Circle of Life: Book 1: Beginnings
A/N: I am so, so, SO sorry I haven't updated for a while! I had this saved on my other computer, and it was down for like two weeks, plus, the internet is down, and I was on vacation, so I'm REALLY sorry! Anyway, here's the chapter!
And btw: I need more votes! Silverpaw or Wishpaw? We currently have a tie. Only FOUR people voted! Come on people!
Chapter 9: Time
Life went on. Tanglepaw met Wishpaw and they had a good time. They taught each other what they'd learned and told each other about their lives. Featherpaw continued to learn herbs and treat wounds as she unraveled the mysteries that SkyClan sent her. Smokepaw continued his training; ever hopeful that the day would bring something he hadn't yet learned. And Silverpaw continued to hear the voice, though she spoke of it to no one, and, when questioned by Featherpaw, lied about still hearing it.
And so four moons passed, each day following the next, Tanglepaw and Wishpaw meeting every third night, but still managing to keep up with their training.
The LightningClan activities grew even stranger. Attacks were reported at Gatherings by NorthClan and AmberClan.
And still TreeClan didn't show up.
Tanglepaw blinked his eyes open tiredly, and he looked around. Darkness covered the ground and sky in a blanket of black. Tanglepaw yawned and looked around.
Next to him, Silverpaw's sides were rising and falling steadily. She didn't wake as he stirred. On his other side, Smokepaw was snoring loudly, as usual.
Not wanting to wake them, Tanglepaw got up quietly. He padded out of the den, and then out of camp, his paws carrying him on a path he had walked many times.
He reached Four-place soon enough. He sat down, licking a paw and dragging it over one ear. He was tired, but he didn't dare leave. He needed to see Wishpaw! He glanced up. Overhead, the moon hung, half full. He sighed, wishing Wishpaw would get there quicker.
Finally she got there. Tanglepaw stood up, smiling. "Hey," he murmured, walking over and giving her a lick.
"Hi," she said, blushing a bit. "How are you?"
"Fine," Tanglepaw said. "You?"
Wishpaw smiled. "Great, as usual." She made a face. "Except for Foxfur."
Tanglepaw knew that Wishpaw didn't like talking about her mentor. Foxfur had only grown more dangerous, no matter what Moonstar did about it. Wanting to distract his friend, Tanglepaw mewed, "I caught us some prey."
Wishpaw gave him a look. "You know better than that," she said. "And besides, it's my night to hunt."
Tanglepaw shrugged. "You weren't here, and I was hungry."
"Did you eat?" Wishpaw asked disapprovingly.
"No," Tanglepaw admitted. Wishpaw sighed.
"I'll eat whatever you caught and you eat whatever I catch. Got it?"
"Got it," Tanglepaw murmured. He nudged the mice over to her, smirking as her stomach rumbled.
"Not funny," Wishpaw snapped. Not giving him the chance to respond, she turned and briskly tasted the air before running in the direction of a clump of ferns at the edge of the clearing. As she ran, a rabbit darted out from the ferns, taking off toward NorthClan territory. It sprinted over the boundary, Wishpaw hot on its heels, but she pulled herself to a stop right in front of the line.
"Fox dung," she muttered.
"Who's talking have you been listening to?" Tanglepaw asked, trying to keep the laugh out of his voice.
Wishpaw turned to glare at him, but sighed. "Darkfur," she admitted. "Foxfur's been bringing him to training sessions. I think he's going to get an apprentice of his own soon. I don't know why. The only kit is–" She broke off, shooting an anxious glance at Tanglepaw.
Tanglepaw flinched. He knew who the only kit was: Ravenkit. Stormstar still hadn't left to execute his plan. Everyday, he and Dawnfire grew more nervous that the young kit wouldn't return.
But it wasn't just that. He recognized the name Darkfur. The black pelted warrior had been one of the cats who had come to take Ravenkit in the first place.
"Sorry," Wishpaw said. "I... I hope Ravenkit gets back."
Suddenly, a thought stuck Tanglepaw. "Hang on. Wishpaw, how easily can you get Ravenkit away from the nursery?"
Wishpaw blinked. "It wouldn't be too hard," she said.
"Do you think you could bring him here?"
"To Four-place?!" Wishpaw exclaimed. "Tanglepaw, are you insane?! How in SkyClan's name would I be able to do that? He's only four moons old!"
"But he could travel here, right?" Tanglepaw said.
"Well..." Wishpaw hesitated. "I... I could get him here... I think..."
Tanglepaw stood up and pressed his nose into Wishpaw's side. "Don't worry," he murmured. "You won't get in trouble, and he'll be fine. Ravenkit needs to be with his own Clan."
"I know, Tanglepaw. I know."
Silverpaw jumped as high as she could, landing on the other side of her mentor. She spun around, lashing out with one paw, claws sheathed, to rake it across his side. Stripefur jumped out of her rreach and batted her paw away, and then easily pinned her down. But Silverpaw didn't give up. She raked her hind paws across her mentor's stomach, and when he finally lifted a paw to rake it across her face, she took her chance and rolled out from under him. She quickly jumped and landed on Stripefur's back.
The breath came out of Stripefur. "Oof." He lay there for a moment, both of them breathing heavily. Finally he stood up, Silverpaw climbing off, and said, "Good job Silverpaw! That's the best fighting I've seen from an apprentice in a while."
"Good job improvising," Sunstripe complimented from his place over by Smokepaw. "Rolling out from under him. Risky, but you're quick enough to get up before any damage can be done."
"Thank you Sunstripe, Stripefur," Silverpaw said, beaming with pride. Such praise from two strong warriors!
"Yeah, yeah," Smokepaw said impatiently. "Can I go now?" he asked his mentor.
The four of them had been in the training hollow for only a few minutes, but Stripefur had wanted to work on Silverpaw's fighting. Smokepaw and Sunstripe had been sitting off to the side since they had gotten there, and Silverpaw's smoky colored brother had been anxiously shifting from paw to paw since then.
Sunstripe rolled his eyes and said, "Sure, Smokepaw."
"If you don't mind," Stripefur said, still panting. "I'd like to work on Silverpaw's hunting a little. Will you two be all right on your own?"
"Of course," Sunstripe said. "We'll just be working on some fighting moves."
"Right," Stripefur said. "Come on Silverpaw. Let's see how much we can catch before sunhigh."
"No problem!" Silverpaw said enthusiastically. She loved hunting. Fighting was just too violent, but hunting never ceased to calm her, especially on days like today, when Tanglepaw was tired and boring. On most days, it was as if they had never left the nursery. She, Smokepaw, and Tanglepaw would wrestle in the apprentices' den, and then the three of them would join Featherpaw for the evening meal. But on Tanglepaw's off days, things were different. He wouldn't join in the wrestling, even if he joined in the eating. It worried her, but she tried not to think about it too much.
Stripefur laughed a bit, and set off into the forest. Soon they had collected a pile that would easily feed the elders and Dawnfire.
Stripefur surveyed their catches, nodding to himself. "Good job today, Silverpaw," he said. "I'm going to talk to Moonshadow about sending you and your siblings on an assessment soon."
Silverpaw's eyes widened. An assessment? So soon? Then again, with the threat of LightningClan looming over their heads, the training for Silverpaw and her brothers had been sped up. A lot. They were learning defense techniques that usually weren't taught to apprentices until they were nearly warriors. Not that Silverpaw minded. She loved learning new things, especially if it meant becoming the best warrior possible.
"Thank you Stripefur," Silverpaw said. She dipped her head to her mentor, and then picked up half of the pile, mostly squirrels, by their tails and practically ran back to camp.
When she got there, she spotted Lillypelt and Featherpaw watching Topazfur as he hobbled around on his three good paws. Lillypelt had a critical look on her face, watching him for any signs of critical danger. Featherpaw looked a bit more uncertain. She kept glancing up at her mentor. But Silverpaw could easily see the difference between the old Featherpaw. Silverpaw could see the way she held herself had changed, and she no longer seemed to freak out every time Lillypelt assigned her a solo task.
Silverpaw dropped her catches on the pile, Stripefur coming up behind her and dropping his. As they did, Moonshadow walked up. He surveyed the pile with a critical eye.
"Nice job," he said. "Silverpaw, take some of that and go feed the elders and Dawnfire. After that you can go get some mouse bile from Lillypelt. Lightstripe's been complaining about ticks since this morning."
"Yes Moonshadow," Silverpaw said, dipping her head to her father. She grabbed two squirrels off the pile and hurried toward the elders' den.
She slipped down the tunnel and into the cool den. Lightstripe was futilely trying to get at a tick at the base of his tail. Rainshadow lay in the middle of the den, his paws crossed. Littlefeather sat off to the side a little, grooming her silky white fur.
As she walked in, Lightstripe's head snapped up. "It's about time an apprentice got in here," he complained loudly. "I'm starving, and there's ticks all over me. Someone brought in bad moss." The black and white striped elder shot her a look.
"It wasn't me," Silverpaw protested. "Blame Smokepaw. He's the one who brought in bedding last."
"He could've done a better job," Lightstripe muttered before grabbing one of the squirrels and digging in.
Silverpaw gave the other squirrel to Rainshadow and Littlefeather to share.
"Thank you Silverpaw," Littlefeather said, her voice kind. Silverpaw knew that during her time as a warrior, Littlefeather had mothered many kits, including Sunstripe.
"Don't mind Lightstripe," the pretty she-cat continued. "He's always like that, you know that."
"Grumpy furball," Rainshadow muttered. "He should stop complaining and start looking at the way the Clans are deteriorating."
"Not that again," Littlefeather groaned. "Why do you keep going on about that?"
"About what?" Silverpaw asked, immediately interested.
"How about this," Rainshadow said. "You bring in some mouse bile to get that noisy furball to shut up, and we'll tell you a story about the old days."
Silverpaw nodded. "Okay," she agreed, and got up to go get some.
When she got out, she suddenly realized that several of the warriors were hovering around something at the entrance to camp. Pushing her way through them, she blinked, realizing it was Tanglepaw. But this time he hadn't passed out. This time, he had a kit in his jaws.
"Get Lillypelt!" he said. But with the kit in his mouth, it sounded more like, "Gt Lullypult!"
Duskflame, who was among the cats crowding around Tanglepaw, sped off to the medicine den. In a few moments, Lillypelt and Featherpaw appeared. Lillypelt hurried up to the growing crowd of warriors.
"Let me through," she snapped at Jewelfoot, who jumped out of the way.
"Sorry Lillypelt!" she exclaimed. Lillypelt threw her a withering look and hurried over.
"That's Ravenkit!" Mistypool exclaimed from her place by Tanglepaw. "I just realized! What's he doing here? LightningClan had him!"
"Tanglepaw took me here!" squeaked the kit. Blinking, Silverpaw realized that the young tom did show a striking resemblance to Stormstar, except for his eyes.
"Shush," Tanglepaw scolded. "Lillypelt needs to look you over to make sure you don't have any cuts and you aren't hurt."
Silverpaw's eyes widened. "How'd you get him here?" she asked.
"He was at Four-place," Tanglepaw said. "I was hunting, and I found him."
Silverpaw narrowed her eyes. Unlikely. The way he'd been acting lately, Silverpaw wouldn't have been surprised if he'd been meeting secretly with a cat from another Clan.
"It's true!" Tanglepaw meowed indignantly.
"Of course it is," Mistypool said, immediately smoothing things over. "We all believe you Tanglepaw."
Murmurs of agreement ran around the circle of cats. Lillypelt finished checking Ravenkit over and said, "I'd better get him to Dawnfire. She'll have heard what happened by now."
She slipped off with Ravenkit in her mouth, and as Silverpaw turned to go tell Featherpaw what had happened, she caught a glimpse of triumph in her brother's eye. But she must have imagined it. Tanglepaw couldn't have planned with a LightningClan cat to get the kit back?
... Could he?
A/N: RAVENKIT IS BACK! Yes, he worships Tanglepaw and the ground he walks on. . -- KITTY! Sorry...
Off to take over the world,
Crazy Girl
