Chapter 11

"The Reluctant Apprentice."

10/2/16 - 10/3/16

A moon drifts into October and there was still no sign of the five apprentices.

However, Jaystripe moved into the nursery again, expecting her second litter with Volefang. Thrushwing gives birth to two toms, Stormkit and Lionkit.

Hailpaw was getting more and more anxious about his brother, Oakpaw.

The light grey and darker grey flecked tom knew he would pull something like this if it involved making Windpaw look like a fool in front of Graypaw.

For StarClan's sake! Why can't he just admit it and be done with this stupidity?

Hailpaw instantly regretted thinking that, inside, he didn't want Oakpaw to be around Graypaw. And it was a reason that made him refuse to look at Cloudwind again.

He can't force me to be his apprentice, he can get Littlekit as his apprentice.

Still, Cloudwind gives him stares and tries to talk to him, but Hailpaw always excuses himself to his mentor Troutstream and leaves before the white tom could say anything.

This time, he was assigned to look for a squirrel for his warriors assessment that evening. Hailpaw searches the trees for any signs of a bushy tail.

Hailpaw heard what sounds like a deep, sound of crickets chirps. He looks over his shoulder and sees nothing but bushes and forests.

Weird.

Hailpaw spots a squirrel on a branch, and smiles to himself. He climbs up the bark and silently balances himself on the branch, and the squirrel was none the wiser.

Hailpaw slowly crept behind the squirrel, standing two mouse lengths behind it, as a shadow looms over him and the squirrel. The squirrel looks back and leapt off the tree and scurried away.

Hailpaw turns around and sees a tall, black shadow leering down on him with sharp yellow, pupiless eyes. The shadow roared like a lion and grabs Hailpaw by his throat.

The grey flecked tom kicked his hind legs and bites the shadow's fist, making it drop him off the branch. Hailpaw turns himself and faces his paws to the ground as he fell on the ground, and heard a snap on his back leg.

The shadow jumps down and bites down on Hailpaw's hind legs.

"Let go of me!" He shrieked. The shadow tossed him around and threw him against the tree. Hailpaw gasps and slides on the leaves as his hind legs bled, the shadow cackled as it crawled to him.

"Hailpaw!"

The shadow stops and looks to Troutstream, and runs inside the bushes, disappearing from sight. Troutstream snarled in frustration before turning to Hailpaw.

"Are you alright?"

A Dark Forest spawned demon just attacked me, do I LOOK alright?!

Hailpaw couldn't speak, he laid down trembling violently. Troutstream swallowed his guilt and grabs Hailpaw's scruff and carried him to camp.

Hailpaw couldn't get a grip on reality. He was always closing his eyes, and seeing different cats coming in and out, and hearing conversations.

"His back legs are badly injured, Dawnleaf. I don't know if his leg will recover properly."

"Are you saying he can't be a warrior?"

"I won't know until he wakes up."

Hailpaw's eyes shot open and focuses on Rainstorm, Dawnleaf and Cloudwind.

Dawnleaf notices him first and rushed to him, brushing his muzzle.

"Oh my precious kit!"

"Are you okay?" Rainstorm asks Hailpaw. Hailpaw nods weakly as Cloudwind pads behind the nest to get to his back legs.

"Hailpaw, I'm going to apply pressure on your back legs, and you need to tell me if you feel any pain."

Hailpaw nods. Cloudwind nips his leg, and Hailpaw didn't respond. He moves up and Hailpaw grew impatient.

"When are you going to start?" Hailpaw looked back and sees Cloudwind biting his leg. His pale blue eyes widen.

"How?... I can't feel anything!"

The fluffy white medicine cat stared at him sadly, then approaches Rainstorm and Dawnleaf.

"I'm sorry, but Hailpaw has lost feeling in his hind leg, he can't continue with his warrior training."

Hailpaw stared at Cloudwind then his parents. He felt his heart racing with his panic as he came to grips with his new disability.

He suddenly became furious.

"No!" He exclaimed to Cloudwind. "I know what you're trying to do and it won't work! I don't care what StarClan told you - I'm not becoming a medicine cat apprentice!"

"Hailpaw, don't raise your voice to Cloudwind." Rainstorm scolds him.

Cloudwind waves his tail to them.

"It's fine, I want to talk to Hailpaw alone."

Hailpaw's parents quietly left the den, and the two toms were left alone with each other.

"You don't have much of a choice anymore, Hailpaw." Cloudwind told him.

"Unless a StarClan cat comes down from Silverpelt and magically heals your back leg, you can't become a warrior."

"What about this one warrior, Briarlight?" Hailpaw pointed out. "She was made a warrior even if she was crippled."

"She also helped Jayfeather with herbs."

Hailpaw felt absolute hated for the medicine cat now.

"Why are you doing this to me?! You know I hate the smell of herbs, I want to hunt, fight and honor my Clan! I want a mate and kits! You can't take it away from me!"

"I'm not doing that, it's StarClan's will." Cloudwind replied.

"Then StarClan hates me!"

"StarClan doesn't hate any cat." Cloudwind said, moving close to the distressed tom.

"Things happen that we don't understand, and it's usually not our place to question it, because there's not always a straight answer."

"I'll lose everything! Even her!"

Cloudwind said nothing but feel the same grief he felt when Petalsong died.

Hailpaw feels his tears sting his eyes and bows his head.

"Fine. I'll be your apprentice."

"You don't have to-."

"Yes I do." Hailpaw said bitterly. "You said it yourself that I can't be a warrior, so I'll be a medicine cat. It's what you wanted anyway, so you win."

Cloudwind remained silent and dips his head.

"I'll tell Darkstar and Troutstream."

Cloudwind exits the den with a wave of his tail.

I bet he's smug! Hailpaw spat. He rests his head on his nest and envisions a grey and white tabby that made his heart break into pieces.

I'm sorry, Graypaw.

"Cats of ThunderClan, meet me at High Rock for a Clan meeting!"

Hailpaw sat next to Cloudwind as the cats gathered around High Rock. He could see Troutstream gazing at him with sorrow and guilt.

It's not your fault, I should've been more careful.

Darkstar made his announcement.

"Troutstream has reported that a black shadow attacked Hailpaw in our territory. I'm requesting that every warrior remains vigilant when leaving the camp and to not fight it!"

He directed his glare on Leopardstrike.

"In the mean time, because of Hailpaw's injuries-."

Don't rub it in!

"He has requested to train under Cloudwind as a medicine cat. Hailpaw, is this what you want?"

Hailpaw feels his mouth turn dry, and forces himself to nod.

"It is."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I trust Cloudwind to teach you everything he learned from Yellowflower."

Hailpaw turned to Cloudwind touched noses with him, feeling his bones turn to ice. He stared at the fluffy white tom, who quickly averted his gaze.

Hailpaw hated Cloudwind more than ever, and he knew it.

If I ever see that shadow, I'll flay it apart, make no mistake.

Poor Hailpaw, suffering the same fate as Cinderpelt. Oakpaw will be in for a surprise when he gets back. Until then, hopefully, Hailpaw will get used to it.

What do you think of that shadow that attacked him? Sounds like the last thing you wanna run into on Halloween night or Five Nights At Freddy's.

I'm also thinking of another novella from the Stealth's Fire series. I won't tell you what it is!

(Mostly because I haven't come up with a name yet.)

Question! What should the Chosen Four's warrior names be?

Oh and by the way, RedRebel?

*Sends out Delphox* None of your note reading shenanigans, hear? ~ Kyubi