Disclaimer: Warriors by Erin Hunter
What comes next is a set of stories from five cats' pasts. I will start and end them in italics but the middle will be plain for you to read easier. See if you like them! These chapters are very long so you better be prepared.
Chapter 6
"Tell me a story," Frog meowed suddenly.
Duststripe looked down at his son, surprised. He knew Lilyfern used to tell stories to her kits, but it had been three moons since Frog had been with his mother. Surely he didn't remember them. Surely he didn't expect to still be treated like a young kit? The tom was almost six moons old now and for the longest time he hadn't gotten any favors.
"What sort of story?" Lightberry asked.
She was walking beside Duststripe and his son. Petal had taken the front, Waterdrop behind her, and Cloverleaf, her wounds only scars now, was far behind, keeping watch for any cats sneaking up on them. The five rogues hadn't been seen for a while now. That did tend to happen. Duststripe would lose sight of the rogues for days and then seen them again. The journey had been all stop and go, weaving over the countryside. There were no more attacks from them either now that the six Clan cats kept a constant guard.
Currently they were walking over sloping ground. It was a hill slowly going up, covered in large boulders, and a few gorse bushes dotting the hill. Down below them, Duststripe could see the river they'd just crossed. It had taken half of the morning to find the stepping stones and then get Frog across. The kit had been scared of the rushing, white water. Cloverleaf had to encourage him by effortlessly leaping over and then staying by the kit's side the whole way. Frog seemed to look up to the dappled she-cat like he didn't to Duststripe.
"Any story," Frog shrugged. "Your story."
"Mine?" Lightberry looked surprised. "I don't have a story."
"Don't you?" Frog asked, looking up at her with wise eyes. "You didn't have anything exciting happen to you? No adventures in the forest?"
Duststripe and the others had told Frog about the forest, about their old Clan. Perhaps that seemed like a story to him and they'd always been walking for their whole existence. Duststripe didn't think his son remembered Lilyfern. Frog had only just started to eat meat when Sullen took over. Frog couldn't remember much at all about the past. He just listened to Duststripe when his father spoke of the camp and Lilyfern. It was through those stories Frog was actually seeing how a warrior was supposed to be. Duststripe knew that was the only way.
"Not that I can think of," Lightberry hesitantly meowed.
Her eyes glanced around. She didn't have to answer as a large boulder got in their way. She went one way around and Duststripe and his son went another. On the other side Duststripe came face to face with Petal. He shied away in surprise.
"Stories?" Petal asked.
She seemed interested. Her red fur was starting to go gray around her muzzle. Duststripe wondered if this journey was making her weak. Where was that leader he used to think nothing could bring her down? It was hard to imagine now. Everything had changed in the three moons of their fleeing. It seemed as if the old forest life had never been.
"Frog wants to hear some," Duststripe explained to Petal. "We aren't sure what to tell him. He wants life stories, not legends."
Petal nodded. Duststripe looked around for Waterdrop. The silver tom had continued walking, not interested in stories. He was almost to the top of the hill.
"I might know some," Petal meowed.
Duststripe looked back at her. Even Lightberry seemed surprised.
"Really?" Frog looked happy, balancing on his toes. "Would you tell some?"
Petal nodded with a smile. "I will. I think it's a good idea. I think everyone should tell one, at least once everyday."
Duststripe continued staring at his leader in surprise. Petal looked between him and Lightberry.
"I think it will get us closer together," Petal explained. "We should all know something about each other. We'll be together for a long time. Now, once Cloverleaf gets here, we're meeting Waterdrop at the top under that tree."
The red she-cat's tail waved. Duststripe saw at the top of the hill a large tree he hadn't noticed before. Waterdrop was making his way there. Petal must have sent him to be a scout to see if danger lay near the tree or on the other side of the hill.
"We'll stop for some food," Petal meowed, "and I will tell my story."
-Line-
Petal crouched beside her mentor. The dark tabby she-cat's breathing was loud in the apprentice's ears. She could almost think Tigerlily was nervous. Petal didn't want to think that about her mentor. Tigerlily was brave and strong; so why was she nervous? Petal glanced up and saw the yellow of her mentor's eyes.
"Tigerlily?" the apprentice asked. "Are you okay?"
"Fine, just fine," Tigerlily meowed with a slightly wavering voice.
"You don't sound like it," Petal chided. "It's only a badger after all."
"But this is your first fight," Tigerlily meowed. "I don't know if I taught you right for this."
Petal felt annoyance. She wasn't helpless. She'd been learning for four moons. She knew how to fight. Glide, the white leader of Summerheat Camp, had sent them on this mission. He said it was an assessment. Every apprentice got them. They had to be tested on how well they hunted and fought. This was Petal's. She and her mentor had to chase away the badger that had just taken up residence inside the forest.
Petal looked out of the forest now. She looked out onto the field and the narrow stream that marked her Clan's territory. A few bushes and long grass hid the rabbits and large grouse and pheasants. She longed to hunt for them. Even the fish hiding in the stream, unaware of the weather change. It was leaf-bare (one without snow surprisingly) and the Clan was starting to get hungry. Instead, Glide wanted her to chase away this badger that was scaring off the prey.
She could see the badger's den now. The entrance was a mound of dirt in the roots of a mulberry bush. They were waiting for the badger to leave its den. Tigerlily wanted to fill in the den while the badger was gone, and then when it returned, fight it. Petal just wanted it over with. She was getting tired of sitting around doing nothing. It was past sunhigh now and she was starting to cramp, her fluffy leaf-bare fur not really holding out the cold breeze whistling through the trees.
Suddenly Tigerlily tensed. Petal's wandering attention came back and she saw a black and white snout poking out of the badger den. The wind was blowing toward the two cats and Petal could smell the strong scent of the badger. It made her golden eyes water. She narrowed them, forcing herself to pay attention to the badger. It had to leave the den all the way. It couldn't stay in there.
Slowly the lumbering beast pulled itself from the den. It paused just outside, sniffing the air. Petal thought it seemed as nervous as Tigerlily. It must not have been sure in its new territory. It took a few steps away from its den. Petal s ears went up as it continued away, walking deeper into the forest.
Petal started raising to her feet. Tigerlily saw her and hissed quietly at her to stop. Petal ignored her mentor. Tigerlily made a grab for Petal as the apprentice starting running for the badger. She was tired of waiting. It was time to attack! She rushed forward, a battle cry on her lips. The badger paused, surprised. It turned around and faced the young apprentice running for it. It braced itself.
Petal rushed for it and then before she made contact with the large open jaws, she veered to the side. The badger looked surprised and tried to face her again, but Petal flipped around and struck the black side with her claws.
"Petal!" Tigerlily's fearful cry came to her as the tabby mentor rushed forward.
The badger turned quicker than Petal was expecting. The large paw came for her, black claws sharp. Petal was hit and knocked over, winded. The badger leaned over her, its breath hot and disgusting. Petal winced as the jaws came for her. Then the badger was knocked marginally away. Tigerlily had come. The older warrior was on the badger's back, clawing with all her might. Petal jumped up and ran around the badger to bite its tail. She pulled and pulled, ripping down it with her claws, hoping to hurt the badger. The badger whirled, taking Petal off the ground. The red apprentice let go in surprise and was flung into a tree.
She hit, recovered quickly, and landed on the ground on her feet, running forward again. Tigerlily was off of the badger now, growling into its face. The badger roared right back but the tabby she-cat stood her ground, her ears not lowering in fear, her eyes hard and angry. Petal came from the other side, shrieking at the top of her lungs. The badger turned to face her, seeing her as easy prey. Tigerlily struck out, ripping the badger's face. It blinked in surprise and faced the mentor as Petal bit the badger's back leg. The leg stomped down, crushing Petal's feet. She wailed in pain as a claw pierced her flesh. The badger pressed up against her, smothering her with its shaggy pelt. Petal tried to pull away, but the badger moved sideways over her. Tigerlily couldn't see the apprentice anymore.
"Let go of my apprentice!" Tigerlily hissed, clawing the badger firmly on the nose.
The badger moved back and Tigerlily pressed forward. The front paws walked over Petal and she was revealed. The badger didn't stop as it backed away. Petal didn't get snapped up by the badger's jaws. The creature retreated onto the field. Tigerlily kept at it, her fur spread out, making her large.
Finally, when the badger turned away, Tigerlily ran back to her apprentice. Petal was dazed and bleeding but all right.
Tigerlily's head rested on her apprentice in relief. When Petal got up, Tigerlily smacked her apprentice firmly over the head. Petal sat down, hurt and surprised.
"Don't you ever do that again, you hear?" Tigerlily snarled into her apprentice's face. "You could have died, you fool! Listen to me next time."
Petal nodded. Tigerlily certainly wasn't nervous anymore but Petal could understand why now. She felt relieved she hadn't joined StarClan this day.
"Let's burry the den," Tigerlily sighed. "Then we'll go back. Your brother will patch you up."
Petal nodded and then stood up. Her legs were shaky, but she managed to help her mentor fill in the hole under the mulberry bush.
-Line-
"So Frog," Petal meowed. "You must always listen to your mentor. They know what they're talking about."
The young gray and brown kit looked up at her, wide eyed, fearful just as Petal had been with the experience. She hadn't ever gone against Tigerlily again. She certainly hadn't been as impulsive but that could have been with age. She certainly wasn't impulsive now. Not only did she have to think every action through, she couldn't move as fast as she used to. It had been seasons since she was an apprentice.
"Do you have any more stories?" Frog asked. He'd finished his mouse. Everyone had finished eating by now. It felt good to rest this greenleaf day under the tree. Petal figured they had time for another. She saw how everyone else seemed interested too. She nodded.
"One more," she meowed.
-Line-
Petal too got an apprentice. It was a few moons after she became a warrior. While Stream wasn't as impulsive as Petal had been, the white she-cat was as excitable. Stream was always running off, looking for fun. Just so as one time Petalfur was trying to teach her apprentice to hunt fish. They were out in the field on cloudy day. The rain was coming down in drizzles and it wasn't very comfortable but Petalfur knew this was the best time to hunt. The fish came up to the surface more often in the rain, trying to find bugs to eat. She stood on the stream bank staring down into the clear pebbled bottom at the dark shapes swimming beneath. She wasn't very good at fishing, not the best at all, but she knew the techniques.
"It's harder on a sunny day," Petalfur meowed, not realizing Stream wasn't by her side anymore. "They can see your shadow. So it's easier to learn on a cloudy day. You sit quietly, without sudden moves. Remember to aim above the fish you see."
It was kind of hard because the water kept flowing, distorting the view. Sometimes the fish would dart away even without Petalfur making a move. She didn't like fishing, but she knew she had to teach her apprentice how. Maybe Stream would be the next best fisher and it was up to Petalfur to teach her.
"You extend your claws and keep your leg firm," Petalfur continued, doing as she said. "Then you strike!"
Slowly her paw had gone down to the water and then she pushed it under, fighting against the current and the weight of the fish. She continued her swing and out came the fish from the water, her claws buried in its back. It flopped onto the bank and Petal dove for it, quickly ending its life before it got away from her, slipping over the stones back into the stream.
Joy filled her heart. She was so happy she'd actually caught one without mistakes! Stream must have been proud of her! Petalface looked up, ready to see her apprentice. Then she saw she was alone on the bank. There was no cat in sight, only muddy paw prints leading away over the rocks.
Petalfur felt annoyed. Stream kept doing that to her; never saying when she'd leave or anything. She just got up and left. Petalfur left the fish and jumped up to the field. She looked around for her apprentice. She quickly saw a shape farther down the stream side. She raced over. That was when she saw it was more than one shape. There was another cat there and three kits, with Stream on top of one of them.
Petalfur pushed herself to go forward, determined to save the kit from her apprentice. She was surprised that the other cat showed no anger or shock, just was sitting happily as the two young cats tussled. Petalfur reached them as Stream stood up, waving her tail proudly.
Petalfur pulled her apprentice back by her tail. The white she-cat squeaked in surprise, claws out. The queen with the three kits got up, hissing angrily at Petalfur. The kits ran behind her, almost falling over the bank and into the stream in an effort to hide.
"I'm sorry for my apprentice's behavior," Petalfur meowed, bowing her head to the silver queen when Stream was far enough away. "She shouldn't have attacked your kit."
"Attack?" the queen asked. She sounded surprised.
Petalfur glanced up and saw that the she cat didn't know what to make of Petalfur's subversive manner and calm voice. The queen couldn't stay mad if Petalfur wasn't threatening her.
"She wasn't attacking," the queen continued.
Petalfur sat up straight. "But I saw-"
"She was playing. Glory challenged her and your. . . apprentice started playing. I had to get my other kits across the stream so I asked her to watch Glory."
Petalfur looked at Stream. The white apprentice nodded her head vigorously. "I was only helping."
Petalfur sighed and shook her head. Her apprentice was still a kit! She wasn't ready to become a warrior at all.
"I'm sorry for my mistake," Petalfur meowed. Now the queen probably thought Clan cats were crazy.
"It's all right," the silver queen meowed, smiling. "At least you thought you were protecting my kits."
Petalfur nodded and watched as the kits came out from behind their mother. The first was a silver she-cat liked her mother. The other two were toms, one yellow the other a brown tabby. Petalfur saw they looked healthy. If this mother was a loner, she seemed to be doing well on her own.
"This is Glory," the silver queen meowed, brushing her tail on the sliver kit. "This is Bark, and this is Sunny."
The two toms glared up at Petalfur, trying to act protective of their mother. Petalfur smiled back at them, amused by their kitness.
"So where were you heading?" Petalfur asked the queen.
The queen tensed. "Anywhere," she sighed.
"Would you like to join my Clan?" Petalfur asked, ears forward with interest. "They'll help take care of your kits."
"Clan?" the queen suddenly looked nervous. "No, I don't like large groups of cats."
"Oh," Petalfur meowed, sad. She'd only offered help and wandering around with three growing kits wasn't exactly safe. They could get killed by wild animals.
"Are you sure?" Petalfur asked. "You'll be safe with us and fed."
"I-I know," the queen meowed, not meeting Petalfur's eyes, "but I've learned it's better for me to be alone. I'm grateful for your help, but I should be going."
She stood up. Her kits quickly followed her.
Petalfur watched her go with surprise. "If you change your mind," Petalfur called after the queen, "just find my camp in the forest and say I said it was okay!"
"I will," the queen yelled back over her shoulder. The three kits looked back as well.
"Bye, Glory," Stream called.
"Bye," the she-kit squeaked.
Then apprentice and mentor were left alone in the rain. Some thunder rumbled over head as the storm threatened to become hard.
"Do you think they'll be all right?" Stream asked as they watched the four disappear.
Petalfur looked down at her apprentice. "The world is a dangerous place," Petalfur meowed. "But if she's managed this far with those three, I'm sure she'll be safe.
Now let's get back to fishing. You didn't see the one I caught."
Stream winced and followed her mentor back to the stream and the dead fish.
Only a quarter moon later as Petalfur and her apprentice were on a border patrol with her brother, Redfoot, they saw the silver queen again.
"Petalfur, Petalfur!" the red warrior heard her apprentice shriek.
Heart pounding, she raced to the area, Redfoot behind her. They found a gory sight when they got to Stream. At the white apprentice's feet lay the sliver queen. She'd been ripped open and broken.
"Foxes," Redfoot spat.
Petalfur looked around. She couldn't see any now and this death wasn't fresh. Only fur and bones were left. She'd been picked clean by bugs and birds.
"But Petalfur," Stream meowed. "Where are the kits?"
Petalfur's eyes widened. She now searched for kits instead of fox. She nosed her way around the death scene. Looking for the three kits.
"Glory! Sunny! Bark!" she yowled. If the kits were hiding, they'd come. But they didn't.
Redfoot found one of the kits.
"Here!" her brother called.
Stream and Petalfur came running. Nearby, under a bush, a small scrap of silver fur hung off of scattered bones. It was the silver kit Glory. She'd been killed. Stream sobbed, pressing herself against Petalfur. The red warrior stared down at the bundle. She had a feeling this was what had become of the two other kits. They hadn't even been that old. Perhaps just four moons or so. They would have never survived.
"She should have come to us," Stream sobbed.
"She had her reasons," Petalfur tried to comfort. "Perhaps that was what she was doing when the foxes got her."
Stream closed her eyes. Redfoot pressed up against the apprentice and stared at Petalfur.
"We'll burry them," he promised.
Petalface nodded.
-Line-
"That wasn't a happy story," Frog mewed, his eyes downcast. Everyone else seemed to think the same. Petal could see that Lightberry and Waterdrop had shining eyes. Duststripe wouldn't meet her eyes and Cloverleaf was attempting not to seem affected.
"That is life," Petal meowed. "Life has its ups and its down. We can in no way change that. Of course a happier note to this tale is that Stream became a bit more withdrawn and actually learned from me. She became a diligent warrior and compassionate to all loners and rogues. Her warrior name was Streaminglight."
Petal smiled over at Duststripe.
"That warrior mentored your father. As you can see, life also goes on through the sad times. Just as Stream and I made it through the death of the queen, so we will now make it through the loss of our camp."
The other's looked at her in devotion. Petal knew they counted on her to hold them together. It was such a hard responsibility, but one she took seriously. She had to help them through this. Even if they never got Summerheat back, she had to make sure they made it through whatever journey they were taking now.
"It's time to move," Petal meowed standing up. "We have a lot of ground to cover."
She wasn't sure where they were going, but she felt as if she had to go on, that something drew her. Sometimes she knew they weren't going in a straight path or as quickly as they could have. They'd relaxed since they hadn't seen the five in a while. Petal hoped they'd turned back, giving up. Three moons were a lot of time for Sullen to really be after them still. The yellow tom certainly had Summerheat Camp as his by now.
The bright blue sky shone overhead and the grass waved around them, yellow flowers poking up in groups. Even purple flowers of clover dotted the hill side as it sloped downward. Frog ran over to look at it, batting at it with kit-sharp claws and then racing downward again.
"Slow down!" Duststripe called after his son, racing after the kit.
Petal smiled as she watched them. She didn't mind that she'd never had kits of her own she loved all the apprentices as her own, but now she wondered what life would have been like if she had been a mother.
"Will there be more stories?" Frog asked, running back to Petal.
"Yes," Petal promised. "I will tell you one more today about myself, but later tonight. First we have to get to that next hill."
Frog stood up on his toe tips and strained to look over the small valley between. It wasn't a very long way, but to this kit that exhausted easily, it would take a while for the small group. Petal knew they should be on their way.
"Lightberry, scout the front, Duststripe the back," Petal ordered.
The two brown warriors faded off, Lightberry hurrying down the hill like an apprentice. Duststripe left after licking his son on the head and making him promise to listen to Cloverleaf and Petal. Frog promised. The group then started down the hill, leaving Duststripe on the hill as he watched the land behind them, eyes sharp for movements of cats.
Petal's warrior name is Petalfur, but the Erin's chose it for their own cat in RiverClan. For a short while I had Petal's warrior name as Petalface, but now I've changed it back to the original one. It flows a lot better and many people have used the Erin's names before.
