Эрин Хантер - Firestar’s Quest

“My next task is one of the most important that a leader can perform,” Leafstar went on. “The making of new warriors.” She beckoned Cherrypaw and Sparrowpaw with her tail; the two young cats rose and came to stand side by side at the bottom of the Rockpile, their eyes shining. “Sharpclaw,” Leafstar asked, “has your apprentice Cherrypaw learned the skills of a warrior? And does she understand what the warrior code means to every cat?”

“She has and she does,” Sharpclaw replied solemnly. “She fought like a seasoned warrior against the rats.”

“And I can say the same for my apprentice, Sparrowpaw,” Leafstar meowed. She leaped down from the Rockpile and stood in front of the two young cats. “I, Leafstar, leader of SkyClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these two apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn.”

A shiver ran through Firestar as he heard the familiar words. Not until today could a SkyClan cat have spoken them with certainty, for no cat knew what had happened to their warrior ancestors. But now he knew—and more important, Leafstar knew—that they walked the skies where they belonged, and would do so for all the seasons to come.

Leafstar went on. “Cherrypaw, Sparrowpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your lives?”

Cherrypaw’s fur bristled and she flexed her claws as she replied, “I do.”

Sparrowpaw looked calmer, but no cat could doubt the sincerity in his voice as he also promised, “I do.”

“Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior names. Cherrypaw, from this moment you will be known as Cherrytail. StarClan honors your bravery and your enthusiasm, and we welcome you as a full member of SkyClan.”

Leafstar rested her muzzle on the top of Cherrytail’s head; Cherrytail licked her shoulder and moved away to join the other warriors.

Leafstar turned to Sparrowpaw and repeated the same time-honored words. “Sparrowpaw, from this moment you will be known as Sparrowpelt. StarClan honors your courage and your strength, and we welcome you as a full member of SkyClan.”

She rested her muzzle on his head, and he too bent respectfully to lick her shoulder.

“Cherrytail! Sparrowpelt! Cherrytail! Sparrowpelt!” the rest of the Clan called to welcome the two new warriors.

Cherrytail gave a massive, jubilant leap into the air.

Next, Leafstar beckoned with her tail to Clovertail’s three kits. Trying not to wriggle with excitement, they padded up to their Clan leader. Clovertail watched them, looking ready to burst with pride.

“Patchfoot, you have shown courage and endurance,” Leafstar meowed. “You will be mentor to Bouncepaw.”

Bouncepaw let out a squeal, broke off almost at once, and pattered over to Patchfoot to touch noses with him.

Patchfoot looked down at him, eyes glowing with pride at having been chosen as a mentor.

“Cherrytail, you are a new warrior,” Leafstar continued, “but the whole of SkyClan has seen your dedication. You will mentor Rockpaw.”

The black apprentice bounced up and went to touch noses with his new mentor; Cherrytail looked thrilled.

Leafstar looked down at the last of the three kits, who was hardly able to keep still. “Sparrowpelt, you are young too,” Leafstar mewed at last. “But you have excellent fighting and hunting skills. I trust you will pass them on to Tinypaw.”

The white apprentice sprang up and, obviously trying to be more dignified than her brothers, padded up to Sparrowpelt and stretched up to touch noses with him.

“For now,” Leafstar told them, “all warriors will work together to train the new apprentices. We are a new Clan, and we must learn to depend on one another. I have one more thing to do,” she added. “Before Firestar and Sandstorm came to the gorge, we lived separate lives. We were rogues and kittypets. We knew nothing of the life of a Clan, or of the warrior code. Now we belong together and we support one another. Firestar, Sandstorm, we thank you for all you have done for us. Your names will be honored forever by the cats of SkyClan.”

“Firestar! Sandstorm!”

Firestar felt himself swelling with pride. He remembered his worries about leaving his Clan, and the dangers of the journey upriver. Every pang of anxiety, every weary pawstep were worth it now that he saw the strong bodies and shining eyes of the new Clan members.

He felt Sandstorm’s muzzle brushing his ear as his mate murmured, “It’s time for us to leave. We’ve rebuilt SkyClan, just as we promised. Our own future is waiting for us in the forest.”

Firestar knew she was right, but a pang clawed him at the thought of leaving these cats who had become his friends.

They were unlikely to meet again until they walked with StarClan—and even then, would they share the same skies?

He rose to his paws to meet Leafstar as she padded over to him. “Was that all right, Firestar?” she asked anxiously. “I was afraid I wouldn’t remember the proper words.”

“It was perfect,” Firestar told her. “SkyClan is yours now.

You don’t need us anymore.”

A shadow of sadness crossed Leafstar’s face, but she didn’t try to persuade him to stay. “Your own Clan needs you,” she meowed. “But SkyClan will never forget you.”

As the rest of SkyClan realized that Firestar and Sandstorm were about to leave, they gathered around, wishing them good-bye and good luck.

“Remember the first time we met?” Cherrytail meowed.

“You told us off for making fun of Skywatcher. I thought I’d never seen such a dangerous cat!” Her eyes gleamed with mischief. “Now I’m dangerous, too!”

Sandstorm gave her an affectionate nudge. “I wouldn’t be a rat around here for anything.”

“Yes, you’ll have to keep an eye open for the rats,” Firestar reminded Leafstar. “And the kittypets in Twolegplace—Oscar might take it into his head to cause trouble. And—”

Sandstorm interrupted him by prodding him with one paw. “Leafstar knows all that,” she meowed. “They’ll be fine.

Let’s go.”

Calling out more good-byes, Firestar and Sandstorm began to climb up the stony trails to the cliff top. Echosong walked with them as far as her own den. When she reached it, she touched noses with Firestar, her eyes filled with regret.

“Maybe we will meet again in the paths of dreaming,” she mewed. “But my heart tells me that this is farewell. Thank you, Firestar. You have helped me find my destiny.”

Firestar bowed his head. “SkyClan is lucky to have you as their medicine cat, Echosong.”

It was hard to look back and see the small tabby figure standing outside her den, watching them leave. Was Echosong really ready to take on the role of a medicine cat?

Would Sharpclaw understand how a deputy had to support his Clan leader? Would the inexperienced mentors be able to cope with their apprentices?

Then as they paused at the edge of the cliff, Firestar caught sight of a SkyClan patrol among the undergrowth far below.

Leafstar was in the lead, with Patchfoot and his apprentice, Bouncepaw, and Clovertail bringing up the rear. As Firestar watched, Clovertail pounced, and stood up with some tiny creature hanging from her jaws.

“See?” Sandstorm purred as she licked Firestar’s ear.

“There’s nothing to worry about. Let’s go home.”

Firestar let out a long sigh. His quest was over; he had walked with SkyClan to their journey’s end—and a new beginning—and now he could go where his heart truly belonged. He pressed his muzzle against Sandstorm’s shoulder, and they began to head toward the forest.