Storm's P.O.V:

Storm kept his gaze down as the three cats discussed his problems. Will they kick me out? The annoying voice inside his head asked. He grunted, unsure.

Then he heard Silverstar say, "It means Storm must join the clan."

Storm immediately looked up, shocked, "What?" He stared at Silverstar. They're not kicking me out!! The voice yelled in glee.

Lightclan's leader nodded, smiling, "Yes, Storm. I will hold a meeting and give you your warrior name right now." She rose to her paws and shook of a bit of moss stuck on her leg and looked at Storm. "This is what you want, right?"

Storm shrugged, "Uh.." Part of him said yes. The other, more annoying, side said no.

If he joined we would be protected, he would have friends and maybe even a family.

But on the flip side he would have to be loyal to the clan and he wouldn't be free to do whatever he wanted. He had to follow the warrior code. He had overheard Fernpelt teaching Demonpaw the Warrior code the day before and it sounded a bit controlling.

Finally he answered, "I guess...?" He shuffled his paws and made sure his gaze didn't leave the ground.

"This is the right choice, Storm. Do not worry, we will look after you." Waterfly meowed reassuringly and followed Silverstar out of the den and down the Hightree.

Clearlight nudged Storm, "Come on. It's be fine."

"I hope you're right." Storm muttered with uncertainty as he climbed down the Hightree. He found a place among the already gathered cats beside Waterfly and Nutwhisker.

"Cats of Lightclan," Silverstar began, "We have decided to allow Storm and Cloud to join the clan as full members." Mutters and whispers rose from the clan but Silverstar silenced them with a flick of her tail, "Cloud, step forwards."

Cloud stood up from beside Poppyfire and padded to the base of the Hightree. He stared up at Silverstar in slight confusion.

"Cloud. You have had a hard and challenging life as a rogue. It is time for us to show the same kindness you showed Storm when raising him. From this moment on your name shall be Cloudwhisp and you will be an elder along with Poppyfire, Bigstep and Slowsky." Silverstar jumped down and placed her muzzle on Cloudwhisp's forehead before turning to Storm, "Storm step forwards."

Storm gulped, This is it. He rose from his spot and hesitantly walked toward Silverstar. Her eyes were patient and she smiled kindly at him. Storm felt braver under her gaze and lengthened his stride and raised his head a little higher.

Silverstar waited until he reached her and then began the ceremony. "Storm. Is it your wish to hunt and fight alongside your clanmates. To protect and defend them even at the cost of your life?"

Storm glanced around. What do I say?  He wanted to scream but kept awkwardly silent.

At last, a cat whispered. "Say 'I do'"

Storm nodded, "I do."

Silverstar blinked and said, "Then from this moment on you shall be known at Stormflame."

Stormflame help in a light chuckle. She had named him for his recently discovered fire powers. I like it though. The voice whispered in his head and he silently agreed with it.

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Waterfly's P.O.V:

"We are low on goldenrod and thyme." Nutwhisker reported from inside the herb stock.

Waterfly nodded, "Right. Can you collect them? You know where the new goldenrod bush is yes?" She stood up as her apprentice emerged from behind the curtain of leaves.

"Yup." He nodded and trotted out of the den, his tail held high happily. Skystar would be proud of him. Waterfly smiled. She was so lucky to have such a devoted medicine cat apprentice.

"Waterfly? Waterfly!! Come quickly!" Someone burst into the den. It was Loveheart, a queen.

Waterfly stared at her wide eyes, "What is it?!"

Loveheart gasped, "Sandkit's cough is worse!!"

Quickly, Waterfly gathered the herbs needed for Sandkit and rushed out of the medicine den and into the nursery. Almost immediately the smell of sickness hit her nostils and Waterfly gasped. I know that scent. "Whitecough!"

Blazemoon let out a mew of fear and held her kits close to her. Loveheart appeared behind Waterfly. "What do we do?"

"Everyone out of the nursery, eccept Sandkit." Waterfly ordered and let Blazemoon and Loveheart bring their kits out of the nursery. Waterfly then padded inside and sniffed Sandkit. "Definitely Whitecough." She mumbled and brought out the catmint she was holding. "Here, Sandkit. Eat this, it'll make you feel better."

The coughing kit let out a feeble squeak and refused the catmint. "Please, Sandkit. Eat it." Waterfly begged quietly. At last, Sandkit gulped down the herbs, coughing.

Waterfly let out a small sigh of relief when Sandkit drifted asleep. She padded outside the nursery. A crowd of cats who were not on patrol had gathered outside the den waiting for Waterfly.

"Sandkit has Whitecough." She announced and a collective gasp rippled through the clan, "Nobody go into the nursery eccept me and Nutwhisker. All kits and queens must go to the elders den until Sandkit is better."

Waterfly watched as Blazemoon and Loveheart picked up their kits and carried them to the elders den. She heard Ashkit squeak, "What about Sandkit? Why isn't she coming with us?"

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Clearlight's P.O.V:

They sniffed the border and checked for any intruders.

"None." Confirmed Clearlight and brought his patrol together. "Let's hunt a bit."

Everyone nodded and they padded away from the border in search of prey. "Squirrel." Bluestorm whispered and dropped into a crouch. Bumblestripe and Mousenose followed her lead. Clearlight stood back and allowed the younger cats to catch the squirrel. He admired his kit's skills. Bluestorm had grown into a natural hunter and maybe even a leader.

Bluestorm burst forwards and there was a loud squeal before she padded back to the patrol with a plump squirrel in her jaws. "Good job." Clearlight praised, "Let's look for something else and then head back to camp."

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Silverstar's P.O.V:

"Keep up, Demonpaw." Silverstar called the apprentice. Demonpaw huffed and trotted faster to catch up with Silverstar and Stormflame.

The three of them were on a border patrol by Magiclan. Silverstar decided to lead them there because they hadn't refreshed that border in a few days.

They reached the border to find a Magiclan border patrol already there. Four strong-looking cats stood there, spraying their scent over the bushes where their border was.

Silverstar held her tail up, "Wait until they leave." But Demonpaw was already trotting boldly up to the patrol, tail bushed up aggressively.

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Stormflame's P.O.V:

"Demonpaw get back here!!" Stormflame hissed at the apprentice from behind a bush beside Silverstar.

Demonpaw yelled, "Hey rabbit-breath!!" She stopped right up by the border and grinned madly. "Stay on your side of the border ok? 'Cause we will rip your fur right off you if we catch you over the border!"

Stormflame and Silverstar and no other choice but to back Demonpaw up. Silverstar emerged first closely followed by a slightly timid Stormflame.

"Demonpaw." Silverstar breathed as calmly as she could, "Don't be rude."

The four Magiclan cats stood staring at them. One of them chuckled deeply, "If you wanted a fight why didn't you just say so at the gathering?" The patrol leader smirked and stalked right up to Silverstar, "I'll gladly accept an invitation to a battle with Lightclan."

A smaller brown tom growled, "Hey, you!" He stared at Stormflame, "Never seen you before. You yet another kittypet adopted by Lightclan?" He laughed.

Silverstar thrust her muzzle into the tom's face, "Don't forget that the last two Lightclan leaders were former rogues." Stormflame was confused as to why Silverstar was so protective towards him.

The patrol leader shoved Silverstar away from the younger tom. He yowled, "ATTACK!!" and lunged for Silverstar. Stormflame went to help her but the brown tom who had been rude to him launched himself at Stormflame.

Stormflame dodged his blows and clawed at his shoulder. The tom reeled back to avoid another blow and quickly dashed behind Stormflame to catch him off guard but living in twolegplace, where there were many twists and turns, had taught Stormflame some valuable skills. He swiftly turned on his back legs and, with all his strangth, leapt at the brown Magiclan cat.

He pinned his opponent and scored his claws down his chest. He let out an ear-splitting screech and one of his clanmates ran to his rescue and knocked Stormflame away.

Stormflame stumbled and fell on his back. The two Magiclan cats spent no time in leaping on him and clawing his exposed belly. Claws dug into his stomach and side and held on as Stormflame struggled.

"Enough!!" A voice boomed and froze everyone in place. The Magiclan cats sheathed their claws and backed away from Stormflame, ears back.

The other two Magiclan cats backed away from Demonpaw and Silverstar as well and hung their heads. Stormflame looked up at the cat who had spoken and saw a large brown tom. His muscles rippled beneath his fur and his eyes were narrowed in anger. The way he held himself in front both the Magiclan and Lightclan cats gave away that he was Rabbitstar.

Clearlight had explained to Stormflame who Rabbitstar was and he now understood why he should be wary in the presence of this tom.

Silverstar shook out her pelt and held Rabbitstar's gaze, "Your cats attacked our patrol without any reason."

"Not true!" The brown tom hissed.

The older she cat joined in, "Yeah! Their stupid apprentice asked for a fight by crossing the border!!"

"I didn't cross the border!" Demonpaw spat hotly.

"Stop it!!" Rabbitstar yowled again. "This is both of your faults!!" Then he calmed slightly, "Silverstar, take your cats and leave. We're done here." He turned away, a frown shown clearly on his face and led his patrol away.

Demonpaw hissed one last time before following Silverstar and Stormflame back to camp.

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