-=Two Moons Later=-

Rosepaw happily bounded forward as Risingstar instructed her to. The clan gathered around, silently watching with pride for a new warrior. Her eyes sparkled as Risingstar started the ceremony.

She had never felt more excited. In the past two moons, Burningsun have birth to three healthy kits. Lightkit was a cream she-cat with a white chest. Stripekit looked most like his father. He had a grey tabby pelt. Then there was Brackenkit, the outcast. He was a brown tom with grey mixed in as well. Burningsun told him that her father looked like him, so he was destined to be great.

The snow had begun to slowly melt away with the sun's bright and warming rays. A sign of New-Leaf.

Now, Brightflower was expecting Emberstone's kits. Berrysplash said there would be two.

"-Do you, Rosepaw, promise to follow the Warrior code, and to protect your clan at all times?" Risingstar asked.

"I do!"

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I grant you your warrior name. From this moment on, you shall be known as Rosethorn. ThunderClan welcomes you as a full warrior."

Risingstar put her chin above her head and the clan erupted with chants.

"Rosethorn!"

"Rosethorn!"

And over it all, her friend Shadepaw and former mentor Fallensnow's were the loudest.

***

The sun sank behind the tall oak trees, casting shadows on the ground. Goosefeather chased after Stripekit, who was trying to squeeze in with the warriors. "But I wanna go!"He squealed.

"You will, just not now. You're too young." Goosefeather responded, picking him up by the scruff. "You need to stay with your mother right now. It's your bed time!"

He carried the kit over and set him down next to his sleeping littermates.

Goosefeather gave Burningsun a lick on the head. "I'll see you later." He purred.

"Don't take too long." The two touched noses and Goosefeather padded back over to the cluster.

I wish someone would love me like that. Rosethorn thought. She sighed and flickered her eyes over to the approaching Risingstar.

"Usually, at this time you would be doing your warrior ritual. But tonight is the gathering, so I'll set it off till tomorrow." Risingstar told her.

Rosethorn nodded and padded over to Shadepaw as the rest of the clan that was going walked to the exit.

"How does it feel to be a warrior?" Shadepaw asked curiously, falling into pace with the bigger feline. There wasn't too much of a difference between the two, though.

"It's great! I can go off into the woods without 'warrior supervision'! She purred happily.

Shadepaw sighed.

"Hey, you've only got another moon or so to wait!" Rosethorn reassured.

"Do you think one of Burningsun's kits will be a medicine cat?" She asked, changing the subject.

Shadepaw had learned more about clan life, and had become very well at hunting. She would usually come back with four to five prices of prey.

The orange she-cat shrugged and faced forward. The gathering island came into view, along with the log to get to it.

Risingstar leaped onto the fallen log and walked across with confidence. This log had been across the lake for many, many moons. The elders say it had been around since Firestar's time.

When it was her turn, Rosethorn looked down at the water nervously. Even after going over it so many times, the fact that she might fall still scared her.
Slowly, paw step by paw step she went across. "AH-" she screeched as she slipped on some wet moss.
Rosethorn plummeted downward, but managed to snag her claws into the side. Using all her upper strength, she heaved herself up back onto the log and managed to get across without falling again.

She padded through the brambles and shuddered. She HATED going across that mouse-brained log. All clans were already chatting and sharing news. Once everyone was across, Risingstar quickly padded over to the ancient tree and leaped up onto the second lowest branch.

"Jadestar, would you care to begin?" Kestrelstar asked.

Jadestar dipped her head. "Of course. ShadowClan has been doing well. Prey is starting to come back, now that the snow is melting." She nodded to Reedstar.

"RiverClan is doing well, too." He spoke. "We have two new apprentices, Troutpaw and Stormpaw!"

"Troutpaw, Stormpaw!" The clans cheered.

Kestrelstar was next.

"WindClan is thriving. We have a new litter of kits from Silvercrow!"

"Silvercrow! Silvercrow!"

The redish she-cat next to Rosethorn was by far the loudest. Her and Silvercrow must be littermates, or very close friends. She had black paws and a black tail tip, making her pelt very unique. There was also something very familiar about her, but Rosethorn just couldn't tell where she would've seen her.

She must've sensed Rosethorn staring at her, because she turned to stare right back. Those bright amber eyes were so familiar that it scared her.

The she-cat's fur spiked up a bit, but she forced it to lay flat and looked away.

Rosethorn brushed it off and turned back to the leaders.

"-Almost two litters of kits and a new warrior, Rosethorn!"

Rosethorn sat up straighter as the clans chanted her name. Fallensnow turned to her with proudness gleaming in her eyes.

"Gathering dismissed!" Reedstar called, and all the leaders leaped back off the tree to their clans, leaving the deputies and medicine cats on the stump to trail behind.

Rosethorn watched as the deep red feline quickly scurried back to her leader.

"Who was that?" Fallensnow asked, coming up beside her.

She shook her head. "I'm not sure. She just looked familiar."

"Maybe you just saw her from previous gatherings." The spotted cat responded, shrugging.

Rosethorn nodded, and the two padded back to their small circle of ThunderClan cats.

***

Risingstar lead them back into camp, but stayed behind to talk to Rosethorn. "I've changed my mind. Do your ritual for the rest of this night, so you can sleep tomorrow.

She nodded and sat down in the center of camp, watching for anything that might threaten her clan.

For a while, nothing happened. She had almost fallen asleep multiple times, but took a run around camp to help stay awake. The wind in her fur and rush of adrenaline in her veins felt great.

She sat back down, breathing heavily. The world was still semi-spinning from running in circles.

The orange she-cat had settled down and watched the dark trees that made the forest what it was.

Then, somewhere off into the forest a twig snapped.
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