This is the great finale, everyone. Ten more pages than usual, so this should be a treat. I hope. After all, it's the reason this story is getting a very late update (nearly a month since Chap 19 was posted), not to mention that this pushed to just over a year old because of my laziness and school.
So yay!
Enjoy. This chap is definitely not lacking action-wise...
"He's in trouble," Brownpaw muttered, immediately stopping in his tracks with his usually floppy ears erect.
Firetail halted next to him, his sodden pelt uncomfortably brushing Brownpaw's. "Who? Harescar?"
"Yes," Brownpaw replied impatiently, leaping away from the tabby and whirling around, his dark eyes scanning the rippling waters for a particular light ginger pelt. "Mouse dung, where is he?"
"Hey, I'm not that stinky. There's no need to call me that…"
Firetail's half-hearted attempt at a joke never even reached Brownpaw's ears. The dog was already halfway back the way they came, his nose twitching furiously, as it was his best tool.
The puppy grumbled loudly enough for Firetail to hear, "Help me, will you?"
He received a grunt in return and, after a few heartbeats, the broad-shouldered warrior was splashing after him.
Brownpaw's cautious wading turned into long strides and then turned into desperate leaps forward. Lucky I can still touch the bottom, or it would take ages to swim back.
And then he froze. He could hear little splishes, each in quick succession of the other, and then an exasperated hiss. "Firetail," Brownpaw barked.
The orange-tailed tomcat arrived at his side, soaked from the shoulders down. Brownpaw blinked; for a moment he'd forgotten how long his own legs had gotten. Firetail must've had to swim that distance. "What orders do you have for me now, Brownpaw?" Firetail mumbled, a glint of his old, somewhat daft, ferocity showing in his eyes.
"I'm sorry," Brownpaw said. "I'm just an apprentice. I shouldn't be ordering you around like that."
Firetail shook himself, spraying countless droplets of lake water onto Brownpaw. The dog sighed, and Firetail smirked playfully. "I'm fine now. It's okay."
Brownpaw rolled his eyes and went on, "I need you to go back to camp and get help. I'm going to go ahead and, well, plunge into this. Hopefully the situation can stay under control until your backup arrives." He raked his gaze over Firetail's damp light brown fur, stained dull from the murky lake. Exhaustion lengthened the tom's face, and the usual light in his optics— which Furrykit had so obviously inherited— was missing. "And by StarClan, find yourself a nest. I don't care if it's on the highest tree branch, just rest."
Firetail looked over himself and laughed pathetically. "Heh, yeah, it does kind of look like I've been whipped through a hurricane more than once, eh?" He dipped his head and before he turned to go, murmured, "Good luck, Brownpaw. And may StarClan guide your path."
Once Firetail was a fair, safe distance away, Brownpaw drew a full breath of air into his lungs and thrust himself underwater.
He forced open his eyelids, convincing himself they were being pinned open by an invisible force. It took some time for his eyes to adjust to the murkiness in the watery world, but eventually he could see dark shapes thrashing just ahead.
Brownpaw paddled faster, his slender legs making circular movements as he propelled himself forward. Within moments he was in the center of the tussle.
Keeping his belly pointed toward what felt like the nonexistent lake floor, the young dog shouldered Harescar away from Minnowcloud. But his efforts were futile; it was like the ThunderClan deputy had a magnetic attraction to the gray tom, for right away the two were entangled again.
Brownpaw groaned, and backed up a bit. Looks like I'll have to use some force to save their lives. He threw his body forward full-force, and rammed hard into one of the toms' flanks.
There was the mildly-alarming sound of air being rushed out of lungs, and bubbles tickled Brownpaw's nose. And then the trio broke the surface.
"It might be a good idea to stay where you can breathe," the apprentice snapped, tail whapping the water as he dragged himself onto the shore.
The landscape, filled with pebbles and sand, was as mottled and busy as a tortoiseshell's pelt, and for a couple heartbeats Brownpaw was too dizzy to notice where Harescar and Minnowcloud had gotten to.
"This isn't a swimming lesson, lazy fox-heart!" Harescar spat, his wet fur standing up in spikes all down his spine. His smoldering amber gaze was focused on Minnowcloud, who was still paddling to shore. "Get out of there and show me what you're made of!"
"Shut your mouth," Minnowcloud muttered as he slapped his body down onto the shore. "Shut your mouth before I shut it for you!"
Harescar stupidly— even Brownpaw had to admit— stood with his mouth agape, and with the speed of diving waterfowl Minnowcloud slammed his paw down on top of the ginger cat's muzzle, leaving fresh marks. Blood glided through Harescar's orange fur, making him look more fearsome than ever.
"Hey!" Brownpaw barked, his jaws snapping as he quickly forced the words off his tongue. "Minnowcloud! Lookie over here!"
Minnowcloud's icy gaze barely even grazed over the dog. "I have no concern for you, dog," the tabby said, his head lowered. "My battle is with Harescar. It always has been, hasn't it?" Suddenly he was speaking to the ginger tom, his whiskers twitching as rapidly as a rabbit's nose.
Well, dunk me in mud, roll me in goose feathers, and call me Streampaw, Brownpaw thought with a prick of irritation. He doesn't even want to give me the time of day anymore.
"I have already apologized for my wrongdoings, Minnowcloud," Harescar hissed through his teeth. "What I don't understand is why you can't just let. It. Go! StarClan, it was moons ago. We were apprentices. It was- it was before—"
"Oh, before Stonepaw died?" Minnowcloud laughed. At Harescar's appalled expression, he snorted, "Forgive me, Harry. I never had siblings, so I don't realize what it is like—"
Harescar was fuming. Brownpaw winced as the deputy ran with all his might at Minnowcloud, only to be shouldered away so that he abruptly veered to the left. The orange cat fell into the lake with a simple, comic splash.
"Give it a rest," Brownpaw snarled, pearls of harmless yet threatening foam forming on his gums. "You are completely familiar with death. Both of your parents were killed at the paws of monsters! Y- you were so young, and were… left alone…" Eventually, the older puppy trailed off, his long legs trembling slightly as a realization dawned on him. Until he met Skunkflight and Firetail, he had nobody.
He wasn't even sure if the gray tabby had been listening. Minnowcloud's back was to him, and he was facing the lake as Harescar yanked himself out of the water. The deputy's fur was now molded into sharper spikes as his hackles rose once more through the layer of wetness.
Brownpaw suppressed a groan when Minnowcloud tried to shove Harescar back into the swirling depths. It took enough effort to get them out of the lake, and now they're just going to go right back in—
The apprentice squinted, trying to get his eyes to focus on the shore of the Gathering Island facing them. Yes! It was backup from ThunderClan, all more soaked than dewy grass at dawn. In the lead was, thank StarClan, Beechflight, along with three others: Rainsnow, Cherryfur, and Frostpaw.
The moment Frostpaw's optics alighted on his adoptive brother, the young tom thrashed through the water, his white pelt almost uncomfortably bright against the endless dark water.
"You look like a half-drowned rat," Brownpaw growled good-naturedly, shunting Frostpaw out of the water. The pale-furred cat shook himself thoroughly so that his fur was still flying by the time the three warriors dragged themselves onto shore.
"As do you," Frostpaw finally retorted once his pelt was of a satisfactory dryness.
"And them," Cherryfur pointed out, dipping her head at Minnowcloud and Harescar a number of fox-lengths away. Water droplets were sailing high into the air as the two tossed blow after blow in and out of the lake.
Beechflight sighed and added grimly, "They're only going to kill each other if we don't interfere soon." Brownpaw noticed that his green eyes were glistening significantly, and his heart pounded hard against his ribcage. Something else happened. It's not just Harescar and Minnowcloud he's upset about.
The long-legged tabby made to lunge at Minnowcloud, but Brownpaw stepped in his path, allowing Rainsnow and Cherryfur to plunge into the fight.
"Brownpaw? What's the big idea?" Beechflight grumbled. Swiftly he turned his cheek away from Brownpaw so that his face was completely hidden. There was a faint sniffle.
"Beechflight! Something else is the matter, and you're going to tell me now. It's not like there are any secrets still hidden at this point." The dog's nose twitched. Besides Carly.
Beechflight hesitated, then slowly turned so that he could watch Cherryfur drive back Minnowcloud and Rainsnow dive between the gray tom and Harescar, hissing in warning. Frostpaw lingered nearby as backup, watching his father with round, concerned eyes.
Brownpaw scowled into Beechflight's eyes. The one green orb he could see was still shiny, the thin fur surrounding it damp from emotion. "Beechflight," he pressed.
"Fine! Do you really want to know?" Beechflight snapped feverishly. "It's Brokenstar." He shook his head, as if he were trying to rid himself of a fly buzzing around his ears. "Somehow, she fell off the Highledge, and soon after, we found several cats missing: Harescar, Flykit, Firetail, Flashnight…" His voice broke as he continued, quieter than ever, "… by the time Firetail summoned my party, she had already lost one life, and Ratpelt was saying she was at a severe risk for losing more. Apparently she fractured something…? StarClan knows." He took a deep breath, and for a moment looked like he had more to say, but didn't.
Brownpaw's blood had frozen in his veins the moment Brokenstar's name left Beechflight's mouth. The puppy thought back to how many she'd had before her fall. Six? So now five, or even less. Brownpaw just wanted to dig a deep hole and hide in it for a long time. StarClan, please keep her alive. She has kits to care for. And a Clan…
"The Clan will be praying for her tonight," Brownpaw breathed. He pinned back his ears, and hurriedly released a throaty howl before whispering, "We'll all be."
A small number of heartbeats later, Cherryfur prowled up to them, a bedraggled Minnowcloud under her firm wing. "There isn't much fight left in him for tonight," the tortoiseshell she-cat reported. "Rainsnow's got Harescar, and Frostpaw's with them too. I suggest we take them back to camp with some distance between them."
"Excellent idea," Beechflight grunted. "I'll walk back with you and Minnowcloud. But first, we should let the other three get a head start. Brownpaw, how about you go with Rainsnow?" The pale tabby didn't give the apprentice a chance to object, and cast one final forlorn glance at him before whirling around to discuss something quietly with Cherryfur.
Brownpaw trudged back to where Rainsnow and Frostpaw were gradually calming down the deputy. The gray-and-white she-cat was stroking her tail down his spine while Frostpaw tried to cheer him up: "Flashnight returned Flykit safely to camp, in case you were wondering!" "Ratpelt will tend to those wounds. Your pain will disappear in no time." "Batkit is well, too! He's probably just waking up now."
Brownpaw stepped up to them and discreetly told the two level-headed cats the game plan.
"Alright, Harescar," Rainsnow mewed, cutting off another one of Frostpaw's remarks with a grateful glance. "We're going to walk back to camp now."
The disgruntled tom rose to his paws without assistance and began to stride forward. Brownpaw took this chance to get a better look at him. Harescar's raised hackles were still in spikes from his numerous plunges, and tipped with dried blood at the ends. A few scratches and only a couple of somewhat-deep gashes covered his ruffled, filthy pelt. Luckily, Minnowcloud hadn't succeeded in reopening Harescar's infamous scar, although the blood that mottled the fur around the old injury indicated the gray tabby's desperate attempts to inflict harm.
Brownpaw shuddered, now noticing the cold lake water seeping into his bones, and the exhaustion nearly sweeping him off his paws. Not to mention what we'll have to face when we get home. Who knows what his reaction will be when he sees her right back in the medicine den…
OoOoO
"Papa!" Flykit squeaked, her legs splayed out each time she leaped as she scrambled toward Harescar.
The touch of absentness in his amber gaze immediately fizzed into nonexistence by the time she was bouncing at his feet. "Hello there, my sweet," he purred, touching his nose with hers for a while. When she pulled away, too jittery to stay still for long, he muttered, "Aren't you still tired? It can't have been too long since Flashnight brought you back—"
"Papa, you're hurt," Flykit whined, her sunshine-colored eyes expanding as she took in the state of Harescar's matted coat.
Brownpaw wished he could plug his nose, for the thick and salty tang of blood hung in the air, strong and horrendous. A kit shouldn't be subjected to this.
Like she had read his thoughts, Hopepuddle shuffled forward and gathered Flykit in her long, winding tail. "Come with me, dear," she cooed to the little she-kit. "Your papa will need to rest before he can play with you again."
Harescar lifted his chin, watching the dappled queen take away his daughter for a moment. Then he asked gruffly about Batkit's whereabouts.
"Beats me," Brownpaw replied. Realizing how thoughtless that sounded, he continued, "Though I have no doubt he's safely nestled somewhere."
"Harescar," Frostpaw said, stepping in front of the orange deputy. "I'm afraid there's news. And there is no other place to put it than in the bad news category."
OoOoO
"How many lives does she have now?" Harescar croaked. He sat hunched over the brown-furred ThunderClan leader, his paws churning the moss of his mate's nest. He hardly seemed to notice Ratpelt and Marigoldkit weaving to and fro past him as they tended to his wounds.
Brownpaw's muzzle curled downwards gloomily. Those scratches from Minnowcloud are the least of his concerns now.
"Four," Ratpelt grunted, his amber orbs glittering with sorrow. At first, Brownpaw hadn't even understood what he had said because of the herbs that he gripped in his jaws. But when the dog had thought the single word over, an unsettling chill came over him. It was like when the lake's surface had been above him during his brief time underwater. You feel trapped, helpless… He stared at Brokenstar, while Harescar refused to peel his eyes off of her. We all do.
Marigoldkit trotted up to the ginger cat and smeared yet another bitter-smelling poultice onto a scratch on his shoulder. Brownpaw registered a little jolt when he observed that she could reach that high without Harescar having to lean down. She's grown so much!
Harescar's head turned away from Brokenstar for the first time in a while, and he watched as Marigoldkit dabbed the last of the mixture on the minor infliction.
"What—" he started, but Marigoldkit was already ahead of him, or so she thought.
"It's just a small scratch, but I thought it would be best if I got some healing poultice in there before it scabs over. The chervil and horsetail should help prevent infection, and I suggest you sleep with some dock in your nest to soothe your wounds. Don't try to eat it, though— it has a nasty taste to it."
Harescar smiled weakly. "Thank you, Marigoldkit. Although I doubt I'll be getting much snooze-time in the next few quarter-moons." He paused. "Actually, I was going to ask you what your age is now."
Brownpaw's tongue flopped out of his mouth as Marigoldkit answered casually, clueless as to what Harescar was implying. "Orangekit, Furrykit, and I are all six moons…" she hesitated, thinking hard. "… er, today, or was it yesterday?"
Harescar rose abruptly to his paws, and began to shunt Marigoldkit out of the den. "That's good enough for me. Get on out there, Marigoldkit. And find your parents and brothers and tell them there's to be a ceremony right this moment."
As a very confused Marigoldkit scurried off, the deputy twisted back to face Ratpelt, who was hovering in the entrance of his den. He always seemed to be keeping one eye on Brokenstar, and for good reason. "You come out here too, Ratpelt. Brokenstar will be fine. She- she'll understand. You're becoming a mentor tonight."
Ratpelt bounded out of the den, and the downcast mood in the air seemed to temporarily evaporate; Brokenstar would be fine. She was just taking a long nap. Four lives? Pffft, she would live them out just like any other leader. Brownpaw was sure of it.
"Thank you, Harescar," Ratpelt purred. "But just so you know, it's nearly sunhigh now."
OoOoO
"ThunderClan, I present to you the newly-named Orangepaw, Marigoldpaw, and Furrypaw," Harescar yowled, his groomed orange fur gleaming as he climbed down from the Highledge. He surveyed the trio of jittery young cats before him. "Before I can apprentice the two cats who wish to learn the ways of a warrior, I have to announce who Marigoldpaw's mentor will be."
He hesitated, and there were a few murmurs, but it was obvious to everybody what the plans were. Brownpaw smirked as Ratpelt shuffled forward a couple more paces, amber eyes huge.
"Ratpelt, I have not a single breath of doubt that you will be an extraordinary trainer of Marigoldpaw. And to be honest, you already have been. ThunderClan has long appreciated the education you received from Briarlight, and your mentoring of an intelligent young cat has been long overdue. I wish you both many moons of healthy partnership."
The pair touched noses, and Harescar glided right along to stand in front of Orangepaw. "Orangepaw, for you Brokenstar and I have chosen a tomcat with just as acute a sense of adventure as you." He glanced out into the crowd. "Leopardtooth, you will be mentor to Orangepaw."
The two touched noses, Leopardtooth sticking out his tongue at Sandpebble as he sat back down with the new 'paw.
Harescar parted his jaws to, of course, appoint a mentor to Furrypaw, but all of a sudden he froze and stared at a point past the mottled tom. Furrypaw looked mortified, as if there was something unpresentable about him to the deputy.
But instead the ginger tom rasped, "Brokenstar—" He made a move toward her, but she lifted her tail, the bags under her eyes barely noticeable over how bright her yellow optics shined.
"Don't you dare interrupt this ceremony for me," Brokenstar whispered. Brownpaw ran his gaze over her, and whimpered slightly. Her usually-plumy tail now didn't even have the thickness of a feather. In fact, her entire outside was bedraggled, probably just as torn up as her inside was. "I just have one request," the leader mewed. She looked straight at her mate. "Make yourself the mentor of Furrypaw. There is no better match." She melted back into the den, and left the Clan baffled.
Except for Harescar. He immediately thundered, "Furrypaw, as per the request of the leader of ThunderClan, I will mentor you and lead you along the path of a successful warrior." He inclined his head and tapped his nose against the brown-and-white tomcat's. Furrypaw appeared to have been struck speechless.
Brownpaw snorted. Everything Harescar just said couldn't have been any cornier, but it was fitting just the same.
OoOoO
Brownpaw groaned as he stretched his legs out— well, not really. He couldn't completely unfold his long limbs all the way without them hitting the wall of the apprentices' den. He tossed himself over to the other side, and found himself muzzle-to-muzzle with Frostpaw.
"You can't sleep, either?" the white tom whispered.
Brownpaw blinked in surprise, reeling back from the blue eyes he had expected to be closed. "Uh, um, yeah. I'm just too big for this den, but it's too freezing to sleep out there."
"True that. Your pelt is about as thick as a leaf, and the winds outside could literally bite through my skin." Frostpaw shuddered. "Might as well rename me Windburn at our warrior ceremony."
"Which isn't that far away," Brownpaw pointed out, his tail thumping the ground joyfully.
Frostpaw beamed. "I'm so relieved that Brokenstar will be able to announce our new names. Nothing against Harescar, but it just seems more real when it's the actual leader preforming the ceremony."
The dog nodded. "I understand." Though I don't completely agree. At least Harescar can climb up on the Highledge; meanwhile Brokenstar seems to have an unspoken, though explainable, fear of heights now. But she can speak loud enough for every cat to hear now.
The twelve-moon-old apprentices simultaneously squeezed their optics shut in another desperate attempt to catch even a couple of Z's. It's just too difficult. How are we supposed to sleep when we have no idea if we've passed our final assessments yet?
In the two moons since the fiasco with Minnowcloud, Clan life had been running smoothly. Harescar and Minnowcloud were always a good distance from each other, but both were resettling into the usual patrols and such. Beechflight's kits, as well as Batkit and Flykit, were over halfway to being named apprentices. And all of the current apprentices were working hard as ever. Brokenstar had mostly recovered, and yet still her injured leg wasn't quite… right.
In just a matter of heartbeats, all of that came crashing down to nothing. To dust.
Brownpaw was jerked awake, and then yanked out of his nest with surprising strength by none other than Harescar. "Minnowcloud just ran out of camp. We have to see what he's up to."
Unfortunately, Frostpaw stirred again behind the dog. "He probably just went to make dirt…?" he suggested lamely with a yawn.
"Doubt it," Harescar shot back tartly before slipping out of the den. Brownpaw took it as a signal that he had approximately ten heartbeats before he'd be dragged out of there by one floppy ear.
"Ugh, how am I even supposed to find something to disguise my scent? It's leaf-bare and the middle of the night," Brownpaw complained, shaking out each of his legs before trotting out of the den.
Frostpaw trailed him. "The frost and snow-scent will easily numb anybody's nose. You'll be impossible to smell at this point."
Brownpaw paused, halfway across the clearing. "Frostpaw, are you coming too?"
"Well, there's no way I'm falling asleep again now that I know Harescar is stalking my father once more. Might as well see what the ol' troublemaker's up to, eh?" The pale-furred tom then brushed past Brownpaw, whisper-calling over his shoulder, "Well, are you coming or not?"
OoOoO
The three males plunged into the undergrowth, Harescar naturally leading the way.
Brownpaw stuck out his tongue until it was surely coated in frost. "How can he catch a scent trail?"
"StarClan knows," Frostpaw replied.
They pushed onward for a while, not heading in any particular direction from what Brownpaw could tell. After some time, the dappled dog noticed that they were curving up towards non-Clan territory. "I suppose Minnowcloud's planning to go rogue?"
Harescar only spat in response, to which Frostpaw and Brownpaw exchanged blinking glances.
They padded onward, and after eons Brownpaw vaguely noticed that they were passing over the scent-markers. Why in StarClan's name have we gone this deep into the wilderness?
Finally, Brownpaw noticed something interesting just ahead of them. It almost looked like the edge of the world was right there; just a quick drop-off, and that was it. Brownpaw's heart gave an extra-hard pound in his chest. It's a cliff! He tensed, and willed Harescar to stop right there. He couldn't dare to speak— it was too risky now. This is a trap! He's going to lead us clear off the cliff.
"Cats have died here," Harescar remarked nonchalantly, as if they were chatting about how the prey was running. He flicked his tail at, sure enough, the dreaded cliff.
"Harescar, we need to get away from here," Brownpaw grunted urgently, but he already knew that he hadn't enunciated clearly enough.
A dark shape hurtled forward out of the bushes, slamming with flawless aim into Harescar's flank.
"Minnowcloud!" Brownpaw snarled. He didn't hesitate to add his heavy weight on top of the mass of wrestling toms. He had completely forgotten about the stricken Frostpaw behind him.
They edged closer and closer to the cliff-face. Brownpaw's nerves buzzed inside of him like crazy, and instinct begged him to get a safe amount of fox-lengths away from the edge. I'm not leaving Harescar prey to him.
"I didn't exile you," Harescar was meowing with his dripping muzzle pressed firmly against Minnowcloud's. "Because I wanted to give you one last chance. Can you not once meet my expectations? Fulfill my hopes that maybe you're not all-bad?"
Minnowcloud didn't say a word. He just pushed Harescar closer and closer to the edge. Brownpaw jumped back into the fray, and blindly pushed one cat away from the other.
But then there was no longer any ground under his forepaws.
"Get away!" he yelped. "You're going to fall off!"
His warning came too late. There was already somebody clinging to the edge. Blue eyes glinted in the blinding sunlight, sharp as an eagle's gaze. Minnowcloud.
Brownpaw scrabbled backwards, and was able to breathe again once all four of his feet were on solid earth. Harescar was safe as well, but still Minnowcloud gripped the cliff-face.
"Get away!" Brownpaw repeated to the gray tabby. "Just pull yourself up and y- you'll be fine."
"Perhaps if I could get some help—" Minnowcloud grunted, though a hint of fear showed through his gruff tune. "— I could get up."
A heaving body pushed past Brownpaw's, and he gasped as Frostpaw stopped at his father's forepaws. "Minnowcloud!" Frostpaw panted. "W- what do I do?"
Anger fizzed in every part of Brownpaw's body when Minnowcloud adjusted his expression to one of fake softness. But it looked just real enough for poor naïve Frostpaw to buy it.
"You must help me, Frostpaw, please! I'm your father… and I'm so, so sorry," Minnowcloud muttered to Frostpaw. His words contained as much meaning as a pile of rocks, but again Frostpaw was convinced. The white tom took each of his father's forepaws in his own and began to drag the deceitful gray tabby back to safety.
Brownpaw wasn't about to let Minnowcloud fall to his death. But Frostpaw shouldn't be blindly fooled like this, either. He'll only be crushed later.
"Frostpaw," he said, creeping up to his adoptive brother in a way that wouldn't startle him. "You have to let go."
"What?" Frostpaw shook his head vigorously. "I can't just let him die. He's my father."
"Right," Minnowcloud chimed in.
Brownpaw resisted a habit of scowling at him, and instead focused on Frostpaw only. "Harescar and I will help him. But please, don't put this strain on yourself—"
Harescar thrust himself between the two, and meowed to Frostpaw, "Out of the way. I'll take care of him."
Before Frostpaw could protest, Harescar had Minnowcloud's paws in his.
"No, you're going to let him die!" Frostpaw cried as Brownpaw gently nudged the white cat away from the dangerous scene.
"You have to understand, Frostpaw. One misstep and your life could be lost, too. Harescar's going to take the risk of pulling Minnowcloud up because he has more strength."
His words went in one ear and right out the other. Frostpaw strained violently against Brownpaw's hold, but the dog wasn't about to budge. If he died because of Minnowcloud, I would never forgive myself for letting him go.
Harescar was holding Minnowcloud's forepaws down with all of his strength while he leaned forward to take the well-muscled tom's scruff in his jaws.
"What are you doing? Get your slobber off of me!" Minnowcloud snarled, writhing away from his adversary. Brownpaw could hear pebbles skittering around his dangling hind legs.
"For StarClan's sake, would you rather die than let me help you?" Harescar snapped, leaning back for a moment to glare with unfiltered hatred at him.
There was a lengthy stretch of silence. And then Minnowcloud looked straight up at Harescar. Unhurriedly, he filled his lungs with air. "Yes," he said simply. "I'm not letting a piece of fox-dung scum like you save my life." He freed one paw of Harescar's, swiped it across the ginger tom's cheek.
Harescar hissed in pain and stumbled backwards.
His last restraint on Minnowcloud was eliminated.
The last Brownpaw saw of the half-RiverClan warrior was a flailing, ash-colored paw.
And then he was gone.
OoOoO
"ThunderClan, we gather today for one of the most intriguing ceremonies in Clan history," Brokenstar mewed, her tail curled neatly around her paws as she sat in the shadow of the Highledge. Her crippled leg stuck out awkwardly against her otherwise neat posture.
A quarter-moon since Minnowcloud's death. And still Brownpaw could only see that waving gray paw, every time he closed his eyes.
"… These apprentices have remained dedicated to their training, and survived a number of hardships, to reach this point. They are more prepared and ready to be named warriors than any other apprentices I've ever had the privilege of promoting."
Brownpaw tried to focus on her lightning-yellow eyes. But the gray paw fogged his vision, and Brokenstar's slim form was lost to him once more.
"Brownpaw, Frostpaw, Streampaw, do you all promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
Even at the cost of your life.
All three were silent. And then Frostpaw spoke in the least excited tone Brownpaw had ever heard the white tom use: "I do."
Streampaw's "I do" came right after. It was like he had been waiting for someone to say something first. Dependent.
Finally Brownpaw spoke something garbled that didn't sound remotely like "I do." It was as if his tongue had been stung by a bee. But it was fine enough for Brokenstar.
"Then by the powers of the almighty StarClan, I shall grant you your warrior names. Frostpaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Frostbite. Streampaw, from now on you will be called Streamclaw. And Brownpaw… your new name is Brownpelt. StarClan honors all of your courage, bravery, respect, and intelligence in serving your Clan so far. I'm sure it will only look better from here. We welcome you as full warriors of ThunderClan. Congratulations."
Brownpelt didn't even hesitate in looking in Frostbite's direction.
But he was already walking away.
Hmm, that was... interesting I guess.
Look for the first chapter of THE CANINE WARRIOR, coming soon to a theater I mean fanfic archive near you!
Adios, mi amigos. Thank you so much for all of the love and support.
-Mossy