A/N: The only thing I will say regarding coronavirus: wash your hands and stay safe. I don't really like talking about real-world events here cause, well, the way I see it is: I write/read fanfiction to escape. At least for however long it takes to finish a chapter, the real world doesn't exist. This is a safe place. (Seriously though, wash your hands and avoid people.)
Anywho, moving on! This chapter is a week late because… uhh… Finals kicked me to the curb (I passed though, barely, so hah!) and I was just so emotionally and mentally drained from that. That, and because I've just been so agitated and frustrated at my mom for not taking care of our dogs' nails- partially my fault too I guess, but hey, I'm also a busy person so I'm guilty of that- and I just feel so bad so I bought some nail clippers and I've been slowly trying to get them used to me cutting their nails and trying to tackle the worst of them… but it's not going as smoothly as I had hoped and it's just *sigh* tiring. And frustrating. Really frustrating.
I know it's completely unrelated, but I'm getting a bit desperate at this point (especially because of the shelter in place because of the pandemic, all the groomers are closed currently). If anybody has some tips to help cut dog nails (I have small dogs, chihuahua size basically and some have light nails and some of dark nails), I'd much appreciate it.
In other news, I really need to work on the outline, cause I'm reaching the point where I have very little written out and some of it doesn't make sense anymore.
And in even more other news, there's always some part of my body that hurts at all times, so I literally can't win at all. These last couple of weeks, it's been my hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. Fun! (That's what I get for running incorrectly. Did you know there's a way to run incorrectly? I didn't. And now I suffer.)
Reviews
PheonixRune- I'm sorry (I'm not sorry). I tried to prepare you all the best I could for it XD I warned everyone. I think all my characters need protection from me, who gave me control of their lives?
SnailPaw (Guest)- I'll probably find a place to put them (perhaps as a rogue in the city?) Not necessarily; it's not against the rules to mate with a cat outside of your rank, but- and especially for High Ranks- it's really looked down upon. And also, a tradition in the past for Royals and Nobles was to basically have an arranged marriage, and to be with anyone else besides the one chosen for you is a big no-no. My college has moved everything online for the rest of this quarter and for the entirety of the next quarter… But jokes on them, I already take online-only classes anyways so hah! (Seriously though, our world has really gone through the wringer lately huh?) Berrybae XD That's better than the nickname I gave her lol. I like reading people's ramblings, is that weird? Second Review: Nah, never apologize for leaving another review lol. Ooh, tribe names. I always found those interesting and have always wanted to write a story revolving around tribes (but uh… since I never read any of the books… I know less about tribes than I do about clans). The summary- or rambling as you called it haha- was nice. It definitely has potential to be a wonderful story. Just a few things; I wonder why he let her go after all of that in the first place, like, did she escape or did he just let her leave? And also, did he work alone or were there others with him? It sounds interesting and I hope you go through with it.
silhouette amongst stars- Jokes on everyone, I already have online classes only XD. I win. Oof, that sounds rough. I hope everything works out in the end. Gotta stay optimistic (or something like that). I wish I could've gone, "everybody wins," but where's the fun in that huh? I mean, to be fair, every Grand Royal only ever trains one set of apprentices: they immediately get the title, but look for their replacement right after. Everybody's on their bs in the forest. Hmm, interesting (I listened to the song btw, it was different from what I usually listen to). Hey, I used to make the best dramatic transitions for slideshows (gotta get that fade-in and fade-out with everything). Fun times. Blazeclan! Rumors go that if you stare in a mirror in a dark room and think about crappy fathers, Wildfire's face will appear. Well… I was gonna have a little fight between them, but I was running on fumes at the time and the chapter would've been super duper long (which, I doubt you'd guys would complain, but I can only do so much). I… don't think I believe in reincarnation either. I'd like to, but… meh. It's like soulmates to me (it's great for storytelling! But uh… nah mate). Hmm; well, death is permanent (there's no coming back from that), and a quick look at Le Google told me that reincarnation is, and I quote, "the continuation of the individual's person/essence/soul, living in one human body after another," while rebirth is "the continuation of an individual's behaviors and karmic tendencies only- after death." (Also, reincarnation is a Hindu belief, while rebirth is a Buddhist one? I didn't know that.) So in my terms: rebirth is not a continuation of a past personality, it's the start of a new one based on your karmic lessons… Whatever karmic lessons means. You learn something new every day. And no, I'm definitely not bashing on anyone's beliefs, it's just interesting to learn about, but I don't think I can believe in it. It's fun storytelling material though.
The Unnamed Guest- Oh, hey! Long time no see? It's not a problem, but thanks for always coming back :). That's what matters in the end for me. Thank you! This Forestclan arc was definitely fun, and a doozy, to write, but it was great! Still got this chapter and the next one to go for it, and then we'll revert back to our City friends. Cherry is… doing things. Things that may very well end up backfiring on her in the end, but hey, you gotta learn somehow right? As for Bramblepaw, it's like, a strange thing to explain: in a sense, he's made at Berrypaw for becoming a Cripple, therefore, never giving him a chance to actually win against her in a fair fight (it's harsh, I know, but that's Bramblepaw for you). Before she became a Cripple, he would always lose to her. I've been wanting to write that part out for a while, especially the scene with Soot "meeting" Willow and Flame. My heart goes out for our little Blue Berry, I so sorry my girl. I agree with you: circle of life! Well, thank you guys for reviewing! We never would've hit 800 (and counting) if it wasn't for you, so thanks! Meh… It's not really much of a situation, considering I never really go out anywhere anyways. I am concerned for the rest of my family though, because they're always going in and out of the house (even though my mom says that they're "being careful"). I'm just waiting for it to bowl over, honestly.
Jaguarstar (Guest)- I don't believe in reincarnation, but it's fun to write about in stories. Aren't you the little rebel? XD Who knows? Maybe someday I'll be able to believe in it.
malangmolangpudding- Hooray, new person! Welcome, welcome. Hope you've enjoyed the train ride so far, cause it could only get crazier from now on XD. First I'd like to say thank you for reading! With the literal thousands of Warriors fanfic out there, I am honored that this one is your favorite. Hmm… good point. I don't think I believe in heaven or hell either. (Looking at it, I guess I don't know what I believe in but meh.) I mean, there's people who claim that they've seen heaven, don't know if I believe them. Oh ho, another person with that theory XD. I can neither deny or confirm that theory, so all I can say is just wait and see.
Thanks to everybody for reviewing!
Let's get started!
…
Forestclan
…
"Are you done yet?"
The words that left her mouth were far more breathless than she would've liked them to be, but when the Noble apprentices come out of the blue to harass you, things tend to get tiring. The dawning of her second day as a Cripple and already she's been attacked- or, attempted to be attacked- a total of seven times, six on the same day.
The first was moments after her demotion, the incident where she unceremoniously smacked aside Coalpaw while Silverfeather and Sparrowfoot lost their nerve and made an excuse to back out. Her declaration to not stand idle while others attempted to step all over her was both her saving grace as well as her death wish. Surely, she had scared the Low Ranks to actually stop and reconsider their life choices…
Though, the High Ranks?
They were a different story.
The second time was only an hour after the first; she had been outside of camp, helping Bossomleaf find… whatever herb she was supposed to be looking for, she had admittedly forgotten what it was called (all she knew was that it tasted disgusting, but that was unimportant). Ashleap and Featherfall had approached her, the former spitting harsh words while the latter encouraged him with the occasional laugh or jibe.
It was funny, seeing the look on their faces when she didn't let them finish with whatever speech they had planned and knocked both of them on their backs. Her claws had dangerously approached their throats, and after a steely glint in her glare and spine-shivering threat, they ran off with their tails tucked between their legs. (She would be lying to say she wasn't having a little fun with this now.)
The third was a "re-match" from none other than Coalpaw himself (honestly, he was such a sore loser). Only moments after the second, she had been on her way back to camp when he suddenly burst from the treetops and completely failed to land on her. He wasn't alone, however, because he had brought along the Commoner apprentices (who looked about ready to wet themselves and it was very obvious that none of them wanted to be there). She decided to take pity on the Commoners, letting them off with nothing more than a small scratch on Foxpaw's haunches.
Coalpaw, however; Berrypaw did not show compassion to him… and it hurt her ears how loudly he screamed when she had run her claws down his chest and stomach. Not deep enough to cause permanent harm, but enough to hurt. She ignored the twinge of discomfort in her chest, telling her it was wrong to raise a claw against her clanmates (because hey, nothing was stopping them from attacking her; so why should she hold back too?), and walked away to wash off her paws from the red.
Coalpaw had yet to try again (though, it had only been a day).
The fourth time she was attacked was in the middle of camp, when she had been returning to the Medicine Cat Den with a small pile of herbs held loftily in her mouth. When she saw who it was, she couldn't help but groan, but really she wasn't surprised. Heatherpaw had it in for her since they were made apprentices, for some reason. Her ever-loyal shadow, Swiftpaw, was tail-lengths away looking rather uncomfortable and nervous and Berrypaw almost felt flattered that the light grey she-cat looked sorry on her behalf.
It still wasn't enough for her to try and intervene though, and Heatherpaw managed to slice a cut on Berrypaw's cheek before the blue-furred she-cat could react. The herbs she had been carrying in her mouth- she had been quite proud of herself for actually finding them- were knocked out of her jaw, splaying across the snow.
That, she considered, was her first actual fight.
And the first time she had to be patched up by Blossomleaf. (That's not to say she lost; Heatherpaw took the worst of it by far, but the fact she wasn't left unscathed rubbed Berrypaw the wrong way.)
The fifth time was later in the day, nearing dusk, when she left the Medicine Den to bring food for herself and Spike. They had tentatively been trying to make amends with one another, the small conversations they held when he wasn't napping (or feeling sorry for himself) were mediocre at best, but it was a step in the right direction at least. Extending an olive branch, Berrypaw had offered to go and get their last meal of the day, restless after being cooped up in the Medicine Den for the remainder of the day and needing some air as well.
The fifth time was easily the worst in her opinion. Not because she was injured badly, she wasn't injured at all, but because of who had done it. Of all cats, she hadn't expected a Queen to participate in this, her kits following her example. Brightclaw had approached in a deceptively sweet manner, Fogkit and Birchkit at her heels, and just like before with the herbs in her mouth, the squirrel and the shrew she had been carrying were snatched away from her. The Noble Queen had tossed the prey to her kits, saying something or another about how a Cripple didn't deserve the hard-earned prey from the Warriors.
It hurt more when the two kits, two innocent minds who- a few moons ago- had looked up to her with bright and lively eyes, called her by her new rank with disgust one could feel like the little bullies their mother was making them become.
Berrypaw was left gaping at them as they left, jaw dropped in shock and a pain in her chest that almost felt like someone was trying to rip her heart out.
She swiftly scurried back to the Medicine Den afterward, ignoring Thornpaw's questions and making Blossomleaf get their food for them instead.
The final time on her first day as a Cripple was another revenge of sorts, this time by the two Nobles she had terrified hours earlier. Featherfall and Ashleap had nabbed her when she had been returning from relieving herself, jumping from the shadows before she had a chance to react and tackling her into a tree. Maybe it was because of her frayed nerves, or maybe because it was pure instinct, but Berrypaw had swiftly used the tree as leverage- as breathless as she was now with the wind knocked out of her- and kicked Ashleap away. In a matter of seconds, she was sitting safely in the branches and staring down at the Nobles, a scowl on her face as she took a moment to catch her breath.
They had left swiftly after that like the cowards they were.
Her sleep had been restless and her sore body had reveled in the stillness of the night. Come morning, she had been very surprised that nobody had snuck in while she was asleep and attacked her then (perhaps none of them wanted to test the ire of the Medicine Cat). If there was one thing Blossomleaf didn't tolerate, it was violence in the healer's den (violence in general, but she couldn't exactly do anything about it). Trying to convince the clan to not attack Berrypaw would be pointless, they made themselves deaf to her concerns for their own sick and twisted pleasure.
And now, on her second day when she was out trying to hunt- to make herself feel useful and prove to others she still was valuable- all of the Noble apprentices had appeared out of nowhere. All of them except for Birdpaw looked excited, and that really wasn't saying much because Birdpaw disliked fighting and conflict in general.
They had proven stronger than she had anticipated, or maybe she was tired from her hunting expedition, but she would be lying if she said they didn't put up a good fight. Hawkpaw had even managed to open a small part of the scar on her side with his claws, and the wave after wave of agony she was experiencing at the moment made her want to just curl up and die. But they were still there, still watching her and expecting her to give in, so Berrypaw couldn't.
She wasn't about to satisfy their dark desires by giving in.
The Grand- No. The Cripple stood close to the trunk of a broken tree, face twitching with the effort it took to put on a brave face and not collapse into tears. The skin at her side twitched, trying to stitch itself back together, and Berrypaw hoped and prayed and begged that they would leave now because even the slightest jerking movement- which was inevitable when it came to jumping and dodging and rolling- would no doubt rip the rest of the scar open. Blood dripped down from the open portion, slow and lazy in its descent down to the ground and it was such an uncomfortable feeling.
But they were watching her, they were still here, so she couldn't even look at it without giving it away that it was bothering her.
"Stop pretending like you're still a Grand Royal apprentice," Copperpaw sneered, an ugly expression on his face that made Berrypaw scowl. "Admit it, you're nothing but a weakling now."
It was almost too easy. Raising a brow, the blue-furred she-cat allowed a smirk to pull at her lips, harsh and taunting.
"A weakling who's still beating all four of you," she let out a sharp chuckle, "if I'm weak, then how incompetent does that make you all?"
Copperpaw growled, teeth baring at her, but he made no move to launch another attack. Birdpaw was the farthest from her, looking about two seconds away from sprinting back to camp. The Cripple had gone easy on her, something she instantly regretted when the dark brown Noble sliced at her chest with unforgiving claws. (She paid her back though, a clean line down the middle of Birdpaw's chest was beginning to stain the fur there in red.)
That's what she gets, though, for being gracious to those who didn't know the meaning of mercy.
Copperpaw, Ashpaw, and Hawkpaw had taken most of the hits because they had been vehement in their attempts to get closer to her. Hawkpaw was limping now, a bite mark on his right shoulder causing him to wince even as he stood still, balancing most of his weight to his left side. Ashpaw had taken a slash to the face, claw marks stretching down the side of his jaw and towards his neck, as well as a bite that came dangerously close to his throat. (Not that Berrypaw was directly aiming for it. She didn't want to kill her clanmates after all. Just make them regret ever trying to make her suffer.)
And Copperpaw…
A large part of his colored pelt was stained a reddish-brown, like that of rust. In actuality, most of those scratches had been accidental. Berrypaw had subconsciously been trying not to hurt her clanmates so badly… but he was insistent. A gash on his forehead was what made him finally retreat a safe distance, but in her distraction of focusing on him, Hawkpaw had approached her scarred side.
Amateur mistake, her mind taunted, not being aware of your surroundings.
Isn't that what led you to this pitiful state in the first place?
The she-cat shook her head sharply, blinking away the dizziness before resuming her scowl.
"I haven't even started being serious," Berrypaw taunted, lied. Well, she hadn't been going at her full potential, but there was no way she could now. "Do you want to keep trying? I can give you a few pointers if you'd like, you all look like you need them."
Copperpaw growled, taking a few steps forward, but Hawkpaw stopped him, holding him back with a frown on his face. He was done, apparently, and it was obvious they wanted to leave. All except Copperpaw, and Berrypaw briefly considered asking what made him seem like he hated her so much. As far as she was concerned, she had never done anything to him to deserve this.
"Just you wait, Cripple," Copperpaw spat, following Hawkpaw's incessant pulling as the Noble apprentices finally began to fall back. Birdpaw had already disappeared into the forest. "Soon enough, you won't be so high-and-mighty, and even your heritage won't be enough to save you."
My heritage… She felt like laughing. Is that what this is about?
He's jealous I was born into the rank of Royal and he wasn't?
With those words, Copperpaw spat on the ground before turning away, limping with the others and as the sounds of their pawsteps and grumbles receded and grew farther away, Berrypaw finally allowed herself to crumble against the tree trunk. A pained gasp escaped her lips, and finally, finally, she allowed herself to look at the wound.
The scar had reopened near the center, which meant it would be a hassle trying to not let the rest of it on either side split as well. The white skin of a recovered wound was now pulled taut and pinkened with agitation, the part open red and staining her blue pelt a dark scarlet. Blossomleaf would take one look at it and just let out a sigh because now it was futile trying to talk Berrypaw into being careful with it.
It didn't occur to her until a few moments of staring at the dripping blood and letting herself grow accustomed to the waves of newfound agony that her vision was blurred with tears.
Blinking them away harshly, the she-cat let out a shaky sigh before shifting her gaze around until she found her dropped pair of scrawny squirrels a considerable distance away. The only thing she had managed to actually find, the third one had escaped her. Berrypaw drew in a long breath, holding it in her chest before releasing it at the same time she lifted one of her paws and took a step forward. Her teeth instinctively clenched tight to keep from crying out.
Every step was pure torture, and the path to her fallen prey wasn't even that far. By the time she was close enough to lean down and grab them, she was letting out harsh pants and squeezing her eyes tightly on occasion to keep the tears from falling. But she did it, she made it here, and she supposed that had to count for something.
Now, back to camp.
Squirrels safely held between her teeth, the Cripple raised her head and turned to face the general direction where she knew camp was (according to her mental map). And she knew, in the back of her mind, that it was much farther than she would've liked it to be.
Damn it.
Accepting her fate, Berrypaw began the long, excruciating journey home. Pain was commonplace, it seemed.
She had a horrifying feeling that from now and until forever… Pain was going to be a constant.
Such was the life of a Cripple.
…
"Try to let your body rest for the remainder of the day," Blossomleaf spoke in a soft, sad tone as she finished up re-patching the open scar. "If you need anything, make sure to shout for me."
"I could help her, Blossomleaf," Thornpaw spoke in a quiet voice off to her side, and Berrypaw couldn't even find the energy to look in his direction. Her cheek rested against the dry moss of the nest, eyes staring blankly ahead at a random point on the wall.
"Still," the Medicine Cat said before giving a small bow of her head, "and I'll do my best to keep others out of here."
Not that she would need to try that hard. The clan was too scared of trying to confront the Medicine Cat with this; if they disobeyed her, then Leafstar would for sure step in, and everyone was too scared to get her involved. The only reason the Grand Royal hadn't done anything because technically no rules had been broken. Cripples weren't exactly protected by clan law (which was a big reason as to why not many of them survived). They were weak, unneeded, incapable of doing much for themselves and utterly-
Useless.
"I can practically hear you thinking Berrypaw," the tom's voice was so loud in the quiet of the room, startling the she-cat from her thoughts as she finally found the energy to turn her head to the side and face him. Thornpaw sat right outside of her nest, her eyes immediately tracing the marks running down both of his eyes and making her stomach turn. "Whatever it is, you're wrong."
"You don't even know what I'm thinking about."
"I can take a guess and I'll get it in one."
Berrypaw just let out a sigh, resting her head back against the nest and closing her eyes. The pain was dull now, thanks to Blossomleaf, but that was only temporary. Until the scar closed again, the she-cat would have to relive her worst moments comparable to when she received the wound in the first place. Even then, the she-cat had an inkling of an idea that it would only be worse than before.
She wondered how much more damage she could take before it hurt to breathe all the time. (No doubt she'd walk with a limp now.)
"Did you ever think we'd end up like this?" Berrypaw found herself asking, more to the open air and more to herself than to the tom at her side. The kit inside of her had gone silent ever since the trial ended, and she found herself drained from its absence. Maybe she was just overthinking things.
"Never," Thornpaw murmured his response, tail curling securely around his paws. "I never used to like thinking of the bad things that could happen to me or anyone else."
"Me neither." She hadn't allowed herself to even consider that bad things could happen to her. As a kit, Berrypaw was convinced that the worst was over; the worst thing that could happen to her had already occurred with the loss of her parents.
It seemed like fate, however, liked toying with her.
She was a fool for thinking nothing could go wrong.
"Remember the Cripple they used to tell us about?" Berrypaw couldn't help but ask, eyes shifting from one part of the den to another boredly. She was already growing restless again. "Who used to be here before we were born?"
"The one who ran away?"
"Yeah, that one."
The clan had told them countless stories, sure, but this specific one she had been brushed away into the back of her mind… until now. A Cripple, whose name was forgotten apparently because the High Ranks never even liked saying it, who had lost his front right leg in an accident of some sorts (that part of the story was always different: one time it was because of a fox, another because of a badger, and then a third because of an eagle and so on and so forth).
Apparently, the tom had only lasted a moon of being a Cripple before deciding enough was enough and just… leaving. Just, one day, disappearing from camp and never returning.
"Are… Are you saying that you want to…?" Thornpaw didn't finish his sentence, nervousness and disbelief united into a voice that would've been funny.
Berrypaw could only snort. "Where will I go?"
No, if she was going to leave, she had to have everything planned out. A destination, a method of escape, and definitely not in Leaf-bare.
"I don't know," Thornpaw shuffled his paws slowly, something he often did when he was thinking. "Far away from here, at least."
"Have you thought of leaving before?" She raised a brow in his direction, tilting her head. "Even before… that…"
It was frustrating to her that even now, she couldn't even say it. He's blind, Berrypaw admonished herself, he's blind because of you. He's like this because of you.
She knew it would be forever until she would admit that out loud.
"...Once or twice," was his surprising response, and Berrypaw choked on her next breath and tried very hard not to cough because the jerking motion would hurt. "I don't think I need to tell you how stressful it is being at the center of attention because of your rank, even as a Royal, it isn't easy." He paused and grimaced before adding in a quiet voice, "well… wasn't."
Berrypaw hummed in understanding, ears falling flat against her head as she stared at him for a few moments. Silence settled over the two; neither comfortable nor tensed just… there. Awkward, admittedly, and she honestly couldn't wait for the day that they were completely comfortable with each other again. (At least he hadn't snipped or yelled at her all day, though she supposed he was just feeling sorry for her instead. She didn't know what she preferred.)
"Do you think we should leave?" She asked in a hesitant voice. The last thing she wanted was to plant that idea in his head. Even though it was her who started this conversation…
"I'm saying if either one of us leaves, it should be you." A small scowl formed on his lips, but it was less angry and sadder than all his other ones. "Let's face it, between the two of us, you'd stand a better chance of surviving out there. Me… Well, at least here, I wouldn't starve to death because I couldn't catch a single prey or I wouldn't accidentally fall off a cliff. I'll spend the rest of my life here, however short or long that will be. But you? You could leave; you can walk, fight, hunt. Sure, not for very long, but at least you still could. Perhaps being an Outcast is more beneficial to you than being a Cripple in a clan that apparently hates you now."
"...Well, I can't leave now with you being a grouch."
A small, startled laugh escaped his chest, and for the first time today, Berrypaw smiled. No, she wanted to say, leaving you behind is not an option.
If I go, we go together. Knowing you though, you'd want to stay behind to give me a better chance.
I'm not about to abandon you.
"Am I the only reason you'll stay?" Thornpaw asked with the start of a teasing smile, and Berrypaw was grateful he couldn't see her face. Of course, she wanted to say but now was not the time.
"Hmm… nope." She quipped instead, "I have my reasons."
"Like?" He pressed on, and Berrypaw let out a huff of laughter as she rolled her eyes.
"Like…" You never make it easy do you? "I want to prove everyone wrong. Prove myself wrong. I'm not useless, despite what they think of me, despite my new rank."
"You aren't useless, Berrypaw."
"You aren't either."
Thornpaw flinched at that, ears falling flat for a few seconds before he let out a sigh, nodding quietly. He still didn't believe her, but that was fine. She wasn't done trying to convince him otherwise.
"And if I can't do that," she spoke to lighten the mood before it could turn dour, "then I'll annoy them with my presence. It's a win-win."
"You're impossible," this time, he did openly laugh. Berrypaw grinned in his direction before shifting slightly, grimacing at the small movement, and reaching for the scrawny squirrels she had caught.
"Thank you," she said, placing the squirrel right by his paws, "now, eat and then it's naptime."
"The most important time of the day," he said, settling down to begin eating with an easy smile on his face.
Berrypaw hummed to herself, lips pulling into a thin line as she slowly began eating as well.
Her new rank would take a while to get used to, and maybe that would never happen. She'd probably die before she'd grow comfortable with the rank of a Cripple. But that was fine; leaving was not an option for her, not unless Thornpaw wanted to leave as well.
Until then, Berrypaw would suffer in silence and put on a brave face. Maybe she'd have to do that forevermore.
She'll learn to convince herself that it was fine eventually.
…
Blazeclan
…
Wildfire was livid, and Sootpaw was surprised. It was a good surprise though, and his happiness fueled his energy better than the adrenaline did at the moment. His heart was racing and he felt like soaring because at last, he was standing as one with Flarepaw instead of being pushed behind for protection.
Despite the approaching danger that Wildfire embodied, Sootpaw had never felt happier, because Flarepaw's words continued ringing in his head.
Together, they'll tear down the hierarchy system of the clans, the system that had tortured Sootpaw and countless others before him (and countless others after him if he didn't do anything now).
Together, they will achieve their dreams- their greatest one shared between them of just wanting to live a life without having to hide their feelings to each other.
Together, they will fight Wildfire.
"Are you ready, Sootpaw?" The she-cat spoke at his side, silver eyes gleaming as they stared at the oncoming threat with no trace of fear. Stars, Flarepaw was beautiful, and when she shot him the beginnings of a grin, the tom sent his own smile in return. Sunset eyes stared back in reassurance.
"Whenever you are, love," he gave her a playful wink, mischievous nature surfacing and he wondered how it was possible not to feel fear today. Perhaps being here, with Willowflame and Flamepaw watching over them, was what made them fearless, brave. Unstoppable.
Invincible.
"Remember what I taught you," Flarepaw said before suddenly darting forward, meeting Wildfire head-on and catching the tom by surprise. The Royal grunted as her claws flashed in the sunlight, too fast for him to dodge and he took the brunt of the attack to his shoulder. Sootpaw took in a deep, steadying breath.
This would be his first official fight with his new training, and despite how short it's been, he was excited to show off what he learned.
What's more, he was excited to shove it in Wildfire's face, taunt him even more.
With the tom's back to him, Sootpaw let out a short breath before racing towards his open target. His pawsteps were loud and the snow slowed him down, but those were small hindrances that would disappear once the season was over. The Commoner could imagine just how easier it would be to fight without all the snow and cold frost.
Predictably, Wildfire spun around before Sootpaw could reach him, dark amber eyes threatening to burn him alive, and for a second, the intensity in them took his breath away. A paw shot forward, claws wickedly curved and aimed at Sootpaw's muzzle, ready to pull him forward and tear into him.
But he was slow, much slower than Flarepaw at least.
The tom's jaw clenched as he came to an abrupt stop, not wanting his momentum to trip him into the attack regardless, and ducked underneath the simple attack. Ivory claws brushed against the tip of his untorn ear, reminding him of what could've been if he hadn't dodged, and Sootpaw allowed a second to revel in the annoyance that appeared on Wildfire's face.
With many targets to choose from, Sootpaw was rather overwhelmed, and in the end, he picked at random. And resulted in the top of his head slamming on the underside of Wildfire's chin, the Royal's head jerking back with a growl of pain even as Sootpaw grimaced to himself. Not my best move… but effective.
Wildfire stumbled a step or two back, and even though Sootpaw wanted to keep pursuing, to keep attacking relentlessly, he knew it would be safer to wait. Besides, this gave an opening for Flarepaw, and this wasn't just Sootpaw's fight… it was their fight. Together.
A team; Commoner and Grand Royal. The Lowest Rank with the Highest. The one everybody looked down on with the one they looked up to.
A strange team, but it was theirs and it was what made them… them.
Flarepaw took a mighty leap over her father, surprising maybe even herself with the distance she managed to clear and twisted around mid-air. Her claws dug into the delicate skin right behind Wildfire's ears, and before he could retaliate, the she-cat used the force of her jump to drag him down, shoving his face into the ground before hopping backward with Sootpaw right behind her.
Her back brushed against his chest and Sootpaw was surprised at the tension there. She was nervous, despite how much she didn't want to be, and tense muscles were detrimental for her fighting style. It required fluidity, a smoothness acquired and copied by the winds and the rivers. This won't do.
Leaning forward gently until his muzzle was right beside her ear, the tom brushed the tip of his nose against it, Flarepaw flinching slightly and turning her head just-so to glance back at him without completely turning away from Wildfire. A soothing purr rumbled in his chest, vibrating against her back.
"Relax," he breathed out, "we got this. We can do this."
Flarepaw blew out a harsh breath, strained as it was before she inhaled slowly. The muscles in her body slowly released from their tension- not completely, but any progress was valuable at the moment. Sootpaw smiled reassuringly at her.
"Right," she murmured, swallowing lightly and giving him a bashful look. "Thank you."
"Anytime."
"How much longer are you willing to insult our pride, Flarepaw?" Wildfire snarled from his place, nose still twitching as he brushed off the flakes of snow that had stuck to his muzzle. "Fighting alongside this cipher? Spending time with him? Training him?"
Wildfire took heavy steps forward, "you allowed him to poison your mind with his foolish beliefs. You've convinced yourself that what you feel for him and what he feels for you is love, allowed him to taint your heart- make you weak. What more? Have you given your body for him to defile with his filthy paws too? Will you walk around with his disgraceful scent on you? How much more of yourself are you willing to give him before you come to your senses and listen to me?"
"Everything!" Flarepaw took a single step forward, spitting with a quivering voice that was so raw it was undeniable truth and it hurt Sootpaw to hear such pure, unchecked emotion in a voice that was normally so careful. Both toms flinched at the ferocity of her tone, of the sternness in her voice. "My body, my heart, my soul and my mind- everything. I'll willingly give it all to him, again and again. I'm not acting irrationally as you may think; he hasn't poisoned any part of me because nothing of me was pure to begin with because of you. You broke me, Wildfire, you tainted me- you, not him."
"And what, I suppose he's the one fixing you?"
"No," Flarepaw growled, "because, despite it all, he's the only one who's aware of the damage and doesn't treat me like I'm shattered. He's not putting the pieces together, I'm doing that myself… he's merely helping me hold it all together."
"I think I prefer being called a rat rather than a poison," Sootpaw wrinkled his nose to himself before stepping closer to Flarepaw, their flanks brushing as he stood up tall, meeting Wildfire's gaze evenly. "Flarepaw is her own being, Wildfire. If I can see that, why can't you?"
"I am her father-"
"Something tells me you don't even know what that means," Sootpaw scowled, teeth gritting together. "I grew up without one and I think I have a better understanding of that word than you do."
"Do not insult me!" The Royal hissed but made no further move to walk towards them. "My understanding of the world is greater than both of yours combined. I've warned you time and time again, and now you have reached the ends of my patience. If you want to continue playing this game, fine; let's play. I warn you though," his eyes glowed dangerously, "it will not be so fun for you. I have been merciful up until now."
"I like games," Sootpaw sent him a smirk at the same time Flarepaw growled, "we won't give up."
"You are picking a fight you can't possibly win, Flarepaw," the Royal began backing away, burning amber eyes staring down at his daughter. She glared relentlessly back. "And not just against me now."
"Then so be it."
…
Neither of them wanted to leave the comfort of each other's embrace.
Despite it being morning, he could feel the sun's rays seeping into the den at his back, and no doubt even though one of them (aka Flarepaw) was missing a patrol, the two didn't move. Sootpaw let out a content sigh from where he lay, his forehead resting against her chest and her heartbeat strong and comforting at his ear. Her front legs were draped around him, pulling him ever closer into her embrace, and their lower halves were a mess of limbs. His tail idly brushed against hers, slow and steady movements indicating that he was indeed awake.
Awake, but lazy.
And with the way she made no move to push him away to start the day, Sootpaw could tell she was just as lazy.
Wild roses swirled around him in the air, suffocating and addicting and it was all he could do to continuously fill his lungs with her scent. It made his head spin finding traces of his own scent mixed with hers, roses and ivy fitting together like two halves of a whole. I have found you, their scents embraced as equally as their bodies did, content and satisfied and alive.
His mind was silent for once, save for the continuous flashes of what happened the day before. Flarepaw's words, her oath to fix a system that's been long broken. Wildfire's anger and disbelief, threats dripping from his tongue like venom from a snake's fangs. A snake, that's what Wildfire was.
Now it all made sense- why Wildfire called him a rat.
Snakes killed rats.
The tom quickly shook those thoughts away from his mind, noting too late that he shook his head as well and disrupted the peaceful lull that was over them. Flarepaw shifted back slightly, enough for him to reluctantly lift his head to look at her. A question danced in her silver eyes, the beginning of concern coming to life in the moon, and Sootpaw didn't give her the chance to ask.
He let out a huff of a breath, leaning his head forward and running his muzzle down the curve of her shoulder, up her neck with a purr rumbling in his chest. The tom inhaled sweetly, gently nuzzling any part of her he could reach; her cheek, her muzzle, her forehead, her throat. For her part, Flarepaw allowed him silently, her own purr rising to meet his in the open air.
Sootpaw wanted to remain in this moment forever. In the space of time where the rest of the world didn't exist and all of their problems and demons vanished into thin air. Where nothing else mattered but them. He longed for the day where this small bubble could expand to his every waking moment.
Alas, nothing lasts forever.
"Sootpaw," she murmured in a breath, something close to finality in her tone, and the tom felt his lips form a displeased frown because he didn't want this moment to be over. His frown was quickly replaced with a sharp, satisfied grin when he heard her inhale sharply as he nipped at the junction where neck met shoulder.
"Don't think you could distract me so easily," her words would've been more effective if they weren't so breathless, quiet, and Sootpaw let out a pleased huff of laughter, running his tongue across where he had nipped before mercifully pulling away.
"I think I can," his words were slightly teasing, his muzzle brushed against the tips of her ears as he breathed, "I've learned exactly how to make you speechless."
Flarepaw let out a stuttered breath before shaking her head, hiding her face against his shoulder before giving him a warning nip. "Stop teasing."
"I can demonstrate if you'd like."
"Sootpaw."
"Fine," the tom sighed dramatically before pulling away, a pout on his lips. Flarepaw looked up at him, sighing and shaking her head fondly before leaning forward and giving his cheek a gentle lick. He beamed at her before grimacing slightly. "Duty calls?"
"As much as I want to ignore it," Flarepaw huffed, "but you have training with your own mentor, and I have to talk with Sagepaw." She paused before wincing as well, closing her eyes with a troubled sigh. "And then the Grand Royal wants to interrogate the rogue again, my presence is required there too."
Sootpaw frowned again, before quietly adding, "and that's not including whatever it is Wildfire has planned."
She blinked at him slowly before giving a small smile. "He's not the only one with plans."
"Ooh," the tom cooed, poking her in the stomach playfully and watching her squirm away, batting at his paw. "What sort of schemes do you have in mind? Can I help? I'm great at schemes."
"You're great at pranks, Sootpaw."
"Same difference."
"Not exactly, but I'll ask for your expertise if I hit a wall. Until then, I think it's best if you just keep acting like everything is normal."
The tom sighed, mumbling a "that's no fun" before beginning to sit up, slowly so as to prolong the inevitable. The she-cat remained lying in her nest, looking up at him, and Sootpaw blinked down at her once he realized she was still staring. Her lips were curled slightly, eyes roaming over him, and he wondered what he looked like- with the rays of the morning light at his back- to make her look at him like that. His heart fluttered in his chest, throat tightening slightly before he put on a playful smile and posed dramatically.
The laughter that erupted from her chest was worth the ridiculousness of it all, and he soon chuckled along with her.
He padded over to her, closing the distance between the two quickly and bumping their forehead together lightly, muzzles brushing. "I could have posed sooner if you had just asked."
"You're ridiculous."
"Ridiculously handsome, you mean."
"Yes, you are my ridiculously handsome clueless flea-brain."
The tom snorted before scowling lightly, "you're never going to let that go, are you?"
"It was the funniest insult I ever heard directed at me," Flarepaw shrugged, eyes dancing with amusement. "Not many are brave enough to insult me regardless, and those that do always make the simple, overused ones."
"Yeah, well, it was dumb," Sootpaw grumbled, "I was dumb and angry and I should apologize."
"I didn't exactly treat you in the best way either, Sootpaw," Flarepaw murmured in response, ears twitching to fall flat before she sat up slowly, brushing her muzzle against his lightly. "But we've grown so much in such a short amount of time. If you are apologizing, then so am I."
"Apology accepted," Sootpaw smiled again, scooting ever closer and letting his muzzle drop to her neck teasingly, "Hey, I know a way to make it up to you."
"Don't get ahead of yourself," Flarepaw breathed out a laugh before gingerly pushing him back a step. "You still have training and I have to talk to Sagepaw."
"But I don't wanna!"
"You act like we don't share a nest at night, Sootpaw."
"What if I posed for you again?"
"Go," Flarepaw's laughter was his favorite sound, and the tom grumbled in exaggeration as he began walking away. Duty called for both of them, and they had ignored it for long enough. Any longer, and someone might just walk in on them, and though he was beyond the point of caring anymore at this point, he knew it wouldn't be in their best interest if that happened. Over his shoulder, right before he exited the den, he could just barely hear her say, "I love you."
He couldn't say it back, because he was already halfway out of her den and slinking through the shadows and praying that nobody looked in his general direction, but in his head he did.
I love you more than I can put it into words.
I love you more than you know, more than I can express, more than I understand myself.
And I will love you forevermore.
Until the sun stops shining and the winds stop blowing.
Until time freezes and the world stops spinning.
And even then… When all that happens…
I will love you still and even more.
…
A/N: Hah! A week late, but it is I! Sorry again for the late chapter, I just couldn't find the time or the mental energy to write a chapter after having three separate finals. And I'm still in pain (my cousin says that I might've strained my hamstring, and honestly, I don't know what to believe at this point and I don't care I just want the pain to stop). Anyways, the chapter; a bit on the shorter side and I honestly feel like it was a bit mediocre for my taste, but I still liked it.
Oh yeah, the next chapter will be the last for this Forestclan mini-arc. We'll be saying an "until next time" to our friends in the forest. (And then we'll soon be jumping in to see how our buddies in the city are doing.)
…
Question of the Day
(Kinda random)
If you can own any exotic pet, what would you have? (Lowkey would have a fennec fox.)
…
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Thank you and peace out!
~Wolfcreations20
