Yaya! Here it is! This was just sitting around as an idea. But then I considered putting Bluestar in, and it just sprang up into a plot. So here it is! Smokepaw's choice.
Smokepaw playfully shoved Talonpaw.
"Come on, you slow lizard! Today's one of our final days of training!"
The two brothers raced out of the apprentices den, toward the fresh-kill pile where their mentors, Oakfur and Rowanclaw had agreed to meet them.
Oakfur motioned them over with his tail. Rowanclaw smiled at them.
"Talonpaw and I, and Oakfur and you, we'll hunt today out by the carrion-place." Rowanclaw paused to fix the apprentices a sharp glare.
"And don't even think about hunting rats yet." Oakfur gave Rowanclaw a friendly shove.
"Stop being so serious!" Oakfur smiled.
"You're hardly moons older than them. And I've seen you and Tawnypelt hang out with them." Rowanclaw gave a sheepish shrug.
"Talonpaw and Tawnypelt are my best friends," Rowanclaw told Oakfur.
Oakfur and Rowanclaw led them out of the ShadowClan camp. Racing after Oakfur, Smokepaw ran as fast as his legs would carry him. Ahead, Smokepaw could see a huge log. Oakfur glanced in his direction.
"When I say 'now', jump as high as you can over the log." Smokepaw nodded. Oakfur, Rowanclaw, Smokepaw, and Talonpaw neared the fallen tree. Oakfur studied the log.
"Now!" He yelled. Smokepaw's feet lurched as he wrenched them out of the mud. Scrambling, he leaped, barely making it as he felt his belly fur brush the log. Panting, he collapsed on the ground. He looked over and saw that Talonpaw wan't faring much better. Rowanclaw and Oakfur were both staring at him, amused. Smokepaw and Talonpaw both got up with embarrassment.
Oakfur gave him a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry, I remember having trouble with that." Rowanclaw was shaking with laughter.
"I remember that. I was Rowankit. You came back into camp with Boulder, covered in mud and moss scraps. You had leaped to early and landed on the log!" Oakfur rolled his eyes.
"I know. Boulder had to haul me down because I got stuck." Smokepaw laughed, feeling more energetic.
"Hey Rowanclaw, you'll make a good elder! Tawnypelt will start snoring after listening to your stories!" Talonpaw Oakfur, Smokepaw, and Talonpaw were all laughing.
Smokepaw winced as Talonpaw mentioned Tawnypelt. The pretty tortoiseshell she-cat had been gone for over five moons, and Smokepaw and his three younger littermates, Crowkit, Applekit, and Toadkit all missed her terribly.
Rowanclaw fixed a mock glare.
"Is that anyway to talk to your mentor?" Oakfur stood up, smiling.
"Okay, we've all had our fun. Now let's-" His words were cut off as the four cats heard a rumbling coming from the trees. Rowanclaw jumped to his feet, fully alert, and ready to take orders from Oakfur.
"Rowanclaw, Smokepaw, go look at where the noise is coming from. It sounds like a monster, but they usually don't come this close to camp, especially this far from the Thunderpath." Oakfur spoke quickly and urgently to Smokepaw and Rowanclaw, and Smokepaw guessed Oakfur thought it was more than just a monster.
He and Rowanclaw crept stealthily through the marsh, careful not to make any noise. As they pushed their was through the trees and out of the clearing, Smokepaw stared up in amazement. The biggest monster he had ever seen was tearing up the Fourtrees!
"Smokepaw! Go back to camp! Tell Blackstar and Russetfur!" Rowanclaw screeched.
Smokepaw ran across the swamp, the wind pounding in his ears. Comfusion turned to anger as he thought of the monster. How dare they tear up Fourtrees? He ran faster, until he reached camp, panting and out of breath. Smokepaw raced toward Blackstar's den.
Inside, Blackstar and Russetfur were glaring at him.
"What do you need?" Blackstar said angrily. Smokepaw's sides heaved as he spluttered out what he saw. Blackstar's angry glare turned from Smokepaw to Russetfur.
"What are you waiting for?" He asked his deputy.
"Fetch those three and bring them back to camp. I don't want anyone hurt." Russetfur flicked her tail in acknowledgment before tearing out of the den. Blackstar nodded to Smokepaw.
"Go to Tallpoppy. She can get someone to take care of her kits for a few heartbeats." Smokepaw dipped his head gratefully to Blackstar before padding out of the den. Tallpoppy, Smokepaw's mother was waiting for him outside of the nursery.
"Smokepaw!" Tallpoppy looked relieved. Smokepaw's younger siblings came rushing from the nursery like a tidal wave.
"Smokepaw! Smokepaw!" Crowkit squeaked. Applekit bounced up and down.
"Give us a lizard ride!" Tallpoppy shooed her kits back into the nursery.
"Give Smokepaw a break!" She chided. Smokepaw laid his tail onto his mother's shoulder.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Tallrock for a clan meeting!" Blackstar yowled the familiar words, and Smokepaw waved his tail in farewell before racing off to the clan meeting.
Smokepaw was relieved to spot Talonpaw, Oakfur, and Rowanclaw in the cluster of cats. Smokepaw sat next to Talonpaw and Rowanclaw.
"I am extremly saddened to announce that Twolegs have destroyed Fourtrees." Blackstar paused as outraged yowls sounded from the crowd.
"But ShadowClan lives on and-" Blackstar eyes widened as he stared towards the camp entrance. Smokepaw turned around is wonder as he heard Rowanclaw gasp.
"Tawnypelt?"
Haha! I would say cliffie, but not really because you guys already know what happens. Lolz. And yes, I know that Nightwing is Smokepaw's mother. But I changed that. So too bad.