Leopardpaw glared at her brothers, who were taunting her. Again. The two were annoying her to no ends! "One would think you would be able to stand up for yourself if you trained with the leader every day!" Foxpaw sneered. His pelt bristled.
Leopardpaw turned away from them. "Leave me be," She said, trying to surpass the feelings of hurt she always got when they picked on her. Why couldn't she have normal, loving littermates?
Larchpaw stepped closer, "What's wrong? To afraid to fight?" He snarled, and as Leopardpaw shook her head trying to walk away, her brown tabby brother blocked her path. "Are you too scared?" He taunted.
"Of course she is, Wimppaw can't do anything by herself! She needs her special leader friends to do anything!" Foxpaw spat, joining his brother in front of her.
Leopardpaw bristled and loomed over her brothers. "Shut up, you Foxhearts! When my real siblings come you'd better get out of the way, If you say one bad thing to my friends I will skin you." Anger fired up in her belly as she narrowed her eyes.
Larchpaw huffed and walked away, his chin in the air. But Foxpaw remained, his eyes dark. They showed a surprising level of maturity far higher than Leopardpaw thought her brother had ever had. "Don't give into the darkness," He murmured quickly before padding away to follow Larchpaw.
Leopardpaw watched him leave in confusion and disbelief. What had just happened? His eyes and voice had carried none of the hate he had for her, and all she could tell from him was that he looked. . . sad. Leopardpaw decided to go ask her father about it. Maybe he would know.
The black and white she-cat glanced around for her father, Eagleflight. He had returned from the dawn patrol a while ago, so he should have been still in camp. Finally. Leopardpaw spotted him and padded over with a fake smile on her face.
Eagleflight glanced at her, "Good morning Leopardpaw," He purred warmly. The black and white apprentice nodded, trying to muster a purr herself.
"Hello Eagleflight," She murmured, sitting down next to him. "Can I talk to you? About my brothers?"
Eagleflight shifted, blinking at her worriedly. "Sure, what's the matter?"
Leopardpaw shifted uncomfortably. "Well, I don't know if you've noticed but they haven't been. . . very kind lately," Eagleflight gave his daughter a deadpanned look and Leopardpaw bristled. "And it's not just sibling arguments! Ever since I was chosen they have been nothing but trouble. . . It's not like Foxpaw to be like that. . Larchpaw I understand, but not Foxpaw."
Eagleflight sighed and licked her ear affectionately. "Just talk it out with them," He said. "I'm going hunting with Frostheart." The black tom stood up. "Just try?" Her father said, walking away and joining Leopardpaw's mother, Frostheart as she padded out of camp.
Leopardpaw glared after her father before standing up. She shifted her paws, about to go confront her bothers, but suddenly the black-and-white apprentice was knocked over by a large tom. "I, Hawkstar, claim this camp in the name of WindClan!"
Leopardpaw playfully snarled and pushed him off. "About time Hawkkit, did you drag down the others?"
The gray tabby didn't reply as the others joined him. "Hey guys!" Leopardpaw said, immediately in a better mood as she met Sharppaw's bright gaze. Lilypaw gave her a purred hello, and Shadepaw nuzzled her flank.
Stormstar padded to Leopardpaw from his den and smiled warmly at the apprentices. "Greetings, apprentices. ThunderClan is happy to show you around." Leopardpaw twitched excitedly. A few sunrises ago, Frondstar had put forward that the apprentices should know each other's camp, in order for future references. Stormstar had offered to be first and Leopardpaw had the responsibility of showing them around the camp, introducing them to important cats and showing them secret entrances and stuff like that.
Shadepaw gazed around. "Wow! This place looks. . . A lot like ShadowClan." She finished with a confused look.
Lilypaw purred, "I agree, probably because this is the best setup for a camp."
Leopardpaw grinned. "Yeah, do you guys want to meet the elders?" She was supposed to show them the elders first, and then some of the warriors and apprentices.
They all nodded, some more excited then others. For example, Leopardpaw noticed that Sharppaw looked very happy. Stormstar stepped in front of Leopardpaw before she could go anywhere. "Don't bother anyone," He said firmly, but Leopardpaw shrugged him off.
"We'll be fine!" She said, racing to the Honeysuckle, her friends running after her.
Leopardpaw ducked into the elders den, having a moment of pride that she was much bigger then the last time she was here. There was only two elders right now, and they were curled up in their nests. One was a fluffy gray she-cat, and the other was a dark brown tabby. "Everyone, these are my fathers' parents, Dovewing and Tigerheart."
The two looked up when they entered the den. "Hello Leopardpaw, are these your friends?" Dovewing asked kindly, Leopardpaw nodded, smiling as they all crowded into the den.
"Weren't you born in ShadowClan?" Shadepaw asked Tigerheart. "I think I've heard a story about you."
The old tom purred. "I was, but when Dovewing said she was having my kits I joined ThunderClan to be with my family." He gave Dovewing an amused glance. "And everything turned out okay."
Lilypaw gaped at him. "True love," She gushed. "Isn't it beautiful?" She said, eyes half closed, probably daydreaming.
Leopardpaw laughed and gave Lilypaw an exasperated look. "Let's go meet some of the Warriors!" She said after the others had introduced themselves, she nodded goodbye to Tigerheart and Dovewing and they left the den.
Leopardpaw led her friends around the camp, they had just met some of the senior warriors such as, Ambermoon, Snowbush and Frostheart.
Shadepaw smiled. "Can we meet some of the apprentices now?" Her tail waved in excitement, and Leopardpaw was proud that she had caused the small apprentice so much joy.
Leopardpaw nodded, "Sure!" Hopefully Larchpaw and Foxpaw won't be in there, she thought. The five apprentices padded to the apprentices den and ducked in, and what Leopardpaw saw shocked her.
"Leave her alone, Larchpaw!" Foxpaw snarled at his brother. The two toms were glaring at each other, and there was a small white she-cat behind them, watching with wide eyes.
Larchpaw snorted back at him. "What's been with you lately?! Don't you want to have fun!?" All three apprentices in the den had somehow managed not to see Leopardpaw and her friends yet.
Foxpaw stepped in from of the white she-cat. Her name was Snowpaw, a new apprentice who was very shy. "Don't touch her-!" He broke off, finally noticing Leopardpaw and the others.
Leopardpaw watched him carefully. Foxpaw had been horrible to her, but what he said earlier made her think, and she wanted to know what was going on. "Foxpaw?" She asked, confused.
Sharppaw took his place next to her, the others even more confused then her. Foxpaw narrowed his eyes. "What are you looking at Wimppaw?" His voice dropped low again.
Leopardpaw shook her head in disappointment and walked away from the den, tail drooping. "What in StarClan's name is going on?!" Shadepaw said to her once they sat down, now a few tail-lengths away from the apprentices den.
"I'm confused," Hawkpaw added, blinking.
Leopardpaw glanced at the apprentices den and sighed, before telling them everything. She told them how her brothers had treated her from even before apprenticeship, how Foxpaw spoke to her oddly, how she just wanted littermates, everything.
Sharppaw licked her ear softly. "Its okay, you don't need them," he said firmly, sympathy lighting his stared into his bright blue eyes and smiled.
"Yeah, you have brothers and sisters here," Hawkpaw said, Shadepaw smiling beside him. Lilypaw, who was next to Leopardpaw, nuzzled her flank quietly, giving her friend a quick lick.
Leopardpaw grinned at them. "Thanks guys, you really are my family."
And it was true.