I hope you like it!
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Chapter Five: The Dance
After another hour at the mall, Bluestar, Tigerclaw, Spottedleaf, Mousefur, Graypaw, Dustpaw, Ravenpaw, Firepaw, and Sandpaw left in high spirits. When they arrived at the Thunderclan camp, all of the cats were speechless.
"Great Starclan!" Lionheart mewed. "What's going on?"
"I hope our absence didn't cause any troubles for you," Bluestar confidently replied, "Mousefur, Tigerclaw, Spottedleaf, and I were keeping watch over the apprentices while they were at the mall."
"Ah… they were shopping for the dance tomorrow night, weren't they?" Frostfur quickly added in.
"They were."
The cats of Thunderclan nodded in agreement, clearly ecstatic about the following night.
Tigerclaw padded forward, clearly wishing to speak. When every cat was silent, he mewed, "Seeing as there wasn't a problem with our trip out of camp, I suggest we all get back to what we were doing before."
Soon the clearing was empty, and Tigerclaw and Spottedleaf padded away, their tails twined together. Bluestar padded sleepily to her den, and Mousefur went to the warriors den to organize her new clothes. The only cats who remained were Ravenpaw, Graypaw, Dustpaw, Firepaw, and Sandpaw. Dappletail called from the elder's den, complaining of damp bedding. Ravenpaw, Graypaw, and Dustpaw trotted over and quickly began to help the elderly she-cat.
Realizing that he and Sandpaw were alone, Firepaw hastily mewed, "Sandpaw, would you go to the dance with me?" Embarrassed, he looked down at the ground. Sandpaw's pelt grew warm and she thought to herself, Am I dreaming? Firepaw actually asked me to go to the dance with him! Thank you, Starclan! Her sparkling green eyes met his, and she purred, "I wouldn't think of going with anyone but you, Firepaw." She leaned forward and softly licked him on the muzzle. Firepaw shivered at the delicate contact and began to purr as well. Silently, they walked away into the apprentices den, happier than they ever had been before in their life.
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"Firepaw!" a small voice mewed.
"What Graypaw?" Firepaw sleepily groaned. It was early in the morning! What did Graypaw need to talk with him about that couldn't wait until later?
"What should I do? Almost everybody has a date for the dance, and I don't!" Despair edged Graypaw's voice.
"Why didn't you think of this before? I don't think Mousefur has anyone to go with, so ask her!" Firepaw laid his head back down and fell back asleep.
"Mousefur? Well… I guess. Thanks Firepaw!" Graypaw dashed out of the apprentices den towards Mousefur, who had just woken out and was drowsily padding out of the warriors den.
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It was now nighttime, and the camp Thunderclan camp was filled cats running around, adding on the final touches to their outfits, readying themselves for the dance.
"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather under the highrock for a clan meeting." Bluestar's yowl rang through the clearing. The camp, which moments ago had been in chaos, was now silent.
"It is now time to leave for the dance. Shadowclan, Riverclan, and Windclan will be waiting for us at Fourtrees. I expect reasonable behavior all of you. Reflect well on Thunderclan, and don't give any important information away. Most of all though, have fun!"
Everybody mewed their agreement.
"Well then, we don't want to keep the other clans waiting!"
Bluestar nimbly leaped off of the highrock in one swift, fluid movement, and headed towards the entrance of the camp. Firepaw and Sandpaw, along with all of Thunderclan streamed in a line behind her.
Before long they arrived at Fourtrees. A deafening roar met their ears, filled with loud music and wild yowling. Disco balls flared in every direction, adding even more to the crazy atmosphere. Eagerly, Firepaw and Sandpaw raced into the group of cats below. Tigerclaw was making himself at home at the refreshment section, which was loaded with sugary treats, while Spottedleaf quietly warned him of the embarrassment that was sure to follow. Bluestar and Lionheart were dancing to the music together in perfect rhythm, showing that this was not the first time that they had been to a dance like this before. Graypaw and Mousefur were right beside them, their dancing skills meeting no limits. Ravenpaw and a pretty apprentice that Firepaw had never seen before were laughing loudly, and Dustpaw sat talking to a few Shadowclan apprentices, eagerly discussing their battle training. Sandpaw was next to Firepaw, purring her heart out. Quietly, she looked at him, and flicked her tail towards Mousefur, Lionheart, Graypaw, and Bluestar, and they padded away to join them.
A while later, Firepaw realized Lionheart and Bluestar were no longer there dancing with them. He looked over at the refreshment table when he heard a loud crash. Tigerclaw was on the table pretending to play the guitar. Spottedleaf was looking at him desperately, trying to calm him down. Bluestar was now laughing shrilly with the other clan leaders, a wine glass in her hand. Shocked at the sight, Firepaw wordlessly pointed the two out to Sandpaw. She began to giggle as Bluestar got up, swaying dangerously to one side, leaning heavily on Lionheart. Spottedleaf and Tigerclaw were gone.
Sandpaw briefly told Firepaw that she would be with a few other Riverclan she-cats and padded off. Nodding, Firepaw set off in pursuit of Graypaw and Mousefur. However, before he reached them, he came across another surprise. There, 10 feet away from Firepaw in a dark, unpopulated corner, Tigerclaw and Spottedleaf were kissing! Tigerclaw's arms were wrapped snugly around her, his eyes shut blissfully, and Spottedleaf was hugging him back, her tail wrapped around him, pulling him closer. Spottedleaf's eyes widened in horror as she saw Firepaw approach, exasperated. Tigerclaw immediately jumped away from Spottedleaf and snarled, his claws unsheathed, "Do you mind?" Speechless with shock, Firepaw rapidly shook his head no and bolted away. By the time he looked back the two were wound so close around each other that it was impossible to tell who was who.
Seeing Graypaw and Mousefur, Firepaw hurtled across the dance floor. When he spoke, his vioce came in ragged gasps. "Spottedleaf and Tigerclaw- I saw them kissing!" Graypaw and Mousefur stared at Firepaw."Say that with a straight face." Graypaw mewed in disbelief. Taking in a gulp of air, Firepaw repeated, "I saw Spottedleaf and Tigerclaw kissing." Graypaw's eyes widened, and Mousefur cried, "No way!" Nodding seriously, the two looked at him flabbergasted. "I'd better find Sandpaw and the others to let them know." Firepaw mewed breathlessly. "No, Firepaw, let us do it." Graypaw mewed. "You look exhausted. And anyway..." His eyes gleamed mischeviously,"Why don't we see the proof with our own eyes?" Laughing, Mousefur agreed. They padded off silently towards where Firepaw had pointed them out.
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All too soon, the Dance was over. Bluestar was still leaning on Lionheart when they left, but she was now alert and more normal than before. Tigerclaw and Spottedleaf were near the end of the line, whispering quietly to each other. Ravenpaw reluctantly said goodbye to the apprentice he had gone to thedance with, and trotted to the front of the line where the others stood waiting. A while later, they arrived at the Thunderclan camp, and soon all was silent as the cats of Thunderclan fell to sleep.
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Yay! Another long chapter! As always, please read and review! Bye! -Frostcloud.