#she also says ''I only regret that I will miss watching you become what Starclan has destined you to be.'' to him in that same bit of dialo | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

hotfrost · 3 years ago

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i hated brambleclaw’s nine lives ceremony so i fixed it at 4am please don’t kill me if this is badly written

also major spoilers for the first four arcs, and there’s some violence in here. (this is also what would have happened if brambleclaw wasn’t an asshole)

Brambleclaw shivered.

The night was clear and bright- Silverpelt shone high above the two of them. A single star twinkled brighter than the rest, its glow more warm than any other in the sky. Firestar, is that you?, Brambleclaw wondered, feeling the familiar pang of grief for his mentor. It had been only one moonrise since the former leader’s death, yet Brambleclaw missed him like he hadn’t seen him in seasons.

“Drink the water.” Jayfeather prodded him and Brambleclaw snapped back to reality. He glanced at his son for a moment. It was hard to think that once the ThunderClan medicine cat had been just a tiny kit in the nursery, mewling for his mother. Brambleclaw felt a rush of affection for the blind tom. I was wrong to abandon you, he thought, regret surging through him.

Then he obeyed and bent down to the Moonpool. The water was crystal clear and the closer Brambleclaw’s nose got to the water, the colder he felt, a harsh freezing sensation that carried from his face to his tail-tip. Still, he drank from the pool and the water rushed through him, filling his body with memories. He felt his eyes began to droop.

“You’re sleepy. Let it take over.” Jayfeather sounded different, unlike himself. Drowsily, Brambleclaw realized he hadn’t ever taken the time to speak to either of his children after Hollyleaf had died. His heart ached for the black she-cat; he missed her the most. The briefest thought of her made Brambleclaw want to wail like a newborn kit calling out for his mother.

Then he closed his eyes, and sleep crashed over him like a wave on the lake.

When Brambleclaw opened them, the first thing he noticed was that he wasn’t standing on the ground anymore. He looked down to see he was floating in midair, his feet dangling helplessly below him. Everywhere he looked, he saw stars.

“You can put your feet down, Brambleclaw.”

Brambleclaw turned, eyes widening in shock. Bluestar stood in front of him; he had not seen the ThunderClan leader in many moons before the Great Battle. She looked young and strong and happy, the opposite of how she had been when Brambleclaw had been just a kit in the nursery. She walked towards him, tail swishing happily. Starlight dotted her blue-gray pelt and her eyes shone.

“Welcome to StarClan, Brambleclaw,” she said softly, but her voice carried through the void that they stood in. As Bluestar spoke, eight other cats appeared on her sides. Brambleclaw was sure his heart must have stopped.

He recognized most of them, but before he had a chance to call out to them, Bluestar dipped her head to him. “It is an honor to be giving you your first life,” Bluestar mewed solemnly. “With this life, I give you clear sight in hopes that you may use it to lead your Clan fairly.”

She placed her nose on Brambleclaw’s head and he was thrown off balance by the force of his first life. It roared through him like a blazing fire, and he could have sworn he felt like he was drowning. This must have been what Bluestar had felt as she died, he thought.

Bluestar pulled away. Then she added, “I am sorry I was not able to do this during time with you.”

“That’s not true,” Brambleclaw said quickly. It was true, but he had too much respect for the old leader to say so.

Bluestar said nothing. She stepped back and another she-cat took her place. Her pelt was as black as night and she purred as she approached Brambleclaw. “Hollyleaf!” he breathed, his mew just barely audible.

“Brambleclaw,” she said serenely. She seemed calmer, more collected, in StarClan. More like the kit Brambleclaw remembered, before the tunnels. “It’s good to see you again.”

“I miss you,” Brambleclaw said. He wanted to speak to her, but he knew Hollyleaf only had one job tonight.

“With this life I give you justice.” Hollyleaf raised her head, and Brambleclaw thought she looked more like a leader than he would ever look. “Use it to punish those who deserve it, and look after those who look after others. Be fair in all your judgements and never be cruel,” she finished, and touched her nose to his head.

Another burning life flowed through him, although this one felt good. Brambleclaw felt himself punishing the wrongdoers and looking out for his Clan. It burned like white-hot rocks did, or as if he were looking straight into the sun. He staggered backwards, caught off guard by the force of the life.

When Hollyleaf looked at him again, he could have sworn he saw a glimmer of sadness in her eyes. Is she thinking of Ashfur?

His daughter left. “Hollyleaf, wait!” he cried, trying to go after her. But something was keeping him in that spot, rooting him in place.

“She’ll be waiting for you.” The next voice was one Brambleclaw knew well; it was the same voice that had soothed him in the nursery and defended him against the Clan. Goldenflower padded up to him, her long body shimmering with the stars.

“With this life I give you compassion,” Goldenflower whispered. “Use it not only for your own children, but for your Clan. They are all your kin now. Love them as a parent, as a brother, as a mentor. They are your family.”

Her head came to rest on Brambleclaw’s. This life was much less painful than the last two. It felt like a fire as well, but instead of a blazing hot one, this one smoldered and burned quietly inside him. Brambleclaw knew he was feeling Goldenflower’s love- for him, for Tawnypelt, for his father, and for her Clanmates. As the fire inside him died, he stumbled and stared at Goldenflower, a cat that had risked so much for him, a cat that had held so much love inside of her.

His mother walked back to her place among the starry warriors. Brambleclaw wanted to call out to her too, but he held his tongue, and gasped as the next cat walked up.

“Sorreltail?”

The tortoiseshell molly gave him a wistful stare. “I know what you’re going to say-”

“You shouldn’t be here!” Brambleclaw blurted out, fur bristling in shock. “What- why are you here?”

“It’s nice to see you too, Brambleclaw.” Sorreltail purred, and her gaze turned sad. “It was my time. I’m okay with that.”

“I’m not!” Brambleclaw said indignantly. “What in the name of StarClan happened?”

“It’s not important.” Sorreltail seemed very focused on giving Brambleclaw his life. “With this life, Brambleclaw, I give you patience. As a leader, it is your job to understand your Clanmates, and to never become frustrated with them. They are your family and your responsibility.”

With that, Sorreltail put her head on top of Brambleclaw’s; he had to duck for her to do so. The life that went through him this time was calm, and soothing. This must be what patience is, Brambleclaw thought. He would do his best to watch after his Clanmates. For Sorreltail, and all the others they had lost.

The next cat to step up was one Brambleclaw admitted he had been expecting. Mousefur dipped her head to him, looking younger and livelier than he had ever remembered her in life. She was like a kit again, looking as if she were about to burst with excitement. “Mousefur,” he said warmly, coming up to the molly.

“Brambleclaw.” Even her voice was different. “Welcome.”

“It’s good to see you,” he said. “Purdy misses you, you know.”

Mousefur sighed. “I know,” she said, her mew distant. “But we will meet again, in this life or the next.”

“I’m sure he would be happy to hear that.”

Mousefur shook her head. “Never mind that, I’m here to give you your life!” Her yellow eyes glowed, and Brambleclaw recognized the cat he had known since he was a little kit. “Brambleclaw, a give you a life for listening to your elders. We may be retired, but that doesn’t erase our importance. Elders carry the stories of the Clans, and without them we would never know our own history.”

Brambleclaw took a shuddering breath as Mousefur touched noses with him, and the life that passed through him left his knees shaking. His mind flashed, and he knew he was seeing the elders. There was a fire, a raging fire, and a little brown kit. That’s me. This is Patchpelt, he thought. The elder who had died in the fire that had killed Yellowfang so long ago.

Then he saw a rabbit, and his stomach growled. In the distance, he heard the muffled sounds of his Clanmates. But he was so hungry... if he just... ate it. This is Dappletail’s memory.

Then it was Longtail, the cat who had become an elder far to soon, and here he saw nothing. The world was black and voices beat down on him from every side; they were so overwhelming that Brambleclaw wanted to curl up and mewl like a kit.

Last he saw Purdy, and Brambleclaw realized he was fighting. He was battling against a big dark tom, and with a sudden jerk he was picked up and thrown across the camp, and then-

The memory faded. Brambleclaw stared at Mousefur, dazed. The brown molly just gazed back calmly, nodded, and went back to join the ranks of her starry Clanmates. Goodbye, Mousefur, Brambleclaw thought sadly. He didn’t know when he would see her again.

If hearts could break, he was sure his did as he saw the next cat walk up. “Ferncloud.” He wanted to run to her, the cat he had known since he was a kit, one he had grown up with.

The gray molly padded up to him, her eyes bright. “Brambleclaw,” she purred. “It’s nice to see you.”

“It’s nice to see you to,” Brambleclaw breathed, wishing that he didn’t have to watch her leave. “Dustpelt misses you.”

“I miss him too.” Ferncloud dipped her head. “I miss him, and my kits. But I have a life to give you!” she purred. “The life I give you is for understanding that it is not just warriors who have a part to play in the Clan. Even though we may not add food to the fresh-kill pile, we raise each apprentice, each little kit, as our own. Honor the queens, Brambleclaw, for we are the ones who give you life.”

Brambleclaw let out a shuddering breath as Ferncloud’s life hit him. He had expected this one to be gentle as well, but he was surprised with the ferocity that it hit him with. He saw Ferncloud, battling for her life against Brokenstar, and Sorreltail, defeating Darkstripe. Then he saw his own mother, defending a young Brambleclaw and Tawnypelt from the Clan. You’ve all done so much for us, he thought.

But Ferncloud’s memories didn’t stop. He saw every kit that his friend had ever raised. Brambleclaw had thought it would only show her own kits, but no- he saw Spiderleg and Shrewpaw, and Squirrelflight and Leafpool, Whitewing, and then Hollykit and Larchkit who had died so young, and then Birchfall, the only surviving kit from her second litter. He saw his own kits, Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf along with Foxleap and Icecloud and Cinderheart and Honeyfern and Poppyfrost and Molepaw. He saw Blossomfall and Bumblestripe and Briarlight, and Cherrypaw and Molepaw and Amberkit, Snowkit, and Dewkit and Lilykit and Seedkit, and Brambleclaw thought he might collapse if he had to see any more.

But there was more. He felt Ferncloud’s fierce loyalty to the nursery, he felt how bravely she had defended the nursery. Brambleclaw felt her pain as she saw Hollyleaf’s unmoving body lying in the camp, her pain as the Clan had found Ashfur, her pain as they had buried Brindleface. She’s been through so much.

The memory cut to black and Brambleclaw jumped back in shock. That’s where she died, he thought.

Ferncloud said nothing, but her eyes glimmered like stars. Brambleclaw didn’t even know what to say. What could he say?

As Ferncloud padded back to her new Clanmates, another cat came up. “Feathertail.” His long-departed friend approached, starlight dappling her beautiful gray pelt. “It’s been a long time.”

“Indeed it has, my friend,” Feathertail agreed. “With this life I give you courage. Use it to guard not only your own Clan, but also all the cats who need it.” As she touched noses with him, Brambleclaw knew Feathertail was thinking about how she had given her own life for the Tribe of Rushing Water. You were the bravest of us all, he thought.

This life was a roaring, raging storm that ripped through him like claws and Brambleclaw stumbled. He knew what courage was- yes, he saw it in his Clanmates and in his leader, and in Squirrelflight and Hollyleaf. He knew it well.

As Feathertail began to walk away, he cleared his throat. “Where will you go now?” Brambleclaw’s voice faltered. He didn’t want her to leave yet.

“I walk two skies now, my friend,” Feathertail replied, turning her head. “We will see each other again.”

Brambleclaw found that a vague and rather frustrating answer, but he nodded silently and stepped back, waiting for his next life. There were only two more to go, if he was counting right. He couldn’t help but wonder who would give his last lives to him.

He couldn’t have been more surprised by who came up. The small black and white cat looked up at him, and Brambleclaw was surprised. He had never been this small in life. He always remembered looking up at the apprentice. “Swiftpaw,” he whispered, taking in the sight of his brother who had died so long ago.

“Brambleclaw,” he purred. “Clan leader. Who would have thought?” His voice was young and high, but Swiftpaw sounded so much wiser.

“I certainly wouldn’t have.” He kneaded at the starry ground, still feeling awkward. It was as if there was no floor; it was unnatural. “I wish you’d been here.”

Swiftpaw said nothing, but moved forward to touch noses with him. “With this life I give you mentoring,” he said. “Raise each apprentice to be the best warriors they can be.” Then he paused. “I gave this life to another leader, a long time ago.”

Brambleclaw gasped. Firestar? he thought, and looked around for the leader.

But he had forgotten about the life Swiftpaw was about to give him in his shock, and he was pushed back by the force of it.

His vision blurred and suddenly Brambleclaw was standing in his brother’s paws, snarling at a huge, vicious dog. Through the corner of his eye he saw Brightheart, a much younger Brightheart, standing next to him.

There was a growl and a clamp of jaws and it was over.

Brambleclaw stumbled, reeling from the force of the life. “Brother...” he panted, at a loss for words. Swiftpaw’s death had been so terrible, so brutal. But the apprentice didn’t respond.

“One more life to go,” was all he said before joining StarClan once more. Brambleclaw didn’t even get a reply.

Only one to go! And Brambleclaw was sure he knew it would be.

He had expected it, of course, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t surprised when a familiar flame-colored tom weaved his way through the warriors of StarClan. He was much bigger and stronger than he had been in the moons leading up to his death. The ginger tom looked like Brambleclaw remembered him as an apprentice.

“My apprentice,” said Firestar warmly. “My deputy.”

“Firestar.” Brambleclaw’s voice was thick with emotion. He had missed his mentor more than he could say. He saw Jayfeather raise his head at the edge of the starry clearing, staring straight at them. “Are you here to give me my last life.”

“Yes, I am,” Firestar said, his forest-green eyes glistening. “My life is a life for nobility.”

Nobility. Brambleclaw exhaled softly, watching Firestar continue.

“Long ago, I had an apprentice,” Brambleclaw’s former leader began. He had no idea who Firestar was talking about. “She was a bright, energetic cat, and I trusted her with my life, even after she was no longer my apprentice.”

He’s talking about Cinderpelt. Brambleclaw leaned forward, intrigued. A storm of emotions raged inside him, making him shake at the feet.

“Afterwards, I mentored my own kin. And despite his shortcomings as an apprentice, he is one of the finest warriors I’ve ever had the honor of knowing.” Firestar was talking about his nephew, Cloudtail. Brambleclaw frowned. What was the point of his speech?

“As I mentored Cloudtail, I met a young cat who looked far too much like someone I knew.” Brambleclaw held his breath. He’s talking about me.

Firestar’s eyes rose to meet his, expression stony. “And I held that against him. Yes... I did. I held that against him for a long time, until he was faced with a choice. A choice to join his father, who looked so much like him, or to stay and fight for his Clan. And he chose the second one.”

“I should have seen it then.” Firestar’s mew was hollow. “But I didn’t, not fully. It wasn’t until I had gone on my quest, named him after his father. I didn’t realize until he brought us to our new home. And I realized that what a good leader he was.” Firestar paused. “And I couldn’t blame him for hesitating to kill me on the lake that sunset. I would have killed a cat who had never trusted me.”

Brambleclaw was shaking. How could he tell Firestar that he blamed himself for that day, for that life Hawkfrost’s fox trap had taken from him? How his hesitation was the reason Firestar wasn’t with them anymore.

“What are you saying?” Brambleclaw asked thickly.

“I’m sorry, Brambleclaw. I’m so, so sorry.”

Brambleclaw couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You’re sorry? For what?”

“For never trusting you. For being so foolish. You’re one of the noblest cats I’ve ever known.” Firestar’s voice was shaking.

“No.” It was so sudden that Brambleclaw hadn’t even known he had said it. “I’m not. I’m really not.”

“What?” Firestar didn’t seem angry, just confused.

“I’m not noble,” Brambleclaw hung his head. “I spent most of the past few seasons avoiding my responsibilities, as a father, as a deputy, as a mate. And I’m sorry.”

Firestar didn’t say anything, just listened.

“You’re the noblest warrior I’ve ever known, Firestar,” Brambleclaw murmured. “And I’m sorry I couldn’t be half the cat you were.”

Firestar still said nothing, just touched his nose to his former apprentice’s.

The life that rushed through him was Firestar’s. It was all his.

First Brambleclaw was a little kit, sitting on the fence of a Twoleg nest. He was looking out at the forest, his paws itching to jump into the trees. Then he was fighting a younger Longtail, one that could see and he beat him. And there was Bluestar, and with a shudder Brambleclaw recognized his own father. As he followed Firestar’s life, he saw Silverstream, Feathertail’s mother, dying. And Cinderpelt in the medicine den with Yellowfang, who he had only known for a few moons. And then Cloudtail, and Sandstorm and Firestar rushing to rescue him.

And with a startle, Brambleclaw saw himself, a tiny, mewling kit hanging from a tree, with flames rising up around them. He jumped out to grab Bramblekit and carried him out of the camp. The scene changed, and Brambleclaw was watching his own apprentice ceremony, and Sandstorm’s anger. Then there was Stonefur’s terrible death, and now Tawnypaw had gone to ShadowClan with Tigerstar.

Brambleclaw watched as Scourge ripped every single life from Tigerstar, and felt Firestar’s shock. He watched in horror as Bone crushed Whitestorm, the most loyal of Firestar’s warriors, and saw Graystripe’s appointment to deputy. Then there was a long pause, and Firestar was leader of the Clan, finding out that Squirrelpaw and Brambleclaw had disappeared. He watched as ThunderClan had fallen apart- Brambleclaw saw Dappletail die, and then Hollykit and Larchkit and Shrewpaw. He felt Firestar’s agony as Graystripe was captured, his sadness as the Clans left the forest and Ravenpaw, Firestar’s other closest friend.

But there was also happiness. Brambleclaw was still in Firestar’s body, giving Squirrelpaw her warrior name and making Birchpaw an apprentice.

But the sadness came again, as Cinderpelt died and Graystripe was declared dead and he was bleeding out on the beach... bleeding, bleeding... and Brambleclaw saw a dark brown shape standing over him. Two of them. Panic rose up in him as the throbbing in his throat worsened. I’m going to die here, he thought.

But he didn’t die.

Brambleclaw, still in Firestar’s paws, watched three little kits stumble into camp, golden, gray, and black. He felt Firestar’s pride as he watched his kin, but also his hesitation. There will be three, kin of your kin, who hold the power of the stars in their paws. Then his body broke out into a coughing fit. This is the greencough. And then Sol appeared, his menacing eyes staring right into Brambleclaw.

And there was a long time of peace and happiness after that, until a shadow fell over the lake and Brambleclaw turned fearfully to see Tigerstar standing behind him.

There was a flash of lightning and Brambleclaw was released from the memory.

And it had pretty much confirmed it for him, that Firestar was the noblest cat he had ever known.

But Firestar seemed to make no comment about what Brambleclaw had said before. The flame-pelted tom stood up tall. “I hail you by your new name, Bramblestar. Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you the guardianship of ThunderClan. Defend it well; care for young and old; honor your ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code; live each life with pride and dignity.”

Bramblestar! The rest of the cats broke into cheers of his new name. Bramblestar turned to his leader.

“Go well, Bramblestar,” Firestar murmured. “I will be with you, always.”

#brambleclaw #bramblestar #firestar #jayfeather #hollyleaf #goldenflower #tigerstar #feathertail #ferncloud #sorreltail #mousefur #bluestar #somewhat of a fix-it #fic**#warriors #warrior cats #i wrote this in ten minutes forgive me

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malkumtend · 5 years ago

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I Like Your Laugh. (A CrowSquirrel AU Fanfic) - Chapter 3.

…

She had been in a dreamless sleep when the nudge to her side woke her. It was gentle, but firm. Squirrelpaw’s eyes fluttered, blinking out sleep and haze, stretching her stiff legs, her head rising out of her paws with a yawn.

“Good morning, Squirrelpaw.” A familiar voice hummed. Squirrelpaw blinked way the last trace of sleep, before returning Feathertail’s greeting. The Riverclan cat looked like she never stopped smiling. Looking around, the sky was pink from the morning sunrise, the yellow glow sleepily painting the sky from the face of a distant hill. It was beautiful, no doubt, but it looked too early to be the time they’d agreed to wake up.

“Good morning.” Squirrelpaw meowed, glancing up at the warrior curiously, “Is everyone getting ready to leave?”

“Not quite.” Feathertail simpered, she flicked her ear in the direction of Brambleclaw who was still asleep. Feathertail hushed her voice to not wake him. “But me and Crowpaw were thinking of doing some early hunting for the group. It would be better if everyone got a good meal before we set off again. We’d like it if you could join us?”

It was definitely a great idea. The group needed to be prepared sooner than later. And Squirrelpaw couldn’t help but feel a warm rise in her spirits that she was being invited along to do something important for once!

But then she thought back on that name, and inwardly cursed.

She turned, he was cleaning his ear with a paw, clearly waiting for the pair. As if by cruel circumstance, he looked to find her eyes, his cold gaze meeting hers, and he returned to licking his paws without a nod or a glare.

Squirrelpaw was ready for blood.

By Starclan, I want to tear him to pieces!

The Thunderclan cat seethed through clenched fangs, remembering her promise to not start anymore fights. It was just hunting. It was almost like going on patrol, just a job that needed to be done, not a friendship exercise. She just needed to not kill him, and everything would be fine.

“Sure!” Squirrelpaw chirped, keeping her focus on the cat she could actually stand. “I’d love to.”

Feathertail beamed, waiting while the apprentice did some last-minute stretches, before they set off to the waiting Crowpaw.

“You ready?” He only seemed to be addressing Feathertail.

Game on, Crowfood! “Are you?” Squirrelpaw shot back. It wasn’t openly antagonistic, much. Crowpaw paid her no attention, and Feathertail nodded to him, an apprehensive look already on her face.

The three set off into the tall grass, each listening closely for the rustling of prey. The grass towered over them and was thick enough to shield their bodies from any prey lucky enough to notice them. Squirrelpaw kept low, her paws softly paddling the ground, careful not to step on any loose grass that would snap and break their hunt.

Of course, none of them talked to another. All kept a good distance apart to cover more ground. Out of the tall grass, they saw the clearing of a landscape of hills, where the sounds of scampering prey along with their fresh scents, bringing all three cats low and ready to spring at the closest signal.

“Can you two hear anything close?” Feathertail whispered, low enough to only be heard by the apprentices.

Squirrelpaw listened and sniffed, her eyes becoming wide and focused. “I can smell mice close by.”

“There’s rabbit, as well.” Crowpaw murmured. “This way.” His pelt quivered with adrenaline as he stared to his left. Squirrelpaw would have liked to think he was only trying to one up her but breathing in deeper she cursed when she found he was right. She needed to pay closer attention if the others were going to get a good meal.

“Okay, that’s great.” Feathertail said, her tail swaying slightly. “If I focus on the mice, will you two go after the rabbit.”

Squirrelpaw wasn’t stupid enough to argue over her dislike of Crowpaw. It made sense for two cats to focus on the bigger prey, and as much as she hated to admit it, Crowpaw was more suited than them to rabbits as a Windclan cat.

She nodded to Feathertail, looking to Crowpaw who looked at her mildly, before setting off in the direction he focused on, not waiting for Squirrelpaw to catch up. The Thunderclan apprentice had to be careful to keep her paw steps soft as she hurried to hunt with the cat. She glared at his side; he was making this “be nice” promise so much harder than it needed to be.

Squirrelpaw caught onto the scent soon enough, not needing to follow Crowpaw anymore to find it, and they slowly padded up the slope of a hill, not saying anything to each other out of necessity and desire. When they reached the peak, they both looked over, finding their target at the crescent of the hill. A large brown buck, large enough to be a full meal for at least two dens of kits!

Squirrelpaw smirked, this would be the perfect chance to show the group what she could really do; she crouched, turning to Crowpaw to discuss their plan for the attack. Only to see the black blur of his pelt race past her, sprinting straight away towards his prey. Immediately, the buck’s ear twitched and it began to flee from the cat up the slope of the next hill. Squirrelpaw started up with a mix of shock and anger. The mouse-brain had put no care at all into his attack! His pounce was non-existent, going straight into his run; the buck would have heard the first step without a doubt.

Squirrelpaw hissed to herself but she too began to sprint after the prey with the half-wit that was her partner. However, that was proving hard to do. One positive thing that she could say about the tom was that he was fast! His paws practically buzzed across the grass, his body sleekly twisting as he followed the rabbit’s movements. He soon took a decent lead ahead of Squirrelpaw, enough that she had the slightest belief that he would end up catching the buck.

It didn’t last long.

Crowpaw was fast, but he also wasn’t being careful at all, he paid no attention to where he stepped. And that led to him completely ignoring the mound of Earth that Squirrelpaw saw was a few steps from him. Before she could even muster a warning, Crowpaw had caught the mound with his front paws, he twisted to catch his footing but the speed he was going made that impossible, his face skidded into the ground with a sharp thud and a cry of pain. The rabbit triumphantly disappeared over the peak of the hill, leaving its predator with a mouthful of grass.

Squirrelpaw growled, she knew that she wouldn’t be able to catch it now. She sprang over to Crowpaw with a hiss of fury. He coughed out a clump of dirt, licking his paw to clean his sore face.

“Nice going, Feather-Brain!” Squirrelpaw spat, she didn’t care about being nice now, the fool had ruined her chances of proving herself to the group! “What were you thinking? Rushing off without a plan like that! Didn’t your mentor ever teach you any hunting techniques at all?”

Crowpaw glared at Squirrelpaw, wincing as he licked over his ruffled pelt. “I would have caught it if it wasn’t for that stupid mound!” He muttered, “I’ve caught rabbits in worse environments than this!”

“The only reason you tripped over that mound was because you weren’t watching where you were going!” Squirrelpaw objected. She was actually surprised! It had been clear from the start that Crowpaw was a stone-headed apprentice, but she had expected him to at least have some sense!

“We’re hungry, aren’t we?” Crowpaw meowed rhetorically, “When I see a rabbit, I don’t wait around like some soft kittypet!”

Squirrelpaw’s tail thumped against the ground. “Oh, I apologise! Why don’t you go get it then if you’re so good at it? Try not to trip this time!”

Crowpaw’s muzzle drew back with a grimace, but he kept silent, glaring at the ground. But, for a second, Squirrelpaw was almost certain she saw an ashamed wilt in his eyes.

‘So, he should be.’ Squirrelpaw thought. She expected him to say something else, but he only returned to grooming himself bitterly. They only shared an icy silence. Squirrelpaw sighed, there was no point in sitting around like this, bickering wasn’t going to catch prey.

“Hurry up.” She seethed, “That rabbit won’t have gone too far; we can still catch it before the others wake up.”

Crowpaw gave her a sharp glance, but he continued to clean his pelt, though clearly becoming quicker at her words. Once he was finished, he gave his pelt a shake, “Let’s go.” He muttered, already heading off without Squirrelpaw. The Thunderclan cat looked at him incredulously, he just couldn’t take anything, even when it was his fault!

They walked together, not as careful this time to make noise, the scent was weak, it would take a while before they got close again. They still refused to talk to each other. Squirrelpaw still kept her muscles tense though, ready for any other prey that could come their way. She noticed though that Crowpaw had noticeably loosened, he was slow, and his paws dragged like they were trailing through a tide.

Squirrelpaw’s ire began to cool slightly, though he didn’t want to show it, he was clearly put down by his failure with the rabbit. She remembered Feathertail’s advice and let out the whisper of a groan. Why did being nice have to be harder than removing an Elder’s ticks?

“Look, don’t get upset over it.” Squirrelpaw meowed, closing the space between them slightly, “Even the Deputies miss a kill sometimes.”

Crowpaw looked at her like she was a wasp that had just stung him. “Maybe yours does! Not in Windclan!” He snapped. Squirrelpaw glowered, regretting the very thought of being nice to him already, “And I’m not upset!”

Squirrelpaw scoffed, “Oh right, I forgot, looking as happy as a mouse cornered by a patrol is normal for you, isn’t it?”

Crowpaw rounded on her with a hiss, “You can’t talk! If anyone’s acted like a sad clump of fur, it’s you!”

Squirrelpaw refused to be intimidated, stepping closer to him furiously. If he wanted to start a fight, he’d get it. “Am I the one with his tail tucked between his legs because of a clump of dirt? No, I don’t think I am.”

Crowpaw’s fur tensed, spiking viciously, “Yeah, well I’m not the one crying over my clanmate not wanting me here.”

The smile on Squirrelpaw’s face faded a little. Had that been what she had looked like? Openly seeming like she was ready to cry? She cursed her stupidity for leaving herself open to the others like that. She inhaled, clenching her fangs together. “Bold of you to assume I care what he thinks!”

The Windclan apprentice’s muzzle sat in a thin line, his eyes looking over her, unimpressed. “Nobody needed to be in Starclan to see it. Even a frog could have noticed.” Squirrelpaw tensed at how unaffected his tone was, she must have looked more miserable than him if he was so sure of himself.

“I don’t!” Squirrelpaw asserted, walking ahead a few paces in frustration, “Even if he didn’t want me here, he couldn’t get rid of me! I’m not just going to abandon the journey because some mouse-brain likes to think he knows everything!”

Crowpaw still looked unconvinced, his tail swaying lazily. “I’m not saying you’d leave; I’m saying that the fact that he upset you was as straight as a crow’s flight.”

Squirrelpaw tried to say something else but couldn’t find an excuse. She had been upset by Brambleclaw’s words and, by the way Crowpaw stuck by his thoughts, it looked like the whole group could have seen it as plain as blood on a whisker.

It wasn’t just Brambleclaw though! It was everything, how Firestar acted the same way, Dustpelt as well! She wanted to show she was a good warrior, but everyone kept talking down to her. That was what infuriated her. But she would never tell anyone that, much less Crowpaw, she wouldn’t give them the same idea.

“Worry-worm.” Crowpaw muttered, “What does it matter what he thinks? It’s not worth crying about.” Squirrelpaw paused, her eyes idening a little, looking up slowly at Crowpaw. He didn’t face her, but she was able to sense, even despite the bitterness of his words, there was a more gentle tone to it.

“Again, I wasn’t crying,” Squirrelpaw said, still needing to make that clear, but the anger drained from her voice as well. “He was just being unfair. Saying I would have told the clans about the journey when he knows well that I wouldn’t!”

Crowpaw looked at her pointedly, “Then don’t worry about it then! You just looked soft!” He shook his head, “If he said that to me, I wouldn’t have let him think he’s got to me! No way I’m gonna look weak to that bee-brain!”

“Hey, that’s my clanmate!” Squirrelpaw snarled instinctively but having the sense to look embarrassed after her outburst. “Only I can call him a bee-brain.”

Crowpaw scoffed, his pelt ruffling with indignance. “Then you should have done it then!”

Squirrelpaw could have taken a swipe at him then and there. He said everything like it was the plain answer, not concerned about anything else but his own opinion. She might not have minded if he was actually right most of the time. “What and let you think that Thunderclan cats are at each other’s throats with unsheathed claws? Yeah right.”

“Hmm, instead you’d prefer to look like a piece of prey for him to chew on.”

Squirrelpaw’s eye twitched, a burst of fury burning her chest. “Say that again!”

Crowpaw sniffed proudly, “I don’t care if he’s a warrior, even if he was my clanmate, he would have gotten a rake over the ears if he had insulted me!” He spoke so sure of his words, that Squirrelpaw almost found herself impressed. Almost.

“Firstly, that’s because you’re a mouse-brain who doesn’t know when to keep your jaws shut! Second, remember what happened last time you two fought.” She smirked at Crowpaw as he ruffled his pelt like he could shake away the memory of Brambleclaw pinning him down with one paw.

“Whatever.” He spat, horribly hiding the humiliation from his voice. “At least I didn’t just let him walk all over me.”

“He did though.” Squirrelpaw mewled with a sing song voice, grinning at the apprentice’s embarrassment.

“Oh, be quiet!” Crowpaw snapped, quickening his pace ahead of her. Squirrelpaw let out a breath of laughter, following him down the slope of the hill. But she thought about what Crowpaw had said, and how, in his own weird way, he had tried to be nice to her, kind of. He had seemed to put Brambleclaw in the wrong, which at least meant he was siding with her a little. If he wasn’t so icy and insulting about it, she might have thanked him.

Probably not, though. Because with every nice thing Crowpaw said, an insult was soon to follow.

They both sniffed and headed west, the scent was growing closer, which meant the rabbit had stopped at least. They padded past a group of wildflowers, dripping wet with dew, gleaming in the early morning sun. Squirrelpaw couldn’t help herself when she noticed a patch of dandelions, they wouldn’t find the rabbit for a while, and it would take even longer for the others to wake up. She could have a little fun with him. She whipped her tail mischievously at one, sending a small cloud of its seeds across the air. Squirrelpaw watched them magically fly in the breeze, chortling as she noticed a few seeds land straight on Crowpaw’s nose.

“Hey!” He yowled, closing his eyes as she rubbed his nose with a paw. “Stop acting like a kit!” He turned to her with fire blazing in his eyes, but Squirrelpaw only laughed loudly when she saw one pale seed still resting on the tip of his nose. Crowpaw’s claws dug into the grass. “It isn’t funny!”

Squirrelpaw grinned cheekily, “Oh, you’re no fun!” She chirped, walking past him while making sure to swish her tail across his nose, making him sneeze softly. “Do you ever take those burrs out of your fur?”

Crowpaw’s expression stiffened as he met her pace. “Do you ever focus on your task instead of pushing everyone’s temper? We don’t have time to-” He stopped in his sentence, eyes flashing with something unknown to Squirrelpaw. She glanced at him curiously, about to ask what was wrong, then Crowpaw grit his teeth and walked ahead, his mood clearly soured. “Just hurry up! You might want to leave the others hungry, but I don’t!”

Squirrelpaw stared aghast, he had snapped at her with such venom, all she had done was send some seeds into his fur! “What is your problem?” She demanded, on the verge of a growl. “I get you have no sense of humour, but can you not try to make everything a fight all the time?!” She couldn’t hold it back. She was growing so sick of his temper!

The black tom sent her a disgusted sneer. “I want to catch prey, not play games with some Thunderclan apprentice who wasn’t even chosen!”

Squirrelpaw’s ginger fur bristled scornfully, “Oh really.” She hissed, “Well, O great chosen cat, we may have been back with the rabbit by now if you hadn’t sprung without thinking, like a fit crazed rat!”

“How many rabbits have you even caught, Squirrelbrain?” Crowpaw spat. Squirrelpaw’s claws unsheathed, she was sure it was only a matter of time before her claws were crimson inside his cheeks.

“How many have you let run through your paws, Crowfood?” Squirrelpaw yelled. Crowpaw’s eyes on her narrowed in front of her, his posture stiff as a poisonous anger overcame him.

“Don’t talk like you even know what real hunting is like?” Crowpaw roared, his voice on the verge of a scream. His head shook from side to side crazily, now ferocious in his rant. “It may be easy for you, little leader’s daughter, not having to lift a claw to get any respect, but some of us have actually had to work hard to earn our Warriors ceremonies!”

Hard work? He thought she had it easy just because she was Firestar’s daughter? “You little…” A simmering fury burned on Squirrelpaw’s lips; a green fire erupted from her gaze. “I know exactly what hard work is like, mouse-brain! If you think Firestar treats me like a Queen Bee, you’re crazier than I thought!” She didn’t care what she said anymore, her anger had bubbled over, and mouse-tails to what this pest thought of her!

“Being a Leader’s daughter doesn’t give you a break! It’s endless pressure! From them and the rest of your clan! I’ve had to live up to my father’s, and my own, worth all my life!” Squirrelpaw ranted, not stopping a beat when Crowpaw loosened in shock and he just reserved himself to an unrelenting stare. Squirrelpaw didn’t notice something flicker in his eyes. “If I make a mistake, the clan hold me up to my father! Like I’m expected to be ‘perfect’ like him! I bet you’ve never had that, have you? Does your clan compare you to your father? Ever had your father breathing down your pelt every single day, constantly checking to see if you’re acting ‘the right’ way?”

Crowpaw said nothing. He just looked at her, then to the ground with a whispering breath. Squirrelpaw scoffed, satisfied. She wasn’t going to take those kinds of comments from anyone. Nobody questioned how hard she had worked.

“Didn’t think so.” Squirrelpaw hissed, “Maybe next time-”

“My father was Deputy.” Crowpaw said suddenly, bluntly. Emotionlessly. He walked ahead, not taking another look back at the silent Squirrelpaw. The Thunderclan cat’s tongue didn’t move as she thought clearly about what she said. A guilty horror overcoming her gut. Instantly, she knew she was now the one in the wrong.

‘Was’.

One word, yet so much more.

Squirrelpaw closed her jaw, looking to the cat that strode in front. He acted like he had said nothing, sniffing the air and following the scent. His words came back to her as she quickened slightly to walk at his side. She falteringly looked to his face, he looked as stony as ever, not perturbed by what she had said, or pretending that he didn’t care.

Squirrelpaw flushed with shame regardless. It wasn’t fair! She’d only tried to defend herself; she hadn’t known that… No, she couldn’t defend herself this time. Stupid assumptions had bit her on the tail.

When she spoke again, it was the softest she had ever sounded. “What was his name?”

“Deadfoot.” Crowpaw said dryly, without so much as a twitch of his whiskers.

Squirrelpaw searched for the name in her memory but found nothing. In all the stories her father told her, even in the ones the elders had told her, she had never heard that name. She wondered how much it would hurt her, if her father died and someone just didn’t know the legacy he had left. Didn’t even realised he existed…

Maybe she was different to other cats.

There was only one thing to say. “I’m sorry.” Squirrelpaw uttered. “I didn’t know.” Even if Crowpaw was moody, even if he could be cruel, there were some things Squirrelpaw would never say. She wouldn’t do it to any warrior, not her clanmates, not rogues, and not Crowpaw.

Crowpaw didn’t seem to acknowledge her for a while, but soon offered a nod. “It’s fine.” He said, scowling at nothing in particular, “I was barely an apprentice when he died. I don’t remember much of him.”

The Thunderclan apprentice stepped a little closer to him. “I’m sure he would have made a great leader of Windclan.” She said, trying her best to sound comforting.

Crowpaw gave a sniff that sounded like he was attempting to laugh. “Maybe.” He said, he didn’t sound like he was saddened by it. It made a shiver ruffle Squirrelpaw’s fur. “Did Brambleclaw tell you who visited him with the prophecy?”

Squirrelpaw nodded, “Yes, it was Bluestar. The leader before my father.”

“I know who it is.” Crowpaw said with a blunt look, though his voice didn’t portray the irritation he normally indulged in, so Squirrelpaw laughed it off. “Well, Deadfoot was the one who visited me.” Crowpaw explained.

“Oh! It must have been great to see him again!”

Crowpaw looked at her blankly, then his stare turned to the ground. “I never saw much of him as a kit, he’d just been made Deputy, so he was always busy.” Squirrelpaw’s smiled thinned at how weary he sounded.

“He must have been important to your clan.”

“I’m not sure. Again, he didn’t come by the nursery much, so I guess he was.” When Crowpaw said that, he didn’t sound proud, in fact, there was a clear distaste to his words, like he was chewing on a nettle.

“Oh.” Squirrelpaw blurted, Crowpaw didn’t even look ruffled, not even a dim in his eye. “But still,” She said hesitantly, “You must have missed him?” She didn’t mean for it to sound a direct as she said it. Bad habits die hard.

The Windclan cat perked a little, his pelt quivering like melted snow had sunken into his fur. His gaze remained hard though, impenetrable. Barely looking at Squirrelpaw, he inhaled through clenched teeth. “He was my father.” He said tartly. “Wouldn’t you miss yours?”

Squirrelpaw’s ears drew back, a quiver of guilt crawling down her neck. “O-Of course. I d-didn’t mean-”

“Your father’s leader of your clan,” Crowpaw said sharply, making her fall silent. “Yet he still finds time to spend with you?” He looked at her incredulously, like she was a creature that he had been the first to discover. His blue eyes looked genuinely surprised for the first time ever.

Squirrelpaw craned her head, not sure whether to be pleased he wasn’t offended or worried about where he was going with this. “Well… yes.” She meowed, “He always finds a way to find me and rake my ears, at least.” She didn’t know why she expected Crowpaw to laugh at her joke. The tom stared at her, his mouth open slightly, with a short, disgusted exhale.

“Too busy, huh?” Was the apathetic murmur he gave.

“What?”

Crowpaw looked up ahead of himself tersely, “Don’t worry about it.” He dictated, flicking his ear as he spoke. “It’s a Windclan concern. Let’s just get that rabbit, Feathertail’s probably caught enough mice for all of us by now. I don’t want to go back without anything.”

Squirrelpaw blinked, how could a cat change how he looked so easily? With the flick of a tail, he could go from furious to completely uninterested. Squirrelpaw thought about it though. Just a minute ago she had been screaming at him. Having a sort of peaceful conversation was certainly something new for the pair. Still, did he have to be so curt with how he ended things?

Oh well, it was better than fighting at least.

It would be best if they didn’t crack this already ice-thin resolve.

“Yeah.” She took a sniff of the air and perked with adrenaline, “He’s not too far now, we best keep low.”

Crowpaw nodded, tensing his muscles again as he prepared himself. Squirrelpaw noticed that he still wasn’t being careful with how he stepped though, she cringed, he was clearly going to run for it like last time and hope there wasn’t a mound to trip him again. How could he be so stubborn?

Squirrelpaw was about to hiss at his stupidity, only just holding herself back with a tight smack on her teeth. Be calm. Don’t provoke anything intentionally. “Crowpaw?”, She said, attempting to be gentle. It sounded like she was trying to grin with a mouthful of mouse-bile.

Crowpaw gave her a murmur of acknowledgement, by the smell the rabbit could only be on the other side of this hill.

“You can’t just rush at the rabbit again, you know?” Squirrelpaw stated. She ignored when Crowpaw let out a small groan. “It’s going to be listening for us this time, so we have to be careful not to alarm it.”

Crowpaw flicked his tail dismissively, “I know all this! What’s your point?”

Squirrelpaw clenched her jaw, “My point is, we have to be patient!

“Patience isn’t going to kill prey!”

“Neither is making the rabbit run away before we even see it!” Squirrelpaw snapped sternly. Crowpaw glared back at her, but to Squirrelpaw’s relief he didn’t look like he was going to argue. He looked at his paws, unsheathed and tense, thinking back to his face in the grass the first time. He sighed. Unconsciously, his voice faltered. “Okay.” He drawled, “What do you think we should do then?” He snapped frostily, but still genuinely awaiting her answer.

Squirrelpaw perked up happily, partly out of relief that he wasn’t going to question her, mostly out of pride that another cat was actually asking for her advice. But she’d rather chew on fox dung then admit that to Crowpaw.

To his credit, Crowpaw was as fast a learner as he was on his feet. He followed her advice on how to make sure his paws made as little a sound as possible, sheathing his claws and stalking up with a surprising level of control. He carried on like that until they met the peak of the hill, their noses peering just over the tufts of grass, full of the warm scent of prey! The rabbit had stopped again to feed, but it was certainly on higher alert than before, its fat head drifting up now and again to taste the air.

But unfortunately for the rabbit, the wind blew the cats scents away from him.

Crowpaw stared at the rabbit with fury, the taste of dirt mockingly waving over his tongue. He looked ready to pounce again, until Squirrelpaw’s tail gently whipped his pelt. She shook her head at him, crouching down. “Wait.” She mouthed, an order and a plea.

Crowpaw glared from her to the rabbit, his pelt shaking with rage. Fortunately for Squirrelpaw, he seemed to understand that she was right, inhaling softly, before nodding back at her. The Thunderclan apprentice grinned at him gratefully. They advanced as one, slow, soft, keeping low enough for the tall grass to cover them, stopping in their tracks when the rabbit peered up to check its surroundings, then pressing forward when it leant down to eat again.

The buck didn’t even notice when they were within pouncing distance.

Squirrelpaw and Crowpaw looked to each other, she grinned and nodded at him. The fire of the hunt burned in Crowpaw’s eyes. He tensed, careful to be quiet, and silently pounced into the air. The rabbit’s ear barely had time to twitch and it attempted to flee once more, its speed equal to Crowpaw as it tried to once again dart up the slope of another hillside, but with the shorter distance the tom was able to pounce, twisting his body in the air to land in front of the buck blocking its way, causing it to flee back down in a desperate hope of escape.

Squirrelpaw couldn’t help but marvel as she too ran after the rabbit, with the right moves Crowpaw was probably one of the most efficient hunters she’d ever seen. He had taken her advice on point, now carefully watching his feet even as he ran! She was so busy watching that she almost missed Crowpaw’s yell.

“Squirrelbrain! Get ready!” He shouted, speeding up to the side of the rabbit, the beast twisted right frenzied as he focused on fleeing from the one cat. Not noticing as it ran straight towards Squirrelpaw’s direction. The Thunderclan cat may have stopped out of sheer bewilderment that the tom was leading the rabbit to her. Hunting with her. Luckily, she was as determined as the tom, and she didn’t waste a moment in pouncing before the rabbit could even notice her. Her teeth met the beast’s neck and it soon moved no more.

Squirrelpaw’s heart pounded, stimulated by the warm flavour of the rabbit’s blood, this was the largest prey she had ever caught, it was bigger than some apprentices she knew at Thunderclan! Still she lifted it up proudly, waiting as Crowpaw paddled over to her, panting as he recaptured his breath.

“That was an excellent plan!” Squirrelpaw chirped through full jaws. She had to praise him, he had done most of the work after all, thinking on his feet so quickly! Squirrelpaw felt a small wave of admiration for the cat, he was an incredible hunter!

He was still a moody mouse-brain though.

Once Crowpaw gained control over his lungs again, he nodded graciously at the molly. “Nice catch.” He sounded sullen; his voice as rough as a fish scale. Squirrelpaw frowned at his frosty tone but remembered that she was the one holding the prey. She wilted, it may not seem fair to him, he had driven the rabbit towards her after all. Squirrelpaw may have wanted to impress the group more than anything, but she was definitely above stealing another cats credit.

She dropped the rabbit between them. Crowpaw looked at it briefly than his puzzled gaze met her. She smiled thinly at him. “Go ahead. I’m not so desperate as to take credit for another clan’s achievement.”

The tom stared at her for a few seconds, his blue eyes flaring with shock he had never openly shown before. He looked at the rabbit than back at her quizzically, briefly opening his mouth to say something but quickly shutting it with a second thought.

Squirrelpaw liked to think he was going to say, ‘Thank you’. That was probably mouse-brained though.

Squirrelpaw sighed but couldn’t help but laugh at the tom’s awkward display. She whipped him on the nose with her tail, albeit more playfully. “Come on, Crowfood. The others will be awake soon.”

She expected him to lash back at her name calling. He just picked up the rabbit and followed her.

When they finally found Feathertail again, she openly mewled in delight at their catch! “That rabbits big enough to last two days! Well done!” She cried, her tail smoothly stroking the six mice that she had caught since they left. “Who caught it.”

Before Squirrelpaw could even open her mouth to say her companion had, the thud of the rabbit’s body hit the ground heavily. “We both did.” Crowpaw said quickly, but with an absolute assurance. Squirrelpaw turned her head to meet him, a flutter of surprise in her eyes. What was he doing?

The tom met her surprise with a begrudging shrug, “I don’t need to take credit from another clan either, Squirrelbreath!” He said dryly, but with the smallest hint of embarrassment. “We both worked to catch it. Your advice helped after all. That’s fair enough.”

Squirrelpaw may have been thinking like she had bees on her brain, but she could have sworn that was his way of saying that he couldn’t have caught it without her advice.

But she knew that Crowpaw would never concede that fact without a fight.

So, she smirked coyly at him and accepted his silent peace offering.

She carried the rabbit back to their camp and was the first to receive the praise of the other three. But she denied everything until Crowpaw and Feathertail came back with the mice. She couldn’t tell what Brambleclaw was more shocked at her catch or the idea that she and Crowpaw had worked together. It was the funniest thing she had seen in ages as he looked between the two in complete amazed confusion. Crowpaw had ignored him with a sniff, but Squirrelpaw could tell he was proud to accept the group’s praise.

And as the group shared the trio’s fresh kill, Squirrelpaw couldn’t help but take a coy glance at Crowpaw. The tom glanced at her, eyes still as blunt and cold as ever, but when he nodded back at her, it was without a doubt of good nature.

Maybe not friendly, but it was a start.

Squirrelpaw still couldn’t stop grinning though. No matter how much Crowpaw wanted to deny it, she knew. The tom had a heart.

The journey looked a little brighter.

…

#crowpaw #squirrelpaw #squirrelflight #crowfeather #crowsquirrel #warriors au #warriors #warrior cats #fanfiction #new prophecy #feathertail #warrior au

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doritopaw101 · 4 years ago

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Arc1, book 1: Chapter 12

They had left camp as soon they could. Well as soon as Bluestar wanted to make sure everything was on the up and up before she left. Icepaw knew why Bluestar was in such a frenzy, it was to protect the clan from Shadowclan and Riverclan if they were bold enough. Things had gone bad to worse in those short days. The attacks had stopped but it went bad when Shadowclan seemed to steal prey from them and even drive it from their territory. Bluestar had said "Prey can wait, as long as cats aren't injured".

He remembered his little chat with her yesterday:

-Flashback-

Icepaw padded into Bluestar's den, head low. He had just finished eating a vole and left Ravenpaw when they had fallen asleep in their shared nest.

"Bluestar, I'm here" he mewed

"Come" she replied

Icepaw padded over til he sat infront of her nest. Bluestar's fur looked a little messy, her back was to him and when she glanced at him, her eyes were clouded with an emotion Icepaw couldn't place "How are you Icepaw?"

"I'm doing well all things considered"

"How are you getting on with the other apprentinces?"

"Chestnutpaw and Dustpaw are pieces of dung. Palepaw's joined them and Graypaw's scared of me on some level. Ravenpaw and Cherrypaw are I'm really fine with since Nettlemist, Gingerblaze, and Embereyes became warriors and don't start with me on Sandpaw"

"How's Training? I hope Tiger-roar isn't giving you a bad time"

Icepaw shook his head "He's actually fun to be around when you get past his rough side. Swanlight's fun too and Riverclan amazing no offense to Thunderclan"

Bluestar hummed "That's good to hear, he's doing better than when he had Darkstripe"

"I'm surprised a cat like Darkstripe was mentored by Tiger-roar"

Bluestar let out a small chuckle. She calmed herself before her next question.

"Have you ever killed Icepaw?"

Icepaw wasn't really uncomfortable as he should have been though he wasn't about tell Bluestar about how he killed a house cat, well not dead really from the information he got out of Tommy that the kittypet survived. A part of his mind told him to go and finish the job and another part of him told him to beg for the cat's forgiveness.

"No" he mewed "What does it feel like?"

"Depends on how you do it, who it was and if it was an accident or on purpose" the leader replied, her voice held nothing

Icepaw snorted "I bet Blackclaw had fun causing Sweetheart's death, but Sunningrocks was a dangerous spot to attack in the first place, learned that from Thrushpelt's death"

Bluestar's claws unsheathed onto the stone "It always is and always will be. We just go with it because it's been going on for so long. Me and Stormstar shrug it off at this point"

"Do you miss Thrushpelt?"

Bluestar perked her eyes "Of course I do, he was a good cat and didn't deserve that death, a father and mate"

"To you or Featherwhisker. I saw how close you too were"

Bluestar was silent for a while "Both"

Icepaw could tell the former deputy's death was still a sore wound "Have you killed Bluestar?"

Bluestar's ears twitched and turned to face him, her eyes gleaming "I have"

Icepaw's perked up, he was interested "How'd you do it? How many?"

"Three though only two actually deserved it, one was growing sickly, greencough, he would have died anyway, I just sped up the ending result and the other one...well I know it was a long time coming"

"Did it feel good killing that cat?" he figured Bluestar wouldn't tell him all of them

Bluestar stared off at the den wall" From what he's done to me, yes yes it was very good watching him take his last breath in pure agony"

"What did you use? For the sickly one I mean"

"Deadly Nightshade" Bluestar laughed without humor "I was training to be a medicine cat in my youth, I know my herbs and my poisons well"

Icepaw cocked his "But they say: The warrior code says not to kill unless absolutely necessary"

Bluestar chuckled "Yes it does say that, but as you already see cats still die for no good reason" she rested her river-colored gaze back on Icepaw "Cats will preach the code at one point but break it at another, everyone's a hypocrite it's a fact of life that I accepted long ago and you should as well"

Icepaw chuckled as well "Knew that since I was a kitten"

Bluestar smiled "You remind me of myself when I was your age, though you didn't lose your mother so young"

"She's practically dead to me" Icepaw said bluntly "She couldn't care less what happened to me or my littermates, she isn't like you, or Willowpelt, Frostbite or Goldenflower, she's like Robinwing if anything"

Bluestar sighed "She's a piece of mouse-dung isn't she"

"That's an understatement and you know it" Icepaw replied "Honestly I should get Nutmeg and have her and Robinwing met"

Bluestar stiffened "Wait...who did you just say?"

"Nutmeg" he repeated "She's my dam, or birth giver doesn't matter but she doesn't deserve the title of mother in my eyes"

Bluestar's eyes held fury and resentment but she seemed to push it away "Get some rest Icepaw, we have a long journey tomorrow and I want you to have you wits with you. I hope this talk stays between us"

Icepaw nodded and began padding but stopped for a moment "Bluestar, if I may ask what was the cat's name that you poisoned?"

Bluestar rolled onto her back as she spoke "Stormtail, his damned name was Stormtail"

-Flashback ends-

Bluestar was leading them with Leopardstorm at her side, Ravenpaw and Graypaw in the middle leaving Icepaw and Tiger-roar in the back. Icepaw remembered his training session with Tiger-roar before they left:

-Flashback-

Icepaw was being lead by Darkstripe to four-trees, a place far from camp.

Darkstripe pushed a thorn branch out of his way and made sure it him in the face. Icepaw hissed in pain and snarled at Darkstripe "What in Starclan's name was that for?"

"Clanborn cats are ready for anything, I hope my old mentor hasn't been going easy on you kittypet" Darkstripe sneered

Icepaw had thanked Starclan the branch hadn't hit his eye.

They stopped at a clearing, Tiger-roar and Nightshade were waiting he also noticed Swiftkit and Lynxkit were there as well Icepaw was shoved into the clearing by Darkstripe.

"Get up Icepaw" Nightshade mewed

Icepaw was on his paws in an instant "What is going on?"

"Training" Tiger-roar mewed "We'll be helping my kits for when they become apprentices" The splint colored tabby flexed his claws "I've trained you in my less harsh knowledge but I'm going to show you the rougher side of training"

"There's more?" Icepaw asked, slightly confused Bluestar took him out a few times for some private training, he figured what Bluestar taught was more advanced and expected that because she was leader of the clan. Bluestar was a fierce battler and knew he would lose a fight against her, if that was her going easy on him then he sure did not want to face her at full strength.

"Of course there is let's hope his kittypet brain can remember that" Darkstripe growled, he scratched his ear with his right paw

Icepaw had enough of the black tabby and did what any cat with pride would do, he attacked him. He sunk his claws into Darkstripe's shoulder's as the tabby tried to shake him off. Icepaw raised a paw then brought it he down on the back of Darkstripe's head he was soon thrown off landing on a bush.

He had no time to think when Darkstripe dragged him out by his tail and then proceeded to rip through his pelt. Icepaw hissed with fury trying to get out but the tabby had him locked.

"Down Darkstripe" Nightshade ordered

Darkstripe narrowed his yellow eyes but yielded.

Icepaw rolled onto his belly 'I should have got him' was his only thought. Scourge taught him better than that and Princess and Luna would be ashamed that he lost so quickly.

"Even Fogtail was better when I trained him" Darkstripe sneered "and yet he got beaten by a kittypet"

"Shut up Let's go again I want Nightshade this time" Icepaw growled already knowing he would regret those words as he saw the black molly smirk wickedly, claws unsheathed with Tiger-roar matching her smirk, but he didn't care he was filled with rage and determined to prove himself.

"Be careful what you ask for kitty"

-Flashback ends-

He followed the others through the grassy clearing and up the slope, into Windclan's territory or the remains of it anyway.

Tiger-roar stopped dead in his tracks, the fur on his back spiking up a little "Stop" he hissed "I smell a Shadowclan patrol"

Icepaw lifted his nose and sure enough, the scent of Shadowclan traveled through the wind. He caught the scent of Littlepaw and Whitepaw on that patrol.

"They're upwind" Bluestar mewed "They won't notice us if we keep moving"

They moved quickly, leaping over rocks, pushing their way through the sweet-smelling heather.

They had finally reached the end of the uplands. They landscape around them changed, shaped and altered beyond what humans could recognize. In the distance Icepaw spotted a familiar gray road.

"I'm guessing we have to cross the Thunderpath right?" he asked

"Indeed Icepaw" Bluestar replied as she bounded forward "Come on, we can make it by moonrise if we keep up the pace"

Icepaw followed her with the others, down the hill, away from the bleak hunting grounds that was once Windclan's territory.

The cold air chilled Icepaw's bones as the darkness of the night was beginning to wrap itself around him. The darkness made Ravenpaw invisible, while he was stuck with his fluffy white fur that made him stick out harshly.

Icepaw's attention was suddenly drawn to the sounds of barking Dogs.

His experience with big creatures were okay for the most part. He spent time with pups and they were okay and the older ones were fine as long as you didn't annoy them.

Ravenpaw had seemed to nearly jump out of his pelt and Graypaw hissed, his thick fur fluffed up more than it usually did. Icepaw was as unfazed as the older cats were.

"Relax" Leopardstorm mewed as he peered through the fence

Icepaw narrowed his eyes on the dogs "They're tied up" he added

Tiger-roar glanced at him but nodded at him curtly "All the better, let's continue"

"Agreed" Bluestar mewed, leading them away.

The sun had began to sink when the reached the Thunderpath. Bluestar had signaled them to stop and wait beneath a hedge. Icepaw watched as the cars flashed past him.

"We'll go one at a time" Tiger-roar growled

"I'll go first" Bluestar stated "This'll be the first time Graypaw's first time to cross the Thunderpath assuming you haven't already Icepaw, he needs to be shown how it's done"

'That's what you think' Icepaw thought but said nothing

Icepaw watched as his leader padded to the edge of the road and looked up and down. She waited as cars flew past her, ruffing her blue-gray fur. Then, when the the machines seemed to disappear for a moment, she raced across to the other side.

Leopardstorm followed after.

"Graypaw Ravenpaw one of you go next" Tiger-roar mewed looking from left to right making sure no cars were around.

Icepaw saw Ravenpaw's eyes widen in fear. Icepaw unlike his peer didn't feel the same fear. Icepaw knew the danger of getting caught under a car but he knew most humans would move out of the way or stop all together, if any cat got hit it could just be bad luck like what happened on the streets of the city and the cluster.

Ravenpaw dashed over to Bluestar, not before hesitating a few times beforehand. Graypaw got lucky, no cars came as he crossed the path.

It was his turn now.

"Off you go" Tiger-roar growled, nudging him a little with his enlarged claws

Icepaw had enough of those claws on his pelt to know not to joke with them. Icepaw waited until the last car pasted by then rushed forward as fast as he could but he saw a that car had veered off the road and began bumping along the grass, heading straight for him!

The calls of Graypaw and Ravenpaw rang on dead ears. Icepaw had thought he was dead but teeth fasted into his scruff and tossed him onto the other side of the road. Icepaw looked up and saw that Tiger-roar had tossed him over.

"Icepaw are you okay?" Ravenpaw asked, his voice filled with concern as he sniffed him

"Yeah I'm okay" he replied

"I thought you were going to be fresh-kill" Ravenpaw mewed

"In twolegplace we call run over animals road-kill" he joked, trying to get his limbs to work with him

"Do you want to rest before we go on?" Bluestar asked, looking him over

Icepaw stood on shaky limbs, there was ringing in his ears but he ignored it "I'm okay let's go"

The cats carried on, with Bluestar in the lead. As they walked Icepaw dropped his pace so he matched Tiger-roar strides.

"Um...Tiger-roar?" he started

"What kitty?" he sneered lowly, Icepaw almost thought he saw relief in those amber and blue eyes

Icepaw brushed off the jibe "Thank you for saving me" he looked at his paws

Tiger-roar huffed "Don't stand still because next time I might not be around to save you"

Icepaw nodded at his words. He dared to lean against the large tom, his ears and eyes were acting up and he whispered that to Tiger-roar. The tabby let him lean on him though grumbling a little.

As they approached the foot of Highstones, Bluestar stopped once more. She chose a sun-warmed rock to sit upon, flat and wide enough for all seven cats to rest side by side. "Look before you apprentices" she mewed, tilting her nose toward the dark slope before them "Mothermouth"

"We'll wait here until the moon is higher" Tiger-roar mewed

"Hunt if you're hungry then rest" Bluestar added "You'll need it"

Icepaw was about to follow Graypaw and Ravenpaw when he noticed the slight outline of Goosefeather sitting near Bluestar. He knew they had to be related somehow.

"Rest, what is rest good for in these times" the gray tom rasped "Rest is what gets cats killed, action keeps them alive"

"You'd know all about that wouldn't you" Bluestar growled

Icepaw watched as the tom's eyes locked with his, water-colored blue and sun-touched yellow orbs meeting blood red ones. "The cold fire" he whispered

Goosefeather would call him that sometimes but he didn't say much about it. He did the same with Tiger-roar but it was a good thing the two-colored tabby couldn't see him.

Bluestar seemed to notice and flicked her tail for him to come forward. Icepaw slowly made his way over stopping infront of the rock that his leader laid on.

"Seems you have a gift" she mewed finally

"Gift?" he asked in shock

"Starclan cats mostly appear to you in dreams and in the waking world they are only seen if they want to be seen and by certain cats" Bluestar explained

"I've seen Goosefeather before" he mewed "He's like a tick that won't get off my pelt honestly"

"Let's see if your mind will remain in tact, mine didn't" the gray tom laughed, lashing his fluffy tail "A tick's mind lasted longer than mine"

"I'll try, tell me more about you Goosefeather" Icepaw asked turning his gaze to the gray tom

"I was a seer from the time of Doestar,Pinestar and Sunstar, son of Daisytoe and Rooktail, brother of Moonflower and I was trained by Cloudberry and I trained Featherwhisker and partly your current seer Spottedleaf" Goosefeather drawled

"My darling uncle" Bluestar added sarcastically, flicking her tail.

"I knew you were related"

Goosefeather smirked "Surprisingly"

Bluestar looked amused for a moment then it drowned into seriousness "Have you been seeing dead cats before or after coming to the forest"

Icepaw was about to say after but one memory from his kithood resurfaced back into his mind. It was a reddish-brown tom, Pine. "Before but only once, his name was Pine"

Bluestar hummed in response, seeming to know who the cat was.

Icepaw was about to ask her something but he saw Tiger-roar padded over to them with two squirrels in his jaws.

"We'll talk about this later" Bluestar whispered to which Icepaw nodded he also noticed Goosefeather was gone.

Tiger-roar dropped the squirrels by Icepaw's paws as well as his own.

"Eat kit" he growled already starting to dig in

Icepaw started to eat when Bluestar purred "Must you be so mean to all times Tiger"

"This is how I am" was the tabby's only reply

"Somehow" Leopardstorm rubbed against the half-n-half tabby "Moody furball though reckless as an apprentice"

"Oh he was, I nearly lost my head, you're a reckless cat at times dear Tiger"

Icepaw's eyes widen at this interaction it was like a mother chastising her kit.

"Rosetail,Thrushpelt, and I helped raise him and his sisters, something he and Nightshade seem to forget at times" Bluestar teased

Tiger-roar seemed to mutter something making Icepaw try and fail to bite back a chuckle. "You spit out the prey, I'm not getting you more"

"Yes dad" he drawled. He didn't expect Tiger-roar to cough up his prey which only added to his and Bluestar's amusement.

Eventually when Graypaw and Ravenpaw came back with full bellies they all rested beside their leader until the warmth the vanished from them. Only then did Bluestar call out "Come. It's time"

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