Yay! Update! And Larchkit's even more emo then ever! YAY!...AGAIN! I got boerd trying to revamp adn only got up to Chapter 4 -sighs adn curls up in emo corner- How could I have been so ilterate? HOW?! Anyway, I'll update those later. And I have good news! You'll ha- OWIE! -chair breaks from under her- -gets up and types about chair breaking from under her- TT-TT StarClan must hate me today. Anyway, read at the end for the 'good news.' -snickers and fades away into the darkness-
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The cold winter sun blazed outside of the nursery, its white glow like a blanket of warm ice on the camp as it peeked over the gray twilight. Larchkit had not slept the night before, but instead had lain awake, staring at the humble vision of his mother. No, not his mother, Whitewing. His heart felt hardened and his mind was blistered by the scars of loathing from the very mention of her name. The words of Soul still echoed in his ears, reminding him of the lifelessness that was hidden under his pale fur. Why had Whitewing and the others lied to him? Why had they kept the secret of his discovery hidden for so long? She had posed as his mother for far too long, even pretending to care halfheartedly for his worthless life. This whole time she had been lying to him, hoping he wouldn't turn out to be a monster like the eerie omens had predicted. How wrong she was, oh how wrong she was. He was a monster. He had been a monster from the very second Tigerstar had ripped him out of StarClan and hid him miles beneath the earth, waiting for the perfect moment to use his new 'tool.'
Whitewing peeled open her glowing green eyes slowly, a small smile forming on her narrow face at the sight of her only 'kit' who had yet to become an apprentice. The gray tom sat there, his own, lifeless eyes glistening with an unreadable emotion. Whitewing's stared, puzzled at Larchkit's dark, demonic glare that clawed at the very threads of her soul. Suddenly, she let out a loud, earth-shattering shriek as her sleepy green eyes finally rested upon the ground beneath her. There, encircling her sleeping body, were thousands of bloody, rotting claws, each pointing toward her with gruesome malice. Whitewing's terrified yowl broke the dusky air like lightning as she scooped up Larchkit and raced out of the den. Larchkit squealed as she held him, laughing underneath his terrified yelps. As they raced into the open, they found cats already gathering around them eagerly, eyes wide with the sight of their bone-chilling horror.
Larchkit grinned inwardly. It was a small token of revenge, but revenge none the less. Yes, it was the true, Larchkit had placed the claws around his 'mother' as she slept, but only to see her squeal and rant on about "StarClan's omens", and maybe even regret taking Larchkit in as her son. Either of the results were just enough to justify Larchkit's newly found hatred for Whtiewing. Of corse, finding those bloody claws was not easy. He did not rip them from his enemies' paws, snarling at their bleeding bodies just as the broken-tailed tom had done with Daisy.(Though he wished he could) No. Eternally immortal as he was, Larchkit had not grown from the size of a three-moon-old kit since the day he had been found. Instead, he had simply 'borrowed' the claws. It was an easy task, finding the grounds Longtail and Mousefur had used to burry Daisy's body. Lucky for him, Mousefur was getting old and could not travel far from camp for the death ceremony, and had not the strength to dig a deep enough grave for the bulky she-cat. And, to add to Larchkit's delight, Firestar and Squirrelflight's bodies were not far away from Daisy's grave. Their bodies were recently fresh, meaning that their claws and teeth were still intact, though slowly decaying as they were. He had done this all the night before, working endlessly to pull the mucky fangs and claws from the dead bodies, just for the pure enjoyment of watching Whitewing and the others squeal. Justice, for Larchkit at least, was a sweet mouse to be served fresh.
Cats were now hovering over Whitewing, gawking at her and her mewling kit with distress radiating off their bristling pelts. Brightcloud dashed over to her daughter, quickly licking her ears as Brichfall rubbed against her side worriedly. Larchkit wailed pitifully, pretending to be attacked by some demonic force and dying in the mouth of his mother. It served them all right if they thought he was to die. It would only make his world all the more enjoyable; knowing that if he couldn't truly go to the world beyond, at least he'd be buried and never bothered again. Maybe Petalpaw would be so destroyed by his death, she'd go and kill herself with grief. Ah, but if only the world worked so well. Larchkit could see Petalpaw out of the corner of his eye, and saw only disgust and envy glowing in her pale green eyes. She was jealous! Of all emotions she could muster, that was what was burning in her throat? Larchkit curled his lip, abhorrence bubbling in his own unbeating heart. Silently he hoped he would die, just to be away from his sister's sickening hatred, but he knew that was no longer possible for him. StarClan had abandoned him, and he was victim to the ways of the mortals now.
"Whitewing! What happened?" The commanding voice of Bramblestar echoed across the clearing as he leaped forth with burning amber eyes. The brown tabby worked his way past the murmuring crowd to where Whitewing now lay trembling, Larchkit cuddled close to her chest. Larchkit tried his best to wail convincingly and force tears out of his eyes, yet he had never known the emotion of true sadness, and nothing could cause one tear to burst from his lids. None the less, cats sang their concerns, digging their noses into Whtiewing's pelt or whispering worriedly to one another. They were buying his act. Whitewing looked up at Bramblestar with wide green eyes, terror sparkling in every corner of her gaze. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out, only another heartbreaking wail that sent the fur of ThunderClan rippling like ocean waves. Larchkit saw Dustpelt and Mousefoot eagerly push past Whitewing and the others, slipping into the den with tails lashing behind them. Larchkit smiled inwardly when he heard their surprised gasp and saw Dustpelt's broad head rear out of the grassy den, a long fang dripping from his jaws.
"Bramblestar!" He shouted to his leader, Mousefoot pulling up beside him with the rest of the gory claws in his mouth. The dusky tom dropped the rotten claws at Bramblestar's feet as Dustpelt crinkled his nose, spiting out his own decaying fang. "Smell them." Bramblestar wearily bent down to sniff them, eyes slowly growing larger as he did so. "Squirrelflight...Firestar...Daisy..." He muttered the names of their owners solemnly, his amber eyes flickering like flames. The clatter of the murmuring cats grew louder, ringing off the walls of camp like the loud shrieks of bats.
"It's an sign from StarClan!" Honeyblaze swooned, bright eyes like blazing stars.
"Our attackers are watching us! They will strike again!" Sorreltail hissed fearfully.
"They will return for Whitewing and that kit, surely!" Spiderleg hollered, black pelt melting in the shadows as he snarled at the cowering mother and kit.
Cloudtail's blue eyes flashed. "How dare you make such a threat to my daughter!" He snarled.
"Face it, old tom, the intruders were circling around Whitewing for the entire battle!" Mistpaw sneered, extending her claws.
"It's her that they want!"
"Sacrifice her!"
"It's better then facing Them again! Please sacrifice her!"
"Why you spineless traitors! I'll-!"
Cloudtail's furious yowl was cut short by Bramblestar's loud yowl of authority. "Silence! No cat will sacrifice anyone! We have no idea how these claws came here, and I wont have my cats killing each other over a few mindless superstitions." With a flick of his tail all of ThunderClan was hypnotized by the powerful leader's glowing gaze and all dipped their heads shamefully. All but Berrytail, who still jeered with snapping fangs and lashing claws.
"Why do we ignore what has happened to us just because our noble leader says we should?! We all saw what those intruders did! They murdered my mother!" The creamy tom's thundering voice shook the earth as he ranted. Soon others followed, each screaming their own grievance.
Ferncloud curled her tail around Mudpaw and Tanglepaw protectively. "They mauled by kits! Beetlepaw still can't stalk correctly without scquealing in pain!" She wailed hoplessly.
Exhilarated, Petalpaw stood up for the charge. "They tore off Glowingpaw's leg like a rat tail!" She added, resting her tail-tip on her shivering sister's shoulder.
A steady rhythm of howls now rippled across the camp, each one bombarding Bramblestar with past crimes and demanding justice and answers. All of ThunderClan was scared and confused, without any cat to turn to for guidance. This display of chaos was certainly not what Larchkit had expected, but it worked all the same to tickle his blissful fancies. Bramblestar raised his voice once more, leaping up onto his craggy throne with furious authority. "Enough!" He snapped, adverting his gaze to the medicine cat's den quickly. "Leafpool, Jayfeather, have either of you had any visions from StarClan?"
"None, Bramblestar." Leafpool confessed, dipping her head slowly with a hopeful glance to Jayfeather. The blind tabby shook his head, a distressed feel radiating off of his pelt. The cats shivered. Jayfeather always had visions form StarClan, whether their ancestors wanted him to or not. He even knew the distress of cats from other Clans! How could he not know the cause of this ominous sign?
Bramblestar curled his lip, returning to his Clan. "Then we have no proof of an omen." He announced. "Some cat must've placed the claws there. StarClan did not just dig up our Clan mate's graves and set them in our nursery themselves. Cloudtail, Brackenfur, Mousefoot and Sorreltail will search for scents. And until we find proof that foreign cats are still in our territory, I do not want to hear one word about the intruders, understand?!" Again the camp fell silent at Bramblestar's raging words that still echoed on the trees of the forest painfully. When all had finally bowed their heads submissively, Bramblestar continued, relaxing the fur on his neck. "Now, there is something I have put off long enough." He began again in a softer tone, like the tone of a father after his stern scoldings. "Whitewing, are you ready to give up your last kit for the ranks of ThunderClan?" The question scent trills running up both Larchkit's and Whtiewing's spines. Whitewing dipped his head slowly after a long pause, licking the ends of Larchkit's ruffled pelt hastily as Bramblestar returned to ThunderClan.
"By naming new apprentices we show the other Clans that we are not weakened by our current deaths, and I gladly name one tonight. Larchkit, please step forward." Larchkit pricked his ears, feeling Whitewing's smothering grip loosen with one final lick to his filthy, matted pelt. Reluctantly Larchkit rose to his paws, stifling the last wails of his pitiful fatigue. Larchkit padded forward, not knowing whether he should feel gratitude or loathing toward the tabby leader. Who could've guessed that one simple prank could lead to so much good for him? He smirked under his bowed head; he should've faked a sign like this long ago. As Larchkit pondered on the thought, he couldn't help but notice the snarling faces and piercing glares of his Clan mates. So what Petalpaw said was true. All of the Clan hated him because of their misunderstanding. They had no idea who or what Larchkit was, and this new sign only added salt to their open wounds. Larchkit, again, felt triumphant.
Bramblestar narrowed his eyes as the gray kit bowed his head before him. "Larchkit, until you have earned your warrior name, you shall be known as Larchpaw. StarClan grant you strength." Larchkit suppressed a laugh as Bramblestar ended with his pointless prayer. StarClan no longer cared for the Clans. They were doomed to the fate of the tigerclaw, and no amount of their ungodly strength could save them now. Glaring up past hollow eyes, Larchpaw watched as Bramblestar scanned the clearing for suitable mentor.
"Berrytail, since you have shown such concern for ThunderClan's future, I believe you are ready to train your first apprentice. Do you accept Larchpaw?" Bramblestar's words stung like wasps as he glared at the cream warrior. Larchpaw knew that he was testing the younger warrior and his will power. Any cat could easily tell that Berrytail would gladly kill Larchpaw in order to avenge Daisy's death, but would he do it if Bramblestar handed him the opportunity on a silver plater? Larcpaw sighed inwardly. If Bramblestar hoped on catching a murderer in order to give his Clan justice, he'd have to wait a long time. Even if he'd forever be the size of a large rat, Berrytail would never be able to kill Larchpaw, even if he had the guts to.
After a long silence Berrytail dipped his head, padding up to touch noses with his new apprentice. Larchpaw reach up to Berrytail with little excitement, his eyes as dead as stones. As soon as their noses touched, the Clan slowly began to chant Larcpaw's new name. "Larchpaw, Larchpaw, Larchpaw." The chant danced in the night air like a haunting melody of death. No cat was truly happy for him, and Larchpaw could tell. Larchpaw narrowed his eyes on Berrytail, sending a visible shock through his spine. Larchpaw smirked darkly at the creamy tom, flicking his tail slowly.
"We all die someday, Berrytail...Don't be scared."
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Yay! Good news time! I'm going to be doing....-drum roll- READER CHALLENGES!!! Yes, your very own chance to be a part of the story! If you win my update challenges, I'll include one of your very own OCs as either a part of Tigerstar's army or as a cat at the next gathering!.....or....something...EITHER WAY YOU WIN! :D ((P.S.: Please dun flame me for this. I'm fresh out of ideas for cats and I think an interactive story is cool and fun to update....))
This Update's challenge:
Write a one-shooter between any two characters features in Wake the Dead! :3 -is shot by readers- I know, not a very creative challenge but a challenge none-the-less! GO!...if you want....Maybe....-sits on broken chair and waits-
=~+_-HAPPY EASTERRRRR-_+~=