WARRIORS: The New Start

*"Are you sure that the cats will listen to us?" meowed a silver cat, who was slowly padding up to a scarred, brown tom. The tom growled softly "They have to Dewfur, and I'm sure they will." The Dewfur hissed,"I admire your bright thinking Duststar, but we can't be sure. Anyways, why don't you just ask Mistwing, you always says that she's so smart, no?" Duststar snarled at Dewfur, their muzzles nearly touching, "Don't bring up something that happened moons ago Dewfur, unless you want another scar on your pelt!" Suddenly a small white flurry of paws and fur landed clumsly in front of the two quarreling cats, "STOP! ARGUING ISN'T GOING TO HELP!" The two cats backed away, but they were still glaring at each other. Dewfur had leaped suddenly at the small white cat and Duststar leaped in front of the white cat, Duststar yowled out one last sentence as Dewfur's claws met his throat, "Splashpaw! From this moment on you will be known as Splashflame!" Duststar gasped, "Avenge my death my daughter! Tell, Mistwing that I will watch over her! Tell Sunstep that he will be a great leader. Tell your brothers that..." As Duststar trailed off, Splashflame watched in horror as her father's head fell to the ground limply. Splashflame tipped her head back and yowled as loud as she could, "DUSTSTAR HAS FALLEN!", a nearby patrol must have heard her, because a few cats huddled around Spashflame an asked her what happened, a maroon tabby looked at Splashflame and asked, "Splashpaw, are you okay?" Splashflame looked at the tabby blankly, "Duststar gave me my warrior name before he died, I'm Splashflame now, Oakleap." Oakleap meowed more gently, "You deserved it. But, what happened to him?" Splashflame rested her gaze at Dewfur and snarled, "Did you hear Duststar? 'Avenge my death daughter.' I'm going to be the last cat your going to see Dewfur, you're going to be sorry about today's work. I'll make you feel sorry for what you did, and you know what that means? I'm going to kill you." So without a moments hesitation, Splashflame had leaped at Dewfur, claws out-stretched, ears flat on her head. Dewfur had let out a scream that had seemed to last on forever. Dewfur's silver body had jerked once, then fell still. Some cat around her whispered, "Splashflame!"*

*"Splashflame!" Splashflame woke up with a start as she heard a gentle meow*, a light gray head loomed in front of her, "It's time for the dawn patrol" Splashflame shook her head, "Later." *How can I go on patrol knowing that my father had died? How can I mark borders happily, simply forgetting about Duststar?* Splashflame shook her head again,"Not now Timberfrost." Timberfrost looked sad, "Oh, Okay." As Timberfrost left she wished that she hadn't been so rejecting, *He just cares for me! And I turned him away! Oh Starclan, why can't I think straight?* Since the moment she had been an apprentice, she had known that Timberfrost had liked her, her whiskers twitched with amusment at the thought of the light gray tom. Timberfrost had gotten his warrior name a few moons before Duststar had died. With a pang she remembered her father's death again and sighed, *How come the whole clan is quiet when I go past?* Her clan had seemed to say yes to everything that she wanted, and after she had told her mother, Mistwing and Sunstep, who was now Sunstar, what Duststar had wanted her to pass on, they seemed to think of Splashflame as some 'All knowing Starclan cat'. *I hate being treated differently, I haven't changed a lot, surely, and it's been over three moons since he died and I got my warrior name.* Splashflame must have drifted off to sleep because when she woke up Timberfrost was beside her, grooming her ragged pelt, which she hadn't cleaned in days. Suddenly Splashflame felt a wave of affection for the gray tom beside her, *At least someone cares for me.* As Splashflame yawned, Timberfrost purred, "Your awake! I thought you were never going to wake up!" Splashflame rested her head on Timberfrost's flank and purred as she saw the surprise lighting up in his eyes, "Of course I was going to wake up." Splashflame added affectionately, "Mouse-brain." Timberfrost echoed her, his eyes bright, "Mouse-brain" Splashflame laughed, "Who's being moony now?" Timberfrost purred, "You used to be *even more moony* when you used to look at Scorchpaw!" Splashflame stared at him her thoughts racing, "No way." She remembered her funny denmate who had died last moon during a border skirmish at the Thunderclan border. Timberfrost seemed to notice her reluctance to talk about her dead denmate so he went on briskly, "You should get some sleep, you hardly sleep these days." Splashflame glared at him, "*You* don't have to be fussy about me not sleeping." Timberfrost flinched, "I was just worried, okay?" he sighed "I'm sorry for bothering you, I'll go now." Splashflame whimpered, "No! Don't go! I didn't mean it like that!" Timberfrost turned around, pain brimming in his green eyes, "Are you sure? I can leave if you want." *Why Can't I think before I speak for once?!* Splashflame meowed softly, " I'm cold by myself, and lonely." Timberfrost smiled, "I'll stay then" As Splashflame and Timberfrost made a nest in a hollow tree, one of their clanmates Acornclaw walked past, "Hi Splashflame" Acornclaw looked surprised as he spotted Timberfrost, "Doesn't Splashflame want peace?" Splashflame snorted , *Just because I didn't want to share a nest with Acornclaw doesn't mean I don't want to share one with Timberfrost!* Splashflame knew that Acornclaw clearly liked her too, *He doesn't have to make it so obvious though!* Timeberfrost meowed casually, "Splashpelt wanted some company, that's all" Splashflame nodded in approval at Timberfrost's calm manner, "I was lonely, and cold." Acornclaw purred, "I can stay with you! I'm great company!" Splashflame exchanged an annoyed glance with Timberfrost, Acornclaw was as clueless as a kit out of the nursery for the first time! Splashflame rolled her eyes, "Come on Acornclaw! You know that I like Timberfrost better than you! ." Acornclaw's tail drooped, "Okay Splashflame, if you really want it that way. I'll leave you be now. Have a good sleep, bye."As Acornclaw left, Splashflame and Timberfrost settled in thier nest, Splashflame yawned, "Good night Timberfrost." As Splashflame felt Timberfrost licking her ears clean, she waited for his reply, but when he spoke he seemed hesitant to speak. Splashflame looked up at him, "What's wrong?" Timberfrost shook his head, "Nothing, It's just that.." Splashflame's heart started beating faster, "Did I do something wrong? Or did I say something or..." She trailed of as Timberfrost put his tail on her muzzle, Timberfrost purred gently, "No it's not that," He stopped. Then all of a sudden he bursted with embarresment, "Will you be my mate?" Splashflame stared at him, her mouth open. Then she started purring so loud that it surprised her that the tree wasn't collapsing, "Of Course Timberfrost! Of course! I've been waiting for you to ask!" She realised that Timberfrost had been holding his breath, and so she licked Timberfrost's cheek to help relax him. Timberfrost purred, "Thank you for accepting Splashflame. I promise to never let you down." And so Splashflame drifted off to sleep in a good mood for once, and it wasn't until she was almost asleep, when she realised that her father had died...

"*But I'm asking you, are you okay? Answer me Splashflame!"* Growled Juniperspot, the clan medicine cat, Splashflame nodded, "It's just my belly it hurts, maybe it was just a tough bit of fresh-kill." Juniperspot frowned, "It's more than that!" he paused "Congratulations on becoming a mother Splashflame! It seems like your expecting kits. Who's the lucky tom?" At that moment Timberfrost burst in the den, "Is she okay?" Splashflame purred, "Timberfrost! Your a father!I'm expecting your kits!" Juniperspot murmmured, "Timberfrost?" Splashflame glared at Juniperspot, "Who else might the father be?" Juniperspot sniffed, "Acornclaw, Honeyfur or Poolhawk?" Splashflame sneeered at him, "Well, I don't like them. Better get going then!' As Splashflame and Timberfrost padded out of the Medicine Cat's den, they saw Sunstar leaping towards them with an unreadable expression. Timberfrost frowned, "What's wrong?" Sunstar looked depressed, "There was a battle on Sunningrocks" Splashflame pricked her ears in interest, "What happened?" Sunstar went on,"And our deputy, Ebonyfang, has fallen." Timberfrost stared at Sunstar in horror, "Is this true?" *Why is he so scared?* Then it hit her, Ebonyfang was his father, Splashflame brushed closer to Timberfrost and licked his ears, "It's going to be all fine," she paused as she remembered her own father's death, *Oh, Starclan why did you do this to him?* Splashflame went on, "Once you get over it'll be fine." Timberfrost hissed at her, "How do *you* know what it feels like?" She flinched, "I understand better than any cat!" she felt fury pulsing beneath her pelt, "My father has died a few moons ago!" Sunstar broke the tension, "I need a new deputy." Splashflame growled, "So. Why are you talking to us?" Sunstar sighed, "Because I want *you,* Splashflame to be my deputy." Splashflame stared at the orange tabby, then meowed softly, "I would have loved to, I always dreamed of it, but I can't" Sunstar bristled, "Why?" Splashflame purred unexpectedly, "I'm expecting kits!" Sunstar looked surprised, "That's great news! Who's the father..." He trailed off as he saw Splashflame and Timberfrost twining thier tails together, "Timberfrost?" Splashflame purred, "Yes" Sunstar nodded, "In that case should appoint my deputy" Sunstar jumped onto a tall tree and yowled, "LET ALL CATS OLD ENOUGH TO SWIM GATHER UNDER THE HIGH TREE!" As the cats assembled, Sunstar meowed loudly, "*I say these words before StarClan, so that the spirits of our warrior ancestors and Ebonyfang may hear and approve of my choice. The new deputy of Riverclan is,"* He paused, "***TIMBERFROST!"*** Splashflame purred in approval and Timberfrost looked shocked, "I promise to try my best Sunstar, thank you." The clan yowled out to Silverpelt, "Timberfrost! Timberfrost!" As the clan broke off gradually Splashflame noticed some of the toms hanging back, *What are they talking about?* As she strained to listen she caught a few words, "*Splashflame, Happier looking, Timberfur, Get rid of, Kits? No way."* Splashflame felt suspicions rising beneath her pelt as she crept up towards the group of toms, "What's wrong?" Splashflame jumped up in surprise, "Timberfrost! I didn't hear you coming!" Timberfrost purred, "We should make you a nest in the nursery now! Come on!" Splashflame was about to make a sharp retort but she stopped in time and grumbled, "Fine." As Splashflame and Timberfrost walked into the nursery, they were greeted by two of the queens, Honeyblossom and Milkheart, and their lively kits. Honeyblossom nodded in welcome, "Hello, Splashflame and Timberfrost, what do you need?" Splashflame ducked her head in embarassment, "Well, I'm expecting Timberfrost's kits!" The two queens purred, "That's great news! We should make you a nest!" Timberfrost nodded, "Make sure her nest is the most softest and cleanest nest I've ever seen, okay?" Milkheart purred, "Of course, I'll take care of her nest." After her nest had been made she settled in her soft nest made of feathers and moss. Timberfrost whispered to the other queens, "Can I stay with her tonight, please?" Both queens nodded, so Timberfrost gently curled himself around Splashflame and groomed her pelt as she fell asleep. *Thank you Starclan, for giving me something to make up for Duststar's death, I hope I can make him proud.* Splashflame felt something brushing against her, and she made out the two figures of Duststar and Ebonyfang, *Are you there Duststar, and Ebonyfang or am I making this up?* She heard a reply as soft as the wind, *Yes, we're here, you make me proud my daughter, serve your clan well...*

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