"Flamepath! Flamepath!" The warriors of WindClan welcomed the newly made warrior. The nighttime green-leaf air was heavy with humidity. Roseblossom joined in with the chanting, though quietly. She hadn't agreed with her leader's decision of welcoming the former kittypet into the Clan, but Flamepath had proved to be determind and loyal. Under Fawnstar's decision, Flamepath had ended his training with Oliveclaw early.
Although the black and white leader hadn't explained why, Roseblossom guessed it was because tensions between the other Clans had been high lately. Roseblossom hadn't attended the Gathering for the previous moon, but Ambernight had told her about how every Clan sat divided, and the friendly mood had been overshadowed by accuasations about prey-stealing and border crossings.
Just a few sunrises ago, RiverClan had provoked a second battle skirmish. Oliveclaw had been the first to attack, sending the two Clans into an unwanted skirmish. Roseblossom had been there along with Flamepath, Duskspots, and Snowleap. Though this time, WindClan had managed to overtake RiverClan, sending them home with scratches to remember them by.
Roseblossom's least favorite thing about being a warrior was fighting. She wasn't bad at it, she just hated the thought of spilling blood over simple reasons such as borders or boundaries. Thank StarClan we don't share a border with ShadowClan. Roseblossom couldn't ever think of fighting the Clan that one of her closest friends, Pebblejump, lived in.
As Roseblossom reflected over the past moon, she remembered Aspenrose. She gazed out into the darkness of night that surrounded the camp. She couldn't help but feel comforted at the thought of a StarClan warrior watching the WindClan camp. But she remembered in dismay her last meeting with Aspenrose. She had tried to ask the cream cat how she had passed, but the starry warrior had faded like mist before she had ever gotten her answer. Roseblossom hadn't been visited by Aspenrose or Driftfrost since. Maybe its harder for StarClan to reach warriors than it is for them to speak with medicine cats. The idea made sense, but Roseblossom couldn't help but feel lost without Aspenrose's guidance.
Roseblossom also couldn't stop thinking about her prophecy. She longed to know what it meant, but Firepool had decided it was best that no one else found out about it; including Roseblossom herself. The gray and white warrior was jostled from her thoughts as hisses and gasps of surprise erupted around her. Sandheart and his mate, Duskspots, padded into the clearing, a ginger tom and a gray tom following them.
Roseblossom recognized the ginger tom, whose silver eyes were narrowed, as the deputy of RiverClan, Ryefeather. The gray tom beside him was Skybreeze, the RiverClan medicince cat.
Fawnstar trotted over hurriedly, surprise flashing her amber gaze. "What's going on?" She confronted her black deputy.
Sandheart dipped his head, yellow eyes calm. "Duskpots and I," he flicked his tail towards the tortoiseshell-patched she-cat. "We were out on a nighttime hunt together when we caught these two on our territory."
Fawnstar flicked her ginger-tipped tail, gazing at Ryefeather. "Is there a reason for that?"
Ryefeather gave a snort of disbelief. "We were passing through after a trip to the Moonpool," he flicked his ginger tail calmly. "Yes, I am Ryestar, now."
Roseblossom half expected WindClan to murmur congratulations, but they just stood, tails flicking and muscles tense, as if ready to attack at any moment. Roseblossom couldn't believe her Clanmates. Leaders and medicine cats should be able to pass through any cats' territory if they're following the will of StarClan. Roseblossom was surprised at the calmness in both Ryestar's and Skybreeze's eyes, but she could also detect a glimmer of challenge in Ryestar's tone.
"We should be on our way, now," the RiverClan cats turned to go, but halted at Fawnstar's voice.
"Fine. But if I catch you on my territory again, unless its half-moon, you won't be sorry," Roseblossom was surprised at her usually reasonable leader. Now, it seemed she had become over concerned about the state of their situation.
Roseblossom felt Ambernight's soft tail over her shoulders. She gazed up at her ancestors. They dotted the pitch black sky, like little white dots of hope blazing, watching and waiting for what would happen next.