The cats of the Gathering listened in silence as Harestar's words carried across the clearing, her voice steady and filled with pride. Frostpaw felt a swell of happiness as her brothers, Flamepaw and Ashpaw, were acknowledged, their names ringing through the night air. But it was her cousin's, Tormpaw, Dewpaw, and Brindlepaw's names that struck a special chord within her.

Her kin, the young apprentices, had grown so quickly. They were the next generation of ThunderClan, and soon they would be warriors, standing shoulder to shoulder with the cats who had once been apprentices themselves.

"Tormpaw, Dewpaw, Brindlepaw," Harestar called out, her voice full of pride. "These young apprentices are the future of ThunderClan. I am honored to call them my kin and proud to watch them grow into warriors."

Frostpaw's heart swelled as Tormpaw, the sleek, grayish-brown tabby, stood tall beside his siblings. His pale blue eyes shone brightly as the rest of the clans took in his presence.

"Look at Tormpaw," Ashpaw murmured beside Frostpaw. "He's always so calm, isn't he?"

Frostpaw nodded, glancing at her brother. "He is. I bet he'll be the most composed warrior ThunderClan's ever seen."

Dewpaw, with her soft, sandy fur and piercing blue eyes, flicked her tail nervously, clearly feeling the weight of all those watching her. But Frostpaw knew her cousin—Dewpaw was strong, her quiet grace would soon prove itself as a warrior of ThunderClan.

"She's nervous," Frostpaw said softly, her gaze lingering on Dewpaw.

"She'll grow into it," Ashpaw replied confidently. "She's tough."

Brindlepaw, the darker tabby with bold markings, stood confidently among them. His sharp blue eyes were hard, focused. He would be a formidable warrior, just like his father, Oaksong. Frostpaw could sense the anticipation in the air around her. Her cousins would soon join the ranks of the warriors, and she would be there to see it.

"I've got my money on Brindlepaw," Flamepaw commented with a grin. "He's got that fire in him, you know?"

"I think you've got competition, Flamepaw," Frostpaw teased. "But Brindlepaw does have some of that determination in his eyes."

Flamepaw rolled his eyes but chuckled. "We'll see."

Harestar's words echoed in Frostpaw's mind as she glanced at her own brothers. She'd always looked up to Flamepaw and Ashpaw, always followed them around like a shadow. But now, she could feel the shift. They weren't just her brothers anymore—they were ThunderClan's future.

"Are you proud, Frostpaw?" Ashpaw asked, his voice soft. "I mean... they're going to be warriors soon. Just like us."

"I am," Frostpaw said, her voice filled with emotion. "I'm proud of all of them."

As Harestar flicked her tail, signaling the end of her speech, she stepped back, and the crowd shifted as Blackstar, the leader of ShadowClan, rose to speak. His dark fur glinted under the moonlight, and his sharp eyes scanned the cats gathered before him.

"Now it's ShadowClan's turn," Blackstar announced, his voice cutting through the air. "We've been watching our apprentices grow as well, and it's time to honor them."

Frostpaw could feel the tension in the air as Blackstar's voice filled the clearing, but for a moment, she was distracted. Her heart was still heavy with pride for her clan. ThunderClan. They were strong, and soon, they would grow even stronger.

"ThunderClan is doing well," Frostpaw murmured, her tail flicking. "I can feel it."

Ashpaw glanced at her, his eyes gleaming with determination. "Yeah, we'll make sure of it. Together."

The night had only just begun, and the Gathering would soon fill with more news, more updates, and more discussions of the future. But for now, Frostpaw could only think of her own clan—of her family—and the excitement she felt for what was to come.

SCENEBREAK

Frostpaw's fur stood on end, the sudden surge of fury making her heart pound harder in her chest. She knew she shouldn't let it get to her, but the mocking tone of the WindClan apprentice was too much. The resemblance of the gray speckled tom's blue eyes to Ashfur's felt like a slap in the face. Ashfur had been the one to betray their family—his twisted obsession with her aunt Bearstrike, and his cruelty that had nearly led to their deaths. The thought of that dark time made her pulse quicken with anger.

Her sister Bramblepaw seemed to shrink in the face of the WindClan apprentices, her head lowered slightly as the older toms continued to jeer. Frostpaw's instincts took over. With a snarl, she darted over, her paws light but determined.

"Hey! Back off!" Frostpaw's voice was sharp and commanding as she stood between Bramblepaw and the WindClan cats. Her eyes locked with the gray speckled tom's, her hackles raised, her muscles taut like a drawn bowstring. The larger apprentices, surprised by the sudden intervention, took a step back. The gray tom, however, was not so easily cowed.

He let out a soft chuckle, his blue eyes sparkling with amusement. "Oh, what's this?" he sneered, taking in Frostpaw's stance. "I thought we'd tease that Tigerstar out of you."

Frostpaw felt a chill run down her spine at the mention of Tigerstar. She hated being compared to him, the rogue who was infamous for his cruelty and manipulations. She knew she had some of his blood running through her veins, but she was nothing like him. Her father was Snowdrop, a cat of honor, not a bloodthirsty killer. Yet, it seemed the mention of Tigerstar's name was enough to stir up old feelings of confusion, anger, and shame that she was still learning to deal with.

"No!" Frostpaw snarled, her tail lashing with fury. "Stop comparing me to him!" Her voice grew louder, cutting through the lingering tension. "I'm Snowdrop's daughter, not some rogue. And I'll defend my sister until my last breath, no matter what you say."

The gray speckled tom's smirk faltered for a moment as Frostpaw's words cut deep. His ears twitched in annoyance, but there was a flicker of hesitation in his gaze, like he hadn't expected the young ThunderClan apprentice to fight back so fiercely. He opened his mouth, probably to retort, but Frostpaw's glare silenced him.

"You're nothing like him," Bramblepaw murmured from behind her, stepping forward with newfound courage. Her eyes sparkled with gratitude and admiration.

The WindClan apprentices looked around at each other uncomfortably, clearly not expecting such resistance from ThunderClan's youngest. After a tense moment, the gray speckled tom finally let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine, fine," he muttered, flicking his tail in annoyance. "We were just messing around, no need to make a big deal of it."

Frostpaw stood her ground, her chest heaving as her claws slowly retracted. She wasn't sure if the tom had backed off out of respect or fear, but she didn't care. "If you want to tease anyone," she growled lowly, "tease someone your own size." She glanced over at Bramblepaw, offering her a small, reassuring nod.

As the WindClan apprentices shuffled off, Frostpaw turned to her sister, who was now standing tall and proud, a faint smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "You okay?" Frostpaw asked, her voice softer now.

Bramblepaw nodded, her gaze warm with gratitude. "Thanks, Frostpaw," she whispered, leaning into her sister for a moment. "I didn't know what to do. I'm glad you were there."

Frostpaw gave her sister a playful nudge. "You don't have to thank me. That's what sisters are for."

The two of them shared a quiet moment, letting the energy of the confrontation settle. As the last of the WindClan apprentices disappeared into the crowd, Frostpaw glanced back over at Ashpaw and Smokepaw, who were watching them with a mixture of curiosity and amusement.

"Let's go join them," Frostpaw said, flicking her tail toward her brother and Smokepaw. "I'm sure they're wondering what took us so long."

Bramblepaw nodded with a grin, and together, they padded off toward the two toms, leaving behind the tension of the moment for the warmth of their clanmates.