Review Replies:
Rainmist: I must have accidentally wrote Stormpaw. I'll probably go back and edit it. Thank you for noting it for me ;D
Pandean: No, no! You're review did not offend me. You're one of my most loyal reviewers, and I've tried to get better through your review advice. I did make Wrenpaw a bit one-sided, mostly because I'm trying to note that apprentices are meant to be like teenagers, and are often sometimes moody a**holes.
Archangel: I do indeed know you from the MoonClan forum :) HERE'S MORE! *Shoves story down throat*
Cynical Britton: Hope you're having fun in Spain (I would literally die from the heat.) I hate characters that become mopey emo's when they have a sad background. They're basically a 'too-sad' OC. You need to have a balance. *Lectures about character balance*
Chapter 13:
Wrenpaw lashed her tail as Flamefoot approached Goldstar. The two were obviously holding back glares, as they began to speak. "Goldstar, we really need to get back to ThunderClan." Flamefoot glanced over her shoulder at Wrenpaw, "Wrenpaw is scared and wants to go back."
Wrenpaw was horrified that Flamefoot would say she was scared, but she knew it was just part of the plan to find an excuse to get back to the camp. She began to sniff and let out a few fake sobs as Goldstar stared at her blankly. "Why?"
"Because we need to get back to Darkstar!" Flamefoot almost snapped at Goldstar, but take in deep breaths, "Please let us leave."
"I think they've outdone their stay." Tallfoot mewed, stepping in. Goldstar glared at him and Flamefoot but sniffed. "Give me a while to think, please."
"I'm sorry, but it's a simple case of whether to let us go back to our clan or not." Whitemist growled at him, padding up to stand side-by-side by Flamefoot. Flamefoot flicked her tail at Whitemist and nudged her giving her a 'quiet' look. Whitemist, being the younger warrior by a few moons, had no choice but to listen. "Listen, Goldstar. I'm trying to stay patient here. But I need to get back to my clan. Wrenpaw has been forbidden from battle training. I need to start her hunting practice, so she at least has some moves." Flamefoot begged with the leader, putting on sweet and innocent eyes.
"Forbidden from battle training?" Goldstar went from being grumpy and quiet to laughing loudly and obnoxiously, "Darkstar truly is a mouse-brain! What leader stops their apprentices from practicing for battle? ThunderClan truly do have bees in their brain!"
Flamefoot flinched and Whitemist parted her mouth in offense and horror. "No, you haven't heard the full story." Flamefoot protested, sounding offended, "Wrenpaw made us think she had left us, that she had abandoned us."
"So? To forbid her from training, Darkstar is mouse-brained." Goldstar wheezed in hilarity, "You may take some prey, we're thriving before leaf-bare."
Flamefoot gagged at the fresh-kill pile but politely glanced at Wrenpaw as if to say 'Go get something, we'll dump it in the river.' Before Wrenpaw reluctantly picked up a large hare. "Thank you." Wrenpaw mumbled through the fur.
"Let us escort you to the border. Stormpaw, Hawkfeather, Dappletail! Get over here!" Goldstar barked for the cats, and they all marched over.
Wrenpaw noticed how Dappletail and Hawkfeather sent loving glances towards each-other, and their tail occasionally touched as if they both wished to intertwine tails. Stormpaw rolled his eyes at the two, before he perked up as he spotted Wrenpaw. "Those two." Stormpaw gagged as he flicked his tail towards Dappletail and Hawkfeather.
"One day you might be doing that. With Birdkit maybe?" Wrenpaw teased him, nudging him with her shoulder.
"Yeah, and you'll be chasing Tigerpaw." Stormpaw snorted at her, nudging her back.
"What?! StarClan, no!" Wrenpaw almost shrieked at Stormpaw, her eyes widened. Tigerpaw?! That tom was more obnoxious than the warrior that he shared names with. "I would never fall in love with him!" Wrenpaw protested stiffly, sniffing, "He's obnoxious, rude and cruel."
"Whatever you say, whatever you say…" Stonepaw sighed in a teasing tone, shaking his head. Wrenpaw cuffed him over the ears, and snapped her jaws. "Don't taunt me. Or you'll feel it in a battle."
"I'm sorry, but I don't think a new apprentice could lay a paw on me." Stormpaw bragged, sending a paw over his ear. Wrenpaw curled her lip playfully, eyes narrowed. "You do not want to fight me." Wrenpaw warned him, flicking an ear as she remembered her black-outs and condition.
"Oh, and why is that?" Stonepaw asked her mockingly, flicking his tail slightly with the slightest of curiosity.
"Reasons…" Wrenpaw murmured, not wanting to talk about her condition to some random WindClan cat. If he knew, WindClan would bring it up, and then ShadowClan would come up with some reason to attack ThunderClan over it. "Reasons? Oh come on…" Stonepaw begged as Wrenpaw refused to speak.
"Listen, it's personal…" Wrenpaw muttered, scuffing her paws trying not to hate Stonepaw.
Stonepaw continued trying to get her to talk, but Wrenpaw hissed at him every time.
No-one was talking as they travelled through a vast field of gorse and long grass. Dappletail and Hawkfeather were still getting really touchy, before the two finally stopped, as if they had noticed that everyone was staring at them. Hawkfeather whispered occasionally into Dappletail's ear, and she often giggled.
"Ugh…" Wrenpaw almost gagged as Hawkfeather finally intertwined his and Dappletail's tails. Stonepaw was gagging and stopped often to pretend to throw up. "Oh, grow up!" Whitemist snorted at the two apprentices, "You two will find love one day, and you'll be intertwining your tail with your mate."
"Yeah, cause you and Aspenstripe always do that stuff…" Wrenpaw stuck her tongue out at Wrenpaw.
"Cheek!" Whitemist gasped at her, "Anyway, me and Aspenstripe are older now. We were young when we got so loving publicly. We still love each-other deeply, but now we've had kits, and we're getting older now."
"It's a bit creepy that he's a bit eight moons older than you…" Wrenpaw muttered under her breath. Whitemist, having great hearing, gasped as she heard that sentence. "Love comes in every form! How dare you accuse us of being too age-gapped to love!" Whitemist protested against the apprentice.
Stonepaw sniffed at her, "You're eight moons apart. He was a two moon old warrior when you became an apprentice, and an eight moon old warrior when you became a warrior."
"Wow, aren't you smart?" Whitemist glared at the two, "I love Aspenstripe, and Aspenstripe loves me. Is that so bad?"
Wrenpaw rolled her brown eyes at her, and Stonepaw just ignored Whitemist. "Ignore them, Whitemist. They're young." Flamefoot sighed and shook her head. Whitemist nodded and then perked her ears up as she thought of something. "Anyway, on the topic of love, Flamefoot. Do you have your eyes on the tom?"
Flamefoot went from orange to a crimson red, and lowered her ears in embarrassment. "M-Maybe…" She admitted after having Stormpaw, Wrenpaw and Whitemist's eyes all locked on her.
"Oh?" Wrenpaw gaped at her in astonishment, flicking her tail. Stonepaw let out a wheezy laugh, and Whitemist cocked an eyebrow. "I-It doesn't matter. If I said who it was, all of you would disapprove."
"Hmm, let me guess, Darkstar?" Wrenpaw guessed, eyes burning into Flamefoot's.
"No! I would never try to be mates with our leader!" Flamefoot mewed, horrified. Wrenpaw cocked her tail and nudged her. "Oh really?" Flamefoot play-glared at her and cuffed her over the ears. Stonepaw stifled laughter at Flamefoot's annoyed and mortified face when Whitemist and Wrenpaw began to try and guess what tom she was into. "No! I am not into Alderwing!" Flamefoot huffed, and her eyes burned with annoyance, "Anyway, it doesn't matter because he likes-" Flamefoot stopped herself, shaking herself.
"Well, who does he like?" Wrenpaw pressed curiously, eyes widened.
"It doesn't matter who he likes. It's too personal." Flamefoot murmured, as if she had been reminded of something shocking and mortifying. Wrenpaw titled her head curiously, and Whitemist flicked her dainty ear with anticipation. "What do you mean personal? And why is it so 'personal' that it can't be told?" Wrenpaw reminded Flamefoot, "All crushes are personal."
"Yes, but his is really private." Flamefoot mewed and continued on through the fields.
"So? Come on, we won't tell anyone." Stonepaw pleaded on, pressing against Flamefoot as he pressured her to spew out the secret. Flamefoot shook her head at his kit eyes, and shoved him so that he stumbled and collapsed into Wrenpaw. They awkwardly ended up in a position where Stonepaw was lying on Wrenpaw with her back to the ground. Whitemist wolf-whistled and Flamefoot burst out laughing. Wrenpaw awkwardly bit the bottom of her lip and went bright red. Stonepaw laughed awkwardly and got up, "T-Thanks for breaking my fall?"
"No problem…" Wrenpaw tilted her ears back in embarrassment, and sent a hateful gaze towards Flamefoot.
"Anyway, do you like anyone, Wrenpaw?" Flamefoot asked her curiously, blinking at her teasingly.
"No!" Wrenpaw had long gotten over her feelings for Bumblepaw. They hadn't talked much recently. In fact, Bumblepaw seemed to be more interested in trying to talk to Tawnypaw…
"Oh really?" Flamefoot pressed onward, as they broke into a line of trees, before they entered another field of grass. White fluffy clouds floated on the… wait. Clouds were on the ground?! "Flamefoot! Why are the clouds on the ground?!" Wrenpaw gaped at the clouds in fear. Was the world ending? Was StarClan falling?
"Clouds?" Flamefoot mewed, glancing around the field, "What clouds?"
"Those clouds." Wrenpaw pointed with a paw towards the sheep. Flame stared at where she had pointed, and began to chuckle. "Oh those? Those aren't clouds, they're sheep." Flamefoot explained to Wrenpaw, as Stonepaw began to chortle and attempt to stifle laughs.
Wrenpaw flushed, her tail bushing up in embarrassment. Whitemist purred with amusement, and the WindClan warriors all burst into laughter. "Anyway," Goldstar cut everyone's laughter off, "We're at the border now. You may leave us now."
Wrenpaw dipped her head to Stonepaw and the rest of the WindClan patrol, "I'll see you at the gathering." She promised them and leaped over the narrow stream, landing neatly on the other side.
Flamefoot was waiting for her, and Whitemist followed shortly. "Thank you, Goldstar." She flicked her tail and turned to Wrenpaw, "Find the camp on your own. I want to see if you know the territory by now."
Wrenpaw nodded and raced off, ducking low branches and jumping over uprooted roots of the greats oaks that surrounded her. It felt more natural and free than WindClan's vast fields that hares and sheep flocked around.
"If you find the sky oak, you're probably half way to the camp." Wrenpaw remembered Redflight's words, and began to sniff for the fungi covered tree. If she found it, she would smell the horrible smell of mushrooms.
She sneezed a bug attempted to crawl up her nose. "Ew!" She hissed as a black beetle with bright red wings with long, jagged pincers, glared up at her, and she instantly stamped on it. Her nose began to tingle and she rubbed it until it stopped. "Wonder what that was?" She wondered as she padded on towards the strong smell of mushrooms.
"Was it one of those…deadly bugs?" Wrenpaw thought to herself, "Nah. Those are just fake to make kits wary about eating bugs."
Wrenpaw jumped across crevices, over logs and splashed through shallow streams as she made her way towards the sky oak.
Along the way she caught a small mouse, as it was leaf-fall, and felt slight pride. This would feed Lightningkit and Nettlekit.
The two kits had no clue about their sister, who died only barely under a moon ago. They had no clue that Spiritkit was probably watching them right now, staring at them with colourless eyes, and the dullest golden fur, wishing and praying that one day she too may have the chance to run around camp with her siblings.
But all that had been taken away from her, because StarClan had taken her so soon. Wrenpaw barely noticed her claws curling into the ground, as she remembered trying to save Spiritkit from being taken away.
"I'll see you one day…" Wrenpaw mewed as if the dead kit was standing in front of her.
Wrenpaw ducked under a branch, and almost sighed in relief as she saw the large sky oak. The branches intertwined beautifully with each-other and the few leaves left were a fiery orange and a crimsony-purple.
Wrenpaw, feeling curious, bounced up to the sky oak and peered up eagerly. "Hello?" She called up, and attempted to scramble up the tree.
She ended up, back against ground, spread-eagled. "Ow." She grumbled as she sat up again.
Wrenpaw sat up and rubbed her ears in defeat as she glared up at the tree, as if to blame it for her fall. "I wonder what's up there?" She wondered curiously, forgetting her fall.
"Try again." A voice whispered in her ear, and she spun around. "W-Who's there?" She hissed warily.
"I said try again." The voice whispered again.
Wrenpaw turned, not wanting to anger whoever it was, and began to climb the tree. "Dig your claws into the tree and pull yourself up. As soon as you do that, place a paw further." The voice encouraged, and Wrenpaw followed orders, all of it going over her head.
She remembered nothing as she sat on the branch. "How do I get back down?" Wrenpaw asked, realizing that the Sky Oak's drop would lead to death.
"You fell for my trick. I thought I taught you better than this…" The voice snickered and Wrenpaw instantly realized who it was. Guider. "You! I thought you had left me!" Wrenpaw spat at the voice.
"I did, for a while. Your other ancestors stopped me from reaching to you, but I have gained their trust again." Guider's voice purred, but it was hollow and raspy, and it echoed loudly. Wrenpaw shook her head. "Get me down from here." She begged to her 'ancestor'.
"Why should I? I trained you to trust no one, yet now you are going back to Flamefoot instead of following me!" Guider hissed and Wrenpaw felt a shudder, before another blackout.
When she woke, she was standing on the ground. "No, I didn't give Guider this much power over me…did I?" Wrenpaw thought to herself, shocked that Guider had obviously taken control and brought her to the ground.
"Oh you did. You gave me full power over your body. And I can do anything I want with it. Anything." Guider purred maliciously, and Wrenpaw saw an image of her dark golden-amber eyes in her mind.
Wrenpaw raced off, as if she could escape Guider, she crashed through the oaks and birches, through the bracken and almost tumbled over a vole.
"Oh StarClan! I forgot the mouse! Better get this vole so I can seem like I was up to something…" Wrenpaw quickly nipped the vole on it's neck, before picking it's limp body up and bringing it towards the camp.
She saw the slight hill that led to the flat lands before the camp, and she raced up, wanting to be home, to see her father and her brother. And, to her surprise, she wanted to see Finchwing.
She bounced across the flatlands, trying to ignore Guider's nagging voice.
"Why are you going back to her?"
"Finchwing has done nothing for you!"
"I am your trainer, not Flamefoot."
Wrenpaw hissed at her with each sentence, and shook her head again and again. "I'm inside your head, you can't escape me…" Guider growled at her, "I'll always be here, Wrenpaw. Always…"
Wrenpaw remembered to think about family, and instantly Guider faded into the background, before Wrenpaw stalked back to camp, taking long strides.
"Wrenpaw! Took you long enough!" Flamefoot purred as she spotted the decently sized vole in Wrenpaw's jaws, "Good job catching that. We need it." Flamefoot flicked her tail to the fresh-kill pile, which had a few scrawny crows, a thrush, a skinny, young mouse and a pheasant.
"Can I take it to the kits?" Wrenpaw offered through the fur of the vole, flicking her tail.
It would be Lightningkit and Nettlekit's second meal, Wrenpaw glowed with pride as she realized that. "Sure." Flamefoot shrugged, "It would be good for them. It would help them get off milk."
Wrenpaw bounced over to the nursery, still thinking about her family. She could hear a muffled Guider complaining about Flamefoot, obviously. She broke into the nursery, and smiled as Lightningkit squealed her name, "Wrenpaw!" He leaped at her leg, attempting to tackle her.
"Hi, Lightningkit." Wrenpaw purred as she dropped the fresh-kill in the middle of the nursery, "How is the future leader?"
"Great! Mama said that in half a moon we get to leave the nursery." Lightningkit purred happily, ears perked up in delight. "Harefoot got stricter… she let me and Falconpaw go when we were half a moon old!" Wrenpaw widened her eyes and glanced at Harefoot.
"Why don't you take this to your mother?" Wrenpaw offered the vole to Lightningkit. The vole was up to Lightningkit's belly, but he begun to drag it over to Harefoot, who smiled thankfully. "Thank you Wrenpaw, Lightningkit." She dipped her head and took a large bite, before pushing it to Nettlekit, who was watching Wrenpaw from the nest.
Her large ears were pushed against her back as she blinked at the vole. "What's tha?" Nettlekit asked, with a kitish lisp to her voice.
"That's a vole." Harefoot nuzzled her kit lovingly, purring as Nettlekit cautiously took a bite.
"It's fuzzy." Nettlekit mewed happily as she took another bite, "I like it." Wrenpaw chuckled quietly as the kit began to chew away at the vole. Lightningkit, realizing he was about to lose a meal, leaped at the prey and Nettlekit shrieked in horror, closing her eyes as if she expected Lightningkit to claw her. Lightningkit paused, tilting his head in confusion. "What's wrong, Nettlekit?" Harefoot asked with concern dripping on her voice, wrapping her tail around Nettlekit.
"I-I just thought…" Nettlekit cut herself off, "It nothin mama." Nettlekit mewled before taking a bite out of the vole and gulping it down as Lightningkit tore into the vole, ripping chunks of and swallowing them sloppily.
Wrenpaw stared at Nettlekit with concern. "Wonder what's up with her?"
Something in Nettlekit's amber eyes gave away she had seen something.
And Wrenpaw couldn't help but wonder what it was.
"Wrenpaw, come on! Darkstar is announcing who's going to the gathering tomorrow night, and then he wants to ask what Goldstar said to us!" She heard Flamefoot call, and Wrenpaw dipped her head to Harefoot.
"It was good to see you." Wrenpaw meowed politely, "Bye Harefoot, Lightningkit, Nettlekit."
The kits mewled in a goodbye and Harefoot dipped her head and purred a goodbye, before Wrenpaw left the nursery.
Well, I have to end it there as it's twenty past eleven at night when I'm writing this.
Summer Camp is going to be happening for the next four days, and it makes it harder to write.
QOTD: Nettlekit? Goldstar? Who do you think Flamefoot likes?
Fact of the Day: I just realized Flamefoot isn't part of the allegiances. She actually appeared when I misread Flameheart's name XD Jeez.
Also, random question, do you ship anyone right now? We're all very open (Hopefully.) and I don't want harassment over ships (even though it never happens.)
Thanks!
~DNACat