Chapter 9: Thunderclan
Chapter 9: Thunderclan
The sky looked like it was on fire as Eagle followed the four cats into a large meadow. The tall grass went up to his belly fur as he sprinted through the clearing. He craned his head to gather in his surroundings, the fascination mounting every heartbeat.
Aside from this meadow, and perhaps a few more clearings, Eagle observed that the vast majority of Thunderclan's territory was comprised of forest. To Eagle, a forest held so much mystery, so much adventure and excitement and aside from his little trip through the mountains he was up for any adventure anytime.
At the end of the meadow was a hill, filled with so many clovers that a cat couldn't see the proper ground.
"This is clover hill," Goldenleaf mewed to him as they made their ascend. "It's a safe place for kits to be without straying too far. Just beyond this hill is Thunderclan camp. Keep in mind that this is the entrance and the most open part of our camp so it must be heavily guarded at all times, especially in times of war."
Eagle gave her a curious look and then asked, "War? War with whom?" Do Thunderclan cats fight amongst themselves? Like the way gang members do?
"The other clans of course," Goldenleaf mewed, flicking her ears at him. Eagle asked her what she was talking about but Goldenleaf flicked her tail at him, signaling not to ask any more questions. The cats had arrived at the top of the hill and what Eagle saw took his breath away.
The hill fell away into a grassy hollow, flecked with trees and bushes. Towards the center of the clearing at the bottom was the biggest tree he had ever seen, bigger than any in the city parks. From there he could see the lithe forms of cats, moving around in the rising shadows.
"Welcome to the Thunderclan camp," Lightningstar mewed. Once that was said he made his way down the hill with Rockface directly behind him.
"I wonder how the rest of the clan is going to take this," Hotwhisker mewed solemnly.
"They have to accept it, Lightningstar has already made his decision, and so has Blazingstar," Goldenleaf growled.
"Yes, but will they know that?" And on that note he charged down toward the clearing.
"What did Lightningstar mean when he said something about the clan's circumstance?" Eagle mewed looking up at her.
Goldenleaf gave him a long look before answering, a grave sadness clouding her eyes. "Not too long ago, in this past Leaf bare, a terrible sickness swept through the clans, a sickness that had no name or identity, other than it was a killer. Over half of our clan cats died, and none of the four clans went untouched, it affected us all."
"So you're saying it would be good to let me stay because you could use more warriors?"
Goldenleaf nodded slowly then bounded down the slope to the camp.
Eagle hesitated for a moment. It didn't take these four cats long to accept him, the message came from Blazingstar himself. But these other cats, they wouldn't know what had occurred, so what then? Would he be so easily accepted by them?
Before Eagle even reached the clearing cats were already starting to look in his direction. They had caught his scent on the breeze and were curious to know why this intruder was able to stroll so boldly into camp.
When he reached the grassy-patched ground he was immediately greeted by hostile stares. Lightningstar leapt onto a thick tree branch below a deep hollow in the tree.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join together beneath the great oak for a clan meeting!"
The strange yowl called forth most cats in the clan who then gathered beneath the tree, staring up at their leader in curiosity. Some appeared from beneath bushes and others were just coming into camp with fresh kill in their jaws.
Among the returning cats there was a strong looking tabby tom with numerous scars and a nick in his ear. "What's this? A clan meeting? Lightningstar what's going on?"
"And who's that?" A young dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes hissed as he put his fresh kill down in a pile by the tree.
"It must be the cat who almost killed Larkpaw!" This was spoken by a dusky brown tabby she-cat with green eyes. This was greeted by yowls of outrage; the clan cats were staring accusingly at Eagle. His eyes burned with fury. Larkpaw must have gotten back before them and told the whole clan that a dangerous cat might be on the way.
"What's he doing here then?" called one cat.
"Lets chase him out!" snarled another. Many similar calls were spoken until Lightningstar's yowl rose above them all.
"Silence! Before I even get a chance to speak you all jump to idiotic conclusions." Lightningstar's pale green eyes rested on Larkpaw. "And Larkpaw, in the future I would expect you not to go around gossiping like an old queen and spreading false information."
Larkpaw laid her ears flat back in embarrassment and looked down at the ground. Lightningstar continued. "This cat's name is Eagle and he was found by Larkpaw in our territory. Eagle has traveled far from a Twoleg city in search of a new home and Thunderclan could use some more warriors."
Yowls of anger and surprise met his words. Eagle was burning beneath his pelt, not only from embarrassment but from rage as well.
"You can't be serious Lightningstar," the tabby that had led the group of cats into the camp mewed. "This cat lived with humans and is above all else a stranger to us. How can you so easily let him join our ranks?"
Lightningstar opened his mouth to answer but Eagle interrupted quickly. "First of all, I never lived with Twolegs, and second, I was told how a recent sickness affected all of the clans. Would it be wise to turn down a cat who is willing to help fight for you?" A silence fell on the crowd. Feeling bolder, Eagle spoke up again. "I went through a lot to get somewhere. You're not just going to make me turn around after everything I've been through. Traveling through mountains, fighting off giant birds, being chased by some 'tribe' cats, and all sorts of other things. Just give me a chance. I'll work twice as hard as any-cat here."
Again Eagle's words were greeted by a stunned silence and then the scarred tabby spoke once more. "You speak nobly from your heart Eagle and I admire you for that, but is clan life really something for you?"
Eagle nodded his head vigorously. "I've lived a life that's probably similar, if not less united."
"So then why'd you leave?" A dark gray tom with a white underbelly sitting at the edge of the crowd yowled out defiantly, his eyes glittering with challenge. "You probably wouldn't make it out here. This life's not exactly the life of a simple, pampered kittypet."
Eagle's hackles rose and he snarled. "What did you call me?"
"A kittypet," he sneered. The young tabby tom that came in beside the scarred warrior had moved to a position beside this new antagonist and gave Eagle a smug look.
A mostly orange tortoiseshell tom with a bright tail padded up to Eagle and whispered in his ear. "That's Lizardtail. He was just made a warrior two days ago, so he thinks he's all high and mighty now. He's challenging you because he thinks he'll win in a fight." He stepped away and looked at Eagle curiously, his amber eyes felt like they were piercing through his skin. Then he mewed under his breath, "Are you going to accept his challenge?"
Eagle's eyes glittered fiercely, the battle light in his eyes. "I never back down from a fight!"
"Kittypet, kittypet, kittypet, kittypet. Are you having fun gossiping over there kittypet?" Lizardtail continued taunting him and the tabby beside him chimed in as well. A solid gray tom and the dusky tabby she-cat joined them and Eagle's eyes clouded over in blind anger. His fur was bristling and he dug his claws deep into the ground, preparing himself.
The entire clan was looking at him in anticipation, unsure of what this strange newcomer would do next. A few heartbeats later they got their answer.
Eagle had crouched low to the ground and flattened his ears while narrowing his eyes. Then, in a mighty leap, he hurtled herself at Lizardtail, his full weight slamming into him. Unprepared for the sudden attack, Lizardtail fell on his back, the soft underbelly fur exposed. Eagle scrabbled at the vulnerable spot with his claws and pinned one of Lizardtail's forepaws down as he clamped his jaws into it.
Lizardtail desperately tried to rid himself of his burden. He clawed at Eagle's back with his free forepaw and tried to get in a few scores with his hind claws but the position that held him was too awkward. In the mean time a circle was created around the two. Some of the clan members were egging on the fighting cats while others sat back in shocked silence. Lightningstar looked on calmly and accepting the fact that two cats within his clan were fighting one another.
Just as Eagle was about to give him a final blow he felt himself being wrenched off the dark gray tom by the scruff of his neck and getting slammed on the ground in the process.
"Maybe you should try fighting fair!" the dark brown tabby hissed. He gave Eagle a forceful blow to the head, sending him sprawling on the dusty ground. He couldn't believe another cat was attacking him!
The new enemy set upon him, getting a grip on his shoulders with his claws and biting into the back of Eagle's neck while Lizardtail came up and bit into his hind paw. Eagle let out a yowl of furry. I will not lose!
Thinking quickly Eagle relaxed his muscles. Yowling in triumph the tabby tom loosened his grip and prepared to strike him one final blow to the head. In that same heartbeat, Eagle used his free hind paw to kick Lizardtail vigorously in the face, dislodging him quickly. He then forcibly rolled to the side, making the tabby tom lose his balance and fall on his side. In lightning movements he sprang to his paws and dealt the tabby tom a long scratch down the length of his forearm and a second along his muzzle. Dodging quickly out of the way from a charging Lizardtail, he caught him a blow to the back of his legs so he stumbled. When he got back up and spun around Eagle had risen to his hind paws. He gave three swipes of his claws in Lizardtail's face to remember him by, then he head butted him in the side, knocking the wind out of him and causing him to collapse in a heap on the ground.
Lightningstar quickly leapt down from his perch and pushed himself to the center of the circle to prevent the fight from getting worse. "That's enough now," he boomed. "I think a lot has been said in those few moments." He turned around and addressed his clan. "Thunderclan, you have witnessed this yourself. Eagle rose to meet Lizardtail's challenge, and when Thistlepaw so boldly joined in, he fought them both." Lightningstar spat out the word 'boldly' like there was grit stuck in his teeth and he gave Thistlepaw a harsh stare.
"Not only did he fight them, but he soundly defeated them both. One of our 'noble' warriors and a seasoned apprentice couldn't defeat this eight-moon-old outsider. What does that tell you? I know what it tells me, but I will leave the decision to you all. Should we invite young Eagle to become one of us? Or should we send him back from where he came?"
There was an awkward silence in the crowd as cats exchanged looks. Some even shuffled their paws on the ground in embarrassment, as if they were too afraid to speak out.
"Of course we should let him stay, Thunderclan needs warriors like this." A brown marbled she-cat, who's spotted pattern reminded him greatly of frost, spoke out from several tail-lengths away. She was sort of young and very pretty; Eagle found himself immediately smitten. A powerful looking tabby with a white paw sitting beside her spoke as well.
"I agree. Every clan is short of cats now and Eagle looks like he could fit in nicely. After witnessing a battle like that it would be mousebrained to turn him down."
More mews of agreement came from the clan and Eagle felt his heart swell with pride. Other than a few irritating cuts, he felt invincible. "Bold words Flickerfoot and Timberclaw. So it is agreed? Eagle shall become one of us?"
A unified, "Yes" was the answer to that question.
Lightningstar turned to Eagle and looked down at him, a passionate intensity burning in his eyes. "From this day forward, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice shall be known as Eaglepaw, in honor of his courage and bold heart."
Lightningstar stepped forward and rested his muzzle on his head. In return, without even thinking, he gave him a respectful lick on the shoulder. Afterwards he stepped back and dipped his head to the leader.
"Thank you for giving me this chance."
"Don't thank me," Lightningstar purred. "Thank Blazingstar, and yourself."
The clan cats began to break up into little individual groups, murmuring excitedly and recapping the fight that had happened moments before. Eaglepaw! I'm officially one of them now!
"Hey Eaglepaw!" Hearing his new name, Eaglepaw turned to see the tortoiseshell tom from before; a slightly bigger tortoiseshell with mostly white markings went to stand beside him. "That was a great fight! I never saw that coming."
"Me either," the other tom mewed. "I was sure you would've been shredded."
"It was nothing," Eaglepaw mewed modestly, though on the inside he was yowling with triumph.
"I'm Foxpaw by the way," the smaller, mostly orange tom replied. "And this is my brother, Adderpaw. We're both Thunderclan apprentices too."
"Obviously," Adderpaw mewed with an eye roll. Foxpaw only acknowledged him with a flick of his tail.
A few moments later more cats came up to greet him. Among them were Hotwhisker, Rockface, and Goldenleaf, all giving their congratulations. Next to come up was the scarred muscular tabby.
"You put up a good fight Eaglepaw. My name is Ridgeback and I am the clan deputy, or second in command. I look forward to watching your progress." Following the departure of the senior warriors Foxpaw and Adderpaw told Eaglepaw interesting stories consisting of the deeds they'd done and great battles they'd fought in.
Next were the cats that had supported him, Flickerfoot and Timberclaw. "Welcome to Thunderclan Eaglepaw," Flickerfoot mewed warmly.
Eaglepaw felt a warm tingle run down his spine as the pretty she-cat spoke directly to him. It was lost when the gruffer voice of Timberclaw sounded.
"I hope you enjoy your stay here."
After the two cats walked off, a group of five came to greet him, four she-cats and a tom, all rather young. He learned their names quickly, Raventail, Sagewhisker, Birdsong, Morningfrost, and Heronflight. They all seemed rather welcoming and friendly.
"You'll have to stop by the nursery later to see my newborn kits," Heronflight mewed politely. "They're growing bigger everyday." A hint of pride touched her voice.
"And it's about time you were moved into the nursery too," the cat called Birdsong murmured to Morningfrost, a silver tabby she-cat with black stripes. "You're belly is getting swollen."
Eaglepaw only just realized that he could see a slight plumpness around the pretty she-cat. "I'm expecting my second litter," she mewed with a touch of sadness. Eaglepaw was confused.
"Her first died from the sickness," Sagewhisker whispered in his ear. His eyes were also clouded with sadness; he must've been the father.
"I'm so sorry," Eaglepaw mewed regretfully. He only just began to realize how terrible the sickness was and was only just realizing how small Thunderclan seemed compared to the old gang. He wondered how many other cats lost loved ones and family members in the disaster.
"I think that's everyone," Foxpaw mewed once the cats had left.
"No, Grassfur didn't come over," Adderpaw interjected. He pointed his tail toward a prickly looking tabby she-cat, one of the cats who jeered at him before the fight. "And you've obviously already met Thistlepaw, Larkpaw, and Lizardtail."
"Oh," Eaglepaw snorted. "The cats who don't like me I take it."
"They probably just need to get used to you," Foxpaw mewed kindly.
His brother snorted doubtfully. "Sure," he mewed. "It's not like they wont be holding grudges for seasons to come."
Eaglepaw felt his pelt prickling in annoyance. "But I haven't done anything to that Grassfur cat," he pointed out.
Foxpaw laid a supportive tail on his shoulder. "Forget her, she's not all that great anyway. Now come on! You've met the warriors but you still haven't seen the elders or the medicine cat."
"Medicine cat?" Eaglepaw echoed. "Like, a cat that heals the clan?"
"Yea," the young tom answered. "Thunderclan's medicine cat's name is Sparklefur. She probably didn't have time to come say hello to you because she had to tend to Lizardtail's and Thistlepaw's wounds right away."
Eaglepaw sneered at the thought of the two clan cats. "Good! I hope they have wounds and clumps of missing fur to last them!"
Adderpaw nodded agreement. "They and Larkpaw can be such nasty furballs!" he growled. His expression faltered however when he turned his attention to the entrance of the medicine cat clearing. "I feel bad for poor Sparklefur though."
"Why what happened?" More trouble from the sickness?
"Our previous medicine cat, and her mentor, Poppyflower died from grief last winter, grief of seeing so many of her clan die," Adderpaw mewed sadly. "I really liked her too. She had a barbed tongue sometimes, but other times she was nice, and she was a good medicine cat."
"Well Sparklefur will be just as good," Foxpaw mewed, jumping to the new medicine cat's defense."
"I'm sure she will be," Adderpaw mewed briskly though there was a hint of doubt in his voice.
Eaglepaw licked his forepaw and drew it over a stinging cut on his ear. "Do you think she can give me something for these cuts?"
Foxpaw's eyes widened. "You really want to go in there while Lizardtail and Thistlepaw are in there?"
Eaglepaw's eyes glittered as he raised his muzzle defiantly. "I'd like to see them try and do something." Adderpaw snickered and pushed his way through the fern bush.
"Well what are we waiting for," he mewed mischievously. "Lets go in."
The medicine cat's clearing was a calm and relaxing place. Rays of the fading sun shot through the leafy canopy, making it have a peculiar green glow. At the base of the hill there was a small pool for sick cats to drink from, and at the far end of the clearing was a den made from thorns and brambles. Lizardtail and Thistlepaw sat on the outside of the makeshift shelter; they adorned impatient looks as they licked at their wounds.
"Stop that," mewed a tabby she-cat as she emerged from the den. She had a bundle of herbs in her jaws so her words were a slightly muffled. "You'll only make it more irritated." She proceeded to chew up one of the herbs in her mouth and then gently place the swab on the long gash in Thistlepaw's forearm, smoothly rubbing it in. Thistlepaw let out a hiss as he felt the stings intensify. "Oh, you should know this would sting by now Thistlepaw." She gave Lizardtail a similar treatment and then handed them both a poppy head. "Now take some of those seeds to reduce the stinging feeling and then you're both good to go."
Sparklefur had just noticed Eaglepaw, Adderpaw, and Foxpaw when she looked up from her work. "Yes? Is there something I can do for you?" Sparklefur stepped into a ray of light; her fur had a glossy sheen as if she'd just emerged from water. Lizardtail and Thistlepaw turned around from where they sat and gave Eaglepaw hateful glares. He returned the look with equal hostility.
"Yea, I've got a few minor scratches here and there, and they itch a little, I was wondering if you had something for that." He spoke his words cockily, daring one of the two cats to say anything.
Sparklefur's whiskers twitched in amusement. "Of course," she mewed. She turned and went back in the den and returned a moment later with a plant Eaglepaw was unfamiliar with. She did the same chew and swab technique to Eaglepaw and then asked him if he needed a poppy seed. Eaglepaw replied with a no, just saying that there were just a few itches, nothing painful. "Welcome to Thunderclan," she mewed with amusement.
When the three apprentices exited the medicine cat clearing evening had completely set in. Cats were running about, doing last minute things before they retired to their dens. As he walked by, Eaglepaw heard Ridgeback organizing a 'night patrol.' Hmm, patrols huh? Sounds kind of like the city.
"Come on Eaglepaw, our den is over here." Foxpaw led the group to a swathe of brambles, ferns, thorns, and bushes.
"What's this tangled mess?" Eaglepaw asked.
"It's our den mousebrain," Adderpaw answered good-humoredly. He rounded the giant tangled bush and ducked his head down. Eaglepaw followed. What are they doing?
"Are you coming Eaglepaw?" Foxpaw mewed. Eaglepaw followed them to the back and it was there that he realized that there was a low entrance. When Eaglepaw crawled underneath he found himself inside the bush. It was hollowed out! "You see, a long time ago, the warriors cleared out the center of this bush and then added thorns and brambles to it to keep in the heat. It's the perfect den."
And indeed it was. Eaglepaw found it to be nice and cozy in there, and it was spacious enough to fit about eight cats comfortably. As he began to curl himself up, Lightningstar poked his head into the den bush.
"Eaglepaw, as an apprentice you will need a mentor and since you are a newcomer you will need more than one. Hotwhisker, Goldenleaf, Timberclaw and I will share your mentoring." Eaglepaw glowed at this. These were that cats that would be teaching him how to be a warrior. Not one, but four! The prospect excited him.
"Thank you Lightningstar!" Lightningstar dipped his head and turned out of the den, but not before mewing goodnight.
"Wow, Hotwhisker is my mentor," mewed Foxpaw. "As well as our father. Cats aren't usually aloud to mentor their offspring but he…" Foxpaw broke off awkwardly.
"He lost his apprentice and Foxpaw lost his mentor," Adderpaw finished sadly.
"They were good cats, Swiftclaw and Dawnpaw." Foxpaw shook his head in grief. "She was almost a warrior, too."
Eaglepaw didn't feel as if he knew the cat well enough to give him a supportive lick, but he still laid a comforting tail on his shoulder. "I know I can't replace those cats," he began carefully. "I'll try my best to live up to what Thunderclan expects me to be. A good, loyal warrior who follows your warrior code."
His new friends gazed warmly at him. "You don't have to try," Adderpaw mewed. "We know you'll be awesome."
"Oh? How can you tell?"
Foxpaw swatted him with a playful paw. "We're good at seeing these sort of things," he mewed. "Trust us, we know you belong here."
After more small talk, the three friends settled down comfortably in their nests. Eaglepaw couldn't believe this was really happening; he was really apart of Thunderclan! He'd come all this way, purely on instinct and the guidance of a dream, and here he was, in an apprentices den cozying up with two new friends. Thistlepaw and Larkpaw eventually pushed their way into the den and made themselves comfortable as far from the three friends as possible. Larkpaw, every now and then, gave Eaglepaw a hostile glare while Thistlepaw simply looked down upon him in scorn. To Eaglepaw's surprise, it didn't bother him one bit. For that matter, it pleased him to know end. He knew he earned his place in Thunderclan, he knew he had every right to be there, and yes, he knew that this was his new home and he wouldn't have it any other way.
A/N: Yayyyy he's finally in Thunderclan! Only one more chapter of this introductory stuff and then we get on to the good stuff! R&R pleeez