WARRIORS: JAYPAW'S QUEST

Disclaimer: Ni kai wan xiao la. ._.

VioletteRose Agreed! Tigerkit's totally going to prove it!

WildCroconaw You're pretty much on the right track :)

Previously on Jaypaw's Questxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"You will kill them," Hawkfrost snarled; a malign gleam was shining in his eyes, with the evils of an icy leaf-bare. "You will."

He's mad, Dawnkit thought; terrified. He's mad.

"No!"

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Tigerkit stepped forward. His eyes were wide—with terror? anger?—even his siblings could not tell. But those eyes—those burning spots of amber—they were terrifying.

Suddenly the kits knew why cats would shiver as they spoke of the powerful Tigerstar.

They shrank back even further, scared—for the first time—of their brother. To think their brother was so gentle, so strong, yet so quiet.

"No," he repeated, firmly. "We will not harm them. You can't make us."

Hawkfrost's eyes narrowed. "Soft," he spat. "A shame that you must disgrace the name Tiger."

"No." Tigerkit growled softly. "Tigerstar brought shame to the name."

Hawkfrost sneered. Dawnkit noticed that his eyes were slits, and only then caught the flash of his claws unsheathing. Immediately her belly went cold with fear. Behind him, the ThunderClan cats had stopped thrashing, though Leafpool's claws were still flexing at the ground.

"You can't compare to Tigerstar," taunted Hawkfrost, though his eyes told of his belief in his own words. "You never will, unless you stop being so soft."

Tigerkit's eyes hardened. "Tigerstar was a great warrior, for sure. But he was too ambitious. In that way, he brought shame to the name."

His siblings' eyes widened; their brother was speaking as though he had lived longer than his time; his words were those of an ancient cat.

Hawkfrost hissed and lunged at the kit.

Claws flashed out.

Dawnkit and Flamekit could only watch...

--

Burningpaw set the pack of herbs on the floor of the den. His face was scrunched with thought.

Where is Petalnose? he thought. The elder had been gone all afternoon. He hadn't told Echosong about her absence—he thought she was just out, perhaps to stroll, but she still wasn't in the camp. He had checked every nook, every cranny he could. She was gone.

Well...there's the leader's den, I haven't checked that...no....

He could not just walk into the den and explain to his mourning leader that he was looking for Petalnose.

He looked back at the center of the clearing, his heart aching for Moonsky. The tom had been likeable—very likeable, the lively cat who had some common sense that he rarely used. He was young, a fresh warrior with much potential.

Had been.

Burningpaw had liked him—he had treated him many times—every time he caught a cold; all those times he had twisted something, dislocated something, broke something, wrenched something, ripped something...

Moonsky had been a friend of sorts to him.

He remembered last night as well—bidding the warrior farewell before standing back respectfully for his mourning mother. Burningpaw would have wanted to sit vigil for him as well...but the vigil was for his mother's to stand. Burningpaw had stayed as long as he could, using one excuse or another to pay his respects for Moonsky, before reluctantly backing into his den. It was painful to see the glazed eyes of the young cat, the cleaned but visible wound, the little blood left in his claws.

He was still unsure of whether or not he was glad to leave the body. It was not Moonsky—it was Moonsky's remnants, but not Moonsky. Yet it was still what was left of a Clanmate. Burningpaw wondered now, vaguely, who had led him to StarClan. Perhaps his namesake Skywatcher, or his unknown father.

--

PT: Skywatcher. How is he Moonsky's namesake, you may ask?—COUGHMoonyCOUGH. No, Leafstar wasn't being cruel....

The chapter is short, I admit –frowns- No, really, though, there are some difficulties here right now, so I'll just upload this now…