Okay, I keep forgetting to put this in but I just wanted to say that if any of you have already read the original version of this story, just know it's going to be completely different. From names to character personality changes, just be aware that the original story will have some key hints about what will happen but that it will also be very different from this version. I'm also taking OC's for future cats (I need rouges). Thanks and enjoy this chapter!
Shadowkit's P.O.V
It had been only a moon since Violetpaw's exile and already things had changed within the clan. For starters Driftedleaf was found dead near the Thunderpath, although it looked like he had been hit by a monster, many believed that Violetpaw might had killed him and left his body on the Thunderpath to hide the evidence. Of course there was also the fact that Hailkit had passed on to Starclan, although surprising it wasn't unexpected. His condition had begun to deteriorate about a moon before Violetpaw's exile and shortly after he had a difficult time breathing and then one morning he didn't wake up. Hailkit had slipped into the afterlife while he slept, peaceful in Shadowkit's opinion. He had been suffering for a while, but Lavendersky and Spiderstar grieved heavily for the loss of their kit and Shadowkit's heart went out to them. Quailkit had become an apprentice just days later with Yellowflower as her mentor.
Then there was the fact that her own apprentice ceremony was today. Shadowkit wished that Hailkit had the chance to become a warrior and she felt slightly guilty that she did. If any cat deserved a chance at being a warrior it was him.
Shadowkit was pulled from her thoughts as Spiderstar's voice rang out in camp. Gathering herself, Shadowkit pulled herself to her paws and padded over to the center of camp. On one side of her was Skykit, who upon seeing her messy pelt scoffed, and on the other was Brackenkit. She turned her attention onto Spiderstar as he appeared on Jagged Rock.
She waited as each kit became apprentices and watched with curious eyes, trying to figure out who could possibly be her mentor. Smokepaw went to Ravencall, Redpaw to Winterfall, Brackenpaw to Goldenhoney, Skypaw to Swiftnight, and Lightningpaw to Stormcry. Now it was her turn, as she stepped out Shadowkit could hear the muttering of her clanmates.
"Who's going to be her mentor?"
"Hope it's not me."
"I certainly wouldn't mind an apprentice, just not the cursed one."
Shadowkit bit her lip as Spiderstar stared down at her with dark eyes. He had known that she and Hailkit had been close, Shadowkit wouldn't be surprised if he thought she had something to do with Hailkit's death.
"Shadowkit, from this day forward you are Shadowpaw. Your mentor will be…" Spiderstar trailed off as he scanned the clan, "Leopardberry"
There were a few gasps of shock and relief, Shadowpaw turned to face her new mentor. The golden dappled she-cat stared down at her with disgust. As the clan cheered the new apprentices, leaving Shadowpaw out, Leopardberry motioned for her to follow. Shadowpaw remained silent as they left camp, a first time for her as she struggled up the path. Leopardberry not slowing down in the slightest. They walked for a while before a strong scent overtook the area.
Leopardberry stopped causing Shadowpaw to almost slam into her. Her mentor snarled viciously at that.
"This is the Riverclan border, do at least try to remember that." Leopardberry huffed, her eyes were scanning across the river. Shadowpaw looked to the other side and saw the flash of a pelt in the reeds. She bounded after Leopardberry who had already began to move on. All that Shadowpaw could hope for was that she wouldn't get lost later on.
It was just after dusk when Shadowpaw collapsed into her new nest. She shifted to get more comfortable, the nest was made of fresh moss and some bracken. Her green eyes flickered up from her nest in the corner to watch the others.
Skypaw was bragging to Redpaw and Smokepaw about her battle training. Nearby, Lightningpaw, Brackenpaw, and Quailpaw all were sharing fresh-kill. Suddenly there was a heavy weight laying on Shadowpaw's shoulders. She looked to see Lionpaw, she had been so preoccupied observing her den-mates she hadn't sensed the tom was there. He looked at her with a blank stare before poking the tip of his tongue out at her.
Shadowpaw snorted lightly at the purple eyed tom.
"You're weird." Shadowpaw huffed as Lionpaw moved to lay next to her. By now she had noticed that he had moved his nest next to hers.
"And you're sad, again." Lionpaw mumbled as he dragged a paw over his ear.
Shadowpaw sighed, there was no hiding any emotion from Lionpaw, "Leopardberry left me after the tour to make me find my own way back to camp. I ended up by the Two-leg Place, I found the dusk patrol and came back with them."
Lionpaw made a noise of understanding, before waving his tail to Silverpaw who had just entered the den. The silvery tom saw that Lionpaw had moved his nest and did the same, Silverpaw plopped into his nest which was now on the other side of Shadowpaw.
"What are we talking about?" Silverpaw asked, Shadowpaw noticed that he was covered in dust.
But, before she could answer Lionpaw did, "Leopardberry's lack of mentoring skills."
Silverpaw snorted but he didn't disagree with his littermate. Shadowpaw used her tail to whack Silverpaw's side releasing a cloud of dust and dirt, some of it ended up flinging over to where Skypaw was and made Skypaw sneeze. The pretty calico sent a disgusted glare at them before returning to her conversation with Smokepaw and Redpaw.
It was starting to get late, so shifting into a more comfortable position Shadowpaw began to drift off to sleep with the two brothers on either side of her.
Half a moon later~
"Come on Shadowpaw! We'll be leaving for the Gathering soon!" Silverpaw chirped, his dark blue eyes were sparkling. Shadowpaw huffed from where she was stuffing her face with a vole. She licked her muzzle clean before padding over to him.
Silverpaw would be attending the Gathering with her, but Lionpaw was staying behind. The other new apprentices were also going, Shadowpaw looked over to where her littermates were being fussed over by Coldheart. Lightningpaw was disgruntled at this, his expression was akin to that of fox-dung under his nose. Meanwhile Skypaw was sitting nearby in all her glory with Smokepaw chatting to her excitedly. Shadowpaw couldn't help but roll her eyes, it was obvious to everyone but Skypaw that Smokepaw was infatuated with her.
As the group got together Shadowpaw and Silverpaw decided to stay towards the back of the group as to avoid Skypaw and the others. Shadowpaw glanced at where her mentor was, Leopardberry was in conversation with her mate Addershriek. She knew that Leopardberry despised her, the dappled she-cat had made that clear by abandoning her countless times during patrols and training. At this point Shadowpaw had taken to joining Silverpaw and Lionpaw during their training. In the beginning she had struggled to keep up with them but now Shadowpaw could confidently say that she was doing just as well as them.
Shadowpaw fell into a moderate pace as the group began to make their way to the Gathering. Along the way to the Gathering, Shadowpaw and Silverpaw chatted happily as the older apprentice told her about his friends from the other clans.
"I know Frozenpaw from Windclan but she doesn't really talk, and then there's Nightpaw and Crystalpaw, they're from Riverclan. They're real nice but Crystalpaw is a little self-centered." Silverpaw mewed, his whiskers twitching with excitement for the Gathering.
Shadowpaw purred in amusement before responding, "What about Shadowclan, do they have any apprentices?"
Silverpaw looked at her in surprise for a moment before replying, "At the last Gathering I went to they didn't have any apprentices but one of their new warriors, Ferretnose I think his name was, said that they had some kits that were due to be apprentices so they might have some now."
She hummed in acknowledgment as they neared the Fourtrees. The group entered the hollow, Shadowpaw realized that the only clan missing was Riverclan. She scanned the Gathering, Shadowpaw turned her attention to Great Rock and saw two cats sitting up there. Silverpaw now realizing who she was looking at turned to her.
"The black tom is Wolfstar of Windclan and Hollowstar of Shadowclan, their deputies are Emberfang and Burnedrain." Silverpaw mewed as he led her towards the crowd. Shadowpaw nodded as they passed by many cats and came to a group of apprentices, however Skypaw and the other Thunderclan apprentices were already there. Silverpaw approached a ginger Windclan apprentice, a grin spreading across his face.
"Hey Duskpaw! It's been a while." Silverpaw greeted the other apprentice who returned his greeting with an equally happy chirp.
"Indeed! Who's this?" Duskpaw asked, he eyed her curiously with a small head tilt.
"I'm Shadowpaw." She responded, her tail twitching.
The ginger tom nodded before a yowl from the edge of the hollow announced the arrival of Riverclan. Everyone's attention turned to the fish-smelling cats as their leader Sunnystar joined the other clan leaders on Great Rock. Shadowpaw shifted into a sitting position next to Silverpaw as the announcements started.
Spiderstar stepped up first, "Prey runs well in Thunderclan, we also have several new apprentices with us this Gathering. That is all."
The gray and black tom went back to his original spot as Wolfstar took his place.
"Prey is also plentiful in Windclan, we have three new warriors. Their names are Rabbitfur, Breezestep, and Tawnyfeather." Wolfstar began, "However, Windclan has also scented rogues at the border of Riverclan. Keep an eye out for any intruders."
The cats gathered began to whisper among themselves as Hollowstar came forward. Shadowpaw's eyes narrowed at the Shadowclan leader. She could vaguely remember him from the attack that killed her father, but he wasn't Boulderclash's killer. But, that didn't mean that she didn't hate him, after all it was because of him did the attack ever happen.
"Shadowclan has full bellies this moon along with two new apprentices, Sparrowpaw and Dogpaw." Hollowstar reported, as he stepped back Sunnystar roughly shoved passed the tabby. Hollowstar face twisted into a look of disgust as Sunnystar took her place.
"Although Riverclan has been catching many fish, we have scented Shadowclan on our territory. Let it be known that if any Shadowclan cat is found on Riverclan land they will be killed." Sunnystar snarled before leaping off Great Rock and leaving with her clan just as quickly as they had arrived.
The voices of the clans that remained grew in volume as Shadowpaw pressed into Silverpaw's pelt. The blue eyed tom nosed her and motioned towards Spiderstar who was gathering the patrol to head back to camp. Getting to her paws Shadowpaw followed her friend back to camp.
