Has school started for you yet? 'Cause my school starts tomorrow, and I think most schools already started a while ago. Now before you kill me, my school didn't get out until like, June 20th or something, so we're even. Ha.
So, since school starts tomorrow, I thought I should post a new chapter of this story before I become buried in homework again. -sob- The next chapter after this probably won't come for a while, with school and all, soo…
Disclaimer: Not owning Warriors, still wanting Warriors, still imagining Thunder and Twiggy.
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Chapter Seven: Murder
The weather seemed to reflect Thunderpaw's mood. For many days it was gray and dreary, raining off and on so it was always wet. Thunderpaw moped around, hunting when she could to get out of camp. But she was always accompanied by a warrior when she went out.
Her training was going smoothly though. She seemed to have lost most of her fighting spirit, and would listen to whatever he said.
"There's always someone out there who's better than or just as good as you." Firestar meowed, repeating the words of Bluestar. "So I'm going to prepare you for the day you meet. We haven't done much training lately, but you're done with hunting exercises. Today we'll work on your fighting skills."
Thunderpaw just nodded grimly.
"So," Firestar continued, slightly unnerved by her unwillingness to talk. She won't be quiet before. "Attack me."
As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Thunderpaw was racing towards him. Thinking fast, Firestar jumped into the air, ready to land on her back as she flew past. Thunderpaw rolled away, and Firestar crashed to the ground. He stood quickly, burning with embarrassment. She had beaten him, without even touching him!
"Alright, let's try that again." He said, shaking himself off.
Thunderpaw charged at him the same way she had the first time. Instead of jumping, this time Firestar just stepped to one side. Thunderpaw, going too fast to stop, continued past him. She dug her paws into the sand to stop herself. Firestar took the chance to knock her onto her back and pin her down.
"You can't use the same attack twice." Firestar meowed, getting off her. "I'll be expecting it."
Thunderpaw nodded.
They fought until the sun had gone down for the day and the first stars of Silverpelt were beginning to appear. By the time they returned to camp, both cats were tired and ached all over. But Thunderpaw seemed to have retained some of her old energy. She bounced towards the apprentice den, her eyes glowing with happiness.
---
The next day Thunderpaw was as moody as ever. Especially when she was sent out hunting with Twigpaw.
"You're kidding." She said disbelievingly when Graystripe told her. "There's no way Fire-ass thinks I'm going out hunting with that loser."
Graystripe blinked at the name, but continued on anyway. "That's what he told me. He said you two were going to have to figure out some sort of compromise because he can't have you fighting each other in times of crisis."
"So, ready to rock?" Twigpaw sneered, strutting over.
Thunderpaw made a face. "Just shut up and let's get this over with." She turned and left, not waiting to see if Twigpaw followed. He did, singing a song he'd made up about 'Traitorpaw'.
---
At sundown, Thunderpaw returned alone.
"Where's Twigpaw? You two were supposed to work something out." Firestar snapped.
"Yeah, well, I tried, but he wouldn't listen." She shrugged. "When we were heading back I thought I got through to him, but he said he smelled something and ran off. Told me not to wait for him and head back to camp, so I did. He hasn't come back yet?" She tilted her head to one side. Firestar shook his. She shrugged again. "Well, he's got to come back eventually." With that, she disappeared into the apprentice den.
But Twigpaw didn't come back. Firestar still waited for him long after the Moon had risen to its fullest and the rest of the Clan was asleep. Not knowing what else to do, Firestar went to wake Thunderpaw and question her again. But she wasn't in the apprentice den either. There was a small hole in the bramble at the back, and her fur snagged on some thorns. She had squeezed through here and fled the camp. But why?
Before Firestar was able to gather his thoughts and follow her through the hole, a horrifying scream ripped through the silence of the sleeping forest.
Without thinking twice, Firestar burst through the brambles and raced through the forest, following Thunderpaw's scent. He found her standing in a small clearing, staring at something on the ground.
"Thunderpaw! What…?" He stopped and looked around. The dirt and leaves were churned and bloody, and Thunderpaw and Twigpaw's fur littered the ground. "What happened!"
Thunderpaw slowly turned her head to look at him. Her eyes were blank and glazed with fear and sadness. Firestar could finally get a glimpse at what she was standing over.
"Twigpaw is dead!" Cloudtail screeched from across the clearing. He'd just arrived with a patrol of warriors to see who had screamed. "The rogue murdered Twigpaw!"
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