A/N: Hey! Sorry that it has been forever but I got busy. So here's chapter 1, hope you enjoy it!
Chapter 1
The dark storm clouds that hung over the forest could not dampen Dewkit's spirits. Cool, damp morning air filled her nose as she sat in the middle of the ThunderClan camp. Though it was still early, cats had already risen and began their morning tasks. Dewkit watched as Bramblefur slowly stretched as he exited the warrior's den and walked over to the deputy Emberglow. The two spoke to each other in soft whispers, but Dewkit paid no attention; the conversation did not concern her.
Or does it? Dewkit thought, but she pushed the notion away quickly. Not everything concerns me, you know. The rustle of branches pulled her away from her thoughts. Coming quickly out of the nursery was Rainkit and Stormkit, her litter mates. They bounced up and down happily and Dewkit knew why.
"Aren't you excited?" Rainkit inquired, his blue eyes echoed the joy that he showed.
"Yea," Stormkit continued. "We're becoming apprentices today!"
A smile formed on Dewkit's face. "Yes, isn't it exciting? We've been waiting forever!"
"I wonder who our mentors would be!" Stormkit exclaimed before he could catch himself. Dewkit could feel Rainkit's hot gaze as she looked toward the medicine cat den. Clouddrop, the aging medicine cat, slowly came out of her den. Rainkit hotly walked toward her, brushing against Dewkit harshly.
Why does he have to be so difficult? she thought. I wanted to be her apprentice first! The spotted gray she-cat watched as her brother and the light blue she-cat began talking; the medicine cat's eyes lit up in compassion and pride. Dewkit averted her gaze as she sat in bitter resentment. She treats him like he's already her apprentice! Can't she tell that I'm supposed to be?
Clouddrop broke off their conversation with Rainkit and began walking towards the Highledge. Dewkit set off to talk to her only to be blocked by a long, fluffy tail. "Hang on there, young kit," a soft voice said.
Dewkit glanced up to see Sweetwhisker's light ginger face looking down at her. "But I want to talk to Clouddrop," the young kit argued.
Sweetwhisker purred with amusement. "Why, kit? Clouddrop is heading to Fernstar."
"I want to say that I still want to be her apprentice!"
"I believe she has already made up her mind." Sweetwhisker and Dewkit watched as the gray leader began to talk to Clouddrop, their voices hushed.
Dewkit suddenly filled with joy. I'm going to be her apprentice! "I knew I was better than Rainkit," she whispered quietly. If Sweetwhisker heard, she said nothing.
The two cats across the clearing broke off their conversation and Fernstar leaped onto the Highledge. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" she called out.
"That's you, kits. Come on!" a raspy, but familiar, voice said.
"Puddlesplash!" Dewkit and Stormkit said in unison.
"Shouldn't you be in the medicine cat den?" Rainkit inquired. Dewkit rolled her eyes; he was already sounding like a medicine cat. Isn't he in for a surprise!
"Nonsense," Puddlesplash coughed. "How could I miss my kit's apprentice ceremony?"
Though Dewkit was happy that their mother was able to be there, she was also worried. Puddlesplash had been weak after a horrible case of white cough and Dewkit wanted to be sure that she was well enough. The three kits walked to the base of the Highlegde together, still bouncing with joy.
"The pas few moons have been most amusing," Fernstar began. "As most of you know, we have two kits fighting for the medicine cat's apprentice spot." Many of Dewkit's clan mates purred with amusement but it just made Dewkit more embarrassed and impatient. "I've discussed this with Clouddrop and she has chosen which kit she will apprentice."
This is it. Dewkit thought. Your big moment!
"Rainkit, please step forward." Dewkit's ears drooped and anger rush in her.
"Rainkit," Fernstar continued. "Clouddrop has informed me that you wish to be her apprentice. Is this true?"
"It is," Rainkit said, excitement pulsing through him.
"Then, from this moment on, until you receive your full medicine cat name, you shall be known as Rainpaw. In a few sunrises, Clouddrop shall take you to the Moonpool where StarClan will accept you as a full medicine cat apprentice." Clouddrop approached Rainpaw and they touched noses. Dewkit could not help but turn away.
As soon as they left the center, Fernstar continued, "Stormkit, please step forward." Dewkit's brother brushed past her to sit beneath Fernstar. "Stormkit, from this moment on until you receive your warrior name you shall be known as Stormpaw. Darkriver, you are ready for an apprentice. You shall be Stormpaw's mentor. I hope that you pass down the lessons of loyalty and courage that Frostclaw taught you." Darkriver and Stormpaw touched noses.
"Dewkit, could you step forward." Almost reluctantly, Dewkit approached the Highledge. "Dewkit, from this moment on until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Dewpaw. Unfortunately, due to recent events, I have not chosen a mentor for you. Instead, you shall be training with…"
"I'll be her mentor!" Dewpaw turned and saw Sweetwhisker standing in the middle of the gather cats. Shocked, she turned back to Fernstar, but the leader sat smiling at the ginger warrior.
"Are you sure, Sweetwhisker?"
Sweetwhisker looked at Dewpaw and smiled. "Yes, I am completely sure."
"Alright then. Sweetwhisker, you shall be Dewpaw's mentor. Teach her the generosity and compassion that Swiftstep taught you." Sweetwhisker walked up to Dewpaw and she felt the ginger warrior's nose on hers.
"Don't worry, kit. I know you will prove yourself."
He could sense something. But what was it? Not prey, not an enemy. More like an emotion. Sadness, loss, death. Where was it? Not here, far away. Cats were crying, screaming, dying. But where was it...?
"Redpaw, keep up!" Redpaw was snapped from his thoughts by his mentor's voice. Poppyrain stood several fox-lengths ahead, tail flicking impatiently. "Unless you don't want to learn how to fight, you can just sit there staring into space!"
"Coming Poppyrain!" the brown and red apprentice quickened his pace to catch up with Honeypaw and her mentor, Timberfoot. Redpaw bowed his head in shame as he reached the dark clearing.
"Now that we're all here," Timberfoot growled, eyes aimed at Redpaw. "Poppyrain and I will be teaching you some simple battle moves. Ready?" He asked, turning to Poppyrain.
"Ready," she replied, though she seemed nervous. That was understandable; Timberfoot was a tough, heavyset warrior. Poppyrain leaped onto Timberfoot who easily shook her off. He ran over to her, sending a powerful paw down on her face. She sputtered, spinning away. Just as she was braced for his attack, she sent her back paws flying towards him. Timberfoot was launched back and had no time to recover as Poppyrain sprang onto his back. She sent her paw, claws sheathed across his back then leaped away. Panting, she sat at the side of the clearing, waiting for Timberfoot to catch his breath. "Was that good enough for you?"
Redpaw sat there, intrigued. He had never seen his mentor as a strong fighter, but it seemed as though she defeated Timberfoot, the best fighter in ShadowClan! He glanced at Honeypaw who seemed disgraced at her mentor's defeat.
Timberfoot looked up at the gray she-cat. "Very good, Poppyrain. I was not expecting the back kick." Turning to the apprentices, he asked, "Did you see what Poppyrain did?"
Honeypaw shook her head, silent as usual. Redpaw, on the other hand, thought he knew the answer. "She allowed you to under-estimated her before surprising you with a powerful move."
Honeypaw and Timberfoot stared at him. Looking past the two, Redpaw could see Poppyrain, her eyes shining in pride. "That's right, Redpaw!" his mentor answered. "Fighting is not just learning battle moves but is also about knowing your opponent. I knew that Timberfoot was stronger than me, but I was faster than him. I used that and the fact that he under-estimated me to my advantage. Now, we will teach you some of the moves we used in our fight and you two can practice on each other. Make sure your claws are sheathed!"
The rest of the morning went by quickly for Redpaw and, by sunhigh, he was covered in moss and mud from the moist ground. While Honeypaw and Timberfoot went back to camp immediately, Poppyrain used this time to teach Redpaw some hunting skills. Once they were back in camp, he had a pelt of leaves instead of fur from when he wrestled a thrush from a bramble bush. Redpaw dropped his thrush into the fresh-kill pile and was about to take another to the elders when he heard his name called.
Turning, he saw Owlpaw, his brother running up. "Hey, Owlpaw! How was training?"
"Great!" Owlpaw exclaimed. "We did a border patrol. RiverClan's been acting really weird recently; have you noticed?"
Redpaw looked at his brother, head cocked to one side. "No, I haven't. How do you define 'weird'?"
"Well, they seemed really disorganized," the brown apprentice began explaining. "There was one brown tabby, um… Otterleap, I believe. He seemed like he wanted to fight. But another one, a golden tabby, tried to stop him saying 'Reedstar does not want to fight. Back off!' or something like that. I thought that Otterleap was their deputy, right?"
Redpaw searched his memory, trying to piece together the mystery. "I guess. I can't remember now."
"Anyway, they finally backed off when Lightningpelt threatened them. Fish-eating cowards."
"Yea, cowards," Redpaw agreed, but he did not think so. A disorganized clan? he thought. A clan where the deputy questions the leader? Doesn't seem likely. Then, suddenly, he felt a new sense was over him. Anger, pain, fear, all bad. What's happening? he asked himself, but he knew he did not have the answer. He felt claws piercing his neck and he gasped before collapsing. Very faintly, off in the distance, he heard his brother call his name, but his was not in ShadowClan anymore. All he could smell was the over powering scent of blood and fish before it all became black.
"Redpaw? Redpaw, are you all right? Can you hear me?" voices filled his head until it was too much and he snapped his eyes open. He was in the medicine cat den, Mintstripe, the medicine cat, towering over him. Behind her, Poppyrain and Redpaw's mother Leafcloud stood, eyes filled with worry.
"Are you alright Redpaw?" Redpaw looked to where the voice came from and saw Ravenstar, his dad's brother, sitting not too far away.
"Yea, I think so," the response came out as a tired whisper.
"See, I told you all he would be fine. Now, out! This den is filled to capacity!" Mintstripe ordered.
"Feel better, Redpaw," Leafcloud said as she walked out. Poppyrain nodded at him as she followed.
"How long until he recovers, Mintstripe?" Ravenstar asked. He was obviously interested with when Redpaw would continue on with his training.
"Not long, Ravenstar. Two days, I predict. I don't want him doing too much strenuous activity."
"Can I still go to the Gathering?" Redpaw asked in a hurry. Both cats looked at him, curious as to why he asked that question right then.
"I think so," Mintstripe replied. "But I want you to sleep in my den until then."
"Yea, sure, whatever you want." Mintstripe and Ravenstar continued to talk but Redpaw paid no attention. He was more concerned with why he collapsed and what these emotions were. More importantly, he wondered why RiverClan seemed to be at civil war and why the emotions allowed him to experience another cat's death.
A/N: So, there you have it, ladies and gentlemen, Chapter 1! As before, I would love reviews, they make my life so much more happy!
What do you think? Do you like my characters? Please review and be polite. Constructive criticism is great.
-Wildheart