Her pace is agonizingly slow as she makes her way through the forest, but she does not falter. With the help of the four young warriors, she does end up making it. She can hear Smogmaw's voice as the five of them approach Fourtrees, and she now understands she has missed most of the news the other clans have shared. Has Raccoonstripe already shared for his clan? Her question is answered when his voice rings out, the last of the five cats atop the Great Rock.
"You can wait here," She whispers to the young warriors. They don't need to have any attention on them, not with what she is going to say. She leaves them in the shadows, where they can come out if they wish, and limps into the clearing. Her arrival interrupts Raccoonstripe just as he begins, and she can feel the eyes of her clan and perhaps others fall on her. Pain is seared onto her face as she realizes her wounds have reopened. A light trickle of blood makes its way down a foreleg, but she grits her teeth and pushes forward with each difficult step. When she makes it clear she is planning on mounting the boulder, it takes her son and another clanmate to help her up until she stands, panting, at the edge of the mighty stone.
She gives Raccoonstripe and the other leaders and deputy a silent nod before she turns her full attention to the rest of the gathered cats. Well, she hasn't exactly planned out a speech, so she'll just start at the beginning. "ThunderClan has suffered greatly this moon. With the migration of deer into our territory, they brought with them a deadly force that no cat could conquer. A wolf pack settled in our forest. Many lives were lost to the beasts...brave warriors, each one giving their life to protect their clan. Acornwish...Jackdawflight...Sunfreckle....Duskbird....Batwing. I lost kin. I lost council. My clanmates lost fathers, mentors, brothers, friends. But we did not fall. With WindClan's blessing, we drove them over the edge of the gorge in a grand chase, and the forest is finally rid of them. We are safe. We grow anew with a new apprentice, Thistlepaw, and new warriors, Palefire, Lightflower, Phloxdawn, and Badgerstripe."
She pauses, as if pondering for a long moment. She fights the urge to glance to the shadows. She will not bring attention to them, but if they're listening, she hopes they will not hold it against her. She must say this. There must be a change to how cats view warriorhood. "But some death could have been prevented. New warriors were entrusted to guard our camp, and in their excitement, they left to enjoy their newfound independence. With our camp vulnerable, the wolves attacked, and a warrior was killed. With a warning, we could have had time to evacuate everyone with no losses."
"It is after that night, that I come before you all now to propose an addition to the Warrior Code. 'Newly appointed warriors will keep a silent vigil for one night after receiving their warrior name.' This will be a night of listening, a night of reflection, a night of duty. Warriors must know that their names are not a milestone to reach nor a trophy to flaunt. They represent a responsibility to their clan, a weight they should gladly carry until their final breath. It is a promise to keep their clanmates safe and to understand that everything they do, they do for the good of their clan."
Howlingstar looks to the three other leaders on the Great Rock expectantly. With Chilledstar not in attendance, ShadowClan will have no chance to cast their vote. It is up to Sunstar, Smokestar, and Orangestar now make her suggestion into Code.
