"Crowpaw. Crowpaw wake up!" A voice interrupted Crowpaw's slumber, he lifted his head and blinked his groggy eyes. A young face was just in front of his with bright yellow eyes. It was the young medicine cat apprentice, Ravenpaw.
"What is it?" Crowpaw questioned with a yawn. "Bagderstripe and Skyclaw want to speak to you."
Crowpaw looked around, the apprentice den was now empty after being nearly full last night. He felt strange sleeping in a den filled with young cats, and MoonClan had many apprentices. I'm glad to see MoonClan is thriving despite the sickness. Crowpaw rose from his nest and stretched out for a moment before following Ravenpaw back into the camp where he was led to the medicine cat den.
Crowpaw poked his head inside, hoping to see that Lightningpaw was awake but he saw much more. The she-cat was not only awake, but slowly nibbling at a fish. Her pale yellow eyes were bright and full of life. Longwhisker and Spidertail were also full of life, talking and laughing. Badgerstripe looked up from his herbs as Crowpaw stepped in.
"Good morning." He chirped happily. "The lungwort worked perfectly! I believe that Lightningpaw is going to make a full recovery."
"That's great to hear." Crowpaw purred. Lightningpaw looked up from her fish at Crowpaw.
"So you're Crowpaw?" She questioned. Crowpaw nodded. "Thank you for coming back and bringing me that herb, I feel a lot better."
"Of course, Lightningpaw. I'm glad I got a chance to meet you." Crowpaw bowed his head for the young apprentice.
"Is it true?" Crowpaw heard the frantic voice of Snakepelt from outside the den, he ran inside and looked at his daughter. Eyes filling with love and relief. "Oh, Lightningpaw!" Crowpaw jumped out of the way as Snakepelt dashed across the medicine cat to Lightningpaw's side and nuzzled his daughter. "Oh thank the stars, I'm so glad you're okay!"
Snakepelt stood up after a moment and turned to face Crowpaw. "I'm thanking the stars, but I should be thanking you. Without you Lightningpaw would have died, so thank you. Thank you for saving my daughter. I've already lost Whiteriver and Snowpaw, I don't know if I could handle losing Lightningpaw as well."
What happened to Whiteriver? Crowpaw wondered, but didn't ask. He would find out later. "Lightningpaw may be recovering," Badgerstripe spoke up. "But she still needs some rest. Go on, now. Let her sleep."
Snakepelt reluctantly left the den and Crowpaw and Skyclaw followed him. "Thank you for helping as well, brother." Snakepelt bowed his head to Skyclaw.
"Even in retirement, my heart will always be in the medicine cat den." Skyclaw replied. "I'm always happy to help kin." Snakepelt padded off and went to tell the Clan about Lightningpaw's recovery.
"What is going to happen now?" Crowpaw questioned Skyclaw.
"That's up to Cloudstar." Skyclaw mewed. "I'll go and tell her that the herb worked, I'm sure she already has an idea of what to do with you."
Crowpaw wasn't quite sure of what Skyclaw meant, but he spotted Frostfire and Icestorm trotting up to him. "We heard about Lightningpaw." Frostfire purred loudly. "I'm so happy that she's okay! And it's all thanks to you!"
"Yeah," Crowpaw shuffled his paws awkwardly, he wasn't really sure he should take credit. He told the Clan about the herb, but he had still ran away. He left the Clan for moons, would saving Lightningpaw make them forget about that?
"Don't look so down." Icestorm rested her tail on Crowpaw's shoulders. "You seem so nervous."
"I just don't know what the Clan thinks of me." Crowpaw admitted. "I left for so long, and I didn't leave to get the herb. I ran away from my problems and it was only when Mosscloud visited me that I decided to actually come back."
"It doesn't matter what the Clan thinks of you." Frostfire assured him. "It matters what you think, and what the cats who care about you think. Both of us are so happy to see you again, and so is Silverpool. She was so crushed when you left, you saw the look in her eyes, she loves you Crowpaw and she'll fight to keep you here."
Crowpaw glanced towards the nursery where he assumed that Silverpool was sleeping. He had been so happy to see her as well, it was Silverpool who kept his mind clear, even when he was gone. "I just hope Cloudstar lets me stay."
"She has to." Frostfire argued. "You saved Lightningpaw!"
"Speaking of..." Icestorm was looking over her shoulder towards the leaders den where Cloudstar was stepping out and moving towards the gathering area for the Clan. "Looks like she's going to call a meeting."
"About Crowpaw?" Frostfire wondered.
"Probably."
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather for a Clan meeting!" Cloudstar's voice rang out and Crowpaw skittishly followed Icestorm and Frostfire over to where the Clan was gathering.
"What's this about?" Crowpaw heard a soft voice behind him as Silverpool approached, she sat down beside Crowpaw.
"Dunno." Crowpaw shrugged. "Me, maybe."
A gaunt figure with shallow eyes caught Crowpaw's attention. He turned his head and saw Riverlight lurking near the elder's den. She retired? Crowpaw caught his mother's gaze and could barely stomach the look she gave him. Crowpaw hastily turned away and focused on Cloudstar as the leader began to speak.
"Many of you know who Crowpaw is," Cloudstar mewed. "Some of our younger apprentices don't, however. Crowpaw left the Clan many, many moons, back when Owlstar was still leader. We didn't know if he would return, or if he was even alive but Crowpaw returned to us at long last and brought news of an herb. This herb saved the life of Lightningpaw who is now recovering from the illness that claimed the life of her sister." Crowpaw could feel every single pair of eyes tearing into his pelt, he tensed up and just kept staring at Cloudstar.
"Are you going to welcome him back into the Clan?" An irritated voice spoke up, it came from a familiar black tom. When Crowpaw knew him his name was Shadowpaw, but he assumed that wasn't the case anymore. "He abandoned the Clan to run away from his problems, how can we be sure he won't do that again? He's a coward."
Crowpaw ducked his head, feeling his words cut deeper than claws ever could. "Crowpaw may have left, Shadowpelt," It was Silverpool who spoke up, her voice defensive. "But he came back and not only did he save Lightningpaw's life by providing that herb, but know that we know where this herb garden is we have so many more herbs! Whatever reasons Crowpaw had for leaving are his own, but the fact of the matter is he saved a life, possibly many more. Who knows how that sickness could have spread."
Shadowpelt lashed his tail. "Of course you would defend him." He snarled. "You spent countless moons weeping over his loss."
"Because I care about him!" Silverpool snapped.
"That's enough you two." Cloudstar raised her voice.
"Silverpool is right." Frostfire chimed in. "Crowpaw deserves a place in the Clan!"
"I agree!" Icestorm stood up.
"Because of Crowpaw my daughter is alive." Snakepelt spoke up. "Had he not come back at all, she wouldn't be here right now."
"It's clear that most of the Clan agrees." Cloudstar looked over her warriors. Crowpaw could see approving gazes from the cats of MoonClan, the only one that seemed annoyed with Shadowpelt. Crowpaw looked over at the elder's den, but Riverlight had vanished inside. "And I had already made the decision myself." Cloudstar stood up. "Crowpaw, please step forward."
Crowpaw stared in stunned silence at the leader. Is this really happening? Silverpool gave Crowpaw a gentle nudge forward. Taking a deep breath, Crowpaw stepped through the crowd and faced Cloudstar.
"Crowpaw, you've been gone for a long time. You've seen many things that no one in this camp could dream of, faced experiences and challenges that you could teach all of us. You were made an apprentice many moons ago by Owlstar, so I am proud to make you a warrior after all this time." It really is happening. Crowpaw couldn't stop his body from shaking. "Crowpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend the Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
"I do." Crowpaw had to put all of his heart into those two small words, he needed to convince not only the entire Clan, but himself, that he meant this vow.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Crowpaw, from this day forward you will be known as Crowsky, in honor of your father, who watches over you from the stars. MoonClan honors your resilience and courage and I finally welcome you as a full warrior of MoonClan." Crowsky felt his new name buzzing in his veins. Named after my father, I wouldn't want it any other way.
Crowsky stepped forward as Cloudstar rested her muzzle on his forehead and he gave her shoulder a small lick. "Thank you, Cloudstar." Crowsky mewed quietly.
"It is an honor, Crowsky."
"Crowsky! Crowsky! Crowsky!" MoonClan cheered his name and for the first time in countless moons, he felt like he was at home.
"Oh I've dreamed of this day for so many moons." Silverpool purred, nuzzling Crowsky's cheek. "I just know that Blacksky is so proud of you."
"Thank you, Silverpool." Crowsky could barely contain the emotion in his voice. "I hope so."
"I'm proud of you as well." Silverpool touched her muzzle to his.
"You're finally a warrior!" Icestorm nudged him.
"I told you that we would become warriors before you!" Frostfire teased. "You should tell us some stories about what you saw out there, I'm sure it was crazy."
"Later," Silverpool rested her tail on Frostfire's pelt. "He has to prepare for his vigil, and I have to go save Driftwater from our kits." They glanced towards the nursery where Silverpool's two kits, Tawnykit and Smallkit, were jumping all over their father.
Crowsky hadn't gotten to spend a lot of time with the two kits, but they were close to being apprentices. Tawnykit was a pretty tortoiseshell she-cat and Smallkit was a very small dark gray tabby tom. Crowsky wanted to get to know her kits much better, they were Silverpool's kits and he wanted them to be like siblings to them.
"Enjoy your vigil." Silverpool touched her muzzle to Crowsky's and quickly trotted over to Driftwafter, after he was saved, Crowsky noticed that he was padding over to him.
"Congratulations, Crowsky." He dipped his head.
Crowsky blinked, he hadn't been expecting a personal congratulations from Driftwafter. "Thank you."
"I know how much Silverpool cares about you," Driftwafter explained. "So that's why when I became her mate, I promised her that I would show you the same amount of care. I'm not trying to replace your father or anything, I just want you to know that you can always count on me."
Crowsky felt genuinely warmed by Driftwater's sentiment. "Thank you, that means a lot." Crowsky bowed his head. "I'm really glad that Silverpool was able to find happiness in you."
"We found happiness in each other." Driftwater purred. "I'm glad you're back, I can see it in her eyes, Silverpool is finally complete. I've given her love and kits, but I always knew a part of her left when you did, and now you're back."
Crowsky looked over at Silverpool who showed her two kits a hunting crouch, their eyes shimmering with joy. I'm so glad I came back, for her sake.