Эрин Хантер - River of Fire

More apprentice work? she thought. I bet that no cat who ever lived has ever shifted as many ticks off the elders’ pelts!

But Twigpaw knew she had to control her anger. She was too grateful for the chance that the Clan leader was offering her, and she knew that she had no choice. Leafstar would never welcome her back.

Besides, she reflected, what’s a few more moons of apprenticeship, compared to the whole of the rest of my life in ThunderClan?

“Okay, Bramblestar,” she agreed. “It’ll be good to work with Ivypool again.” Relief was spreading through her—even if she had to be an apprentice again, at least Bramblestar wasn’t going to send her away.

“Oh, no, Ivypool can’t be your mentor,” Bramblestar meowed. “She’s in the nursery now, about to have the kits she’s expecting with Fernsong. No, I’ll have to find a different cat for you. . . .”

Twigpaw waited, her paws itching with impatience. Cherryfall might be a good mentor. Or maybe Whitewing . . .

“Yes . . .” Bramblestar let out a purr of satisfaction. “I think you’ll do very well with Sparkpelt.”

Oh, StarClan, no! Twigpaw barely stopped herself from speaking the words aloud. I know Sparkpelt doesn’t want me here. Then she realized that Bramblestar might already be testing her. “Fine,” she mewed, trying to sound enthusiastic. “I promise I’ll try my hardest.”

“Good.” Bramblestar rose to his paws and beckoned with his tail for Twigpaw to follow him out onto the Highledge and down the tumbled rocks into the camp. Most of the Clan was still waiting, and a murmur of anticipation rose from them as their leader appeared with Twigpaw behind him. They gathered around in a wide circle with Bramblestar and Twigpaw at the center; then Bramblestar called for Finpaw to join them.

“Cats of ThunderClan,” their leader began. “As you can see, Twigpaw has returned to us. I have decided that she should continue her apprenticeship here in ThunderClan.”

Glancing around, Twigpaw was relieved to see that most of her Clanmates looked happy to welcome her back, though she could see uncertainty in the eyes of some of them.

“She’ll still be an apprentice?” Dewnose muttered.

Meanwhile, Bramblestar turned to Finpaw. “What are we to do with you, Finpaw?” he asked, half to himself.

Twigpaw realized guiltily that she hadn’t even asked Bramblestar about Finpaw. But surely Bramblestar won’t send him away?

Finpaw stood boldly in front of the Clan leader and met his gaze. “I want to be a ThunderClan warrior,” he declared. “I’ve heard so many tales about Firestar, and how brave and honorable you all are. This is the best Clan in the forest, and I can’t wait to be part of it.” He gave an excited little jump. “ Please let me join!”

Twigpaw could hear murmurs of appreciation at the young tom’s enthusiastic words.

“Let him in, Bramblestar,” Graystripe called out. “We need eager young cats like him.”

“Yes, we can’t afford to turn any promising cat away,” Squirrelflight added; her green gaze rested on Finpaw, half amused and half admiring.

“I don’t know . . .” Thornclaw looked doubtful. “Should we really be taking in just any cat? Not every cat is right for ThunderClan, after all.”

“True,” Cloudtail meowed with a flick of his tail. “Look at what’s been happening since the Clans started taking in every cat that happens to stroll into camp.”

Listening to the senior warrior, Twigpaw couldn’t help thinking about the destruction Darktail and his rogues had caused—but also the chaos she had caused when she’d led the remains of SkyClan into the ThunderClan camp. She wondered whether Cloudtail was aiming the sly remark at her, though the white tom’s gaze was firmly fixed on his leader.

“Maybe SkyClan cats don’t understand that they can’t just jump from one Clan to another,” Brightheart said sternly. “Finpaw, you have to be sure.”

Finpaw’s eyes widened. “I am sure,” he said earnestly. “I want to be part of ThunderClan.”

“These are unusual times,” Bramblestar said thoughtfully. “With so many changes in the Clans, we have to consider making changes as well. It’s possible that StarClan has some reason to want us to welcome Finpaw to ThunderClan . . . And he does seem convinced that this is where he belongs.”

“We should keep him for now.” Cherryfall spoke up. “Let’s give him a trial and see if he shapes up.”

“Oh, I will!” Finpaw’s eyes stretched wide as his confident gaze swept around the group of cats. “I promise!”

Bramblestar nodded. “Very well. Finpaw, we’ll welcome you as an apprentice for now, but you must show loyalty to ThunderClan. Can you do that?”

Too overwhelmed to speak, Finpaw nodded eagerly.

“Then, Finpaw, from this time forward you will be a ThunderClan apprentice,” Bramblestar announced. “Larksong, you are a loyal and committed cat. You will be his mentor and pass on your skills and experience to him.”

The young black tom, looking stunned at his leader’s praise and the honor of being chosen as a mentor, took a pace forward and dipped his head respectfully. “I won’t let you down, Bramblestar.”

Finpaw skipped across the circle of cats to stand in front of Larksong, and reached up to touch noses with him. “This is going to be great !” he announced.

“Finpaw! Finpaw!” the ThunderClan cats acclaimed him. Twigpaw could see that he was going to be popular, and she couldn’t repress a tiny twinge of jealousy. Are they more excited to have Finpaw join the Clan than they are to have me back?

Her heart lurched as Bramblestar turned to her. “Do I need a ceremony?” she asked him. “I mean, what’s the point. I’ve already had one. Twice,” she added, the last word under her breath.

“You should do as you’re told,” Sparkpelt snapped at her from where she stood a couple of tail-lengths away.

Uh-oh, Twigpaw thought. She’s not going to be pleased when she finds out what Bramblestar has in mind.

“Yes, you had a ceremony with Ivypool,” Bramblestar meowed, his voice even. “And now you need one with your new mentor.”

“It’s so exciting!” Finpaw piped up. “We’ll be apprentices together.”

“Sure we will,” Twigpaw responded, wishing she could share her friend’s enthusiasm. She turned and nodded to Bramblestar, wishing too that she hadn’t protested in the first place. I don’t want to start out by being difficult.

“Then from this time forward,” Bramblestar began, “Twigpaw will be a ThunderClan apprentice. Sparkpelt,” Bramblestar continued, “you are a brave and loyal ThunderClan cat, and I know that you will pass on all you have learned to Twigpaw.”

“What?” Sparkpelt’s eyes widened and her neck fur began to fluff up as she gazed at Twigpaw. But she had enough sense not to protest her Clan leader’s decision, even though he was her father. “I’ll do my best, Bramblestar,” she added with a sigh.

Twigpaw padded over to Sparkpelt and made herself touch noses with her as she met her new mentor’s irritated gaze. I’ll show you! she resolved. I’ll be the best apprentice any cat ever had.

Once the ceremony was over, Bramblestar returned to his den, and the rest of the Clan began to disperse. Most of them headed for the warriors’ den to settle into their nests for the night.

Twigpaw found herself alone in the middle of the camp, suddenly feeling a little lost, as if she didn’t belong there after all.

I’m sure I made the right decision to come back, she insisted to herself. But I never thought it would be like this. I thought it would be better. . . .