"Come back here, Nightstar," I called as I ran after Nightpaw, "I know you don't like me, but it's my warrior ceremony now! Come back or I'll make myself a warrior."
It had been a moon since my 'revolutionary' battle technique. Brackenwhisker had ran all the way back to camp and told everyone about how I defeated him by using my brain, not brawn.
Since then, every cat wanted me on their border patrol or their hunting patrol, just in case they ran into trouble and needed my help.
Then, when I wasn't on patrols, I was teaching every cat what to do and how to take advantage of the weather in battle.
Goldenberry, Hawkpaw's mother, had also moved into the nursery again.
The only cat who wasn't impressed was dad, saying that my mud technique was too… muddy.
Those were his exact words.
He didn't like having to clean up after the cats dripping mud everywhere. I don't think he really cares about my success in training. But I'll show him!
Nightpaw purred in amusement, stopped running and turned to face me.
"I, Nightstar—"
"No," I argued, "You have to do the ceremony on the Stone of Stars!"
I gestured to the stone in the middle of the pool.
I had named it that because at night, the water would reflect the stars.
He huffed and moved over to the Stone of Stars.
"I, Nightpaw— Nightstar, leader of CoveClan, ask my warrior ancestors to look at this apprentice. Something, something, something—"
"Those aren't the words!" I screeched.
"I can't remember the words," he shot back, "Let me finish."
"From now on, he will be known as Littlebrain."
He fell to the ground in laughter and slid off the rock, landing in the water.
He resurfaced, coughing and spitting water out of his moth.
Very ungracefully, he swum back to shore and shook the water from his pelt.
I playfully cuffed him on the ears. "Why am I Littlebrain when the first time we met, you were running away from a dog from the TwolegPlace?"
He huffed. "I was trying to escape the battle. I was on that hunting patrol when they started fighting. I lied about smelling a squirrel and I bolted off. Long story short, that dog was in my hiding spot, it saw me and you know the rest."
"Huh."
I glanced at his tail. But then something he said, kept replaying in my mind.
"Wait," I shook my head, "You were trying to stay away from the battle? But The Shadow loves blood. He has no conscience and kills cats without remorse."
"Name one cat, I've killed," he meowed.
"Tansytooth," I meowed.
"Nope, she was killed by Vixenstep."
"Um… Owlheart?"
"Also Vixenstep."
"Ooh! I know!" I meowed, "You killed Hollyfoot. In the battle for the right for you guys to hunt in our territory. When I was a kit, her sister, Cloudfall said she only just survived the claws and fangs of a shadow. You can't say that it wasn't you."
"I wasn't even born then," Nightpaw retorted.
"Right…So, how many cats have you killed?" I asked.
"None."
If shock could kill, I'd already be in StarClan.
"None?!"
"I disorientate the cats, while Vixenstep kills them," he told me, "I don't like killing cats. Everyone says that it was me so they can give me a feared reputation and scare every cat in the forest. So, when Redstar wants something, Vixenstep just has to mention my name and, poof, instantly, they give us what Redstar wants."
I couldn't believe it. We were all living in a lie.
Nightpaw wasn't a ruthless, blood-thirsty killer. He was just like me: misunderstood.
I blinked a couple of times, hoping that it would help me understand. "So…would you like to start practicing the tree climbing?"
He looked up at the sky. "No, I've got training soon. I'll see you tomorrow?"
I dipped my head.
"See you tomorrow."
0-0-0-0-0-0
"Remember: left paw forwards, swing tail right."
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Nightpaw huffed.
"Come on, you can do it," I whispered under my breath.
The lowest tree branch was only a few pawsteps away. He was almost there!
I moved around so I was facing the tree branch. A strong scent entered my nostrils.
What was that amazing smell?
"Hey Littlepaw!"
I looked up. Nightpaw was up on the branch. "Who is the best cat in the forest? I am!"
I shook my head. That smell distracted me.
The wind started to pick up and it blew my fur in all different directions.
"Get down!" I called, "The wind is too—!"
Crash.
"Nightpaw!"
I ran over to the nice-smelling plant. I expected to see Nightpaw on the ground, groaning in pain.
What I didn't expect to see was him rolling around, blissfully. His eyes were dilated and cloudy as he playfully pawed the stem of the plant.
…Catmint! The plant was catmint! I'd smelled it in Mistwhisker's den before.
"This is amazing!" Nightpaw crooned.
I grabbed a stalk of catmint and thought about my next training session.
This would come in handy…
0-0-0-0-0-0
The other apprentices ran away from Cloversplash who was the FlameClan warrior this time.
She noticed me standing there and stopped chasing Acornpaw. She bounded closer to me.
I held my breath and picked up the catmint.
"Come here little LightningClan cat," Cloversplash meowed.
She leapt at me and I held the catmint up.
Her eyes dilated as the strong scent entered her nose.
I rubbed her nose with the plant and then dropped it on the ground.
She laid down and started playing with the stem.
I put my paw on her belly and a thought entered my mind.
I had won.
The catmint soon wore off. Cloversplash, Scorchfoot and the other five apprentices stared at me.
"How did you…?" Frostpaw mumbled.
"So…I'm gonna go… Very busy…" I muttered as I turned around and trotted off towards the FlameClan border.
Much to my surprise, five sets of pawsteps followed me.
I had to quickly change directions.
Hawkpaw trotted over to me. "Hey, Littlepaw, I've never seen a cat do that before."
"How'd you do that?" Nutpaw asked.
"It was really cool!" Acornpaw added.
I had to lose them so I could see Nightpaw.
"Uh… I just remembered that I buried a sparrow over near the FlameClan border," I meowed, hoping they'd think I was being serious, "You guys go on ahead to camp… and I'll catch up with you…"
I turned and bounded back towards our secluded camp. I bumped into Frostpaw who was trailing behind the others. She growled at me, but there was no time to apologise: I had to see Nightpaw.
I could feel Frostpaw glaring at me.
0-0-0-0-0-0
I dodged as Nightpaw's paw came towards my face.
Yesterday, after I came from my training session, he had offered to help me fight, in return for helping him with his tail.
And here we were now.
My paw found its way to Nightpaw's shoulder.
The sore one.
He growled in pain.
"I'm sorry," I mewed, "I didn't know that it was still sore. Maybe you should—"
I stopped there. I was about to recommend him to see a medicine cat, but I kept forgetting. FlameClan doesn't have one.
"…Maybe you should wait. It might heal soon, but just in case, I'll ask Mistwhisker about it," I meowed.
He dipped his head. "Continue?"
I leapt towards him. "You won't get away with stealing my prey, Nightface!"
"Oh contraire, dear Littleberry, I already have," Nightpaw responded.
We circled around each other hissing.
He ran up to me and hit me in the nose with his sheathed paw.
"Suffer the wrath of Nightface!" he yowled.
"Never," I hissed.
I lifted my paw and swiped it towards his chin.
It hit the side, near his jaw and almost instantly, Nightpaw fell to the ground purring.
I looked at the relaxed Nightpaw.
… He'd thank me later…
I looked back down at my paws.
Rosefire wouldn't know what had hit her!
0-0-0-0-0-0
"Show me what you would do if your opponent was standing here, about to strike, Frostpaw," Rosefire mewed.
We were all standing in a line. For some reason, Scorchfoot had placed me in between Frostpaw and Hawkpaw— the two best fighters.
Beside me, Hawkpaw whispered, "You can do it, sweetheart."
Frostpaw groaned and jumped over Rosefire. With her claws sheathed, she grabbed hold of Rosefire's flank and pretended to inflict a few severe wounds on the older she-cat.
In return, Rosefire dropped to the ground and rolled— a defensive move that gives you the upper paw by crushing the opponent.
But Frostpaw already knew what she was doing, as she jumped free before she got squashed.
"The leap-and-hold plus the jump afterwards," Rosefire meowed, "Nice."
She turned to the other apprentices who hadn't had a go yet. "Take notes. That was a good move."
Frostpaw shot me a smug glance as Rosefire moved in front of me.
"Okay, Littlepaw," she mewed, "Your turn."
I gulped and lifted my paw.
"Just a front paw blow?" Scorchfoot asked. "How would that—?"
I didn't listen to the rest of his question and I sliced my paw upwards towards Rosefire's jaw.
The moment my paw touched her chin, she fell to the ground, purring.
Just like Nightpaw.
Frostpaw's smug look was wiped off her face immediately. She opened and closed her mouth in shock, but nothing came out.
She looked a bit like a fish to be honest.
No one said anything or moved.
The only things that move were their eyes which constantly changed from looking at me to looking at Rosefire.
I bounded back to the camp.
0-0-0-0-0-0
"So, Mistwhisker," I meowed casually, "How would one heal…I dunno… an infection?"
She glanced at me strangely.
"Most of the time, I'll use chervil or horsetail for infections," she meowed. "But I've run out of the horsetail Vineheart gave me last half-moon. I'll ask for more at the next half-moon."
I had almost forgotten. Mistwhisker was going to the Moonfalls in a few sunrises. I'd be able to grab something for Nightpaw then.
"What exactly does chervil look like?" I asked.
To my surprise, she walked over to a large leafy plant with white flowers. I thought that she'd just tell me.
"Why the sudden interest?" she asked me. "I don't think Scorchfoot would appreciate the sudden change of heart. Don't you like being a warrior apprentice?"
"No, no, no! I was just wondering what it looked like just in case I was injured… and no one was around to… heal me…" I insisted.
She looked at me with suspicion in her eyes, but nevertheless, she let me go.
I padded out of the medicine cat den hoping to find a nice piece of prey to eat, then relax afterwards.
But, since StarClan hated me so much, the other apprentices were all there discussing battle strategies.
I snuck past them, grabbed a mouse and padded away from the small group.
"Hey Littlepaw!" Fishpaw called.
I stopped in my tracks. I'd been spotted.
Everyone, but Frostpaw, bounded over to me. Snowstorm and Loudsong also came over to me.
"What was that earlier?" Hawkpaw asked. "Some kind of trick? What did you do?"
"Littlepaw," Nutpaw meowed, "You're totally going to become a warrior first! There's no question."
I heard Frostpaw let out an annoyed hiss when she heard Nutpaw say that.
She dropped her wren and stormed out of the camp.
0-0-0-0-0-0
I huffed.
Nightpaw was late today.
I stood up and started to pad over to the tunnel.
"Hey Littlepaw!" I heard Nightpaw call from outside. "Come here! I want to show you something!"
I rolled my eyes but still walked into the dark tunnel.
I had been through here so many times, I didn't need to see anything to know where I was.
The tunnel soon ended and I walked out to see Nightpaw's happy face.
"What is it?"
He glanced at a dead rabbit behind him. "That."
"…A dead rabbit…" I meowed in confusion, "…Nice…"
"Not the rabbit you mouse-brain; the silver thing next to it," Nightpaw growled playfully.
I padded up to it. It was small, silver and round. Kind of like a pebble, but with strange Twoleg markings all over it.
"I found it near the TwolegPlace when I was on a border patrol," he explained.
"What does it do?"
"Wait…" Nightpaw meowed.
He padded over to me and picked up the Twoleg pebble.
Placing it in the way of the sun, the strange pebble reflected the sun ray onto the ground making a small patch of light on the ground.
"Can you eat the Twoleg pebble?" I asked.
He shook his head and as he did, the light-patch moved around with his movements!
I stood up to chase it when Nightpaw stopped me with his tail. He shook his head again.
I guess that meant that I had to wait for something to happen.
After what seemed like moons of waiting, a mouse scurried from behind a tree.
Nightpaw positioned the pebble so that the light was right in front of the mouse. He shook his head rapidly, causing the light to shift.
The mouse leaped for it only to find that it had moved.
Intrigued, it continued to chase it, unaware that two hungry cats were standing right in front of it.
Nightpaw moved his tail out of my way and I guessed it meant for me to catch the mouse.
So I did.
And let me tell you, it has never been so easy to catch prey.
It didn't run, it didn't struggle. It just sat there trying to claw at the light-patch.
I stood there speechless.
Nightpaw dropped the pebble on the ground.
"It's incredible, isn't it?" he asked.
"I've never seen anything like it," I agreed.
"Here, you can take the pebble." Nightpaw pushed it closer to me. "There's a whole bunch of them back at the TwolegPlace; I can easily find more."
I picked up the silver pebble, dipped my head and padded back to my own territory.
It was going to be an interesting training session today…
0-0-0-0-0-0
"Meet the rabbit."
We were all in a line, crouched down, watching as a rabbit hopped around in the undergrowth.
"This is one of the swiftest and trickiest animals we catch," Scorchfoot whispered, "Your job today, is to catch it as swiftly and trickily as you can."
I moved my paw over and revealed the Twoleg pebble. I quickly picked it up with my teeth.
It was cold!
A lot colder than before.
The rabbit slowly hopped towards Nutpaw.
"Ha!" Nutpaw scoffed, "It's like the size of my—!"
At the sound of his loud, obnoxious voice, the rabbit turned, used Nutpaw's face as a starter and it bounded off.
"Ow! Oh, I'm hurt! I am very much hurt!" he whimpered as he rolled on the ground.
Hawkpaw and Frostpaw leaped towards it.
Using the same trick as Nightpaw, I made a small light-patch.
Just like the mouse, the rabbit leapt for it, only to find that it had moved.
Frostpaw and Hawkpaw stopped in their tracks as they noticed the rabbit hopping back towards me.
I slowly moved the light-patch towards me and once it was about a mouse-tail length away from me, I dropped the pebble and lunged forward—killing the rabbit in one swift bite.
I grabbed the dead rabbit and trotted over to Frostpaw. I placed it in front of her feet.
"Here, you deserve it more than I do," I meowed, sincerely.
She picked the rabbit up but didn't say anything; she just sat there, eying me with suspicion.
Nutpaw bounded over to Frostpaw.
"Wow, he's better than you ever were," he pointed out.
Frostpaw dropped the rabbit, hissed and stormed off into the forest.
0-0-0-0-0-0
Frostpaw leaped over her invisible opponent, turned and bit the back leg.
She was practising the badger defence move this time.
She then moved to a tree and sliced her claws downwards. She rolled out of the way of her 'opponent' then bit the leaf of a small plant, ripping it from the ground.
Oh, StarClan, she was so beautiful.
I quickly looked at the sky. Nightpaw would be waiting for me.
Slowly and quietly, I padded past her, still keeping an eye on her.
She ducked then twisted around, rolling onto her back.
She sprung to her paws, unsheathed her claws and…
Stood right in front of me.
Her beautiful blue eyes were clouded with fury and her pelt was dripping with sweat.
"How long have you been there?" she growled.
I looked at the sky. "Come on, I thought I saw that sparrow fly this way!"
I bounded away from her as fast as I possibly could.
She growled, but luckily for me, she didn't try to follow me.
That was too close.
0-0-0-0-0-0
"Right paw; left tail."
Nightpaw climbed up the tree muttering the little phrase the whole way up.
He seemed to be going slower this time.
He lifted his front right paw and hissed in pain.
"Littlepaw, it hurts," he whined.
The wound must be infected.
"Come back down, slowly," I meowed.
It took him a while to get down, but once he had, he laid down in a heap.
"Tonight is the half-moon," I meowed.
"Yeah…?" Nightpaw growled lazily, "So…?"
I didn't respond. I just sat there with a plan running through my mind.
Nightpaw sat up and looked at me.
"Oh no…" he muttered.
I purred. "Oh, yes."
0-0-0-0-0-0
"Littlepaw."
I dipped my head in response to Lionfang's greeting.
He walked back into the warrior's den.
"Come on," I whispered.
Behind me, Nightpaw trotted along, sniffing everything.
"Ooh!" he whispered.
I looked around. He was no longer behind me, but padding towards the fresh-kill pile.
"No you don't," I softly growled as I grabbed his ear and steered him over to the medicine cat den.
Once we were in there, I sniffed around for the chervil.
I remember it being next to the dock leaves…
There!
I picked up one of the leaves and padded up to Nightpaw. I gestured to the apprentice den and we both padded there quietly.
The apprentice den had a hole in the back near my nest, just in case we needed to get away quickly.
The other apprentices were off with their mentors in a hunting patrol, but Bluemist was still here, so Frostpaw must have stayed in the forest practicing.
"You chew the leaves to extract the juice," I whispered.
"So you don't eat it?" he asked innocently.
"No!" I hissed.
"Littlepaw?"
I froze.
Frostpaw!
"Quick, go!" I hissed softly.
"Are you in here?"
Too late. Frostpaw was already standing there watching me.
"Frostpaw. Hey! Hi Frostpaw. Hi. Frostpaw, hi!" I stuttered.
"I don't normally care what other cats do, but you're acting weird…" she growled. "…Well, weirder."
I needed an excuse. And fast!
"Oh no!" I gasped dramatically, "In the camp! Foxes!"
She turned around to look and I turned tail and ran.
"Go, go, go!" I hissed to Nightpaw as we bolted.
There was no way I'd let her know about Nightpaw.
She wouldn't understand.
.
A/N: *dodges assorted flying items*
...Hey guys... long-time, no see... heh...
What has it been...? 6, 7 months?
I'm so sorry. School has been hectic but now that my main exams are over, it should be a little bit better.
I will definitely try to get back into a regular updating cycle, but instead of once a week, I'll make it once a fortnight just in case of exams and all that jazz.
Hopefully you enjoy reading this chapter; it was super fun to write.
Anyway.
~ Kat's Komments ~
TheSilentFury: Thank you and thank you :) Hope you don't mind about the long wait... I'm really sorry.
crazyfoxqueen: He is super smart, but nowhere near as smart as you Kit. Littlepaw can't photosynthesis like you.
neobendium: Movie scores are great. Sorry for the wait, my friend. :)
Lelly2004: No problem! Ohh, that's terrible! I usually try to back everything up on USB just in case because I have A LOT of fanfiction on this laptop that I've not published but just kept for sentimental reasons. Also, heh, same. HTTYD and Warriors are great and they just work so well together in a crossover.
Fern (Guest): Hey Fern! I'm glad you like the story~! And you're not a horrible friend; you're amazing. I'm just glad that you took the time to even review the story. It's great!
bramble-fox (Guest): Thank you so much for your support. I love Nightpaw too; it's fun to write his sassy dialogue :3 And I promise that I will eventually finish this story, don't you worry
Kiara Walker (Guest): lol, thank you, person who I have also never met!
.
All done. :3
Again, I'm incredibly sorry for the wait. And I haven't answered all of the reviews, just the ones from the last chapter. But I still thank you for all of them :D
I'm trying to get back into my creative writing mood and I've started writing a song-fic.
It's a mix between Mulan's "I'll make a Man out of You" and the "See You Tomorrow" montage from HTTYD. If anyone wants a sneak-peak (because I'm not sure if I should publish it or not), send me a review or PM requesting to see what I've written so far :3
~ Cloudjumper Kat
