Vampirekit stared at the ground, blankly, his black legs that faded into ginger paws shifting anxiously as he looked around; other cats surrounded him; Ferntumble, Ashpetal, Mosszap, to name a few, but he only needed one next to him in this moment… Honeykit.
Honeykit was Vampirekit's sister, his one and only friend to the end, always there for him like he was always there for her. Today they would be apprenticed, getting their first mentors and their first look outside of the Shadowclan camp.
Vampirekit's ears twitched forward as Cedarstar began speaking, the wise old leader standing tall and strong on shaderock.
"Now, as we all know," Cedarstar began, not even faltering once as her strong, matured voice rang out, "Shadowclan has had a lack of apprentices for the past moon, but I am proud to say; we have three new apprentices to announce."
Three? I thought it was just me and Honeykit!
"Honeykit, Vampirekit and Adderkit, please step forward."
Honeykit and Vampirekit weaved through the large crowd of cats, their paws moving in sync as they approached the large shaderock, another kit next to them when they emerged; a brown kit, probably the Adderkit that was mentioned.
"Honeykit, Vampirekit and Adderkit; you have all reached the age of 6 moons, which means it is time for you to be apprenticed." Cedarstar meowed, her white tail striped with gray slashing side to side behind her, knocking new-leaf leaves around.
"Honeykit and Vampirekit, you will now be known as Honeypaw and Vampirepaw until you are made warriors." Her deep ginger gaze snapped from the 2 of them to just Honeypaw. "Honeypaw, your mentor will be Ryefall. Ryefall, I trust you to pass down all you know to Honeypaw and make her as great of a warrior as you."
Vampirepaw watched as Honeypaw touched noses with Ryefall, Adderkit watching near by. Rumor was, Ryefall was a former rogue that joined Shadowclan after her band of loners and rogues turned on her. Vampirepaw doesn't believe that rumor, but thinks it sounds cool.
"Vampirepaw," Cedarstar's sudden meow jerked Vampirepaw back to reality. "Your mentor will be Cherryleap. Cherryleap, I believe in you to pass down everything you learned from Riverbreeze and honor his memory."
Vampirepaw hesitated before waltzing towards his new mentor, gently touching noses with xem.
Cherryleap smiled warmly at him, xeir blue eyes shining like two pools of water on a clear starry night. Xe slipped back into xeir spot and Vampirepaw slipped back into his.
"Adderkit, from now until you become a warrior, you will be known as Adderpaw. Adderpaw, your mentor will be Fintalon. Fintalon, I entrust you to show Adderpaw all you know and make him the best warrior possible." Cedarstar meowed.
Adderpaw walked up to Fintalon nonchalantly, touching noses with the taller she-cat without a singular care in the world. A bit cocky, much? Vampirepaw thought, but he knew he was just being a bit over-dramatic.
"Honeypaw!"
"Adderpaw!"
"Vampirepaw!"
Chants rolled out from every side of the camp, almost every single cat in the camp calling out their names. Echoes surrounded him, fading into the night.
Vampirepaw yawned. He'd only had one training session with his new mentor, and he was already tired out. Turns out, border patrol is ten times more tiring than you think.
"Hey!" A loud voice called out to him. He whipped around to see who was there; none other than Adderpaw.
"Hey." Vampirepaw muttered in response, desperate to get to his new bed. His paws felt like stones were strung to them with every step he took. He didn't turn back to Adderpaw, but that didn't drive the little tom away.
"Soo, are you Vampirepaw?" Adderpaw asked, his small, fluffy brown pelt just barely edging to the corner of Vampirepaw's view. Vampirepaw just nodded, too tired to respond anymore. "Cool! I'm Adderpaw. I'm a new apprentice too- but you already knew that, heh!"
The fluffy tom didn't seem to be giving way just yet, constantly rambling to Vampirepaw with no sign of stopping. When Vampirepaw finally reached the apprentice den, he was so relieved when Adderpaw stopped talking at once so Sandpaw could greet them.
"Hey, little furballs!" Their tone indicated they were teasing. "Welcome to the apprentices den, the place of no-sleep-unless-you're-lucky! Come, come! Honeypaw is already resting, but your nests are made." They waved their tail, signalling for the two toms to enter the den.
"Vampirepaw, your nest is next to mine," Sandpaw patted the nest next to theirs, "and Adderpaw," Sandpaw called to the small brown tom. Adderpaw looked up. "Your nest is this one." They pat a nest next to a sleeping blue-gray she-cat that was lined with robin feathers.
Vampirepaw took no time climbing into his nest and curling up immediately. "Uhm, thanks, Sandpaw." He murmured before drifting off to sleep.
Vampirepaw's dreams were sent off to a light blue tint elegant forest, the warm aroma of prey surrounding him, the sound of a waterfall rushing off in the distance. He blinked, looking around.
"Hello?" Vampirepaw called out, trying not to feel scared, resting his black tail on the ground to keep it from twitching. His red-amber eyes scanned the environment, sensing for any movement, when the bushes rustled. His back fur bristled, his focus snapping towards the bushes.
A taller tom emerged from the bushes, his white pelt dappled with black and orange. His fur patterns were similar to Vampirepaw's but other than that there was no resemblance.
"Hello, Vampirepaw. We've been waiting for you to arrive." The tom purred warmly. "I am Fangriver, former deputy of Shadowclan, and…" Fangriver put his larger paw against Vampirepaw's. "Your father."
Vampirepaw looked up at Fangriver in awe; his father? But, his mom said he didn't have a father… Maybe his father died before he could meet him. "I'm- I'm honored to meet you, Fangriver!"
"Call me dad." Fangriver smiled sweetly, his calming green gaze sending a chill down Vampirepaw's spine.
"Okay, uhm, dad-" Vampirepaw began. "So, why am I here?" He looked up at his father, waiting for an answer.
"Vampirepaw." Fangriver began, after what felt like a moon of silence. "I need you to do something. It's a very difficult task." Vampirepaw leaned in intently. "There once were 5 clans in this forest… Thunderclan, Windclan, Shadowclan, Riverclan and Skyclan." Thunderclan? That name was very unfamiliar to him.
"Thunderclan was the 5th clan. Many moons ago, before your birth, Vampirepaw, Thunderclan disappeared without a trace. No cats left behind, stale scent marks, wrecked dens; everything was gone… It was believed that they disappeared from existence, but I don't believe this." Fangriver meowed.
"I believe that…" Fangriver hesitated, looking cautiously at Vampirepaw, before returning to his story after a moment of silence. "I believe that Thunderclan was chased off by a different force; one higher than Starclan itself."
"But- what could be more powerful than Starclan?" Vampirepaw asked in a small voice, seeming to completely forget that he was still asleep.
Fangriver looked at Vampirepaw, and shrugged with a sad look on his face. "I-I don't know, but I know something had chased them off. No clan would leave without reason or explanation first." He sighed. "But, I believe they're out there, somewhere past highstones."
"Past highstones? No, that's impossible! Everyclan and Everycat knows that past highstones is infested with Twolegs and their kits! They're rabid creatures! I heard they kidnap cats and force them to go to the cutter!" Vampirepaw hissed.
"I know, and that's what your mother said too when I explained to her that I wanted to go out and find Thunderclan… but, I did anyway, and hey, look at me now." Fangriver chuckled. "But, Vampirepaw. I sense greater power within you and your sister. I believe that you, Honeypaw and, evidently, Adderpaw can find and restore Thunderclan back to the forest." Fangriver meowed, putting one paw on Vampirepaw's ginger shoulder. "Thunderclan is scattered, Vampirepaw. Scattered all along the highstones and, furthermore, Twoleg place and beyond forests. It's up to you and your friends to bring it back to its former glory."
Before Vampirepaw could ask anymore questions, Fangriver was gone, leaving Vampirepaw in a dark endlessness of nothing, before waking up in his nest at sunup, sunshine seaking into his pelt and warming him to wakeness.
Sandpaw seemed to have just woken up, the lithe, light dusty yellow cat stretching their tightened muscles, their mouth extending into a yawn.
"Oh! Hey, Vampirepaw." They smiled. "I guess you just woke up too." Vampirepaw nodded wordlessly, too tired to speak. "Well, I was about to go ask Gingerrush if zey could send me out on hunting patrol; wanna come?"
Vampirepaw blinked, considering it for a moment. Hunting with Sandpaw would be fun, He thought. And it would give me more hunting experience… "Sure." Vampirepaw responded after a moment. "Just, give me a second to stretch out my muscles."
"What muscles?" Sandpaw teased, nudging Vampirepaw in the arm jokingly. "Alright, I'll go ask zem if zey would come on hunting patrol with us." Sandpaw stretched once more before walking over to where the rust-colored deputy sat.
Vampirepaw stood up, stumbling on his paws for a moment before taking in the sunlight, bowing down into a deep stretch, yawning. He sat down and blinked the sleepiness out of his eyes. Vampirepaw tried to ignore the lingering memory of the dream he had last night, but he just couldn't ignore something like that. He and Honeypaw's father was the former deputy, and now he's sending them and Adderpaw out of camp past highstones to find a clan that might not even exist.
Sandpaw began approaching him, smiling. "Gingerrush said zey'd announce the hunting patrol now! I convinced zem to come with us on patrol." They chuckled, smiling.
Everyone begun surrounding shaderock as Gingerrush climbed up the rock, zeir rust-colored fur appearing flame-colored in the sun. "It's time to send out patrols." Zey announced, scanning zeir green gaze across the crowd of cats. "Mosszap, Mothroot, Blossomfeather and Riverbreeze, you will be border patrol; renew the scent markers and report back to me if you see anything or anyone unusual or threatening." Zey meowed, and the four cats met up at the edge of the camp and started their way to the exit.
"Sandpaw, Vampirepaw, Cherryleap, Ferntumble and I will head on hunting patrol." Gingerrush announced. Vampirepaw slid through the crowd to meet up with the other three as they waited for Gingerrush to be done.
"Clan dismissed." Gingerrush gave zeir chest a clean lick before hopping off the rock to meet up with the four cats waiting for zeir arrival. "Let's head out before all the prey in the forest is ready to sleep." Zey chuckled, setting off for the exit with the other four following near by.
Ferntumble took up the back, with Sandpaw just in front of her. Gingerrush set off after emerging from the exit into the forest confidently. Cherryleap stepped aside so Vampirepaw could head on ahead, not realizing how fast he was running with excitement.
"Where will we hunt first? Carrion place? Near highstones?" Vampirepaw bombarded Gingerrush with questions immediately, jumping up and down excitedly. The taller deputy chuckled, nudging Vampirepaw jokingly.
"Well, I thought we could hunt across the thunderpath," Cherryleap interjected, directing Vampirepaw's attention towards the long patch of forest across the other side of the thunderpath.
Vampirepaw was always curious about that forest. The trees over there aren't as deep of a brown as the pine trees over on our side, nor are they as thick. Vampirepaw thought. And that land is big enough for a whole clan to live in! Nevertheless there's two big ditches over there full of trees and rodent dens. Maybe that's the former "Thunderclan camp" Fangriver told me about. Vampirepaw wondered, snapping back to reality when Sandpaw bumped into him.
"You alright?" Sandpaw meowed, "Ferntumble's been asking for your attention and you just haven't said anything." Vampirepaw blinked, looking at his mother who was gazing deep into his eyes.
"Sorry, I just got distracted…" He walked up to Ferntumble, blinking cautiously. "Y-Yeah?" He asked.
"Where do you think we should hunt? Across the thunderpath or by the pond? You're our tie breaker." Ferntumble spoke, her orange gaze fixated on her son.
"Psst, no pressure, but if I were you, I'd pick across the thunderpath." Sandpaw whispered in his ear, smirking mischievously. Vampirepaw chuckled.
"Across the thunderpath." Vampirepaw smiled. Gingerrush and Ferntumble looked disappointed, but his mentor, Cherryleap, and Sandpaw looked at him with approval.
"Fine. I guess we'll go across the thunderpath." Gingerrush sighed, obviously teasing Vampirepaw. And like that, the group set off towards the forest across the thunderpath. Luckily, the thunderpath was calm and quiet today; all the monsters were probably asleep, enjoying the new-leaf sun. The patrol easily crossed the thunderpath and into the forest beyond. The forest wasn't officially Shadowclan territory, but no other clan seemed to use it except for Skyclan.
Vampirepaw gazed out into the forest, taking in all the sights and rich scents of prey. A dream come true, more like. Scents of freshkill hit his nose, and he looked up at Cherryleap, interested in what prey was around them. Xe looked down at Vampirepaw, smiling, before speaking.
"I can smell vole, mice and sparrows from here." Xe meowed, looking around for the prey that was assigned its scent. "Do we want to split up or stick together? Splitting up could catch more prey." Cherryleap asked Gingerrush.
Gingerrush thought for a second.
"Split up. I'll go with Sandpaw. Cherryleap, go with Vampirepaw. Ferntumble, are you okay hunting by yourself?" The former queen nodded, and then set off into a direction opposite of the rest of the group.
"Let's head out, then." Cherryleap meowed, nudging Vampirepaw in one direction. Vampirepaw followed the taller warrior close, a mouse-length away from xeir tail. Vampirepaw slid forward to slip next to Cherryleap, the two walking side by side into the forest now. Vampirepaw scented a nearby smell of vole, and Cherryleap did too, spotting the small, brown, furry rodent immediately.
Cherryleap nodded to the vole, signalling for Vampirepaw to catch it. Vampirepaw crouched down, careful not to step on any leaves or anything that'd make a startling noise. He unsheathed his claws as he approached the vole, and as soon as the vole turned away, he leapt; landing on the vole, killing it almost instantly.
"Wooh! Nice job, Vampirepaw!" Cherryleap purred, xeir praise making Vampirepaw's pelt feel warm. Vampirepaw picked up the vole, nodding towards a sparrow to bring Cherryleap's attention to it, and then continued to head back to where they met up. Gingerrush and Sandpaw were already back; Gingerrush carried 2 thrushes and Sandpaw held 1 mouse and 1 vole.
Ferntumble soon emerged from the bushes with a sparrow and a smaller blackbird. She set down her prey in the middle of the 4 cats, and so did the rest of them. "Welp, now we wait for Cherryleap to get back with that sparrow." Vampirepaw yawned and stretched.
An awkward silence dawned on them, only broken by Cherryleap's return with a sparrow, a vole and a squirrel. "Finally! You're back." Ferntumble meowed, picking up her prey. The others picked up theirs and they head out back to camp, cautiously aware of the thunderpath coming to life with one or two monsters rushing past.
Adderpaw met Vampirepaw straight at the entrance of the camp, smiling brightly. "I see you got a vole! Very good for a first catch. Mine was a sparrow, not to brag, though." Vampirepaw rolled his eyes at the smaller tom, trying to ignore him, but Adderpaw kept following. "How long did it take to find it? Did Cherryleap catch it and give you credit? Did you find it on your own? Did you catch anything else? Did you…" Adderpaw's voice faded out as Vampirepaw drowned him out, carrying his vole to the prey pile.
The patrol sat the rest of their catches in the pile and disbanded. Vampirepaw immediately headed for the apprentice den, Sandpaw following. "Today was looong and boooriiiing!" Sandpaw groaned, collapsing in their nest immediately. Vampirepaw chuckled.
"It's all worth it in the end, right?" The ginger-and-black tom teased, purring fondly at the larger apprentice.
Sandpaw didn't respond as they almost immediately fell asleep, their tail wrapped over their front paws as they snored quietly. Vampirepaw stretched, curling up in his moss bed in the same manor, closing his eyes and letting sleep indulge him.
Vampirepaw yawned, his eyes shifting to align with the morning sunlight… but he wasn't in the apprentice's den. Vampirepaw blinked, stumbling onto his paws to scan his environment. He was up high on the mountains, securely blocked from falling by a spike of rock, which he carefully slipped his way down off of. Vampirepaw hopped from rock to rock, spotting a large herd of silhouetted cats down below.
He clambered his way down, making sure not to step onto any sharp rocks or loose rocks that might fall down if he steps on them. He adjusted his eyes to see where to land, and leapt down to the ground, landing in a soft patch of moss and snow. The area around him was frigid, like a harsh leaf-bare, the frost-bitten wind ruffling up his fur. Vampirepaw slipped in with the herd of cats.
"But, where will we go, Hawkstar?" He heard a feeble she-cat voice ask. "We have no more home, we don't know where we're going, and we'll freeze our pelts off in this leaf-bare before we even reach a new home!"
"Stop worrying, Fawnstem." A louder, deeper voice responded; most likely Hawkstar's. "We'll know when we get there."
Vampirepaw blinked. Was he with the crowd of Thunderclan? But, it's such a big mass of cats. How could this many cats be driven away without a trace?
"Hey! You should turn back- The clans will welcome you!" Vampirepaw yowled into the crowd, but yet nobody answered. Nobody even looked at him. A big, burly tom with a white pelt shoved past him like he wasn't there, then he realized; he wasn't there.
Vampirepaw's having a vision of the past.
So, what Fangriver said was true… Vampirepaw thought, his gaze shifting over the entirety of a driven away, fear-sodden clan; banished away by a force greater than Starclan itself.
But… what could be greater than Starclan…?
