Fun Fact; I imagine that the clan cats don't see in color like we do, but how cats see, but I imagine that our writing is translated from cat to human so whatever color is being said is different than what cats see. if that makes sense. - Also, note that the valley clans have a lot of kittypet's roots, and they use more human-like terms, such as "grandfather" and "grandmother", but they don't use "aunt" or "nephews". They also are a bit more informed on the ways of two-legs, but not by much. Other things not cannon to the warrior cats language may also be used
A Tale of Seven: The Way of the Apprentices: Winding Path
Chapter Two
Volepaw, the short-furred gray tom of FallenClan, padded through the tunnels. He was on patrol duty today. That meant he had to dedicate all of his time to patrols, specifically border and tunnel watch patrols. While other apprentices, like his brother, may complain that they wanted to hunt or wanted to dig or wanted to train, he was fine with patrol duty. He was simple-minded, and he didn't mind doing anything his leader asked him to do. Patrol duty was usually for warriors, anyway, so this just meant he was a good apprentice, and would become a warrior soon. Perhaps even before his brother. Not that Briarstar would do that, being so kin-stingy.
Volepaw slunk through a thin hole, squeezing through and popping out on the other side. Volepaw shook out the dirt from his fur, and made a mental note to tell those on digger duty today that they needed to redig the tunnels closest to the Gathering Place. If he remembered correctly, his brother, Deerleap, Newtfur and Driftpuddle were on digger duty.
That's how his clan worked. Every day, his leader, Briarstar, assigned each cat to a duty. Patrol duty was when you go on patrols: Hunting patrols, border patrol and tunnel watch patrols. Tunnel watch patrol was the one he was on right now. One, two or three cats patrolled the tunnels, looking for dents and holes for those on digger duty to patch up. Digger duty is when you dig tunnels, patch up and rebuild old ones, and make sure everything's sturdy. Hunting duty is when you spent the day hunting for your clan. Guard duty is when you watch the main entrances or the territory above, mainly to make sure BrokenClan isn't stealing prey. Typically, cats on digger duty and hunting duty got time to train, while those on patrol and guard duty had to dedicate their whole day, only stopping for a meal.
Volepaw had a good memory, so he knew which cat was on which duty. He, Poolfoot, Sparkfern, and Lightningshine were on patrol duty. Brindlefoot and Graybreeze were on guard duty. Featherfoot, Morningpelt and Shadepad were on hunting duty. Briarstar herself was watching camp, or the river in their hidden camp. Hawkspots, FallenClan medicine cat, would be organizing his herbs or out looking for more.
Volepaw did a lap around the tunnels, coming back to the thin hole and squeezing through it. He liked the calmness that the tunnels gave him. The darkness was welcoming, hiding him, making him unseen. He didn't mind the dirty air because of how he had long ago adjusted to it. Volepaw brushed against the walls, feeling dirt cling to his fur. While other cats may find it ticklish and annoying to have flecks of dirt in their pelts, he found it comforting. It was a sign he was in his home, his domain. He padded further into the tunnel, closer to camp. The camp no one but FallenClan and FallenClan's ancestors knew about. But first, he would have to pass an entrance.
Making a right, and then a left almost immediately, light began to seep into the tunnel. Volepaw flinched, eyes adjusting to the harsh light. A long-haired gray tom with darker stripes and dark blue eyes that gleamed through the darkness beside the light stood guarding the entrance. He blinked, dipping his head in respect to the senior warrior. Graybreeze dipped his head the apprentice. Volepaw flicked his ear and passed on by. That was something he liked about Graybreeze. He didn't need words to understand the young tom. To be honest, Volepaw thought of him more like a father figure than his own father, Newtfur. Graybreeze had been there when Volepaw's brother had pushed him into the ancient river. Graybreeze had been there when Volepaw caught his first mouse. Graybreeze had taught him how to tunnel properly. In fact, Graybreeze was an even better mentor than Lightningshine. Lightningshine was not a good mentor, at all. He never explained things properly and always left training sessions half-finished. Since Poppyjump had been expecting his kits, he was worse than ever. And Briarstar let him. She held kin above clan, and she let Lightningshine ignore his apprentice in favor of his mate and unborn kits.
Volepaw stayed going forward, ignoring each detour in the tunnels. The reason why other clan cats could never find FallenClan's hidden camp was because, one, they couldn't get into the tunnels because of those on guard duty and tunnel watch patrols, and two, they thought the way there would be more complicated. But not even the most experienced warrior could remember every tunnel made, so why make the way to camp so difficult? Volepaw kept padding forward, and forward, until he came to a fork in the tunnels. He veered left, because right was never right. Or at least, that's how Graybreeze put it. That's the only way Volepaw could remember how to get to camp. Another fork, and he went left again. The way to camp was straight ahead. He could already hear the echo's of playful shrieks and giggles of Kestrelkit and Spottedkit
He slipped into the cave. A river ran along the right side, disappearing into the walls. On the other side, the left side, a boulder rose from the ground. Moss peaked out from behind it, indicating the leader's den. Other spots of moss littered the ground along the wall of the large cave. Here, in the camp of FallenClan, they had no dens, beside the leader's den and the medicine herb supply, which was in a dent in the bottom of a wall and the ground below it, right next to the main entrance of the camp. On the other side, opposite of the entrance, was a smaller escape exit. It was also the quickest way to leave for a cat who had to make dirt. It was much more zig-zaggy, but it had no other tunnels connecting to it. It was steep, and long, and lead all the way to the border with PondClan. It was well hidden though, because it's entrance was hidden right under a tree that you had to squeeze through. One might mistake it for an old rabbit's den.
A red-brown, white and black blur tumbled by. Graybreeze and Sparrowtail's kits. Volepaw wondered how the two cats had fell in love. Sparrowtail was snappy and aggressive, and always spat in Graybreeze's fur. They didn't seem to mesh well together.
The kits unfolded, tackling Volepaw's paws. "Volepaw!" They squealed excitedly.
Volepaw purred, raspy and rough from lack of use. "Hello kits."
Kestrelkit nudged Volepaw's chin eagerly. "What are you doing? Anything fun?"
"Just patrol duty," Volepaw rasped. Spottedkit wiggled his paws.
"I would have wanted to be on hunting duty! Way better!" Spottedkit announced. Kestrelkit bumped his brother's shoulder with his own.
"Nuh-uh! Digger duty is the best!" Kestrelkit squeaked. Spottedkit nipped his ears and the two kits began play-fighting. Volepaw watched them, before padding over to the prey pile and taking a day-old vole nobody wanted. He sat in front of the boulder, chewing his prey slowly. A scrawny dark gray tom with shadow-piercing yellow eyes padded into the center of the camp, sitting down and curling around a fuzzy, short-legged gray tom with dark green eyes. The older tom nuzzled the apprentice lovingly. Volepaw shuffled his paws uncomfortingly. The apprentice was Volepaw's brother, Fuzzypaw, and the other cat was his mentor, and father.
Newtfur.
Ever since Sunnyspots had died giving birth to Volepaw and Fuzzypaw, his clanmates claimed he had changed. Volepaw wouldn't know. Newtfur praising and favoring Fuzzypaw was all he knew. He ignored Volepaw, and while he never talked badly to him, he never showed any affection to Volepaw. Volepaw believed it was because Fuzzypaw had Sunnyspots's eyes. The worst part was that Briarstar let Newtfur mentor Fuzzypaw, despite them being kin. Or maybe that was why.
Briarstar really praised the whole "kin above all".
Volepaw didn't like how she lead, but the clan supported her, so he supposed he had to too. Brindlefoot wasn't even that good of a deputy, and he knew it. That's why he got so sour when other clan cats questioned his deputyship, and whether he earned it or if Briarstar just wanted kin as a deputy. Brindllefoot was kind at heart, but the awkward situation made him bitter. Volepaw also knew that Briarstar didn't like her sister, Sparkfern, because Briarstar believed Sparkfern played a part in the death of their mother and other sister. The only reason he knew that was because of Brindlefoot's murmurings when he got anxious. Everyone in the clan could pick up Briarstar's negativity towards Sparkfern, though they didn't know why she held such bitter feelings towards her sister when she held kin so high.
Volepaw was caught by surprise when he was knocked over half through his meal. Volepaw stiffened up, preparing for an attack, but he felt his face fall when he heard familiar annoying, girlish giggles.
Volepaw stood up, knocking the cat off him. A gray mass fell to the ground, paw over his muzzle and on his back. Volepaw stood, frowning, but not moving away from the disruptive cat. The cat, after his bought of giggles, flipped over and hopped up, nudging Volepaw's checks.
"You should have seen the look on our face!" Fuzzypaw mewed. His voice was high-pitched, giggly, squeaky, yet taunting, arrogant and smug all at the same time. Volepaw merely looked away, not wanting to stare into the dark green eyes. A reminder he would never be like his mother, and thus, never win his father's affections. Not that he wanted it. It was broken, rotten and old anyway.
Fuzzypaw struck Volepaw's shoulder playfully. "C'mon, scaredy mouse, I wanna have a match!"
'So I can role over and let you win? No thanks,' Volepaw thought bitterly. He waved his tail in dismisal, eyes scanning for his father to make sure he wasn't in camp. He'd rather not have Newtfur pressuring him to fight Fuzzypaw, only to lose just to boost his confidence. Volepaw knew he could out-wit and out-fight Fuzzypaw if the match was played fair and square. His father was nowhere to be found. Volepaw let out a sigh of relief.
Fuzzypaw nudged him again. "Not even gonna respond?" Fuzzypaw huffed, hitting Volepaw's shoulder harder. Fuzzypaw frowned and lashed his tail. If Volepaw was quiet, his brother would leave him. "Fine!" Fuzzypaw sniffed daintily. "I'll just go bother Brownlight and put live beetles in Berrystrike's nest!" Fuzzypaw turned tail and walked over to the two elders, buzzing with annoying comments and questions.
Volepaw felt his shoulders relax. Even though he would have rather have Fuzzypaw annoy him to spare the elders, it was nice to not be bothered by Fuzzypaw for a chance.
Volepaw stretched his shoulders, hearing a satisfying pop. Living under the tunnels could be compact, and would often put stress on your shoulders and neck with all the bending down you had to do. The only thing Volepaw wanted from Fuzzypaw was his small size.
Morningpelt, a plump pale ginger tabby she-cat with amber eyes, padded over to Volepaw.
"Hey Volepaw," she mewed politely, taking a brown mouse from the fresh-kill pile and laying down beside Volepaw. "Do you know who's on digger duty?"
Volepaw gulped down a bite of his prey. "Fuzzypaw, Newtfur, Deerleap and Driftpuddle."
Morningpelt shook out her pelt. "Thank you. When I was hunting a rabbit a tunnel collapsed on it."
Volepaw flicked his ear. "Which tunnel?"
"Oh, the one near the Gathering Place, and the closest one to SpruceClan's borders," Morningpelt informed him. Volepaw gave a nod. While their tunnels stretched far and wide, they faded out near BrokenClan and SpruceClan's borders.
Volepaw finished his vole and stood up, waving his tail goodbye to Morningpelt, and padding over to Fuzzypaw. Fuzzypaw, like he said, was bothering Brownlight. Volepaw caught his attention with a wave of his paw.
"A tunnel nearest the Gathering Place and SpruceClan's borders fell," Volepaw told him emotionlessly.
"So?" Fuzzypaw flicked his tail. "Not my problem."
"Could be, youngster," Brownlight said. From the irritated look on his face, Volepaw could tell he wanted Fuzzypaw out of his fur. "Besides, aren't ye on diggin' duty?" Volepaw found it ironic how Brownlight talked like he was seasons old, when really, he had retired to the elder's den because a tunnel collapse had broken his hind leg, and he had inhaled too much dirt and dust, which left him with a raspy voice and breathing problems. Volepaw, when he was a kit, remembered when Brownlight was just a warrior, and perhaps Graybreeze's best friend.
Fuzzypaw rolled his eyes. "Yeah." He leaned back on his paws. "But I don't wanna get dirt in my fur. Why don't you go tell Deerleap or Driftpuddle to fix it?"
"You should be doing your fair share of work," Berrystrike, the fluffy creamy tabby elder, snapped. He lashed his tail. "Apprentices have been slacking off ever since I became an elder."
Fuzzypaw scrunched up his nose and flattened his ears. "That's what every elder says."
"And it's true!" Berrystrike growled. "Why would we say it if it wasn't true?"
Fuzzypaw huffed, rolling his eyes. "You're old, you don't know anything."
"I've lived a longer life than you! I've seen more things than you could ever dream of! I fought Tinystar's ancestors!" Berrystrike hissed, puffing out his fur and raising his voice. Volepaw awkwardly twitched his ears, unsure if he should interrupt the swiftly heating argument.
"Oh please! Tinystar's ancestors are PondClan's problem, not ours! Why would you fight for them?" Fuzzypaw scoffed, waving his tail angrily.
Berrystrike sneered. "Back then we were allied with PondClan! We didn't have to fight every clan we have a border with." Berrystrike's eyes flashed towards Briarstar's rock. Volepaw knew the tom was not a fan of the pale gray and white she-cat's leadership, but he never spoke out against it.
"Back then PondClan almost found the dirt-place tunnel leading straight to our camp!" Fuzzypaw fluffed up his neck fur and unsheathed his claws. Volepaw crouched down a bit, ready to stop a fight between the elder and apprentice. "Do you want to end up like SpruceClan and BrokenClan? Prancing around on other clan's lands or letting PondClan take our prey?"
"Don't bring BrokenClan and SpruceClan into this! You don't know what their alliance let's them do, so don't assume. And beside, if they've done so well, why can't we with another clan?" Berrystrike argued. Volepaw blinked. He wondered what SpruceClan and BrokenClan did let each other do and what their alliance was for. But that wasn't the topic right now.
Fuzzypaw lashed his tail. "You don't know the first thing about being a clan cat. Wasn't your mother a rogue?"
Berrystrike seemed taken back. "A half-rogue, half-clan cat, yes, but-"
Fuzzypaw gave a bounce. "There! You're grandfather was a traitor to his clan!"
Berrystrike scrunched up his nose, showing a fang. "That doesn't prove anything. My heritage don't matter!"
Fuzzypaw smirked. "Briarstar would disagree. So would my father."
Berrystrike lashed his tail. "They won't do anything. I'm an elder! I've served this clan my whole life!" Berrystrike stood up. Brownlight cowered beside him, and sent a confused, worried glance at Volepaw. Fuzzypaw bristled and raised a paw, ready to strike.
"Fuzzypaw! Berrystrike!" A voice radiating authority and power yowled. Volepaw turned around to see the pale gray and white shape of Briarstar moving towards the two cats who were about to fight. "What is going on here?"
Berrystrike turned to her as she trotted up to them. "This here apprentice-" he pointed his tail at Fuzzypaw. "-has been disrespecting me and annoying the fluff out of my fur!"
Fuzzypaw fluffed out, eyes flashing with fear. "He was speaking treason! He said we should be more like SpruceClan and BrokenClan!"
Berrystrike whipped his head towards the fuzzy apprentice. "I said no such thing!"
Fuzzypaw opened his mouth to argue back, but Briarstar shove her tail in his face. "Quiet! Both of you!" Briarstar glared at them. "Berrystrike, as an elder, you should know better than to let a petty disagreement cause harm. Fuzzypaw, don't disrespect your elders. They've done more for you than you've ever known. When you become an elder, you'll understand yourself. Brownlight, why don't you take Berrystrike out for a walk. Fuzzypaw, go get Newtfur. He can decide your punishment." And with that, Briarstar turned tail and walked away. Brownlight mumbled something to Berrystrike, who begrudgingly turned around and followed Brownlight out of the cave. Fuzzypaw sniffed and padded past Volepaw, completely ignoring him, and searching out Newtfur. Volepaw gave an irritated scowl. Newtfur wouldn't punish at all, if Fuzzypaw even told him about it. Briarstar had too much trust in kin.
Volepaw searched out Deerleap. He had seen the long-legged brown she-cat when he entered camp.
He should go tell her about the collapsed tunnel.
So many bitters in this! So, what's your opinion of FallenClan? Of Volepaw, and his family? Graybreeze? How do you like this story so far?
Seems FallenClan is falling out at its roots. Disrespectful apprentices, tempered elders, stubborn leaders, nervous deputies, clumsy medicine cats, bad parents, bad mentors, and one pure Graybreeze.
Leave a critique or review!
-Lolling
