First of all, if you didn't see it above, I HAVE PERMISSION.Second, my advice is to read Promise first. You don't have to, of course, but I'd recommend it.
Darkpaw padded through the marsh with his mentor, Jumpfire. The soft ground squished under his paws, and cool, gritty water lapped at them.
He breathed in the scents of wonderful scents of ShadowClan territory. Under it, though, he could pick up the faint scent of another cat, not stale, but not very fresh either.
Darkpaw narrowed his eyes. "Jumpfire," he called.
The black-furred tom looked back at his apprentice, the dark orange blaze on his forehead standing out against the dark forest.
"What is it, Darkpaw?" Jumpfire asked.
"A rogue from the twolegplace traveled through here," Darkpaw explained.
Jumpfire sniffed the ground. His copper eyes narrowed, scanning the wet ground.
"You're right," he muttered. His gaze swung to Darkpaw. "How long has it been there?"
Darkpaw suppressed a sigh. Jumpfire could turn anything into an assessment of his skills. He took another sniff, considering for a moment.
"I'd say the cat passed through here at about sunrise," Darkpaw meowed thoughtfully.
Jumpfire nodded, confirming Darkpaw's guess. "I thought so too. Let's track it down. We need to make sure he isn't still in our territory."
Darkpaw nodded, and waited for Jumpfire to start leading the way.
"Well?" His mentor asked, giving Darkpaw a quizzical look. "Aren't you going to track down that rogue?"
Darkpaw let out a hiss of annoyance. Jumpfire flicked his tail, showing he had noted his apprentice's behavior.
The scent led him to the very edge of ShadowClan's borders. Darkpaw stared past where the pine trees ended to where the twolegplace stood.
"Well?" Jumpfire interrupted. Darkpaw looked back at him. The black tom licked his paw and drew it over his ear. "What have you found?"
"It looks like the cat headed back into the twolegplace," Darkpaw reported, suppressing a wave of annoyance.
"And?" Jumpfire asked.
"And... That cat won't be bothering us?" Darkpaw asked.
Jumpfire sighed. "When did the cat cross back over?"
Darkpaw thought for a moment. "Sunhigh?"
"Is that a fact, or a question?" Jumpfire stretched lazily.
"Errr..." Darkpaw hesitated. "The intruder crossed back over at sunhigh."
"Good," Jumpfire nodded. "Now let's return to hunting."
The scent appeared again the next day, and the day after that. And the day after that. Finally, one the seventh day, Darkpaw decided he would go see if he could catch the intruder. I'm sure I'll be able to beat him if it comes to a fight, Darkpaw reassured himself.
Darkpaw forced himself awake before the dawn patrols were sent out. He sleepily stumbled out of the apprentice den, tripping and nearly falling several times.
Air slapped his face, sharp and cold, as he emerged from the camp. The guard, the elderly warrior Forestheart, glanced at him curiously, but said nothing.
The cold wind woke him up. He padded through the forest, ears pricked for signs of cat life. He opened his mouth and let the flavors of the forest bathe his tongue.
No cat scents yet, he noted.
Darkpaw continued one his way, searching for life. Partway through, though, the sound of the deputy's voice sounded out from the trees.
"Darkpaw?" Hollowflame's meow came from his right. Darkpaw jumped in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"Just taking a walk," Darkpaw answered, trying to keep his voice steady.
Hollowflame's eyes narrowed. "It's getting close to the time for the dawn patrols to be organized. Why are you out here, not in your nest?"
"I could ask the same of you," Stonetail's voice rang out in the cold, night air. The gray tom appeared behind Hollowflame.
The deputy jumped. "I didn't see you there, Stonetail."
"No, you didn't," Stonetail twitched his ears. "So why are you here, Darkpaw, Hollowflame?"
"I'm going for a walk," Darkpaw answered. "I couldn't sleep."
"Same," Hollowflame meowed. He swiftly changed the subject. "How's Paledove?"
"Excellent," Stonetail answered. "Is Tigerstar well?"
Hollowflame's eyes darkened. "I'm afraid not. His age is catching up with him; I fear soon I will be leader."
"Shyfawn recently became a full medicine cat," Darkpaw interjected. "And Barktail seems well."
Hollowflame shook his head. "Barktail has recently contracted Whitecough."
"Oh."
"You should get back to the camp," Darkpaw suggested. "Soon, cats will be waking up. You'll need to organize the patrols. And Featherfall might be looking for you."
Hollowflame nodded, his face brightening, and without another word, bounded away, his tortoiseshell pelt quickly swallowed up by the dark trees.
Stonetail watched him leave, then flicked his tail at Darkpaw. "Come on."
Darkpaw shook his head. "I need a little time to myself," he muttered.
Stonetail hesitated, then nodded and padded back towards camp.
"I'll tell Jumpfire where you are," Stonetail called over his shoulder.
"Ok, thanks," Darkpaw sighed in relief.
Once Stonetail was out of sight, Darkpaw continued to the spot where he had always found the scent. Reluctantly, he clumsily scrabbled up a tree and remained there, ears pricked for any signs of the intruder.
Pine needles crunched underpaw as the cat approached. Darkpaw froze, his eyes searching the ground.
A pale golden she-cat burst out from behind a pine tree. She instantly caught Darkpaw's eyes. For a moment, he swayed there, still clinging onto the tree.
Darkpaw blinked. He mentally shook himself. Intruder! Chase her out!
He slowly climbed down the tree and jumped at her. Her golden-amber eyes widened in surprise as Darkpaw knocked her over.
He leaped off and hissed at her. "Get out of ShadowClan territory!"
The she-cat backed away, something around her neck making a jingling sound.
"Who are you?" She asked.
Darkpaw growled at her. "Get out."
The she-cat narrowed her eyes at him. "Out," Darkpaw snarled.
"My name's Sofia," the she-cat muttered. "In case you wanted to know."
"I don't," Darkpaw spat. But do I?
"Will you meet me here?" Sofia asked hopefully. "Tonight?"
Darkpaw hesitated. "Fine," he muttered. He flicked his tail at her. "Go."
Why did I just do that? Why?
Darkpaw listened as Tigerstar started the words of a warrior ceremony.
"Jumpfire, is Darkpaw worthy of a warrior name?" Tigerstar rasped.
Jumpfire dipped his head. "He is."
"Stonetail, is Icepaw worthy of his warrior name?"
"He is."
"I, Tigerstar, leader of ShadowClan, ask StarClan to look down on these apprentices. They has worked hard, and is worthy of their warrior name," Tigerstar meowed. "Darkpaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Darkclaw. Icepaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Icegaze."
"Darkclaw! Icegaze! Darkclaw! Icegaze!"
Darkclaw stood tall as the clan chanted his name. Too bad Sofia isn't here. But the clan would chase her out immediately.
Darkclaw had been meeting the pale golden she-cat ever since the first meeting three moons ago. One moon ago, a realization struck him. He was in love with Sofia. She was the cat he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. But ShadowClan needed him, so Darkclaw carried on.
"Tonight Darkclaw and Icegaze shall guard the camp," Tigerstar rasped. He waved his tail. "Meeting over."
"Congratulations!" Darkclaw's father, Ashtail purred.
"Thanks!" Darkclaw meowed.
Eventually, the tide of cats settled down. Darkclaw padded outside of camp. Forestheart was on guard again. He nodded at Darkclaw.
Darkclaw bounded through the pine trees. "Sofia?" He called softly into the trees.
Her golden-amber eyes appeared, cutting through the darkness. "Darkpaw!"
"I'm Darkclaw now," Darkclaw informed her.
"Are you now?" Sofia purred. "Congratulations."
Darkclaw nosed her gently. His tail found hers. He breathed in her sweet scent. They settled down at the foot of a tree. Darkclaw quickly felt himself drowsing off.
"Darkclaw?" Sofia's voice roused him. "I have news."
Darkclaw looked at her curiously. "Do you?"
Sofia nodded. She took a deep breath. "I'm expecting kits. Your kits."
Darkclaw stared at her. "Are you joking?"
"No," Sofia meowed. "It's true."
Darkclaw broke into purrs of joy. "I-I can't believe it! This is the best day of my life."
"I'm glad," Sofia nodded.
Darkclaw nodded as well. So am I.
Darkclaw crouched by his mate. Two kits, his kits, mewled at her belly. One was a deep dark brown with lighter paws and a light brown tail, while the other was a golden tabby with a snowy-white chest, stomach, and legs. Both were toms.
One looked up at Darkclaw. "You may take one," Sofia murmured softly. "For your clan."
Darkclaw drew his tail along her back. "Thank you," he breathed.
He examined his kits closely, considering. Leo looks stronger, Darkclaw noticed. Not much, but just a little. I think he will live better in the forest than Dolan.
"Leo," Darkclaw whispered. "I choose Leo."
"Then Leo will come back with you to your clan," Sofia murmured. She reached out her muzzle and nosed the brown kit. "Good-bye, Leo. Perhaps we will meet again."
Darkclaw's heart nearly broke in half as he watched his love say good-bye to Leo. "Keep Leo," he whispered.
Sofia shook her head, her golden-amber eyes latching onto Darkclaw's red-amber ones. "Take him to your clan. I am honored to have a mate and a kit in your clan."
"But—" Darkclaw protested.
"Take him."
Darkclaw nodded, and gently picked up Leo. "Good-bye, for now, Sofia, my love," Darkclaw murmured to Sofia.
Sofia nodded, and let her head droop onto the ground.
Darkclaw left her twoleg den and began to head back into ShadowClan territory. He rolled in a stream on the way, to wash away the scent of twolegplace, all he while holding Leo's scruff in his mouth.
What shall I name him, for a clan name? Darkclaw wondered as he padded along. He tried to think of a clan name related to Sofia or Leo, but he couldn't think of anything except Softkit and Lakekit, which didn't sound fitting. So his attention drifted to other things.
Sofia lives on Bark Street, Darkclaw mused to himself. Strange, how it is so similar to some clan names.
Darkclaw's head shot up. Leo gave a small mewl of protest. Bark Street! Bark! Of course! Darkclaw glanced down at Leo, dangling from his jaws.
Barkkit. He is Barkkit.
Darkclaw padded into camp. His clanmates glanced at him carelessly. Then their attention shot back to him, or more accurately, Barkkit.
"Darkclaw?" Icegaze called. "What's that?"
Darkclaw held his head high. He saw Whitekit and Swankit, the daughters of Paledove and Stonetail, peering curiously at Barkkit. Icegaze, Hollowstar, Stonetail, Shyfawn, and the rest of the clan gazed at Darkclaw with confusion swimming in their eyes. Murmurs erupted.
Darkclaw ignored their questioning and accusing looks. He dropped Barkkit to the ground at Hollowstar's paws.
"This is my son," Darkclaw announced.
Thoughts? If you got this far, but haven't read Promise, then you get a faceful of cookies! (::)(::)(::)! If you did read Promise, then you get cookies AND cake AND pie! (::)(::)(::), Sign for cake, sign for pie.
—Foreststar