(BLARES HAMILTON MUSIC) I've become obessed (BLARES LOUDER) I need to see it (BLARES LOUDER) But I most likely never will (BLARES LOUDER) Help (BLARES THE LOUDEST I CAN PLAY IT WITHOUT BREAKING THE SPEAKERS) The songs have become my life (BREAKS SPEAKERS) I am listening to Guns and Ships as I type this chapter (BEGINS TO SCREECH GUNS AND SHIPS)
Remember that all throughout the story, these are YOUR charachters. If you feel that they have been misrepresented in any way, please let me know.
Smokepaw pushed out of the camp entrance, dipping his head to Sootstorm and Frostpath as they passed. Tangleflower had tasked him with gathering poppies near Cherry Hill. As he walked, he gazed around at the forest.
Suddenly, a mouse darted out in front of him. He was entirely still. Ivystripe, a warrior he had met a few times as a kit, crashed throught the ferns and caught it in her teeth. The silver she-cat turned to him, let out a purr, then turned and left.
He continued on his way. Soon he reached the hill. At the very top sat Lizardpaw and Finchpaw, sunning themselves. Thier fur was dotted with petals. Fallenpaw and Vixenpaw were sitting in the branches and Coalpaw was play-fighting with Swiftpaw.
The dark-colored apprentice had the she-cat pinned down with a cherry flower in his mouth. Smokepaw looked up from the base of the hill incredulously.
Is he... FLIRTING with Swiftpaw? Smokepaw thought. He pushed the thought away, darting up the hill. "Hey, Smokepaw!" Said Coalpaw, rolling off of the white she-cat and dropping the flower.
"Hey!" Smokepaw replied. "Did you hear about Honeystripe? She moved into the nursery last night!" Said Lizardpaw, sitting up. Smokepaw purred thoughtfully, wondering why Tangleflower hadn't told him. "That's great!" Said Vixenpaw, dropping down from the branches.
"I wonder if Ivystar's moved into the elders den. I was so confused when he said he was retiring last night!" Fallenpaw thought out loud. "What happened last night?" Asked Coalpaw. "You didn't hear? Ivystar's going back to being an elder! We have to call him by his warrior name now." Swiftpaw said, winding up the tree truck opposite of the one Fallenpaw was sitting on.
"So Falconstreak's going to be leader now?" Asked Finchpaw. "I think so." Said Smokepaw. He was leaning agaisnt the stump of one of the sun-warmed cherry trees.
Coalpaw suddenly stiffened. "Warriors approaching!" He hissed, darting up a tree. The others scattered upwards as well. Smokepaw scrabbled upwards, Swiftpaw helping him into the uppermost branches of the trees with the most flowers still covering them.
"Why are we-" Smokepaw asked. Coalpaw whipped his tail over the tom's mouth. Sootstorm and Ashweb walked around the clearing before leaving. The apprentices returned to thier places. "What was that supposed to be?!" Smokepaw almost shrieked, spitting out a mouthfull of fur.
"Most warriors don't like it when we stay out in the forest alone." Finchpaw reminded him. Smokepaw nodded. They were quiet for a few minues. "What should we do now?" Asked Swiftpaw.
Finchpaw suddenly leapt up and tackled Coalpaw. The black tomcat hissed and batted Finchpaw away with a single swipe. Fallenpaw dropped down onto the cloudly brown tom and pinned him down, snarling. Lizardpaw knocked Fallenpaw over and they tumbled down the hill. Vixenpaw followed them down, laughing.
Swiftpaw was suddenly a tail-length away from Smokepaw, purring. "You up for a fight?" She laughed before crashing into him. He shreiked in shock, swiping blindly upwards until his one white paw connected with Swiftpaw's ear. She chuckled and leaped off.
Coalpaw suddenly tackled Swiftpaw. He pinned her down, purring. Smokepaw growled and knocked him off. The apprentices laughed and continued the play-fight.
"Smokepaw!" A furious shriek rang out. All of thier heads swiveled to where Tangleflower was standing at the base of the hill. The apprentice's eyes widened. He'd forgotten to gather the poppies!
He trotted down, tail low. His mentor's gaze bore into him and she gave him a sharp cuff over the ear. He looked up, shocked. She let out an enraged hiss. "Don't act suprised! You were supposed to be back hours ago!"
Smokepaw looked away. "I'm extremely disappointed in you. Get back to camp. Now. And what are you others doing here? Do your mentors have a clue where are you are? Coalpaw, get off of Swiftpaw, you aren't warriors yet- Don't be embarrassed, we all know what you're trying to do- Now go find your mentors." She commanded.
Tangleflower stayed behind as the apprentices scattered from the trees. Smokepaw walled briskly off, avoiding his mentor's gaze. He padded on his way.
Smokepaw padded into the medicine den, feeling dejected. The apprentice smacked himself on the head with a paw. Why did he forget? Now Tangleflower was furious with him. He'd never seen the she-cat so angry.
The smokey tom sat down near his nest. After a few minutes, Tangleflower padded in, tail lashing. She said nothing to him and stormed into the herb stores.
She padded out, jaws empty. "...Tangleflower?" He asked.
The medicine cat exploded.
There was rage she didn't attempt to mask in every word. "Do you have any idea how worried your parents were about you? How worried I was about you?! You were given a simple task! Something that should've taken thirty minutes! You were missing for hours. You drove me half insane with worry! I thought you could've been killed! Do you have any idea how absolutely terrified I was for you?! I thought I'd lost another apprentice!"