing some balls of moss. She turned her head, looking at Flowerpelt with bright green eyes. "Hello, Flowerpelt. What can I do for you?"
"Honeywing." Flowerpelt's voice trembled. During her time in the medicine cat den she had formed a friendship with Honeywing as well as Feathernose. She really didn't want to share this news, she wanted to stop Berrypaw from ever going on that thing in the river. "There's been an accident."
Honeywing was instantly on alert. "What? Who's hurt?" She looked around frantically for herbs. She's such a caring medicine cat, Feathernose will be so proud.
"Honeywing," Flowerpelt stopped her, she looked confused and concerned now. "Berrypaw and Batpaw and Crowpaw of AshClan were playing on this wood formation on the river. They were having fun, and Feathernose was down there. He tested it to see if it was sturdy and it was. However...it wasn't as strong as we thought. All three apprentices fell in, Batpaw and Berrypaw died...and Feathernose died trying to save them."
Honeywing's eyes widened slightly, she sat down and stared at the ground. "Feathernose is...dead?"
"I'm so sorry, Honeywing." Flowerpelt pressed up against the golden she-cat, Honeywing fell against her and started sobbing gently.
"I--what if I'm not ready to be SunClan's only medicine cat?" Honeywing questioned, Flowerpelt wasn't sure if she was talking to her or not but she responded anyway.
"Honeywing, you are more than ready." Flowerpelt said gently. "Feathernose died saving cats, which is what he lived for. I've seen you work, you're an amazing medicine cat and I know he's proud of you, we all are."
Honeywing took a deep, shaky breath. "I know you're right I just...I've been his apprentice for so long...it's going to be so hard doing this without him." She straightened herself out slightly. "But I have to do my best, I will do everything I can to serve my Clan no matter how hard it is. I will be the best medicine cat SunClan could ever ask for, and I'll do it for Feathernose."