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Post by darkfeather88 on Dec 19, 2018 22:44:42 GMT -5
Fanning the Flames Rusty has always had dreams of the forest... Where he was respected for who he was and could live the life that he wanted. While loving his twoleg, he wanted to be free while escaping the hate of most of the other kittypets. However... joining the clans causes its own problems. The newly named Firepaw will have to work through his destiny... And have to learn who he can trust with his own secrets... While deciding what path is truly the correct one, following the one that StarClan wants, or his heart. Character CreationYou can create a character for this story. However, I will make the final decision on how they enter. Also, I am posting this to other fanfictions sites. Only post characters if I can use them on all sites. Cat’s Name: Gender: Eye color: Pelt Color: Clan: Personality: Crushes: Other: Chapter Lists:Prologue - Ch5 - On this Page, look down! Ch6 - Here, Ch7- HereFans:mintedstar/fur Marrowfrost phantomstar57 Ambie (Ember) Fan Character List: Crowsong by Seika_Akuma of AO3 - First seen in Ch3 Flamesong by flippy the demon of AO3 Brindlekit by Ambie (Ember) of WCF Sandypaw by Marrowfrost of WCF Blossomkit, Jayfang, Windkit, Coalwind by Wild(Wildclan) of WCF Woodkit by SprinkleQuake of AO3 Icekit by FavoriteofChaos of AO3
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Post by darkfeather88 on Dec 19, 2018 22:50:54 GMT -5
ThunderClan Allegiances Leader: Bluestar- Pale blue gray she cat with icy blue eyes.
Deputy: Redtail- Dark tortoiseshell tom with a bushy red tail and amber eyes.
Apprentice: Dustpaw
Medicine cat: Spottedleaf- Dark tortoiseshell and white she cat with a dappled coat and amber eyes.
Warriors: Lionheart-Pale golden tabby tom with green eyes.
Apprentice: Graypaw
Tigerclaw- Dark brown tabby tom with pale amber eyes.
Apprentice: Ravenpaw
Whitestorm- Snowy white tom with yellow eyes.
Apprentice: Sandpaw
Darkstripe- Dark gray tabby tom with black stripes and yellow eyes.
Longtail- Pale brown tabby tom with black stripes and blue eyes.
Crowsong- Black tom with white tipped, ears, paws, and tail, and yellow eyes.
Runningwind- Light brown tabby tom with green eyes.
Mousefur- Dusky brown she cat with amber eyes.
Willowpelt- Very pale silver gray she cat with deep blue eyes.
Hollowtail- Dark gray tom with large white patches and amber eyes.
Bitterclaw- Blue gray she cat with a paler underbelly and amber eyes. Dawnpatch- Dilute tortoiseshell she cat with pale amber eyes.
Birdtail- Dark ginger tabby she cat with amber eyes.
Dogfang- Gray tabby tom with amber eyes.
Apprentices: Dustpaw- Dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes.
Ravenpaw- Black tom with a tiny white dash on his chest and green eyes.
Sandpaw- Pale ginger she cat with pale leaf-green eyes.
Graypaw- Silver gray tom with a dark stripe running down his back and yellow eyes.
Queens and Kits: Frostfur- Snow white she cat with dark sky blue eyes. (Mother to Lionheart’s kits)
Cinderkit- Smokey dark gray she cat with blue eyes.
Brackenkit- Golden brown tabby tom with amber eyes.
Thornkit- Golden brown tabby tom with amber eyes.
Brightkit- White and ginger she cat with green eyes.
Goldenflower- Pale ginger tabby she cat with yellow eyes. (Mother to Patchfoot’s kit and ???’s kit)
Swiftkit- Black and white tom with pale amber eyes.
Woodkit- Dark brown she cat with shorter fur with one ocean blue eye and one dark brown eye.
Brindleface- Pale gray tabby she cat with darker flecks and green eyes. (Expecting Redtail’s kits)
Speckletail- Pale golden tabby she cat with amber eyes. (Expecting kits, unknown father)
Elders: Halftail- Dark brown tabby tom with half of his tail and yellow eyes.
Smallear- Gray tom with small ears and amber eyes.
Patchpelt- Black and white tom with amber eyes.
One-eye- Pale gray she cat with one missing eye and one amber eye.
Dappletail- Dappled tortoiseshell and white she cat with hazel eyes.
Rosetail- Gray tabby she cat with a pinkish-orange tail and amber eyes.
RiverClan Allegiances Leader: Crookedstar- Light brown tabby tom with a pale brown belly, a twisted jaw, and green eyes.
Deputy: Oakheart- Dark reddish brown tom with amber eyes.
Medicine cat: Mudfur- Mottled light brown tom with a pale belly and amber eyes.
Warriors: Softwing- Light brown tabby and white she cat with hazel eyes.
Beetlenose- Crow black tom with amber eyes.
Apprentice: Sandypaw
Blackclaw- Smokey black tom with amber eyes.
Apprentice: Heavypaw
Shyheart- Pale brown tabby she cat with amber eyes.
Sunfish- Light brown she cat with amber eyes.
Frogleap- Gray tom with a striped tail and hazel eyes.
Apprentice: Blossompaw
Loudbelly- Dark brown tom with hazel eyes.
Apprentice: Silverpaw
Sedgecreek- Brown tabby she with amber eyes.
Leopardfur- Dappled golden tabby she cat with dark golden spots and amber eyes.
Apprentice: Mosspaw
Stonefur- Pale blue gray with blue eyes.
Apprentice: Shadepaw
Mallowtail- Tortoiseshell tabby and white she cat with green eyes.
Dawnbright- Ginger and white she cat with amber eyes.
Silverstream- Light silver gray and black tabby she cat with blue eyes.
Vixenclaw- Black she cat with amber eyes.
Grasspelt- Brown tabby tom with darker stripes and green eyes.
Pebblefur- Pale gray tabby tom with darker flecks on his back and amber eyes.
Troutstone- Dark gray tom with hazel eyes.
Whiteclaw- Black tom with one white paw and blue eyes.
Apprentices: Shadepaw- Dark gray she cat with gray eyes.
Blossompaw- White she cat with dark black splotches and green eyes.
Mosspaw- Tortoiseshell and white she cat with blue eyes.
Sandypaw- Dilute tortoiseshell she cat with cream and blue gray tabby and light copper eyes.
Silverpaw- Brown tabby tom with silver eyes.
Heavypaw- Brown tabby tom with amber eyes.
Queens and Kits: Petaldust-Dilute tortoiseshell she cat with green eyes. (Mother to an unknown father’s kits)
Fogkit- Gray tabby tom with white paws and amber eyes.
Cranekit- Dilute tortoiseshell she cat with amber eyes.
Streamkit- Ginger she cat with white paws and hazel eyes.
Mistyfoot- Blue gray she cat with icy blue eyes. (Mother to Blackclaw’s kits)
Primosekit- Pale creamy brown she cat with white paws amd amber eyes.
Pikekit- Dark gray tom with dark mottled markings like a fish and blue eyes.
Perchkit- Black tom with green eyes.
Reedkit- Black tom with dark gray eyes.
Elders: Graypool- Dark gray she cat with pale yellow eyes.
Owlfur- Brown and white tom with a white muzzle and green eyes.
Rippleclaw- Black and silver tabby tom with amber eyes.
ShadowClan Allegiances Leader: Brokenstar- Dark brown tabby tom with a bent tail, a flat face, and orange eyes.
Deputy: Blackfoot- White tom with black paw and ears, six toes on one foot, and amber eyes.
Apprentice: Dawnpaw
Medicine cat: Runningnose- Gray and white tom with a running nose and amber eyes.
Warriors: Brackenfoot- Pale ginger tom with dark ginger legs and amber eyes.
Brightflower- Ginger tabby she cat with a flat face and amber eyes.
Mudclaw-Gray tom with brown legs and hazel eyes.
Lizardstripe- Pale brown she cat with a white underbelly and yellow eyes.
Nettlespots-White she cat with ginger flecks and blue eyes.
Newtspeck- Mottled black and ginger tabby she cat with amber eyes.
Frogtail- Dark gray tom with green eyes.
Ashheart- Pale gray she cat with blue eyes.
Scorchwind- Ginger tabby tom with yellow eyes.
Rowanberry- Cream and brown she cat with amber eyes.
Nutwhisker- Brown tom with amber eyes.
Wolfstep- Gray tom with amber eyes.
Russetfur- Dark ginger she cat with dark green eyes.
Boulder- Gray tom with blue eyes.
Apprentice: Webpaw
Flintfang- Gray tom with amber eyes.
Fernshade- Tortoiseshell she cat with amber eyes.
Clawface- Brown tom with amber eyes.
Apprentice: Littlepaw
Deerfoot- Gray tom with brown spots on his back and amber eyes.
Tangleburr- Gray and brown she cat with green eyes.
Cinderfur- Gray tom with amber eyes.
Stumpytail- Brown tom with darker stripes, a short stumpy tail, and green eyes.
Apprentice: Brownpaw
Tallpoppy- Light brown she cat with yellow-green eyes.
Darkflower- Black she cat with dark blue eyes.
Flamesong- Dark ginger tortoiseshell she cat with a long black tail, and blue eyes.
Apprentices: Dawnpaw- Pale ginger tabby she cat with blue eyes.
Brownpaw- Brown tabby tom with amber eyes.
Wetpaw- Gray tabby tom with blue eyes.
Littlepaw- Brown tabby tom with light blue eyes.
Queens and Kits: Shadeclaw- Black and white she cat with amber eyes. (Mother to Frogtail’s kits)
Nightkit- Black she cat with pale green eyes.
Whitekit- Black tom with a white chest and paws and icy blue eyes.
Moonflower-Silver tabby and white she cat with green eyes. (Mother to Brokenstar’s kits)
Ratkit-Dark brown tom with green eyes
Snowkit- White she cat with green eyes.
Furykit- Silver tabby tom with amber eyes.
Elders: Nightpelt- Black tom with amber eyes.
Ashfur- Gray tom with blue eyes.
Featherstorm- Dark brown tabby she cat with amber eyes.
Crowtail- Black tabby she cat with green eyes.
Archeye-Gray tabby tom with black stripes and green eyes.
Hollyflower- Dark gray and white she cat with green eyes.
Poolcloud- Pale gray and white she cat with blue eyes.
WindClan Allegiances Leader: Tallstar- Black and white tuxedo tom with amber eyes.
Deputy: Deadfoot- Black tom with a twisted front, left paw, and green eyes.
Medicine cat: Barkface- Dark brown tom with a short tail and amber eyes.
Warriors: Stagleap- Dark brown tom with amber eyes.
Doespring- Light brown she cat with green eyes.
Ryestalk- Gray tabby she cat with amber eyes.
Pigeonfur- Dark gray tom with white patches and amber eyes.
Sorrelstalk- Gray and brown she cat with pale amber eyes.
Rabbitrunner- Pale brown she cat with a white belly and yellow eyes.
Apprentice: Runningpaw
Flyfur- White tom with amber eyes.
Bristletail- Black and white tom with amber eyes.
Wrenflight- Brown she cat with green eyes.
Sunheart- Pale ginger tom with amber eyes.
Shinestep- Pale gray she cat with lighter paws and blue eyes.
Softwhisker- Pale brown tabby and white she cat with blue eyes.
Tornear- Gray tabby tom with blue eyes.
Mudclaw- Mottled dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes.
Apprentice: Webpaw
Quickstep- Gray and white tom with blue eyes.
Flowerheart- Tortoiseshell she cat with small ginger patches and green eyes.
Hardstone- Pale ginger tom with paler stripes and blue eyes.
Shadewing- Black she cat with green eyes.
Buzzardtail- Black tom with amber eyes.
Onewhisker- Mottled light brown tabby tom with amber eyes.
Apprentice: Whitepaw
Thrustwing- Pale gray she cat with amber eyes.
Stoneclaw- Gray tom with darker paws and amber eyes.
Apprentices: Whitepaw- White she cat with blue eyes.
Webpaw- Dark gray tabby tom with amber eyes.
Runningpaw- Light gray tabby she cat with pale blue eyes.
Queens and Kits: Ashfoot- Gray she cat with blue eyes. (Mother of Deadfoot’s kits)
Eaglekit- Gray tom with amber eyes.
Dovekit- Gray she cat with green eyes.
Morningflower- Tortoiseshell she cat with amber eyes. (Mother to Cloudrunner’s kit)
Gorsekit- Brown tabby tom with green eyes.
Moorstripe-Pale golden tabby she cat with amber eyes. (Mother to Mudclaw’s kit)
Brindlekit- Pale brown tabby with a lighter underbelly, white paws, tufted ears, a soft pelt, and green eyes.
Elders: Larksplash- Tortoiseshell and white she cat with pale blue eyes.
Crowfur- Black tom with amber eyes.
Darkeyes- Black she cat with amber eyes.
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Post by darkfeather88 on Dec 19, 2018 22:51:50 GMT -5
Prologue: Sign from the Stars
“Bluestar. Are you okay?”
The blue gray she cat slightly turned to face the pretty tortoiseshell that stepped into the starlight. With a nod, the other quickly joined the older cat, leaving the ferns behind her waving in the cool night air.
“How is Mousefur doing?” Bluestar asked the other, dodging her question for now. “It looked like she had some deep wounds...”
“Her wounds are indeed deep,” answered the tortoiseshell, sitting down besides her leader. “But there is no sign of infection. And even if there was… She is young and strong-willed. She will recover.”
“What about the others?” Bluestar continued on, feeling the weight of leadership on her shoulders.
“Goosefeather, is this how I blaze through the forest?” she wondered, with dread creeping along her spine. “To watch as my clan becomes weaker and weaker each day… Were my sacrifices not enough? Have I not suffered enough? What else will I have to give up?”
“Bluestar!”
Bluestar shook her head to free herself from her dark thoughts and looked at the tortoiseshell. Seeing the worried look that had developed on the younger’s face, Bluestar sighed.
“My apologies, Spottedleaf,” Bluestar mewed. “I am just worried by our lost…. We have not lost Sunningrocks since I became leader… These are hard times for ThunderClan. Newleaf is late and fewer kits are being born…”
“Bluestar, there will be more kits born when Newleaf comes,” Spottedleaf stated. “And we lost no warriors in this battle. None of their wounds were as serious as Mousefur’s injuries: they will all survive.”
“Yet, ThunderClan needs more warriors if we are going to survive,” Bluestar replied as she turned her sight towards the stars. “And training takes time. In order to defend our territory, we need new warriors as soon as possible.”
“But where can we find those warriors?” she wondered. “None of the current apprentices are ready to become warriors and Frostfur’s kits are still too young to become apprentices… I cannot just ask any of the local rogues or kittypets to join the clan… Not after what Pinestar did… While my word is law, I should not be the cause of more trouble… Then again, the clan blamed me for Thistleclaw’s actions… Like I wanted that monster’s attention on me! All because I became the deputy instead of him!”
“Are you asking StarClan for answers?” Spottedleaf softly questioned, breaking Bluestar from her thoughts.
“Have they spoken to you?” Bluestar enquired.
“Not in some time,” answered Spottedleaf with a sigh. “In fact, it has been several moons now…”
Bluestar felt some sympathy for the young medicine cat. She knew that, even now, Spottedleaf still grieved for her mentor, Featherwhisker. However, Bluestar believed with all her heart that Featherwhisker had done an excellent job training his apprentice: Spottedleaf was a gifted medicine cat. She was going to continue to do great things for Thunderclan.
“You would be proud of her, Featherwhisker,” Bluestar thought with a smiled despite her worries. “At least ThunderClan will not lack a strong medicine cat in the coming moons.”
However, as Bluestar turned to face Spottedleaf, she noticed that the young tortoiseshell’s amber eyes widen as she stared at the stars. The fur along her back stood up on end as her tail flicked once. Quickly glancing up, Bluestar saw the flash of a shooting star as it quickly raced across the sky. Then, as quick as it came, it was gone.
“Spottedleaf, what is the matter?” Bluestar asked with alarm, seeing her freeze in shock. “Is something wrong?”
“It’s a message from StarClan,” Spottedleaf murmured with a distant look developing on her face. “A message of hope… yet I get a feeling that they are warning me too… Fire alone can save our clan.”
“Fire?” Bluestar echoed. “How can fire save our clan? Doesn’t fire cause destruction? However… You’ve never been wrong. Somehow, fire will save our clan.”
“But how?” Bluestar wondered. “And why? I was told that I would blaze through the forest… That I was the fire! Why would StarClan speak of fire now? Did I give my true kits for nothing? Did Mosskit die for nothing? Why make me suffer if I wasn’t truly the fire?”
“I was once told that I was the fire,” Bluestar stated uneasily, feeling very uncomfortable about sharing Goosefeather’s words after keeping them hidden for so long. “That I would blaze through the forest. And yet… After so long, Starclan speaks of fire now? Why wait so long?”
“And you are still fire that blazes at the head of Thunderclan,” Spottedleaf stated, putting her tail around Bluestar’s shoulder. “You saved us from Thistleclaw’s leadership. We needed peace, not the warfare that he would have driven us into… We would have been weaker than ever… I don’t think that anyone would have escaped that nightmare… There would have been no medicine cat that could have cured his anger towards the other clans… I believe that not even Starclan could have stopped him…”
“And yet, here we are,” Bluestar stated calmly. “Defeated. Weaker than we have been in moons. That is not blazing through the forest like Goosefeather stated. And… What more can I do if I have followed my destiny?”
“Maybe…” Spottedleaf murmured, thinking. “There is something else you can do. Maybe your destiny isn’t finished. Maybe…”
As Spottedleaf grew silent with her thoughts, Bluestar looked to the stars again, wondering what her ancestors had planned for her. Then, with a nod to Spottedleaf, Bluestar headed to her den, hoping to find some answers after some rest.
“So, what can I do? What are you expecting me to do? Does the prophecy mean a real fire… or is it a cat that I have not met? But… How could that be? And if that is the case… Where do I start looking?”
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A moon later, the forest began to blossom as newleaf chased away the chill of leaf-bare. Bluestar sat outside her den, eyes closed as she listened to the clan move on around the camp. She was feeling happy for once as things seemed to be going well. Every warrior hurt in the battle for Sunningrocks recovered nicely and the fresh kill pile was full for the first time in moons. She heard the kits happily wrestling in the sunlight as the purrs of the queens floated through the air.
“Tigerclaw!” her deputy, Redtail, called out. “Can you lead a patrol over to the border with RiverClan? Take whoever you want with you.”
Bluestar opened her eyes to see the dark brown tabby gather up the cats he wanted for his patrol. She flinched mentally as she saw the very familiar gray tom with large white patches nod at the older warrior. Hollowtail looked just like his father, and Bluestar hated that.
“StarClan, why do you continue to torture me?” Bluestar mentally growled. “Even when Thistleclaw is gone, I still have to put up with his hateful kits… If it wasn’t for a few of my clanmates, I would have lost my deputy position because of his actions! The clan blamed me for Thistleclaw’s actions… even loyal Thrushpelt! I never wanted more kits! Oakheart is the only cat that I love and Stonefur, Mistyfoot, and Mosskit are my only true children. I wish… I wish that they could be by my side.”
Nearby, Bluestar saw a blue gray she cat talking to the elders. She frowned as the elders laughed as the other she cat shared prey with them. One of them, a gray tabby she cat with a pinkish orange tail, glanced over at her with narrowed eyes.
“Rosetail, I don’t care that they are your brother’s kits,” Bluestar growled within her head. “No matter what you say, I will not care for them. No matter what you believe, I will not love them. They should have never been born.”
Suddenly feeling closed in with the weight of her anger, of the pressure building on her shoulder, Bluestar felt the need to escape camp. However, she couldn’t just run out: she was the leader of ThunderClan. She was better than that.
“Maybe I can check our border with the Twolegplace,” she thought. “At this point, the last thing that we need is some bold kittypet trying to take our prey. Why can’t they learn that this territory is ours? It is not like they need that prey like we do! They live with Twolegs, so why can’t they just stay within their ‘happy’ lives?”
However, Bluestar stopped her thoughts there, wondering about Pinestar, a ThunderClan leader that left the clans in order to become a kittypet. With a sigh, she left the camp, not noticing that someone had been watching her.
“How could anyone with a drop of warrior’s blood even think about leaving the clans to become a kittypet?” she pondered with sadness. “Why would Pinestar leave his clan when they needed him most? Why would he leave behind his mate and his weakened kits? I mean, we were lucky that Tigerclaw survived at all… Did StarClan say something? Or did Pinestar just not feel happy here, to the point he would leave? Did he not have faith in the warrior code?”
Even to this day, Bluestar never understood the former leader’s decision. After everything that she had been through, she could not see how anyone could leave behind their duties, their family.
“It’s strange,” Bluestar mused to herself. “No matter what has happened in the past, no matter what happens in the future, ThunderClan is my family with a few exceptions. I’m their leader… It is my job to care, to protect, to lead, to guide. Their fates are in my claws. Now, if only I didn’t have to see them all the time…”
“Bluestar!”
Bluestar turned to see Whitestorm following her. The large white tom looked worried as he stepped over to her. However, Bluestar couldn’t keep a smile off her face. Besides his strong build and amber eyes, Whitestorm was the image of his mother, Snowfur. He was her last connection to her fallen sister.
“Hello Whitestorm,” she greeted him. “What are you doing out here?”
“I saw you leave camp, so I talked to Redtail,” the white tom stated. “We thought that maybe you were leaving to checking our border with the Twolegplace. After all, Hollowtail has been complaining about the fact that the kittypets have been looking out at our territory again.”
“Yet none of them have come into the forest at this time, correct?” Bluestar questioned in a dry tone, trying to keep her sudden anger down. “If they haven’t, there is no reason to attack them…”
“Looks like Hollowtail is just looking for any reason to beat up the local kittypets again,” Bluestar mentally growled. “He’s just like his father: selfish, battle-hungry, always looking for any reason to attack… I need to tell Redtail to keep an eye on Hollowtail before he ends up killing a kittypet…”
She remembered the time that she had caught Thistleclaw attacking a lone kittypet that happened to wander into their territory. Both Hollowtail and Bitterclaw had been newly appointed apprentices at the time, eyes wide as they watched as their father rip into the crying kittypet. However, after Bluestar came out and chewed Thistleclaw out for the attack, the battle-scared tom snapped at her, called her weak and stated that she never should have been chosen as deputy. Then, he had turned to the two apprentices with a smile on his face.
“So… Are you two going to be weak like our deputy?” Thistleclaw stated, tone dripping with bitterness. “Not willing to protect what is ours? The same cat that just threw you two to the side like pieces of rotten freshkill? Or will you become strong, powerful cats that are willing to do what is needed for the clan, no matter what Now, attack this worthless kittypet.”
While Thistleclaw watched with a grin, Hollowpaw had attack the kittypet, not giving them any time to react. The kittypet wailed out in pain as the apprentice’s sharp claws dug into their shoulder. However, Bitterpaw failed to join in, just watching what was happening in front with Thistleclaw’s amber eyes. She also failed to stop her brother. Bluestar had to keep in a growl as she remembered jumping in to save the kittypet.
“Thistleclaw was taking things too far!” Bluestar thought angrily. “We are warriors! We are not rogues: we follow the warrior code. We do not have to kill in order to win. While a kittypet can be a danger to us by taking our prey, most kittypets will not fight back and will run back to their twolegs’ nests. There is no honor in fighting a weak enemy. There is no honor in continuing to beat down a defeated opponent… And it’s not worth fighting kittypets in any case. Anyways… I’m just glad that Whitestorm is nothing like Thistleclaw… Unlike those two…”
“Lost in thought, Bluestar?” Whitestorm calmly spoke, breaking her thoughts. “What are you thinking about?”
“I was just thinking about the past,” Bluestar answered, telling only apart of the truth. “I was wondering… I have done the right thing?”
“Only StarClan knows that,” Whitestorm replied to her question. “In the moment, we can only trust ourselves to do what is right… What we believe is right.”
“What if that wasn’t enough?” Bluestar sighed looking ahead at the fence line coming up. “What we had the chance to change the future… and yet, we had failed? What if I have failed the clan by causing it to grow weak during these last few seasons..?”
“Bluestar, why are you doubting yourself now?” Whitestorm questioned with alarm. “Is it because we lost Sunningrocks? You are a good leader, strong and fair. ThunderClan respects you for all that you have done for the clan. We will win it back once we have regained our strength… Or are you worried about Hollowtail and Bitterclaw again? I won’t worry about them… They are both good warriors, loyal to ThunderClan.”
“Sometimes, I wish that it could be like this all the time,” Bluestar added after she sniffed the air, keeping one eye on the fence. “Where there is peace, and we are able to find enough food for everyone.”
“If wishes were food, we would eat like lions come leafbare,” Whitestorm laughed. “But if that were the case, then we would not be warriors! We would not have the warrior code which helps guides us through our struggles: cold, illness, hunger, and battles. That just means that when the good times come, it will be all the more sweeter. Please don’t lose faith, Bluestar. ThunderClan has lasted a long time… We will continue to survive whatever life throws at us.”
Bluestar had to hold back a purr as she wondered how Whitestorm grew from a tiny kit to a strong, wise warrior. However, that was when she saw a flash of orange from out of the corner of her eyes. Quickly turning her head, she noticed a young ginger tom with white paws staring into the forest. His green eyes shined with interest as his tail flicked back and forth.
“Wait,” ordered Bluestar, flicking her tail in front of Whitestorm. “I want to see what he does.”
“No need to attack him before he has stepped into our territory,” she mused. “I’m not Thistleclaw. Besides, I just have a feeling…”
Whitestorm just nodded as they hid in the nearby bushes, eyes on the young kittypet. That was when Bluestar noticed that, when the sun caught his pelt, he looked like a living flame.
“His pelt! It’s just like fire!” Bluestar thought in alarm. “Oh StarClan, no! Surely you cannot mean that the fire is..!”
The kittypet then stared straight at a starling that flitted from branch to branch in a nearby tree. Suddenly the black colored bird let out a cry and flew out of the bushes right over the kittypet’s head. The kittypet with a flaming pelt immediately reared up, reaching out with his front claws. He just missed the bird by a whisker and almost fell down the side of the fence. However, he kept his balance and sat up, eyes fierce, eager, ready to try again.
“It’s strange…” Bluestar thought. “This young kittypet has the spirit of a warrior… But… Out of anything that StarClan could have said… How can someone with no warrior blood save ThunderClan? Especially one that has had such a soft life…”
“Not bad,” Whitestorm mewed, breaking Bluestar’s thoughts. “But nothing to be worried about at this time… Just a normal kittypet.”
Despite his words, Whitestorm’s tone was not negative. In fact, it just seemed like Whitestorm just didn’t care one way or another. He turned away and began to move away from the kittypet. However, Bluestar noticed that the kittypet turned towards where they were hiding. His green eyes were narrowed as he stared at the bush, as if he was trying to find something… Or someone. That was she noticed the strange bands on his front paws: yellow that stood out against his ginger fur. Looking as closely as she could, Bluestar saw that there were points coming from the band. She almost gasped out in surprise as she noticed what shape was formed from the band.
“He… That kittypet!” she gasped out mentally. “He has stars on his legs! Did StarClan mark him? How is that possible? StarClan watches only those within the clans… So how would they get to him?”
Suddenly, a second kittypet joined the flaming tom on the fence. He was a slight heavier tom, with black and white fur with a body that make it clear to Bluestar that he was just a normal, lazy kittypet. She and Whitestorm watched carefully as the two young toms began chatting. However, the young tom with the red pelt kept glancing over at the forest, with a mixture of longing and horror in his eyes. After a few moments, the two kittypets leapt out of sight, most likely going back to their soft kittypet lives.
“Let’s go,” mewed Whitestorm, yawning. “We have wasted enough time out here. I don’t believe that a pair of kittypets is going to be much of a threat to ThunderClan.”
“However, it wouldn’t hurt to keep an eye on the border with the twolegplace,” Bluestar answered. “We need to be able to recover our strength, so we cannot afford to be fighting with any of the kittypets. However, this might be a good time to test some of our apprentices…”
“That’s not a bad idea,” Whitestorm replied, flicking his ears. “After all, most kittypets are soft clawed… At least there will be less of a chance of them being injured in the attack.”
“Just in case, I would like their mentor to be there as well,” Bluestar quickly added on. “And I will be watching them… So that things do not go out of paw.”
Bluestar almost frowned at the thought of Tigerclaw stalking around the border, but she had to make it seem like that this wasn’t planned: that she was doing this not to test a kittypet but to help with the training of ThunderClan’s apprentices. However, in order to do so, she had to be fair and just.
“Besides, despite being trained by Thistleclaw, Tigerclaw is an excellent warrior: one that would never betray ThunderClan,” Bluestar reflected. “Even Thistleclaw, despite what he did, was loyal to ThunderClan above all else… But… If I’m going to bring a kittypet into the clan, then I am going to need help… I need to talk to Spottedleaf… Even if it is for her to tell me that I’m crazy and mousebrain for even thinking of the idea…
Fire alone will save the clan… I hope that you are correct StarClan… Otherwise… I could be making a great mistake…”
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“Brother… Brother, I am in need of your help…”
The silver tabby she cat sat on the edge of the border between StarClan and the shadowy forest where the criminals lay. Her once bright blue eyes were dark with anger as she dug her claws into the dirt.
“This time, they have gone too far!” she bitterly snarled. “When we helped the clans so long ago, I did not create StarClan to control cat’s lives! I did not join the clans in order to watch the suffering caused by their short-sighted rules! I mean… They chased off one of the clans just because ‘they didn’t have enough room!’ And what they did to ThunderClan’s current leader was completely unacceptable… To take away almost everything from a cat just so that they could be a ‘good’ leader… Then they turn around and give someone like Brokentail nine lives despite his murder of the last leader… Hypocrites! That is what they are all; mousebrain hypocrites!”
“Hello, Zanth… It has been a while… My dear sister…”
The silver tabby she cat looked towards the dark forest at the creepy tom and smiled. On the other side stood a tall and slender tuxedo tom, with short black and white fur. He looked like he was also happy to see her, his tail curled at its tip, his claws digging into the ground below. If she hadn’t of known him as well as she did, the silver tabby would have failed to read his emotions because of his one notable feature…
…Or rather, his featureless face.
Oh, the tom still had the normal bone structure of a face: it was the fact that the tom had no eyes, no nose, no mouth that would have been horrifying to any other cat. However, she wasn’t just any cat. This tom was the brother that had struggled to live during his very short life in spite of his extreme deformities. This was the brother that, for the longest time, she had never known about until she had accidently found the land of the dead. The brother that had never stopped believing that his siblings would find him someday. The brother that had fought along them to help protect the newly formed clans from some power-hungry cats that wanted control. The brother that had stood by her side as she gave up everything, her kits, her mate, her life, in order to create StarClan so that the fallen had a place that they could rest and watch over their families until they passed from time. He was the one to create the Dark Forest to isolate and punish those that dared harmed others without due reason. After all this time, he was the one sibling to stay close by, even if most others ran away thanks to his features and power.
“Yes it has… Slendy.”
“Oh don’t call me that!” the tom rumbled, his voice seeming to come out of the air around him. “You know I hate that… Just like the fact that you hate being called Silverpelt.”
“I don’t even know why I agreed to that name,” she agreed with the faceless tom. “Or why I even wanted to join the clans in the first place… Or why I thought it would be a good idea to give one of my kits to each clan…”
“It’s because you cared,” the tall tom stated, stepping closer to the border. “Now, do I permission to cross over or..?”
“Of course you do!” the silver tabby exclaimed. “Don’t be a mousebrain! I called you here and anyone that says anything about it can go jump in a river for all that I care!”
With a low rumble, the tom leaped across the border between the Dark Forest and StarClan with little trouble. Shaking out his short fur, he joined the smaller and fluffier she cat.
“Zanth, we have a problem,” the tom voiced his thoughts. “The Dark Forest cats are getting wise to my illusions… And they have been visiting some of the living cats…”
“Just great…” Zanth moaned. “That is just what I wanted to hear… Then again, things are not much better here… In fact, it’s getting worse. It has gotten to the point that they are controlling, no, playing with cats’ lives. All in the name of a better future…”
“Why would you feel the need to destroy cat’s lives with your visions?” she snarled to herself. “Just how many lives did you feel the need to destroy? There was no need to break Stormkit’s jaw: he would have been a strong and loyal warrior, if a little arrogant. Why did you need to kill off Bluestar’s family? She still had the drive to become leader and would have been more stable… Happier! And do not get me started on Yellowfang! She should have never been a medicine cat: you fools just threw her into that position just because she was born with her power! For that matter, why do you feel the need to throw all of the Marked into medicine cat positions? Are you that afraid of their powers: of those powers passing on to the next generation? The ones running StarClan are idiots: the fact that those cats have powers means that they are some of my descendants! Seriously… It makes me wonder what they really think about me!”
“What did they do this time?” the slender tom spoke, the tone of his voice full of anger. “Then again, it cannot get worse than the fact that they let a murderer become a leader right after he murdered his own father… Then again, Raggedstar was an idiot who spoiled a cat that should have punished for his actions… Come to think about, why did anyone in ShadowClan think that mousebrain tom would be a good leader? He murdered a cat in cold blood.”
“If it was up to me,” Zanth stated, feeling sick with fury. “I would have sent Raggedstar to you. Accidently murdering in self-defense is one thing… But to kill someone in a fit of rage just because they were taunting you…”
“Most of the living are just fools,” the tuxedo tom voiced out, contempt showing through. “Don’t they know that, in the end, one’s bloodline doesn’t matter? While we are an example of good blood relationships, not all families are like that. Though… I do find it funny that the clans value ‘pure clan’ blood over most other factors, considering that all ‘warriors’ are descendants of kittypets in some way. There will never be a pure warrior… Besides, the clans are shooting themselves in the foot with that worry… With blood purity comes weakness and sickness…”
“Shooting themselves?” Zanth questioned, confused by the other’s words. “Slenderman, have you been freaking out the twolegs again? Little brother, please stop that...”
“Sorry about that sis…” the tom shrugged his shoulders. “Sometimes, I do forget that not everyone has the same ter… Oh, forget it! Anyways… Just what have those spirits done to get you so upset…”
“StarClan has sent out a message to Spottedleaf of ThunderClan,” Zanth mewed. “Fire alone will save the clan…”
“And I am going to assume that the ‘fire’ is a cat, correct?” Slenderman stated, furious. “One that is not currently in the clan… Should I send out my children, the nightmares to stop them from coming?”
“I fear that it may be too late,” Zanth answered sadly. “From what I have understood, they have been sending their chosen cat dreams of being in the forest… Though it seems like this cat would have gone in anyways… From what I have understood, while born a kittypet, he has the spirit of a warrior… However, that alone is not the issue here. One, StarClan is trying to force someone down a certain pathway… Thanks to StarClan slowly stealing my future sight, I can’t even see what those paths would or could be!”
“They have been what?” Slenderman stated in a low roar. “On top of sending cats to be slaughtered for the ‘good of the clans’… Letting cruel cats become leader because they happened to be deputy at the time… Chasing out one of the five original clans for selfish reasons… To this day, I have not found SkyClan’s fallen spirits… They have…. Fallen… Been lost to the stars…”
“Slenderman, you cannot blame yourself for SkyClan,” Zanth sighed. “If anything, that was my fault… I should have done something… Anything. I should have stopped StarClan from sending the SkyClan’s medicine cats’ visions of their clans fall… I should have sent a sign showing the downfall of the clans once SkyClan was out of the picture… If they could do it to one clan… They could force another clan out…”
Suddenly, pain ripped through her vision as battle cries sounded off into her ears. She saw the larger forms of ShadowClan tearing through the ranks of WindClan: a night attack within WindClan clan’s camp. The silver tabby saw cats fall as WindClan fought back… But it wasn’t enough. She had to watch, horrified, as WindClan was chased from their own territory as ShadowClan howled with victory.
And… This wasn’t just a possible future… It was going to happen within the next moon! And there was nothing she could do to stop it… And the key to bring them back was the kittypet a pelt the color of fire. The one that was born with the spirit and heart of a warrior.
“Foxdung!” Zanth all but shouted through her pain, sight clearing. “It’s no good… We need that young kittypet in the clans… For whatever reason… Something is going to happen to WindClan… And that cat is key to bringing them back… And…”
“Sister… I have an idea,” Slenderman interrupted. “Since it seems that we can’t force the ‘chosen’ cat away, why not befriend him before StarClan can dig their claws in? That way… While it won’t be perfect, it will give him a chance to choose his own path. I will send Patches to befriend the young tom first… And tell the other nightmares to keep an eye out for him. However, it would be better if neither you or I meet with him at this time…”
“Okay,” Zanth sighed. “You’re correct… We don’t want the rest of StarClan to know what we are… Wait? How do you know that the cat is a tom?”
“Now, now, dear sister,” Slenderman laughed as he stepped over the border. “I can’t give away all of my secrets… Good luck Zanth. I will help however I can…”
With that, the tall and slender tom leaped over the border and disappeared into the darkness. Meanwhile, the silver tabby stood up, shook out her fur, then headed back towards StarClan, a frown on her face.
“Spirits of StarClan, enough is enough!” she thought. “Cats’ lives are not to be played with… You have gone too far… It’s time to start fanning the flames of war… Your time has ended…”
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Post by darkfeather88 on Dec 19, 2018 22:58:46 GMT -5
Chapter 1: Into the Wild
He was standing within the forest, under a starry sky. The moon shone above in the sky, painting the ground with a pale silver glow, even his normally ginger fur. Scents of all kinds filled his nose as he eagerly glanced around, content, happy. Then, he saw a small shape hiding behind a tree, with short, round ears. The young tom crouched down, his tail flicking with excitement. However, that caused the small creature to look up and quickly disappeared into the undergrowth. The tom hissed softly as he stood up.
“ThunderClan attack!”
“What in the world?”
The young tom ran through the undergrowth, fur flinching every time a bramble brushed up and tried to scratch his shorter fur. Soon enough, he found his self at the sight of a battle and, to his shock, the night sky had disappeared and had been replaced by the sun
“What is going on here? Why did everything change so suddenly? It was night!”
There were several cats fighting on the rocks. Battle cries rang through the air as several cats leaped off, driving straight into the river. Suddenly, with little warning, the young tom found his self on the rocks, nervous. However, the sounds caused his heart to race with a different emotion: excitement. It felt like he belonged here with these furious cats.
“Give up Oakheart!” growled a tortoiseshell tom near the bottom of the rocks, cornered by a reddish-brown tom. “Sunningrocks belongs to ThunderClan!”
“RiverClan will never give up!” snarled back the reddish-brown tom. “These rocks were RiverClan long before any ThunderClan cat even had thought to put their paws here! We will continue to fight as long as ThunderClan fails to understand that! We will never stop… And make sure that Bluestar understands that!”
With a roar, the brown tom rushed toward the tortoiseshell with outstretched claws. However, the tortoiseshell dodged out of the way, his bright red tail flicked upward as he moved. He stuck out with his claws as the other tom crashed into the stone. Then, rocks began to fall. The young tom was horrified to see the reddish-brown tom crushed under the stones as the tortoiseshell tom just watched.
“Why didn’t he do anything?” the young tom wondered. “There was a chance that the other could have been saved… He didn’t need to die…”
Laughter rang throughout the air. Quickly glancing upwards, he saw a large tortoiseshell cat laying right where the rocks once were with a dark grin on her face. Her amber eyes shone with delight as she licked her paw. Then, as he was trying to focus on her features, she vanished like smoke.
“Who was that?” he questioned, confused. “Why was she up there and how did she fade away like that?”
“Oakheart, I’m sorry for your death,” mewed the tortoiseshell tom, head bowed down. “May you find your way to StarClan. No warrior deserves to die in such a way.”
As the tom mourned the lost of life, a large dark brown tabby tom stalked around from the side of rocks, claws unsheathed. The tortoiseshell tom then turned to face the other tom.
“Tigerclaw, have we run off RiverClan?” the tortoiseshell tom. “And where are the others?”
“I have sent Ravenpaw back to camp,” the dark tabby answered. “And the rest of them are heading over to remark our border… There are no signs of the rest of the RiverClan patrol. So… Is Oakheart under those rocks?”
As the tortoiseshell nodded, the other tom then stuck. He leaped onto the tortoiseshell tom with little warning, sinking his fangs right into the back of the other tom’s throat. As the other struggled, trying to throw the other off, the dark tabby broke his throat. The tortoiseshell tried to gasp out words but the other held him down as his struggles faded. The young tom watching had to keep out a sob out of his throat.
The tortoiseshell was dead, murdered by someone he knew.
Then, the young tom woke up, breathing heavily. He quickly glanced around his soft, blue nest, green eyes wide with fear.
“Just what was that?” he wondered, worried. “Why did I have such a terrible dream? And… Why did those cats kill each other? What were their reasons?”
Standing up and stretching, the young tom tried to shake off his dark dreams by heading over to where his twolegs kept his water and food. After licking up a few drops of water, he glanced down at the dried pellets. With a sigh, he picked up a few pieces and crunched them between his teeth.
“I like my twolegs, but I wish that they would give me something else once and a while,” he thought with a hiss. “These are so dry and tasteless… What I wouldn’t give to catch a mouse…”
After a few more bites, the young tom dashed for the smaller flap that let him go outside, the sound of a bell following him. Going outside, the young tom took a deep breath with a smile on his face.
“There is nothing like being outside!” he stated to his self. “The sun is shining; the air is clean… And there are birds out here… Now, if only they would get close enough…”
“Hello, Rusty!” chirped a voice from the fence that separated the two twolegs’ nests. “Did you have any of your weird dreams again? Is that why you were so late today?”
“Hello, Smudge,” the ginger tom answered back. “And you are one to talk! Most of the time, you sleep even later than me!”
Rusty turned to face one of the few kittypets that accepted him in spite of his… unusual markings. The black and white tom had leapt down into his yard, tail tip curled with happiness. However, despite his own happiness, Rusty couldn’t help but look down at his white paws and the yellow band right above the white. Coming out of the yellow band on the front of his legs was a familiar shape, one that he saw every time he looked up the night sky. As what happened every time stared at the unusual markings, he was thrown into his memories. Memories that were not pleasant.
“Look! It’s the runt!”
“Run along, you little mistake. You should have never been born!”
“Nutmeg should have killed that runt when she had the chance. There is no good that comes letting cats like that live!”
“Who knows what will happen with that tom? I heard that cats that are born with unusual markings can go crazy…”
“There is a reason that cats like that are called Cursed… They just bring pain and heartache to anyone that cares about them.”
“Hey, Rusty, are you there?”
Rusty shook his head to clear his negative thoughts. Now was not the time for this. However, he had a feeling that something was going to happen today… Something that would change his life forever.
“I… need to go into the woods,” Rusty thought. “It’s just a feeling… That this will be the best chance… Does this feeling have to do with my dream?”
“Rusty…” mewed the black and white tom with alarm. “You’re not thinking about going into the woods, are you?”
“I’m just going in for a quick look, Smudge,” Rusty answered. “I’ll be back before you know it…”
“But Rusty,” Smudge cried. “It’s dangerous out there! I have heard that there are wild cats that live in those woods!”
“I bet that those are just rumors,” Rusty stated with a sigh. “Surely they cannot be that bad…”
“I heard that they attack anyone that comes into their ‘territory,’” Smudge exclaimed. “They are strong enough to fight foxes and badgers and they make their nests with the bones of their enemies…”
“I don’t think that anyone would willingly sleep on bones,” Rusty pointed out. “Even wild cats would want some comfort…”
“Rusty, you’re missing the point!” Smudge almost shouted at him. “If you go into the woods, you will be attacked. Henry said that when he went into the woods…”
“Henry has never been in the woods,” Rusty interrupted. “He is too fat and lazy to run straight into the woods… He’s just lying to you!”
“Hey, Rusty, give him a break!” Smudge mewed. “It could have happened when he was younger… Before he went to the Cutter… Are you still upset about that time he chased you out of his yard, yelling about curses?”
“Yes,” Rusty simply stated. “Yes I am.”
“And that is the same response that I get every time I try to befriend anyone besides you and Princess,” he bitterly added. “They take one look at the markings on my lower legs and hiss. If I’m lucky, the cat in question will just ignore me. However, most of the time, I am chased off by claws and fangs, with the added threat of death… All because I bare some stupid marks on my legs! Everyone calls me a monster for something I was born with! Something that I had no control over! Even if my mother loved me… I’m glad to have you at least, Smudge, but… I wish that I had more friends…”
“Hello Rusty!” Smudge called out in a worried tone, flicking his tail with his nerves. “Are you there? You looked like you were lost in thought again… You know, you can’t be doing that… What if someone jumps you again? I don’t want to see you come home covered in blood again.”
Rusty frowned as he reminded of that day. He had wanted to see Princess, and he had over heard someone talking about a new she cat moving in. He had grown more excited as they stated that she was a light brown tabby with cat with a white chest and paws. The younger ginger tom had to tell his self that it could not be his sister, but he had to see, just in case. He had stepped into the alley, joyful and hopeful when he had gotten surrounded by a group of rogues. Those rogues had taunted him after seeing the yellow markings on his legs. Then, they attacked without mercy, dragging him out of the alley and onto the nearby Thunderpath that ran near his nest. Even as he struggled, they had thrown him straight into the path of an oncoming monster.
Then, something happened.
To this day, Rusty wasn’t sure that he had been crazy or just so out of it that he was just seeing things. However, one thing was clear.
Someone or something had saved him… at the cost of one of the rogues dying right in front of him.
Rusty still remembered the tall and slender figure that had appeared from what had seemed like nowhere and attacked the rogues. He noticed that the rogues seemed shocked and confused. As Rusty was quickly thrown as the strange cat kicked a rogue into the Thunderpath while he was pulled to safety. Then he watched in horror as a monster rolled on in. The first monster ended up missing the rogue… But a second one that suddenly appeared ended up hitting him as he was charging back. As the rest of the rogues hissed and snarled insults at him as they ran away, Rusty couldn’t help but stare at the fallen, broken body in the street.
Rusty had never forgot that he had accidently killed another cat, and he never forgot the faceless cat that stared back at him. Unmoving. Unchanging.
However, no one else would let him forget it either. He was now banded a murderer, a killer… And no one else even mentioned the tall, slender figure that had appeared from nowhere. It had gotten to the point that it wasn’t safe for Rusty to leave his yard for any reason.
“I wonder though,” Rusty thought as he looked out into the forest. “Would the wild cats accept me? While I don’t believe the rumors, seriously, how would someone rip the fur off of a living cat anyways, it is true that they are stronger most of the rogues around here… And, that dream… Would they be willing to kill? Or, was that also an accident? Come on, let not think about that now… Would they be more accepting of someone like me? Or would they bully me like the others do? Then again, it can’t be worse than here…”
With that in mind, Rusty walked over to the fence, tail held high for once. He ignored Smudge’s warning cries as he leaped onto it.
“Rusty, NO!” Smudge cried as he joined the other. “Please do not go into the woods! Remember Piper! Remember what happened to Piper!”
Rusty flinched. There was no way that anyone could forget what happened to the black, gray, and white she cat. From what he had heard, she had been a proud, bold cat that lived life on the edge. She took a dare to step into the woods. She went in…. and came back covered in her own blood. She was lucky to have survived.
Rusty would have had a little more sympathy for her if she hadn’t taken one look at his unusual markings and hissed at him, calling him a scourge of kittypet kind. Just like those so-called ‘warriors.’
“I’m not Piper,” Rusty finally stated, voice like stone. “I’m not going to just stand there and get beaten up. If something happens, I will run… I know my limits.”
“I say that but…” Rusty added, only to his self. “Why do I get the feeling that, if I enter the woods now, everything will change?”
Shaking his head, Rusty leaped off of the fence. His paws touched down on the uncut grass as he took his steps into the wild. He sniffed around, happiness bursting from his heart. His claws dug into the earth as he marched towards the trees, tail high. Smudge was yelling at him from the fence, but Rusty failed to hear him.
“This is awesome!” Rusty thought as he looked around in wonder. “There are so many smells here… Most of them unfamiliar to me… Wait, what is that over there?”
Being careful of where he put his paws, Rusty noticed the slight movement running over the remains of the leaves on the ground. It was the same creature that he had tried to hunt in his dream. Rusty was now excited. This was his chance to catch something. Moving slowly while crouching down, he inched closer and closer to the mouse. His tail lay out behind him, flicking only at the tip. Then, just as he was in range to pounce, the mouse suddenly froze then quickly disappeared. Rusty hissed with frustration as he stood back up.
“I had it!” he growled, stomping his paw down. “And I’m sure I didn’t do anything wrong! I was trying to miss all of the leaves. So why did it run away? Did something..?”
Suddenly, the hair on the back of his neck stood up. His senses were telling him that someone else was nearby and that he needed to get out of there now. He panicked as a silver-gray figure rushed out of the undergrowth with a yowl. Rusty shrieked in pain as claws hit his nose as the other cat jumped onto his back. Then, fear shot through him when he felt teeth on his scruff. Using that fear, the ginger tom threw off the other cat and began bolting toward the fence. He panted as he flew, feeling his muscles screaming at him. Blood dripped down his nose as he saw the fence with Smudge still on it.
“I’m almost there!” Rusty mentally cheered to his self. “I will be safe if I…”
Then, he remembered all of the taunts that he had received ever since he moved in with his twolegs. That he was weak, useless… That he should have died when he was born. That cats like him are unusual, unnatural… He was destined to be insane: that he didn’t deserve friendship or anything else like that just because he had those yellow markings on his legs. His green eyes narrowed with fury.
“Just what am I doing?” he snarled. “I’m just proving everyone right! I need to fight back! I have to prove that I’m not a mistake… That I’m not worthless! I will fight!”
Rusty was almost at the fence. Smudge yelled out in concern, waving his tail and holding out one paw. However, besides that, the other kittypet was making no other move to help. Rusty was going to be on his own.
“That right kittypet!” spat out the cat behind him. “Run back to your twolegs! Your kind don’t belong in the forest!”
Something inside Rusty snapped. With a yowl, Rusty sharply turned around and dashed at the other. The other cat stopped in surprise as Rusty charged him. The ginger tom saw a chance to strike and took it. He stuck out, hitting the stunned cat across the nose.
“Got you!” Rusty thought with a smile. “Now, I just have to…”
However, that feeling of joy failed to last. The silver-gray cat just hissed back as he tackled Rusty, pinning the smaller tom under his paws. Rusty tried to struggle but failed to free his self.
“Think that you are so tough, kittypet?” the other cat, a tom Rusty noticed, growled. “This is over… Go home now and I let you go with just a warning…”
“Leave him alone, you dirty… murderer!” yelled Smudge from up on the fence. “He has done anything to you!”
“Thank you for being useless, Smudge,” Rusty bitterly stated. “What a great friend you are… Watching me get my rear kicked by one of the wild cats… Thank you.”
Knowing that help was not coming, Rusty just sighed before noticing that one of the other tom’s paws was in reach of his fangs. So he went and bit down on the paw. The tom got off of him in a hurry, allowing Rusty to stand up and leap onto the other’s back.
“Rusty, what in the world are you doing?” Smudge shouted. “Get up here! Run! Please! You are only going to get hurt!”
Rusty ignored Smudge, not even hearing his words. Instead, he arched his back and hissed, standing his ground, studying his opponent, who had stopped and hissed back.
“Okay, so he is a young tom about my age,” Rusty reflected quickly, looking over the other. “He is a silver-gray with a darker stripe and he has longer fur than I do so that is going to make it hard for my claws to dig in. He is more muscular than I am so overpowering him is out of the question…And he is going to have experience than me, this is going to be tough… But not impossible.”
“Come at me, wild cat,” Rusty growled, green eyes burning with a hidden flame. “Show me what you are made of… Or are you afraid of a kittypet like me?”
The silver-gray tom, to surprise, stopped hissing and just gave him a blank look.
“Kittypet, just what are you doing?” the tom asked. “I will just beat you again… Listen, please just run along home, and never come back here… And we can just forget that this even happened…”
“No, I will stand my ground,” Rusty replied. “And you would do well to remember that not all kittypets are weak! And… I think that I can beat you.”
“Why are you so determined to throw yourself at me?” the other questioned in disbelief. “You are just a kittypet! Don’t you have some twolegs that can give everything that you want?”
“That is right!” Smudge called up. “Think of your twolegs! They wouldn’t want you to fight! What will they think when you don’t return home? Or worse, they find your bloody body! Please, don’t leave me, Rusty! Think of Princess! Would she like it if you died?”
The silver-gray tom just gave Smudge a blank stare, flicking his ear in confusion.
“Er… While I know that there are several cats that give us a bad name,” he muttered. “But seriously, just what rumors have been flying around the Twolegplace? While I have every intention of chasing this stubborn kittypet back home, I was not planning on kill him! That goes against the Warrior Code… Wait, why am I explaining this to you two? Kittypet! Leave now!”
“Once again, no,” Rusty stated. “If you are the only thing in the woods, I think that I will be fine.”
“No, that's not true!” the tom laughed. “I’m not the worst thing out here! I’m only an apprentice! There are many more warriors within the clan that are much tougher than me! They would have sent you running without any trouble! They are able to take on foxes and badgers with would eat soft kittypets like you!”
Rusty charged the other with a yowl, furious at the other’s words. However, despite his anger, Rusty was thinking. He aimed at the other’s tail, hoping that would cause the tom to turn to try and catch him. Sure enough, the other tom twisted around to snap at him. Rusty quickly leaped out of his range and clawed at his rear. He rapidly twisted out off the other claws and dashed around and hit the other’s lower legs.
“I can’t overpower him in close combat,” Rusty thought with a smile. “But I can outrun him, and I’m quicker with my smaller build. I will tear him down with many little cuts… I just need to keep focused and not get hit in return…”
A paw flew out and smashed into the side of his head. Rusty snarled as he was thrown onto his side. As he went to stand up on shaky legs, the other tom knocked him back down.
“Give up kittypet!” the silver-gray tom called out. “Go home and never come back! There is no need for this to continue on like this! Just stop while you are ahead!”
“Rusty, please!” Smudge begged. “Stop this nonsense! Come home!”
“Why would I give up?” Rusty snarled at the silver-gray tom, ignoring Smudge. “The forest doesn’t belong only to the wild cats! Why should I listen to someone who has no idea of what I have been through? Why would I listen to someone that doesn’t know me? Besides, what is the big deal if a kittypet comes into the woods?”
As the tom pinning him hissed in anger, Rusty found out that his legs were locked: he couldn’t move. Suddenly, he was in a slightly different area, looking out over a horrifying sight as unknown figures stood by his side.
There were many unusual monsters ripping the Earth apart, digging into the dirt with sharp, unmoving fangs. The trees fell as the twolegs swarmed the once living woods, helping the monsters move the fallen trees and the large stones unearthed. Small silver structures, much like the carrier that his twolegs used to carry him outside his nest, were dotted along the edges of the forest that remained. He also noticed the bodies of prey just laying out in the open, twisted. It looked as if they died a quick but painful death.
“What in the world?” Rusty thought in horror. “What is this? This cannot be true! The forest is still unbroken! Alive! So… Why am I seeing this and why can I not move? I have to stand strong…”
“Someone! Anyone! Help me!”
Suddenly, the scene changed again as Rusty found his self surrounded by fire. The flames flickered in his face as the heat poured out over him. Looking upward, he froze with shock. A kit was hanging off of a branch in a tree that was surrounded by the flames. His cries increased as both the smoke and fire rose, clouding the air and covering his sight. Rusty’s nerves failed him as the young dark brown tabby tom struggled to stay above the chaos. However, the ginger tom noticed that there were no shouts of anguish in the distance: no calls searching for him.
No one seemed to be coming: the young tom was on his own.
Rusty tried to will his body to move, to do anything that would save the young tom, but his body seemed frozen. There was nothing he could do but watch: there was nothing that he could do as the tom’s struggles became weaker and weaker with each passing breath.
“Come on!” Rusty yelled at his self. “Move! Save the kit! Do something! Don’t just stand here! Why can’t I move my body? Why can’t I save him?”
Rusty watched with horror at the young tom finally lost his battle with the rising smoke. Coughing from the smoke filling up his lungs, dark brown tabby tom’s claws retreated as he let go of the branch, unable to hold on for any longer. The flames eagerly consumed his body as shrieks of pain rang throughout the air. At first, Rusty lost sight of the young tom, but the screams failed to disappear. As his sight began to fade, Rusty saw one last sight of the tom, running through the flames, burns covering both his belly and legs.
“Please be okay young kit,” Rusty sighed as darkness covered him. “Please find your family… Please be safe… Survive in this harsh world…”
“No nonononononononononono nooooooooo! Come on, you kittypet! Wake up! You cannot be dead! I did not hit you that hard!”
“You murderer! Why couldn’t you just leave him alone? Rusty has been though enough without you picking on him!”
Rusty awoke to the sounds of the tom that had slapped him upside the head panicking. He heard the other’s pawsteps echoing around him as they seemed to be running around him. Smudge was also yelling at the other.
“Wait… When did I fall asleep in the first place?” Rusty wondered, opening his green eyes. “He didn’t hit me that hard… And I am not weak! Somehow, I must have fainted… but why and how?”
Groaning, Rusty slowly stood on his paws, shaking slightly as he glared at the silver-gray tom. He unsheathed his claws, ready to strike again if needed. However, the other tom just snorted and sat down, scratching his ear.
“Kittypet, just go home,” the silver-gray tom stated. “You are in no condition to continue this fight… And there is point in fighting you… You are no warrior and will never be. And… There is no honor in fighting a defeated enemy. Besides, I had no plans to kill you. We are not murderers!”
“I am not done,” Rusty growled, his mind finally clearing. “You just got a lucky hit in… As for being a warrior, I bet that I could be just as good as you if anyone would just give me once chance to prove myself! Besides, anyone with the ability and honor could be a good warrior! I’m sure that there are cats that, for whatever reason, will or cannot be warriors! After all, not everyone is bloodthirsty as you!”
The silver-gray tom flinched at his words. However, Rusty was passed the point of caring. He had been beat up just for daring to step over the fence line.
“Then again, why do I still get the feeling that my life is about to change?” he questioned. “All that has happened is I fought this ‘warrior,’ somehow fainted or fell asleep when he slapped me upside the head, then get told that I’m not good enough to be considered a ‘good’ enemy. After everything that has happened to me, I will…”
“Rusty!” called Smudge in a panic. “Look out!”
Rusty was thrown from his thoughts by the silver-gray tom tackling him. He hissed as the other dug his claws into shoulders, shaking him.
“Leave now kittypet!” the young tom snarled. “I can smell some cats from my clans coming this way! If they find you here, they will take you down, you stubborn cat! So run while you still have the chance because they will show you no mercy!”
“Graypaw, just what are you doing?”
The silver-gray tom froze with a guilty look on his face. He rapidly got off of Rusty, turning to face the newcomers. Glancing up at Smudge, Rusty saw that the black and white tom was immobile, unmoving. The other kittypet was so stunned that not even his tail was flicking. The only part that moved was his mouth, which kept opening and closing. It looked like Smudge wanted to say something, but either couldn’t find the correct words to say or was too afraid to say anything. Either way, he was not going to be any help to Rusty.
“Once again, thank you for all your help, Smudge!” Rusty bitterly stated. “You could have done something! Instead, you just sat there on the fence yelling at me to run away. What a great friend you are!”
With a sigh, Rusty turned to face the newcomers. The first was a large pale golden tabby tom that had pulled the silver-gray tom aside and was speaking to him. The younger tom had his head down, ears laid back. However, it was the second cat that caught his attention. A shiver ran down his back at the regal air that she carried.
“Woah… That is a cat that I would never want to fight…” Rusty thought with alarm. “She looks like she could take me down… And by her posture, she must be a high-ranking cat within the clan… And, are all these cats going to end up more muscular than me? That is not fair…”
The she cat in question was a blue-gray color with sharp icy blue eyes that seemed to be taking everything in. Those eyes scanned over his pelt before looking up at Smudge. A sneer developed on her face at the sight of the black and white kittypet before turning her sight back onto him.
“What do we have here?” she questioned, the hint of a smile on her face. “A bold kittypet? Now… What to do with you?”
“Okay, I’m screwed.”
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Post by darkfeather88 on Dec 19, 2018 23:32:01 GMT -5
(Okay, finally done for the moment! Open.)
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Post by embertuft on Dec 20, 2018 3:00:44 GMT -5
Hi- could I submit a character? I can always delete my post if it’s interrupting the story or anything like that.
Cat’s Name: Wrenfeather
Gender: She-Cat
Eye color: Green
Pelt Color: pale brown tabby with a lighter underbelly, white paws, tufted ears and soft pelt
Clan: WindClan
Personality: She is very good-natured towards other cats, and is very protective of kits and apprentices. She is sympathetic, it was thought she was to be a medicine cat, but is a permanent queen instead. She only fights for what she believes is right, and is quite stubborn when it comes to her opinion.
Crushes: Her mate is Unknown
Other: She has kits- Storkkit- a grey and ginger calico she cat Eaglekit-a brown tabby and white she cat Larkkit-a pale tabby she cat with a lighter underbelly
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Post by darkfeather88 on Dec 20, 2018 8:27:53 GMT -5
(You might need to change the name....
Or would it be okay if she starts out as a kit?)
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Post by embertuft on Dec 20, 2018 13:57:38 GMT -5
(You might need to change the name.... Or would it be okay if she starts out as a kit?) (Yeah she can start out a kit, that’s fine, please at least let her live until an apprentice (if you were planning to kill her off, that is) (Is Brindlefeather an okay name?)
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Post by darkfeather88 on Dec 20, 2018 19:50:55 GMT -5
(It's more the fact that I'm trying to find out where to put her on the WindClan family tree... That is why I was asking.
Brindlefeather is fine. It's just that I didn't want another Wren- so soon.)
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Post by scint on Dec 20, 2018 21:00:44 GMT -5
(I really like this rewrite so far! I can't wait for more! Also, what other fanfiction sites are you posting this on? I would definitely follow/favorite/whatever on those sites if I have an account on them (I have a FFN, AO3, and Wattpad account). I'll submit a character too:
Cat’s Name: Sandycreek
Gender: She-cat
Eye color: Light copper (Light brown)
Pelt Color: Dilute torbie; cream and blue-gray tortoiseshell tabby
Clan: RiverClan
Personality: She's very studious and patient, always listening to everything a cat of a higher rank in her Clan has to say. She often takes criticism too hard, and will overwork herself to get something just right. She's incredibly stubborn when defending her leader's decisions, but tries her best not to reveal her true feelings on it (doesn't do very good at hiding her opinions). Sandycreek enjoys spending time hunting and patrolling, but when she has time to herself she often just hunts by herself. Sandycreek is usually quite calm, unless something strongly against her morals (safety of other Clans, safety of kits, killing another cat) ticks her off.
Crushes: Sandycreek has no crush, and most likely never will unless this is changed.
Other: Nothing, really.)
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Post by darkfeather88 on Dec 20, 2018 21:09:49 GMT -5
(Thank you! I'm on both FFN and AO3 under Goldenfeather88 on both sites. Also Robintail and Marrowfrost, accepted.
Marrowfrost, do you mind if your character starts off as a kit?)
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Post by scint on Dec 20, 2018 21:21:25 GMT -5
(Not at all, I couldn't care less if Sandycreek starts out as a kit. I'm also on FFN and AO3 as well, under the pen name Marrowfrost.)
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Post by darkfeather88 on Dec 20, 2018 21:26:13 GMT -5
(Thanks)
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Post by embertuft on Dec 21, 2018 1:21:55 GMT -5
(It's more the fact that I'm trying to find out where to put her on the WindClan family tree... That is why I was asking. Brindlefeather is fine. It's just that I didn't want another Wren- so soon.) That’s great , I just noticed Wrenflight in the allegiances lol.
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Post by mintedstar/fur🦇 on Dec 21, 2018 18:04:34 GMT -5
Darkfeather!! Great to see your fan fictions again! Looking forward to reading!
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Post by darkfeather88 on Dec 22, 2018 20:45:13 GMT -5
(Accepted Wildclan.
Good to see you too mint.)
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Post by darkfeather88 on Dec 26, 2018 17:49:55 GMT -5
Chapter 2: The Offer
“Bluestar, let’s get this kittypet out of here,” mewed the golden tabby tom. “He is wasting our time, and I would like to get back to camp to train Graypaw.”
“One moment, Lionheart,” mewed the blue-gray she cat. “There is something that I need to do first.”
Rusty was unnerved when the she cat stepped towards him, eyes looking his beaten form. As she circled him, Rusty dug his claws into the ground in order to keep him from running straight to the fence and leaping over it.
“No, I can’t show any fear here,” Rusty tried to encourage his self. “No matter what I am currently feeling… I have come this far. There is no sense in backing down now…”
“What an unusual kittypet,” the blue-gray she cat muttered. “And your pelt… It’s ginger… A ginger that is the color of fire.”
“I know,” Rusty sighed. “And everyone was slightly confused by my pelt color too… My mother’s friends always were saying that most of my siblings, and myself, had pelt colors that shouldn’t of happened… None of the toms should have looked anything like our father… and it was strange that… Wait? Did you say ginger? You can see my true pelt color?”
While Smudge just seemed confused, the other three cats just gave him looks like they thought he was stupid.
“Er,” mewed the younger tom, shaking his head. “Why wouldn’t we? It’s just another way that we can identify each other…”
“Then…” Smudge shuttered, nervous. “Then why don’t you use your noses like normal cats? Everyone has a different scent…”
“Shut up, you kittypet!” the blue-gray she cat snarled. “Don’t even try to understand our ways… Your kind is not…”
“Then what is wrong with me being here!” Rusty exploded, interrupting the other. “All I wanted to do was explore the forest! You know, maybe have a place where I can escape the other kittypets! And maybe catch a mouse, like in my dreams…”
“You foolish kittypet!” growled the she cat getting in his face. “Every time one of you kittypet show up in our territory, you are stinking up our land with you scent. Then, we have to waste time trying to clean it up… And if doesn't matter if it is just one piece of prey that you catch, you are stealing. At times, all it takes is one piece of prey that is the difference between life or death for one of my warriors! You kittypets hunt for pleasure, but we hunt to survive!”
Rusty went to open his mouth to protest but stopped. Then he thought about what she said and flinched, seeing the sight of the broken body on the Thunderpath in his mind. The cat that had been thrown in by the faceless cat to save his life.
“I see… Do I want to be responsible for another cat dying just because I took their prey?” he reflected with shame. “And… What if that cat was just a little kit? I could never live with myself if that was the case… To hurt someone so innocent, who hasn’t had a chance to live life. Besides, she is right in a way. I only know the rumors about the clan… I don’t know any of the cats personally, which is more than I can say for the other cat… I’m judging these clan cats like most of the kittypets and rogues have done to me.”
“I’m sorry…” Rusty stated after he came out of his thoughts, a bit surprised that the clan cats let him think for so long. “I think that I understand. If I took even one mouse, that mouse could have been given to a mother with kits… And that could mean the difference between life or death…”
“The same goes for our elders, not just the kits,” mewed the silver-gray tom. “It is shocking that a kittypet would…”
“Then again, we kittypets do tend to waste some of the prey that they catch…” Rusty continued on, ignoring the young tom. “From what I have heard, most of them don’t bother to finish eating…”
“That is correct!” Smudge jumped him from the fence. “Why would any of us want to put up with feathers or fur when the twolegs give us all that we want? That is too much work for most of us…”
“Thank you Smudge,” Rusty snapped, rolling his eyes. “For making me seem like a freak!”
“What did I say wrong?” Smudge questioned. “The dried pellets are not that bad… And wet food is delicious! And… why would I want to hunt anything? It’s not worth getting in trouble with the local group that the rogues seem to be forming…”
“Are you saying that any kittypet that wants to hunt are unnatural?” Rusty thought. “I have always wanted to try a mouse… Or any type of prey that I could catch with my own claws. And… I have never seen the point of wasting prey… If you were going to kill something for food, you need to respect that fact and finish eating it! Also… Those pellets are tasteless! Why would anyone want to live their lives eating that?”
“Why would anyone want to eat dried stuff that looks like rabbit dirt?” the young tom stated with fury. “And be forced to live with twolegs? Not able to leave and enjoy the outside without your twoleg letting you? No thanks, I would rather be dead!”
As the silver-gray tom glared at Smudge, Rusty flinched when he felt a tail touch his shoulder. Looking into the blue-gray she cat’s unreadable eyes, he almost wanted to look away. Not wanting to show any fear, Rusty just stared back, unable to see the she cat’s true emotions. She in turn gave him a small smile.
“You’re an unusual kittypet,” she stated. “Rusty was your name, correct? Let’s move away from here and talk… Away from this loud kittypet.”
The blue-gray she cat then gave Smudge a dark look. However, the pale golden tabby tom stepped toward her.
“Bleustar, I don’t think that is wise,” he mewed, looking over Rusty’s pelt with a distrustful eye. “You should not be alone with an outsider… Even if they are just a kittypet…”
“Lionheart, have a little more faith in me,” she replied with a purr. “I know what I am doing… Besides, I will not be alone. I had no plan of leaving you out of this… In fact, I could use your help…”
“Oh no… That doesn’t sound good…” Rusty mentally stated. “Why do they want to talk to me? Are they going to kill me..? Okay, that is unlikely… If they were going to murder me, they would have done so before now… And, I’m curious… I want to know what they want… I’m going with them.”
“Okay,” Rusty spoke out loud. “Lead the way.”
While the she cat developed a stunned yet pleased look on her face, Smudge looked as if he was going to throw his self off of the fence. The kittypet was afraid, not for his self but for Rusty.
“Rusty, you cannot be serious!” Smudge begged. “This isn’t smart! You cannot go into the woods with these wild cats! You will not return! They will kill you!”
“Smudge… If they were going to kill me, they would have done so before now,” Rusty stated as calmly he could. “Besides… I want to know more about them… And, honestly, I feel a kinship with them…”
“Rusty, how can you feel like you have anything in common with these… savages?” Smudge exclaimed as the clan cats bristled with anger. “You’re nothing like them!”
“Maybe because they didn’t look down at my strange markings and judge me for them?” Rusty questioned with sarcasm. “I mean… I still got beat up, but not for the same reasons as normal… In this case, I was the one that entered their territory… If even I didn’t completely understand some of their reasoning… Even then, that silver-gray tom wasn’t trying to kill me, just chase me off. Compared to that, how many times have the other kittypets called for my death? How many times have they stated that I wasn’t worthy of living: that I was going to go insane?”
“Wait… What?”
“Oh… For a moment, I forgot that the clan cats were here,” Rusty thought with alarm. “And the fact that they don’t know my background. Oooopppps…”
Rusty was almost too afraid to turn and face them; afraid to see the revulsion that surely showed on their faces. Gathering his courage, Rusty faced the three. All three had matching looks of horror and shock.
“Are you serious?” the young silver-gray tom stated. “You are, what, about six moons old, and you are saying that others have tried to kill you? Do kittypets have any sense of honor? You’re basically just a kit!”
Rusty flinched as the blue-gray she cat glanced down at the star-shaped markings on his legs. However, she just seemed thoughtful, not hateful.
“If what you just stated is true,” she mused out loud. “Then this chat is even more important than before… However, there is no need for him to overhear it.”
“They don’t trust kittypets,” Rusty realized. “But… I’m a kittypet… Just what makes me different? Besides the unusual marks on my legs. But I should at least defend Smudge… He was one of my few friends… That just sat there and watched me get attacked. I would have jumped in to help him!”
As the three warriors began to move away from the fence, Rusty just sighed and turned to Smudge.
“Smudge, thank you for being my friend,” Rusty stated plainly. “But… No never mind…”
“Rusty, don’t go,” Smudge begged. “Please don’t… It sounds like you are leaving…”
Rusty failed to respond, just turning and dashing to catch up with the wild cats. While the two older cats just nodded at him, the younger snorted.
“About time!” the silver-gray tom hissed. “For a moment, I thought that you were going to run back to your nest!”
“Thank you for the vote of confidence,” Rusty mewed back with sarcasm. “I really like it when others talk down to me, it makes me feel so happy!”
“Then again, you’re okay for a kittypet,” he continued on, acting as if Rusty hadn’t spoken. “Though you started by running away like most kittypets, you then turned to face me and fought back… However, why in the world did you faint? I didn’t hit you that hard! I thought that I had killed you by accident!”
“I… honestly don’t know either,” Rusty replied. “And yes, I agree with you, the hit was not that hard… Or at least not hard enough to knock me out.”
“That was weird…” Rusty reflected. “A slap to the head should not make me faint at all… And those dreams… They seemed so real… As if they were moments in time…”
“Over here, young kittypet,” the pale golden tabby called out, point to nearby bush with his tail.
The blue-gray she cat was already sitting down within the shade, icy-blue eyes narrowed as the other two wild cats joined her. With a nervous gulp, Rusty joined them.
“Now, young kittypet,” she started. “While your first response was to try and run back to your twolegs, you then turned to face Graypaw and fought back. While your moves were sloppy, I was impressed with what you came up with to fight back. You could tell that Graypaw was larger than you, so you used your smaller size and speed to your advantage. However, you seem to have a serious issue: you went down as soon as Graypaw hit you upside the head. Not only did you go down hard, you remained unconscious for several heartbeats…In battle, that means that you wouldn’t be able to help anyone else and could end up with you killed. You were defenseless, frozen in place.”
“Wait… What in the world?” Rusty questioned, very confused. “Why am I getting a lecture? I’m not one of her cats! For that matter, why in the world is she helping me at all?”
“As for you Graypaw,” she continued on. “You did well to chase the kittypet. And for a new apprentice, you did okay in the fight. However, your technique is sloppy and you failed to take in account your size compared to your opponent. You could have ended the fight sooner… However, that is not your fault, nor your mentor’s. You are young and don’t have a lot of experience.”
“Thank you for you help, Bluestar,” mewed the golden tabby tom. “I will take your words into account when continuing Graypaw’s training. Now… Why are we here with a kittypet?”
“That is a good question…” Rusty mentally added. “Why did you want to see me? Considering your attitude towards kittypets, what makes me special? Why do you not look at me like you did Smudge?”
As the blue-gray she cat turned to chat with the golden tabby tom, the silver-gray tom leaned over, a smile on his face.
“Hey, kittypet,” the silver-gray tom whispered. “You’re not bad… for a kittypet. My name is Graypaw… That she cat is Bluestar. She is the leader of our clan… She leads us into battle and has the final say in any decision. The other tom is my mentor, Lionheart!”
“Mentor?” Rusty asked. “What is that?”
“Graypaw? Lionheart? Bluestar?” he wondered. “Just what is up with their names? Why are they so strange?”
“A mentor is someone that is currently training an apprentice!” Graypaw cheerfully stated. “In Lionheart’s case, I’m his apprentice!”
“Thank you for the introduction, Graypaw,” Lionheart dryly said. “However, Bluestar, are you sure about this? Once you make this offer, and if he accepts, then the other clans would look down on us."
“What we do is none of the other clans’ business,” Bluestar declared. “Besides, it is common knowledge that sometimes, a queen will mate with an outsider for whatever reason… And it is common knowledge at this point that ShadowClan has accepted rogues into their clan… And the rumors are that Brokenstar has been raiding the Twolegplace… Though I don’t know just how true those rumors are… And, no clan would refuse kits if they were left alone.”
“But this is a kittypet,” Lionheart declared. “He should be taken back to his twolegs… He does not belong here.”
“Just what are they talking about?” Rusty wondered. “And what does that have to do with me? Wait… She said clans… Does that mean that there are..?”
“Are there more clans in the forest?” he asked. “Do you all share the forest?”
“No, not all of them live in the forest,” answered Bluestar. “However, on the other side of the Thunderpath, where the pine tree are, lives ShadowClan, a clan known for their darkness. It has been stated that the cold mountain air blows over ShadowClan, causing their hearts, in turn, to be cold. Our main battles are with RiverClan, a clan that is known for their ability to swim in the water. There are many rivers within their territory and are the only clan that fishes. The last clan is the one that lives on the moors, WindClan. They claimed that because they live under the stars, they are the closer to StarClan than any other clan.”
“StarClan?” Rusty had to ask. “What is that? Is that another clan?”
“In a way,” answered Graypaw. “StarClan is the clan of our ancestors! It is where all fallen warriors go. They watch over us, protect us… And, when our time comes, we will do the same for our kits.”
“So… StarClan is a group of dead cats,” Rusty stated. “However… What happens if someone isn’t a warrior, like for example, a kit? Can cats not born warriors go into StarClan? And… how in the world do you know that this StarClan is waiting you? And… What happens to the bad cats?”
“Okay, so how does that even work?” he questioned. “I mean… There are rumors that there were crazy cats that stated that they could see the spirits of the dead… But everyone said that they were driven insane… Also… How would spirits even visit the living? Do they possess some living cat then talk to others? That would be weird…”
“Anyone that grew up with the Warrior Code is welcome into StarClan,” answered Graypaw cheerfully. “And even kits and medicine cats are welcome… They will have the best fresh kill and the cleanest water to drink… As for us connecting with our ancestors, that is one of the jobs of the medicine cats! They speak to our ancestors from the Mo…”
“That enough Graypaw,” interrupted Lionheart. “This kittypet is not one of us. There is no need to answer his questions.”
“Why not?” Rusty had to request. “I don’t know anything about you but through rumors… And I doubt that all of the rumors are true! You are a mystery… I… I want to learn more about the clans…”
“I now have so many questions,” Rusty mentally stated. “Why are there only four clans? Do cats end up changing clans, if that is even possible… And just what is a medicine cat? Are they healers? How do they heal? And… What happens if a cat ends up breaking the rules? And just what are those rules?”
“Well, if you have so many questions, I just may have an offer that might please you, young kittypet,” Bluestar spoke in a strong tone. “Rusty, I would offer you a chance to become an apprentice of ThunderClan.”
“What?” Rusty thought with alarm. “Why? I am a kittypet… One of the things that you seem to hate… I mean, I am glad that you seem to think that I’m worthy of being a warrior… But why even offer me this chance? Why me and not some other kittypet: someone that stronger or faster than me? Why choose someone that is considered cursed, destined to be unloved by everyone, with the markings on my legs being proof of that. Also, I’m just a runt.”
“What?” Graypaw exclaimed in shock. “Why? He is just a kittypet! He has no warrior blood!”
“That may be true,” Bluestar said, looking over Rusty’s pelt. “However, I just get this feeling that this young tom has potential. Unlike any of these other kittypets, who are fat and lazy, he has a warrior’s spirit.”
“However, even if that is true,” Lionheart mewed, looking down at Rusty with a curious yet stern expression. “Bluestar is only offering the chance for training. There is no guarantee that you will become a warrior. You will have to prove to the clan that you deserve to be there… To prove that your kittypet blood does not weakened you.”
“However, should you accept my offer, there will be many benefits,” Bluestar stated calmly. “For one, you will be free. You will be able hunt and be able to be outside whenever you want. You will be apart of something greater than yourself. You will have your clanmates to help and protect you when you need help. And when you get old and have served your time, the clan will take care of you. Though, the greatest thing is that you remain a tom.”
“Remain a tom?” Rusty echoed. “Oh… You must be talking about when cats go to the Cutter… Cats usually end up smelling different when they are taken after a certain age…”
“To be honest, come to think about it, I am surprised that haven’t been to see the Cutter again,” Rusty reflected. “The first time that I went, the Cutter just checked up on me… However, I didn’t like them… However, I am around the age that most cats are taken… When they are forever changed… When they become slightly lazier and more playful. However, despite what these warriors think, not all kittypets become fat. However… I am getting close to going to the Cutter myself…”
“I see that you understand what I am getting at,” Bluestar stated. “If you join, you would be free to find a mate, create a family and…”
Bluestar’s words were becoming faint as a everything began to fade away. He was not fainting… But the sights were changing again.
“What is going on now?” Rusty snapped. “I’m not fainting again, am I? I need to be paying attention... Wait, just what am I seeing?”
Rusty was seeing two very different scenes in his mind, as if it was two paths laying out before him. Stepping toward the left, he saw his self back in his twoleg’s nest, watching outside the window. He was older, with scars covering his lean pelt. He was wearing a different colored collar. However, his green eyes were hollow, and he had no look of happiness and contentment that many kittypets carried. He was restless… And was unhappy.
“Okay, just what is going on?” Rusty questioned. “Why am I looking at myself? And why am I older than I am currently? Is this… the future?”
Dread filled his heart as he stepped back. He glanced at the right path, almost afraid to see what lay down that path. Then, he sighed before heading over to the right side. Rusty saw his self in a clearing, surrounded by strangers. However, he smiled at these cats like he knew then, loved them, cared for them. And these strangers were happy to see him, including the young dark brown tabby that he had seen earlier falling into the flames. Then, he stepped into a den that seemed well protected. Mentally he gasped out in shock.
“What in the world?” Rusty thought, stunned again. “Are those… My kits?”
A pale ginger she cat lay in the nest, purring as her green eyes stared down at the two kits beside her. Rusty watched as his self greeted the she cat before nosing the two kits, both she cats. The first kit, a brown and white tabby that looked so much like his beloved mother and sister, just mewed in protest. The second kit, a dark ginger she cat with a bushy tail and white paws like his, hissed at him and tried to slap his nose. His older self just purred at her actions.
“Is this why I have kept feeling like going into the forest would change my destiny?” he thought. “Am I standing at a crossway? Now, I am having to choose between becoming a warrior or remaining a kittypet… However, to me at least, it seems like I would be trading away food, safety, and family for freedom, love, and…. Happiness. And honestly, I believe that I know what choose I want to make. But is it the right one?”
Rusty then thought of his twolegs, the ones that were so kind to him, even if he failed to understand them. They made sure that he was safe, that he had fresh food and clean water, and they loved him…. In their own way. However, was that the life that he wanted to live? Then, he heard voices.
“Hello… Rusty? Are you there?” Bluestar asked in her regal tone. “Have you not been listening?”
“Bluestar, he looks so lost!” Graypaw exclaimed with worry. “Is he okay?”
“This is worrying…” mewed Lionheart, sounding concern yet upset. “If this is something that is going to keep happening, should we even be considering him as an apprentice? We don’t need weaklings in ThunderClan. Besides, who would been want him as an apprentice?”
“I have a plan, should he accept,” Bluestar answered Lionheart. “However, he will need a bit of time to decide… On whether or not he wants to leave his soft kittypet life. I will give him until the next sunhigh to make his choice. Lionheart, you will return here to receive his answer. I will send another warrior with you for that you are not alone…”
“There will be no need for that,” Rusty rasped out, feeling confidence in his heart. “I accept. I am coming with you… I want to become a warrior.”
“That was quick… A little too quick,” Lionheart pointed out. “Did you even think about this decision? Because once you join, you cannot turn your back on the clan. He must be loyal to ThunderClan above all else.”
“I have thought about it,” Rusty stated as he tried to keep calm. “And I’m sorry for worrying you all. I was just…. Thinking about the decision, but I did get lost in my thoughts…”
“That is something that your mentor will have to work with you to improve,” Lionheart said calmly. “Any weakness could spell your death.”
“Why did you decide to join ThunderClan?” Graypaw questioned, tone curious. “You’re a kittypet…”
“Graypaw, right?” Rusty began. “Even though you attacked me, you did not aim to kill me, just to chase me off. Most of the cats that I meet want me dead so something I have no control over… So thank you for that. Besides, I don’t think that I would be happy being a kittypet… I love my twolegs but… I do not believe that it is correct life for me… Also, even though I have unfairly stepped out here and was trying to steal prey, you three have treated me nicer than most cats that I know…”
Bluestar, while slightly stunned by his actions, seemed happy with his decision. Lionheart just yawned while Graypaw was trying not to leap up in excitement.
“I’m not going to be the youngest apprentice anymore!” Graypaw mewed happily. “And I can show you around the clan! This is going to be great!”
“Let’s go…” stated Bluestar. “If that is your choice, then I welcome you. Now, we are going to introduce you to the clan Rusty… But first, we need you to follow us back to the camp.”
As Bluestar began to walk deeper into the woods with Lionheart following her, Rusty and Graypaw tailed the two. However, Rusty took one last look back towards the fence.
“I’m sorry Smudge, but I can’t say goodbye,” he thought, both sadly and bitterly. “At least, not at this time… You would try to stop me… You would try to talk me out of it. You wouldn’t understand my feelings on this… You love being a kittypet and you don’t have to worry about the others hating you… And in a way, this will protect you too Smudge. You will not be hated for being my friend… Just, please, tell my sister that I’m okay.”
“Come on!” called Graypaw, waving his tail. “Let’s go or have you changed your mind?”
“Never!” Rusty snapped as he joined the larger tom. “This is what I want! Why would I run off when I gave my word?”
“Just had to make sure!” Graypaw laughed as he dashed off after Bluestar and Lionheart, forcing Rusty to run after him. “After all, I don’t want to lose my new best friend so quickly!”
“Best… friend?” Rusty panted. “We don’t know each other that well…”
“I can respect someone that is dropping their own, softer life in order to try something new,” Graypaw stated with a laugh. “You are leaving behind anyone that cared for you to join us… Even I can see what a sacrifice that is… However…”
As they saw Bluestar and Lionheart up ahead, waiting for the two, Graypaw stopped. Rusty went to join the older two cats but was stopped by Graypaw’s tail.
“I’m just warning you,” Graypaw said, unusually serious. “Not everyone is going to feel the same way. If fact, there may be someone that will do anything to prove that you don’t belong here… So, be careful.”
“Thank you,” Rusty mewed. “Now, are you the only apprentice? Are there more?”
“No way!” Graypaw stated. “There are three more apprentices: brothers Dustpaw and Ravenpaw, and Sandpaw.”
“Oh, good to know,” Rusty mused. “Though… I have been wondering… Why is your name Graypaw? Your fur has more of a silver tint…”
“Quiet you two,” Bluestar ordered with a sigh. “We are almost there… Now, Rusty, what can you smell?”
Slightly confused, Rusty sniffed the air. He was almost knocked off his paws by number of scents that covered his nose. Both Bluestar and Lionheart laughed as he pawed at his nose.
“That is a lot of cats,” Rusty answered after noticing Bluestar giving him a look. “Does ThunderClan have that many cats?”
“That is a lot of cats!” Rusty thought with alarm. “And this is just one clan? Makes me wonder just how many wild cats there are…”
“One day, if you have completed your training,” Lionheart spoke out. “You will be able to name each scent and know which cat it belongs to… Now, just on the other side of these brambles is our camp… Soon, we will show you the entrance tunnel, but you must be prepared, kittypet. All eyes will be on you. And… Because you are a kittypet, there will be some protests… You may have to prove yourself.”
“Er… Will they chase me out?” Rusty had to ask. “Will anyone attack me for just being in camp?”
“No, they will not chase you out,” Bluestar stated strongly. “They will not dare go against my word… That is apart of the Warrior Code!”
“The Warrior Code?” Rusty wondered. “What is that?”
Before the group could move, the nearby bushes shook. Soon enough, a ginger and black face appeared with a mouse hanging from his jaws. They nodded to Bluestar as they came out with four other cats following them. Rusty was feeling nervous as every single cat turned their eyes on him.
“What is that?” snarled a dark tabby tom around the same size as Graypaw after putting down his prey. “Why is there a stranger in our forest!”
“Be nice, Dustpaw,” replied the tortoiseshell tom, doing the same. “I’m sure Bluestar has her reasons.”
The other two cats were just watching curiously. While the light brown tabby tom just looked upset, the blue-gray she cat that looked a lot like Bluestar kept her amber eyes on him. Rusty, however, had his eyes on the tortoiseshell tom.
He was the same tom that he had watched die in his dreams. With him still being alive, that meant that….
“Oh no, I’m cursed!” Rusty realized with horror. “Everyone was right! I’m going to go insane… because… I must be seeing the future! My ‘dreams’ are visions! And… I can’t let anyone know… They will all hate me…. But I can’t let him die….”
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Post by mintedstar/fur🦇 on Dec 30, 2018 16:12:15 GMT -5
Oh yes. Please fan me!
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Post by scint on Dec 30, 2018 18:28:18 GMT -5
(May I be put as a fan as well?)
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Post by darkfeather88 on Dec 30, 2018 23:48:32 GMT -5
(Sorry for the wait, and yes, thank you minted and Marrowfrost.)
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Post by phantomstar57 on Dec 31, 2018 12:27:08 GMT -5
I read chapt one last night. I like this perspective and additional information we get in what drove Rusty into the forest. Please DO Fan me and I'll be reading Chap 2 later today.
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Post by darkfeather88 on Dec 31, 2018 13:12:32 GMT -5
(Fanned phantomstar57.
Note: Just remember this is an AU so this Rusty isn't the same as canon Rusty so if he acts slightly different... That is way.)
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Post by phantomstar57 on Dec 31, 2018 14:56:49 GMT -5
(Fanned phantomstar57. Note: Just remember this is an AU so this Rusty isn't the same as canon Rusty so if he acts slightly different... That is way.) In an AU, it is almost expected that not only are events a bit different, but that the canons are as well. In my fic I combined canon and original OCs and in that case I had to be true to canon characters however, the OCs altered events, and character decisions. it was difficult, but I like to think I pulled it off LOL Your AU here is intriguing and I look forward to settling in to read Chap 2.
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Post by embertuft on Dec 31, 2018 18:26:06 GMT -5
(Please may I be put in as a fan? )
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Post by darkfeather88 on Jan 2, 2019 4:20:18 GMT -5
Chapter 3: Fight for Honor
“Well, it’s good to see that you are fine, Bluestar,” the tortoiseshell tom stated. “Lionheart, things okay with the border with the twoleg place?”
“Fine, except for some stubborn kittypets,” answered Lionheart. “However, they are nothing to worry about…”
Rusty would have mentally sassed about Lionheart’s words if he wasn’t too busy worrying about being able to see the future and how he was going to warn the tortoiseshell about his possible death.
“How am I going to tell him without giving myself away?” Rusty worried. “And would he even believe me? A former kittypet training to be a warrior when he doesn’t know me. This is going to be hard…”
“That is Redtail, ThunderClan’s deputy,” mewed Graypaw. “That means that he is in line to be the next leader should Bluestar fall.”
“Well, great, that is not going to help me!” Rusty all but screamed. “However, that would explain why another cat would attack him. If they wanted to take his position… then taking him out would open up the position… But, you would have to have no one with you to do that… Or face punishment…”
“Well, Bluestar,” mewed the tabby tom as respectfully as he could. “Why do you have a stranger with you… And it looks like a kittypet no less!”
“A kittypet!” hissed the dark brown tabby. “You don’t belong here! You are going to stink up our lands with your smell.”
“Enough, Dustpaw,” mewed Redtail with a sigh. “Bluestar is our leader and she knows what she is doing. She would not lead us into trouble.”
“Speaking of which, I need to speak with the clan,” Bluestar stated strongly. “If you could lead your patrol into camp, I will follow you and call a clan meeting.”
“Understood,” Redtail said, tail raised high. “Dustpaw. Runningwind. Bitterclaw. With me.”
While they all nodded, Rusty noticed that each cat had a different reaction. Dustpaw was angrily glaring at him and snarls at him as he goes by. Runningwind just sighed as he refused to look at Rusty. The last cat of the patrol, a blue gray she cat with a paler underside, stared at Rusty, seemingly overlooking his pelt. Rusty began to feel very nervous, not able to find any sign of her thoughts in her amber eyes.
“Can you please not stare at me like that?” Rusty quietly asked. “I not sure what to think of you… Do you not like me? Why am I so interesting to you...?”
“Bitterclaw, go!” ordered Bluestar, tail flicking with a hint of anger. “Please do your duty and put your prey on the fresh kill pile.”
The younger grey-blue she cat just snorted and rolls her eyes before giving Rusty one final stare. Then, she leaves, heading down into the camp. Rusty saw that Bluestar showed no sign of any emotion except the fact that her claws quickly came out and dug themselves into the earth before disappearing. However, it happened so quickly that Rusty almost believed that he made it all up.
“Okay… So not everyone gets along in the clan,” Rusty mused. “Bluestar doesn’t like the cat that looks like her, Bitterclaw I think that she was called. But why? Are they not mother and daughter by the looks? Just what happened here?”
Shaking his head, he noticed that Bluestar and Lionheart were waiting by the entrance with Graypaw nowhere in sight. Rusty joined the two, sniffing the air. Bluestar then went into the tunnel. With a nod from Lionheart, Rusty followed Bluestar, feeling the gorse scratch his pelt. A mixture of excitement and nerves ran through his blood as, after a few heartbeats, he stepped into the camp. He had to work to keep his paws on the ground as the high number of scents hit him in the face.
“Wow, there are so many cats,” he thought. “More cats than I have ever seen before… Not even the rogue group that attacked me was as large… Not even the rumored group that is stated to be forming within the allies, stealing kittens from their mothers and murdering anyone that stands in their way… How do all of these cats live together like this?”
“Cinderkit! Get back here! And don’t follow her…!”
Rusty was taken off guard when a fluffy dark gray figure just dashed right into him, yelling cute battle cries. He fell over as the young kit tried to wrestle him, tiny claws digging into his pelt.
“Go away you rogue!” the she kit yelled. “You will never beat ThunderClan!”
“And just who are you?” Rusty asked, not moving. “Little warrior?”
“I’m Cinderstar, the greatest leader of ThunderClan!” declared the she kit proudly as she pointed her tail at a group of kits that was nervously coming over. “And there are my warriors: Brackenstorm, Thornheart, and Brightleaf!”
Two of the kits that charged toward him were identical in appearance: golden brown tabbies with amber colored eyes. Rusty felt confusion take over his heart as he noticed that the kits seemed somewhere between two to three moons old. Quickly looking over at the last kit, a ginger and white she cat with green eyes, confirmed his confusion.
“Just what is going on here?” he questioned. “From what I can see, none of these cats are cursed like me… So why are their eyes not blue at this age? While my eyes were green at birth, which caused me quite a lot of grief, my siblings all had blue eyes at this age… This is very strange…”
“Hey,” mewed the ginger and white she kit, seemingly nervous as she took a quick sniff. “You stink!”
“Why are you wearing this?” the dark gray she kit asked as she tried to bat at the bell on his collar. “It’s noisy!”
Before Rusty could even answer the playful kit, a white she cat dashed over and ripped the gray she kit off of him. As she mewed with protest, the she cat carefully pushed the other kits away from him as he stood up and shook off the dust on his pelt.
“Kits, stay away from that cat!” she hissed after she put down the gray kitten. “Now, I’m going to take care of the problem…”
Rusty soon found the she cat in his face, snarling with anger and looking like she wanted to nothing more than to slap him.
“You!” she growled. “Stay away from my kits! We don’t need any… Wait, just a moment. Why is there a kittypet in camp?”
“Frostfur,” Bluestar stated from she had been watching from the shadows of a pile of rocks, stepping forward. “I can explain that fact… So just trust me… In fact…”
Bluestar ran over to the pile of stones, climbing it to stand at the top. Rusty had to stop his self from gulping as cats began to exit the dens. A pale brown tabby tom with large black stripes passed by Rusty, hissing at the ginger tom before sitting down next to a black tom with a white tipped tail, paws, and ears.
“Just what is his problem?” Rusty asked, keeping his eyes on Bluestar. “I haven’t done anything… Except get beat up by Graypaw and why would be upset with me over that?”
“Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join me under the Highrock for a clan meeting!” Bluestar called out.
While most of the cats were already out, a few more cats came out of the dens, yawning. Redtail went over and sat down in the shade of the stones. Lionheart also sat down near Redtail, nodding at the deputy. Graypaw was sitting next to Duskpaw and two other apprentices: a black tom and a pale ginger she cat. Rusty tried to catch Graypaw’s eye, but the silver-gray tom was watching his mentor, ears flicking.
“Cats of ThunderClan,” Bluestar began to speak. “It has been a harsh Leaf-bare… And we have lost Sunningrocks. We, more than ever, are in need of more warriors to protect our land, our prey, our elders and kits. Fortunately, I have found someone that is willing to undergo training in order to become a ThunderClan warrior.”
“Lucky to be considered, you mean!” snarled the brown tabby with black stripes. “Just what is she thinking?”
Bluestar flicked her tail at Rusty, waving the tip as she called him forward. His nerves were trying to fly from his body as he felt all eyes on him. He noticed that there were several cats that looked very unhappy with the situation.
“Come on… I can’t show any weakness here,” Rusty thought as he stood in the sunlight, looking up at Bluestar. “However, despite my ‘visions,’ did I really make the correct choice? My twolegs did care for me… And I had not been there for longer than a moon… I just didn’t give them a chance… But I couldn’t deal with the bullying from the other kittypets for much longer…”
“Now, I have tested this young tom,” Bluestar continued. “And he showed great bravely and courage when fighting Graypaw… And with Lionheart as my witness, I am…”
“Bluestar, just where did this young tom come from?” questioned a dusky brown she cat. “He doesn’t smell like any of the other clans…”
“Let’s send him back where he belongs!” snapped a dark gray tom with large white patches. “We don’t need any help from some outsider! Only pure ThunderClan blood can help us! Nothing else will ever work!”
Rusty noticed that Bitterclaw, who was sitting next to the dark gray tom, flinched at his words. She then stood up and moved away from him, sitting next to a large white tom with amber eyes. Then, the pale brown tom stood up in a fury and began to stalk towards Rusty.
“That tom is no clan cat!” he growled. “That is a kittypet! We don’t need any weaklings in this clan! You will just end up a soft mouth to feed; not of any use to the clan! For any clan! And that collar… The sounds coming from that thing will bring the twolegs into the forest looking for their lost little, weak kittypet, mewing for help. Besides, he will just run away from danger the first chance he will get!”
To Rusty’s horror, several of the cats seemed to agree with the tom’s statements. They turned to each other, chatting in low tones. Emboldened by this, the pale brown tom continued on even with Bluestar’s increasingly furious face staring him down.
“Are you going to let him get away with this?” an unknown tom’s voice spoke out, right next to Rusty’s ear. “Or are you going to let your fear win?”
Quickly glancing around, Rusty failed to see anyone around him. However, the fur along his spine rose up in fear. The pale brown tabby tom saw this and began to taunt him, misunderstanding the situation.
“Okay… I think that I am going crazy,” Rusty groaned. “I am now hearing voices…”
“No, you’re not!” the voice rasped out, a hint of amusement in it. “You just are special, young tom. Not everyone has your gift… Now, young warrior, are you going to fight? Will you protect your honor or will you prove him right about kittypets? He can most likely smell your fear… So, what are you going to do about it?”
“I’m going to prove him wrong!” Rusty roared, hearing the hidden taunt within the other tom’s voice “I may be small, but I am not weak!”
With a loud yowl, Rusty leaped onto the pale brown tom’s back, slapping him upside the head as he was taunting him. The tom roared as he tried to throw him off through his heavier weight. Rusty hung on, digging his claws into the other’s pelt.
“You little mouseheart!” the tom growled, furious. “How dare you attack a warrior? You are just proving that you have no honor!”
“Just what was I supposed to do? Sit down and let you walk all over me?” Rusty replied with a snarl. “You say that I have no honor because I’m a kittypet… That I have no warrior blood! Now you are saying that I have no honor because I am trying to prove myself. Make up your mind! For now… I am challenging you, warrior!”
“Longtail, Rusty, enough!” Bluestar declared angrily. “There is no need for your actions! Should you continue this, I am going to…”
While disappointed in a way, Rusty was secretly relieved that he didn’t have to fight the older tom. The tom looked stronger than Graypaw was and seemed more willing to strike out with harder blows that could end with death. Also, he was still a bit worn out from his fight with Graypaw.
“I am glad that I don’t have to fight that tom!” Rusty happily thought. “Honestly, I was just going to get my butt kicked… Again.”
“Young warrior, don’t let down your guard yet!” warned the voice. “I do not believe that tom has given up! Be prepared to fight even now! Be careful.”
“That is it!” growled the tom, Longtail. “I am going to make you regret coming here!”
“Longtail stop! That is an order!”
Rusty only got those words as a warning before he felt the weight of the other tom on him. He just barely got his head out of the way, remembering what happened the last time he got hit in the head. Now was not the time for a vision! However, he was not able to dodge Longtail, ending up pinned under the other’s claws.
“No, it can’t end this way!” Rusty mentally stated. “Come on Rusty, think! I can’t push him off with strength alone… He is larger and stronger than I am… But maybe I can trick him somehow…”
Rusty was thrown out of his thoughts by Longtail picking him up and throwing him. Gasping for air, he noticed that he had landed in front of the dark gray tom with white patches.
“Okay, this tom wasn’t here before,” Rusty reflected quickly, now nervous. “So he must of have stepped forward… But he was one of the cats protesting before so… He is not here to help me. I’m on my own…”
The tom, noticing that Rusty had saw him, snorted and turned away from him. Then, he gave Rusty an evil grin as he looked over to the pale brown tom that seemed to be proudly standing in the middle of the clearing.
“Hey Longtail!” he called out to Longtail. “Why don’t you finish the job?”
“Watch out, young warrior!” yelled the mysterious voice. “Hollowtail is going to kick you right back at Longtail!”
Wondering how in the world the mysterious voice even knew the warrior’s name and who the voice even was, Rusty leaped out of the way of the gray tom’s kick, finding his self now close to Longtail. The pale brown tom looked furious to see the ginger tom in front of him again. Also, out of the corner of his eyes, Rusty saw that Bluestar had leaped down from the Highledge, fury written all over her face.
“Kittypet,” Longtail stated as he stood strong, claws unsheathed. “You’re done. Go home… We don’t want you here…”
“No,” Rusty snapped back. “That is not your decision to make. However, I see that I am going to have to prove myself to all of you… So, Bluestar… I beg of you… Let me attempt to prove myself… I am asking for your permission to protect my honor… Please give me a chance to demonstrate my worth!”
Bluestar, despite being completely livid, developed a thoughtful look on her face. Then, after several heartbeats, she nodded while not looking completely happy with the situation. With that nod, Rusty turned to face Longtail and hissed. Longtail was not impressed.
“Seriously?” he stated, trying to keep the irritation out of his voice. “What do you have to prove? That you are a weakling? You are not worth my time… Our time… However, if you are going to be mousebrain enough to fight me, then I no choice to beat you down… I will make sure that you will never cross our path again!”
Rusty just stared up at Longtail, furious. While he could understand some of the anger as he was a stranger to all of these cats, he couldn’t understand why this tom seemed to be going against Bluestar’s word. Wasn’t she the leader of this clan, so why couldn’t anyone trust her?
“Whatever, that is not my concern at the moment!” Rusty growled. “The point is… I’m not leaving! Bluestar has accepted me in spite of my cursed markings, despite of my ‘weak’ blood. She has treated me with kindness when others wanted me dead. She is giving me chance: I cannot let her down. Besides, there are my visions… Just what will happen if I can’t at least try warn others about what could happen?”
Rusty remembered his visions of Redtail’s death and the young dark brown tabby tom’s fall into the flames. He gathered his courage and leaped out of Longtail’s attack. Longtail hissed as Rusty went and nipped at his hindlegs.
“Come and fight me like a warrior!” snarled Longtail, tucking in his tail under his body. “Where is your honor, now kittypet? You wanted to be a ThunderClan cat, then fight like one!”
“I cannot fight like you,” Rusty mentally stated with regret, making sure to keep moving. “While you also have a slender build, you are a lot more muscular than I am. Facing you head-to-head would not be smart for me. If I am going to win, I need to outsmart you. I need to be quicker. However, I need to protect my head and I need to find a way to end this quickly. I am still tired from fighting Graypaw…”
Suddenly, Rusty found his self gasping for air as his collar tightened around his throat, stopping him in his tracks. He felt Longtail’s fangs brush up against the back of his neck as the other tom pulled. Despite the fear that was building in his heart, Rusty tried to pull away, kicking out, hoping to land a hit. However, he failed to do anything that would help him as he felt his body get weaker and weaker.
“Look at that kittypet!” sneered a nearby cat. “He is going to lose that to that collar! What a little mousebrain!”
“I know right!” laughed a second cat. “Just what was he thinking by fighting Longtail? Longtail is a young warrior while that kittypet doesn’t look much older than a kit!”
“Shouldn’t we stop Longtail?” a third voice questioned in horror. “He is going to kill him! The Warrior Code states that we don’t…”
As the arguments began to fade into the background and spots danced in front of his eyes, Rusty just felt sad that he couldn’t do more. That he was going to fail and die in front of everyone, just when felt like he could be accepted by anyone.
“I’m sorry for letting everyone down…” Rusty asked as he begged for forgiveness in his head. “I’m sorry that I couldn’t pass… That I am going to die here…”
“Young warrior, do not give up!” called out the mysterious voice. “This isn’t the end!”
Then, right before Rusty lost conscious, a loud snap rang out. Rusty fell forward, gasping for air as he struggled to stand. Glancing over at Longtail as he slowly turned to face the other tom. He saw the newly formed rip on the warrior’s right ear as the other tom panted. Rusty noticed that his collar was in Longtail’s jaws, the bell softly ringing. Longtail narrowed his eyes as he saw Rusty watching him.
“You were just lucky, kittypet!” Longtail growled after spitting out the collar. “That your collar snapped off when it did… Because you would have been finished, kittypet!”
“What, were you planning to kill me?” Rusty gasped out. “By choking me to death?”
“No, only until you fainted,” hissed Longtail. “I have more honor than to kill a lowly kittypet, especially when you, for whatever reason, are a guest in our camp. Besides, if we let you live, you could pass on the message that we are not to be messed with…”
“Then why don’t I believe you at all?” Rusty mentally questioned, not trusting the other tom at all. “And your reasons are very shallow… If you just wanted to knock me out, you could have just slapped me upside the head… Or several other things, to be honest! Whatever… I will just have to prove to everyone that I can be a warrior!”
“Enough, Longtail,” Bluestar spoke out, stepping between Longtail and Rusty. “I believe that this kittypet has proven his worth. He did not give up even as you were choking him… And he did try his best to fight you despite having fought against Graypaw earlier. Now see Spottedleaf for your ear. However, I want you to meet me and Redtail in my den afterwards. We need to talk.”
“What… Why?” Longtail hissed. “What did I do?”
“You disobeyed my order,” Bluestar answered him. “Now, go before I decide to increase your punishment…”
As Longtail stalked off, clearly upset, Bluestar turned toward Rusty, a grin on her face.
“Well done, kittypet,” she stated. “Your fur looks like fire under the sunlight.”
As Rusty’s heart beat with happiness, and a bit of relief because the thing with Longtail was partially his fault, he stood proudly as Bluestar addressed the rest of the clan.
“This young tom has proven his worth in the eyes of StarClan,” Bluestar stated calmly. “He has battled for his honor and has lost his collar within that fight. He has lost his mark that ties him to the twolegs and is now free to join ThunderClan as an apprentice. From this day forward, until he earns his warrior name, he will be known as Firepaw, in honor of his flame-colored pelt.”
“Firepaw! Firepaw! Firepaw!”
As the clan cheered his name, Firepaw glanced around at his new clanmates. However, while most of the cats seemed at least okay with the situation and were cheering for him, there was some of them that refused to cheer. Of course, Firepaw knew that the cat called Hollowtail would be displeased with the outcome, based on both his actions and his words, but there was a few more cats that failed to welcome him. Both the black tom with white markings and a dark gray tabby tom with black stripes were quietly chatting with each other, having moved during all of the chaos. Then, they both exited the camp, with a furious Hollowtail following them. However, the one cat that caught Firepaw’s attention was a large dark brown tabby tom, with hard amber eyes. The tom seemed to be calm, showing no emotion beside his claws being stuck into the dirt.
“That tom looks like the young tom that I saw fall into the flames,” Rusty thought with alarm. “However, he looks a lot like the tom that murders Redtail… So… No, that can’t be true! Aren’t they not clanmates? For what reason could he want to do so? No, I must be wrong… Maybe it’s a different cat… Or I’m just crazy… Still, how would I warn Redtail that someone is possibly trying to murder him…”
Trying not to think about that problem at the moment, Firepaw turned his attention back on the cats around the camp. Then, he caught Bitterclaw’s eyes as she studied him. While she had failed to cheer him on, she was hard for Firepaw to read. He couldn’t tell just what she was thinking.
“Now…” Bluestar stated strongly. “Firepaw is in need of a mentor… Is there anyone that would be willing to take Firepaw on, someone that does not already have an apprentice, to teach him the ways of a warrior?”
Everyone was silent. All of the warriors turned to each other, giving blank looks. However, it seemed like none of the warriors were going to step forward. Firepaw’s cheerful spirit began to fall.
“So, no one wants to mentor me?” he sighed. “Even after what I had to do? This is just great…”
“Do not lose faith, young warrior,” the mysterious voice warned. “I don’t believe that Bluestar will leave you without a mentor… It will go against the values within the clans… In fact, it seems like…”
“Okay, in that case,” Bluestar mewed, glancing around. “Then, Firepaw’s mentor is will be…”
“I will train him! I want him as my apprentice!”
Firepaw saw that Bluestar stopped speaking as Bitterclaw stepped forward, challenging her. Amber eyes met blue as Bitterclaw slyly grinned at the older she cat. When Bluestar failed to respond, Bitterclaw sighed.
“Oh, are you not happy to see me, mother?” Bitterclaw stated as she ran her claws along the ground. “I thought that you said anyone without an apprentice could be Firepaw’s mentor… Or are you backing up on your word?”
“I like her,” purred the mysterious voice in his head. “And this will be much better than Bluestar’s plan…”
“Or were you planning to train Firepaw yourself?” Bitterclaw continued. “Or throwing him at your senior warriors? Somehow, that doesn’t seem fair to anyone… Especially to Firepaw his self. How would you find the time to train him?”
“Oh yes, she is perfect for your mentor!” the voice laughed. “And she has a point… Bluestar is a leader… Will she train you to the best of your abilities or would she train you to fit a certain path? Would she let you be you or force you to become something else for the good of the clan? However, this is great! This will let you be able to find allies with ThunderClan on your own, just in case something happens.”
“Allies? Why would I need allies?” Firepaw had to question. “I mean… I know that there are cats that don’t like me… But… Maybe I’m just crazy?” I am mentally talking to myself…”
“Oh, I am not just a voice inside your head,” the voice stated, still slightly amused. “Once, I was a living, breathing cat like you are. However, now is the time for small talk. It seems that Bitterclaw has won this battle by using Bluestar’s words against her. Go up and touch her nose.”
“Wait? Who are you?” Firepaw asked as he began to move toward the fierce looking she cat. “And why are you helping me? What is in it for you?”
“I cannot give you all your answers now,” the voice replied “But I will say this… Let’s just say that I don’t want to see anyone go through anything similar to what I have. For now, get to know your new clanmates, little warrior! I see you again…”
“When and how?” Firepaw inquired. “Especially since I don’t know who you are!”
“Do not worry,” the voice stated calmly. “I will see you tonight, when you fall asleep… And I promise to explain as much as I can… Now, go forward and start your journey towards becoming a warrior!”
Firepaw steeled up his heart as he found his self in front of Bitterclaw. Bluestar, while looking regal and strong, had a flicking tail that showed her true feelings.
“Now Bitterclaw, you are a strong and loyal warrior,” Bluestar said, upset but trying to not show it. “While you are still young, Redtail was an excellent mentor to you and I hope that you pass on the skills that you learnt from him unto your apprentice.”
While not missing the hidden distaste in Bluestar’s voice, Firepaw went up to touch Bitterclaw’s nose, now nervous. However, looking into Bitterclaw’s amber eyes, he failed to find any horror or distaste in her eyes. Instead, it looked like Bitterclaw was both excited yet proud. Bluestar just glared at Bitterclaw.
“I promise to make you the best warrior that I can,” she whispered to him as the clan took up a small cheer. “In spite of what my mother seems to think… You have potential, Firepaw.”
As they separated, Bluestar stalked up to Bitterclaw, her tail flicking around in a silent anger. With a sigh, Firepaw just stood there, unsure of what to do. Then, Graypaw dashed up, with another tom following him.
“Welcome Firepaw,” Graypaw purred. “Nice name by the way! Glad to see that we will have another apprentice in the clan…”
“Welcome Firepaw!” spoke out the black tom, even more nervous than what Firepaw felt at the moment. “I… feel bad for you…”
“Why?” Firepaw asked, confused. “And who are you?”
“I’m Ravenpaw,” the tom muttered. “Tigerclaw is my mentor… But… You got Bitterclaw as a mentor… That is going to be rough for you…”
“I don’t see the problem,” Firepaw stated, still confused. “Bitterclaw does not seem that bad to me…”
“Er… Firepaw,” Graypaw stated, his tone serious. “Bitterclaw, along with Hollowtail, were raised by their father, Thistleclaw… And that father hated kittypets. In fact, you are lucky that Thistleclaw is gone… While a great warrior, he was very vocal about his views about outsiders… Including kittypets… And, since Bitterclaw was close to Thistleclaw, she could carry the same views…”
“We are just worried that you will come back a bloody mess,” Ravenpaw added quietly. “Or end up dead…”
“I’m sorry… But I cannot believe that!” Firepaw declared, upset. “What you two are doing… Do you two even know her as a cat? You’re judging her for something outside of her control… She cannot control her blood!”
“That is something that I cannot accept!” Firepaw mentally cried out. “You are all clanmates! Aren’t you supposed to protect and care for each other? This is so wrong… It’s almost like my situation back in the Twolegplace… Where there were cats that wanted me dead the moment that I was born… All because I was born with these unusual marks on my forelegs… I will not do that to my mentor!”
“Firepaw…”
Bitterclaw stood behind Graypaw and Ravenpaw, fur fluffed out in silent anger. Her sharp amber eyes seemed to look down on the apprentices as if she had heard their words.
“Come with me Firepaw,” the she cat that looked so much like Bluestar stated. “Let’s go outside of camp… It seems like we need to talk…”
“Yes, Bitterclaw,” Firepaw replied as he walked up to the she cat. “Lead the way, please.”
Bitterclaw seemed pleased by his answer and began to walk towards the gorse tunnel. Firepaw followed her, to both Graypaw and Ravenpaw’s horror. He almost snarled at their reactions.
“I will prove them all wrong!” he thought, strength flowing through his bones. “Bitterclaw is not a bad cat at all… But, I do wonder what she wants to talk about…”
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Post by darkfeather88 on Jan 4, 2019 22:01:05 GMT -5
(Also, sorry for the late posted by those that have asked are fanned.)
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Post by darkfeather88 on Jan 7, 2019 21:20:12 GMT -5
Chapter 4: Mentor and Apprentice
Firepaw was silent as he followed Bitterclaw as they exited the camp. His nose twitched as he took in the many scents within the forest. However, for now, he ignored them. The older she cat seemed to be looking around.
“What just is she looking for?” Firepaw wondered. “And why? What are we going to talk about that we couldn’t talk about in camp?”
As they continued moving, fear began to build in his heart. While he didn’t want to believe what Graypaw and Ravenpaw said, he was beginning to doubt Bitterclaw’s actions. There was apart of him that wanted to run back to camp, his tail between his legs.
“However, that viewpoint is unfair to Bitterclaw,” he mentally stated, slapping his self. “I… I shouldn’t be judging others without getting to know them… Because that is what happened to me all the time when I was a kittypet… Besides, like I told them, she wanted me when no one else wanted to put up with a kittypet that wanted to be a warrior…”
“Here,” Bitterclaw stated, pointed her tail at a hidden hollow. “This place will be perfect for this chat… Now, in here before my mousebrain littermate finds out that I’m mentoring you and comes to yell at me.”
“Why would your littermate yell at you?” Firepaw questioned, curious. “Aren’t you two family?”
As Bitterclaw sneered at the thought, Firepaw remembered his sister. The sister that would protect him from the rest of his siblings. Then he remembered the rest of littermates: a group of bullies.
“Okay, I can see that,” he thought. “Littermates do not have to get along… Nor even like or love each other.”
“While it is true that Hollowtail and I are littermates,” Bitterclaw began. “We have not been close for some time… By the way I heard what Graypaw and Ravenpaw were saying…”
“Oh no, I’m in trouble now…” Firepaw shuttered. “Now, I’m going to get it…”
“Thank you for your words, Firepaw,” Bitterclaw continued on, bowing her head. “That being said, they are correct on some points. You are indeed lucky to have not met with my father, Thistleclaw. For whatever reason, he hated kittypets… And he wanted everyone else to hate them too, including me and my brother. However, what my father failed to understand is that I didn’t want to be him. That I was my own cat and, maybe, just maybe, I wanted to be more like my mother…”
“And I can guess how that worked out, based on Bluestar’s actions,” Firepaw realized with horror. “Bluestar wants nothing to do with you…”
“However, it turns out that Bluestar never wanted me,” Bitterclaw sighed. “And it didn’t matter what I did, I was never good enough for Bluestar. She could never see pass the fact that Thistleclaw was my father… So, I gave up on pleasing her, and I refused to follow in Thistleclaw’s harsh pawsteps. I decided that I was going to be the best cat for myself. While I never wanted to be leader and I’m not interested in creating kits just so ThunderClan can have more warriors, I have always wanted to mentor an apprentice. To be able to pass on some of my father’s techniques, in order to spite him. However, I was unsure if Bluestar would let me have an apprentice… I know that I can be harsh and bitter, but… Well, when I saw that you were standing, with no one wanting to train you, I saw my chance… And I took it…”
“But… What about my kittypet blood?” Firepaw had to ask. “Even if the cats seem nice, there seems to be some… hate about kittypets…”
“Which isn’t your fault, but the fault of one of our leaders,” answered Bitterclaw. “From what I had heard, Pinestar, the leader when Bluestar was a young warrior, ended up leaving behind the clans… To become a kittypet. Afterward, the fifteen code was added to our Warrior Code: a warrior rejects the soft life of a kittypet. To some cats, including Thistleclaw and that mousebrain of a brother of mine, Hollowtail, that means that we reject anything with kittypets: including any cats that come from the Twolegplace. So, please whatever you do, do not end up alone with Hollowtail. I am afraid that he would try to kill you!”
“Okay, thank you for the warning,” Firepaw mewed, now curious about his mentor. “Though I am now curious… What is your viewpoint on kittypets?”
“As long as they stay off of our territory, I don’t care either way about kittypets,” Bitterclaw stated calmly. “Though, just because someone is a kittypet doesn’t mean that they are worthless… It is just that most of them just don’t have the heart nor spirit to be great…”
Bitterclaw then just sighed as she stared at the young apprentice, a hint of guilt in her sharp amber eyes.
“Listen Firepaw,” Bitterclaw mewed, tone laced with shame. “You may think that I just wanted to train you in order to show up Bluestar… And that would be partly true. However, I saw the disappointment of your face when you noticed that no one wanted you, and… I couldn’t stand to see anyone thrown aside for something that they couldn’t control.”
“It is the same reason that I told off Graypaw and Ravenpaw,” Firepaw realized. “We shouldn’t be judging each other without getting to know each other as a cat… Because first impressions can be wrong. Sometimes, cats will throw up appearances in order to either hide their true nature or to protect themselves… It’s strange that we both had similar reactions to seeing a cat getting judged.”
“Now, as nice as this chat was,” Bitterclaw began. “That is not why I had you come out here. Now, while I don’t care that you are former kittypet, even I will say that you are going to be behind the other apprentices… At this moment, you know nothing of our culture or rules. We are going to change that…”
“Really? We are?” Firepaw wondered. “How?”
“And the first step in order to do that is for me to teach you the Warrior Code!” Bitterclaw declared. “However, since the clan’s kits are taught the code since birth, I thought that it would be a good idea to teach you this in isolation, so that the other apprentices don’t tease you, or at least, not as much. I am not going to put you through that if I can help it.”
“Okay, I can understand that and thank you,” Firepaw stated nervously. “But why not have me learning something else? Like hunting or fighting? Sorry, I’m just curious.”
“Firepaw, you just got beat up by Longtail!” Bitterclaw mewed, amused. “And before that, if I was understanding thing right, you had fought Graypaw. Now that I think about, I should have sent you to the medicine cat den first…”
“Why?” he questioned. “I feel mostly okay… A few of the scratches sting at the moment but it will soon go away…”
“Well, it’s better to treat them as soon as possible so that they don’t get infected,” his mentor calmly said. “But if you say you’re okay… However, after this chat, we are going straight to Spottedleaf. The only reason that you are not there is I thought that you wouldn’t want to meet with Longtail again so soon. However, I’m going to let you get some rest before battle training. I think that you have had enough fights for one day… As for hunting, we will get started on that… After you help out the elders.”
“Oh, I see…” Firepaw mewed. “The rest of this day is a day to recover…”
“That and so you can learn more about the clans,” Bitterclaw pointed out. “Now, let’s start with the Warrior Code… And if you have any questions, do not be afraid to ask. I’m here to help. Now… the first rule is this: defend your clan, even with your life. You may have friendships with cats from other clans, but your loyalty must remain to your clan.”
“So, I don’t need to befriend anyone that isn’t a ThunderClan cat,” Firepaw stated thoughtfully. “Because I need to be loyal to ThunderClan.”
“It’s okay to talk to other cats,” Bitterclaw answered. “As it is a good way to get to know a cat’s weaknesses. In fact, there is a RiverClan cat that I talk to if I see them. However, you have to remember that one day, you will have to fight them in battle and you will need to put aside whatever feelings you have carry. Also, please do not fall in love with someone outside of ThunderClan. That will just end badly for you and any possible kits.”
“Understood!” Firepaw stated. “Do not fall in love with anyone outside of ThunderClan… Does that mean I can’t see my kittypet friends?”
“I’m sorry but that would be for the best for now,” Bitterclaw sadly spoke out. “At this moment, you are going to have to prove your loyalty to ThunderClan. Running off to the Twolegplace would just harm that.”
“That is understandable,” Firepaw thought. “Though I don’t have very many friends… I was more or less asking just in case I wanted to visit my sister… Though most clan cats don’t have that problem to begin with…”
“Now, rule two is this…” Bitterclaw stated. “Do not hunt or trespass on another clan’s territory. This… gets broken all of time because each of the clans argue about territory. Be prepared to fight on Bluestar’s orders. RiverClan needs to stop taking Sunningrocks from us…”
“What is Sunningrocks?” Firepaw questioned.
“When we get back Sunningrock, I will be more than happy to show you,” Bitterclaw replied. “It is an excellent place to lay out in the sun… Now, rule three is: elders and kits must be fed before apprentices and warriors.”
“Oh… It is because the elders are the storytellers and pass down their wisdom to the younger generation,” Firepaw mewed happily. “And kits are going to be the new warriors so it is important to protect and care for them.”
“You are correct about the kits,” Bitterclaw said with a hint of surprise. “But for the elders, it is because they have served the clan all of their lives. They deserve to be at peace until their death, whenever that might be. Next is rule four: prey is killed only to be eaten. Give thanks to StarClan for its life… That means no playing with the bodies of our prey.”
“I never saw the point of that myself,” Firepaw snarled, not at Bitterclaw but at the thought of mistreating prey. “It’s very wasteful. Watching some of the other kittypets…. It always seemed… Wrong.”
“Then again, I didn’t care much for the food that my twolegs would leave out and was always dreaming about mice,” he added in his head. “That and I have never hunted before…”
“Next, rule five,” Bitterclaw continued on. “A kit must be at least six moons old to become an apprentice.”
“Why is that?” Firepaw asked, curious. “I’m not saying that it’s wrong, kits always need to be protected, but it is strange… Is it based on the size of the apprentice? Or how mature they seem at the time?”
“No one knows, but if I had to guess, it would be the size of the apprentice,” Bitterclaw stated. “However, there are some that are still smaller at that age. You are not alone in that fact.”
“Thanks….” Firepaw moaned. “I needed to be reminded that I’m smaller than most cats my age… Thank you Bitterclaw.”
“Rule six is this,” Bitterclaw said, bringing his attention back onto her. “Newly appointed warriors will keep a silent vigil for one night after receiving their warrior name. While the others sleep, the new warriors will watch over the camp until morning. When you become a warrior, you will have to do this too.”
Firepaw had to stop his self from puffing up with pride. By using ‘when’ instead of ‘if.’ Bitterclaw had shown her acceptance of him. She believed in him: she believed that he could be warrior.
“However, why should I stop there?” he wondered, thinking. “Why should I just be a warrior? Why can’t I be leader? If I was leader… Then no one could judge me, and I can be in a position that could stop things… I could stop some of the hate… I could turn ThunderClan into a clan of acceptance, where no one is treated badly for something they can’t control.”
Right after thinking that, Firepaw almost slapped his self. There was no way that anyone would make him leader! Most of the clan had a thing against kittypets! Mentally sighing, he turned his attention back onto Bitterclaw.
“Rule seven is a cat cannot be made deputy without having mentored at least one apprentice,” Bitterclaw stated. “So that the cat appointed to that position will have experience with teaching and leading someone before being thrown into a position of power.”
“So you could become deputy if you wanted to,” Firepaw pointed out. “Because you are training me."
“True, but I have seen what becoming leader does to a cat,” Bitterclaw replied. “So I have no wish to put myself where Bluestar is… And the next two rules have to deal with the leadership succession. Rule eight is that the deputy will become clan leader when the leader dies or retires while rule nine states that after the death or retirement of the deputy, the new deputy must be chose before moonhigh.”
“Why so soon?” Firepaw had to ask, fur standing on end. “I would think that the leader would want to think clearly about who they want to follow them… Until moonhigh just seems like too short of a time and put the leader on the spot… And what happens when the deputy becomes leader for whatever reason? Does that leader choose a deputy on the spot?”
“I… never thought about the way we choose a new deputy,” Bitterclaw admitted. “However, I believe that we do so in order to keep the chaos down. We will still mourn the fallen, but the naming of a new deputy is to keep the line of succession clear and unchallenged, just in case something happens to the leader. As for a new leader naming their deputy, it depends on the cat. Some choose their deputy before they leave to receive their nines lives while others will do so after their return from the Moonstone.”
“Nine lives?” Firepaw wondered, slightly confused. “Moonstone? That sounds like something that someone who make up to confuse others… Then, she said something about a StarClan… Just what is that?”
“Rule ten is that a gathering of all clans is held at the full moon during a truce that lasts for the night,” Bitterclaw continued on. “There shall be no fighting among clans at this time.”
“A gathering?” Firepaw questioned. “What is that?”
“The gathering is where cats from all clans can talk and get to know the other clans,” Bitterclaw said. “This is a perfect place to learn about the other clans and some of the weaknesses of some of the cats. That being said, do not try to start a fight or let yourself get caught up in one, or you will be blamed for StarClan covering the moon.”
“Cover the moon?” Firepaw probed. “How? Also, where and when are the gatherings?”
“The gatherings are held at Fourtrees under the light of the full moon,” Bitterclaw answered. “And only some of the cats from each clan goes… Bluestar picks out the cats that she wants to go each time… As for the clouds… I don’t know, I have never thought about it before. We have always just believed it would happen, and it did…”
“That is very curious…” Firepaw pointed out to his self. “How does StarClan move the clouds over the moon? Are they… Cursed?”
“Anyways, you will see Fourtrees so enough,” Bitterclaw stated, continuing on. “Rule eleven is that boundaries must be checked and marked daily. Challenge all trespassing cats. This rule is very simple: if they are not supposed to be there, ask them why there are here? If they don’t give you a good answer, then chase them out. If you can’t deal with the trespasser alone, get help. That being said, rule twelve is that no warrior may neglect a kit in pain or in danger, even if that kit is from a different clan.”
“Does that include kits that do not come from any of the clans?” Firepaw asked. “And wait… Why is this rule number twelve? Why did it take that long to decide that kits shouldn’t be in danger?”
“And I am trying not to think of how many kits were lost before this rule was placed,” he said with panic. “That is terrible! Why would anyone leave a kit in pain, knowing that they could have don’t something about it!”
“While I cannot speak for our ancestors,” Bitterclaw replied. “Someone finally got smart and realized that it is not a good idea to leave kits alone… However, if we find any unknown kits on our territory, we will try to find their parents or any family member. If we don’t, we usually end up taking them in. With kittypet kits, we end up leaving them near the twoleg openings.”
“Oh… Okay,” Firepaw mewed. “So… What is next?”
“Rule thirteen,” snapped back Bitterclaw with a somewhat playful tone. “The word of the clan leader is the warrior code…”
“What? Why?” Firepaw exclaimed, stunned. “Why is that even a rule? The leaders are just cats like the rest of us… They can be wrong! What would happen if you had to follow a bad leader?”
“Personally, I can understand where you are coming from,” Bitterclaw mewed seriously. “But I wouldn’t say anything like this around many of your new clanmates. They would tear into for disrespect. As for why… Well, I guess that it makes the leader responsible for every action that the clan takes. Every decision will be blamed on the leader. However, most leader will listen to the senior warriors before taking action one way or another. Adding onto that, if you end up upsetting StarClan enough, they can take action on a leader, taking away their lives… Or warning the clan to rise up and take a stand. It can happen.”
“I… still don’t agree with that rule,” Firepaw stated nervously. “But… I agreed to be a ThunderClan apprentice… So… I will deal with it…”
“That is all I can ask for,” Bitterclaw replied. “And don’t worry about it… There are many cats that have broken the code in one way or another… If you are caught, then you will be punished. However, I don’t believe that you would even think of doing something that would be punished by the most severe of punishments: exile. At most, you would be set to taking care of the elders and queens or would be one of the last to eat for a given day… Or tick duty.”
“Tick duty?” Firepaw question. “What is that?”
“Well, let’s just say that it is something that all apprentices end up having to do,” Bitterclaw laughed. “And it is not fun to do. If you are not careful, you will end up stinking. However, I will let you see that horror firstpaw…”
“Oh great,” groaned Firepaw. “Something to look forward to… Though, how do you get a tick off of you?”
“Now, let’s get back to the Warrior Code. The next rule, rule fourteen,” Bitterclaw continued on. “Is that an honorable warrior does not need to kill other cats to win his or her battles, unless they are outside the warrior code or it is necessary for self-defense. We fight to protect our clan, not to kill. The clans have enough reasons to hate each other without adding death onto that list.”
“Okay, once again, why is this one of the later rules?” Firepaw thought. “You would think that would have been one of the first rules created because murdering each other is an excellent way to keep tempers up and create a cycle of revenge. One cat kills a cat’s mate then that cat kills him, then someone of his blood vows revenge… It happens all the time with some of the local rogue groups… Then again, is that surprising? The rumors about the clans are that they use the bones and fur of their enemies for their nests.”
“You look like you are deep in thought,” Bitterclaw mused. “Is there anything wrong?”
“I was just wondering why it took so long for this to become a rule?” he answered her. “Because, you are right. From what I can understand, creating a cycle of revenge would be almost deadly for the clans involved because it would never end, with how close clanmates seem to be.”
Bitterclaw seemed surprised but pleased at his words, so Firepaw continued on.
“Besides, I have heard about the affects of revenge from the stories that my mother told me when I was young,” he added on, sadness in his mew. “Those stories always ended up with the two groups almost destroyed from their hate and anger. It was only those that learnt to forgive that lived. Then again… Those were not the worse stories… Those belonged to those about the Cursed…”
“Those that are like me, destined to lose our minds and hearts to madness,” he stated, remembering the hate and anger that he faced while a kittypet. “To be forever alone, to kill everyone that you cared about… Or what they always said, to gain the power that the Cursed have, you have to lose apart of yourself. That you should never befriend a Cursed because they will turn on you because… Because…”
“Cursed?” echoed Bitterclaw in confusion. “What is a Cursed and why would they have bad stories?”
“Cursed are powerful cats, able to things that most cats couldn’t even think of,” Firepaw answered with fear. “It was said that they could control fire, swim better than any other cat, heal any wound, or even raise the dead. However, that power comes at a high cost… They go mad… It is stated that all Cursed are going to go insane: that they deserve to die.”
With that off his chest, Firepaw felt ashamed and closed his eyes, just waiting for the older she cat to find the connection and slap him upside the head with hate. However, after a few moments, nothing happened. He opened his eyes to see Bitterclaw staring down at him, very confused.
“Okay, let get this straight,” Bitterclaw began when she noticed that Firepaw was watching her. “Kittypets sometimes find these ‘powerful’ cat and their first thought is to try to murder them? How mousebrain can they get..? By the way, your description sounds very similar… Do these cats have strange markings that can be any shape or color, that can be found anywhere on the body?”
“Yes, that is correct!” Firepaw exclaimed, stunned. “But how? Have the clans heard of the Cursed?”
“Yes, but here they are not known as Cursed!” Bitterclaw replied, looking angry yet thoughtful. “That is an insult to the cats and to Silverpelt herself! We call those cats the Star-Blessed, as they have been blessed by our ancestors. It is a sign that they carry the blood of the creator of StarClan… And we are honored to have one in the clan.”
“Star-Blessed?” Firepaw yelped. “Honored? But… Don’t they all go crazy? They don’t murder anyone?”
“Does that mean that there is a chance that I can be accepted?” Firepaw thought, his spirit brightening up. “A chance that I will not go insane and hurt those that I care about? Because if the clans have a positive viewpoint of the ‘Cursed…’ Then there is a chance that they will like me… But for my power, not for the cat that I am. Should I even tell anyone about my ‘visions?’ Or would they claim that I’m lying to get attention?”
“No…” Bitterclaw responded, looking concerned. “Most of the Star-Blessed do not go crazy nor are they murder-happy. In fact, most of the time, the medicine cat will get a sign that the Star-Blessed should be a medicine cat. Why would we let someone that seems crazy to become one apart of one of our most respected positions? However, it has been a while since we had a Star-Blessed. The last one that we had was Birchface, and he drowned in the river during a battle with RiverClan. He had no kits so there is no cat that directly has his blood. Now, Firepaw… I’m your mentor, and you can come to me with anything… Is there something wrong?”
Firepaw felt torn. On the one paw, Bitterclaw seemed like a cat that would believe him if he went to her with his worries. On the other paw, would she run and tell the other cats or, worse still, would she laugh at him? Or, would she keep his secret if he asked?
“There is only one way to find out,” Firepaw decided, with a hint of fear in his heart. “Even though I wanted to keep my ‘visions’ a secret, I cannot just stand by and watch someone die if I could do something. And it would help if I confronted Redtail about his possible death if I had someone on my side… And, this would be hard secret to keep alone for long. My marks are very visible and large compared to some marks. Also, the color is loud and bright, able to be seen by cats with normal vision: or basically, able to see green, blue, and yellow.”
“Yes Bitterclaw, I’m very worried…” Firepaw finally admitted after a few heartbeats. “I… I…”
“It is okay to be worried, Firepaw,” Bitterclaw softly mewed, surprising him without the normal roughness that she carried. “In fact, it’s normal… Especially since you are in the position that you are in. However, like I promised you before, for as long as you are willing to train to be a warrior, I will do everything in my power to make you a great warrior. After all, you are not the only one that the clan will be watching…”
“Er… Thanks, but that was not what I was talking about,” Firepaw mewed. “What I’m worried about… I worried about what could happen to Redtail.”
“Redtail? Why?” Bitterclaw questioned. “He is fairly young and is good health. What could possibly happen to him… Wait, has StarClan visited you? Did you get a sign?”
“I’m sorry but I wouldn’t know if someone from StarClan visited me,” Firepaw answered. “Considering that I don’t completely understand StarClan at this point… And even if I saw a sign, I wouldn’t know what it meant… No, the reason is, for the longest time, I’ve been having strange dreams… They seemed peaceful and happy… of me going into the forest to hunt for a mouse… Then, while asleep, I had a strange dream… Cats were fighting on a large pile of rocks, locked into battle… A tortoiseshell with a ginger tail was fighting a dark reddish brown cat, close to a loose pile of rocks…”
As Firepaw continued to describe his ‘vision,’ he noticed that Bitterclaw’s smile fell from her face. Her amber eyes became sharp, alarmed as worry crept within. Feeling slightly hopeless, Firepaw just keep talking, with the hope that together, they could do something.
“… And I don’t know Redtail that well,” Firepaw finished. “I don’t know if he will even listen to him… But I don’t know if I could live with the fact that someone died when I could have done something. However, I want to keep my ‘visions’ a secret if I could… After what I had been through by in the Twolegplace… I couldn’t bare the fact that they could hate me…”
Firepaw felt silent as Bitterclaw raised her tail. In that moment, he saw how much she looked like Bluestar as she ran her glance over him. However, her look was thoughtful and serious, without a hint of anger or hate. She seemed, on the other paw, confused.
“Let’s me get this straight,” she mewed. “Just so I can clear this up… Even before you entered the forest, you have been having weird dreams… Then, on the day that you ended up meeting some clan cats, you see the dead of ThunderClan deputy, Redtail, and, if I heard right, at the claws of Tigerclaw, one of the older warriors, after Oakheart’s death… And you also had a vision during your fight with Graypaw after he slapped you up the head? That would explain why you seemed to be protecting your head during the fight with Longtail…”
“That is correct,” Firepaw quietly answered, flinching when she stepped over to him.
“Firepaw, just what happened in the Twolegplace?” Bitterclaw asked, clearly noticing his actions. “Remember, I am here for you. You can tell me… I promise that I will not be mad at you…”
So, Firepaw told her of all the hate he had gotten for being born with the star-shaped markings on his legs. For having green eyes long before he should have: for being able to see all the colors that normal cats could not… Then, he told her of his encounter with the rogue group, when they tried to throw him onto the Thunderpath, right in the path of a monster. He stopped when he saw the pure fury on her face.
“Those mousebrains!” she snarled. “How dare they? You were just a kit! How could anyone kill a kit in such a terrible manner? Now… Firepaw, as strange as it is, you seem to be Star-Blessed… As your descriptions too on point for someone that never seen anyone from the clan before…”
“However, I don’t want to let the clan know,” Firepaw mewed out, a bit fearful. “I don’t want to be judged for something I can’t control…”
“Firepaw, at the most the others would be confused on how a kittypet became Star-Blessed,” Bitterclaw answered. “But they wouldn’t be mad… That being said, I will not force you to tell the clan. In a way, I don’t want to tell anyone… I just got you as an apprentice, and I am not losing you to Spottedleaf!”
“Spottedleaf?” Firepaw asked.
“ThunderClan’s medicine cat,” Bitterclaw replied. “Remember… Most Star-Blessed end up as medicine cats if they are found out… And don’t worry, I will keep your secret.”
As Bitterclaw smiled at him, Firepaw began to feel better.
“You know what?” he mentally spoke to his self. “I can do this. My mentor is on my side… And just maybe… I can find some new friends here… And I can belong…”
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Post by darkfeather88 on Jan 13, 2019 18:46:37 GMT -5
Chapter 5: Nightmares
“So, what did you and Bitterclaw do?” Graypaw mewed as h as Firepaw entered the apprentices’ den. “You don’t look half dead…”
“We just chatted, nothing more,” answered Firepaw as he looked around the den. “Now, where can I sleep?”
“Anywhere that isn’t next to me!” growled the pale ginger she cat. “I don’t want to wake up to your kittypet smell!”
As Dustpaw growled in agreement, Firepaw saw Graypaw roll his eyes as he pointed to a nest close to his paws.
“There!” chirped Graypaw cheerfully. “That one is yours. I put it next to mine! It has fresh moss because you wouldn’t have had time to collect any since you with Bitterclaw.”
“Thank you Graypaw, but could you stop bad-mouthing my mentor?” Firepaw asked as he circled in his nest. “She is not a bad cat and does not hate kittypets…”
“That is surprising, considering that Hollowtail is her littermate and he never shuts up about how much he hates kittypets and outsiders,” Graypaw spoke from his nest. “And considering how Darkstripe follows her… I had assumed that she had felt the same way, since she hadn’t said anything about kittypets one way or another.”
“Shut up Graypaw!” growled Dustpaw. “Some of us want to sleep!”
As Graypaw muttered under his breath, Firepaw, as he was trying to relax, remembered what had happened after he and Bitterclaw stopped talking. After leading him by to camp, she had sent him to see Spottedleaf. That is, after she pointed out which den the medicine cat happened to be in.
“That was a strange experience,” he reflected, almost shivering. “I didn’t like the way that she looked at me… As if she knew something about me that I don’t…”
Spottedleaf turned out to be a pretty dark tortoiseshell and white she cat with kind amber eyes. She had looked over all of his wounds, shaking her head. Then, she had chewed up some herbs and placed them over his wounds. Lucky for him, none of his scratches were serious. However, the whole time he was in there, she seemed distant, muttering that the plan had failed… While he wondered what the plan was, he almost noticed that Spottedleaf was a good looking she cat. However, after Spottedleaf pushed him out of the den, Firepaw felt his self freeze in place for just a moment as a vision overtook his senses. It was not good: nothing but pain and anger would come from even liking Spottedleaf more than a clanmate.
“I saw myself and Spottedleaf getting exiled from the clan,” Firepaw stated, angry. “Chased off from ThunderClan’s territory if I was to fall in love with her… Besides, beauty isn’t everything. While she may be pretty, I get the feeling that Spottedleaf is not my type… She is… too soft?”
Besides, this was not the time to go looking for love. Firepaw knew that, before anyone would even be willing to become his mate, he first had to prove to the clan that he could be a warrior. Adding to that fact, he was too young to be looking for love. For now, he was going to focus on being the best warrior that he could be, in spite of his kittypet blood.
“I just wish that I could get to know all of the apprentices,” Firepaw sleepily mused. “And be able to learn more about them… Become their friends. However, at this time, it looks like Dustpaw and Sandpaw are not going to let me near them. I cannot force the issue, but… I don’t see how I could change their viewpoints if they are determined to hate me…”
As the other apprentices softly whispered with each other, with Ravenpaw just entering the den, Firepaw closed his eyes, trying to fight the feeling of sadness and loneliness. However, he soon ended up opening his eyes. He glanced around that the new landscape with horror.
“What in the..? Where am I?” Firepaw almost screamed with terror, the fur along his spine rising. “What is this place and how did I get here? I just went to sleep in the apprentices’ den!”
He was in a forest that seemed dark, foreboding as the trees tried to reach for the stars that failed to appear in the black sky. The ferns and bushes shook and rustled as if there was prey hiding in the shadows. A quick glance beneath them told Firepaw that there was no sign of anything: it seemed to be a trick. The place he was standing was cold, with the only light coming from some strange, sickly green mushrooms. That light caused everything to shine with a pale, ailing color.
“Okay, I must be having a strange vision again!” Firepaw mewed to his self. “This cannot be real… How can a place so horrible be something but a nightmare..?”
“Hello, Firepaw,” a familiar voice spoke out. “It’s great to see you in the flesh.”
Firepaw sharply turned around, almost tripping over a rock in his haste. Hissing with displeasure, he stared at the newcomer. From what he could see, the stranger was a large tortoiseshell and white tom, with muscles that seemed to ripple under his long fur. Sharp green eyes seemed to glance over his smaller frame. However, where there was once white in his eyes, there was now black. This caused the tom’s eyes to be harsher than what would be normal. Firepaw was completely unnerved, fear and horror threatening to burst from his body.
“Oh no, I’m so dead!” Firepaw exclaimed mentally. “I haven’t had any battle training! How will I survive in a fight against this tom?”
Firepaw closed his eyes, trying to wake his self from this nightmare that he had had entered. However, he heard a broken laugh from the other tom.
“This is a dream, yet it is not a dream,” the tom stated, amused. “There is no escape from here as long as I have hold on you… I called you here, young warrior, to speak with you… But not right here and not alone.”
“Wait… Young warrior?” Firepaw thought as he narrowed his eyes as he stared at the other tom. “The strange voice was the only one that called me that! So that means…”
“You’re the voice that I heard right before I fought Longtail!” he exclaimed. “But… If you were the one that dragged me here… Why in this dark forest of all places? And… Where is this place? And… Why did you help me?”
“Yes, the voice was me,” the tom purred, trying to sound friendly but failing. “As for why I helped you, you have a long and hard destiny ahead of you. However, that being said, I refuse to just stand by and watch StarClan manipulate such a bright young tom… You deserve to make your own choices without the whispers of the stars within your ears… Using you in order to ‘create’ the best future for all… And if they knew about your gift, well, they would try to control you even more…”
"Wait… What does StarClan have to do with anything?” Firepaw questioned, stepping away from the other. “And… This isn’t Star..?”
“Quiet, young warrior,” the tom stated as he covered Firepaw’s mouth. “Now, follow me and stay silent. We do not want to meet any of the cats imprisoned here… They would tear you to pieces…”
There were so many questions that Firepaw wanted to ask the other tom. However, seeing the look on the other’s face stopped the questions in his throat. Not wanting to be alone in the dark and unfeeling forest, he just nodded his agreement. Firepaw couldn’t help but feel that he was doing something wrong as the large tom marched off through the undergrowth.
“Why am I doing this, following this unknown tom to an unknown place?” Firepaw yelled at his self. “He does have something against StarClan and is not willing to answer any questions. That being said, he did encourage me when I was facing Longtail’s distrust and anger at me joining the clan… But this forest is creepy… Why is someone that helped me here?”
Shivers still running down his back, Firepaw followed the large tom, being careful to stay close to him because of the lack of light within the forest. He had to stop his self from leaping up with fear when a loud yowl filled the air. He ran straight into the tortoiseshell tom’s hindquarters as the other tom had stopped to stare off into the distance, a sneer on his face. That was when Firepaw saw a harsh glow that seemed to come from the other’s face.
“I can’t stop shivering in fear…” Firepaw thought with worry. “Even though this tom has done nothing to harm me and seemed to want to help him… But why does he look so creepy? What crime did he do in order to become this? Wait? Why did I assume that he did something wrong?”
Firepaw noticed that the tom had dug his claws into the earth as he turned his face towards him. That was when he saw that his green eyes seemed to glow in the darkness, giving him a creepy face as the green brightened the lines of his muzzle and cheeks.
“Stay with me, little warrior,” the tom hissed out. “If we come across any of the cats that roam here, go to the nearest brush and hide there. I will take care of them…”
Firepaw just nodded, staying quiet. Then, he almost sighed in relief as the tom faced forward and began walking again. However, the cries of anger seemed to follow the two, as they carefully stepped around everything in their way. Firepaw was very nervous, not wanting to face anyone else.
“Just what kind of cats are stuck here?” he wondered, glancing around in spite of the continuing shivers. “That yowl... There was so much anger in it... And, now that I think about it, if this a dream, where is this place? And how can something be both a dream yet not a dream? That makes no sense!”
Firepaw just moved behind the other tom as they continued on, the light from the mushrooms coming and going. When they reached a small stream, Firepaw almost had to cover his nose from the rotten scent that floated up. Then, the tom went into the stream.
“Wait… I don’t know how to swim!” Firepaw protested in his head. “How am I supposed to get across that?”
“It’s okay,” the tom said, standing in the small stream. “This stream is not very deep… It is safe for you to cross. However, I will remain here to help you.”
With a sigh, Firepaw cautiously stepped into the water. He almost hissed as he felt the oily water rush up to meet his belly. It was disgusting. However, Firepaw kept his opinions about the water to his self as he carefully pawed his way other to the tom, very wary about tripping head first into the ghastly water. That was when he saw that the water did not reach the other tom’s belly fur, with him being taller than Firepaw.
“Er… This isn’t fair,” Firepaw growled. “Why do I have to be so short? I cannot help the fact that I was the runt of my littermates… Why is life making fun of my shortness?”
Alert for any danger, the two toms safely crossed the stream and stepped onto dry land. Firepaw went to lick his short fur to try and dry it. However, the taste made him gag and he shook out his fur instead. The other tom just fluffed his fur before walking, looking over at Firepaw with a smile.
“I know, that water is awful,” the tom stated. “But it’s not meant to be nice… The cats here do not deserve anything nice… They are lucky that have what little freedom that they have… That they are not imprisoned, considering what they have done…”
Firepaw wanted to interrupt the other tom’s muttering and ask some questions when he noticed they seemed to be going into a darker area. Fewer and fewer mushrooms appeared as they moved on, picking up their speed. Firepaw was finding it harder and harder to see the other tom. Though, it seemed like the other tom knew that he was going to find it hard to see.
“Young warrior, grab my tail!” the other tom ordered. “Otherwise, you will get lost! This area is designed to confuse and disrupt anyone who is not supposed to be here. However, you should be fine as long as you are touching me. Just ignore any other voices that you may hear.”
Nodding, Firepaw bit down on the fluffy tail in front of him. The tortoiseshell tom then began walking again, keeping his tail straight in order to help Firepaw. Then, after a few steps into the darkness, Firepaw understood why the other was concerned.
“I can’t see anything in front of me!” Firepaw exclaimed. “There is no light here… I can’t even see the other’s glowing eyes… And, I think that I’m hearing something…”
Voices began to taunt him, in both familiar and unfamiliar tones. They stated that there was no way that he could be warrior: that he would just be a drain on the clan. That he was worthless. He also heard his sister, calling out in pain, wondering where her precious brother was. His mother cried as she exclaimed out her feelings of betrayal: that one of her sons had joined the savages. Grief filled Firepaw’s heart as he almost let go of the other tom’s tail. However, Firepaw stayed strong: he did not give in.
“I’m going to be warrior,” Firepaw declared mentally. “I’m going to prove everyone wrong… My blood does not determine my ability. And I can’t let Bitterclaw down. She also needs to prove herself.”
“There you are!” snarled an unknown voice. “What in the world took you so long? We have been waiting here forever it seems like!”
Firepaw had closed his eyes in order to try to ignore the voices being thrown at him. However, when he opened his eyes, he was greeted at the sight of a large clearing surrounded by thorns and bright red berries. On the far side, there was a small pool that seemed to shine with the light of the stars. Curious, he narrowed his eyes, noticing that this area seemed much brighter than the area that they had left behind. However, as he went to take a step forward, a dark gray figure leaped in his way, causing him to stare at them in shock.
“Hello kittypet spawn!” the dark gray figure chirped. “Welcome to our little corner of the Dark Forest! How are you?”
As Firepaw just looked up at her in horror, confusion and fear mixing together, the tortoiseshell tom fluffed up his fur in anger.
“Minnow!” he snapped. “What are you doing? I haven’t gotten him up to speed on everything that is happening!”
“Well, why not?” snapped a second she cat, laying under the shadows of the thorns. “I have much better things to do than wait for your lazy rear end!”
“Oh yes, because murdering Brokenstar is so important!” sneered the final cat in the clearing. “Seriously, control that temper! You know what happens to those that lose control…”
“I would give up my sanity as many times as I could if it could bring down that hateful tom, Brokenstar!” she snapped back. “He murdered me! And why aren’t you trying to kill him? Didn’t he drive out your clan from their territory? Refuing to bury the bodies of Stoneclaw, Flowerheart, and Darkeyes, leaving them to rot in the sun, refusing to honor them as warriors?”
“Because there is no point!” growled the other. “What would that do? We are already seen as monsters… And murdering a leader nine times over, no matter how bad, would just create more problems! Do you want one of Brokenstar’s most loyal warriors to replace him?”
As the two she cats snapped insults at each other, Firepaw turned to the tortoiseshell tom, wanting to understand what was going on here.
“Why are they fighting?” he questioned nervously. “And just what are they talking about?”
“And why does the air feel so oppressive?” he wondered, frozen in fear. “Like my fur is going to fall off from terror…”
He got no answer. The other two cats just stared at the two fighting she cats, looks of anger on their faces. Finally, the dark gray she cat snapped.
“Hey you mousebrains!” she yelled. “Stop fight for once in your life and behave! We have a guest here so don’t blow it! So come over here and introduce yourselves before those stupid territorial instincts come back and we are all fighting again!”
Firepaw saw that the two she cats pulled away from each other, muttering under their breath. The dark gray she cat then sighed as she turned towards him.
“I’m sorry… They are always like this,” she hissed. “Getting into fights with each other for little to no reason… Whatever… Anyways, I’m called Minnow. I am the Nightmare that was chosen to watch over RiverClan. The big bad tom that led you here is Patches, the Nightmare of ThunderClan.”
“Nightmare?” Firepaw questioned. “What are Nightmares?”
“Nightmares come in two forms,” Minnow answered, looking happy to be explaining something. “The living ones, that have been given a second chance at life, and the dead ones, with roam the living world, haunting the living. However, both groups have something in common: if they are not careful, their hate and need for revenge that overwrite their personalities, causing them to be a danger to everything around them.”
“Revenge? A danger?” Firepaw mewed, stepping away from the two. “Do I need to be careful?”
“And why am I just standing here?” he shouted at his self. “If what they say is true, they could kill me without any trouble! And can I trust these cats? And… What is the Dark Forest and why are these cats here?”
“You don’t have anything to fear from us,” Patches spoke out, noticing Firepaw’s fear. “We have been ordered to help you… And we have not fallen into our hate and anger… Yet. Most Nightmares are created when that cat has a will-power to live to take revenge on the one that took their life… And are formed by accident when another Nightmare is around when they die. While it is common for there to be living Nightmares that will end up turning into the dead Nightmares, it is… Well, let’s just say that we are four of a kind.”
“That is correct,” added on the ginger she cat, coming over to glance over Firepaw’s short fur. “Unlike most Nightmares, we never got a second change to live. All of us were kits that died under the age of three moons, for various reasons. That being said, we all ended up here for the same reason.”
“Why did we have to die?” growled the tortoiseshell she cat, with Firepaw just now noticing her flat face. “Why did StarClan let us die? I was murdered by someone that StarClan let take power while Finch-butt here…”
“My name is Finches!” snapped the ginger she cat. “Don’t call me that!”
“…Was born weak with a heart-problem, so StarClan looked the other way so that pressure would be put on her stronger brother,” the tortoiseshell she cat continued on, not even stopping for the other’s yell. “Minnow-fluff got sick with something that normally been cured easily but was stopped by a cat that was imprisoned here in the Dark Forest. Speaking of that, Patch-rear had been driven out of his birth clan by a sign that stated that he and his littermate didn’t belong in ThunderClan…”
At her words, Firepaw felt sorry for these cats: that they all had their lives cut so short. However, he was curious on how they ended up here.
“We all wanted something else out of life…” the ginger cat, Finches, stated sadly. “We all wanted to be able to become warriors… And we all began to abhor StarClan for, once again, various reasons. In my case, it was jealous of my brother. I had wanted run with my clan, enjoying the fresh air. However, it only dug deep into my heart when I gave my brother a life. Don’t get me got, I’m not mad at my brother but… I wanted to be something more…”
“Then, we were all lured here,” Patches mewed. “Across the border of StarClan, into the Dark Forest, where all those that were judged evil by StarClan are sent. Here we all individually met with the head of the Dark Forest… And he gave us an offer… One the we couldn’t refuse.”
“Wait… So the reason that you didn’t want me to meet any of those cats,” Firepaw stated, horror growing in his bones. “Is that all of them have done something terrible? Then, why are you here and just what was that offer?”
“We are the Guardians of this place,” answered the tortoiseshell she cat proudly. “In return for giving up our place in StarClan, we gained our adult bodies and we try to keep those terrible cats in their place…”
“However, just like a normal Nightmare,” Minnow added sadly. “We will go mad… and have to be put down… And we will be replaced. However, some of the Dark Forest cats have been escaping into the living world, causing trouble and got out from under our watchful eyes…”
“Er, not to disrupt the conversation,” Firepaw jumped in nervously. “But who are you two? I know that those two are called Minnow and Patches…”
“My apologies, little one,” replied the ginger she cat, nodding her head towards him. “I am called Finches and I’m WindClan’s Nightmare.”
“My name is Marigold,” the tortoiseshell spoke out, proud and haughty. “ShadowClan’s Nightmare… And one day I am going to send Brokenstar to this place!”
As the other three Nightmares groaned together in unity, Firepaw began to think.
“It sounds like that, before they became Nightmares, they were clan cats,” he realized. “And they were all kits when they died… Does that their names were Patchkit, Finchkit, Minnowkit, and Marigoldkit? Why did they change their names? Was it because they disagreed with StarClan, so in order to show their distaste, they took on rogue sounding names?”
“Now that explanations are out of the way,” growled Marigold. “We need to talk to the little fuzz ball here about the prophecy that he is in… And how it is going to affect him.”
Firepaw, who just had gotten out of his thought, blanked out on hearing Marigold’s words. He just stunned by this fact. There was a prophecy about him of all cats? Then, his thoughts turned to a dark place. He turned toward the four to see if they could answer his question.
“If there is a prophecy about me, then was that the only reason that Bluestar wanted me in the clan?” he questioned. “She didn’t want me because she saw potential in me… But so I could fulfill some destiny from dead cats?”
Silence greeted his questions. He saw that the others just glanced at each other, confused and very unsure on how to answer. His heart fell.
“So if there wasn’t a prophecy, I would have been forced to remain a kittypet?” he wondered, disheartened. “That doesn’t seem fair to me… That someone is judging me for something outside of my control… again. This is just like the situation about my leg markings…”
“The prophecy is this: ‘fire alone can save the clan,’” Patches stated, finally ending the silence. “And it was given to Spottedleaf, ThunderClan’s medicine cat… So, at this time, only Bluestar and Spottedleaf know about it… in ThunderClan that is…”
“So Bitterclaw and the rest of ThunderClan don’t know about the prophecy?” he thought. “That would explain their actions… Or at least, some of their actions.”
“However, Silverpelt, the creator of StarClan, is very upset with the rest of StarClan,” Finches added on. “So she, with some help from her brother to assume another cats’ forms, visited the rest of the medicine cats and told them of the prophecy. Whether or not the rest of the clan will know will depend if the leader of that clan is willing to speak out and tell the truth to the rest of the clan…”
“Also, the prophecy itself is a bit of a lie,” Marigold sneered. “It looks like on the surface that you would only save one clan… When if fact, for the end goal, in some way, you are destined to save all of the clans… But the one that you choose to live in will be the one that will get the benefit! So the prophecy should be… ‘Fire alone will save the clans!’”
“Save the clans?” Firepaw spoke out, beginning to panic. “How on the dirt would I be able to save the clans? And… Just what is the danger that I am supposed to save the clans from? I’m just a runt and I’m Cursed…”
“You are not Cursed!” growled Patches, looking dangerous as he dug his abnormally long claws into the dirt. “Didn’t Bitterclaw tell you? What the kittypets call Cursed are known as Star-Blessed in the clans…”
“Wait? How do you know that I talked with Bitterclaw?” Firepaw muttered loudly.
“See that pool over there,” Minnow stated as she pointed her tail in its direction. “It allows us to watch cats…”
“That is creepy,” Firepaw thought, trying to calm down. “I would rather not have someone watching my every step, thank you very much.”
“Now, as for you being Star-Blessed,” Finches jumped in calmly. “You can use that to your advantage, and… You are correct to try to hide your powers from most cats. Not everyone is trustworthy and StarClan would do something about it… What, we are not sure, but it wouldn’t be good…”
“Like Brokenstar!” snapped Marigold. “He doesn’t deserve anything!”
“…However, they would take advantage of your weakness,” finished Finches, ignoring Marigold again.
“Weakness?” Firepaw echoed. “What do you mean?”
“Maybe weakness is the wrong word,” Patches stated. “It more of something… Well, think of it this way. You have a power. However, to gain that power, you had to lose something in return…”
“In your case, it means that you are spiritually weak,” Minnow said, glaring at Firepaw’s upset look. “Don’t give me that look! It doesn’t mean that you are mentally or physically weak either… It means that any spirit can talk to you by entering your dreams and there is nothing that you can do about it.”
“What do you mean that there is nothing I can do about it?” Firepaw snarled, still slightly upset by Bluestar’s actions. “Surely there is something that I can do…”
“I’m so sorry,” Finches apologized. “While most cats have some kind of protection from stuff like this, you don’t… And there is no way for you to learn it.”
“Think about it,” mewed Marigold slyly. “How do you think that we were able to get you here? Though our aim was a bit off.”
While the shiver had decreased in amount the longer that he had been with the Nightmares, they returned with Marigold’s dark statement. He began to shake, mind overloaded by the information he received.
“Does that mean that I would have to listen to whatever the visitor says?” Firepaw thought bitterly. “That I wouldn’t be able to rest in peace… Even with the visions that randomly appear in front of me!”
“Do not fear, young warrior, for all is not lost,” Patches whispered into his ear, trying to comfort the ginger tom. “While all that you have learnt is terrible, it doesn’t have to be the end of your world… You have a very unique opportunity… Thanks to Silverpelt spreading the prophecy to other clans and your kittypet background, you now have the rare chance to be able to join any of the clans! The other three cats will not be able to resist adding a Star-Blessed to their ranks. And with your power, should they ever learn of it…”
“That being said,” Minnow added in. “You need to be able to pick your allies wisely. As we had stated earlier, not everyone would react well to you having powers. Some would become jealous, some would not believe you, and for the enemies that are developing within the clans… You would be putting a large target on your back.”
“It was wise that you had chatted with your mentor,” Patches continued, stepping away from Firepaw. “And, while she will be rough, she will be a much better mentor than Bluestar. She will be able to make more time to train you properly and would not be training you will the goal to shape you into her perfect warrior.”
“However, while you should be wary of StarClan, as they are going to try and push you down a certain path,” Finches stated calmly. “Not all cats in StarClan have been corrupted… Just those that have been welcomed into the main circle that oversees StarClan…”
“Which are usually former leaders, deputies, medicine cats, and any well-known loyal warriors,” Marigold jumped in. “If you were just a normal warrior that just lived life… Or Star-Blessed, you are not invited to join.”
“And… Remember this…” mewed Patches thoughtfully. “Most of the Star-Blessed were forced to become medicine cats… Without a say in what they wanted to do… There will be some anger there…”
“Adding onto that,” Finches said. “There are those that got their lives messed by StarClan… Those that had to die in order to ‘create the best path’ for the clans… It has gotten to the point that StarClan doesn’t see that it is wrong to sacrifice cats… That they can use and play with cats’ lives without worry because everyone believes that they are good… That they can do no wrong!”
Suddenly, things began to fade around Firepaw, a voice seemingly coming from somewhere in the distance. As his paws became heavy and he fought the need to close his eyes, he looked over at the Nightmares.
“You’re waking up,” mewed Patches with alarm. “Has it been that long already?”
“Just remember this Firepaw!” called out Minnow. “We are your side! Call us any time that you need us!”
Firepaw opened his eyes to find his self back in the apprentices’ den, with most of the other apprentices gone. As he noticed that Graypaw was curled up asleep in his nest, Firepaw glanced down at his paws with worry.
“Just what was that? And… Just what have I learnt?”
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Post by darkfeather88 on Jan 16, 2019 0:26:52 GMT -5
(Sigh... Is anyone reading this? Is it the format that is driving people away?
I'm sorry but I really don't know much about coding to be able to fix it...
I would love to hear what you think of the story.)
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