The Renaissance - Book 1: Rising Sun - Chapter 7

In this chapter, we get to see more Graystripe (yay!) and learn more about Tawnypelt and Bramblestar's pasts (as if we didn't already know them). We also see a small confrontation and more angst. :) Hope you'll enjoy! The last chapter ended on a dramatic note, so I hope you like it's successor!

I don't own Warriors.


Chapter Seven

"We ran into a ShadowClan border patrol," Sunpaw boasted as she sat among her littermates near the fresh-kill pile. The two of the three young cats gathered around Sunpaw to listen. Only Stonepaw sat a few tail-lengths away, sulking.

"What happened? Was there a fight?" Finchpaw demanded, his tail twitching in anticipation for the tale.

"Did you see Blackstar?" Hollypaw asked.

"Blackstar wasn't there, but there was almost a fight! Foxleap and a few ShadowClan warriors were getting really riled up, but then Tawnypelt came and calmed down the ShadowClan cats," Sunpaw recalled half-heartedly as she gazed at Stonepaw. She missed her brother dearly, even if he did make fun of her occasionally as most brothers do.

"Who is Tawnypelt?" Finchpaw asked, his eyes wide with wonder.

Hollypaw cuffed him playfully on the ear. "Bramblestar's sister, you bee-brain! Remember the stories? She left ThunderClan when Firestar was leader and ran off to live in ShadowClan."

"Why would she do that?" Finchpaw wondered. "What cat would ever want to leave ThunderClan?"

"Tawnypelt was never truly accepted in ThunderClan," a deep voice meowed behind them. Hollypaw and Finchpaw whipped around while Sunpaw just looked up to see Graystripe standing there. "Forgive me, kittens. I wasn't eavesdropping—just overheard. Of course, I'm sure you know that Tawnypelt and Bramblestar are the kits of Tigerstar and Goldenflower."

Hollypaw nodded. "And Tigerstar was killed in the Great Battle!" she purred, proud to show off her knowledge to the elder.

Graystripe smiled kindly and sat down by the apprentices. "Well done, Hollypaw. You really know your Clan history. Tawnypelt—Tawnypaw back then—was originally Brackenfur's apprentice. Back then, Tigerstar was leader of ShadowClan and ThunderClan was very mistrustful of any cats that had relations to the dark leader. Tawnypelt and Bramblestar were targeted first and foremost for the fact that they were his offspring. This made Bramblestar more determined to prove himself as a loyal ThunderClan warrior—it convinced him to try harder to earn his loyalty. Tawnypelt, however, did not have the same reaction.

"Tawnypelt was always a gentle creature. She was very loving, and kind. She certainly is not the stereotypical ShadowClan warrior. Even though she has ThunderClan blood in her veins, she is a ShadowClan cat at heart… Tawnypelt never supported her father, or his ethics, but in ThunderClan, she faced punishment by her Clanmates for his crimes. Unlike Bramblestar, she wanted to find a place where she would live in peace without judgment," Graystripe told them.

Sunpaw listened to Graystripe and felt her heart wrench for Tawnypelt. "Why would ThunderClan treat her so badly?" she asked.

Graystripe gazed at her thoughtfully. "I know that it is sad, young one. It was a dark time for the Clans. It was a time of tragedy and doubt. It felt like cats couldn't trust one another. It was a time when a cat that you had known your whole life and had been your friend, turned out to be a traitor. Tigerstar was a dark cat. He let his darkness and hatred for the world consume him and control him. He could have been a great warrior, but he ruined it for himself."

"Could you tell us more about Tigerstar, Graystripe?" Hollypaw asked hopefully.

"Yeah! I want to know how he died the first time!" Finchpaw chimed in.

"Graystripe, are you bothering these apprentices?" a she-cat's voice purred. A gray tabby she-cat padded up beside Graystripe and entwined her tail with his.

"No, Millie," he purred in reply and licked her cheek.

"Yuck!" Stonepaw exclaimed from a few tail-lengths away. He recoiled from the couple like they were a spitting fox.

"Ew! Get a den!" Finchpaw jested.

Hollypaw sighed dreamily. "So romantic…"

Sunpaw laughed at her littermates' reactions. Graystripe and Millie were doing the same. "Come on, Graystripe," Millie meowed. "You promised to share a shrew with me." The two elders padded off to the fresh-kill pile and began nosing through the day's profits.

"They're disgusting!" Stonepaw exclaimed once they were out of earshot.

"I think it's sweet," Hollypaw protested. The fluffy black apprentice stuck her tongue out at her gray-furred brother.

"No one cares what you think," Finchpaw teased before ducking his head to avoid Hollypaw's well-aimed swipe that would have stuck his ear. "Kidding!"

Sunpaw folded her paws underneath her and rested her head on the ground. "I'm glad it's stopped raining," she commented glancing up at the sky. Lucky for ThunderClan, the storm clouds that Sunpaw and the patrol had witness earlier had missed them by a whisker and floated up out of ThunderClan territory.

Finchpaw flicked his tail in agreement. "I hate the rain."

Hollypaw grunted as she stretched. "Oh," she yawned as she pulled herself back into a normal standing position. "Well, I'm exhausted. I'm going to head inside and get some sleep."

"Me too," Finchpaw agreed and padded after his sister into the apprentices den, leaving Stonepaw and Sunpaw alone.

Sunpaw looked longingly at her brother but he avoided her face. Her pelt prickled with a mixture of annoyance and sorrow. She finally pulled herself to her paws and went over to sit beside him. "Are you mad at me?" she demanded.

Stonepaw looked up at her, his blue eyes puzzled. "Why would I be mad at you?"

Normally, Sunpaw would have hissed at his stupid question, but he sounded genuine. "I don't know, really. You've just been acting so cold towards me!"

He sighed and looked at her almost sadly. "I'm sorry, Sunpaw. I guess that I was just jealous that you got an awesome mentor and I got Thornclaw… You know he was training with the Dark Forest before the Great Battle."

Sunpaw sighed. "I know, but in the end he fought for the Clans! He's a loyal ThunderClan warrior, and I know that he'll be a good mentor."

Stonepaw sulked and looked away. "Not as good as Bramblestar."

She lashed her tail in annoyance and let out an irritated sigh. "If you want to be like that, Stonepaw, fine! I'm done wasting my time trying to convince you not to be jealous over something so stupid!" she hissed. "I have bigger things to worry about than you!"

As she stalked into the den, she was overwhelmed by the truth of her own words. Stonepaw was worrying about having a lousy mentor while she had to deal with a prophecy that could be about her. Jayfeather's words buzzed around in her head like an angry bee. Sacrifice shall be her meaning. Sunpaw shivered and prayed that it was not true.


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