Rainshines ear picked up on the harsh elements in the kits conversation, was her kits doing that? Rainshine herded her kits together, Ebonykit, Silentkit, and Elkkit. They all complained but the queen insisted it was extremely important to the fate of the clan after that, they shut up. The fate of the clan, It was in a way true if a battle was coming the clan had to work as one head. Soon the kits bickering faded and the new apprentices seemed to be watching closely, but Rainshine didn't care the Had to hear this too. Rainshine signalled for them to come in, Clearpaw did, Violetkit stumbled in with slight caution, Spiritpaw and Freepaw watched from the doorway.
"You all know Feathersong, the answers yes," Rainshine began, Silentkit turned away and Clearpaw looked a little guilty. Spiritpaw shot the queen a scowl
"No! you should be ashamed of the way you treat her" Rainshine yowled not much that a whisper, a nasty glare fallowed.
"But- she m-" Spiritpaw retorted, Silentkit gave an awful signal that Rainshine didn't want to know what it meant.
"I'm not taking none of the... she made mother cry, that's awful to treat someone like that. All because they were going through a massive break down, she lost her family, she had to share and awful truth no kit should have been kept from." Rainshines look hardened and Silentkit slumped but Spiritpaw held her scowl.
" Your mother may be holding off on telling you this but I won't, she's family and a clanmate that's being blamed for when her emotions took control." Rainshine voice cracked with sympathy and Ebonykit took over.
" Yeah, guys what in starclan do you think you are the great defenders of the mom? No, more like bullies of the hurt" Ebonykit yowl truth and honesty honoured her tone.
"I used to look up to you, but now I see I put my faith in the wrong place, I'll make sure never to make that mistake again..." Ebonykit cracked as she shoved past Silvermists kits, Elkkit fallowed his sister and Silentkit remained in a daze.
Rainshine had finished her lecture and the kits or rather apprentices left, Silentkit was slouched and pouting while Ebonykit ran off all while Elkkit sat scuffling his paws and repetitively apologized. In a way, Rainshine really wanted to know what Silvermists kits were thinking, but no way she could read their minds. If Silvermist caught hold of her talk, how would she react, Rainshine didn't want to find out. Around sun high unexpected news struck camp...
"Pebblestar has passed, her deputy too, her mate as well, and the clans eldest medicine cat Brightpetal" A slightly familiar voice rang out, Limpthistle of Stoneclan was entering camp with so newer faces behind them.
"they were attacked by foxes and famine has struck the land they live on" A new voice mewed, and big blue tom with a swift and fluent accent.
"We have nowhere left to go and rather them going to Nightclan..." Rootberry growled, although a medicine cat he seemed to favour the four clans rather hen Nightstar's unfortunate group of traitors. Not all the cats were bad of course, just misguided. "We rather join sunclan and fight alongside you"Rootberry studdered on the last word, his nervous emotions seemed to darken his voice.
"I'm not one to turn away cats in need... you may join, and your apprentices are more than welcome to share mentors in the clan" Risestar announced.
Sure enough, the Apprentice den was crowded, the surviving apprentices were... Sweetpaw, Juniperpaw, Robinpaw, Ashpaw and Mintpaw. Some of the apprentices didn't seem to enjoy the company, Clearpaw, however, seemed to really enjoy it he talked with the newcomers and even showed off the skills he was learning in the time he was apprenticed. The Stoneclan apprentices were 8/9 moons in age while Silvermists kits were 7 moons old.
It soon became clear though one was a bit of a bully, Robinkit, however, he seemed nicer to the sunclan cats. Silentkit might have it harder with him around. However, the tom seemed to be apologizing exactly to Sweetpaw who barred a banged up jaw, her words where always slurred and slow in a way. Apparently there had been another cat who was rude as well, Greypaw, however, she seemed to have died or gotten misplaced when the coyotes attacked. All that was left was a huger lump of fur a chunk of flank, possible what was an eye and her ear. However, the cat herself wasn't found...
After Graypaw and Petalpaw's death, Robinpaw understood the means of bravery and what was plan cold...
New warrior also crowded the den, Windcatcher, and Dreamleap. Silvergaze, however, was now in the elder's den, Limpthistle stayed there too, Limpthistle however still was a young and regal cat. More space was in the elder's den that's the only reason he stayed there while also mentoring Juniperpaw.
Later that night more apprentices switched around, they stood on vigil. Shybreeze took on Sweetpaw and Windcatcher insisted on keeping both his apprentices, Mintpaw and Ashpaw. Dreamleap kept Robinpaw, and Limpthistle kept Juniperpaw.
Spiritpaw carried a large ball of moss dripping with water. She noticed Rainshine up ahead, Spiritpaw raised her head and stalked past the she-cat. She still didn't believe that Rainshine had the permission to give her and her siblings a talking to about Feathersong. It wasn't any of her bussiness. Suddenly Spiritpaw ran into something and looked up to see her mother staring down at her, the new deputy. Taloncall had kept his word and retired to a warrior and let Silvermist take second in command of the clan. Spiritpaw dropped the moss and looked down at her paws, she had gotten the water on her mother. But instead of scolding her kit, Silvermist spoke calmly.
"Whats wrong?"
Spiritpaw jerked her head back up, "Huh?"
"Whats wrong? You have been grumbling since battle training and that's your faviorte. What's the problem?"
"Its just...just..."
Silvermist leaned forward, ears perked.
"Rainshine can't mind her own flea-ridden business!" Spiritpaw exploded. "All of us were talking about Feathersong and then Rainshine comes over and tells us to knock it off. She starts telling us how we should respect Feathersong because she has a hard life. And she doesn't have any friends and she is just so desperate for everything! Even you don't want to be friends with her!"
Then Spiritpaw remembered who she was and who she was talking to. She glanced up at her mother. Silvermist's eyes hardened and her ears flattened against her head.
"Rainshine said all that?"
Spiritpaw gave a short nod, still crouched down. Silvermist growled and stalked over to Rainshine. Spiritpaw watched then talk, only catching snippets of their conversation.
"You told my kits WHAT?"
"No, No, No," Rainshine tried to explain, "What I said was."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Feathersong?"
"No."
Spiritpaw wanted to hear more but didn't want to risk creeping closer. Then Silvermist whirled around, anger sparked her gaze. Spiritpaw quickly ran away finding her brother and sisters who were by the fresh-kill pile. She ran up to them.
"Spiritpaw?"
"Whats wrong?"
"What did you do this time? And will I have to lie to Risestar about it?"
"Mother is on a rampage! She is so angry!" Spiritpaw gasped.
The apprentices immeditly stood up.
"W...what? Why?" Freepaw asked.
"Because I may have lied about what Rainshine told us!"
"Spiritpaw!" they called in unsion.
"We need to escape until mother cools off! Lets go!" Spiritpaw started running away when she ran smack into Silvermist.
Spiritpaw backed up, "Oops..."
Then the situation got worse as Wolfshade joined them, disapproval glinted in his eyes. Spiritpaw and the rest of the apprentices crouched down, waiting for what was about to come next.
Silvermist was passing and yelling and screaming and thrashing until Rainshine finally reached her limits.
"You know I can be angry too!" Rainshine shouted it was a heart lurching angry that seemed to growl up from a bottle off pooled emotions.
"Why do you! You said I didn't want to be Feathersongs friend! You also can't seem to let me do my job as a mother If I cared I would intervene!" Silvermist hissed.
"Then why didn't you?" Rainshine added calmly, Silvermist seemed taken aback by how Rainshine had swung her mood level down so low.
"That's not my fault", Silvermist shrieked "Actually it is, there your kits" Rainshine mewed, "Well if there my kits then let me lecture them!"
"I've tried and I watched as Feathersong covered her eyes from all the harsh names and their idea of portraying her... It's just cruel." Rainshine added
"Plus not that I want them in more trouble I never said you didn't want to be Feathersongs friend, I just wanted some respect for a clearly lost she-cat" Rainshine spoke her works not louder than her breath.
"The-They l-lied to me?" Silvermist mewed a voice that quivered with a slight wave of anger, and maybe even fear was tangled in that ball of emotion. Rainshine hesitated but she nodded.
"Don't punish them too harshly... I can't say for certain who was being ruder, but what I do know if Clearpaw was understanding, Violetkit didn't act out either though, Freepaw Bystanded and umm... spir- nevermind I'd rather not say, I've yet to deal with Silentkit but she's my problem." Rainshine mewed her voice more steady.
"Oh, there going to get it..." Silvermist hissed her eye were hungry with anger.
"Do me a favour, try to breath" Rainshine mewed in a sweet and comforting way.
Silvermist stalked out of the den. Rainshine sighed as she watched Silvermist scour camp looking for her kits. Rainshine went off to look for Silentkit to make sure she wasn't still feudally mad. Then Elkkit, she didn't know what to do about him. In a separate piece of mind, she was still proud of her kittens and Silvermist's in fact, they stood for what they believed in whether it was for better or worse. The she-cat was also hoping that the new apprentices would give Feathersong an easier time.
Elkkit rolled on her back and tossed her moss ball inbetween her claws trying not sigh. She was bored, after Silvermist's kits became apprentices she didn't have anyone to play with. Ebonykit was always talking to another cat or being goody-two shoes, Silentkit was well silent. Elkkit loved her sister and all but it was hard to play with a mute kit. Emberblaze was always doing something else preparing for upcoming battles and stuff, and Rainshine was too busy cleaning and getting fit to be a warrior again. A shadow fell of Elkkit.
Speak of the clans
It was Rainshine. Elkkit bounced up.
Maybe mother wants to play with me!
"Have you seen Silentkit?"
Elkkit lowered her ears, "Yeah, she is over by Feathereyes."
Rainshine nodded her thanks and padded over to her mute daughter. Elkkit gave a sigh. Maybe Clearpaw, Violetpaw, Freepaw, or Spiritpaw could play! She bounced to her paws and searched for them then found them with Silvermist. She was about to go over there when she noticed the apprentices croauched down in submission and Wolfshade and Silvermist softly growling to them. Elkkit quickly turned around.
Cloverpaw walked alongside her mentor, Lifeleap, she watched as he broke off and went to chat with Feathereyes and Rootberry. Cloverpaw looked around, her brother seemed busy with Skyfoots teachings, Wolfshade hadn't contributed much to the training, he didn't seem to want to teach a traumatized tom.
"Hi I'm Cloverpaw" Cloverpaw introduced herself to the new apprenticed
"I'm Robinpaw and over there's my brother Juniperpaw," The tom said with a charming smile.
"And I'm Ashpaw there's Mintkit, my brother, then somewhere around here is Sweetpaw..." Ashpaw mew pushing himself in front of Robinpaw
"GET YOUR LAZY BOTTOM OVER HERE ASHPAW!" Windcatcher yelled in a Kind yet teasing tone, Ashpaw shrugged but then scurried to his mentor
"Yeah, we're definitely crazy hey?" Robinpaw mewed
"A little bit..." Cloverpaw admitted honestly.
"Yeah, were clearly loud to, you camp is so... quiet" Robinpaw mewed
"Yeah I guess, but where I came from none of my family talked, they only signed," Clover told the newcomer.
"Huh, I don't know how you survived that..." Robinpaw sighed as he stretched himself out.
"Well I probably should be catching up on what Dreamleap has planned to teach" Robinpaw added, he said farewell then padded off to find his mentor.
Then yet again Cloverpaw was alone, she walked off looking for someone, and soon she found a rather board Elkkit.
"Hey Elkkit, what you doing," Cloverpaw asked as she saw the little She-kit hanging upside down on a flat stone rising from the ground.
"Nothing and that's the problem, and who are you anyway..." Elkkit asked in a harshly honest way
"I was a kit rescued by your mother, my brother taught Slilentkit to sign, and I've always watched you guys play when I was in the nursey." Cloverpaw answered.
"I'm sorry but I don't remember you too well, Ebonykit might" Elkkit mewed.
"That's alright, after all where the shadowed pair" Cloverpaw mumbled.
"Sorry if I was to blunt" Elkkit apologized
"No, it's fine, now how about we do a bit of play since I'm on a break," Cloverpaw assured
"Alright what should we play?" Elkkit asked,
"How about who can get the most points hunting"Colverpaw replied
"How do I do that?"
"Don't worry I'll show you, and Rabbits are ten points while mice and other are worth five... and a hawk well that'll be game over if you catch it" Cloverpaw explained
"And borders?" Elkkit added
"Within the camp," Cloverpaw assured, then the two played for a while, and Cloverpaw snuck in some constructive tips and lessons.
Rainshine had gone to Silentkit who had refused to sign and she was having trouble getting her disappointed daughter to say (sign) anything. She waited a long time, her patience never grew thin.
Violetpaw watched the arguing with wide eyes.
Spiritkit acted like she couldn't care less but there was a hint of something in her eyes. Hurt? Offence? Pity?
She was going to apologise to Feathersong, but if the others weren't, Violetpaw didn't intend on doing so. Who cared about Feathersong and her 'tragic' past? She could go and chew a rock for all she cared. Feathersong still frequently upset her mother and always had such a self-pitying act.
Violetpaw did feel mean but she would not go up to her and say sorry.
Silentkit raised her head, noticing Rainshine still sitting there. It was a waiting game but eventually, Silentkit had to give up and sign. Though it was only to make her mother go away.
'What is it?" She managed to sign. She felt a bit of triumph as she did it with no mistakes. Then she remembered who she was talking to and the triumph left instantly.
"Why do you dislike Feathersong" Rainshine got straight to the point.
Silentkit didn't need words to explain her feelings. Her averted gaze said it all. She didn't want to talk about it.
Yes, she wanted to forgive the tabby, but she had hurt her. She had been so pleased to see her, and again, she got pushed away.
Rainshine was looking at her, waiting for an answer.
'I don't.' Silentkit lied.
Rainshine gave a small eye roll. "Yes, you do. I have seen the way you look at her."
It wasn't any of her business! 'I do!' She hastily signed and walked off. She wasn't going to say anything about it. She sat somewhere else, still trying to avoid Feathersong but not make it painfully obvious.
Feathersong had heard everything going on with the apprentices. She had no clue how to feel about it all. Embarrassed? Annoyed? Upset? Maybe a mix of all three.
She was aware of the glances shot at her from Violetpaw and the others. They didn't seem particularly apologetic, yet they weren't seething with hatred.
She looked over at Silentkit, who sat at the opposite end of the cave, not meeting her gaze. Why didn't Silentkit like her? She decided to ask later.
Rainshine sighed, she didn't want to cause any drama but she had. She felt so bad the past few days, she was a whole other point of drama, that was the problem with keeping feelings bottled up, eventually on a little thing, they break loose and then you look emotionally incapable. The calico she-cat kinda had lost the relation of her and Silentkit, she never wanted that to happen she just wanted her kits to play fair. But this world isn't fair. Rainshine wallowed but as other cats apprentices walked by she would force a very believable smile or force a weak smile of forgiveness and for Silvermist a thankyou shot through the She-cats sorrowful eyes.
By the time Feathersong walked by, there was nothing she could force, she didn't have the strength. She hoped that the she-cat says the sorry in her watery eye. The she-cat turned away and Rainshine's pelt grew hot with shame. Emberblaze curled up by his mate.
"It'll be okay" He whispered
"Thankyou" Rainshine replied her voice crackling from a sob. If she had said more she knew she you cry. When on emotion was pushed is was hard to put that cap on the bottle.
Feathersong was watching Rainshine. She knew a mask and could sense the cracks forming. Rainshine somehow kept it together, something Feathersong admired in the calico. What Rainshine had been through, the tabby was clueless, but she was curious. She watched her brother curl up around her tighter, tears in her eyes as she thought of how she and Dappledleaf used to do that.
She got up and headed out of the cave. It was a cloudy night, only the brightest stars shining through the clouds. A strong wind buffeted her fur, yet the tabby didn't care. She just sat there, alone, deep in thought.
The bond between Mother and Daughter always seems unbreakable. Holding firm through whatever, keeping strong together.
Silentkit didn't believe that. Her mother and herself had drifted apart and without meaning to, Silentkit built up a wall. She didn't intend to let it down any time soon.
Her Father. Their bond was..not strong but they liked each other and Silentkit loved him.
Watching them curl up together, something in her heart broke. They trusted each other and loved each other forever. Silentkit had never curled up like that with anyone and she probably wouldn't.
Mother had tried to make everything better but they just continued to drift apart. Silentkit was stuck on a raft, floating out into the sea, fading into the mist. Fading out of their lives.
Sometimes, Silentkit almost understood how Feathersong felt. She sometimes felt like the odd one out. The mute one who couldn't play. The one who was losing her Mother.
She watched Feathersong. She was watching them as well, stiffened and rigid. She seemed to not be moving, lost in some sort of daydream. Then, without a warning, she headed out and into the windy night. Silentkit resisted the urge to follow her and just stared at the floor. Trying to push down the sorrows rising up in her chest.
She was fighting a battle with her tears-and losing.
The moon had risen and Risestar Lunged up at a big rock to address the clan. The toms ginger fur swished with the impact of his feet hitting the rock. The tom tripped slightly and regained his balance before he fell off. Taloncall stood by his brother as deputy though he held his head low under the glare of his clanmate. Risestar thrust his bothers head up with his tail and then he went to speak.
" Hello my dear clan, as you should probably already heard, Taloncall is stepping down from his position as deputy... but one problem with that is my next choice hasn't had one apprentice already trained. As this is one rule of the code we kept I will wait until that apprentice is a warrior, and then that warrior will take there position as deputy." A slight cheer rippled from the crowd of cats as Taloncall dropped his head. This announcement turned more into public shaming.
"I don't know why your cheering, and I don't know why my brother has chosen to step down he has been an excellent deputy to me, but if he must..." Risestar called out on the gathering, he turned his head at the brown deputy tom who had suffered more loss than gain. He turned his head to Silvermist who looked almost embarrassed. Taloncall had gone to great lengths for this she-cat, and each day grew with more weight as he saw his fate. he would be lonely forever...
"Now that I've embarrassed my deputy, let get on with the bigger announcement." Risestar chirped.
"Ebonykit steps forward, I will quite enjoy seeing your training progress, you have a small burning fire that once kindled could probably take the forest on like wildfire. I hope you came a control that fire of ambitions, you have strong power in you, I wish you well on your training" Risestar announced, he stepped forward and touched Ebonykit. Then the little kit asked meekly.
"Who will be my mentor?" Some cats in the clearing giggled, they knew something Ebony didn't
"From this moment forward your name will be Ebonypaw until you take your warrior name, your mentor will be..." Risestar looked down at the kit, excitement glazed his eyes and then...
"Your mentor will be Risestar" Taloncall announced, Risestar looked down at Ebonypaw who looked just as excited as the young leader. The two looked at each other, then Ebonypaw cleared off the rock, her face blushed from her silly question that gained a laugh from the clan.
" Elkkit step forward, you have a playful personality and I hope you understand that not all the time is playtime, I also hope your mentor will show you discipline and keep you in control" Risestar paused and signalled at the kits new mentor to step up.
" From now until your final name is given, you will be called Elkpaw, and your mentor will be Wolfshade, may he pass all his knowledge down to you" Risestar announced. The two bowed and then cleared off. Next was Silentkit, Shadowpaw followed behind her.
"Silentkit." Risestar addressed, the kit nodded.
" I hear you want to follow the path of a medic" Risestar chimed. The she-cat nodded.
"Very well, from now until you receive your name as a medicine cat you'll be referred to as Silentpaw your mentor will be Rootberry. Shadowpaw has taken his spare time to teach Rootberry the sign you use, you'll pursue the language along with medicine cat duties." Risestar called. Silentpaw and Shadowpaw nodded. the two apprentices walked off and Shadowpaw congratulated Silentpaw.
"I'm so glad Rootberry was able to take you in, Feathereyes was stressing, she wanted to mentor you but she couldn't see the signs," Shadowpaw explained, he spoke sweetly of the she-cat, most of the clan knew he thought of her as a motherly figure even is she hadn't even nursed him. The time they spent in the medicine den they had bonded.
"I know I'm glad too Rutberry was a good fixed" Silentpaw signed.
"Sorry, I never learned the sings for some word. there close enough though..." Shadowpaw apologized.
"It ok and thankyou" Silentpaw signed, she uses the family way of signing thankyou.
"You thanked me in the family way" Shadowpaw smiled.
"I am comfort-ed in do so" Silentpaw seemed to fumble on the signs but Shadowpaw only smiled, his face felt hot, was he blushing? If he was his face was probably redder then a Cardinal feather... Silentpaw smiled back kindly. The three new apprentices stood on the vigil, Shadowpaw did as well, he stayed to keep them company.
The Night was warmer, Summer was getting close. Soon food would become easier to come by.
Cleaning the elder's den for quarter moon!
Spiritpaw threw the moss outside of the den. After Silvermist had given them all a stern talking to, it was clear that it was Spiritpaw's fault.
I'd do it again in a heartbeat! Spiritpaw growled. No one understood, not even her own litter mates that she had done it for her mother. Spiritpaw was just trying to save her mother from being friends with a cat that only cared about herself and others. Spiritpaw gave a other growl and tossed another stinking piece of bedding out.
"Woah!"
Spiritpaw looked up and saw her father jump aside, narrowly getting hit.
"Oh, have you come to yell at me too?" Spiritpaw snapped.
Wolfshade shook his broad head, "No, I came to help you."
He joined her, clawing at the nest.
"Why?" Spiritpaw asked. "Don't you have an apprentice to train?"
"I'm letting him take a quick break."
"Oh."
They worked in silence before Wolfshade spoke.
"You're your mother's daughter alright."
Spiritpaw looked up at him in surprise, "What do you mean?"
"She was always rude and fierce. One time she was told by Breezestar, the leader before Risestar, to clean out the elder's den. She refused, she said that the elders could do it themselves. Breezestar made her do it, but Silvermist put mousebile in the moss. She got caught and was stuck in camp for a whole moon," Wolfshade chuckled at the memory.
Spiritpaw shifted her paws, she got in trouble but only for a quarter moon, her mother was in trouble for a whole moon. Now she felt selfish. Wolfshade bent down and lick his daughter on the head. Then left. Spiritpaw sighed and went back to cleaning.
I can't believe it! Silentkit-Silentpaw!- was just about to run straight to Feathersong, when she remembered. Feathersong wouldn't care! She didn't even watch the ceremony, claiming to be going out to hunt.
That dampened her joy, but not too much.
She trailed after Rootberry, quickly losing her shyness. She was going to be a medicine cat!
Feathersong couldn't watch the ceremony. It hurt too much to be reminded even more. So she just left, alone, sitting in a meadow not far from the cave. Tall grass, higher than herself, rose into the air as flowers blossomed on the ground.
It was beautiful, but she longed to return home to her cliff. Was this cave their home? She just had to see her cliff again. She set off at a brisk pace, breaking into a gallop.
She allowed herself to feel the simple pleasure of running. The wind in her face, brushing back her sleek silver pelt. The speed as she raced through different biomes: woodland, meadows, lakes. They were rather far, but Feathersong found her way.
Yes, she would stay for the sunset, but she would go back.
Rootberry looked down as his new apprentice... he wasn't sure how to act, was he even ready for an apprentice? He had to be. For his clan and his mentor who lost her life during the battle with a pack of coyotes. The tom looked down at the she-cat, his sudden burst of nerves had melted away like morning dew. Rootberry spent most of the time sorting herbs and teaching Silentkit every name. They re-organized the herbs and wrapped them in Ivy leaves.
"What's the name of this herb?" Rootberry held up a thin spiky plant.
"Is it, Horsetail..." Silentpaw aked then "no it's Fennel, It helps with hip pains" Silentpaw corrected herself
"Correct" Rootberry mewed reaching for two Items, a herb and a stick.
"When combined what does this make, take your best guess since I haven't told you yet" Rootberry stretched himself out
" Um... a stick that more powerful for a queen to bite on?" Silentpaw guessed.
"It helps brace a broken limb when the bindweed wraps around the stick. Binds the wound hence its name" Rootberry smiled and got another herb.
"What's this?" Rootberry asked holding up a bunch of Parsley.
"I believe it's parsley, it's soothing belly achs and stops a queens milk production. I enjoy the smell quite a bit, it's a difficult scent to enjoy by some cats but I enjoy the rather sharp scent" Shadowpaw explained as he limped into the den.
"Why you here?" Silentpaw signed.
"Dropping what I caught off to you guys" Shadowpaw announced with a charming smile. The scarred black tom dropped a Large rabbit and two groundhogs at the entrance, Shadowpaw picked the rabbit back up and carried it to Feathereyes who smiled but rushed him away.
"Enjoying training so far?" Shadowpaw asked his eyes glimmered with interest. Silentpaw nodded.
"Thank you" She signed.
'How is your training going?" Silentpaw asked as Rootberry sorted out a herb that she hadn't yet learnt.
"Good." Shadowpaw replies.
The two conversed in small talk until Rootberry wished to continue training.
"I had better leave anyway." Shadowpaw bade them both farewell and returned to his own mentor.
Silentpaw worked for some time, the sun slowly setting as she worked and learnt for the whole day. Eventually, Rootberry let her go and she left the den for a bit.
What was she to do? Silvermist's kittens were showing the others how to do something and the new apprentices were also there and teaching them StoneClan moves.
They were already like a big bunch of friends. And Silentpaw wasn't part of their bunch.
Shadowpaw worked alongside his mentor as he watched Silentpaw on the sidelines. Skyfoot had clearly been holding back some of the training. Shadowpaw hated looking the way he did, just because he had a disability didn't mean he wasn't strong as everyone else. He was strong if not stronger. The training continued a little bit more until Skyfoot made Shadowpaw take a break, he would always stop at the killing points, it was so anti-climactic.
Shadowpaw made his way over to Silentpaw who was excused from training a few moments previously. He limped his way over and Slentpaw seemed to snap out of a daze.
"Hey you, how it going," Shadowpaw asked in his shaky deep voice. The tom had some damage to his windpipes and his voice was shaky because of it.
"I'm alright, how 'bout you, how's training" Silentpaw signed kinda lazily.
"Ehhh, training could be better, he always makes me take little breaks and I never get pushed past my limits" Shadowpaw explained to the calico she-cat
"That's with every apprentice Is not it?" Silentpaw asked messing a few of the signs up.
"I don't think so, at least not my sister's training she closes every night" Shadowpaw signed as his mentor walked past.
"I wonder what she's doing?" Shadowpaw asked in a warm tone for the lovely she-cat
Clover laid out a mouse quick and stealthily, soon her new prey arrived. The eagle swooped down once and then twice, Clover swiped at the preditor two times. The eagle backed off for only a few minutes. Then it returned, Clover was startled by its sudden reappearance, The bird attacked the little She-cat, the bird's talons gouged into her body. The Apprentice laid on her side as the eagle collected the mouse, it clearly though the cat was dead.
The eagle was wrong, The she-cat lept at the opportunity as the birds back was turned. She dived forward and pinned the eagle. Cloverpaw slashed the bird's belly, one of the moves her mentor had taught her. Once she laid the attack blood splattered all over her, and in moments the bird was still. The killer was killed.
" Very well, clover, you'll make a great ... warrior someday" her mentor Lifeleap looked at her prey with admiration in his eyes, the tom limped over to the apprentice prey.
"Thank's Lfeleap" Clover bowed to her mentor.
"Your a very relentless cat, even though you were covered in deep claw marks you still fought, I admire that," Lifeleap told the she-cat.
"Now let work on some more lethal move to use in battle," Lifeleap told Cloverpaw, she nodded.
"And remember, Your mentor knows best, even if it isn't the quote "good" side" Lifeleap mewed, Cloverpaw murmured and agreement.
Clovertrainied long long hours, then finally when the sun had set, Clover was able to rest, for a few hours. Sometime later Lifeleap woke her up and brought her out for Night vision training, and night hunting. They met up with some Nightclan cats and they all hunted and were rather friendly, how where the ever portrayed as the "evil" clan? Cloverpaw bonded with one of there apprentices, they were somewhat older. But age didn't seem to matter, Rublepaw treated her like an equal. Even Nightstar was friendly, was her clan the unfair one? The had to be! No way evil cats were this nice...
Feathersong returned as the stars came out, thounsands of them in clusters as they were rather far from the twolegs. She had to get back, however.
She had placed down sticks a few times along the way there, in case she got lost, so she found her way back easily.
Silentpaw and Shadowpaw were conversing, the other apprentices were playing, but Cloverpaw wasn't yet with them. She couldn't find her mentor either and assumed that she was hunting.
She glanced around at the others, not surprised at their disinterest at her returning. It had become the norm: leaving and not coming back until dark. Pufffrost was with Wolfshade, though he grinned at her when their eyes met. Feathersong returned his grin with a smaller smile.
Emberblaze was alone as Rainshine was sitting a few ways off with Taloncall. She, hesitantly, made her way towards him. They had grown apart and she wasn't sure why she had chosen to go to him/ Though it wasn't like she could find just about anyone and strike up a conversation. Silvermist was sitting alone, but were they friends? Feathersong was still confused over what she had said. Couldn't she have two friends?
It had to just be an excuse. She must've gotten fed up of her pitiful nature. Feathersong managed to mask her emotions, leaving them looking wary and unsure about talking to her kin. Well, even if he wasn't blood, she loved him more than she loved her real mother, even if they didn't have much of a relationship anymore.
"Hey." Feathersong took a deep breath and spoke, her gaze not quite meeting his eyes.
"Oh, hello." Emberblaze seemed surprised to see her, but gave a grin, "Why are you here?"
You only come and see me because you're lonely. Silvermist's words echoed in her head. It was true. She only came to others because she needed someone to talk to her and distract herself from thinking. But still, she couldn't rely on others to cure her loneliness. She couldn't use others to cure her loneliness.
"It's..nothing. I'll go." Feathersong hastily made to leave but he called her back. "I'm sure that it's not nothing. You never come over to me." There was a hint of sorrow in his voice, but it was well hidden. "I've missed talking to you."
Feathersong stopped, turning back around. He was obviously waiting for her to return the words, say how she also missed him. But she didn't. She missed Dappledleaf.
"Soo..What's it like, being a father?" She tried not to notice the hurt in his eyes as she changed the subject.
He allowed the switch, following this new topic. "Good. All three are the best kits a father could have."
The talk petered, out after a while, into uncomfortable silence.
"Bye. Nice talking." Feathersong lied, turning away. Everything was awkward and she disliked talking to him. She felt bad, as he was her last, sort of, relative.
Did this all mean that they were no longer kin? Had Feathersong drifted apart from her last family member?
Rainshine watched as Feathersong turned and left, towards her cliff of course. Deep in the calico she-cats thoughts, she wondered if the cliff had a name. Rainshine knew Feathersong had her life tough but didn't she realize there were more cats then she thought were there to help. Rainshine looked over as some apprentices came into camp, Robinpaw, Juniperpaw, Mintpaw, Ashpaw and Sweetpaw trailed after them, her fur was drenched in water.
Robinpaw looked about the camp, it was feeling more like camp. The tom missed his friend Graypaw but she was gone... and what she had done to Sweetpaw was cruel. Robinpaw didn't even want to know how the horrible she-cat would have treated Silentpaw, she was a bully. Robinpaw was to, but he was lead to an understanding through the apprenticeship under Windcatchers wing. Robinpaw glanced around, his paws were a little heavy from training.
The cat made their way to the apprentice's den and soon soft snores arose from the trainee's den.
Colverpaws was enjoying the hard training, Power wasn't ever something the she-cat wanted but once she had power and respect it was hard to let it go. Rublepaw and Clover battled each other for quite some time, and before Cloverpaw even realized it she was fighting on Skyclan territory. Lifeleap cheered and Nightstar encouraged the battle. It was a blood bath. Blood was thrown and was flying everywhere, Clover was covered in deep wounds but she still held up the fight. So did Rublepaw. Tumblepaw had joined in, as did Toothepaw and Puddlepaw, Puddlepaw fought alongside Cloverpaw. But soon even Cloverpaw turned against her allies. Claws were always unsheathed.
Lifeleap and Nightstar praised the young cat, soon the other apprentices limped off to be treated by the medicine cats, Hivecloud and Marsh splotch. Cloverpaw pinned Rublepaw down, he thrashed and twisted, Clover dived for the killing bite and then... Licked the tom on the nose and helped him to his feet. Both the cats were stained red.
"Very good you to" Nightstar purred indeed.
"I'm very proud of your progress," Lifeleap told Cloverpaw
"As am I, " Sheepstorm told Rublepaw.
The Sunclan cats left Nightclan, both were covered in blood.
"Wash off in the water then roll in the mud, after that rub yourself in the ferns, it Sunclan knew what we did Nightclan would have a storm of cats at there border" Lifeleap explained to Cloverpaw, Clover nodded and went and did just as Lifeleap said.
"Wash off the mud" Lifeleap instructed, Cloverpaw did so.
"Ok, our story is we got caught by a hawk during an attack, alright"
"Yup," Cloverpaw replied to her mentor
"If they ask that is, if they don't keep quiet" Lifeleap reminded. Cloverpaw nodded and the two, headed back for camp at dawn, Cloverpaw was lucky and slept in. She had so much fun in her training session.
The cliff had no name. It was normally 'The Cliff' or sometimes 'Feathersong's Cliff'. It didn't seem right to name something that had lived longer than she had. It was the only thing she truly trusted now and she didn't want to name it anything apart from what it was.
She stayed here for the night, leaving the cats in the cliff. It was funny how the times when she felt the most lonely were in a crowd. Out here, alone with only stars for company, she could be herself and break free from her pitiful, pathetic little shell.
She could cry freely, let it all out, or just listen to the rustling of the grass, the occasional owl swooping past the moon.
Emberblaze watched Feathersong go. Something was bothering her. He padded over to Pufffrost, who had paused his conversation with Wolfshade, who headed over to Silvermist.
"Do you know what is wrong with Feathersong?" He asked the tom curiously. Pufffrost knew Feathersong far better than anyone else in this clan, even more than Silvermist and himself. If he didn't know, nobody would.
Feathersong was just arriving up her cliff when she noticed a cat coming up. She froze, watching, crouched behind a bush.
It looked to be a she-cat, pregnant as well. She couldn't really see what it looked like, but the belly was obvious.
It seemed to hesitate, before taking a flying leap off of the cliff.
Feathersong watched, surprised. Was this cat trying to kill herself, and the unborn kits?
Surprisingly, she somehow got inside of a cave in the cliff. Then the world returned to normal, like that had never happened.
Still confused, Feathersong stayed there, her heart pounding. Who was it? Why did she do that? Did she live in that cave?
After a while, the tabby got up, plucking branches from her fur, before sitting at her usual spot. She scanned the stars again, ever hopeful. Her 'mother' was not there, nor was her 'sister'. Right now, all she wanted was Dappledleaf. To see her calico pelt, the oddly bent tail tip, the amber eyes that was brighter than hers and Emberblaze's.
Only one thought passed through her mind that night:
If only Dappledleaf was still alive...
More and more training continued between Cloverpaw, Rublepaw, and other Nightclan apprentices. Clover had taken them all down, her training was paying off. In seconds she could pin a full-grown warrior. Clover had even at one point taken life from Nightstar, the battle got too intense and she ended it. Hivecloud jumped in to treat the semi-dead leader, Clover repetitively apologized. When Nightstar was better, Cloverpaw expected punishment but Nightstar only praised the apprentice. Cloverpaw was a little confused but accepted the compliment nonetheless.
"You become very good" Lifeleap sounded pleased.
"Yeah, thanks" Clover mewed.
" I believe you're becoming the best out of all five clans, and by far your the best in Sunclan" Lifeleap purred
"You're in sunclan too!" Cloverpaw argued. The tom nodded solemnly before adding
"I'm becoming old and frail my body isn't as flexible as it used to be" Her mentor sighed, Cloverpaw nodded in understanding
The training was going on, more and more. Cloverpaw was beginning to realize all the scars she had caused, Every apprentice in Nightclan had scars from her, they had marked her victory. Even Rublepaw had a fair share of scars caused by the Sunclan apprentice. Clover herself had scars as well, but they were minimal and more like skin imperfection and nicks. Her biggest scar was from the Egle she fought on her first lesson, large gouges were left on her back. It looked as if she was melting from her back down like a candle.
Cloverpaw had been given many compliments from the Nightclan apprentices about her apperance, Sunclan, however, looked at her was sympathetic eyes. The clan thought it was an accident and a large weigh of trauma, but really it had marked the struggle of her victory. Clover cherished her scars, everyone held a memory of her progress, how she had gone from a parentless kit to a respected apprentice. Even the cats of Sunclan seemed to cower in her presence.
In a way, she disliked her bulky apperance, and the muscles she barred. Even Wolfshade was small against Clover.
Silentpaw worked hard with her mentor, sorting herbs, naming herbs, even watching and helping to heal basic wounds. It was fun but she was pleased when she could finally leave.
Her sisters were showing each other what they learnt and Silentpaw came over to watch, trying to shake off her loneliness.
"I can do this!" Elkpaw reared up, slashing an invisible enemy with her forepaws.
Ebonypaw looked mildly impressed. She glanced over, aware of the calico's sudden appearance.
"Hi, Silentpaw." She greeted her kin, warmly.
Silentpaw dipped her head, waiting for them to continue. She enjoyed watching what they learnt.