Cloudstar Speaks: A Tale of Two Brothers
We were brothers, but we never had the close bond that brothers should have. From the very beginning, it had been clear that we were as different as night and day. Wolfkit was bold and daring- he would challenge full grown warriors, frequently sneak out of camp, and generally just act on an impulse.
I, on the other paw, would rather spend my days dozing in the sunlight, listening to the elder's tales of grandeur and adventure.
I wanted some of that for myself. At night, when my denmates were fast asleep, I would lie awake dreaming of how awesome being a warrior would be.
None of the other kits seemed to particularly like me. I didn't like them either. They all looked up to Wolfkit as the leader of their little clique. I wasn't part of it. Part of me wanted to be. Part of me didn't.
When we became apprentices, Wolfpaw quickly established that he was perfect at absolutely everything he did.
He caught the most prey, kicked my tail in every training session we had together, and always set out to be better than me in every single way.
Even our mentors seemed to like him more than me- heck, the whole Clan liked him more than me! Nobody wanted anything to do with scrawny, weak, little old Cloudpaw, the runt of the litter and forever living in Wolfpaw's shadow.
The worst of it came when the two of us were on the dawn patrol one morning, about halfway through our apprenticeship. I had wandered off near the WindClan border, tracking down a rabbit that had wandered onto ThunderClan's territory.
This would show them! I wasn't just some runty wannabe warrior!
Then a blur of rusty red fur burst from the undergrowth, catching me off guard and sending the rabbit racing back onto the moorland. I hissed in fear and shock, but my paws seemed to be weighed down with stones.
The fox barreled into me, knocking me over. It snapped at my tail with glittering teeth, and I thought that this was it. StarClan was coming for me before I could become a warrior.
Then Wolfpaw came, roaring like all of LionClan and fighting with the strength of them, too. He fought the fox single-pawed before I even had the chance to try and fight it myself. The fox went running and Wolfpaw was promoted to Wolfclaw the heartbeat we got back to camp for his skill and bravery in fighting off the fox.
And what of little old Cloudpaw, you say? Medicine cat den for a moon. A whole moon. And then my training continued. By the time I did receive my warrior name, Cloudfeather, some eight moons later, Wolfclaw had already taken an apprentice!
Am I in the wrong for at least being slightly jealous of him!?
I don't think so.
It doesn't seem fair. But life's not fair, is it?
Seasons after I became Cloudfeather, our deputy, Gooseflight, was killed in a fight with a pair of foxes- likely the same ones that almost killed me. Harestar appointed Wolfclaw deputy, for the young cat's strength and bravery.
Since the old leader was nearing his last life, I knew I would have to act sooner, rather than later.
The power seemed to get to my brother's head really quickly. He bossed everyone around more than he had before. And I was done with him.
One sunny morning in the middle of our third greenleaf, Wolfclaw had decided to go hunting. I left soon after, following just far enough behind that he didn't even know I was there. He always had a very one-track mind. Now that worked to my advantage.
I waited for what seemed like forever, stalking my brother like a juicy piece of prey that I just had to catch. Then finally, with the waters of the gorge roaring in my ears, I made my move.
"You have beat me at everything! Hunting, fighting, getting all the attention. Well, I'm sick of this!"
I leapt at him before he had the chance to react, leading bowling him over. He hissed in shock, meowing something I didn't catch. I hissed, pinning him down. He thrashed under me, but I dug my claws in and hanging on.
The fight lasted a long time. At times I thought maybe I had made a mistake. I could have died. But in the end, when both of us were fatigued and exhausted, I managed the killing bite. Finally, my seasons of suffering had ended.
I'm called Cloudstar now. I'm standing on the border between StarClan and the Place of No Stars. They don't know what to do with me. I like that.
I've lived a long, fulfilling life- nine lives, actually. My days of leading RiverClan are over now. But everything I've done to get here is worth it.