C h a p t e r 35
Spiderpaw's tail flicked from side to side with anticipation as he blinked up at the dying sun. The last few hours had been torturous as he waited for nightfall, but his agonizing expectancy was finally coming to an end.
He knew some of the Clan was watching him; some of them were curious about what he and Blackpaw were doing while they were out together. He was sure that several of them suspected that more than plain training was going on. That was ridiculous, of course, but warriors loved to gossip.
Blackpaw had attracted a small flock of cats; Fireblaze, Redpaw, Petalcloud, Stormshadow, Robinpaw, and Blizzardpaw had all gathered around her, speaking in excited, hushed tones. Blackpaw's expression was a mixture of quiet happiness and anxiety; she didn't like being in such a large group, but Spiderpaw was certain that the cats had nothing but good things to say about the gentle she-cat.
He, on the other paw, was alone. Tomorrow wasn't supposed to be his big day, after all. It was Blackpaw's chance to prove herself, to earn her warrior name and take her place beside her brother as a defender and provider for the Clan.
Spiderpaw felt the tiniest flicker of jealousy run through him. It would be many moons before he would become a warrior. He would watch Blizzardpaw, Robinpaw, Jaypaw, Leopardpaw, Redpaw, and even Bluepaw earn their names before he did.
Maybe even after Sootpaw, he thought. She's on this journey, after all. She's probably learning more than I ever will, seeing things that I might never see...I wouldn't blame Silverstar for making her a warrior before me.
His ear swiveled as he heard heavy pawsteps behind him. He didn't have to turn to see who it was; Jaggedclaw was the only cat in the Clan whose steps were so slow and labored.
"It's nearly time for you two to begin training, is it not?" Jaggedclaw asked. Spiderpaw nodded.
"Eaglestrike said we should get some rest so we can be fresh tonight, but I couldn't sleep, and she's too busy talking to everyone," he said. "The Clan is excited for her. She's been an apprentice for a long time now."
"Aren't you worried she might be tired tomorrow? Why are you two training at night?"
Spiderpaw gave the older tom a wry smile. "I'm tired from sparring this morning, and Blackpaw was busy too. We took the afternoon to rest...plus, she's used to training at night now. It would be strange for her to train during the day, and it might throw her off.
"She doesn't have to begin sparring with Leopardpaw until sun-high, so once we finish tonight she can hopefully get some sleep."
"Do you want to train tomorrow, with me?"
Spiderpaw let out a growl at the thought of facing the dappled she-cat in the Moss Clearing. "As much as I'd love to rip Leopardpaw's face off, it wouldn't be a fair fight. She'd be exhausted from her sparring with Blackpaw, I'd expect...besides, I owe Petalcloud some work, too." He glanced at the scarred tom, feeling almost amused. "What are you really here for? You don't normally ask me a lot of questions."
Jaggedclaw let out a low grunt. "You're too smart for your own good, you know that?" His single eye flicked up towards the cloudy sky overhead. "I just wanted to say that what you're doing for Blackpaw...it's good. You've never struck me as the type who would do more than he had to for his Clanmates. I figured you would be too focused on your own warrior name. Obviously I was wrong." He cleared his throat, appearing embarrassed. Then, he said something quietly, his voice almost too low for Spiderpaw to hear. "I'm proud of you."
Spiderpaw blinked at the praise; somehow, it was worth more than ten compliments from Petalcloud. Jaggedclaw tail flicked from side to side, and the scarred tom confused to look up at the sky rather than his apprentice.
A she-cat might have reached out to the old tabby, pressing her nose to his shoulder in thanks, but Spiderpaw knew that Jaggedclaw wouldn't appreciate that sort of thing from him. Instead, Spiderpaw just nodded, deciding to keep quiet. He thought he saw the ghost of a smile on the edges of Jaggedclaw's muzzle, but he couldn't be certain.
Eaglestrike padded out of the medicine den, and looked for his son. Spiderpaw rose to his paws as Eaglestrike dipped his head to him, and Spiderpaw knew that was his father's signal for him and Blackpaw to set off for their training. Spiderpaw flicked his ear, signaling that he understood, before walking away from Jaggedclaw and towards the group that was huddling around Blackpaw.
"Move," he growled to Redpaw, pushing past the ginger tom. Redpaw opened his mouth to object, then closed it as he realized who he was; Spiderpaw withheld a smirk. It seemed that Fireblaze had ordered his lackey not to give him any trouble, at least not so long as he was helping Blackpaw.
"Is it time?" Blackpaw asked. Spiderpaw nodded, and Blackpaw rose to her feet. She gave everyone a gracious smile and explained that she had to be going; the others murmured 'good luck' and 'train hard,' then dissipated.
"I can believe this is the last time we're going to train together like this," Blackpaw whispered as they exited camp together. They squeezed through the camp entrance at the same time, and their pelts brushed. For a moment, their fur seemed to mingle into a seamless black sea.
"Yeah," he said. "I can't say that I'll miss it, though."
Blackpaw blinked. "Really? Not even a little bit?"
"I don't mean that I don't like hanging out with you," he backpedaled. "I just mean I don't like staying up all night sparring. Sparring during the day is fun, but at night I'd rather be sleeping."
She laughed. "Me too. But if – when – I'm made a warrior, we can still spar together now and then, if you'd like. I'm sure I can give you some tips." Her eyes danced as she blinked at him, but he rolled his own at her.
"Oh, loosen up, you big grouch," she giggled as she nipped his shoulder playfully. He swatted her muzzle with his tail.
"We've got a lot to do tonight, and we don't have any time to play," he growled. Blackpaw sobered, and nodded.
"I know, I know. Sorry, I'm just feeling a little giddy. I can't believe that my warrior name might be so close...it still feels like it's a world away. There were times that I thought I would never make it...but thanks to you, I just might. I really appreciate it, Spiderpaw. I don't think you understand how grateful I am."
"You can shower me with adoration after your warrior vigil, alright? Let's just focus for right now."
They entered the Moss Clearing. The moon was just a sliver over their heads, and cast hardly any light down upon them as they faced one another. Thanks to their dark pelts, it was almost impossible for them to see each other, save for their glimmering eyes. Spiderpaw felt relaxed in the darkness; his black fur meant that he was safe, hidden away in the shadows of the night.
It's a pity Carmelo's rogues won't attack us at night. They'd face quite a challenge then, he thought, feeling a bit smug.
"So, what are we going today?" Blackpaw asked, her feathery tail swishing from side to side as he watched him. Her golden eyes glowed like lanterns in the flickering starlight.
"We've got to work on your offensive strategies," Spiderpaw said. "You're fast enough to avoid most of what Leopardpaw throws at you, but you'll need to get in your own strikes now and then to be able to pin her down."
Blackpaw mulled his words over and gave an affirmative nod. "Okay. So, what's my strategy going to be?"
"You're a pretty small cat – Leopardpaw's about your size, if not a little bigger, and she's well-muscled. You can't attack her head-on, or she'll end up pinning you before you can do much at all." Spiderpaw's ear flicked, remembering how many times he had been lectured upon the same principles. "Your speed is a definite advantage, so we'll use it as much as we can. In a real battle, where you could use your claws, you would be best off if you stayed out of the way and waited for an opening, then slashed your opponent and backed away. However, since you won't be using your claws or teeth against Leopardpaw, that method won't work. You've got to tire her out, make her drop her guard, and then pin her down. You'll only get one shot; she can't be fooled twice. You've got to make sure that the timing is perfect, your aiming is perfect, the strike itself is perfect...everything has to be exactly right, or you're going to lose. Understand?"
Blackpaw dipped her head to him. "I understand. What do you want me to do?"
He crouched, flicking his dark tail at her. "I want you to avoid my attacks, and strike when you think the moment is right. Try to pin me down. I'll be trying to do the same to you." His eyes narrowed. "We don't have much time; I don't want you to be tired. And I want you to understand the situation, how it feels to calculate every part of the move...so you've only got one chance, just like you will tomorrow."
Her golden eyes widened. "So, if you pin me down, it's over? We both go back to camp?"
His stare was all that she needed for a reply. Her gaze flicked down towards her paws, and she appeared tense. Then, she let out a soft sigh, and allowed the weight to slide from her shoulders like rainwater over her sleek pelt. Her eyes glinted like coins as she looked back up at him again, and she smiled. Without giving her a moment to ready herself, Spiderpaw threw himself at her, his paws outstretched. With a twist of her lithe body, she avoided the blow and smiled. He didn't smile back, leaping at her against instead. His eyes were fixed on her left shoulder, but in his mind he aimed for her right. However, his gaze betrayed him at the last moment as he turned his attention to his actual target, and once against she avoided his grasp.
It continued on in the same fashion, with him leaping and pouncing and striking at her, both of his paws seeking her fur. He tried to trip her, to knock her to the ground, to batter her into submission, but she continued to evade his clutches. Blackpaw's smile was steadily growing wider, and her eyes twinkled at him like stars, but he ignored the prickles running through his pelt, trying to focus on catching her instead. If he did, he had no intention of them stopping their training; all that was important was Blackpaw thinking that it would end.
Spiderpaw lunged forward as if to slash his claws down her pelt, only to kick out at her legs, hoping to knock her to the ground. Blackpaw surprised him by leaping into the air, and he ducked to the right, thinking that she would attempt to land on his back and pin him. Instead, she landed in front of him without a stumble, laughing at his expression.
"It wasn't perfect, although it was tempting," she meowed, and he found a small smile struggling to creep over his muzzle. He tugged the corners of his mouth down instead, refusing to give into the buoyant emotion that threatened to seize him. Blackpaw was doing well, but not well enough.
"Eaglestrike will end the session if it drags out for too long," he said. "You've got to take a chance eventually."
"I know," she replied, a hint of a purr in her voice. "A little trust, please."
She twitched her ear at him, looking oddly playful, as if they were simply two kits scuffling in the nursery. Instead of irritating him, the realization instead threatened to quirk his mouth into another smile. Blackpaw was his friend, and a good one at that; she had stood up for him against her controlling brother, although she had put him in his place as well. She had changed quite a bit from the timid apprentice who could barely meet his eyes moons ago.
Blackpaw darted forward like black lightning, and too late Spiderpaw realized that in allowing his mind to wander, he had also dropped his guard. By the time he tried to skirt to the side, it was too late, and his outstretched paws unbalanced him, making him easy for Blackpaw to topple over. He crashed onto his back, and heard Blackpaw's muffled laugh as she landed on top of him. Spiderpaw winced as Blackpaw's back leg pushed into his stomach. She mumbled a 'sorry' as she tried to regain her position to hold him down. He twisted like a snake underneath of her, trying to wriggle his way out of her grasp, but she held him down firmly. He prepared to kick her in the stomach and knock her off of him, when her own paws met his stomach once more, this time deliberately. The blow knocked the breath out of his body, and he went limp as his body was wracked with coughs.
Blackpaw's eyes were wide with alarm as he wheezed. "Oops! Spiderpaw, are you alright? I didn't mean to kick you so hard, I'm sorry, you were just thrashing around so much-"
"It's fine," Spiderpaw said through clenched jaws. Blackpaw released him, and he rolled onto his side, taking another moment to catch his breath before he stood. Blackpaw's eyes glimmered in the faint light as she watched him, looking as though she was waiting for his judgment.
He was silent just long enough to make her squirm, before he finally stopped fighting the smile that had been struggling to break over his face. Blackpaw's expression brigthened along with his.
"What are you looking at me for?" he asked, a low purr in his voice as he flicked his tail against her flank. "You pinned me down and kept me there. By Eaglestrike's rules, you passed. Nicely done, Blackpaw."
"Thank you!" she exclaimed, beaming with delight. She pressed her nose against his shoulder. "Thank you so much, Spiderpaw, I mean it. I would never have gotten this strong without you, and I know I'm still not the best and you'll be loads better than me by the time that you're a warrior, but it was thanks to you that I had the courage to face Fireblaze and challenge Leopardpaw and I just know that I would never have been brave enough to do it without you."
She was babbling like a creek, and it was all Spiderpaw could do not to laugh. Moons before, she had been tight-lipped and as nervous as a hare, but now she seemed bright and playful, practically carefree. It was a pleasant change from the gloominess that had haunted her after Birchpool's death."
Blackpaw pressed herself against Spiderpaw's shoulder for a moment longer, before drawing away. Spiderpaw blinked, feeling puzzled as the joy ebbed from Blackpaw's glowing face, replaced by an odd sort of shyness.
"Don't thank me yet," he said, hoping to diffuse the tension that was suddenly present between them. "Save the thanks for tomorrow. You'd better do well, or Fireblaze will have my head."
Blackpaw blinked at him, seeming a bit nervous. "Do you think I can do it? Do you think I can beat Leopardpaw?"
Spiderpaw mulled over the question for a long moment. There were plenty of possibilities, and he couldn't rule any of them out...but he was astonished to find that, somehow, he truly believed Blackpaw would be able to defeat the dappled she-cat.
"Yes," he answered. "Leopardpaw is arrogant. She doesn't think she can be beaten. You've suffered defeat many times; you know the sting of it. She does not, and I know you can use that to beat her."
Blackpaw made a noise that was somewhere between a purr and a laugh. "Kind of a back-pawed compliment there, but I'll take what I can get."
Spiderpaw was suddenly aware that Blackpaw had been drifting closer to him. He wanted to move away, perplexed, but for some reason found that he could not. Blackpaw's fur brushed up against his, and he swallowed as his face became hot underneath his dark fur.
"I'll miss it, even if you won't," she said quietly. "Not the sparring, necessarily, but having something that just the two of us knew about...something that Fireblaze couldn't stick his nose into...I'll miss it."
"Leopardpaw knew," he reminded her.
"You know what I mean."
The odd thing was, Spiderpaw actually did. Being the deputy's son, he didn't have very many private matters; he knew he was scrutinized closely by the Clan as yet another way to measure his father. Cats were always wanting to stick their noses into his business where they didn't belong. Having something that was truly his had been a pleasant change, not to mention that he had actually enjoyed spending time with Blackpaw. She wasn't as pathetic as he had originally though, and he had to admit – rather grudgingly, but still – that she wasn't a complete idiot.
"I hope we can still spend time together," Blackpaw mewed. Her golden eyes were focused on his, and they seemed wide and anxious, like glowing moons.
"It'll be different," he warned. "There are boundaries between apprentices and warriors, whether you like it or not. And this isn't our secret anymore. Pretty soon, it will all be over, whether you win or lose."
"I know." She looked away from him, peering up at the inky black sky. Silverpelt was scattered over the heavens, but their light seemed feeble without a glowing moon by their side. "I'm kind of glad that you beat me that day," she meowed. "I was angry about it at the time, sort of...not angry like Fireblaze, exactly, more like angry with myself...but I kind of took it out on you. Not directly, but behind your back..." Her ears flattened, and she stared down at her paws. "I heard Fireblaze and Blizzardpaw talking one day, about stealing your moss. When Blizzardpaw stole it, I saw how angry you were. So later...later I stole it, too. I knew I'd be the last cat you'd think of. Petalcloud saw me, but I think she just assumed I was taking out your old moss, since she just sort of smiled.
"And then, almost right after that, you said you wanted to train me. I knew it wasn't for me, of course, just so that my brother would leave you alone, but I felt grateful all the same. I had to keep stealing your moss every once and awhile, though, because otherwise you'd know it was me. And then once the cats on the journey left, I had to steal it again to make sure you wouldn't think it was Sootpaw or Jaypaw, since I didn't want them to get in trouble..." Her gaze fell down to her paws, and Spiderpaw could practically smell her shame.
"I know it was petty and stupid, and I'm really sorry...I just didn't want to keep it from you anymore, even though I knew you'd be angry..." She dared glance up at him for a brief moment, and seemed surprised by what she saw in his eyes.
Spiderpaw was equally astonished to find that he didn't truly feel angry at all. Blackpaw's justification for the crime was weak, but he had to admit that the way he had fought her during her assessment had been humiliating, and he knew that if someone had done the same to him he would have avenged himself in a manner far worse than a few empty nests. He had been the one blowing the matter out of proportion.
"I'm not mad," he said. "I already knew. Petalcloud said something that gave it away – she thought you were getting rid of my old moss, just like you said."
Blackpaw blinked at him. "But...why didn't you say anything, or confront me about it?"
"The day I found out was the day that you were hurt," he answered. "After Birchpool died, the whole thing just seemed...meaningless."
Blackpaw's eyes darkened at the mention of the white she-cat. "I suppose she's almost as much a part of me becoming a warrior as you are. I'm not sure I would have stopped acting like a coward, if it wasn't for her."
Spiderpaw didn't know what to say to that, so he turned towards the camp. "We should get back. You'll need your rest to beat Leopardpaw tomorrow."
Blackpaw moved forward so that their pelts were barely touching once more. "Thank you, Spiderpaw. For everything."
She suddenly darted forwards, and Spiderpaw's eyes widened as her tongue brushed over his muzzle. Before he could say anything, she was gone, leaping into the darkness as nimbly as a squirrel. He stared after her, wondering what exactly had just happened, and why his muzzle tingled as though it had been touched by a star.
. . .
He spent the rest of the next day in anxious anticipation. The sun seemed to crawl across the sky painstakingly slowly. He tried to distract himself by imagining what the battle between Leopardpaw and Blackpaw would be like, to predict some of the moves they would use, but found that he could not. Leopardpaw was a wildcard; he didn't yet know her style as well as he should, and he had no idea how she would act towards an opponent whose strategy was very different from his.
He considered trying to talk with the other apprentices about the up-and-coming battle, but once again they were all flocking to Blackpaw, eager to give her tips and cheer her to victory. Spiderpaw couldn't tell whether or not this ruffled Leopardpaw's fur; he didn't think she would mind that the others weren't backing her, but then again she was known for cloaking her emotions well.
By the time sunhigh finally arrived, Spiderpaw was ready to claw off his fur. His stomach churned with anxiety as Eaglestrike approached the throng of waiting apprentices.
"Time for us to be off," he said. "Frostfeather is coming as well, since Leopardpaw is her apprentice. Fireblaze has also requested to come. Beyond them, all of cats watching this fight will be apprentices. I don't want to waste any time, so we might as well head out now, if everyone is ready."
The apprentices murmured their assent, and Eaglestrike turned to exit the camp, when he suddenly stiffened. The fur on his tail bristled, but was quickly flattened as he glanced over his shoulder towards the waiting apprentices. "Blizzardpaw, please get Forestheart and Silverstar for me. Tell them PeakClan has arrived."
Blizzardpaw's blue eyes widened, but he didn't stop to ask questions. He dashed towards the medicine den, his white coat quickly disappearing into the den's gaping mouth.
A thick gray shape forced itself through the camp entrance. Spiderpaw recognized Stonestar's yellow eyes immediately. PeakClan's leader was followed by Northstar, then Blackmoon. The three PeakClan toms paused near the entrance, their eyes flicking over the gathered cats.
"Welcome," Eaglestrike meowed, striding towards them. "I assume you are here to discuss the matter of the berries?"
"Indeed," answered Stonestar. "Where is Silverstar?"
"Right here," Silverstar said from the entrance to the medicine den. She smiled at the PeakClan cats, but her eyes seemed heavy and tired, and her body shook as she held in a cough.
"We'll discuss this in her den," Eaglestrike said, flicking his tail towards the old ash tree. "I'll join you all momentarily."
Stonestar nodded, and headed towards the tree, flanked by the other two PeakClan toms. Eaglestrike's gaze flicked back to the apprentices.
"I'm sorry, Blackpaw, but I've got to stay here for the meeting," he said. "Frostfeather will conduct the assessment; I trust her to be fair."
Frostfeather dipped her head in acknowledgment, before flicking her thick tail. "Let's go."
Spiderpaw stared at his father with disbelief as the gray tabby strode towards Silverstar's den. Is he really going to ignore Blackpaw's assessment for some dumb meeting? Silverstar doesn't need him! She's willing to just give the berries to them without a fight, so what does she need him for? He knows this is important to me and Blackpaw, but he's turning his back on us anyway...
He let out a low, irritated growl, before hurrying after the other apprentices, trying to tell himself that he didn't care if his father was there or not. He didn't care whether Eaglestrike was proud how he had trained Blackpaw. He didn't care at all.
Frostfeather moved with swift grace through the forest, grace which was echoed by her apprentice. Leopardpaw seemed cool and unhurried as they headed for the Moss Clearing. Spiderpaw looked for Blackpaw, and was disheartened to see that her eyes were bright with anxiety, and her tail was flicking from side to side with obvious unease.
He wanted to approach her and give her a few reassuring words, but his head still felt a bit fuzzy after the ending of their last training session. He couldn't quite figure it out, but Blackpaw's tongue against his fur made his pelt itch in a way that was not all that unpleasant. He couldn't explain it, and he was always worried when there was something that he couldn't explain.
Fireblaze looming over his sister might have had something to do with it, too. He wasn't outright hostile towards Spiderpaw, but the apprentice knew Fireblaze's civility depended entirely upon the results of Blackpaw's battle. Blackpaw knew it too, and it was likely that this was making her even more nervous, which in turn would hurt her performance.
"Okay," Frostfeather said as they entered the Moss Clearing, "Leopardpaw, Blackpaw, take your places. The rules are fairly simple. No clawing, and you can only bite if you don't grab anything delicate, like an ear, and you don't bite too deeply. Blackpaw, your goal is to pin Leopardpaw down and make sure she cannot escape your grasp. Leopardpaw, if you manage to pin Blackpaw, she automatically fails her assessment. Understand?"
Both she-cats nodded, and Frostfeather stepped back to sit on the edges of the clearing. Leopardpaw and Blackpaw padded towards the center, while the others flocked around Frostfeather. Spiderpaw sat a small distance away from the rest of the group, not wanting anything to obscure his line of vision. He wanted to see every second of the fight as clearly as possible.
His ear swiveled as someone approached him, and he was surprised to find that it was Robinpaw. She gave him a smile before sitting down, then shivered.
"It's freezing out here today. Those furballs are lucky that they get to keep warm by sparring. Wish we could," she mewed. "Poor Blackpaw looks nervous...I think once the fighting starts that she'll do okay, though, don't you?"
He nodded. "She's ready. I know she is. She can win this if she just focuses and waits for the right moment."
"Blizzardpaw's assessment is coming up, and he's nervous," she meowed.
Spiderpaw blinked slowly; she was right. Blizzardpaw's assessment would be in about a moon and a half or so, since he had been apprenticed two-and-a-half moons before Sootpaw and Spiderpaw, and they had been training for a little over two.
It's been two moons already? He marveled. It feels like it was just a few days ago that I was given to Petalcloud...
"He's still got plenty of time. Why is he nervous?"
"Eaglestrike's been busy lately, with the sickness and all, so he isn't getting as much time to train as he usually would," Robinpaw replied. "He says he knows how Sootpaw feels now, and things are hardly going to be less busy, with Carmelo's rogues and the sickness and everything. He's afraid that he won't be ready when the time comes, especially if his opponent is you. I told him it will be Jaypaw, because Jaypaw will be better by then, but I don't think he believes me." Her green eyes flicked down to her paws. "I'm not sure I believe me either. From what I've heard, Jaypaw isn't doing all that well...but I'm not allowed to really visit him, 'cuz he scared that I'll get sick too..."
"I'm sure he'll be fine," Spiderpaw said. Normally he might have attempted to soothe her worries – even he understood the feeling of being worried for a sibling – but he was too focused on Leopardpaw and Blackpaw for the ginger apprentice to have his full attention.
Frostfeather flicked her tail, signaling for the sparring to begin, but neither she-cat moved. Leopardpaw and Blackpaw stared at one another, sizing each other up. Spiderpaw felt a flare of anxiety as he remembered that he hadn't warned Blackpaw not to make the same mistakes that he had when he'd faced the dappled she-cat. Luckily, Blackpaw seemed more cautious, for she was waiting for Leopardpaw to make the first move.
Spiderpaw's claws dug into the moss as Leopardpaw suddenly darted forward. Blackpaw moved almost too quickly for him to see; one moment she was in front of Leopardpaw, the next she was standing just behind her as the golden apprentice lunged. Spiderpaw resisted the urge to grin at the confusion in Leopardpaw's eyes, before it was quickly masked by her usual cool demeanor.
After that, the entire fight seemed to blur; both she-cats were jumping and diving and spinning around so fast that Spiderpaw's brain had a hard time keeping up. By the time he registered that Leopardpaw was trying to trip Blackpaw up, Blackpaw had already avoided her, and when he realized that Leopardpaw was going to leap onto Blackpaw's back, the black apprentice had already rolled out of the way. Blackpaw dodged every one of Leopardpaw's blows, and although it did not look easy – she was panting from the exhertion – her eyes glowed as brightly as ever. It began to dawn on Spiderpaw that she might actually do it: she might actually beat Leopardpaw.
Dad can't miss this, he can't, Spiderpaw thought. Not after we both worked so hard...not after we spent all those nights training...not after Blackpaw realized what it meant to truly be a warrior, after Birchpool's death...he can't miss this for some stupid meeting. I won't let him.
Wordlessly, he rose to his paws. Robinpaw was too enraptured by the battle to notice as he turned away from the sparring apprentices and trotted back into the forest. The spindly branches cloaked him from sight within moments.
He broke into a run as soon as the Moss Clearing was out of earshot, trampling over the undergrowth without caring how much noise he made. He burst into camp, then let out a yelp as his nose collided with a wall of gray fur.
Stonestar blinked down at him, and Spiderpaw's breath caught as he realized he had nearly tackled PeakClan's leader.
"S-sorry," he stammered, backing up. Stonestar appeared bemused.
"What's got you into such a rush?" the gray leader asked. For once, Spiderpaw didn't have a snappy retort; as he stared up at the gray tom, it seemed like every word had somehow escaped his mind.
"I-I, er...looking for my father," he stumbled, his face burning as he realized how ridiculous he sounded.
"Your father will be along in a moment," Stonestar said, acting as though a tiny AshClan apprentice hadn't run headlong into him, as if they were just having a nice little chat. "Take a moment to catch your breath, son." He glanced over his shoulder, and Spiderpaw's face reddened even more as he realized that both Northstar and Blackmoon were staring at him. "Let's be on our way."
With that, Stonestar leaped through the camp entrance, followed by Blackmoon and Northstar. Northstar paused for a brief moment, blinking down at Spiderpaw, and Spiderpaw's heart sank with the certainty that Northstar recognized him as the apprentice that had sneaked into the last few Gatherings.
Northstar said nothing, however, and left the camp with his PeakClan comrades, allowing Spiderpaw a sigh of relief.
"What's wrong, Spiderpaw?" Eaglestrike asked, his yellow eyes glimmering with concern as he appeared in Silverstar's den. He strode to his son's side. "Did something happen?"
"I just wanted to make sure you didn't miss it," Spiderpaw meowed, wincing at how feeble his words sounded. "Blackpaw is doing really well..."
To his surprise, his father smiled. "Were you going to burst into the meeting and demand my presence, or what? I wasn't planning on missing the whole session. We just had to take care of somethings, that's all. It was an unexpected meeting. C'mon now, we've got to get back if we want to see the end." He nudged his son's shoulder, nearly making Spiderpaw topple over, before springing between the entrance's narrow opening. Spiderpaw rushed after him, not wanting to miss a single minute of Blackpaw's shining moment.
However, by the time they reached the Moss Clearing, things were looking grim. Spiderpaw knew almost immediately that something was wrong. Blackpaw was moving more slowly than she had been before; she was dodging Leopardpaw's blows by a whisker's width now, and the golden she-cat was already grinning in anticipation of her victory. It only took Spiderpaw a moment to see why; Blackpaw was favoring her right back leg, holding her left back leg up gingerly whenever she could.
Did she twist it during one of her landings? Spiderpaw thought, and felt a prickle of fear run down his spine. That can't be it...one stupid injury can't take away her chance to become a warrior! It's not right!
"What's the matter, Blackpaw? Not feeling so spry now, are you?" Leopardpaw purred, swiping at Blackpaw's face with her paw. Blackpaw flinched away, but Leopardpaw's paw still managed to graze her ear.
Spiderpaw clenched his jaw as his claws dug into the moss. He didn't dare look at his father's face, knowing the disappointment he would see there.
Blackpaw, please, he thought. Please, please, please win this.
Blackpaw didn't rise to Leopardpaw's taunts, but it might just have been because her breathing was coming even harder than it had been before. Spiderpaw could almost hear the wheeze in her throat. The noise only made Leopardpaw's eyes glow even brighter.
Leopardpaw was taking her time now that the deputy had arrived, showing off her moves. She twisted with fluid grace to batter Blackpaw's hind legs, and laughed as she pushed the black she-cat's chest. Blackpaw tried to avoid the dappled she-cat's blows as well as she could, but with her injured leg hampering her, there was little she could do.
Just end it already! Spiderpaw thought, letting out a low hiss. Stop humiliating her in front of everyone. Stop...stop acting like me.
His last thought echoed in his mind like the ring of defeat, and his ears flattened at the memory of his sparring with Blackpaw. Then he had been angry, enraged by Reedrush's assumption that he would be an easy opponent because of his lack of experience and small size. He had made Blackpaw look like an incompetent fool. The memory sickened him.
Something shifted in Leopardpaw's eyes, and Spiderpaw realized that she was growing bored of playing with her prey. She was ready to finish Blackpaw off and rejoice in the conquering of the black apprentice. With practiced ease, Leopardpaw stretched out her front leg, sending Blackpaw sprawling. Leopardpaw into the air and landed as gracefully as a feather, perched atop Blackpaw. Blackpaw managed to wriggle onto her back, but with her injured back leg, she didn't have the strength to kick the dappled apprentice off. Leopardpaw had won, and she knew it.
The golden she-cat turned, and for a brief moment her emerald gaze locked with Spiderpaw's. His stomach rolled at the sheer arrogance and pleasure he found in her eyes, but he couldn't look away and give her the satisfaction of knowing how Blackpaw's loss threatened to topple him.
Then, Spiderpaw saw the smallest flicker of movement as Blackpaw's head turned, so that she too was staring at him. He looked into her eyes' golden depths, and found no defeat or sadness there. Rather, there was something akin to triumph, and Spiderpaw's eyes widened as Blackpaw gave him the smallest of smiles.
He knew what she was going to do before she even moved, and a grin crept over his muzzle. Leopardpaw was still peering at him, and looked confused; her confusion grew further as Blackpaw shifted underneath of her. Leopardpaw pressed down onto the black apprentice's shoulders, pinning her down, but what she did not understand was that Blackpaw was not trying to get away. No, Blackpaw was merely lining herself up for the perfect strike. The perfect moment.
Leopardpaw's expression changed to one of confusion and pain as Blackpaw kicked upwards with devastating force. Blackpaw's seemingly injured leg had not been injured at all. It had been a farce, a tactic that had played on Leopardpaw's pride and self-assurance. Leopardpaw could not believe that she could be beaten by one so small and weak as Blackpaw, and it was that belief that was her undoing.
Leopardpaw flew into the air and landed in a heap. Before she could rise to her feet, Blackpaw was on top of her, clinging to her like a bird on it's perch. With one back leg, she swept Leopardpaw's legs out from under her as the dappled tabby struggled to rise. Leopardpaw toppled onto her side, and Blackpaw shifted her weight so that one paw rested on her shoulder and the other on her legs, ensuring that Leopardpaw would be unable to move.
Disbelief was evident on Leopardpaw's face for a moment. Her eyes met Spiderpaw's once more, and the disbelief gave way to twisted rage. She snarled and thrashed, but Blackpaw remained strong, waiting out Leopardpaw's struggles with enduring patience.
"Get off of me!" Leopardpaw snarled. "Get off of me this instant, you runt, you whelp, you kit! Let me go!"
She spat into Blackpaw's face, but still Blackpaw did not flinch. Spiderpaw let out a hiss of anger, and prepared to spring, only to find Eaglestrike blocking his path.
"Blackpaw, let her up. Your assessment is complete." Eaglestrike was smiling, and his voice was like warm honey as he blinked at the black apprentice. Blackpaw quickly released Leopardpaw, springing backwards. Leopardpaw let out another hiss, but Blackpaw ignored her, going so far as to turn her back on the golden she-cat as she awaited Eaglestrike's judgment.
"I'm afraid I didn't get to see the entire battle, but from what I gleaned you are indeed a capable warrior," he purred. "You moved with speed and accuracy, and you clearly had a strategy in mind. Your ploy was very clever; such a thing would not be reliable in a real battle, but here it worked very well. I'm proud to say that you have passed your assessment, Blackpaw."
"No!" Leopardpaw spat, her fur bristling. Her green eyes were wild and glittering as she stared at the deputy. "I pinned her! You saw! I pinned her down and she couldn't get away. You should have ended it right then. It was just luck!"
"Leopardpaw-" Frostfeather started, but Leopardpaw ignored her. She was angrier than Spiderpaw had ever seen her. She looked half-crazed, burning with rage at the supposed humiliation of being defeated in front of her peers. Spiderpaw knew that it had never even entered Leopardpaw's mind that she could be beaten by anyone but a capable warrior, like Fireblaze.
And when he beat her before, as apprentices, she didn't take that well either, he remembered. She doesn't know how to take defeat. She can't let go of her pride, and she can't see that this spectacle is more demeaning than any loss in battle...
"And you didn't give me a chance to get away!" Leopardpaw protested. "You sat there and waited for her to escape, but you didn't let me do anything! I could have gotten away easily, I just thought I had more time-"
"Leopardpaw, control yourself!" Frostfeather ordered, her own voice ringing with anger. "I didn't train you to act so disgraceful. Blackpaw won fairly; Eaglestrike and I could both see what she was planning. It's okay for you to have missed it, you're still learning. Your assessment is still moons away, and there's no shame in not being able to defeat Blackpaw."
"She—you-he was—" Leopardpaw's argument became little more than incoherent sputtering as her gaze darted from her mentor, to Eaglestrike, to Blackpaw, to Spiderpaw, and back to Frostfeather.
Blackpaw blinked back at Leopardpaw. "It's okay," she mewed. "I've been training for a lot longer than you, that's all. Like Frostfeather said, a warrior wouldn't have had a hard time seeing what I was doing. And now you can recognize it too, so that next time you won't be caught unawares."
Leopardpaw gaped at Blackpaw as if the black apprentice had just given her the most vile of insults. Then, without warning, Leoaprdpaw let out a feral snarl and charged at Blackpaw. Her paws were outstretched and her claws gleamed brightly in the sunlight as she prepared to rake them over Blackpaw's face.
A ginger streak plowed into Leopardpaw's side, sending her flying over the thick moss. She rolled several times, letting out a hiss of pain. Fireblaze was on her in seconds, pinning her to the ground. A deep, terrible growl was coming from within his throat, and Spiderpaw felt a prickle of fear, wondering if a brawl was about to break out.
"Leopardpaw!" Eaglestrike's voice was sharp. "Stop this immediately! Fireblaze, keep here there."
He stalked towards her, his tail bristling. "Leopardpaw, this is disgraceful. I understand your frustration at having lost a battle, but Blackpaw is correct. She's trained twice as long as you have, including some sessions with myself, and even took extra lessons from Spiderpaw. She's older than you and more prepared; you shouldn't see any shame in losing to her. Acting in such a way has both shamed you and your mentor."
Leopardpaw said nothing. She only glowered up at him, her muzzle twisted with anger. Fireblaze was still growling, his claws digging into her shoulders.
"I'll leave it to Frostfeather to decide your punishment, for now. I do not want to see this happen again. Are we clear?"
Leopardpaw seemed tempted to bare her fangs, but with Fireblaze pressing on her rather insistently, she nodded.
"Let her up, then, Fireblaze. Frostfeather, go ahead and take her back to camp."
Fireblaze seemed reluctant to let her go, but he allowed her to pull herself free of his grasp. Frostfeather stepped forward and shepherded Leopardpaw away; the golden apprentice did not look at any of the others.
Eaglestrike let out a quiet sigh, before turning back to Blackpaw. "You're uninjured, correct?"
Blackpaw nodded; she seemed shaken, but her eyes gleamed as bright as ever. "Yes, sir, I'm fine. She didn't touch me."
"Good. Let's get back to camp. I think it's been more than long enough for you to be named a warrior." Eaglestrike smiled, before flicing his tail and leading the group out of the clearing. Blackpaw beamed with pride as Fireblaze hurried to her side.
Spiderpaw was grinning despite the shocking end to the sparring session. He trotted towards Blackpaw, ignoring Fireblaze entirely.
"I knew you could do it," he purred, pressing his nose against her shoulder as they walked into the forest, following the gray deputy.
Blackpaw seemed to flush underneath her dark fur, although it was hard to tell for certain. "Thanks. I was a little scared when I saw you weren't there, but I remembered what you said about the perfect moment, so I came up with the plan...were you getting your father?"
He nodded. "Yeah. He was just coming out of a meeting when I got into camp."
"Did you see Stonestar and Northstar?"
Spiderpaw reddened at the memory. "Er, yeah...I'll tell you about it later today."
"Tomorrow," she reminded him. "Tonight I'm sitting my vigil. I won't be able to say a word."
Spiderpaw blinked as he realized the sun was setting; the sparring had gone on far longer than he had thought.
And so did the meeting, he realized. I wonder what sort of a decision they reached...hopefully Silverstar will finally be able to eat some of the snowberries and get well. Her intentions are noble, but the last thing we need right now is a weakened leader. I'm sure my father would be eager to step up to the task of leading the Clan, but he and Silverstar have known each other all their lives...he doesn't like seeing her sick any more than I do.
They entered camp, and Spiderpaw's pelt prickled as he felt stares on his pelt. It wasn't only Blackpaw that the Clan was observing; it was him, too, for his part in helping Blackpaw become the warrior that she should have been moons ago. Her success was his success too, and the Clan knew it. He allowed a small smile to creep over his face, enjoying the attention.
Eaglestrike sprang onto the BranchPile, but he didn't need to call the Clan to attention. Almost everyone was already present; even Silverstar and Jaypaw hovered in the entrance to the den. Spiderpaw looked for Leopardpaw, but couldn't see her. He assumed that she had retired to the apprentice den, since Frostfeather was sitting beside her sister. Ravenwing smiled as she saw her son, and he blushed with embarrassment as she beamed at him.
"I think it's obvious what we're all here for tonight," Eaglestrike meowed, and a low purr rippled through the gathered cats. "Blackpaw, please come up here."
Blackpaw strode forward, confidence gleaming in her golden eyes. She lifted her muzzle up towards Eaglestrike, the dying sun glistening on her ruffled pelt.
"Reedrush isn't here, so I cannot ask her if she feels that Blackpaw is ready, but I am certain that if she was here today she would see what both Frostfeather and myself have seen: Blackpaw has matured into a fine warrior and it is time for her to be named as such."
He paused for a moment, and Spiderpaw's eyes slid towards Silverstar. He wondered how she was feeling, seeing her deputy christen a warrior; giving warrior names was one of a leader's most prized duties, and he couldn't imagine that the feeling was pleasant. Still, he didn't blame her for not being perched atop the pile of branches; Silverstar seemed drained by the meeting with the PeakClan cats, and she was leaning on her mate for support.
"I, Eaglestrike, deputy of AshClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn.
"Blackpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
Blackpaw blinked up at Eaglestrike, absolute certainty reflecting in her sun-gold eyes. "I do."
"Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Blackpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Blackfeather. StarClan honors your kindness and grace, and we welcome you as a full warrior of AshClan."
Eaglestrike bent down to rest his head atop Blackfeather's as she licked his shoulder, before the she-cat drew back. Fireblaze opened his mouth to chant his sister's name, but Spiderpaw beat him by half a second.
"Blackfeather!" he yowled, and the rest of the Clan joined him in the chant. "Blackfeather! Blackfeather! Blackfeather!"
Blackfeather glowed with pleasure and pride as she blinked at her friends and Clanmates. She seemed to be at a loss for words, and even if she wasn't bound by her vigil Spiderpaw doubted she would have known what to say for the ringing chorus.
"Blackfeather will sit her vigil in silence tonight, and protect all of AshClan," Eaglestrike purred, then sprang down from the BranchPile. He touched Blackfeather's shoulder in congratulations, before padding towards his mate.
"I didn't think I'd ever see her earn her name," Fireblaze said. Spiderpaw's ear swiveled as he heard the ginger tom's approaching footsteps. For once, he didn't tense at the sight of Fireblaze's glowing fur or amber eyes.
"I didn't think I'd ever see you tackle Leopardpaw to the ground," Spiderpaw replied. "I thought you liked her."
"Yeah...but no one can lay a paw on my sister and get away with it. You saw that first-paw." His amber eyes slid to Spiderpaw's face, and Spiderpaw met them without fear. He didn't say a word, and Fireblaze shifted his weight. Spiderpaw withheld a smile as he realized that the warrior was uneasy.
"I might have...overreacted a bit, concerning Blackpaw—I mean, Blackfeather—and you. If it wasn't for you, she wouldn't be a warrior."
"I can't take all the credit," he replied. "It was Birchpool's sacrifice that opened her eyes."
Fireblaze shook his head. "No, it was more than that. Blackpaw realized you were gone, she was caught off guard there for a moment, and I saw something in her eyes...it was just as much you as it was Birchpool. She really likes you, although I can't fathom why."
"Me neither," Spiderpaw said, and a smile quirked the edges of Fireblaze's mouth.
"I guess I forced her to learn to deal with insufferable toms," he chuckled. "Still, getting used to her being able to take care of herself is going to be difficult. I know she doesn't like me being so overbearing, and I've promised her that I'll do my best to curb it...but if I need help doing so, I need to know there's at least one cat that'll call me out on it."
Spiderpaw was taken aback. Fireblaze seemed earnest; there wasn't a hint of malice or a hidden threat in his voice, for once.
"I think I can do that," Spiderpaw replied, and allowed himself to grin at the ginger tabby.
"Don't think it's a free pass to insult me whenever you please," Fireblaze meowed. "Try to temper yourself. I haven't promised not to be overbearing with you, after all."
Spiderpaw purred, but felt the need to say nothing more. For once, he didn't feel like whipping out a snappy retort or a quick quip. All he wanted was to watch the sun go down over the trees as Blackfeather's dark silhouette hovered near the entrance of AshClan's home.
AN: Sorry this is so late! I've been busy with scholarships and projects and the like, and then I was feeling terribly blocked while writing this chapter for some reason...it also turned out a lot longer than I'd intended. Ah well. .
Anywho, I use -feather for very gentle, kind cats who are graceful and swift (but might be a bit too shy/quiet for their own good), all of which is 100% Blackpaw. So yay.