Squirrelkit bounded to her father.
"Daddy!" She nuzzled him then nuzzled her mother.
"Squirrelpaw!" Leafkit called.
"I've got to go play with Leafkit now." Squirrelkit ran towards her sister when she slid to a halt infront of Brambleclaw.
"Brambleclaw!" she cried. The brown tabby chuckled.
"Hey, Squirrelkit," Brambleclaw mewed.
"Squirrelkit!" Leafkit called.
"I've got to go now." Squirrelkit ran to her sister.
Brambleclaw smiled. He murmured, "Bye, Squirrelpaw. You'll make one warrior someday." Brambleclaw sighed. Squirrelkit and Leafkit would be apprentices that day. Firestar hadn't said anything about being a mentor. Brambleclaw hoped that Firestar just forgot but it wasn't likely.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath high rock!" Firestar called. Brambleclaw padded to with the rest of the Clan beneath High Rock. Squirrelkit and her sister ran to their father, Firestar. "It is time for these kits to become apprentices. Squirrelkit, until you get your full warrior name, you will be Squirrelpaw. Dustpelt, you will mentor her. You used to be Tigerstar's friend but you broke free of that and you fought him when he threatened the Clans. Please pass that loyalty on to Squirrelpaw." Dustpelt padded to his new apprentice and they touched noses. Brambleclaw winced at the bit about Tigerstar. Tigerstar had been Brambleclaw's traitorous father. Brambleclaw's pelt prickled with jealousy.
"Leafkit, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Leafpaw. Cinderpelt, you will train Leafpaw to be a Medicine Cat. Please pass on your knowledge, wisdom, and loyalty." Cinderpelt and Leafpaw touched noses. Squirrelpaw and Leafpaw beamed at each other.
Brambleclaw stood up and padded to the sisters. "Congratulations."
"Thanks," Squirrelpaw purred. She closed her eyes, enjoying the moment.
"Thank you." Leafpaw dipped her head, respectfully.
"You welcome," Brambleclaw replied. "You two excited?"
"Oh yes," they replied.
Brambleclaw purred. "I'm glad. Trust me, I understand." Squirrelpaw and Leafpaw smiled at him.
"Hi," Ashfur mewed, padding to them. "Brambleclaw, we're supposed to hunt, remember?" Brambleclaw scuffed the ground with his paw. He had forgotten.
"Of course," he lied. "Let's go. Good luck, you two." He and Ashfur padded away.
Once in the forest, Ashfur nudged him. "You want Squirrelpaw, huh?"
"Well… ya," Brambleclaw sighed. Ashfur burst out laughing. Brambleclaw tackled his best friend and Ashfur wrestled back. In the end, it was Brambleclaw who won. He let a panting Ashfur up.
"You're good," Ashfur mewed. "Squirrelpaw should be your apprentice."
"Thanks," Brambleclaw murmured.
"It's the truth," Ashfur told him, nodding. "I wouldn't be surprised if one day you two became…" Ashfur stopped abruptly when he smelled a badger. "Smell it?"
"Ya," Brambleclaw whispered. "We should go back."
Ashfur shook his head. "No. Let's see where it is."
Brambleclaw hesitated then agreed. "All right. Let's go." The two friends crept along the ground. Brambleclaw winced, as the smell became stronger. "It's at snake rocks." Ashfur's eyes narrowed but he didn't speak. Tigerstar had killed Ashfur's mother when a dog pack lived in Snake Rocks.
Ashfur froze. Brambleclaw saw why. The badger was a few feet away! "Brambleclaw," Ashfur hissed, "go get help. On three you go. Ready?" Brambleclaw didn't think to ask what Ashfur would do on three. He won't be stupid, Brambleclaw thought. "1, 2, 3! NOW!" Brambleclaw leapt from the bushes and ran towards camp.
Ashfur leapt out of the bush. He didn't break eye contact from the black and white beast in front of him. "Leave our territory." Ashfur leapt at the badger. If he died defending his Clan, so be it.
Brambleclaw raced through the trees, at full speed. "StarClan, let Ashfur be OK. Please, let him be OK. I shouldn't have left." Brambleclaw pelted through the trees. He collided into a dark ginger pelt.
"Oof!" Squirrelpaw banged her head on Brambleclaw's. "Brambleclaw, you oaf!"
"Sorry," he panted. "Ashfur's in a bush, hiding from a badger." Then it occurred to him that Ashfur probably left already.
"Where?" Dustpelt demanded. "Show me. Squirrelpaw, got o camp and tell Firestar."
"But…" Squirrelpaw began.
"No buts!" Dustpelt ordered. He and Brambleclaw ran back towards Snake Rocks.
"Fine," Squirrelpaw growled. "Try to leave me. I'm coming, guys." Squirrelpaw pressed her nose to the ground and caught Brambleclaw's scent. She began to follow her nose.
By the time they reached Snake Rocks, Brambleclaw was out of breath but not ready to quit. He saw the badger but no Ashfur. Then he saw a gray cat huddled in a bloody heap.
"Ashfur!" he yowled. Brambleclaw began to run to his friend but the badger hit him with its huge paw.
"Brambleclaw!" Dustpelt charged at the badger only to be thrown into Snake rocks. Knowing the dangerous snakes in Snake Rocks, Brambleclaw stood up. He leapt at the badger. It roared in pain, as Brambleclaw bit its muzzle. The badger threw him off with one sweep of its paw. Brambleclaw landed on the ground, winded. The badger loomed over him. Brambleclaw's vision was blurred slightly.
"Brambleclaw!" A dark ginger coat landed on the badger's head, clawing and biting. "Hang on, guys!" Brambleclaw scrambled to his paws. He saw Squirrelpaw attacking the large beast.
"Where are the others?" he demanded.
"At camp," Squirrelpaw replied, airily. "Now help me!"
"They wouldn't come?" Brambleclaw demanded, jumping onto the badger.
"I didn't ask," Squirrelpaw responded, biting the badgers paw, as it swung at her.
"You what?" Brambleclaw hissed, leaping onto the badger's scruff, so that he could dodge more attacks by the large creature.
"Did... not... ask!" Squirrelpaw repeated. "Must I spell it out? I followed you!"
"Squirrelpaw!" he yowled, angrily.
"OH! I found a weak spot! Look!" Squirrelpaw cried. Brambleclaw hissed, frustrated. Did he look like he could look? Suddenly, the badger roared and fell. Brambleclaw barely had time to jump off, before the mighty creature collapsed. "Told you," Squirrelpaw mewed, shrugging. The badger staggered to its paws and ran off. Brambleclaw raced after it. He chased it to the ShadowClan border then ran back to the others. Squirrelpaw was looking around.
"What are you doing?" Brambleclaw demanded.
"Looking for Dustpelt," Squirrelpaw replied. Brambleclaw gasped and pelted into Snake Rocks. He dodged the hissing snakes and saw Dustpelt, sprawled in the center of Snake Rocks. Snakes were staying away from him for one reason or another. He grabbed Dustpelt's scruff and pulled the tabby onto his back. Brambleclaw pelted up the rocks and ran to Squirrelpaw, who gasped.
"W-what happened?" she demanded.
"Go get help," Brambleclaw hissed. Squirrelpaw pelted away. A few minutes later, she came back with Firestar, Graystripe, and Cinderpelt.
"What happened?" Firestar demanded. Brambleclaw explained quickly then passed Dustpelt to Firestar, who put the tabby on his back. Brambleclaw hoisted Ashfur on his back and they began to pelt to camp. When they got to camp and put Dustpelt and Ashfur in Cinderpelt's den, Ashfur opened his eyes.
"What happened?" Ashfur whispered. "I hurt everywhere." Judging by his face, Ashfur slowly remembered. "You got help?"
Brambleclaw nodded and Ashfur grinned.
"I thought you would." He put his head on his paw, gasped with pain, and put it on the cave floor.
Dustpelt opened his eyes. "Did an adder bite me?"
"No," Brambleclaw replied.
"Then I can train Squirrelpaw more." The warrior began to stand but Firestar forced him down.
"First of all, you're too hurt, not as bad as Ashfur but…. Second, Squirrelpaw has to rest," Firestar meowed.
"Nu-uh!" Squirrelpaw argued. Brambleclaw explained what happened to Dustpelt and Ashfur.
"Squirrelpaw!" Dustpelt scolded. "I told you to get help!"
Squirrelpaw stood up, angrily. "It wouldn't have arrived in time," she argued.
"She's right," Brambleclaw mewed. Squirrelpaw glared at him.
"You don't need to back me up," she hissed. "I'm fine." Leafpaw looked startled by her sister's resentment. Brambleclaw stepped back, stunned.
"Squirrelpaw, I thought…" she began.
"Not now, Leafpaw," Squirrelpaw snapped. When she saw the hurt in her sister's eyes, Squirrelpaw added, "Please." Leafpaw nodded.
"Are you alright?" Brambleclaw asked, Squirrelpaw.
"I'm fine." She had calmed down slightly but her eyes were still cold. Ashfur looked at Brambleclaw and grinned. Brambleclaw ignored his friend's grin, knowing what he meant. If Squirrelpaw grew up this arrogant, there was no way that he would have growing affection for her. Brambleclaw glanced at Squirrelpaw. She was staring out of the den, head cocked to one side. He looked at Ashfur, who smirked. Brambleclaw ignored it, once again.
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