Disclaimer: Warriors isn't mine.
Treasure
Nightstar was a great leader, a wonderful mentor and a good cat. Darkpaw couldn't be happier as his Clanmate or apprentice. He was patient and calm, understanding that Darkpaw's wings worked differently, that she flew just a bit differently than others. More like a bat he said, though he pointed out that bats and birds both flew so it didn't matter. Anything was better than flying like a rock, so Darkpaw felt accepted.
Nightstar made the rest of the Clan accept their different Clanmate, though the younger warriors and apprentices had. A game of sky-ball was all that took. Some of the others were still a little off put by her skin covered wings, opposed to their feathers, but Darkpaw was accepted more and more. Cats no longer stared quite as much, they stopped avoiding her wings when she stretched them, she and her wings had become just another part of SoarClan. The other apprentices wrestled with her, her wings may not have been covered in feathers but they took knocks and blows as well as anyone else's, and the apprentices had grown used to the different feel. Dapplepaw even pointed out that Darkpaw was lucky; when she woke up in the morning she didn't have to sort all her feathers out. So yes, Darkpaw was happier. But a lot of that had to do with Nightstar.
Their Clan was one thing, leader's word is law and he said Clanmate so she was. The Gathering was something else entirely. SwoopClan stared at her as she ducked behind Swanpool. A DiveClan apprentice stared in horror as she tried to stay beside Stormpaw. Dapplepaw assured her that one had hit his head too hard in a dive once so pay him no mind, but it was hard. All the Clans staring at the apprentice with bat wings.
Nightstar noticed, of course he did, it was hard to miss his apprentice no matter what, and she was obviously distressed. Darkpaw was stunned when he tapped her with his tail, signaling for her to follow him. He calmly introduced her Ashstar, SwoopClan's gray fur and feathered leader, Flamestar, DiveClan's leader had stunning wings, and the deputies, Fishtail and Larkbreeze. Fishtail flicked his wings in greeting; his odd markings did look like fish fins. Larkbreeze barely glanced at her, busy gossiping with some SwoopClan cats. It was what Nightstar said though that mattered, when he told the leaders Darkpaw was his apprentice, and that she was the best flier. Darkpaw shuffled her paws, her wings flicking slightly. Flamestar had glanced at her wings curiously before he shrugged, replying that Nightstar bragged about all his apprentices. Still, it had been something new, to be introduced and spoken about with pride. Nightstar was proud of her.
Nightstar's advice was something Darkpaw always tried to listen to. Whether it was that SwoopClan was just short on apprentices and had taken to mocking SoarClan's and to remember that, or that she should always get water off her wings before entering a den, Darkpaw listened and tried to follow. It was hard though, when he advised her not to show off in front of SwoopClan to show them whose apprentices could fly, or when she was excited to see her friends. Everyone made mistakes, so she was forgiven for drenching poor Finchpaw one day when she raced in. But she made other mistakes too. She let stares, whispers and the occasional flinch get to her. When Graypetal turned away from her swerving to avoid walking next to Darkpaw, her own daughter, that had hurt deeply. Nightstar and Swanpool had found her sitting by the river, staring at the reflection of her dark black wings. Nightstar had simply sat beside her, saying he appreciated her company. He was comfortable with her, Darkpaw knew.
Darkpaw struggled sometimes, when she watched her Clanmates brush wings, the feel of feathers against feathers was apparently nice, a caring gesture. She kept her tucked close, she'd only ever brushed wings with Stormpaw. Who'd want to rub feathers against skin? Darkpaw stood by herself, wings pressed against her back, the fur brushing them instead. She watched Spottedcloud brush wings with her kits, loving them, tucking them against her. Graypetal had touched Stormpaw's wings with hers, never Darkpaw's. Darkpaw swallowed, as the kits giggled, extending their wings for their mother. Something light touched her wings, Darkpaw almost jumped into the air. Nightstar had come up beside her, his black wings; there were a few blue feathers, the dark blue of a midnight sky, hanging at his sides. Darkpaw released her tucked wings, mentors touched apprentices' wings sometimes, usually when they were proud of something they'd done. It wasn't that, Nightstar glanced at her when she asked. It's a sign of affection he explained. Mentors have to comfort their apprentices too. Darkpaw relaxed, wings hanging loose, Nightstar let their wings touch before reminding her he wanted them on a patrol.
Darkpaw had feathers in her nest. Not her's of course, but Stormpaw regularly came to her when he needed his wings groomed, and his sister was more than happy to go through his gray wings and organize them for him. Stormpaw let her keep whatever feathers she wanted, it was comforting to have her littermate's scent in her nest, but there was one feather she always kept with her. It was one of Stormpaw's silver feathers, and she had that tucked to the side, always leaving there when she cleaned. She had one of Swanpool's too, the medicine cat had given it to her when Darkpaw had left her den for good, as proof of her promise that Darkpaw would always be able to turn to her. But there was a third feather, the newest one that was important too. It was a soft black feather with an edge of blue. Taken from Nightstar's wings, a promise that he would always consider her a Clanmate and that he would defend her from anyone who thought otherwise. Darkpaw kept them together, and made sure her denmates never touched them.
Another thing Nightstar had given her was a ball of moss; the one Streakstripe had caught in Darkpaw's first game of skyball. It was falling apart now, and Darkpaw would have to get rid of it soon, but she loved the memories associated with it, and that Nightstar had pointed out that game marked her as a great flier more than any assessment ever had. It also was the first time Darkpaw had made friends, the group of young warriors and apprentices that still stayed together and played. Darkpaw loved that ball, even if she had to get rid of it someday.
But of all Nightstar's gifts to her, his teachings, confidence, advice, acceptance, his almost fatherly affection, his feather, and the ball of moss there was one thing she loved most of all. It was her true treasure and something that no matter what, no one could take from her. Others would use it more than she would but it belonged to her and her alone. Something small, almost insignificant but it made her and she loved it like she'd loved nothing else. She glanced at Stormheart, his yellow eyes wide as he wiggled in place, wings stirring at his back. The camp was as silent as they were, dawn was finally coming, the sun rising over the two new warriors, she raised her head to feel the rays hit her muzzle, extending her wings, how she loved the feel of the sun on them, the feeling of extending them. Stormheart extended his wings as well, the two shared another glance, there was no doubt in her mind she looked as amazed and excited as her brother. Training complete, maybe someday they'd train their own apprentice but there was time for that yet, now it was just them and all they'd accomplished. She blinked at him, a wave of gratitude washing through her, she'd never have made this memory if not for Stormheart, he'd made her want something more than sitting in the back of Swanpool's den feeling sorry for herself.
Pawsteps made the two new warriors turn their head, wings curling back up, they rose together as Nightstar and Liontail approached. The golden tom nodded to Stormheart first, as he had been Stormheart's mentor, then he dipped his head to her as well. They shared a look and nodded back, Stormheart's tail flicked behind him eagerly.
"StarClan, maybe I should've put you two on the dawn patrol with how eager you are. Usually I find warriors about to fall asleep." Nightstar's green eyes flickered with amusement, "and no, I don't want to know what trouble you two got into last night to make you this excited, I'm better off not knowing. You can speak now."
"Thank you." She replied, meeting her former mentor's gaze. Nightstar's flicked his wings slightly, and nodded, understanding what she was truly thanking him for.
"Your nests are made; you're sleeping next to Dappleleaf." Liontail informed them and nodded to them both, "Stormheart, Darkblossom."
She raised her head at the name, wings extending slightly. That was Nightstar's greatest gift to her, a warrior name.
I just had to come back to these cats, because well, I needed to show you all what Darkpaw's name was. Hopefully I can come back to them again.
