Authors note: As always, thank you Silvershine and Wildcroconaw for reviewing on the former chapter and here comes the new one! Not much else to mention here now, other than you better read on, and things get a tad bit more exciting this chapter and the next one! (Horary for me actually writing out a story-line and not just having a vague idea each chapter.) So read on and tell me how it is.
Chapter Five: Fake Fierceness
Coalpaw's fur shook with anticipation as he looked at Redpaw, seeing his emotions mirrored in his brother's eyes.
"Are you ready for this?" Redpaw mewed, looking over his shoulder at the cluster of Windclan cats that gathered by the camp entrance, Gorsestar at the head of them and ready to go.
"The real question is whether he feels like he can." Jaybird mewed, padding up to the two apprentices. "Are you going to be okay with Thunderclan being there, Coalpaw?"
Coalpaw thought of the scar on his shoulder, and the itching that sometimes happened on the cut above his eyes, but shrugged. They were healed enough that he was fine, and tonight was the full moon, the gathering where after he could meet with the dangerous tom. Dangerous is right, Coalpaw. Be careful. A voice whispered in his ear, and Coalpaw shivered, trying to ignore the guilty feeling it gave him. "I'll do fine." He finally mewed to Jaybird.
Jaybird nodded happily, and Gorsestar let out the yowl for Windclan to proceed off to the gathering. Coalpaw followed the path with his mind, how they would make their way past the horse-place and at the edge of the lake through Riverclan territory and cross the fallen tree onto the island. Gorsestar had finally showed him the territory of the lake, and he liked to think he knew where everything was.
"Hurry up Coalpaw!" Stormpaw hissed at him, and Minnowpaw, who was standing next to the grey tom, gave Coalpaw a hard look. A look that said, Yeah, listen to the older apprentices.
Coalpaw huffed at Stormpaw, but started walking a bit faster. It seemed like Minnowpaw liked the rude tom, but that was none of his business. Turning his head forward, Coalpaw concentrated on getting to the island.
They got there faster than he thought, after passing the horses in a one-by-one line, they moved quickly to the island, and before he knew it Coalpaw was crossing the slippery path of the fallen tree with Cedarfur in front of him and Minnowpaw behind. Landing on the other side Coalpaw was instantly bombarded with the scents of other cats, the dark stench of Shadowclan, the pine and fir of Thunderclan, and the fish and water of Riverclan.
Looking around Coalpaw saw so many pelts, so many color and sizes and mews….
So many beating hearts. Coalpaw thought with satisfaction, following his kin over to a smaller area where other apprentices were sitting. Coalpaw caught sight of Rosepaw, but the she-cat didn't show any resentment towards him.
"The gathering a place for piece under the full moon, no fighting is allowed under Starclan's watch then." Coalpaw remember Gorsestar explaining to him one day when they were looking at the island.
"Coalpaw!" a she-cat came rushing over to him and Coalpaw sighed gratefully to see it was Minnowpaw. "Come meet my friend Fiercepaw."
Coalpaw was led over to a small black tom, his grey eyes looking up at them. "Hello Minnowpaw." He mewed in a quiet voice.
"Fiercepaw, this is Coalpaw." Minnowpaw mewed happily. "I met Fiercepaw when Jaybird took me on a border patrol and we ran into Thunderclan."
Coalpaw nodded. "Do you like training, Fiercepaw?"
Fiercepaw glanced at him and lifted his shoulders. "I like hunting. I think fighting is a waste though."
Shock ran through Coalpaw. Fighting was everything for a warrior! It was his pride, his life and rank in the clan, fighting meant power. "Why?" he gasped.
"I think the clans should talk over problems like leaders, instead of making harsh choices." The black apprentice responded.
Coalpaw growled at the answer, talking was for kittypets. Vix had made it clear that fighting was the best way to win disputes.
Minnowpaw pushed her way in front of Coalpaw "Well," she glared in his directions. "Let's go meet my brother Fiercepaw; I'm sure he'll be more likely to talk to you."
Coalpaw watched as they walked away, hurt by his sister's anger at him. Couldn't she see the wrong in Fiercepaw's ways? He had no more time to think when a she-cat pranced in front of him, her fur smelling of Shadowclan.
"Hello." She purred, her face so close her whiskers brushed his. Coalpaw took an unsure step backwards. "I'm Sootpaw."
"Coalpaw." He mewed, glancing at her fur, which was sticking up in interesting kinky patches. "Your fur is…very messy looking."
Sootpaw giggled, flicking her tail under his chin, and Coalpaw's face fell into a frown of confusion. "Thanks, Coalpaw. That's how I like it." With that she sauntered off, Coalpaw looking at her oddly.
"That was odd." Redpaw's voice laughed from behind Coalpaw. "I think she was trying to impress you."
Coalpaw turned to his brother. "I want nothing to do with she-cats from other clans." He snarled, his mind wandering to Yarrowpaw's silky black pelt.
Redpaw's head snapped back. His eyes narrowed at him. "I was just kidding around." He mewed, turning to leave, but paused. "You know, you've changed since Thunderclan attacked you."
Before Coalpaw could answer, a yowl rang through the island, and Coalpaw turned his head to see the shinning silver pelt of Silverstar as she stepped forward. Coalpaw heard a cat murmur how SIlverstar was only a recently new leader, and that the former leader, Featherstar, was much more composed.
"Riverclan is doing well…" Silverstar mewed, stopping to clear her throat. "We have a new litter of kits, and the fish are swimming fully in the river. Also, we have a new warrior, Stonepelt!"
Cats turned to cheer on a dark grey tom, and Silverstar dipped her head, looking over to Snakestar, and the dark leader took a step forward. He was much different from Silverstar, his head held higher and his shoulders broad from muscle, scars littered his shoulders from battles, and his eyes glowed with knowledge of many battles.
Now that's a leader! Coalpaw thought with longing.
"Shadowclan is a strong as ever, with new apprentices being made and a litter of kits on the way. The mice are plump and full and no problems have arose in our territory." He said loud, his eyes raking over the cats at the island. When he was done, He stepped back and Gorsestar came forward.
"Windclan is growing steadily and we have a large amount of apprentices, including our new apprentices, Redpaw, Minnowpaw, and Coalpaw." He paused as cats called out their names, and Coalpaw selling up, looking around with pride as the cats called his name. Gorsestar continued; "The prey has run strong, but Windclan did have a run in with Thunderclan patrols with moon."
"What are you saying?" Birchstar suddenly hissed.
Gorsestar held up his tail, his eyes narrowing. "I'm saying that Thunderclan has been attacking Windclan for false reasons."
"No such thing has happened! If anything you have been stealing our prey." Birchstar growled.
Gorsestar's fur started to bristle. "You've attacked our deputy and our apprentice Co-"
"Stop!" Silverstar pushed forward. "Look, the clouds are covering the moon. Starclan is angry and this gathering is over."
"We'll see how Windclan is doing before long." Birchstar growled as she jumped down from the high-tree.
Gorsestar stepped forward, his hackles raised and teeth barred. For a brief moment, Coalpaw saw what his leader looked like moon ago when he was a young warrior, strong and in control. "Is that a threat?" Gorsestar hissed. Waterdrop, recently healed from her Thunderclan attack, crouched behind him.
Birchstar shrugged. "Take it was you like." She turned to her clans. "Thunderclan let's go!"
Cats streamed out over the fallen tree long, their pelts mixing into a swirl of tails and ears and legs. Coalpaw watched with his clan as the island slowly emptied out.
-x-
"Coalpaw you're going on a border patrol with Amberleaf, Talonstrike, and Yarrowpaw." Waterdrop mewed, padding over to him, her white tail flicking back and forth. Coalpaw could see the faint lines where she had been injured healing on her chest.
"Thank you Waterdrop." He mewed, bowing his head to the deputy and padding over to where the three cats sat. Coalpaw didn't talk much to Amberleaf, the sandy colored she-cat was Leafpaw's mentor they were rarely paired to train together. But he knew Talonstrike, Yarrowpaw's mentor. He and Yarrowpaw went on a lot of patrols together. "Hello Talonstrike, Amberleaf." He paused and smiled at Yarrowpaw. "Yarrowpaw."
Talonstrike ignored his slight affection to his apprentice. "Let's get going so we can be back before sun-down."
The four of them made their way over to where the bushes that signaled the entrance to Windclan camp, when a harsh yowl spilt the air. Coalpaw ducked down, looking to where the sound came from, his ears ringing with the loudness of it.
"That couldn't have been one cat." Amberleaf hissed in a low breath. The camp had gone quiet; a heavy hush had fallen over the cats and Coalpaw waited for what would happen. Beside him, Yarrowpaw shivered. He pressed his fur against hers, and felt her shoulders relax.
The yowls exploded once more, their calls echoing in the small valley that held Windclan's camp. Coalpaw hissed at the sound, and the cats around him did the same, their fur bristling.
"I want the elder's brought out of camp!" Gorsestar yowled, jumping to the top of the high-rock. "Thistleclaw, Foxtail and Tumblefur get them out of camp. Nightwing, Thornfoot, and Greystorm I want you by the entrance, take Adderpaw, Yarrowpaw, and Stormpaw to face these cats head on." Gorsestar looked around the camp. "I want the rest of the clan to be ready on the edges of the camp, that way when they come in, we can surround them on the outside."
The clan moved quickly, Thistleclaw and Tumblefur leading Leopardclaw and Rainsky out of the camp while Foxtail held the back entrance to the camp open. Coalpaw ran to the soft brambles that lined the camp, pressing his tail against the bushes and crouched down, waiting.
Leafpaw, who was settled next to him, looked over. "It's not fair that Stormpaw gets to go up in the first battle patrol!" she complained. "Just because he's older doesn't mean he's a better fighter!"
"No, but he is stronger." Coalpaw commented, training his ears outside the camp entrance, where he could hear paw steps getting louder, and where Yarrowpaw was waiting for a battle.
Coalpaw strained to hear the conversation as the roar of paw steps slowed down.
"You're on our territory!" Thornfoot growled from outside the camp.
"It won't be yours for long." A she-cat mewed, and Coalpaw gasped. Birchstar!
There were a few hisses from the cats behind her. "Windclan will chase your fat kittypet tails back to Thunderclan!" Stormpaw hissed.
"You're just an apprentice, what do you know?" a she-cat with a low voice mewed. Coalpaw recognized it from the gathering. Fallowfur, the deputy of Thunderclan!
"I know he can rip your fur off!" Addertail snarled.
"We'll see about that." Birchstar yowled. "Thunderclan, attack!"
Coalpaw tensed. There was a roar of battle cries, a brief cry of pain, and then cats started to run through the camp, crashing through the walls and tearing through the camp entrance. From his side Leafpaw raced forward, letting gout a battle cry and jumping to the nearest cat, a white and brown tom.
Coalpaw followed her lead, rushing through the tumble of cats that surrounded the camp. He saw Birchstar and Gorsestar collie, their bodies rolling down the slope the elder's den. He caught Redpaw fighting with Bluepaw around a large brown tom.
Coalpaw hissed, seeing the large brown tom attack Redpaw, his legs tearing into Redpaw's belly. Coalpaw yowled and raced forward, pushing the tom off of Redpaw, and clawing at his ears. The tom hissed, turning around and rearing up, bringing his paws down on Coalpaw's spine. Coalpaw ducked out of the way, grabbing the tom's tail in his teeth and pulling. The tom yowled, and Coalapw felt a rush of satisfaction at the cat's pain.
Thanks to Vix I know that move. Coalpaw thought, watching the tom race off into the bushes.
Across the camp he heard a she-cat cry out in pain. Coalapw froze. I know that voice. Looking around, he saw Yarrowpaw backed up against the warrior's den, the once safe bushes now tearing at her fur as a she-cat raking her paw's without mercy across her flank.
"Get off her!" Coalpaw screeched, clashing pelts with the sandy she-cat.
"You think you can fight me?" the she-cat growled, her fur bristled and tail lashing.
Coalpaw dived at her in answer, his body rolling under hers and he clawed at her sensitive belly. The she-cat twisted away, her claws digging at his shoulders and rolling him over. Coalpaw felt her weight on top of him, and he gathered his legs under, kicking upward and pushing her off him. He saw her roll down, into one of the few thorn bushes that lined the camp. With a yowl of approval he saw the thorns that created small gashes in her skin.
The she-cat growled in frustration and ripped out of the bush, her pelt bleeding in patches now, her fur left in the bush.
Coalpaw swerved to avoid her attack, hooking his claws under her hind legs and pulling her down to the ground. Launching on top of her, he pressed his claws against her throat. "Do you give up now?" he growled in her face. Her eyes grew wise with fear and the blood from her cuts was still flowing.
With one last effort, the she-cat struggled beneath him, her breath coming out in huffs. Coalpaw cried out, his claws slipping form his hold on her body, falling to the ground before he could balance himself. The air rushed out of him, and Coalpaw lifted his head, black spots dancing before his eyes. I can't give up!
With a heave he pushing himself up, and saw the she-cat crawling away, her body seemed red instead of sandy now. She was more hurt than he thought.
"Where do you think you're going? Crowfood!" he called, pouncing after her, his claws digging into her fur as he threw her down to the ground. The she-cat cried out in fear, her claws scrambling to find a hold to get away. Coalpaw saw her eyes searching for help. Satisfaction crept through him. "Still don't think I can fight you?" he mewed; his claws crept to her throat, digging in.
"Please-" she gasped, her eyes going wide. This was what Vix had trained him for, to be able to fight and defend his clan. Thunderclan didn't need another warrior. They would do fine without her. "I have kits…." Her soft voice trailed off, as her body fought for air.
Blood welled up around Coalpaw's claws, and he dug deeper. This was much better than any prey he could get. This was power, her eyes searching him for help, her life in his control. Her breath came out in sputtering gasps; her body had stopped moving, only her jaw worked for air.
Finally the large brown eyes looked at his narrowed ones, and went misty as the life was gone.
Coalpaw let out a rush of air, unaware he had been holding his breath. He had done it! He had killed a cat, and defended his clan. Pride surged through him.
A body knocked into his, and Coalpaw found himself on the ground, the brown and white tom standing over him. "What have you done?" at spat it him, anger in his voice. "My mother! You killed Fernwhisker!" he cried out, pushing Coalpaw away. "Mother!" he wailed, burying his face deep into the she-cat fur. "What has he done?"
Coalpaw watched as the tom grieved, but felt no regret. This is what he was supposed to do. This was part of being a warrior. There was loses, and this was one of them. Coalpaw started to purr, this is what it is about.
Authors note: Sorry for such a long wait, but here is chapter five! Things really got heated up in this chapter, with the gathering, and then Coalpaw's first kill. Lots of going on! I thought I would have to cut it, but the chapter didn't turn out as long as I thought it would. Also, I just finished reading Crookedstar's Promise, and I thought it was okay. Some of the names I didn't think fitted the cats (Such as -Spoiler!- Dawnbright, Willowbreeze, and Shellheart) and that Crookedstar didn't act like much of a leader when he became one.
Anyways, tell me your thoughts, questions, and even your advice about this chapter. (: So review!