Rosepetal murmured agreement. “I’m sure Bumblestripe will find another mate soon,” she mewed. “He’s so nice.”
Blossomfall gave her a friendly prod. “I’ll put in a good word for you, if you like!”
Bramblestar was distracted from the conversation as Jessy came to sit beside him and tucked into her mouse. He studied her warily, still not sure about what their future might be. Squirrelflight’s comments had confronted him with something he had been aware of for a while. He was finishing his thrush when his deputy approached, picking her way through the crowd of feeding cats.
“Hey, Squirrelflight wants you,” Jessy meowed, springing to her paws as she gulped down the last of her mouse. “I’ll talk to you later.” Resting her tail on Bramblestar’s shoulder for a moment, she headed for the nursery.
Bramblestar noticed that Squirrelflight’s gaze followed her, but he said nothing. “Did you want something?” he asked.
“Yes,” Squirrelflight mewed. “I thought we could celebrate the return to the hollow with a warrior ceremony. Lilypaw fought well against the badgers, don’t you think? I know she hasn’t had a formal assessment, but she’s more than proved her skills.”
“She sure has,” Bramblestar agreed. “Let’s do it.” Glancing around, he saw that most of the Clan had finished eating. He rose to his paws. “Since we’re all here,” he began, “I’m going to hold a Clan meeting. I’ve got something important to do. Lilypaw, come here.”
The apprentice’s eyes widened with shock and she almost tripped over her own paws as she joined Bramblestar. The rest of the Clan moved into a ragged circle with Bramblestar at its center.
“Am I in trouble?” Lilypaw whispered.
Bramblestar shook his head. “Quite the opposite.” Raising his voice, he began, “I, Bramblestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn.”
Lilypaw looked astonished as Bramblestar spoke the words of the ceremony. Every hair on her pelt fluffed out, and she was trembling. A stir of excitement ran through her Clanmates as they realized what was happening.
“Lilypaw,” Bramblestar went on, “do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?”
Lilypaw’s jaw’s opened and for a moment Bramblestar thought nothing would come out. But her voice was clear and confident as she replied, “I do.”
“Then by the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Lilypaw, from this moment you will be known as Lilyheart. I give you this name in recognition of your courage, and because Seedpaw and Sorreltail will live forever in your heart. ThunderClan honors your bravery and dedication, and we welcome you as a full member of ThunderClan.” He rested his muzzle on her head, and Lilyheart licked his shoulder in response.
“Lilyheart! Lilyheart!” the rest of ThunderClan called out in welcome.
Under cover of the jubilant cries, Lilyheart whispered to Bramblestar, “Thank you for my name. It’s beautiful.”
Poppyfrost bounded forward to congratulate her former apprentice, while Brackenfur padded up to Bramblestar’s side. “Thank you, Bramblestar,” he meowed, his eyes shining with pride as he gazed at his daughter. “You don’t know what this means to me.”
“She deserves it,” Bramblestar meowed. “You both deserve it.”
Before the circle of cats could disperse, Graystripe and Sandstorm stepped forward together to stand beside Bramblestar. Each of them dipped their head to him with great dignity.
“Bramblestar, we want to ask if we may enter the elders’ den when the Clan returns to the hollow,” Sandstorm mewed.
“We feel it’s time to let the younger cats take over,” Graystripe added. “Though we’ll still be watching them!”
Even though he had been expecting this for a while, Bramblestar felt a pang of sorrow. Firestar and Dustpelt were dead; Graystripe and Sandstorm were the last remaining cats of their generation. “Of course you may join Purdy,” he agreed. “If you’re sure, we can hold your ceremony now.”
Realizing that something more was about to happen, the Clan fell silent again, Lilyheart, Brackenfur, and Poppyfrost withdrawing to stand in the circle with their Clanmates.
“Cats of ThunderClan,” Graystripe began, sounding slightly awkward but determined to have his say, “I’m so glad that I came back to find ThunderClan. I could never have made the journey without Millie, and I was so blessed by StarClan to have a second chance to raise kits.” His glance traveled around the clearing, resting on each of his friends in turn. “I’ll never forget Silverstream or Stonefur,” he went on, “and I can scarcely believe that my daughter Mistystar is now leader of RiverClan. But I have no quarrel with StarClan for the path they chose for me, and I’m proud of all my kits. Blossomfall for her courage and skill in battle; Bumblestripe for his loyalty and compassion; and Briarlight for her bravery, her humbling spirit, and her hopefulness. I shall be watching all of you from the elders’ den; you can be sure of that.”
“I won’t be long behind you, Graystripe,” Millie purred, giving her mate a loving look.
Graystripe blinked at her. “I will wait for you, my dear.”
Bramblestar waited for a moment, recalling the two cats’ long relationship and the kits they had given to ThunderClan. Then he stepped forward and glanced from Graystripe to Sandstorm. “Are you ready?”
“Almost,” Sandstorm mewed. “I just want to say that I will continue to serve my Clan and the warrior code, even from the elders’ den.” Her green gaze, full of love and loyalty, swept around the circle of her Clanmates. “I wish Firestar were here at my side,” she went on, her voice shaking, “but I know he’s watching over me, and over all of us.” With great dignity she dipped her head to Bramblestar. “Go ahead.”
“Sandstorm, Graystripe,” Bramblestar began, “is it your wish to give up the role of warrior and go to join the elders?”
There was regret but no uncertainty in Sandstorm’s voice. “It is.”
“It is,” Graystripe echoed.
“Your Clan honors you and all the service you have given us,” Bramblestar went on. “I call upon StarClan to give you many seasons of rest.” He laid his tail across Sandstorm’s shoulders, and the ginger she-cat bowed her head, then stepped back. When Bramblestar had repeated the gesture for Graystripe, the two cats padded over to stand beside Purdy.
“I’m lookin’ forward to company in the elders’ den,” the old tom meowed. “We’ll have plenty o’ stories to tell each other.”
For a moment Bramblestar thought that he could see Firestar and Dustpelt weaving around the two new-made elders, the four cats united again. But before he could be certain, the image faded.
Chapter 34
“Uh… Bramblestar?” Frankie walked into the circle of cats. “Can I ask you something?”
Bramblestar dipped his head. “Of course.”
“I want… that is, I’d like to join ThunderClan, and stay in the forest forever. If you’ll have me,” Frankie finished humbly.
Murmurs of surprise rose from the cats who surrounded them, but Bramblestar was pleased to see that none of them looked hostile at the idea of accepting a kittypet into the Clan. The gray tabby had more than proved his loyalty in the battle with the badgers, and his willingness to hunt and patrol.
“We’d be honored to have you,” he responded.
Frankie’s eyes shone with pride. “Thank you, Bramblestar!”
“Frankie,” Bramblestar went on, “from this moment you will be known as Stormpaw, in recognition of the storm that brought you here, and as a memorial to your brother Benny. Squirrelflight, you will be mentor to Stormpaw. I’m sure that you will teach him everything he needs to know.”