Chapter 5

A dirty white she-cat padded from the dark branches of a massive tree, her dark amber eyes flashing as she observed the brown apprentice before her. She circled around Buzzardpaw, whisking her tail under his chin as she spoke. "You've grown. Oh, don't tell me you've forgotten my name already. It's only been a moon and a half."

Buzzardpaw watched as she circled him, his eyebrows furrowing in remembrance. Darkenedstreak! But she said she would only meet me again if I found the second cat.

As if she could read his thoughts, Darkenedstreak stopped in front of him, a small smirk on her face. "I'm sure you remember why you're here, yes?"

"I've found the second cat?"

She nodded her head. "Correct. Congratulations." Her mew was slightly sarcastic, her tail tip twitching behind her.

Buzzardpaw stood to his paws, his eyes wide. "Who is it then? Can I receive my prophecy now?"

Instead of answering, Darkenedstreak stood and padded deeper into the dark forest, her tail whisking as an instruction to follow. The young brown apprentice treaded behind her carefully, making sure not to trip over the thick roots digging through the soggy earth. Soon, the two came to a larger clearing, a large rock in its center. Surrounding the outskirts of the clearing, shadowy figures lurked ominously. Darkenedstreak seemed nonchalant about this, leaping onto the great rock in front of them. As if they were summoned, cats slowly began to emerge from the shadows.

The cats came in all shapes and sizes, many of them covered in scars and bruises. BUzzardpaw noticed that some of them had fresh wounds, bright red blood oozing from the opened flesh. Wincing slightly, the tom observed the growing number of cats around them noting that some of them had the same fuzzy, black dust sparking from their pelts like Darkenedstreak did, while others didn't. Peering at the cats across from him, Buzzardpaw blinked his eyes a few times in shock.

Is that, Dragonflywing? It was unmistakable. The black and white tom had his attention focused on Darkenedstreak, who had taken her seat on the gray stone. Shifting slightly, the Thunderclan warrior shifted his gaze onto Buzzardpaw, his multi colored eyes dimming with an unreadable expression. Gulping quietly, Buzzardpaw looked away from him, his golden eyes lading on a fox colored warrior not too far from the other. Foxgrowl? He's here too?

The apprentice was shaken from his thoughts by Darkenedstreak's sudden yowl. "Could you scoundrels move any faster?" The she-cat meowed, "By the time you all gather, I'll be faded already!"

"That's enough, Darkenedstreak." Mewed a tom's voice. "Many cats were training, they cannot stop whenever you want to have a pointless chit-cat." A massive gray tabby tom shouldered his way through the clearing, his heavily scarred jaw moving awkwardly as he spoke. Buzzardpaw's eyes narrowed slightly as he watched the tom leap onto the rock. He looks familiar.

Taking his position next to Darkenedstreak, the white she-cat hissed. "Oh, how nice of you to grace us with your presence, Viperhiss." That's his name! He's Eaglepaw's mentor. "I was just about to introduce our newest apprentice." Her eyes fell onto Buzzardpaw, prompting every cat in the clearing to turn and look at him.

The brown tom's eyes narrowed in confusion. Apprentice? Is that why I'm here? Glancing at the cats around him, Buzzardpaw looked back to Darkenedstreak, who was still speaking. "He's the cat from the prophecy. Where's the other one, by the way? I didn't see him."

Viperhiss spoke, his eyes still focused on Buzzardpaw. "He couldn't be here tonight, unfortunately." A thin string of drool dripped from the Shadowclan warrior's jaw, splattering onto the cold stone he was sitting on. He stood, his shredded ears twitching. "Greetings, Buzzardpaw."

Buzzardpaw mewed a quiet hello, still uneasy about the cats staring at him. He cleared his throat, speaking loudly. "Why am I here exactly? And what do all of these cats have to do with my prophecy?"

The gray tom chuckled quietly, the sound scratchy and harsh. "You'll learn with time. As I'm sure you have been told, there is a second cat within your prophecy, who is not here. There is no point in revealing the prophecy when he isn't present, so we shall wait until he arrives." Buzzardpaw was barely listening, looking at a shadowy figure that was glaring at him. The cat was barely distinguishable from the forest background, their dark blue eyes being the only visible part of their face. A chill running down his spine, Buzzardpaw turned to Viperhiss, who was staring at him intensely. Oh no! What was he saying again?

"Alright, you sorry lot, you've heard him! I expect you all to give our new apprentice a warm welcome and treat him with respect," Darkenedshade was speaking, leaning her head over the edge of the rock, "He's special, and should be treated as such. If any of you fox heart even think about harming him, I'll flay your pelt off of your skin and use it as bait for dogs. Understood?" A small murmur of 'yeahs' and 'whatevers' rang through the crowd, the cats slowly standing and beginning to disperse. Giving a satisfied nod, Darkenedstreak leapt down from the rock and padded towards BUzzardpaw, Viperhiss behind her. The brown apprentice looked past them, his eyes focused on the cat a distance away.

Dragonflywing was staring at Buzzardpaw Paw in tinsley, his legs stiff as he glared at the apprentice. Why is he looking at me like that? Buzzardpaw stared back at him, unease prickling his pelt. Foxgrowl whispered something in the black and white tom's ear, making the warrior give Buzzard one more disdainful look before stalking away into the shadows. Buzzardpaw shook his head, turning his attention to the two cats in front of him.

"I look forward to observing your training," Viperhiss started, his amber eyes looking down at the smaller tom. "I expect exceptional work from Goldenstar's son."

"Yes," Darkenedstreak mewed, a small smile on her face, "Training under me, and having such powerful blood flowing through his veins, the prophecy will be fulfilled in no time."

"You know my father?" Buzzardpaw asked, tilting his head.

Darkenedstreak purred quietly. ""Of course, who doesn't? Your father is a legend, he has done many heroic things for the clans. Haven't you heard the tales?"

The young apprentice shook his head no, earning a small eye roll from Viperhiss. "That Goldenstar, he's too humble to boast. Though, I'm surprised you haven't heard about any of his deeds."

Darkenedstreak nodded, her amber eyes flashing. "Yes, like how he organized the clans and brought them to victory against the massive badger attack, or how he saved the Windclan leader from death by taking her and her clan in after they suffered a terrible plague, or even how he had rebuilt the Thunderclan camp after horrible fire in just one moon." The she-cat spoke quickly and admirously, her tail whisking as she told the great stories about the Thunderclan leader. "It sickens me how good he is. But I can't bring myself to hate him or his virtuous ways. Something about him warms my cold heart."

Viperhiss chuckled, glancing at the white she-cat, who had her head lifted in deep thought as she rambled. He turned his attention back to Buzzardpaw. "Yes, your father is an extraordinary cat. Darkenstreak rarely compliments anycat, that's how you know he is truly something special." He stopped for a second, gazing into the apprentice's eyes. "And being his son, his legacy will surely follow."

Buzzardpaw's eyes were wide as he listened to the two cats. My father was, wait no, is a hero! His chest puffed with pride. He had known that his father did a lot for the clans, but hearing it from these two made him even prouder to share blood with the great tom.

Quieting down, Viperhiss looked at Darkendshade, who was looking at her paws. "While it was nice catching up with you, Darkenedstreak, I have an apprentice to train." The big tom stood, padding away from the two. Stopping, he turned his head to Buzzardpaw. "Oh, and once again, welcome, young Buzzardpaw. I will do everything in my power to ensure that you fulfill your prophecy." With that, the Shadowclan warrior continued forward, finally disappearing deep into the shadows of the forest.

Darkenedstreak watched the tom leave, slowly turning her attention to Buzzardpaw. "That Viperhiss, he sure is something. He's gained a lot of respect here, being one of the mightiest warriors we've ever seen. Why, he could even be greater than your father."

"Has my father ever been… down here?"

Darkenedstreak scoffed, fluffing out her pelt. "Oh, heavens no. Your father is too much of a goody two shoes to ever affliate with us." Goodie… two shoes? What are shoes? "Why, he's practically Starclan's champion. I just give credit where it is due."

Looking around, Buzzardpaw saw a pair of dark green eyes staring at him from the dark undergrowth across the clearing. Squinting, he was unable to make out who the cat could be. Why does everyone keep looking at me so strangely? The tom was shaken from his thoughts as Darkenedstreak spoke again.

"As much as I'd like to keep chatting with you, I'm afraid you must be going now. Our training starts tomorrow, with the other chosen one."

"Training? What-" Before the apprentice could finish his question, he opened his eyes to find himself in the apprentice's den. Weak dawn light filtered between the cracks of the bramble entrance, giving the tom's pelt a faint glow. Sighing, Buzzardpaw stood sleepily, awaiting his daily chores.