A dark brown tabby tom stood before ShadowClan, his icy blue gaze narrowed into slits. The blades of the lush dark green grass tickled his pads as he kneaded his paws against the ground.
"Apple? Is everything okay?" a pale silver-grey tabby she-cat asked, her fur brushing against his.
Apple let out a sigh and looked to her round belly. "I'm just worried about the kits Shimmer" He admitted, looking behind him to see their small army of rogues waiting for the signal.
"Tonight we take our revenge! We take revenge on those who did us wrong!" Apple yowled.
The five cats behind him yowled in unison and he began to charge through the pine trees, with Shimmer by his side. He looked to his mate and winced as she panted quickly, weighed down by her kits.
Apple flicked his tail as the camp entrance came into view. He spotted a russet colored she-cat keeping watch over the entrance and felt his heart tug slightly.
"Alright Redpaw, now remember to keep your weight off your paws" Applefrost instructed, sliding forward to demonstrate to his apprentice.
"Well that's dumb, I do the hunters crouch better while putting weight on my paws!" Redpaw exclaimed, shaking her too-big-kit paw.
"Redpaw you have to try! If you catch something on your first day out as an apprentice you'll get to brag to your siblings. I know Most apprentices get to see the territory on the first day, but I just want you to be ahead of your siblings!" Applefrost explained.
"Fine if I catch something will you tell me what's going on between you and Shimmerpaw" Redpaw pleaded.
Applefrost rolled his eyes in amusement, it was no secret that him and Shimmerpaw were in love and today was her warrior ceremony so they could finally be mates!
"Fine but you better come back with a piece of prey!" Applefrost called after his apprentice as she charged through the territory, following her just in case she got lost.
Apple stalked up to the she-cat and pounced on her, pinning her down.
"W-What?! Who are you?" she snarled, trying to squirm out from underneath him.
Redpaw quickly caught scent of the tom and looked up at him hopefully. "Applefrost? I thought you were dead! And Shimmerbreeze too! It's me Redwing! Or I guess you didn't know that... Redpaw! Yeah I just got my warrior name two moons ago! I thought you were dead! Poisonstar lied! He told me rogues killed you!" Redwing exclaimed.
"I'll fight with you!" The russet colored she-cat mewed.
Apple looked to Shimmer and she nodded slightly. "Fine, but I don't know if you'll end up in Dark forest or StarClan" Apple growled, stepping off the new warrior.
Redwing stood up and shook the dust out of his fur. "Alright Let me introduce you to our pack. Fairy, Twig, Feather, Fang, and Wolf. Fairy and Fang are mates along with Feather and Twig. Wolf is Fang's brother." Apple explained.
Redwing dipped her head shyly to Wolf and stood beside him, ready for the battle.
"ATTACK!" Apple screeched, plunging through the entrance into the ShadowClan camp.
Apple ran towards Poisonstar's den, inhaling the tom's disgusting scent he leaped into the den, pinning down the dark tabby tom.
"You monster! You killed my best friend and blamed it on me!" Apple hissed.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't little ol' Applefrost" Poisonstar purred.
"Sunripple didn't deserve to die! You attacked us and killed her! She was the deputy for StarClan's sake!" Apple meowed, exasperated.
"Why do you think I killed her stupid fur-ball? If I killed her and didn't tell who it was then you would've been the next deputy!" Poisonstar snarled, pushing up, knocking Apple off of him.
The two toms began to tumble out of the den, clawing at one and other.
Apple pinned the dark grey tabby tom and bit into his neck, taking a life. He scanned the clearing and spotted the medicine cat, Honeyberry.
"Honeyberry how many lives does he have?" Apple growled loudly.
The pale golden she-cat jumped at his question and scrambled over, checking on Poisonstar.
"H-He has two lives left." she murmured, turning to the apprentices who sat scared.
"How old are they?" Apple meowed, looking at the tiny apprentices.
"Three moons. They were only just born and they already have scars..." Honeyberry murmured sadly.
Apple lashed his tail and bit down on the dark leader's neck again as he came back to life.
"One life" Honeyberry meowed, her breathing hitched with excitement.
"Who have we lost since we've been gone?" Apple asked softly, almost regretting the question as he bit down into the breathing dark tabby one last time.
Honeyberry's eyes flashed with grief as she sat down, looking to her paws. "Well After you were exiled we lost, Pinestar, Mistyflame, Howlpaw, Wolfstrike, Lionpelt, Nutwhisker, Berrypool's kits, Fangpelt, and Dappleflower" Honeyberry recited, listing off almost all his friends.
"So both of Shimmerbreeze's parents are gone?" Apple asked, looking to Shimmerbreeze as she visited with Silverdust, her sister, by the nursery.
"Applefrost, StarClan has foretold of this day. You are the rightful leader of ShadowClan." Honeyberry meowed, dipping her head.
Apple, no, Applefrost lifted his head and looked at his rogue friends and dipped his head. "Would you five like to join the clan?" he asked.
Fairy was the one to answer. "Me and Fang will not be joining. We like the freedom we have and would never be truly loyal to this clan" the silver she-cat murmured.
Applefrost nodded his head in understanding and looked to Twig and Feather.
"Same as them" Twig answered quietly, looking away from Applefrost.
Wolf cleared his throat and stepped up from beside Redwing. "I would love to join ShadowClan" The pale grey tom meowed proudly.
Applefrost couldn't help but smile as Wolf nuzzled Redwing playfully.
Applefrost nodded and turned to the four cats that were about to depart. "I will escort you as far as mothermouth, but after that you are on your own" Applefrost meowed, turning to the rest of the clan.
"I know some of you still blame me for what happened to Sunripple, but believe me when I say that Poisonstreak is the one who killed her" Applefrost yowled loudly.
Murmurs of mutiny rippled through the crowd and Applefrost let out a sigh. "I do not know who Poisonstar's deputy was, but I say this before my warrior ancestors so that he or she will approve of my words" Applefrost began, looking towards his next deputy.
"The next leader of ShadowClan will be Redwing" Applefrost meowed, turning his back on the shocked she-cat and cheering clan.
"Let's go now, the moon hasn't risen yet." Applefrost meowed to the four rogues, setting a brisk pace out of the camp and towards the moonstone.
Maybe now, the clan would accept him just like before Sunripple had died.