Hope you like this new chapter. I don't own warriors or any of its characters.
The next day Rusty awoke. He got dressed in the same clothes he wore the previous night. Rusty ran out of the orphanage after grabbing a small pocket knife. He was about to run off into the forest when he heard Smudge's voice.
"Hi, Rusty. You should have been here an hour ago. You missed the soccer game that was going on. Our team one for the third time in a row." gloated Smudge.
Rusty knew he had to tell Smudge he was leaving.
"I was in the forest last night." started Rusty.
"I forgot. How was it? Did you see any of those freaky cat creatures?" chuckled Smudge.
"Actually I did meet up with some of them. I even got into a fight with one of them." told Rusty.
Smudge was flabbergasted. Rusty never lied to him before, so why would he be lying now.
"You mean there are real cat creatures in the forest. What are they like? How many where there? Did they hurt you? What happened?" excitedly asked Smudge.
Rusty calmed down his best friend.
"They are pretty nice to what I have seen. They asked me to join their Clan. I decided I'm going to join them." confessed Rusty.
Smudge went from being extremely excited to extremely sad.
"You can't go Rusty. I'd miss you too much." complained Smudge.
"You have other friends and family here Smudge. I don't have any family. This could be the chance of a life time for me." stated Rusty.
Rusty said his final goodbye then ran into the forest.
Rusty enjoyed the walk in the forest. Suddenly out of nowhere Lionheart appeared.
"You have a lot to learn. Even the youngest child can tell when someone is watching them. Can you tell if I'm alone?" asked Lionheart.
Rusty looked around the clearing.
"I can tell that Bluestar and Graypaw aren't with you." noted Rusty.
"That's right. But someone else is." stated Lionheart.
A swift ThunderClan warrior came out of hiding. The warrior was male with white hair, white ears and a white tail. He wore the same kilt and thunder necklace as Lionheart. A bow and quiver of arrows were over the warriors back.
"This is Whitestorm. He is one of ThunderClan's senior warriors." introduced Lionheart.
Rusty looked at the white warrior. Was it a trap?
"Relax kid. We're not going to hurt you. We are only here to escort you back to our camp. Try to keep up with us." shouted Whitestorm.
Lionheart and Whitestorm began to run to camp. Rusty had a hard time keeping up with them, but he would have to manage. The two warriors ran at top speed. Rusty fallowed after them, not a complaint out of him.
Soon the two warriors stopped. Rusty tried to catch his breath.
"We are close to camp." stated Lionheart.
Rusty looked around, but all he could see was trees.
"Where is your camp?" asked Rusty.
"Use your nose. You must be able to scent it." hissed Whitestorm.
Rusty closed his eyes and smelt the air. He could smell the scent of other catpeople.
"I can smell other catpeople, lots of them, far too many to count." said Rusty.
Lionheart and Whitestorm exchanged amused looks.
"There will come a time, if you are accepted into the Clan, when you will know each scent by name. We shall be able to teach you how to use your senses properly. We can also use our magic to give you the most basic of our abilities. You will become stronger in both body and mind and you shall be able to see in the dark as we do." explained Lionheart.
Rusty liked the thought of becoming stronger and being able to see in the dark. The three entered the camp. Rusty couldn't believe his eyes. The camp was huge.
There were about ten tents set throughout the camp. Catpeople of all ages where around the camp doing different things. Most of them were talking to each other.
"Just after sunhigh, when the day is hottest, is the time for sharing tongues." stated Lionheart.
Rusty tilted his head in confusion.
"Sharing tongues?" echoed Rusty.
Whitestorm got Rusty's attention.
"The Clan always spends time talking amongst ourselves and sharing news of the day. We call it sharing tongues. It is a custom that binds the Clan together." exclaimed Whitestorm.
Rusty understood what Whitestorm was talking about. Some of the clan was looking over to Rusty. Most of them looked surprised or startled by his presence. He thought he must seem strange having no cat ears or a tail what's so ever and on top of that dressed in such strange clothing.
Whitestorm and Lionheart moved to one of the larger tents. Rusty fallowed them to the tent. To Rusty's standard the tent could have at least hold over twenty people.
"This tent and the two beside it are part of the nursery. The one in front of use is use for expecting mother and nursing queens." started Lionheart.
Lionheart pointed to the next tent over.
"That tent is for queens with children who are older than a year." continued Lionheart.
Lionheart then guided Rusty's attention to the final tent, far to his right.
"That tent is for the queens with children two to three years of becoming apprentices. The queens no matter how old their own children are will help out another queen and watch another's child when necessary." finished Lionheart
Just then a pale ginger haired queen came out of the nursery tent. She wore the lose deer hide dress of the ThunderClan queens.
"Who's that?" asked Rusty
Whitestorm looked at the passing queen.
"That is Goldenflower. She is one of the queens with older children. It is truly sad about the father of her oldest son, Swiftkit, died all those years ago to an adder bite. Luckily her new mate, Tigerclaw, was able to keep her on her feet. Her two youngest children, Bramblekit and Tawnykit, are Tigerclaw's children. All three will make fine warriors some day." swore Whitestorm.
"How old are Goldenflower's children?" wondered Rusty.
"Swiftkit is eight. Bramblekit and Tawnykit being twins are the same age. They should be turning five in half a moon or sooner." answered Whitestorm.
Lionheart looked at Rusty.
"Even thought she does not nurse any of her own children, Goldenflower still nurses some of the other children when their mothers are busy. All cats serve the Clan. Loyalty is the first law in our warrior code, a lesson you must learn quickly if you are to stay with us." explained Lionheart.
"Here comes Bluestar." warned Whitestorm.
Rusty looked to see the old silver-blue haired Clan leader approach.
"I see he came." happily said Bluestar.
"Lionheart was convinced he would stay in the Twolegplace." replied Whitestorm.
Bluestar looked at the two warriors before continuing to talk.
"What do you think of him?" asked Bluestar.
"He kept up with us on the return journey. He never complained once. He certainly seems strong for a kittypet." admitted Whitestorm.
"So it is agreed?' wondered Bluestar.
The two warriors nodded at their leader.
"Then I shall announce his arrival to the Clan." stated Bluestar.
Bluestar climbed onto a rock twice as tall as her. The rock looked like it could hold up to five fully grown people. A small tent was beside the large rock.
"Let all those catpeople old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting." yelled Bluestar.
Everyone who was an apprentice or older walked to the Highrock, where Bluestar stood. Lionheart and Whitestorm jumped onto the Highrock. Rusty fallowed after them.
From the top of the Highrock Rusty could see Graypaw's familiar face. Bluestar continued with her speech.
"ThunderClan needs more warriors. Never before have we had so few apprentices in training. It has been decided that ThunderClan will take in an outsider to train as a warrior." announced Bluestar.
There was uproar amongst the Clan.
"Lucky to become an apprentice." called a male voice.
Rusty looked at the one who had interrupted Bluestar. It was a boy about seventeen with pail tabby hair in a ponytail. He wore a thunderbolt necklace meaning he was a warrior. The young warrior's ears and tail were showing pure anger. Bluestar ignored the warrior's threats.
"Lionheart and Whitestorm have met this young boy and they agree with me that we should train him as an apprentice of ThunderClan." finished Bluestar.
Rusty looked to Lionheart, then to the rest of the Clan. Hundreds of questions came from the throats of the Clan. One voice stuck out above the rest.
"Look at his clothing and you can tell by his stench that he is a kittypet. Once a kittypet, always a kittypet. This Clan need wild born warriors to defend it, not another useless mouth that needs feeding. Who agrees with me?' shouted the male voice.
It was the pale haired warrior again. Most of the Clan started to yowl their agreements with him. Lionheart began to whisper in Rusty's ear.
"That warrior is Longtail. He smells your fear. They all do. You must prove that your fear won't hold you back. Do you back down from a challenge?" whispered Lionheart.
Rusty pinpointed Longtail's position. Taking out his pocket knife, Rusty lunged at the young warrior. Longtail was completely unprepared for Rusty's attack. The two began to fight.
Longtail used his speed and agility over Rusty. The only thing that kept the fight fair was that Longtail didn't have any weapons. Rusty slashed his pocket knife at Longtail's shoulder. He missed by a hair.
The two kept circling each other looking for the perfect time to strike. Rusty took his knife and actually cut a deep gash into one of Longtail's ears. Longtail felt the running down from his ear.
"You'll pay for that kittypet." swore Longtail.
Longtail swept under Rusty's legs tripping him. Rusty fell to the cold ground. Longtail was about to strike when Bluestar interrupted.
"Stop, that's enough. The newcomer has gone up against Longtail in a battle for his honor. Though Longtail is stronger than this young kittypet he still fought well against Longtail. StarClan has spoken its approval. The kittypet is free to join ThunderClan." shouted Bluestar.
Bluestar climbed back onto the Highrock to finish her announcement.
"From this day forward, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice will be called Firepaw, in honor of his flame-coloured hair." declared Bluestar.
"Firepaw, Firepaw, Firepaw." cheered ThunderClan.
Rusty liked the sound of his new name.
"I guess I should start calling myself Firepaw instead of Rusty from now on." thought Firepaw.
Longtail silently growled and walked to one of the smaller tents. The Clan started to separate. Firepaw easily found Graypaw waiting for him.
"Great fight Firepaw. Especially for a kittypet. Longtail's a warrior, but he's still pretty young. The scar you left in his ear won't make him forget about you too soon. You've spoiled his good looks, that's for sure." chuckled Graypaw.
"Thanks Graypaw. He put up quite a fight though." stated Firepaw.
Firepaw looked around the clearing, but there was no sign of Longtail.
"Where did Longtail creep off?" wondered Firepaw.
"He's most likely heading towards Spottedleaf's tent." answered Graypaw.
"Who's Spottedleaf?" asked Firepaw.
"She's our medicine-woman. Not bad-looking either. Younger and a lot prettier than most the other medicine-women around." replied Graypaw.
A powerful looking male warrior approached Graypaw and Firepaw.
"Darkstripe." gulped Graypaw.
Darkstripe had short gray-black hair, ears and tail. He was extremely muscled. His kilt was ragged from many previous battles. The clan necklace hung tight to his neck nearly choking him. Firepaw felt weak in the presence of the older warrior.
"Lucky Bluestar stopped the fight when it did. Longtail is a young warrior, but I can't imagine him losing to a lowly kittypet." grumbled Darkstripe.
Once Darkstripe was out of hearing range Graypaw leaned onto Firepaw.
"Now Darkstripe is neither young, nor pretty." whispered Graypaw.
Firepaw was about to agree with his new friend when an elderly long gray haired woman interrupted.
"Smallear smells trouble." exclaimed Graypaw.
Firepaw barely had time to respond when a young ThunderClan apprentice bumped into him. The apprentice couldn't be any older than Firepaw. The apprentice was male and had pure black hair, pointed ears and a black tail with a white tip. His kilt was torn and stained with blood.
"That's Ravenpaw. What's he doing here alone? Where's Tigerclaw?" wondered Graypaw
"Who are Ravenpaw and Tigerclaw?" asked Firepaw.
Firepaw could remember Whitestorm mentioning Tigerclaw's name, but said nothing else about him besides he was Goldenflower's mate.
"Ravenpaw's an apprentice like us. Tigerclaw is his mentor. They went on a mission with Redtail and a few others at sunrise. They were on a mission against RiverClan. The lucky furball." said Graypaw.
"Redtail?" echoed Firepaw.
"He's the deputy, second in command of ThunderClan. But why has Ravenpaw come back alone without Redtail or Tigerclaw?" questioned Graypaw.
Bluestar ran to the ingered apprentice.
"Ravenpaw? What's happened? Where is Redtail and Tigerclaw?" worriedly asked Bluestar.
No one in the Clan was ready for what Ravenpaw said next.
"Redtail is dead!" shouted Ravenpaw.
I just had to leave it at that. Leave a comment if you like the story.