Hello! Welcome to the next chapter of Power in the Wrong Hands! Will Heatherpaw's power ever actually show up? Probably! Not in this chapter though, because this is a Milkkit chapter! I hope you all enjoy reading about my favorite little know-it-all.
- Mossy
Review Replies:
jabaredjf- Rabbitfoot is literally the worst deputy. He is also definitely not a fan of RedMistle, unfortunately.
SomeStormLeaf- Yeah, poor Mistlepaw. Hopefully things turn out better for her in the future. Rabbitfoot will hopefully get his comupences! And thanks!
ThatOneVirgo- Everyone seems to hate Rabbitfoot, except Acornpaw. I can't imagine why! He's the best dad- Okay he really sucks. Thanks!
"I hate Tallflame," Fogkit muttered under his breath.
"We know," Milkkit groaned, not wanting to have this discussion again. Of course, Dovekit decided to engage with their idiotic brother.
"I still don't understand why," Milkkit's sister snapped, "He's nothing but nice to us."
"You know why!" Fogkit hissed, "He always acts like he's our dad, but he's not."
"He's the closest thing we have to a dad," Dovekit glared at him, lashing her tail.
"He's just trying to get in mom's nest," Fogkit muttered and Dovekit cuffed him over the ear.
Milkkit got between them before a fight could break out. "Fogkit, you are an ungrateful fox-heart," she hissed in her brother's face and he glared daggers at her. Then Milkkit turned to Dovekit, "Why are you letting him get under your skin?"
"I can't just let him sit there and say things like that," Dovekit growled at Fogkit.
"Yes, you can," Milkkit sighed. She hoped Softsnow hadn't heard them arguing, that would break her mother's heart. It was already broken enough after Raindapple died. Personally, if Tallflame could help make Softsnow happy again, Milkkit was fine with that.
Softsnow walked over to her kits, "H-Have you all seen Cinderkit?"
"Firepaw was showing him some battle moves, I'll get him," Fogkit said hastily, sending one last glare towards Milkkit and Dovekit.
"Seriously, he's so annoying," Dovekit hissed under her breath. Milkkit nodded in agreement. Softsnow groomed them all after Fogkit returned with an annoyed Cinderkit.
Blossomstar leapt up on the old pillar she made announcements from. Featherstep stood to the side, her expression kind.
Blossomstar's muscles rippled as she turned to face her clan, obviously enjoying the power that came with being leader. Her golden pelt gleamed, even in the dim light if the temple ruins.
"Today Softsnow's litter become apprentices," her voice boomed, "Milkkit, please step forward." Milkkit did as the leader asked, cringing a little under the large she-cat's gaze.
"Milkkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Milkpaw. Your mentor will be Graytail. I hope Graytail will pass down all he knows on to you."
"Graytail, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Iceblossom, and you have shown yourself to be helpful and respectful. You will be the mentor of Milkpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Milkpaw.
Huh, Graytail. Milkkit didn't know much about the warrior, but hey had met before. She thought about what she did know. He's Crouchfoot's mate and Otterkit and Squirrelkit's father. He always seemed nice enough to them, but I don't really know about what he's like as a warrior. The rest of the ceremony proceeded with Dovepaw getting apprenticed to Juniperberry, Cinderpaw getting apprenticed to Snowtail, and Fogpaw getting apprenticed to Chestnutfall. Maybe the leader's mate will be able to teach him some respect, Milkpaw mused. She doubted it.
She finally got to see the territory, and it was beautiful. So many ruins, and trees, and more ruins. She was going to examine all of them as closely as possible. She noticed that the winged lizard appeared on many of them, perhaps it was an important symbol to whoever originally lived in the ruins. Milkpaw was sure it was.
Her siblings mostly chattered, well, Fogpaw had a constant scrowl on his face, but Dovepaw and Cinderpaw talked a lot.
Tallflame came up to congratulate them upon their return. Fogpaw just walked away and Milkpaw thought Tallflame looked a little hurt as he left. Why does everyone care so much about Fogpaw thinks? Her brother was chatting with Ravenpaw and Echopaw, probably being a jerk.
Milkpaw looked back at Tallflame. "Thanks!" she said and went to go find Firepaw. She noticed Tallflame went to go talk to Softsnow. Sometimes I wish he just really was our father.
She pushed the thought aside, from what she'd heard Raindapple had been a great warrior. Milkpaw just felt… detached from her real father. He didn't seem as real in a way and she knew that wasn't fair to him because he was dead, killed by a fox when her mother was still pregnant.
Milkpaw sighed, she would have liked to meet her father and get to know him, not the idealized version of him she was told about by Tallflame and her mother. Her uncle Acornheart had some good stories, but he didn't like to talk about her dad around Softsnow, and Softsnow never left her kits' sides. That was changing now though.
"Hey Milkpaw!" Firepaw exclaimed as he bounded over to her.
"There's my favorite idiot!" Milkpaw replied and Firepaw rolled his eyes.
"Do you always have to be so… insulting?" Firepaw groaned.
"Yes," Milkpaw said seriously and they both snorted with laughter. She caught Goldenpaw giving her the stink eye in her peripheral vision. Oh, come on, the day I like Firepaw is the day mice fly.
She turned and looked at her ginger friend and said, "So, what can I look forward to as an apprentice?"
"You can spend a lot of time in the elders den," Firepaw laughed, "Most of us prefer training, but knowing you, you'll just pester the elders with questions."
"I learn what I can," Milkpaw yawned, "And right now I want to learn about what's happening with you and your admirers."
Firepaw's ears turned red, "Wh-What?" He glanced over at Goldenpaw and Echopaw nervously, "It's that obvious that they like me?"
"Well, I've always been smarter than the average crowd," Milkpaw mused, "But seriously, why you of all cats?"
"I don't kn- Hey, I'm not that bad!" Firepaw exclaimed, "I personally think I'm quite funny."
"And my name's Milkstar," Milkpaw laughed, "Do you like either of them?"
"I don't know!" Firepaw said a little too loudly, "I mean, Goldenpaw is nice and smart and she's the leader's daughter, but Echopaw is just so… interesting."
"How so?" Milkpaw chuckled, enjoying the show.
"We've been friends for a few moons," Firepaw explained, "Before she joined the clan, and she was always so… kind. Pretty too, but I don't know if I think of her as more than a friend. It's just so hard, you know?"
"Yes," Milkpaw rolled her eyes, "It is hard when one has to choose between too good things."
Firepaw sighed and turned around, "Why do I talk to you again?"
"Face it, I'm your best friend," Milkpaw shrugged, "And we all know I'm the expert when it comes to facts."
"Sure," Firepaw groaned, and then his eyes lit up, "You know, maybe you only hang out with me because you find the Firepaw pawsitively irresistible."
Milkpaw suppressed a snigger, "That was low, even for you."
"I had to get revenge some way," Firepaw smirked and winked at Milkpaw. She laughed and rolled her eyes again.
"Get some sleep, lady-killer," she sighed and curled up in her nest.
"Hey, maybe I'm gay?" Firepaw suggested and Milkpaw just stared at him.
"Firepaw, I once heard you recite a soliloquy about Ravenpaw's eyes. You're not gay," Milkpaw said, "Besides, I would be so disappointed if you were."
"Really?" Firepaw said, orange eyes growing wide.
"No," Milkpaw deadpanned and Firepaw just shook his head and curled up in his nest.
"You're mean Milkpaw," he shook his head.
"It's all part of the charm," she chuckled, but her laugh stopped short. Was it just her, or did Firepaw actually seem slightly hurt? I'm sure it's nothing.
She laid her head on her paws and quickly passed out, dreaming of teasing, orange eyes.