Sorry for not updating in a while but I wanted to make this a full-length one-shot instead of just an announcement. Anyway, I reached 50 reviews! A huge thanks to everyone who reviewed for your support. The 50th reviewer is a guest, so I can't PM them asking what names they want. The guest name is WIGGLES so if you are the 50th reviewer please PM me. Next opportunity for chapters is at 85 reviews, the 85th reviewer gets one name to be a chapter and the 100th will get two. On that note, here's the next story!
Strongpaw liked to say he was the best of the best. No one could prove him wrong, and he proved himself right everyday, still cats got tired of him bragging to everyone, about everything. Still many apprentices thought it was in there best interests to become his friends. Applepaw, Blackpaw, Lightpaw and Yewpaw seemed to follow him everywhere, though if you looked carefully you could tell that some of them weren't really his friends, but just thought they would have a good reputation if they could say they were friends with him. Strongpaw's mentor Brightclaw, was not seduced by his apparent perfection, she knew that he wasn't the best, not by a longshot. It finally peaked when he sent Lightpaw wailing to the medicine den after battle practice.
"STRONGPAW!" Brightclaw yowled storming over to the brown tabby tom.
"Yes?" he gave her his cocky smile showing perfect fangs.
"What did you do to Lightpaw?" demanded Brightclaw.
"I just showed her who's the best!" yowled Strongpaw loudly.
"You used your claws! You used claws against your own clan mate!" shouted Brightclaw.
"Calm down, and maybe get me a mouse?" asked Strongpaw.
"Listen up you daft furball, if you think you're getting away with this your more of a fluff-brain than I thought! I'm going to the leader, you've gotten to big of an opinion of yourself and I intend to change that!" hissed Brightclaw.
"You go ahead!" laughed Strongpaw. He regretted it five minutes later.
"Strongpaw, you did what to Lightpaw?" asked Mintstar.
"I showed her who was boss," said Strongpaw.
"You clawed her on the side," said Brightclaw.
"And then you said what to your mentor?" asked Mintstar.
"Nothing!" said Strongpaw.
"He asked me to get him a mouse and was incredibly cocky and sarcastic," hissed Brightclaw.
"I'm disappointed in you Strongpaw," said Mintstar solemnly.
"I don't see what I did wrong," said Strongpaw.
"Then you need to learn more than battle and hunting," said Mintstar, "Brightclaw, punish him as you wish."
"No! Don't!" begged Strongpaw. But Mintstar was out of the den, and he was alone with Brightclaw.
"Do not leave camp. Without a good reason and a warrior. Until I say otherwise. And clean the elder's den for Lightpaw, as long as the wound shows on her pelt," hissed Brightclaw and then she disappeared. Strongpaw walked away in a fury.
"What did she do to you?" asked Yewpaw.
"I can't leave camp without a warrior!" moaned Strongpaw. Yewpaw gave his friend a sympathetic tap with his tail and went to find his mentor for a patrol. Strongpaw's pelt burned like fire as he saw Lightpaw pass, a contented smile on her face. The wound on her flank was a bright red, it probably wouldn't be gone for a good three moons. Strongpaw sighed.
"What happened Strongpaw?" asked Blackpaw. Blackpaw had always been jealous of Strongpaw's skill, though they were sort of friends, Blackpaw could break their friendship in a second.
"My mentor is keeping me in camp unless I have a warrior with me, and I have to clean the elder's den for Lightpaw," groaned Strongpaw.
"Woah! Ha ha, see you later Strongkit," laughed Blackpaw. Strongpaw knew he'd show his friend who was best. It was him! He just needed to be at the right place at the right time.
"Strongpaw!" called the medicine cat Lizardspots.
"Yeah Lizardspots? Looking for the best cat ever?" asked Strongpaw.
"No, I was looking for you, anyway would you mind getting some catmint for Shinekit?" asked Lizardspots.
"Is it a valid reason to go out of camp?" asked Strongpaw.
"What do you think?" asked Lizardspots.
"I'll do it!" said Strongpaw happily.
"Great, thanks Strongpaw!" Lizardspots walked away and Strongpaw smiled. He could get out of camp! Strongpaw went to get Blackpaw, Yewpaw, Applepaw and yes, Lightpaw, because she had regretted making such a fuss, Strongpaw knew it even though she had never told him. As soon as he'd gotten them all ready he walked out of camp.
"Where do you think you're going?" asked Brightclaw as she saw them near the edge of camp.
"Getting catmint for Shinekit, is that not a good enough excuse?" smirked Strongpaw.
"Get catmint and come straight back," ordered Brightclaw. Strongpaw smiled, he wouldn't obey that command. He still had to redeem himself to his friends. By proving they were all weaker than him!
"Let's go," said Strongpaw walked out of the camp. It was a long walk to the old twoleg nest where catmint grew, and Strongpaw enjoyed every minute. He could feel his friends getting more tired, soon they'd ask to go back and he'd prove even though his mentor was treating him like a kit didn't mean he wasn't superior in every way to one! Then they arrived. The catmint was right in front him and he didn't have an excuse to prove his endurance any further.
"Come on!" meowed Lightpaw impatiently.
"Why did you ask us to come anyway? You haven't spoken a word to us!" added Applepaw.
"If you're going to say something kit-like Strongpaw say it now," said Blackpaw.
"I'mph goph it!" said Strongpaw his mouth full of catmint.
"Than let's go back to camp," Yewpaw said. Strongpaw looked at the setting sun. Slightly blocked by that old unstable tree, wait that was it! If none of his friends could climb the tree that meant he was still better than them!
"Actually let's have some fun first," he said slyly.
"I'm always up for fun!" said Yewpaw happily following Strongpaw, the rest followed Yewpaw. When they arrived at the tree Strongpaw realized the tree was even taller and more unstable than he had thought, it was perfect!
"You see this tree?" asked Strongpaw.
"How could we not?" asked Blackpaw.
"Well all bet a moon's dawn patrols none of you can climb to the top, Yewpaw?" asked Strongpaw beckoning to the tree.
"No thanks Strongpaw, I'd like to remain in one piece," objected Yewpaw.
"Lightpaw?"
"I'm already injured thanks to you, I don't want to do it again," she hissed.
"Blackpaw?"
"I know you don't like me very much Strongpaw, but I never thought you'd try to kill me!" he growled backing away from the tree.
"Applepaw, you braver than these mouse-hearts?" asked Strongpaw.
"S-Strongpaw, a-are you crazy?" she stammered. Strongpaw smirked. Cowards.
"Well I'll show you how it's done!" he meowed. He had expected at least one of them to take the dare and chicken out halfway, and they could all laugh about it, he expected to actually do the climb.
"Don't break your tail!" called Blackpaw.
"I'm going…." meowed Strongpaw. He hooked his first claw into the hard tree bark and let a ripple of doubt into his mind. Could he really do this? Of course he could! He was Strongpaw, best apprentice in all the clans, perhaps in all history! He put one paw in front of the other getting the feel of the bark beneath his his claws. Ten more branches... Nine more branches…. Eight more branches…. Then he heard the first creak. Then the second. They were getting louder. He heard yelling from below. He realized his tree has tipping, his weight was too much for it. He tried to climb down and ended up hanging, his front paws digging into the hard bark.
"HELP!" he screamed panic filled him, clogging his senses, "STARCLAN HELP ME!" The tree fell. Strongpaw felt himself falling, and he realized that this was something his natural awesomeness couldn't fix this was the end of Strongpaw, this was….
Strongpaw woke up with Lizardspots gazing down on him.
"Look who's awake," she noted only a trace of concern in his voice.
"Where am I...the tree…." Strongpaw mumbled.
"The tree fell, your friends told me the story," Lizardspots began.
"Where are they?" asked Strongpaw.
"Probably building nests in the warriors den," said Brightclaw entering.
"The warriors den?!" asked Strongpaw suddenly alert.
"Yes, mouse-brain, how do you think you got here? Your friends carried you that entire distance, and then brought back catmint," hissed Brightclaw.
"What about me? Do I get a warrior name?" asked Strongpaw.
"Their names are Yewbranch, Lightshine, Blacktalon and Applespeck," Brightclaw began, "yes you do, you can't take your assessment now, or ever if Lizardspots is right and your tail stays that way, Mintstar is giving you your name out of pity," she said. Strongpaw looked at his tail and felt sick. It was completely bent out of shape, he could never be his balanced self again if his tail stayed that way.
"Go on, you're going to miss your own ceremony!" meowed Brightclaw helping him out of the medicine den.
"Strongpaw glad you could join us," said Mintstar, "I would have been disappointed if you had missed your own ceremony."
"I'm here!" said Strongpaw trying to sound as confident as he could. Stumbling a bit he walked up to Mintstar.
"Strongpaw you fell from a tree because of a dare with your friends, that dare has left you scarred, and should quell your foolish and self-centered attitude. We shall remember the great mistake you made and make sure no one makes it again, Strongpaw do you promise to follow the warrior code, even at the cost of your life?" asked Mintstar.
"I do!" said Strongpaw, he was still getting his warrior name!
"Then from this moment on you will be known as Fallentail, let us remember your mistake so no cat is ever injured this way again!" The clan began to dismiss and Fallentail went looking for his friends. He walked up to Blacktalon, Lightshine, Yewbranch and Applespeck smiling shyly. Blacktalon and Lightshine quickly left. Applespeck gave him a look filled with sympathy tapped him on the flank with her perfect, plumy tail and walked away. Yewbranch led him to the warriors den. He was no longer Strongpaw, the apprentice destined to be a great warrior, but Fallentail, the cat he might have deserved to be.
Do you think Fallentail deserved it? Please review your thoughts and submit names (please only one name per person) who knows what name will be next!