Hoi, me again.
Quick note, thanks to everybody who followed this for following this, and P.S. Copperpaw is actually my cat, Stella, but I wanted her to have a bit of a part as a comic-relief. Welp, I've been blabbering on long enough, so here's chapter 8 of TEOA :3
Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors! (Ivypool is Hollystar's deputy!)
Chapter 8.
"She's making her an apprentice?"
"At the same time as the other kits?"
"Ivystar knows what she's doing… I hope."
Trying to ignore the doubtful murmurs of all the other cats gathered, Darkkit stepped up to the large boulder that her black-and-white leader was perched upon.
She tried to lift her head as high as the other kits gathered, but it was no use. She was too weak.
"You have been called here today to witness the apprentice ceremony of ShadowClan's next generation of warriors." Ivystar's vibrant green eyes gleamed even as she spoke without much emotion. "May you continue to make ShadowClan strong for many moons."
Darkkit cast her dark amber eyes down the line of eager kits, eyes lingering on her sister, Lionkit, who stood with her golden head raised and proud, stretching above all the other soon-to-be apprentices.
"Primrosekit, step forward." Ivystar meowed, directing her intense gaze onto the white and ginger tabby. "From this moment on, you will be known as Primrosepaw. Your mentor shall be Silverpuddle. Silverpuddle, Vinestem taught you well, and there is no doubt in my mind that you will have no problem training any apprentice you are given."
Beckoned by her leader's tail, the silver tabby stepped forwards, touching her nose to Primrosepaw's.
"Olivekit, from this moment on, you shall be known as Olivepaw." Ivystar continued. "Your mentor shall be Foxwhisker."
Robinkit became Robinpaw, apprenticed to Mousepelt, Lionkit became Lionpaw, apprenticed to Shiningsnow, and then it was finally Darkkit's turn.
"Darkkit, join me on this rock." Gulping, the tortoiseshell and white she-cat stepped onto the rocks, her legs shaking slightly from supporting her swaying bulk. "From this moment on, you will be known as Darkpaw. Your mentor will be Wildwind. Wildwind, you trained Ravenwing excellently. I have no doubt you will produce another warrior ShadowClan can be proud of."
Ivystar dipped her head, giving Darkpaw a moment to touch noses with her new mentor, and then ended the meeting.
Of course she gave me the cat who trained the deputy. Darkpaw thought bitterly, glaring at her black-and-white leader. I'll show her. I'll show all of them.
"There's no time to waste." Wildwind spoke briskly, but she was certain there was a tinge of disappointment in his voice.
You wanted my sister, didn't you!? Her mind whispered. Too bad for you, you get the weak kit instead. Believe me, I'm no happier than you are.
"Follow me." Wildwind set off at a speed that a new-born kit could have passed him at, and yet Darkpaw found herself just able to keep up.
Narrowing her dark amber eyes at him, she tried to speed up, but her paws refused to go any quicker.
"Where are we going?" She demanded after a moment.
They passed the training hollow where Foxwhisker and Silverpuddle seemed to be showing their apprentices a fighting move that involved rearing up on their hind-legs.
"The training hollow's that way!" She flicked her tail impatiently to where Primrosepaw and Olivepaw were staring at their mentors, eyes wide.
"We're not going there." The mottled brown tom told her, continuing.
They pressed through some fern fronds, completely bypassing where Robinpaw was being showed the hunting crouch by his mentor.
"Well, if we're not hunting, and we're not fighting, what are we doing? We don't even have enough cats for a border patrol." Darkpaw whined, frustrated at her mentor's half-answers.
"You will have to wait and see."
She trailed after him, paws growing wearier with every step, but Wildwind continued, making a bee-line for a mossy tree.
Glaring at her mentor, she sat down mutinously.
"I refuse to go another pawstep until you tell me where we're going." She mewed, irritation creeping into her voice.
"Don't need to." Wildwind meowed dismissively. "We're already here."
"Huh?" She looked around, trying to figure out exactly where 'here' was.
"Start gathering." He unsheathed his claws, swiping huge swathes of soft green moss off of the tree, rolling it into a large ball as he went.
Collecting bedding? She thought, dismayed. That's an apprentice duty! But I am an apprentice, so I'd better get going…
She swiped a clawful off of the tree, trying to squish it into a neat ball like the one Wildwind had in front of him.
"Wait." Wildwind spoke, striding over to where she was yanking at the tree. "You're doing it wrong."
Of course I am. She thought angrily. Can't do anything right, can I?! First day being an apprentice and I'm fetching bedding for old fools. She felt a pang of guilt as Sandywind, Maplenose, and Patchy's reprimanding faces floated into her head.
"Like this." Her mentor demonstrated, slicing cleanly across rather than up and down.
"That feels wrong." She tried to copy, but her paws slipped and she ended up accidentally trimming the low-growing weeds at the tree's base.
"Just practice." He told her, going back to his load.
"Hmmph."
Annoyance building, she sliced at the tree imagining it as enemy cats.
Take that! And that! Her irritation was replaced with satisfaction as her ball grew until it was almost the size of Wildwind's. I'll be the best apprentice he's ever seen. Ravenwing better watch out, I'll be deputy if I have anything to say about it.
"Looking good there, Darkpaw." Wildwind called. "Almost done, then we can bring it back to camp."
Pulling away the last of the moss, she rocked back on her haunches, satisfied.
"Alright, let's take it back now." Wildwind told her, picking up half of his ball.
"How am I supposed-" Her annoyed mew was cut off by Wildwind's muffled reply.
"Tuck it under your chin, like this," He demonstrated, picking up the rest of his collection with ease.
She sighed, snatching up as much as she could in her jaws and tucked the rest under.
"There you go." Wildwind said, setting off the way they came.
She followed him, annoyance pricking her paws when Wildwind failed to praise, or even mention, how much moss she'd been able to gather.
When they arrived at camp, she dropped her moss with a huff,
"Well, don't just stand there, bring it to the queens! Whatever's leftover can be used to make your nest." Wildwind told her, calmly beginning to groom his ears.
Sighing, Darkpaw picked back up her moss and began to drag it to the nursery.
"Oh, thank you Darkpaw." Quailwing said, looking harried. "Mudkit, get off of your sister! And Poolkit, what have I told you about playing with the moss in our nests!"
"Hmmph." Darkpaw tried not to purr too loudly. "Here's some more moss for Poolkit to destroy."
"Thanks." Quailwing practically threw the words over her shoulder, occupied with dragging Mudkit off of Poolkit.
Purring to herself, Darkpaw padded over to the apprentices' den, where Pinepaw and Ratpaw were talking idly.
"Hey." The black tabby looked up.
"What are you doing?" Ratpaw looked straight at her, before letting his eyes drift down to the big bundle of moss she was carrying. "Ah."
Wary of their sudden openness, she pushed past them into the warm den.
Laying down the moss, Darkpaw began peeling off strips and arranging them in one of the unused dips in the ground.
"Oh, come on, please don't be shy." Pinepaw's green eyes gleamed in the darkness.
"Talk to us!" Ratpaw joined her.
"Leave me alone." She muttered, glaring at them. "I'm busy."
"Whatever you say." Pinepaw's voice sharpened as she backed out of the den.
Darkpaw breathed a sigh of relief as they left. She finished with her new nest and decided to go talk to Wildwind.
"Oh, there you are." Wildwind turned around. "We're going to go join Primrosepaw and Olivepaw and teach you some fighting moves. Your sister should be there too."
Darkpaw closed her jaws, frustratedly walking after her mentor. She hadn't even gotten a word in!
"This way." They were taking a different route, further into the pines. "Almost there."
Darkpaw restrained a snarl. It was obvious to her that Wildwind was annoyed at having weak apprentice. She might as well become a medicine cat apprentice!
Actually, that's not a bad idea… She thought as she walked. That's one way to make sure no one ever forgets the name Dark… whatever my name will be. Then again, being deputy would also do it. But if every cat thinks I'm weak, I'll never be deputy! Perhaps I should be medicine cat…
"That's cheating!" Came Primrosepaw's indignant mew from behind the bushes.
"That's tactics!" They were close enough to see Olivepaw kick his sister across the clearing.
Olivepaw was so preoccupied with trying to beat his sister, he didn't notice Lionpaw barreling into his shoulder, her golden fur shining in the sunlight.
"Oof!" Olivepaw's gray paws flailed in the air for a moment.
"Ha!" Lionpaw reared up, then slammed her black paws onto Olivepaw's flank.
He gasped, winded.
"Wow, Lionpaw, you're so strong!" His green eyes shone. "You're gonna be the best fighter ever!"
Why does everyone think my sister's so great? Darkpaw thought angrily. I don't understand why she's strong and I'm weak!
"Back on your paws, everyone!" Foxwhisker ordered.
"She's a tough mentor." Primrosepaw whispered to Darkpaw, coming over. "Lucky I'm not Olivepaw! Although Silverpuddle barely talks at all!"
Darkpaw was saved having to reply when Shiningsnow waved her tail for silence.
"I'll be demonstrating the leap and kick on Silverpuddle." Her mew was barely there, but soft and sweet. "Just like this."
Darkpaw watched, bored, waiting for Shiningsnow to do something soft and sweet like she was known for.
Next thing Darkpaw knew, Shiningsnow's shimmering white pelt rippled as she crouched, revealing hard muscle beneath perfect fur.
As she jumped, Silverpuddle whipped to one side, trying to avoid the attack, but at the last heart-beat, Shiningsnow's strong back legs shot out, catching Silverpuddle in the ribs.
"That's how you do it." Shiningsnow sat down, looking completely unruffled."Why don't you try next, Lionpaw?"
Lionpaw nodded, nervousness gleaming in her golden eyes.
She leapt at Shiningsnow, but fell short. Nevertheless, she kicked out with her paws, trying to connect with Shiningsnow's flank.
Her left leg barely glanced off of Shiningsnow, but it still pushed her back a little.
"Good try." Shiningsnow praised her. "Next time, take an extra moment to visualize your jump."
"Darkpaw, why don't you try next?" Wildwind asked.
She gulped.
"Me?" Her voice trembled a little.
"Yes." He nodded.
"Okay." She tried to force down her fear.
Following Shiningsnow's advice, she took a moment to watch Wildwind, storing in her mind his twitching.
A medicine cat. She thought, If I can't fight, I'll be a medicine cat…
Angered by the thought, she leaped at Wildwind, her back legs fluidly striking out, knocking him down.
"Very… good." He gasped, struggling to his paws.
Glancing back at where she jumped from, she noticed little grooves in the earth.
"Wow, that was awesome!" Olivepaw bounced over, purring loudly. "You guys are the best!"
Ha. She thought, satisfied. Take that, Lionpaw, you're not the only cat who's excellent at fighting.
She felt a twinge of shame burn her pelt at the thought.
"Good job!" Lionpaw leapt over to join them. "Show me how you jumped!"
"I… I don't know, it just kind of happened." She trailed off, shivering as she remembered the electrifying feeling of the leap.
"You'll make an excellent warrior." Wildwind joined them. "I wouldn't be surprised if I trained another deputy."
Deputy! A thrill shot through her. I'm going to be the best deputy ShadowClan's ever seen! Leader, even! Darkstar… that sounds so cool!
"Darkstar?" Olivepaw's green eyes gleamed with amusement. "High hopes, huh?"
Her fur burned with embarrassment as she realized she'd said it out loud.
"Great training today, 'paws!" Foxwhisker told them enthusiastically. "I'll ask Ivystar about letting you go to the gathering."
Ta-da. The end.
Please review ;3 (I'm pathetic. Review?)
~Pondfrost