When they had all fallen asleep, Firestar got up and caught some of the mice that were running about. He made a freshkill pile and then scarfed one down. He fell asleep, glancing about before drifting off. Sandstorm's nose prodded him into consciousness again. "Mhm?" he meowed, sleepy. "Time to get up, Firestar" she meowed back, turning to wake the others.
Firestar got to his paws and stretched. Time to get some freshkill then leave. While the other cats ate, Firestar told Ravenpaw about how this came about. He finished with, "So I came here to let the others get some sleep." Ravenpaw looked thoughtful. Then he nodded. "Anytime you need to come, Firestar, you are welcome." Firestar nodded his thanks and went over to Singe to prod her awake.
Singe looked up at him, strength coming from sleeping. "Yes, Firestar?" He looked at her, meowing, "What….what do you eat?" he was curious, but also didn't want her to starve. She looked around and sniffed, trying to figure out what was here for her to eat.
"I can eat those leaves outside, the tree ones. Not the ones on the ground, though." Firestar nodded and padded out. He leaped onto a thick trunk and scrambled to a low branch. He jumped a few times and saw some leaves coming down. The Thunderclan leader jumped down, taking a few leaves down with claws unsheathed. He collected them in a big pile and gathered them in his jaws.
Shrewpaw padded outside, going to get water. He dipped his head respectively and asked, "Do you need any help?" Firestar kept going through the door, shaking his head to both sides. Shrewpaw nodded again and slipped out, sniffing the air to find fresh water.
Singe lifted her head again when she smelt Firestar and the leaves. Once he placed them on the ground in front of her, she took them in her mouth and gulped them down. The fiery pelt of the tom squirmed with discomfort. "How do you not eat freshkill?" he asked suddenly.
Singe stopped chewing and said softly, "How do you not eat leaves and bark?" Firestar got it after some thought, and soon Singe was done. She swiped her tongue around her jaws and they all padded out, meeting Ravenpaw and Shrewpaw on the way. Ravenpaw meowed a goodbye and good luck and Shrewpaw silently joined the travelers.
Sandstorm shot Firestar a weird look. It said, "What's the game plan?" Firstar sighed and led them to a shady tree. They had gone pretty far now, and it was a good time to let their paws rest.
Firestar meowed, "Singe is a part of our clan." They all looked surprised, even Singe herself. "Why?" she asked plainly. Firestar replied tiredly, "I had a dream with Starclan. Something…evil is coming and we need you to help save us. But you need training and to do that is to join our clan."
They all kept staring at him like he was a badger or something. "We do need the help, and Singe can fight. She put up a good fight, even though she was tired…" Firestar's thoughts went back to his first few moons as an apprentice. He remembered meeting Yellowfang the same way, too.
He shook his head to clear it and caught Singe's question. "Will I get a different name, like you?" Firestar replied quickly, "Yes, you will. But there is one thing…"
She looked at him with her head to the side. "Yes?" He meowed, "You will be expected to treat the others with respect, and sleep in the apprentices den," his whiskers twitched. "You mean I can't sleep in my current bed outside your den?" She didn't seem angry, she just wanted to know.
He nodded and they all looked thoughtful. "Why don't we go hunting so we can bring some freshkill back with us?" Firestar finally said. Shrewpaw nodded and slipped off with Sandstorm, who gave him a look.
Firestar snuck off and spotted a bird. He pounced and killed it, giving thanks to Starclan before eating it. He searched for more, vaguely aware of Singe following him. He caught another bird, a mouse, and a squirrel before he went back to the tree that they would meet at. He smelt a mouse but saw Singe sniffing too. She lunged and caught it. Looking up, she couldn't help but feel proud.
"You caught that by watching and learning what I did" he meowed proudly. "You are going to make a fine warrior." Singe straightened up and put her catch on the little pile they had started. Shrewpaw came back next, jaws full. He set his down and Sandstorm put hers down when she came back. Sandstorm nodded at Shrewpaw. "He's ready to become a warrior" she meowed. "He caught most of it."
Firestar nodded and thought about that. "I'll watch you tomorrow at sunhigh and if all goes well, then at sun-down you will be a warrior" he decided. Shrewpaw looked excited, but then he ducked his head in embarrassment. Singe looked thoughtful.
Firestar realized that Shrewpaw's ceremony would be the first she would see other than seeing the moonstone. He just hoped the others would see what the big picture was and accept her.
Sandstorm waited, tail flicking anxiously. "Are we going to head back now, Firestar?" He nodded and she picked up her prey. They loaded their jaws and headed back to camp.
Singe took some, too, only to be fair. If she was going to be an apprentice, then she would be treated like one. They made it back without further interruption and Firestar looked around the camp before setting his freshkill on the pile. Everything was alright.
Graystripe padded over. "How are you? I see you are all fine" he said, obviously thinking about Singe. Firestar nodded. "Yes. And we brought some freshkill, too." He looked distant. "Firestar?" Graystripe wondered, shifting from paw to paw. "You alright?"
Firestar shook his head again. "I'm fine. We are going to have a ceremony tonight." Graystripe nodded. "For who?" Firestar replied before padding to his den, "Singe."