WARNING: This chapter is dark and has abuse in it. If you are not comfortable with this, do not read.
pianodevotion:Ahhahahahahhhhh... Sorry.
Lawsonsog: eh I get what you are saying, but it's Warriors, I'm pretty sure talking cats who form groups and believe in "Starclan" is a little odd too, so a fat cat is okay. :))
Willowsong of Thunderclan: Thank you! Same, I would have pounded in my brother's face if he did that. Yeah... about updating...
lane:Ah thanks! But I don't really... :\
OKAY. It's been a year... I'm sorry about all of this. Life has been tough, and writing this was making me stressed. I'm really sorry for all the people who read my story and who reviewed and made me feel great. But like I said, life got tough, and I felt like I couldn't do this... I felt swamped with schoolwork, I started animating, I was training for a sport, and life became... heavy. But I'm back now, and I'll try to write as much as I can!
Once again, I'm sorry for leaving Fanfiction. Net fo so long with no warning or anything. I doubt anyone was worried, but if you were for some reason, I'm sorry.
Onto the chapter!
Reedpaw pricked his ears. He heard the paw steps of Smokeflight behind him. Reedpaw spun around.
"Smokeflight! I get to go right?" Reedpaw asked hopefully. The tom sighed.
"I'm not sure, why don't we go ask Sharpstar quickly, okay?" The tom meowed, twitching his tail. The two cats padded over to where Sharpstar was pacing. Smokeflight bounded up to the white leader. "Sharpstar" Smokeflight meowed to him. Sharpstar paused and glanced over his shoulder.
"Yes? What is it Smokeflight?" Smokeflight slowed his pace.
"I was wondering if Reedpaw could go to Sunningrocks" Smokeflight asked. Reedpaw noticed Smokeflight's claws dug into the snow. Was he nervous? Reedpaw shook the thought away. Sharpstar twitched his whiskers and thought for a moment. He blinked.
"No, he's too young." the tom meowed sternly. Reedpaw's tail drooped. Smokeflight gazed at Reedpaw, pity evident in his eyes.
"Sharpstar" Reedpaw leaped, he was surprised by how loud his own voice came out. Sharpstar stopped.
"What is it?" he sighed. Reedpaw took a breath.
"If I don't go, Goldensky won't go either. I want to make sure he is safe." Reedpaw's heart pounded like a drum as he spoke. Sharpstar smiled at Reedpaw.
"Reedpaw, I know you care about your father, but he is the deputy now and he needs to be with us when we take Sunningrocks" Sharpstar responded. Suddenly rage lit up in Reedpaw's stomach like a wildfire. Reedpaw felt his fur bristle.
"He can't go! He is sick enough already, if he's hurt in battle it will only get worse!" Reedpaw hissed, his pupils were tiny piercing shards. Sharpstar blinked in surprise. Before Sharpstar could respond, Smokeflight stepped in front of Reedpaw.
"Don't talk to your leader like that! Go to your nest, I don't want to see your face until after the patrol!" Reedpaw took a pace back.
"I-I'm sorry..." he apologized, but Smokeflight cut him off before he could talk.
"Nest. Now!" Reedpaw dropped his head. He dragged his paws to the apprentices den, hanging his head. Reedpaw flopped into his mossy nest, reeds and dry bark surrounded the outside of his nest. Reedpaw closed his eyes and breathed in, easing into the warmth, but even though it was Leaf-Bare, the warmth felt more like the uncomfortable heat of Green-Leaf.
Reedpaw scanned the apprentice's den, no cats sat in their nests, only Reedpaw... Suddenly Reedpaw felt a hollowness in his chest. Like a void that crept up along his pelt and devoured him from the inside. Reedpaw had felt it before, but never like this. Through all the moons that he felt this way, he could never pinpoint the emotion. All Reedpaw knew was the feeling was awful. Oddly enough, tears welled up in his eyes. Reedpaw unsheathed his claws and tore at the moss bedding. His throat tightened. He was weak, just like Breezepaw had said.
Reedpaw gazed out of his den. He spotted the light grey colour of his brother's pelt. The tom was bouncing with excitement. He got to go... Reedpaw clenched his teeth and took a deep breath. Of course he did... he was better.
Reedpaw blinked, curling up into a tight ball and squeezing his eyes shut. But no matter what he did, sleep wouldn't come to him. Cold winds whipped outside, that was the only thing Reedpaw listened to. A single tear escaped his eye.
Thoughts swarmed his head. Being this fat was a choice. Reedpaw knew it, but he didn't know how to fix it. He had heard of some cats being made fun of because of deformities and being smaller, but this... it was his own fault. A deep hatred filled his heart. Not for the cats around him, but himself. More salty tears streamed down his face, a choked sob slipped out of his mouth. It happened right at the wrong moment.
"Hah, is Badgerkit crying?" Breezepaw sneered, padding into the den like he had claimed Sunningrocks already. Reedpaw hid his face in his paws, trying to hide the tears that still rushed down his cheeks. "Wow Badgerkit, I knew you were weak, but this? This is priceless." The tom laughed.
Reedpaw tried to wipe away the tears, unfortunately they didn't stop. Suddenly Reedpaw felt claws on his head pull him up. Reedpaw was staring right into his brother's hateful eyes. "You know why Shrewfur protected me?" He growled. Reedpaw tried to shrink back, but Breezepaw's long thorn sharp claws held him in place. "It's because everyone likes the cat who can actually hunt without their belling dragging on the ground and making a crater in the earth!" He hissed.
Reedpaw could smell the awful reek of old fish on his breath, he coughed. Reedpaw trembled. Pain blazed through his head. The only thing he could do was whimper.
"You see? Even in battle you'd be useless. You're belly comes before your claws anyways, so you'd die with the first swipe." Breezepaw mocked, tightening his grip on Reedpaw. Reedpaw didn't know what to do. If he called for help, he'd be weak, but if he fought, he would get in trouble.
Reedpaw yelped as Breezepaw slashed his paw across his eye. Reedpaw fell back, cowering in the den. Watching as his brother leaped on him and clawed at Reedpaw's face.
"Maybe if your face is ugly, it might match your stomach!" Breezepaw yowled, pressing Reedpaw's muzzle into the ground. Reedpaw let out muffled cries. Sobs choked him and the burning pain that spread across his pelt with each swipe only made it worse. Until it stopped.
Reedpaw glanced up. Breezepaw stood over Reedpaw, his paws soaked in blood. His eyes were dark, his breathing was slow.
"Don't ever tell this to anyone. If you do, you're dead." The tom growled menacingly. Reedpaw ducked into his nest and sobbed, pain washing over his body like the splashing river's cold waters.
Breezepaw huffed before bounding out of the den, and disappearing into the crowd of cats. Had nobody heard? Reedpaw lay there, shuddering and weeping like a kitten. I hate you Breezepaw. I hate you.
Woah. I-I might have had some build up rage... Ehehheh. I hope you guys can forgive me, but in my defence, it does add on to the story so...
Sorry for not uploading again! I hope this short chapter can make up for it. Oh wait, no it can't. Anyways, the chapters I'll be uploading will be shorter, but I will most likely update more, soooo yay?
QOTD: Who thinks Breezepaw should die in a hole? :))
-Pineshadow of Darkclan