Okay, so this is my first fan-fic, so go easy on me please! I have edited this story, but if there are any mistakes please let me, in a nice way!
Chapter 1: Miserable Day
Leopardpaw woke up in the apprentices' den, her sister, Mosspaw, was sleeping on one side of her, and then she had her brother, Blackpaw, on the other side. Leopardpaw raised her head and let out a huge yawn. She sat up and gave her brown grey tabby chest a few quick licks.
She poked Mosspaw with her paw "Get up," she hissed "If we don't get up then Clawstripe and Flamecloud will have us cleaning the elders for ticks all day!" Mosspaw grunted then sat up and quickly groomed her ruffled grey and white fur. Blackpaw was already starting to stir in his nest, so Leopardpaw decided to just leave him.
Leopardpaw and Mosspaw padded out of the apprentices' den and headed over to the fresh-kill pile, but before Leopardpaw could grab herself a vole or mouse, she heard her mentor, Clawstripe calling her over.
Leopardpaw sighed then padded over to her mentor "Hello Clawstripe. Do you have a mission for me?" Leopardpaw jumped up and down with excitement "Yes Leopardpaw," He let out a mrrow or laughter "I want you to scout ThunderClan territory, and find as much prey as you can before Sunhigh." Clawstripe explained. Leopardpaw nodded then ran out of camp.
Leopardpaw stopped at the top of the hill and looked down on her camp, then she began to pad her way to the Hunting Grounds, there was always lots of prey scuffling around there. Once she reached the Hunting Grounds she had already caught the scent of mouse.
She spotted the tiny grey brown creature eating some seeds under a root. Leopardpaw dropped into the hunters crouch, she crept forward, placing one paw in front of her as lightly as she could, not making a sound, once she was in striking range she pounced and killed the mouse with a swift bite to the neck.
Leopardpaw put some dirt over her prey, and then began scenting around for some more prey.
It was almost Sunhigh and Leopardpaw was on her way back to camp. She had caught a mouse, two voles, and a squirrel. She pushed her way through the thorn barrier that led to ThunderClan camp, when she got into camp it seemed quiet except for Mossheart, a queen, basking in the sunlight with her two kits, Serenitykit and Faithkit , she also saw her mentor talking to Flamecloud and Mosspaw has just came out of the elders den with moss in her jaws.
Leopardpaw padded over to her mentor and dropped her prey at his paws "How's that for prey?" She meowed cheerfully "Great job, Leopardpaw! Where did you hunt?" Clawstripe sounded very pleased, Leopardpaw's eyes shown with pride "I hunted at the Hunting Grounds, then on my way back I caught the squirrel" She mewed, kneading the ground with her forepaws "Great job again Leopardpaw. Now you deserve a nice rest and some fresh-kill" Clawstripe purred then padded away.
Leopardpaw grabbed her fresh-kill then placed it in the fresh-kill pile. She grabbed the vole she had caught and finished it within a few famished bites. "Timberstar! Timberstar!" An alarming yowl came from just outside the camp.
Leopardpaw jumped to her paws and pricked her ears. Almost all the cats were out of their dens, fur bristling. Timberstar was on the Great Rock, looking down to see what was going on. Within heartbeats Rockspots, Gingerfur and Skyclaw came rushing in with a unknown cat in the middle of their patrol.
Leopardpaw picked up the unknown cats scent. Loner. As the loner passed she hissed, she didn't like loners on her territory. The loner seemed unbothered by all the angry yowls and hostile glares.
"Well, what have we here?" Timberstar asked. "A loner, we caught him on our territory, Timberstar." Rockspots explained.
"I see. What is your name, loner" Timberstar asked, the loner flicked his ears "Bramble." He responded.
"Well then, Bramble, what where you doing on ThunderClan territory? I'm sure you've heard of the Clan Cats?" Timberstar looked down at Bramble.
All the cats came around to see what was going on, Leopardpaw came up so she was just behind Bramble. "I was hunting, nothing big." he shrugged.
Leopardpaw's eyes widened, no cat spoke to the leader like that! "I see. For tonight you will stay in camp, and then tomorrow we escort you away from the ThunderClan territory. Leopardpaw, Mosspaw! Take Bramble to a nest, then grab him fresh-kill." Timberstar ordered.
Leopardpaw sighed then nodded "Alright, come on Bramble" Leopardpaw grumbled then flicked Bramble on his flank to indicate to follow her.
Leopardpaw led Bramble to a makeshift den. Mosspaw was fetching him some fresh-kill.
Bramble laid down in his nest. "Mouse-brain," Leopardpaw spat at Bramble "Don't ever talk to a leader like that! He could have your tail!" She growled. "Sorry, I'm not used to living in a Clan." Bramble looked up, gazing into Leopardpaw's eyes.
"Obviously, anyway get some rest your leaving tomorrow, first thing." She meowed looking away from his burning amber gaze, Leopardpaw stalked away, while Mosspaw set a mouse at his paws then quickly followed Leopardpaw into the trainees 'den. Leopardpaw curled up in her nest, and sleep quickly took her.
Leopardpaw awoke to an empty apprentices' den, and it looked like almost Sunhigh! Mouse-dung! She thought to herself, she wanted to go on the escort to take Bramble out of the territory.
She sat up and walked out of the apprentices' den, to find Bramble still here! "What's he still doing here?" Leopardpaw growled.
"He wants to join the Clan," Clawstripes voice sounded from beside her. "Ha! Like Timberstar will do that!" Leopardpaw scoffed.
"Well, you never know with Timberstar." He shrugged, then Timberstar yowled out the usual addressing for a Clan meeting, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Great Rock for a Clan meeting!"
Cats started to gather around, their fur bristling at the sight of Bramble still here. "Alright everyone, I have decided to let Bramble stay, because ThunderClan needs strong young warriors." Timberstar explained, yowls of protest filled the camp.
"We can't let him stay here!" She heard Rockspots, one of the newest warriors yowl out. "Enough!" Timberstar lashed his tail.
"Bramble will stay and learn to become a warrior. For now he will keep his name Bramble, and then when the time comes I will give Bramble his warrior name," murmurs of agreement sounded around Leopardpaw, though some where still casting hostile glares at Bramble.
"Um... Excuse me, Timberstar, but my father was Clan-born, and he already taught me to hunt, and fight, so..." Bramble trailed off, looking at his paws.
"Was he? Hm... Well that will be for me to decide whether he taught you well," Timberstar meowed then flicked his tail and jumped down from the Great Rock.
"Come with me, along with Rockspots and Skyclaw." Timberstar meowed to Bramble and his other warriors, then they padded out of camp.
Leopardpaw watched her leader, Skyclaw, Rockspots, and Bramble leave. She sat there in the middle of the clearing, confused.
What had just happened? Timberstar never lets cats into the Clan, especially loners. She sighed and shook it off. "Leopardpaw! We would like some fresh-kill, please!" Leopardpaw turned her head to see her favourite elder; Flowerleaf, she was always so nice, and she usually wasn't grouchy.
"Of course, Flowerleaf." Leopardpaw purred then went to the fresh-kill pile and grabbed two voles and a mouse.
She trotted over to the elders den, she crawled in and set the prey down. "Here you are." Leopardpaw meowed.
"Thank you," Flowerleaf purred, Flowerleaf grabbed herself a mouse while Scarclaw and Rainshadow grabbed the two remaining voles.
"Rainshadow, do you remember the time when the forest was almost ruled by Fierceheart?" Scarclaw meowed to the brown elder. "Yes, I do, that was a deadly time to be a young apprentice or kit," Rainshadow mewed.
"Fierceheart? Who's that?" Leopardpaw asked, laying down and tucking her paws under her chest. "Well, Fierceheart was a fierce brave warrior, a kind of cat you would want on your side in battle, but she was to ambitious, though no cat could tell, because she seemed, and acted loyal to her Clan and to the Warrior Code, so who could doubt her?" Flowerleaf explained.
"But like I said she was too ambitious for her own good, she wanted nothing more than power, she would kill for power, she would kill her Clan deputy, her Clan leader. Which she did, but she only managed to kill her own sister- who was deputy. Then when she brought these good for nothing crow-eating cats to come and help take over the forest, the leader of them killed her," Flowerleaf dug her claws into her moss nest.
"So, she was killed by her own ambition." Leopardpaw meowed, it wasn't a question. "That's exactly right," Scarclaw meowed, finishing his vole.
"If it wasn't for the leader of those loners the path of the forest would have been red with blood." Rainshadow narrowed his eyes. "Leopardpaw!" Leopardpaw sat up and poked her head out of the elders den and saw her mentor waiting for her in the middle of the clearing, his eyes impatient.
"Coming!" she called back "Gotta go, bye Flowerleaf, Scarclaw, Rainshadow" then she bolted out of the den and headed for her mentor.
It was almost Sunset by the time Leopardpaw, Clawstripe, Mosspaw, and Spottedpelt got back from the hunting patrol. Leopardpaw had caught two mice, while her sister had caught one mouse and a squirrel.
They set their prey down in the fresh-kill pile, and it looked liked Timberstar had just called a meeting, cats where already gathering underneath the Great Rock.
Timberstar was on the Great Rock with Bramble just underneath it. Leopardpaw went to sit in the front of the cats, so she didn't miss anything.
"Cats of LightingClan!" Timberstar began "I have taken Bramble out to the Training Grounds, and let me tell you, he has the skills of a full trained warrior!" Timberstar meowed with satisfaction.
"And his hunting skills are very good as well. So, I guess you where right, Bramble, your father has trained you well." Some cats nodded an approval, others still looked doubtful.
"So it is my honor to welcome a new warrior to ThunderClan! Warriors of StarClan I ask you to look down on this cat and approve that he is a loyal warrior to ThunderClan! By the power invested in StarClan and myself, Bramble I give you your warrior name, from this day forward you will be known as... Brambleclaw!" Timberstar jumped down from Great Rock then rested his muzzle on Brambleclaw's head then nodded to him and flicked his tail and returned to his den.
"Brambleclaw! Brambleclaw!" The Clan chanted, at least they seemed okay with Timberstar's decision.
Leopardpaw looked at Brambleclaw; he did look like a full trained warrior with his dark tabby pelt gleaming in the remaining sun, his strong broad shoulders, his amber eyes.... Wait a minute! What are you talking about Leopardpaw! She thought to herself, she can't be thinking about another warrior like that.
She shook her head and padded over to Brambleclaw "Er... Congrats Brambleclaw," She meowed awkwardly "Thanks Leopardpaw." Brambleclaw nodded then Leaftail and Loudfoot called Brambleclaw over and he padded over to them.
Leopardpaw looked up at the darkening sky. Silverpelt was starting to reveal itself. They sparkled brightly, an indication that there Warrior ancestors were watching over them.
She yawned and headed for the trainees den, hoping to have a well rested sleep. She settled herself by her sister Mosspaw and her best friend, Sunpaw. She closed her eyes, took her tail and placed it over her nose, soon enough sleep claimed Leopardpaw.
* * * * **
The sun was starting to come through the apprentices' den. Leopardpaw raised her head drowsily, it looked like dawn was breaking through, and it had been almost a moon since Brambleclaw joined the Clan.
She yawned and arched her back in a stretch flexing her claws in and out, and then she sat in her nest. She yawned again, then padded out of the apprentices' den and looked around for her mentor, but he was nowhere to be seen.
She twitched her ears, Clawstripe was usually waiting for her by the fresh-kill pile, she padded over to the warriors den and poked her head in, and Clawstripe wasn't there either. Leopardpaw then spotted her mother, Brownpatch, stirring in her nest.
"Brownpatch! Do you know where Clawstripe is?" She meowed to the brown and white warrior. "Yes, he's in the medicine cat den, I'm afraid they were attacked by a ShadowClan patrol, Clawstripe took on two warriors, and he was injured badly," Brownpatch mewed sadly.
"Oh," was Leopardpaw could say. She whipped around then dashed to the medicine cat den, knocking herself right into Brambleclaw, knocking him over, along with herself.
She hissed in frustration. "Mouse-dung!" Leopardpaw spat "Sorry, Leopardpaw, I didn't see you there." Brambleclaw meowed standing up and shaking his dust covered pelt.
"Er.. Yeah whatever, it's fine." she stood up shaking her pelt too then padded off to the medicine cat den. She could feel Brambleclaw's amber gaze burning into her back.
She raced into the medicine cat den to find Clawstripe laying in a moss nest his breathing shallow and slow. "He's in the paws of StarClan now." Leopardpaw turned her head to see the medicine cat, Cindernose.
"I've done everything I could do, we'll just have to wait and see." Cindernose meowed quietly, then Leopardpaw remembered that Clawstripe is the brother of Cindernose, so Cindernose must be trying her hardest.
Leopardpaw padded over to Clawstripe and crouched infront of him. "Clawstripe?" she whispered, the grey tabby stirred in his nest and his eyes opened.
"Leopardpaw, StarClan is calling me," each word seemed like a huge effort. "No! Don't leave your Clan, not yet!" Leopardpaw protested.
"I have to, it's my time. Don't worry, Leopardpaw, I will always be watching." Clawstripe gave one last final breath then he fell silent, his eyes glazed over and he started at nothing.
"Clawstripe!" Leopardpaw wailed. "Leopardpaw, its okay." Leopardpaw turned her head to see Cindernose resting her tail Leopardpaw's shoulder.
"No! He's gone!" Leopardpaw raised her head upward and let out another wail full of sorrow "Leopardpaw, please, calm down." Cindernose meowed gently, and within heartbeats, Brambleclaw, Timberstar and Spottedpelt came rushing into the healers den, confusion on their faces.
Cindernose padded over to them "Clawstripe is dead, Leopardpaw is grieving for him," Cindernose bowed her head. Leopardpaw pushed her nose into her mentors dead body, his body was already starting to get cold.
"Come on, Leopardpaw, we'll take his body out to the clearing so everyone can grieve for him." Leopardpaw turned to see Brambleclaw, his eyes gentle, Leopardpaw sat up then nodded.
"Fine" she meowed curtly, then very gently she grabbed her mentors scruff with her teeth, while Timberstar and Spottedpelt helped her.
They laid her mentors lifeless body in the middle of the clearing, cats started to gather around, then Leopardpaw heard Hawkheart- Clawstripes mate- let out a wail of loss.
Leopardpaw crouched just by her mentors flank. Timberstar jumped up on Great Rock "Cats of LightingClan!" He yowled. "Something terrible has just happened, as you now know... Clawstripe is dead" grief filled the dark gray leaders voice.
"Since Clawstripe is dead, Leopardpaw will need a new mentor," Timberstar explained, Leopardpaw hung her head; she didn't want a new mentor.
"Loudfoot, you are the son of Spottedpelt, and I think you would make a great mentor to Leopardpaw. Make sure you pass down your strength and agility to this young cat," Timberstar flicked his tail then jumped down from Great Rock to pay his final respect for his senior warrior.
Leopardpaw grumbled to herself. "Leopardpaw, today I'll let you rest, and then tomorrow we get to training, okay?" Loudfoot padded over to Leopardpaw "Okay" Leopardpaw sighed.
Leopardpaw watched as Flowerleaf, Scarclaw, and Rainshadow took Clawstripes limp body to the burial grounds. Leopardpaw sighed then headed over to her new mentor, Loudfoot.
She stood right infront of him "Loudfoot, I'm fine to train. I don't need resting." She meowed. "But, Leopardpaw you just lost your mentor, you should wait." Loudfoot meowed gently, Leopardpaw sighed impatiently- she had a bad temper.
"No, I'm fine, Loudfoot. Clawstripe would want me to keep training, instead of sitting all day in camp grieving." And it was true, Clawstripe would be furious if she sat in camp all day, without doing anything.
"Alright, Leopardpaw. Today we'll work on your fighting skills." Loudfoot meowed as he padded toward the camp entrance, Leopardpaw scampered after him.
Loudfoot and Leopardpaw bounded to the Training Hollow. Loudfoot was infront, while Leopardpaw was just inches behind his shoulder.
Leopardpaw was just as big and muscular as Loudfoot, but Loudfoot was also lither and a little smaller than most cats and Leopardpaw was an unusually big cat- muscle wise, and she was taller than all the trainees, at this she had a great advantage point in a battle.
The two cats stopped once they were at the edge of the sandy circle they called the Training Hollow. Loudfoot padded into the center of the clearing then turned and faced Leopardpaw.
"Alright, show me what Clawstripe has taught you" Loudfoot meowed. Leopardpaw was hesitant though, she wasn't sure what to do, then Loudfoot leaped at her knocking her off her paws then pinned her down.
"Now in a battle an enemy would have taken your hesitation and attacked, but would have done more damage, so next time remember not to hesitate" Loudfoot meowed then got off of Leopardpaw then flicked his tail.
"Try again." Leopardpaw scrambled up then shook her pelt then crouched. She crept forward then Loudfoot leaped at her, but Leopardpaw was faster so she also leaped at Loudfoot.
They crashed into each other in mid-air, Leopardpaw was stronger though so when Loudfoot and Leopardpaw crashed in mid-air Leopardpaw brought Loudfoot straight to the ground, knocking the breath out of him.
"How was that?" Leopardpaw meowed, while she pinned Loudfoot down. "T-that was great! Did Clawstripe teach you that?" Loudfoot panted.
"Sure did." Leopardpaw meowed proudly. Leopardpaw got off Loudfoot and let him catch his breath.
"What else did he show you?" Loudfoot's breath was finally back at a normal pace. "Well there was this one move that works pretty well…" Leopardpaw meowed "Okay, then. Show me." Loudfoot tensed, ready for her attack this time.
Okay, so what did you think? I'll try and have the next chapter up soon. Please review!!