Hey all! I got a request a while ago to do a little backstory on Lionstripe, a main character in The Abandoned Warrior. There's only very minor spoilers in this short story as it's mostly a prequel. It shouldn't matter if you read The Abandoned Warrior or this story first.

Robinshine licked her two newborn kits in the nursery of MoonClan. Her mate, Thistleleap, stood to the side, staring down at their offspring together. Two ginger toms suckled at Robinshine's belly, mewing quietly. Both of their ginger pelts had taken after their mother. Thistleleap had jokingly asked if they were even his when she had first birthed them.

"I'm glad they're healthy," Thistleleap purred, nuzzling against Robinshine.

"Me too. What should we name them?" she asked, staring down at her two sons. One had darker ginger fur, the other lighter.

"The one with the lighter ginger fur can be Nectarkit," Thisteleap suggested.

"And we can call the other tom Lionkit," Robinshine decided.

...

Lionkit zipped around the nursery, chasing his brother around while his mother kindly reminded them not to disturb the other queens. For Lionkit, these days in the nursery made his life worthwhile. He loved running around and playing and then collapsing for a long nap by his mother's side afterwards.

Of course, Robinshine was never pleased when Lionkit inevitably got in a fight with his brother. It was always over something miniscule, like a smaller nest or unfair play during a game.

"You two need more acquaintances," Robinshine grumbled one day. "There are plenty of other kits in the nursery to play with."

Not really, Lionkit thought.

There was one other litter of kits in the nursery belonging to Daisyheart. She had three kits-Deerkit, Finchkit, and Riverkit. Deerkit and Finchkit were the two toms, and like Lionkit and his brother, they were more interested in playing with each other than other kits in the nursery. Riverkit was a gray tabby she-cat who often played with herself and seemed content with solitude. Lionkit did not understand how he could manage to play with any of them.

"We should talk to them," Nectarkit suggested one day.

"I don't know," Lionkit mumbled. He, himself, was happy with the company he already had with his brother. His mother would occasionally join in on the fun, and his father was always down to play during his nursery visits.

"Let's just try," Nectarkit said, stomping over to Daisyheart's litter. He first called to Deerkit and Finchkit, suggesting a game of mossball, but they were too occupied with wrestling each other to even look Nectarkit's way.

"Don't bother speaking to them," Riverkit muttered in the corner. "They'll only show you attention when they've tired out."

Lionkit tilted his head. Riverkit spoke with such intelligence. She always seemed like an outcast in the nursery, but perhaps that was because she seemed far above playing simple kit games.

"Do you want to play with us?" Lionkit asked quietly.

Riverkit seemed shocked at the question. Her indigo eyes lit up for a split second until she turned her head away.

"I don't know..."

"It'll be fun!" Nectarkit encouraged, crouching down and leaping up in excitement.

"I...I suppose," Riverkit said quietly.

From that day forward, Riverkit became a close friend of Lionkit's. Now, he and his brother had another playmate in the nursery, and were about to get another with the birth of Amberstone's four kits.

Amberstone had given birth to four she-cats, making the nursery louder and wilder than ever. Out of those four, the most vocal, and the prettiest, was Skykit. She was a brown tabby with prominent strikes and striking dark eyes. She somehow snuck her way into Lionkit's friend group, and while he admired her company, Skykit was always a bit too enraptured with him.

As the kits grew closer to becoming apprentices, tragedy struck the clan with the death of Adderstar, their leader. Robinshine was particularly saddened because the tom had been her mentor. It was then Nightspeckle's turn to step up to leadership. Shortly before their apprentice ceremonies, Nightspeckle became Nightstar.

"I wish Adderstar had died later," Riverkit grumbled.

"What are you talking about?" Lionkit asked. "He was old, and greencough was going around."

"I want to become deputy one day," Riverkit said, letting out a sigh.

Suddenly, Riverkit's odd behavior was making sense. She had always spoken of success, always spoken of doing her best once she'd become an apprentice.

"I think you'd make a great leader," Lionkit told her warmly.

"Thanks, Lionkit," she said, smiling slightly. "I think you'll be a good warrior."

"Huh?"

"You're always so quick running around the nursery on those tiny legs. You'd be a skilled hunter," Riverkit said.

It was true Lionkit had always been faster than the other kits. As the days went on, he felt his pace always increasing. But it must've been the way he was born. Nothing else could account for his fast speed past biology.

...

"LIONPAW! NECTARPAW!" the clan cried. Lionpaw stood proudly, looking over his clanmates. He noticed somberness in Skykit's face, probably because it would still be a moon before she joined them, but he'd told her they would save a nest especially for her.

Lionpaw was surprised to learn Nightstar would be his mentor. It was uncommon, something not of tradition. Usually a leader only became a mentor in special circumstances, and he was no special cat.

"You're lucky," Riverpaw had murmured to him afterwards. "Will you say nice things to Nightstar for me?"

"Of course," Lionpaw promised her. Riverpaw had already been excelling at apprentice training, but he knew it wasn't enough for her. She wanted recognition from Nightstar herself.

"Why is it you want to be leader so bad?" Lionpaw wondered.

"Because I love this clan, I've dedicated my life to it, and I might finally get a little bit of attention," she said before she walked away.

Lionpaw endured his first day of training with Nightstar. He assumed she would explain why she had chosen him as her apprentice, but the topic never came up. He went on a tour of the clan's territory, collected moss, and did all the normal things an apprentice did on his or her first day.

When Lionpaw met up with Nectarpaw later that day, his brother seemed moody.

"Did you not have a good first day of training?" Lionpaw asked.

"That's not it," Nectarpaw growled.

"What's wrong, then?" Lionpaw wondered.

"Why did Nightstar choose you?" Nectarpaw asked before padding away.

The answer to that question never came in the next moon. His brother continued to sulk about Lionpaw's recognition from their leader, and soon enough, Skykit joined the ranks and became Skypaw. She seemed more eager to be reunited with Lionpaw than beginning her own apprentice training.

In the midst of this, Lionpaw had more conversations with Riverpaw.

"I wish Skypaw didn't feel the need to confide in me all the time just because I'm a she-cat," Riverpaw grumbled. "At least three other apprentices have all confessed crushes to her, but she's turned them all down."

"So many?" Lionpaw asked. He acknowledged that Skypaw was beautiful, but he'd never been so attracted that such a deep desire had formed. "Well, do you know what's up with my brother, then? He won't talk to me."

"I don't need Skypaw's gossip to know why. It's the same reason I spoke to you after the apprentice ceremony."

"Huh?"

"He's jealous, Lionpaw! It's no secret that you're well-liked by a lot of cats here. You always got the backend of the lectures from your mother when you two fought. And now Nightstar had made you her apprentice. That's a big deal, Lionpaw," Riverpaw stated.

"I don't know why she made me her apprentice!"

"Then why don't you ask her?" Riverpaw suggested before standing up and walking away.

The next day, Lionpaw padded through the woods with his mentor. She was beginning to show him a few basic hunting techniques when a cough from him interrupted her.

"Sorry. I don't mean to be rude, but...why did you choose me as your apprentice?" Lionpaw asked.

"I was wondering when you would ask. I wasn't going to answer until now anyway. I didn't want to draw too much attention," Nightstar stated. "I have received messages from StarClan about you."

"About me?!"

"You have a gift, Lionpaw. A special power," Nightstar stated.

"I'm not special," he responded.

"Your legs work quicker than any other cat's, and if you train hard enough, you might be able to be as fast as lightning," Nightstar explained. "You've gotten faster with time, haven't you?"

"Well...yes," Lionpaw admitted.

"I'm here to train you to work those powers well, and hide them. I didn't want another cat learning of this."

"Why not?" Lionpaw asked. "Is there something wrong about having powers?"

"There's nothing wrong with it. You've been blessed by StarClan. But some cats may become jealous or give you more attention than you need. You're still just an apprentice. I want you to live normally."

"Cats are already jealous," Lionpaw grumbled.

"Well, that's bound to happen when a leader takes on an apprentice."

"Can I tell anyone?" Lionpaw asked.

"Your family, I suppose, but only if you trust them to keep it secret."

"But won't cats be able to catch onto my powers when we're fighting or on patrol?" Lionpaw questioned.

"I'm teaching you how to control them," Nightstar stated.

...

Lionpaw diligently worked to train with Nightstar. Slowly, he began unleashing his powers, realizing he could run long speeds at fast distances. With this newfound power, she also worked hard teaching him to control it. He was still able to run at a normal speed, but with her teachings, he could learn how to activate and disengage such a power.

Lionpaw was returning from training one day when Skypaw approached him. It was becoming no secret of her apparent crush on him, but Lionpaw was too busy training to act interested. He was friends with Skypaw, he knew that, but he didn't feel anything towards her really besides that.

"Lionpaw, guess what just happened?" she asked.

"Um...one of the apprentices fell into some mud on patrol?" Lionpaw guessed.

"No, silly! Your brother just confessed to me," she whispered.

Lionpaw paused, realizing Nectarpaw's anger went much deeper than Lionpaw's recognition from Nightstar.

"Wh-what did you tell him?" Lionpaw asked.

"That I only have room for one tom in my heart," Skypaw said, gently touching him with her tail.

"Um, I need to go," Lionpaw said, taking off to the apprentice den. His brother was curled in the corner, no doubt recovering from Skypaw's rejection.

"Nectarpaw," he said.

"What do you want?" Nectarpaw growled from inside the empty den.

"Uh...Nightstar told me why she's been teaching me, and I thought you would want to know," Lionpaw suggested.

"And?" Nectarpaw asked, turning his body slightly.

"I have special powers from StarClan. I can run at lightning fast speeds," Lionpaw said. "But please don't tell anyone. She wanted me to keep it secret."

Nectarpaw stood up and narrowed his eyes. He marched to his brother angrily.

"Fine! I won't tell anyone," he snarled. "That way you can keep acting all humble like the liar you are. I bet you're eating up all this fame. Nightstar's training you, you have secret powers, she-cats pining after you..."

"I'm sorry about Skypaw. I really don't like her that way," Lionpaw stated.

"Then you like Riverpaw?"

"No! I don't like anyone!" Lionpaw argued. He and Riverpaw were close, but he knew she had different goals in mind for the future. He had never allowed romantic feelings for her to surface.

"Of course you don't like anyone, but you get all the recognition anyway."

"I'm sorry you're jealous, but you're acting like a jerk. Cut it out, would you?" Lionpaw growled.

"No, I won't! I hate spending time around you anymore. Everyone I talk to just talks about you. Lionpaw, Lionpaw, Lionpaw. I'm tired of it," Nectarpaw growled.

"Then...fine! Just don't hang out with me or my friends," Lionpaw grumbled.

"Your friends? They used to be mine too, you know," Nectarpaw stated before walking past him out the nursery.

...

Lionpaw awoke early morning to Riverpaw frantically pushing his side.

"Lionpaw, you need to wake up," she said desperately.

"Huh?"

"Something happened to Nectarpaw. Your parents are in the medicine cat den," she said.

Lionpaw's eyes split open, and he stumbled out of the apprentice den, rushing to the medicine cat den. He knew what was awaiting him as soon as he approached. Weeps from his parents, somber cats standing nearby.

Nightstar exited the den, placing a tail on the tom's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Lionpaw. You let me know when you're ready for training again."

Lionpaw opened his mouth to ask what had happened, but she was already gone. Heart racing, he stepped inside, finding a limp and bloody Nectarpaw. His wounds had been cared for, but his chest was not rising and falling as it normally would.

"Is-is he..." Lionpaw's voice broke off.

"There was a fox in our territory early this morning," Thistleleap said quietly. "He was out there for some reason."

Lionpaw's eyes widened. He had done this. Nectarpaw had surely gone into the woods to cool down from their fight the day before, and now he was dead. Lionpaw felt sick to stomach and exited the den slowly. His last interaction with Nectarpaw had been their fight. He had never gotten to apologize, never gotten to tell Nectarpaw his feelings were valid.

Lionpaw never thought of himself as attention-seeking, but Nectarpaw seemed to have.

From this day forward, I will be the most kind, most humble tom, he told himself. That was all that mattered anymore. How did anything matter after Lionpaw had caused his brother's demise?

His friends comforted him quietly, not that Lionpaw wanted them to interact with him. He stayed by his brother's grave with his parents, and when the next day came, he told Nightstar he was ready for training again.

"Are you sure? You can take more time to mourn," Nightstar warned.

"I want to train," Lionpaw said. Because now, he had to live for both of them. At least that's what he hoped Nectarpaw wanted.

...

The warrior days came sooner than he expected. Soon, Lionpaw was Lionstripe, a handsome young warrior, known for his great skills. Now, he was known for his great kindness as well.

He was still close friends with Rivertail, and Skyblossom as well. He had never been able to tell Skyblossom how he really felt, and while they weren't mates, he certainly knew it was what Skyblossom had wanted.

Lionstripe had considered giving in once or twice. He could have a normal life with a mate and kits and not continue to play the role of a bachelor. Would Nectarpaw have wanted this for him? Lionstripe felt guilty either way. He could not love Skyblossom no matter how hard he tried.

Lionstripe spent his days patrolling with Rivertail and spending his free time with Skyblossom. Skyblossom was a good friend to him, at least, but he always felt disconnected when they hung out alone together. Once, to get her to shut up, he had almost considered showing her his powers, but he knew what Nightstar had warned. No one except his family should know.

Lionstripe didn't tell his parents of his power, not after Nectarpaw had died. It seemed like a curse. Once he told a cat of his powers, he was sure StarClan would take them from him. And sadly, no other cat in the clan had any powers. Everyone else was entirely normal.

Lionstripe felt like he was living in limbo. MoonClan continued as always, Rivertail tried harder and harder to become the best warrior she could be, and Skyblossom did her best to cozy up to Lionstripe. And he dealt with it all, because he couldn't say no. He didn't want anyone dying like Nectarpaw again.

That was until Rivertail returned from a solo hunting trip with a mysterious she-cat with her. Lionstripe had not gotten a good look at her when Nightstar allowed her to join, but he knew her name was Snowfeather.

Rivertail was showing her around the camp until she brought him to where he and Skyblossom were sitting. Immediately, his eyes lit up. She had long white fur and striking eyes. She was one of the most beautiful cats Lionstripe had ever seen. There was something mysterious about her, but also something comforting about her presence. She seemed nervous but also like a cat who had been through a great deal. Someone like him...

"Hi," Snowfeather spoke softly.

"Snowfeather, this is Lionstripe," Rivertail said.

"Hey, Snowfeather," Lionstripe said, lifting his tail. His eyes connected with hers. Something told him that things were going to be a lot different in MoonClan from this point forward.