Chapter 13

"Overshadowed."

1/9/17 - 1/11/17 - 1/13/17

The sunlight peers through the warriors den and blinds Littlefalcon's vision. He stretches his fore legs and leaves the den to bathe in the sun.

"Littlefalcon." Tigerflame called. "You're on hunting patrol with Finchblaze."

Littlefalcon forced himself to dip his head before he could protest. Two days after the warrior ceremony, Littlefalcon's relationship with Finchblaze became nonexistent. It felt as if Finchblaze cared for nobody but himself and his reputation.

Littlefalcon saw Finchblaze watching him near the entrance, smiling as if he was told a joke. Littlefalcon grimaced.

Let's get this over with…

The forest was slowly growing back, small hints of grass and wood bark were returning to life. Littlefalcon smells the air and caught wind of prey.

He raised his tail and signaled it to Finchblaze to stay away. Littlefalcon soon spotted a rabbit grooming its white fur. Littlefalcon crouched down and stalked toward the unsuspecting rabbit.

Littlefalcon tenses his muscles, and a red blur came in his vision and tackled the rabbit.

"Got it!" Finchblaze exclaimed. Littlefalcon saw some sparrows fly away as well as a squirrel climbing up the trees.

"You idiot!" Littlefalcon hissed quietly in case there was still prey nearby. "You scared away the remaining prey!"

Finchblaze snorted. "Then be thankful that I caught one."

This didn't stop there. Finchblaze interfered with every catch Littlefalcon tried to get. He stole two pigeons and one squirrel. Littlefalcon could only take a chaffinch before his brother could steal that.

The second hunting patrol of Ravenwing, Volefang, Leopardstrike and Blazefrost showed up and saw the pile Finchblaze had.

"That's very impressive, Finchblaze." Ravenwing said to the tom. Blazefrost notices Littlefalcon's chaffinch and wrinkled his nose.

"That's all you got?"

"I've had-."

"Don't complain, brother." Finchblaze cut him off. "You should try harder next time instead of expecting me to do all the work."

"You interfered!"

Ravenwing stood in between the two brothers. "That's enough." She told Littlefalcon, making Finchblaze smirk in triumph.

"Let's take the prey back and be thankful for it."

Littlefalcon fought with his anger as he returned to the camp and dropped his catch on the pile, he saw cats rushing to the thorn barrier and looking at Finchblaze's catches.

The dark ginger tom puffed his chest when the praise was sent his way, and Littlefalcon shook his head in disgust.

The evening sun was beginning to disappear behind the trees. Littlefalcon was coaxed into playing with Daisyleaf's kits by Maplekit.

"C'mon, let's play badger!"

Before he knew it, Maplekit jumped on Littlefalcon's back. Littlefalcon caught his breath, and slowly walked while Hawkkit and Duskkit's weight jumped on top of him. Hawkkit nipped his ear.

"Take that, stinky badger!" He chirped. Littlefalcon laughed, but he could feel his legs preparing to give out.

"For crying out loud, he's too weak to hold you!" Thistlekit exclaimed.

Littlefalcon struggled to hold his head up and marched around the camp with the three kits on his back. Most of the warriors were watching him with amusement.

So long as it's not mocking, I'm good. He thought.

He caught a glimpse of Ivyheart, she, too, was amused as she watched Littlefalcon with kits on his back.

"Hey, kits!"

Finchblaze strides toward them, scanning Littlefalcon like he was a mouse.

"You sure you wanna play badger with him? I can hold you guys."

Maplekit was the first to climb off from Littlefalcon's back.

"No thank you. Littlefalcon is playing with us."

"Yeah, but, he's way too small and slow. I, on the other paw, can carry you four without a problem."

Littlefalcon narrowed his eyes and dug his claws into the ground. Duskkit shifted his paws uncomfortably.

"Thanks, but we have Littlefalcon playing with us…"

Finchblaze didn't look like giving up. Littlefalcon whispered, "Kits. Go back to Daisyleaf."

Hawkkit looked at Littlefalcon with wide eyes. "But Daddy…"

"Now."

Duskkit nudged Hawkkit away, and Maplekit followed her brothers. Finchblaze chuckled when they left.

"Did Hawkkit just call you 'dad'? What story did you tell those poor kits?"

Littlefalcon held his ground as the fur rose along his spine.

"That's none of your business."

"Whoa, sorry mister sensitive."

"You would be sensitive too if you've been insulted and belittled by your own peers and brother since kit-hood!"

The two brothers became unaware of the warriors forming a circle around them, watching, even Darkstar looked on with caution.

Finchblaze gave Littlefalcon an unsympathetic frown.

"Are you still hung up on that? It was last year, get over it already."

Littlefalcon's fury escalated hearing that.

"I don't understand why you can't just mind your own business! Why can't you do your own thing without having to make me look like a failure?"

"So you want to let me fail to make you look good? That's pretty pathetic, even for you." Finchblaze sneered.

"I'm not asking for that!" Littlefalcon snapped. "I'm just as good a hunter and a fighter as you, Stormwhisker and Lionfang combined! I'm just asking you to get your own life!"

Finchblaze thrusts his muzzle in Littlefalcon's, his green eyes burning with rage.

"I do have a life!"

Littlefalcon met his gaze unflinching.

"A life that involves having to compete with me and have our Clanmates compare me with you. Face it, if I wasn't born you'd never feel worth anything except for brawn and appearance."

"You never had to work hard in your life, but I have. That's why Darkstar made me an apprentice and you stayed as a kit-."

Finchblaze's tail bushes twice his size. "You shut your mouth!"

"That's why while you kept showboating, I earned my warrior name before you did-."

"I said shut up!" Finchblaze hissed.

"So let's be real, here. The only cat who is being pathetic is you, Finchblaze."

Finchblaze lunged himself on Littlefalcon and tussled in the dirt. Tigerflame was about to intervene when Whisperclaw stopped him.

"What are you doing? They'll kill each other!"

"No they won't." Whisperclaw said calmly. Her green eyes held hidden knowledge that Tigerflame couldn't tell.

"This has been a long time coming. This way they'll finally settle it."

Tigerflame looked to Darkstar, even he was silently agreeing with his sister as he watched his nephews fight.

Finchblaze scored claws on Littlefalcon's chest and bites his ear. Littlefalcon kicked Finchblaze off and rolled in the dirt with him. Littlefalcon felt adrenaline in his veins and slashed Finchblaze's right eye, and his ear, as Finchblaze fought to be on top.

Littlefalcon sunk his claws in Finchblaze's neck, and the dark ginger tom froze in fear of his skin being punctured. Littlefalcon leaned in to Finchblaze's ear.

"I don't care if they hate me for hurting you. I want you to remember this and never cross me again."

Littlefalcon climbed off of Finchblaze as he scrambled to his paws. The black and white tom notices the looks of anger and disdain directed at him and sympathy to Finchblaze.

Littlefalcon looked at his brother and saw his claws reaching for his eyes. Littlefalcon narrowly dodged, and Darkstar stood in between them for Finchblaze to rake his cheek.

Darkstar squinted at Finchblaze. "Are you done?"

The jet black tom looked at Littlefalcon and Finchblaze with an unreadable expression. Then looks to Littlefalcon.

"I hope you all got that out of your system. I suggest that you go out and hunt while Finchblaze gets his wounds checked."

"Littlefalcon shredded him! Are you seriously going to let him get away with it?!"

Littlefalcon saw Stormwhisker in the crowd as more of his Clanmates yowl in agreement.

"And Finchblaze attacked me first!" Littlefalcon hissed. He scanned the crowd in a seething glare.

"You all knew how he treated me and did nothing! Always telling me to be like him, always comparing me to Finchblaze - we're two different cats! I shouldn't have to change myself just because you don't like who I am!"

"At least Ivyheart and Driftpaw and Lionfang have accepted me for myself, unlike you cowards!"

For once he saw shame in his Clanmates eyes, some look away in embarrassment. Littlefalcon felt contempt for them. He never truly loathed anyone as much as he did now.

Only Lionfang gave him a look of compassion as Driftpaw watched giving him an encouraging nod. Ivyheart blinked sadly at Littlefalcon, and he wondered if he did something terrible in her eyes.

He risked looking in the direction of Daisyleaf and the kits. The kits were staring at him with fear, and Daisyleaf was sympathetic, but that didn't soothe Littlefalcon after seeing the kits' reaction.

Darkstar flicked his tail. "Littlefalcon, go and hunt. Cool off and come back when you're feeling better."

Littlefalcon left the camp, but he was still fuming. He managed to get a vole and a dove. He heard someone call his name and saw Tigerflame approaching him.

Littlefalcon braced himself for criticism, but instead Tigerflame said,

"I know exactly how you feel. Having a brother who was good at anything make you feel worthless."

Littlefalcon pricked his ears. "Are you talking about Goldheart?"

Tigerflame nodded. "After Lionstar's death, everyone who survived the battle against LionClan had a lingering grudge against him and took it out on me."

He nodded to his pelt. "My fur was dark gold when I was a kit, so cats easily identified me with Lionstar while Goldheart took after our mother's fur, cream brown. I always saw distrust and judgment in their eyes whenever they see me, so I just stayed out of their sight."

"Well, until Stealthfire spoke to me, even though she looked like she didn't want to, not for reasons you believe."

"Why'd you think she did that?"

Tigerflame frowned as his eyes became hardened.

"I guess she had a rough kit hood as well before she came to ThunderClan. I guess that's why Thornstar made her my mentor."

"The point is, I know what you're going through, Littlefalcon. I know cats can be unfair and judge you harshly. Just remember that you're not entirely alone in this."

"Littlefalcon?"

Tigerflame gave Littlefalcon a nod and left for camp as Ivyheart appeared. She slowly padded toward him.

"Are you feeling better?"

Littlefalcon nodded. "Yeah. I'm sorry for what happened back there."

"I don't agree with the violence, but it was bound to happen sooner or later."

Embarrassed, Littlefalcon looked down and stared at her silver paws. The silver colors reminds him of a certain cat that he hasn't thought about in a while.

Violetpaw.

Even thinking of her brought guilt that burned in his ears. Littlefalcon felt his throat dry up before he looked Ivyheart in the eyes.

"Ivyheart… There's something I have to tell you."

Ivyheart blinked. "What's wrong? You look sick."

"That's because I haven't been honest with you." Littlefalcon replied sadly. "I don't want to lose you, but at the same time…"

Littlefalcon took a deep breath and told her everything. About him and Violetpaw. Ivyheart stared at him with wide eyes throughout the whole story.

"We stopped meeting a little bit before the fire, but I still shouldn't have done what I did. I have no excuse for doing it, and I hope one day that you'll forgive me."

Littlefalcon expected the worst. He waited for Ivyheart to yell at him, to leave him and tell ThunderClan about it. He could see Finchblaze and Stormwhisker's sneering faces, and Tigerflame and Whisperclaw's shame, and Foxflame's disappointment…

He felt a paw under his chin and making him look at her.

"It's okay. If what you said is true, then it was a mistake and you never did again."

Littlefalcon was quiet. He just entwined his tail with Ivyheart's and rests his chin on her head. Unknown to him, two ears overheard his confession and quickly padded away.

Happy Friday the 13th!

… Just kidding, I don't believe in superstitions that much.

On Pokemon Sun news, I discovered something interesting a couple weeks ago. I was training my team at nighttime in Vast Poni Canyon where the giant roots were, and a wild Midnight Lycanroc appeared!

Not only that, when I was weakening it to catch him, he called a buddy, another Midnight Lycanroc! I was so confused as to why I found Midnight Lycanroc in Pokemon Sun and I don't think Bulbapedia gave me any information as to why.

But you know what? Who cares? I got another Lycanroc and named him Gabriel.

Who knows? Maybe you'll find one, too, depending on which version of Pokemon you have.

Until then, thank you for reading, and I hope you have a great evening. ~ Kyubi