Silence is Golden

by Juliet's Shadow

Rainheart's first apprentice Nightpaw has the potential and genetics to be the strongest cat ShadowClan has ever seen... if his siblings don't kill him in the process.

This Morning- Rainheart's POV

I always say silence is golden. I've always said that to all the apprentices and they've all been better off because of it. All of them have been better off except Nightpaw.

Three Moons Ago- Rainheart's POV

I sit looking at the four kits ready to become apprentices and I'm going to mentor one of them. There is Dusk-kit, the biggest of the four; a big, tall black tom wouldn't be hard to train in battle. He's built for it. Even outside the nursery he would show near perfect battle moves. Yet there is his sister, Ravenkit. Tall, thin and long legged with a pelt so black it shines purple in sunlight. She will make a fantastic hunter. She could leap higher than the older apprentices could only a moon ago. With training she will be the best hunter the Clan has ever seen. There is also Black-kit who is just like the name implies the darkest shade of black. He is able to sit for ages just staring at one thing then once he needs to strike he will with lightning speed and accuracy. He has an incredibly strong but sinuous build meaning he will be great in both hunting and fighting. I would be fine with getting any of them as my first apprentice except for the runt, Nightpaw. He is small, clumsy and not well built. His seemingly endless, dull black pelt is shattered once you reach his stark white paws. His legs are short pulling him even closer to the ground. For each of his siblings' perfections he has a flaw. The only redeeming quality to his body is his eyes. His siblings all have the same dark blue eyes, the darkest in the Clan but his are a pale shade of blue so much like the sky you could easily get lost in them.

My oldest brother from the earliest litter my mother and father had sits up on the High Branch. He looks down at me, his youngest sister and the only survivor from my parent's last litter and nods. "Let all cats old enough to stay in the shadows gather for a Clan meeting!" This is it. I am about to get my first apprentice. "By making apprentices we continue to show the other Clans ShadowClan is the strongest Clan in the forest. ThunderClan takes joy in their queens new litter of three kits and SkyClan boasts about their two newest warriors but ShadowClan creates four more apprentices who will become four of the strongest warriors the forest has ever seen." It's true. Once their mother, Leafshadow, announced she was expecting Darkstorm's kits the Clan prepared for the strongest kits ever to be born in the history of ShadowClan.

"Dusk-kit, from this day until you receive your warrior name you shall be known as Duskpaw. Shadedstep," the biggest tom in the Clan, my mate steps up from beside me. "You have proven yourself one of the most powerful battlers in all the Clans. Pass your skills onto this young apprentice." Shadedstep gives me a side glance then goes to touch noses with his new apprentice. The Clan sits in uniform silence as they wait for the next apprentice to be made. "Ravenkit, from this day until you receive your warrior name you shall be known as Ravenpaw." I can't help but notice her fur is groomed down so well not only do you see the purple but also shades of green and blue. "Flightfeather, your skills in hunting, jumping and keeping the Clan fed are exceptional. Please pass all of your amazing skills down to this young apprentice." The tall, graceful form of Flightfeather steps up, her tortoiseshell fur blends together in perfect patches. Her long legs dissolve into perfect jet black shades making her legs appear longer. I could see what Talonstar was doing, making sure the best warriors in the Clan, besides Leafshadow and Darkstorm, were mentoring the best apprentices the Clans would ever see. It flattered me that my brother considered me as good as Shadedstep and Flightfeather. I only hope I receive Black-kit and not Nightkit. "Black-kit, from this day until you receive your warrior name you shall be known as Blackpaw." I look up at Talonstar, begging him to let me have this apprentice who showed so much potential. "Badgerstripe," I let out a sigh and look at the scrawny figure of Nightpaw. "You have proven to the Clan time and time again that you are a loyal warrior deserving of this apprentice. I know you can teach him as well as he deserves to be taught." Badegerstripe steps up to the young apprentice. His black fur still looks neat though you can see bits of faded white scars in places. The white on his fur is stained yellow and brown with blood, his and his enemies. Of course Talonstar would choose him to mentor Blackpaw. "Nightkit, from this day until you receive your warrior name you shall be known as Nightpaw. Rainheart, you are a calm, collected, patient and sweet cat. Please train Nightpaw with all of your talents and show him what it is really like to be a warrior." My gray pelt, dappled with darker gray spots, is groomed to perfection. I can feel the others staring at me as I accept Nightpaw as my apprentice.

The Clan bursts into cheers for Duskpaw, Ravenpaw, Blackpaw and Nightpaw. I leave the center to let the apprentices have the attention when Leafshadow pads over to me. "I want you to promise me something."

I look at her in confusion. "What is it, Leafshadow?"

She takes a few glances over her shoulders to make sure no one is listening to our exchange. "I want you to make Nightpaw the best warrior this Clan has ever seen. I know he has it in him. I made sure to ask Talonstar if you could mentor my son. Duskpaw said he will help his youngest brother in any way he can but I want to make sure he is truly being taken care of. Do you promise me you will take care of my son?" I nod my head not knowing what else to do. "Good. Thank you, Rainheart. I know I picked the best cat for the job."

I take another glance at Nightpaw. He is scrawnier than his siblings; I'll make sure he eats plenty so he can build up muscle. With the eating more his pelt should become shinier too. His legs are short, close to the ground but that could be a good thing too. Flightfeather can never get on the thinnest branches in the tallest trees but Nightpaw would be able too. I'm starting to feel hope for this apprentice.

Two Moons Ago- Nightpaw's POV

No one ever paid attention to me until Rainheart came along. Now I am bigger, faster and stronger but so are Duskpaw, Ravenpaw and Blackpaw. I don't think I'll ever catch up to them, be as good of warriors as them. Ravenpaw is always coming back with the biggest pieces of prey I have ever seen, mostly birds with wingspans that exceed how big I am from my muzzle to my tail tip. Duskpaw and Blackpaw have both been in their first battles as well. Dangerous fights with ThunderClan on the Thunderpath. I've still been sitting here waiting for my opportunity. Rainheart says it will come but I'm not so sure. She also promises I will be the best warrior the Clan has ever seen. Maybe she's blind to those around her. "Wake up small stuff." I open one eye and see Ravenpaw and Blackpaw standing over me like prison guards.

I simply close my eye again. "I said wake up!" Ravenpaw slashes me on the face with her claws. I feel blood coming out of the new would she inflicted. "Wow you really are defenseless aren't you?" Her tone is mocking, degrading and humiliating but Rainheart has always said silence is golden.

"Leave him alone you guys." Duskpaw draws himself out of his nest and comes to stand next to me, his defenseless little brother.

"Oh come on Duskpaw, you're no fun! We were just doing some battle practice, weren't we, Nightpaw?" Blackpaw sneered. I refused to dignify that with an answer.

Duskpaw put his tail on my shoulder and led me out of the den the back way. He knew how much I hated for the Clan to see the scars I received from my sister and brother. We sat outside behind the apprentice den and Duskpaw started to arrange my fur so it covered the new scratch. "Why don't you tell someone?"

I let out a low growl. "Tell them what? That Ravenpaw and Blackpaw are picking on their pathetic little brother? That's just what they want. Besides, Rainheart always says silence is golden."

"I doubt she meant that about this." He stopped arranging the fur on my cheek and looked at me. "I'll get Shadedstep to take us on a border patrol with Rainheart. We haven't done that in a while." I started to turn away; I could already see where this was going. "We're going on a border patrol, like it or not and you are going to tell Rainheart and Shadedstep that Ravenpaw and Blackpaw are bullying you."

I turned and faced him. "Or what, are you going to start bullying me too?"

Duskpaw padded away but once he got to the clearing he looked over his shoulder and said "I will tell them if you don't." I know he was serious.

One Moon Ago- Nightpaw's POV

The bullying from Ravepaw and Blackpaw got worse after I told. Most warriors believed when I said they were clawing me, tearing me down and insulting me but they did nothing. Ravenpaw brought in the best prey and Blackpaw was an excellent hunter and fighter. They didn't want to put that at risk but Duskpaw is willing too. He challenges them each morning, calls them out to fight him. They're jerks but they aren't stupid. A fight with the best battler in the Clan is suicidal. Still, Rainheart continues to train me. I'm more than the stupid runt I was when I left. I'm actually bigger than Ravenpaw now but she makes me feel small. She always makes sure to come with me on a hunting patrol so whenever I catch something she can out do it and hide the fact that my hunting is as good as hers.

At battle practice Blackpaw always comes so I can never beat him. What he doesn't know is that I'm holding back and practicing with Rainheart, Duskpaw and Shadedstep come nightfall. I know when I'm about to be a warrior, and they attack me, I'll be ready. They will regret ever hurting me in the first place. I'll be leader one day too and then they will be miserable.

Last Night- Rainheart's POV

This battle is what is going to prove that Leafshadow and Darkstorm's kits are ready to be warriors. We are facing the cats of WindClan who have called for all out war over an accusation of stolen prey. Except it wasn't just an accusation. I saw it for myself. Ravenpaw and Blackpaw were eating a rabbit on the border, leaving the bones there and bits of fur. Not their own fur of course but Nightpaw's. I cleaned everything up and notified Shadedstep, Nightpaw, Duskpaw and Leafshadow immediately. At least I had their mother on my side. I couldn't help but notice Darkstorm was always teaching Ravenpaw and Blackpaw.

We had decided to have Duskpaw and Nightpaw for sure fight the battle. Talonstar would believe me when I said Nightpaw was ready. This battle, he said, would be their assessment. We didn't tell him why we were having the battle though.

Now I look across at the WindClan warriors. They are approaching us slowly, as if to make us afraid. "WindClan, attack!" I hear their leader call. We stay put as they charge for us so we can lead them further into our territory. I start to wrestle with a cat that must have not been older than apprentices but from the way he attacked it was like fighting a hedgehog, completely painful. Though I had gotten some major wounds on him he had gotten many tiny many tiny wounds on me. Then I hear a scream. "Help!" I look around but I cannot see its source. "Help me!" I finally see Ravenpaw being pinned down by a warrior even bigger than me.

I am just about to go to her aid when I see Nightpaw run for her. I am frozen as I watch Nightpaw battle the cat that was causing his tormentor pain. I am completely in shock when he manages to drive the cat away. I knew he was ready to be a warrior. I was right. Then Blackpaw leaped on Nightpaw's back and aimed for his throat.

"No!" I leave my battle with the apprentice and pull Blackpaw off of Nightpaw but I can tell if Nightpaw survives he is going to be scarred for the rest of his life.

This Morning- Rainheart's POV

I always say silence is golden. I've always said that to all the apprentices and they've all been better off because of it. All of them have been better off except Nightpaw.

I am licking the top of his head as he regains consciousness in the medicine cat den. "Hey sleepy head." He opens his mouth to talk but I put my tail over it. "Don't try to talk." He looks at me questioningly. "When I pulled Blackpaw off of you it saved your life but it took your voice." He narrows his grief filled eyes. I sigh. "I can't believe I wanted Blackpaw as an apprentice. I wanted him to be my apprentice more than you but clearly I got the best one." He starts to purr and I lick behind his ear. "I haven't told anyone it was Blackpaw that did this to you. Should I tell them?" Nightpaw shook his sleek black head. "I won't then. He'll admit someday and if he doesn't then the Dark Forest will gain a member or two." He started to lay his head back down, his captivating blue eyes started to close. "Don't go back to sleep, we've got a warrior ceremony to go to."

"Let all cats old enough to stay in the shadows gather for a Clan meeting!" We headed out of the medicine cat den and I led Nightpaw up to the High Branch. "By making new warriors we secure our place as the best Clan in the forest. We have four new warriors to make today. Duskpaw, do you promise to sacrifice everything you have, even if your life if necessary?"

"I do." His voice came out strong and perfect, like a real warrior.

"Then from this day on you shall be known as Duskheart for your loyalty not only to your Clan in battle but for you compassion to all. Ravenpaw, do you promise to sacrifice everything you have, even if your life if necessary?"

"And then some." Her voice came out sarcastic and unsure but Talonstar kept going.

"Then I give you the name Ravenflight for your skills in hunting will keep the Clan fed for moons to come. Blackpaw, do you promise to sacrifice everything you have, even if your life if necessary?"

"I- I do." He was shaking as he spoke the words as if he didn't mean them at all, but very few did mean them in the first place.

"Then I give you the name Blackscar for your skills in battle will scar those who interfere with us in future battles." Talonstar doesn't know how fitting the name is, for all the scars him and Ravenflight have given Nightpaw. "Nightpaw, do you promise to sacrifice everything you have, even if your life if necessary?" Nightpaw nodded his head slowly and genuinely. "Then I give you the name Nightstream for it is the streams who lead the forest."

I smiled as my first apprentice received his name. I called his name the loudest.

So this was for Wolfgrowl's Adventures in Mentoring where I was given two cats, Nightpaw and Rainheart and a challenge which was Nightpaw got bullied. I hope I did this challenge justice.

Songstar of MaskedClan Warrriors Challenge Forum