Chapter 3

' Sharp Claws of Emotion'

"MOM! I look FINE!" growled Blackkit, soon to be Blackpaw.

Today was my littermate's, Petalkit, Graykit, and my apprentice ceremony.

Blackkit was the last one to get groomed, everybody awaited her at the highrock.

Clawstar's beady yellow eyes looked irratated.

"Today we have several kits ready to become apprentices!" he yowled.

Cheers roared rolled deafeningly through the hollow, excitment danced through every could-be mentor.

For once, there was a smile displayed on Clawstar's battle-worn face.

"Blackkit, step forward." he mewed.

Blackkit bounced to the front of the crowd.

Suprisingly, the colossal tom purred.

"Do you promise to stay loyal to Thunderclan and warrior code even if it costs your life?"

"Yes." Blackkit meowed, keeping her face as sober as possible.

"Then until you have earned your warrior name you shall be known as Blackpaw, I shall be your mentor."

Cheers and gasps of suprise coursed through the clearing, Clawstar hadn't taken an apprentice ever since Mothpaw, who died from a Shadowclan ambush at the Thunderpath.

The dark brown tom leaped from the giant rock, using the grace of a squirrel and touched noses with the newly named Blackpaw.

He whispered something in the apprentice's ear and leapt back onto the rock.

"Graykit, step forward." the leader commanded, the smile washed off his face like it was dipped into water.

The gray tom stepped forward, now in view of the whole clan, pride filled his blue eyes.

"Do you promise to stay loyal to Thunderclan and the warrior code even if it costs your life?" He asked.

"Yes." he meowed, pride lined his statement.

"Then until you have earned your warrior name you shall be known as Graypaw, your mentor shall be Darkshade." yowled Clawstar.

The young warrior dark gray warrior looked suprised, her amber eyes proved it, she maneuvered through the crowd, cheered erupted as she padded toward the front.

Darkshade touched noses with Graypaw, the tom attempted to quell his happiness by digging his claws into the ground.

"Willowkit step forward." he mewed, his smile slightly returning.

I darted through the crowd, excitement boiled in my legs.

"Willowkit, do you promise to stay loyal to Thunderclan and the warrior code even if it costs your life?" he meowed.

"Yes!" I mewed, waving my tail with pride.

"Then until you have earned your warrior name, you shall be known as Willowpaw, your mentor shall be Firecloud." he meowed.

Firecloud blinked in suprise and padded to the large rock.

I touched noses with the dark ginger tom.

I'm going to be a warrior! I'm going to be a warrior! I'm going to be a WARRIOR! I though happily. Everything seemed perfect, only Thornkit and Petalkit remained.

"Thornkit step forward." mewed Clawstar.

My brother sprinted to the front of the clan, leaving a trail of paw-prints behind him.

"That's an eager one," I heard Clawstar whisper, "Do you promise to stay loyal to Thunderclan and the warrior code even if it costs your life?" he asked.

"Yes." Thornkit purred.

"Then until you have earned you warrior name you shall be known as Thornpaw, your mentor shall be Streamfall." after his words Streamfall trodded to the young tom.

They touched noses and moved to the back of the crowd.

"Last but not least, Petalkit step forward."

The brown she-cat hopped to the front of the clan.

"Do you promise to stay loyal to Thunderclan and the warrior code even if it costs your life?" he mewed questioningly.

"Yes,"

"Then until you have earned your warrior name you shall be known as Petalpaw, your mentor will be Sunfur."

The pair of she-cats touched noses and cheers filled the snowy hollow.

"Blackpaw! Clawstar! Graypaw! Darkshade! Willowpaw! Firecloud! Thornpaw! Streamfall! Petalpaw! Sunfur!" the whole of Thunderclan chanted.

"What are we going to do now?" I asked Firecloud once the cheers died down.

"I think a tour." purred Firecloud.

"Okay!" I meowed, "Can Blackpaw come with?"

" Looks like she's busy." mewed Firecloud, pointing with his tail toward the black tail disappearing behind the swishing bushes of the entrance to camp.

I shrugged. "Alright, let's go!" I mewed.

We padded through the bush and bramble entrance.

Scents overwhelmed me, the cool dirt beneath my paws molded into a paw-print. Leaves rustled lazily in the wind, the soothing sound of rushing water sounded nearby.

"It's...It's amazing." I breathed.

"Sure is." meowed Firecloud.

A cracking noise echoed through the forest.

"Oh no... I-It can't be... Willowpaw! Stay here! Do not move at all!" Firecloud hissed and darted into the gorse.

I blinked in suprise. Firecloud never talks that way, I've almost never heard him hiss. Something has to be going on, maybe I should stay with him, just to make sure he doesn't get hurt. I thought with worry.

I stalked through the gorse, thorns grabbed at my pelt.

"Mouse-dung," I hissed quietly.

I followed the scent left by my mentor, I finally caught sight of a ginger clump of fur wavering on a thorny branch.

He must be somewhere... I thought.

I walked for a few more moments, then an opening appeared in the bushline, I peered through a small bush, what I saw...

So many emotions, shock, fear, anger, sadness, it all felt so sharp, like a claw, yet it didn't have to be physical, it all hurt worse than that...

A scarlet pond surrounded my mentor, fresh cuts engulfed his dark ginger pelt...

"Why if it isn't a clan scoundrel...Broken Bones, I think we should take her to Blood Teller for some questioning." a black tom hissed, his scarlet eyes flickered with anger.

"For once I agree." sighed the tom called Broken Bones, he too had scarlet eyes.

I blinked as I realized that they meant me. I crashed through the forest, tripping on ancient tree roots that rested on the forest floor.

"No!" I screeched as I tumbled down a slope, no way I could escape now.

I flailed uselessly at the air as I fell, soon to be greeted by the hard ground.

The toms with red eyes trotted down the slope, as graceful as a elk.

I shook my head, looking at the dark red sticky blood on the stone beside me.

"Is this one even worth trying to recruit?" hissed one tom.

"Maybe not, we'll just offer her to the Tribe of Endless Battles." sighed the other.

"Come on, idiot." the black tom meowed to me.

I hissed weakly and clawed at his face.

He snarled and the last thing I saw was the glint of unsheathed claws, then a rake of excruciating pain... after that... darkness.

Hello! Now it's getting juicy! So yeah, tell me if you like it, and if you didn't read, you may take a name from the allegiances if you give me credit when you use the name! Yay!

QOTD: If you had to be a cat from this book who would you be? P.S. Being a main kitty doesn't make you safe. *Evilness*