Hey ya'll! Sorry for the wait. But today's a SNOW DAY! That creates unlimited writing time. Hence, another chapter. And the world outside my window resembles the snow covered valley of our story, which we shall pick up after the replies:
mysterys: you think so? I'm actually indicisive on that topic... we'll see how the story unfolds.
Pinefur of DragonClan: thanks!
Spiritwind of FireClan: yay, snow day again! Woot! No school till Tuesday! Lots of writing time:D
Shaded-Strike: hmm... interesting idea. I'll definately consider it. Blindseer220 already suggested that Snowkit show up... I don't know if I want another Clan cat, but we'll see.
I like my plushies: that's also an interesting idea, but the problem with that is that Smokepaw is about Wood's age. Sorry if there was any confusion there. And I don't feel like making a complex family tree to relate them, since that's what I did in my other story (As the Wren Flies)
Shadow of the Nights: I'm taking the hint, really. But in case you haven't noticed, I barely have time to update my own stories, let alone read other ones. I'm getting there, I promise! Especially since you're such an awesome reviewer :D
Blindseer220: not just toms, but human boys too. (sighs)
Miirah Konvidu: on the main story page, or any page with stories listed for that matter, there's always a button next to the story title that says 'reviews' in red italics. Also, at the top of this page, click on the number of reviews and it'll take you to the review page.
Sleets: I'm a bit indicisive with that, as I said to mysterys... we'll see what happens.
Peachfoot: jeez, seems like Leaf and Smokepaw weren't very subtle, since the world is noticing... thanks for the review, by the way. :D
.Skia.ex.to.astron.: no errors? Cool! Thanks, stalker-- I mean, Skia!
Chapter 9
Leaf felt felt numb and cold as she passed in and out of consciousness, shivering inside Yellowroot's den. The herb cat, who'd heard from Stream about how Leaf had fallen into the water, was mumbling to herself about what an immature, impulsive cat Wood was. Didn't he know that he could have killed Leaf? Lucky Stream had pulled her out, or she might not even be here, huddled into a mossy corner of the den.
Walking back to camp, covered in snowflakes and still laughing quietly, Smokepaw and Wood literally walked right into a patrol of cats which was obviously meant to be the welcome wagon. Or the unwelcome wagon, in Wood's case. The cats seemed very hostile, even they were of Water Tribe.
"What's going on here?" inquired Wood as the cats circled around him and Smokepaw, who stood side by side at the center of the circle.
A large brown tom, sprinkled with snow, whom Smokepaw recognized as the reckless Mud replied. Smokepaw regarded him with disdain; he was the one who'd killed Grass as if he were just another piece of prey. "You know very well, you fishbrained piece of hawkprey. You have a little appointment with Whitewater as soon as your new friend is done. Now come with us, and you won't be hurt."
"I've done nothing wrong!" Wood argued. "Besides, what's the need for surrounding us and threatening us? We're your Tribemates!"
Mud's eyes glowed with fury. "You are considered to be a very dangerous, reckless wildclaw, and can you blame us for thinking that? You nearly killed Leaf! And as for him," he flicked his tail at Smokepaw, who was remaining silent. "He has yet to become our Tribemate."
Yowls of agreement rose from the assembled cats, drowing out the low growl emitted by Wood. Apparently Mud was a very popular cat, Smokepaw thought, and everyone seemed to believe in his violent opinions. He also appeared to have something against Wood, but he didn't know what. Maybe it had something to do with his sister, Mud's mate, Amber? He glanced sideways at Wood, but his expression gave away nothing.
A brief silence fell upon the cats, and Smokepaw thought about what Blackstar and Russetfur would have done if someone had purpously pushed their Clanmate into the freezing river that snaked across a small part of their border with RiverClan. He realized with a chill that Blackstar may have exiled the cat... no, his leader had to have some sense of humor, no matter how little. The cat, if a warrior, would probably be stuck doing apprentice duties for a moon, or if the cat was already an apprentice then their duty would be doubled. Right?
It was just then he realized how serious Wood's little joke was. Mud was right; had Stream not pulled her out immediately, Leaf might have died in the freezing cold water. He wondered if Water Tribe cats knew how to swim. As much as he disliked her though, Leaf's death would not have been a good thing.
Five cats, who had obviously been selected beforehand, made another circle around Wood, their teeth bared into snarls, hackles raised.
"You don't honestly want to fight me, do you?" Wood mewed, his steady voice wavering.
Mud laughed. "Of course not. We just don't want you to put up resistance when we put you in the prison den."
"Prison den?!" Smokepaw and Wood exclaimed at the same time. "C'mon," begged Smokepaw. "It was just a joke."
Mud glared at Smokepaw, along with many other cats, but Mud's burning amber eyes were the angriest. "Don't mess with us, new cat. Do you also want to become a prisoner of Water Tribe?"
"Mud!" exclaimed another cat. "Now that's going too far!"
The she-cat who'd spoken stepped forward. She was a pretty tortoiseshell, and looking at her, Smokepaw thought of Tawnypelt. Tawnypelt was another ShadowClan warrior, though she was not much older than him.
"That's Pine," whispered Wood. "She's Mud's sister." Smokepaw looked into her dark amber eyes, just like Mud's, and saw where she got her name, and definately how she resembled her brother.
"This cat might be the cat of the prophecy, and you're treating him like an enemy!" she meowed. "Stop threatening him and let him go to Whitewater already. She's waiting, you know."
Mud glared at her as the assembly of cats laughed quietly; he hated any dent in his pride. "Fine. Pine, Willow, Aspen, please show him the way to Whitewater's den."
"I can find it on my own," snapped Smokepaw.
"Alright, let me rephrase this," growled Mud irritably. "Pine, Willow, and Aspen, walk with him and make sure he actually goes to Whitewater's den."
"Well where else would I go?" demanded Smokepaw, hating Mud more and more by the second.
"Just come," whispered a pale brown tom beside him, silencing his retort by laying his tail over his muzzle, and lead him through the parting crowd of onlookers and cats of the patrol. "I'm Willow, by the way," he meowed quietly as soon as they were out of Mud's earshot, gazing at Smokepaw with kind pale green eyes. Smokepaw turned his head away. His friend was being accused of murder even though Leaf hadn't died, he himself was being threatened... he didn't have time to be nice to a seemingly oblivious trainee.
The cats surrounding Wood pounced, pinning the small tom down under their weight. Mud fastened his teeth on Wood's scruff. "No resistance, or I will be very tempted to hurt you," he snarled through a mouthful of dusty brown fur.
Wood didn't bother struggling; he knew that Mud meant every word of his threat. He could only muse to himself as the cats surrounding him shoved him into the prison den where Grass had been kept, posting three guards outside the entrance. Smokepaw was right, he thought. The word huge was an understatement in describing the trouble I'm in. Curled up in the moss and his own musings and misery, it took him a moment to realize exactly what he'd just thought. Smokepaw was right, the word huge is an understatement... his name is Smokepaw. Wait a minute; how do I know that? He was sure that his new friend hadn't told him.
And what kind of name was Smokepaw anyway? Why not just Smoke... Smoke! Wood nearly burst into tears. There were times when he missed his brother so much. His familiar dusty brown pelt and his eerie smoke-shaded eyes were so comforting... and he would probably never see him again. If, by some chance, he wasn't dead, he was a secret prisoner of Ice Tribe.
He hoped that Smokepaw was the cat in the prophecy, because no matter what, they would send him out to complete it as they had with Smoke. Only Smoke wasn't the chosen cat, so he'd met his end.
"Be quiet!" yelled River, one of the guards outside. Wood sighed; he knew that Mud had been waiting for an opportunity to humiliate and capture him like this ever since the death of Branch, an Ice Tribe cat, many moons ago. Branch had just killed Yew, Mud's older brother from another litter, in a border skirmish. Water Tribe wanted Branch dead for it; after all, they used every excuse under the sun to kill Ice Tribe fighters. Wood, a newly named trainee, had been on a night patrol lead by Mud when Branch and a patrol of Ice Tribe cats leapt out of the shadows.
Wood and Amber, also a new trainee, had cowered behind Mud, thinking that as the leader of the patrol he would get rid of them. Being the young trainees they were, they always looked up to the stronger fighters. But soon they had Mud and Fern, Amber's mentor, pinned down. Amber was nearly in tears in terror, but Wood thought fast. The Ice Tribe patrol had ambushed them, remaining hidden in the shadows; well, two could play at that game. Wood had slowly slunk away into the shadows of the giant rocks where they'd been hiding. Without the slightest warning, he'd leapt from the shadows, scoring the neck of the fighter prepared to kill Fern. The green-eyed she-cat helped him fight the other cat off Mud, and they were soon free.
It had been rumored at the time that Mud had liked Fern, and that they might be mates. But that night, Fern could not stop talking about Wood's bravery and what a wonderful trainee he was. She reported that he'd saved the patrol, and he was the hero of the night. By morning the entire Tribe knew that Mud had been taken by surprise and pinned down, laying helpless at the claws of death, but had been saved by an unproven, undersized new trainee. Wood had saved the day (or night, in this case), and Mud's life.
Mud still tried to win Fern over, but that came to an end a moon later when Fern was killed in another ambush. That's when he fell in love with Amber, though she was still a trainee. The current rumor was that as soon as Amber became a fighter, they would have kits. But Mud never forgot his humiliation at the paws of Wood, although he'd saved his life. He'd always insisted that he could've freed himself on his own had Wood not interfered. He always hated the young trainee, his upbeat over-energetic personality, and his immature pranks.
Like pushing Leaf into Freezepool.
Wood sighed heavily through his nose, then curled up in the one mossy corner of the den. Mud could only keep him here until Whitewater found out, and he knew that his leader wasn't fishbrained enough to imprison him like he was from Ice Tribe for a simple joke. Right?
But at the moment, Whitewater could have done nothing, because she was waiting in her den for the mysterious new cat. He'd been with Water Tribe for three days, yet she'd only seen him briefly when he and Wood had captured Grass. But she'd heard something different about him from everyone. Stream reported that he was grumpy and easily annoyed. Yellowroot had told her in her mysterious voice that he was "a cat with potential who has yet to reach it". So naturally, she was curious and looking forward to meeting this strange young cat.
Unfortunately for the leader of Water Tribe, Smokepaw wasn't in a very good mood as Willow, Aspen, and Pine forced him into the den. Willow gazed at him sympathetically, then turned to follow his retreating companions. They knew that guarding the den would be an insult to Whitewater; she could easily control the reckless new cat, as far as they were concerned.
Smokepaw was in no mood to show respect to the leader. Whitewater sat calmly on the opposite side of the den, while Smokepaw stood in the entrance, his neck fur bristling, and his yellow eyes alight with anger.
"You may sit," meowed Whitewater. It was not a command, yet the tone in her voice made him feel like he had to obey. He slowly sat himself down, still bristling, his eyes burning into Whitewater's snowy pelt.
"What do you want from me?" Smokepaw demanded. The sooner he was out of here, the better. He needed to rescue Wood and get him out of that filthy prison den.
"Calm yourself," meowed Whitewater, in that same commanding tone. Smokepaw took a deep breath, and forced his standing fur to flatten, but still glaring at her with fiery eyes.
"You seem upset," stated Whitewater. Smokepaw groaned inwardly; her voice was really beginning to bug him. Her den was plain, just simple brown oak walls surrounding him. Yet Whitewater stood out like a cardinal in the snow, her white eyes fixed on him, watching him with endless patience.
"Of course I'm upset," snapped Smokepaw. "My friend has just been thrown into the prison den like he was nothing but a piece of foxdung."
Whitewater's unwavering gaze seemed confused for a split second, but when Smokepaw blinked it was gone. "Wood has been imprisoned? That is not what I ordered." She paused, gazing at Smokepaw, who was taking his turn at looking confused. "I told Mud to contain him, and make sure he didn't do anything else until I could see him. But I guess he would do something like that. I'm sorry we have to meet while he is imprisoned, but we cannot delay this meeting any longer."
Something about the way she said that made Smokepaw believe that she was right about the latter, and not lying about the first part. And it was clear to him that she would not allow him to leave the den until she had what she wanted. Smokepaw was not decieved by her calm demenour. He knew that if she wanted him dead, all she had to do was spring and tear out his throat, something she was perfectly capable of.
Yet he would not submit to her 'calmness' or to her authority. No! ShadowClan warriors never submit to anything. He merely narrowed his eyes, trying to look intimidating. "So what is it you want from me?"
"Your name, to start," she meowed.
Smokepaw let out an annoyed grunt; he hadn't wanted to tell anyone his name for some reason. But there was no lying; he knew that if he lied, Whitewater would sense it. So he took a deep breath...
"My name is Smokepaw."
For a moment, the world froze. Whitewater sat still as an icicle, and then she seemed to leap out of her fur. "Smokepaw," she repeated. "Smokepaw..."
Smokepaw didn't know what was so significant about his name... did it have to do with the prophecy? He hoped not. He didn't want to be a part of some mousebrained prophecy of a tribe he didn't even belong to and knew nothing about.
"Willow!" yowled Whitewater. A moment later, the pale furred trainee appeared in the entrance to the den, his head bowed. "Go fetch Yellowroot. Now!"
"Shall I fetch Frost as well?" Willow asked timidly.
"No! Just Yellowroot!" demanded Whitewater, sending Willow bolting away to do her bidding.
Whitewater hadn't seemed like a forceful leader before to Smokepaw, and he was still sure that she lead by kindness. She had been one of the few cats to hesitate to kill Grass, after all. So why did she just yell at Willow and scare him off?
There was something strange about his name, something strange about this prophecy. Just the mention of his name or the mysterious prophecy seemed to send the world spinning, turning it upside down and back again. He groaned inwardly. This battle for peace he'd wanted to fight with Wood had turned into so much more. There was treachery, war, recklessness, revenge, cold hearts against warm hearts in the freezing climate...
Great StarClan, he thought, how did I get myself into this?
Poor Smokepaw, short term memory loss :D. Anyway, I'd like to give you a little key of Water Tribe diologue, just in case you didn't get some of it.
fishbrain- mousebrain
hawkprey- crowfood
wildclaw- a viscious or reckless cat
If there's anything you're unclear on that I left out, feel free to ask. Please review, and seeya next chapter!
--Moonstar P.S I hope to get the 100th review from this chapter... 100th reviewer gets a special prize! (ponders what the prize will be) hmm...
