A hawk flew over head, a pair of yellow-green eyes watching it pass under some shrubbery. Thornpaw kept her tail tucked close, keeping her eyes on the sky for signs of any other hawk as the one from before flew farther over the gorge. The bodies of three rabbits she had already successfully caught were farther inside the shrub.
In the distance she saw Willowclaw, the tom huddled in a nearby shrub and eyeing the sky nervously. There was a patch of brown fur behind him, the knot rabbit he successfully caught. Thornpaw looked to the skies and saw them clear, her eyes straining for noise before she flicked her tail to get Willowclaw's attention. Silently she nodded to the pale gray tom and grabbed her rabbits, dragging them along the ground as she slowly went from shrub to shrub to get closer to Hill Clan territory and closer to home.
A sudden shriek behind her made her drop her kills. and she flipped around to see Willowclaw, a hawk having landed on him and trying to make off with him. Blood was already flying as both cat and raptor screeched at each other and with a thundering heart Thornpaw pounced on the hawk, biting onto its head and dragging her claws along its stomach rapidly.
She fell to the ground with labored breathing, getting up and spitting out feathers to assess the damage.
Willowclaw wasn't breathing, large gashes along his side and a puddle of blood forming around him. The hawk was giving weak cries, trying to crawl away from the two cats. Thornpaw took a deep breath and went over to the hawk, biting into the back of its neck to end its life.
Returning to camp was extremely difficult. Thornpaw had hid Willowclaw' body in a shrub and hid the four rabbits and the hawk in a hole under a large boulder, kicking some dirt to hopefully hide them from any Sun Clan cats. It took her hours to drag the larger warrior deeper into Hill Clan territory and when a patrol found her she could have cried with joy. Two of the cats had gone to get the prey, and the rest of the patrol helped her get Willowclaw back to camp.
The camp buzzed with the news, warriors pressing their noses to Willowclaw's fur in mourning and others talking about what had happened. Thornpaw was laying in the shade of one of the jagged rocks, panting from the effort and just wanting today to end.
Since the Gathering it seemed like everything had gone wrong for Hill Clan. They had lost three kits, and unable to take the loss, the queen Mousetail had wandered off in the night. A patrol found her a few days later, a crow picking at her body.
The elder's den was now completely empty. They lost one to hunger and the other two to sickness. To add insult to injury Foxtail had led a foolhardy mission into another clan's territory that cost him an ear to an apprentice of all cats and then Swiftclaw died to an infection that Rabbitwhisker was unable to cure.
Hill Clan felt empty. A patrol was already back out and the two surviving kits, Emberkit and Flamekit were playing with a hawk feather, having eaten their fill earlier.
Thankfully, Thistletail had gone to join the queens in the nursery, and Snowclaw looked like she could have her kits any day. In a time like this, Hill Clan desperately needed new kits born, new apprentices, and new warriors. Thornpaw knew their numbers were falling behind the other clans, and if numbers weren't boosted soon she knew the other clans could take advantage of their lack of numbers. Some warriors spent all day on patrol just to make it seem like they had more cats than thy actually had.
Thornpaw felt her insides chill as she saw movement at the leader's den. The other clans refused to help them, Foxtail was recovering after trying to steal prey from Rain Clan, and Willowclaw and Swiftclaw had just died. If things didn't get better soon, the words Maplepool had spoken to her after the Gathering kept replaying in her mind.
Whitestar emurged from his den, leaning on Maplepool to keep him steady. At one point he had been a sleek and handsome white tom, his yellow eyes had been piercing and an inspiration for Thornpaw when she was a kit. Now, he could have been mistaken for an ancient elder about to die. His white fur was matted, his eyes clouded and somewhat hazy. He looked old and half crazed as Maplepool helped him onto his place for clan meetings, and he called for a clan meeting. Even his voice, once clear and sharp, was now rough and prone to breaking.
Thornpaw got up from her spot, padding over to join her clan mates under Whitestar's gaze.
"I have been told... many things... these last few weeks..." He wheezed, talking slowly and enunciating so the clan could make him out clearly. Seeing their proud leader like this made Thornpaw ache on the inside. She wished with all her might to Star Clan that he could be the noble and great leader he was when she was a kit. Whitestar looked around the camp and at each cat before slowly nodding his head.
"Hill Clan... has fallen... We have so few cats... I know it is... hard to believe... but we will... survive...!" He rasped, coughing. Maplepool hopped up with him, sitting silently next him so he could lean against her. No cat said anything, patiently waiting for him to continue.
"I have been told... new kits... will soon be... born... That Thornpaw... despite Willowclaw's... managed to find... fertile hun... hunting grounds..." He took a moment to cough again, and looked proudly at his clan, "The other clans... won't help us... but we will make them... make them see... we are no...not so weak... Today... I will name a new warrior... Ripplepelt... you ha...have told me that Reedpaw... has finished... their assessment... do you still... hold to this?" He rasped. Thornpaw looked over at the gray tabby warrior, him nodding his head and looking at Reedpaw with pride.
"I do!" Ripplepelt called out. Reedpaw puffed out her chest, trying to look more impressive. Whitestar nodded.
"Then Reedpaw... step forward..." He rasped. When Reedpaw got into place Whitestar looked momentarily at the setting sky, and then down at her.
"Reedpaw... from this day... foreward... you will be known... as Reedwing..." He coughed and rasped. A few warriors took the moment to start changint Reedwing's name, giving Whitestar the time he needed to recover without making things more depressing than they were. Reedwing was obviously trying their best not to puff out in excitement, and it made Thornpaw warm to know she was finally a warrior. Thornpaw looked to Maplepool expectantly, but her mentor was not looking at her.
"I know..," Whitestar rasped, his eyes gliding over the now silent clan before he locked eyes on Thornpaw and then went back to his clan mates, "That many... have told me... of an apprentice... that has worked... her hardest... for this clan..."
There was a palpable silence as some cats looked to Thornpaw, but she kept her hopeful and expectant eyes on Whitestar and Maplepool, not understanding why Maplepool had yet to meet her gaze.
"I cannot... ignore how much... Thornpaw has done... since becoming an app.. apprentice... she works tirelessly... always giving to the... clan... and I have... not forgotten... how she... went days without... to ensure her clan.. was fed..." Whitestar paused, looking around as he breathed heavily.
"However... I also.. cannot... ignore that we... have now lost... a precious warrior due... to advice she recieved... from an apprentice... from another clan... Maplepool... Do you feel that... Thornpaw is ready... to become a warrior?" Whitestar did not look at his deputy, and Thornpaw could feel so many eyes on her as she pleaded silently with Maplepool. Finally, Maplepool turned her gaze to Thornpaw, her yellow eyes filled with confliction.
"As you said, Whitestar. Thornpaw took another clan's apprentice at their word and it resulted in their death. Not only this, on the day of the Gathering she confessed to me that she had crossed into Sun Clan territory while hunting prey, resulting in the scar on the bridge of her nose and nearly costing us our honor at the Gathering had it not been for the patrol not bringing it up." Maplepool meowed. There was a hushed whisper among the cats and Thornpaw cast her eyes down to her paws, feeling her chest and throat tighten. Suddenly, a yowl rose up from the warriors.
"My kits would have starved to death without those rabbits! Willowclaw knew the risks when she went and Thornpaw is out hunting for food more than any cat in the clan!" Came the indignant yowl. Thornpaw didn't look up, but she recognized the voice as belonging to Dawnfur, mother of Emberkit and Flamekit. Another voice called out, and then another. Her clan mates coming to her defense. Whitestar yowled, silencing them as he launched into another coughing fit. This time Rabbitwhisker hopped up with him, speaking softly so as to not be overheard, but Whitestar shook his head and dismissed the older medicine cat.
"I have heard your words... and take them... into consideration... but I must... side with her... mentor at this time... Thornpaw... I am sorry... but I cannot make you a... warrior at this... time... I cannot... overlook what you have... have done... and all... you have accomplished... for the clan... I will... converse with... Rabbitwhisker... and come up... with assessment... of my own choosing... to prove yourself... to me..." He rasped. Thornpaw looked up sharply and nodded her head, unable to speak. Her throat felt like it was on fire and she wanted to scream, but kept herself composed. She refused to let herself go in front of her clan, not when they needed strength and stability most. Whitestar nodded and looked towards Dawnfur and her two kits, Emberkit and Flamekit.
"I understand... that we have two... kits ready... to become apprentices..." He began. Emberkit and Flamekit bounced forward, both unable to hide their excitement. Whitestar looked them both over and nodded.
"Then... with the authority given to... me by Star Clan... I name you both... Emberpaw and Flamepaw..." He began, coughing, before looking aorund the warriors around.
"It is an apprenticeship.. overdue... but one we need... to be strong... Sunstripe... You are a proud warrior... I give Flamepaw to you to train..." He rasped. Sunstripe walked to Flamepaw, taking the new apprentice with her as the clan chanted Flamepaw's name. Whitestar looked around, and it was easy to tell he was trying to pick Emberpaw's mentor. Foxtail needed time to recover, Dawnfur was her mother, Nettlewhisker had an apprentice, and Needlefur and Reedwing were to young and inexperienced. Finally he seemed to sigh.
"Ripplepelt. You had just... had an apprentice... become a warrior... but I must ask... that you become a mentor... once again... and train Emberpaw... to be a proud warrior... like you have trained... Reedwing..." He finally settled. Thornpaw chanted Emberpaw's name as Ripplepelt went to his new apprentice, pride in his eyes. Satisfied, Whitestar looked around before making his next announcement.
"We have... asked the clans... for help and.. put ourselves at risk... They refused, and... have abandoned us... Train our apprentices... and keep your skills sharp... If the clans will not give us aid... then we will prepare... to take it..." He rasped. There was a startled gasp throughout the clan. Maplepool narrowed her eyes as Whitestar nodded to her.
"The clans grow fat while we suffer from sickness and poor hunting. Whitestar and I have discussed it and decided, that if the clans will not aid us in our time of need then we will take it by force. We are not ready now, but when we have the opportunity we will strike and take their territory for our own." She said calmly, not betraying any emotion despite the ice that crawled through Thornpaw's body.
"What if the other clans attack us after we take over another clan's territory?" Came a startled protest. Whitestar was wheezing and looked to Maplepool. The deputy nodded to their leader and stood forward so all eyes were fully on her.
"We will strike when we have the opportunity, when we have the numbers or the other clan is weak enough to take over. We share a border with Sun Clan and Rain Clan, and from the Gathering we know that sickness is also taking lives from them. If we strengthen ourselves and be patient, we can strike when the other clan is to weak to defend themselves. As for the other clans, as I said, it is clear whatever is plaguing us is slowly infecting them. I doubt it will be long before they are like us, but by the time they try to attack us they will be to weak and we will have more territory to hunt in."
Her voice was cold but methodical, like she was discussing the best hunting spots to a new apprentice. Thornpaw glanced around, her entire body chilled to the bone. Some cats seemed to agree with Maplepool, some looked more conflicted. None disagreed with her statements.
The meeting ended not long after, Reedwing going to her place to stand her silent vigil. Thornpaw nodded politely to any cat that gave their condolences, but for the most part she was left alone.
After watching Whitestar being aided to his den, Thornpaw got up from her spot and jumped up the rocks that surrounded the camp. She kept going until she was on the highest platform and was able to keep herself from the eyes of her clan mates. She couldn't stop her rapid breathing, and she felt like she couldn't take in enough air, gasping towards the setting sun and gazing at the faded stars as they slowly started to come out in the night sky. She heard another cat jump up with her but didn't turn.
Maplepool nuzzled her shoulder, wrapping her tail into Thornpaw's for comfort as the apprentice hyperventilated. The deputy looked out to their territory, sitting in silence next to her apprentice until Thornpaw was able to get her breathing under control. By then most of the sky was dark, only the sky in the distance stained red from the setting sun.
"I am sorry, Thornpaw. I just couldn't let you become a warrior without addressing what happened today." Maplepool meowed softly. Thornpaw kept her eyes above them, to the stars.
"... I understand..." Was all she said. Maplepool looked to her apprentice, her yellow eyes kinder than they had been during the meeting.
"I will discuss it with Whitestar again, see if we can't have your assessment soon."
"... It doesn't matter if we all die fighting another clan." Thornpaw meowed, not looking at the deputy. Maplepool nodded and joined Thornpaw's line of sight to the stars.
"I tried to dissuade him. I promise you I did."
"... I know... What are we going to do?"
"For now? We have to wait. The clan seems to be with him, and if something happens to Whitestar and I now the clan is completely doomed. We need more kits to be born. Snowclaw will give birth any day, Thistetail will be soon after and Needlefur told me she would be joining the nursery soon as well. I have been talking to Nettlewhisker as well, hoping she might be willing to have kits, but so far she has told me no." Maplepool admitted. Thornpaw nodded.
"She has always been head strong, and to be honest I can't see her ever being a mother." Thornpaw admitted. Maplepool nodded.
"I have considered... having kits myself." The deputy admitted. Thornpaw looked at her, eyes wide.
"I can't-"
"Obviously, but it would help the clan. I had talked to Whitestar about it, and we both agree it is a good idea. If I time it right, my kits could be raised by the queens and I resume my duties." She meowed. Thornpaw's fur bristled, but she nodded.
"I can't argue with that I suppose. Have you approached a tom yet or...?"
"Yes. I will admit that I am glad you are an apprentice in name only. Even if I do become a queen soon, I won't have to worry about your training falling behind." Maplepool meowed. Thornpaw nodded, counting the stars above her before getting to her paws.
Silently, she went to the apprentice's den, feeling it to be just a bit more crowded now that Emberpaw and Flamepaw had joined. The two orange tabbies were curled around each other in the same nest, the two sisters clinging together. In the darkness of the den, Thornpaw couldn't make out which was which. She went over to an unoccupied nest near Yarrowpaw, curling up and trying her best to sleep.
The next day was filled with excitement, as Snowclaw had given birth to kits. To the surprise but genuine happiness of the clan, Snowclaw had given birth to five healthy kits. Thornpaw had woken up to the buzz of the clan, combined with another successful hunting patrol. The fresh kill pile was far from full, but at the very least Snowclaw had plenty of food so as to feed her kits.
True to Maplepool's word, Needlefur also joined the Nursery that day, happy to share that she and Foxtail were having kits. Despite missing an ear and still smarting from being beat by an apprentice, the red tom looked almost bashful as some of the other warriors congradulated him on becoming a father soon. Thornpaw yawned as she padded over to the fresh kill pile, taking a mouse and heading over to a sunny spot nearby to eat. Snowclaw's kits had been kit, not yet mewling or opening their eyes as they nursed. Snowclaw had already decided their names, Frostkit, Cloudkit, Featherkit, Dewkit, and Willowkit named after her fallen brother. Thornpaw had said how sorry she was, but as Snowclaw had eaten the mice that Thornpaw had brought her the older queen had assured Thornpaw it wasn't her fault. Maplepool and Whitestar's words be damned.
Thornpaw slowly chewed her mouse, making it last as long as she could. Reedwing had gone to sleep in the warrior's den not long after Thornpaw had gotten up and started to carry food to the nursery and the night patrol was already heading off to sleep a bit before taking another patrol shift. Foxtail was sitting outside the medicine cat's den, Whitepaw looking over where his ear once had been.
"I want you to go with the evening patrol." Maplepool suddenly meowed, making Thornpaw jump. Maplepool gave her an amused stare as Thornpaw slowly nodded and re-composed herself.
"We are splitting up patrols a bit, to make them seem like they are happening more frequently. You, Nettlewhisker, Yarrowpaw, and Dawnfur will patrol along our border to Sun Clan and return to camp when you reach the end of our shared border. When you get back, the night patrol will take over. Until then, Rabbitwhisker has asked that you join Whitepaw in gathering some herbs south of camp." Maplepool explained. Thornpaw nodded, finished her mouse, and headed to the medicine cat's den. Whitepaw was still attending to Foxtail, applying some new cobwebs to the warrior's ear when Thornpaw approached.
"I was asked to join you today?" Thornpaw posed it as a question, nodding respectfully to Foxtail. Whitepaw nodded to Foxtail, letting the warrior leave.
"Yes, I need to get more cobwebs and some catmint. I found both south of camp, but I can't really gather them, carry it all, and keep an eye out for predators at the same time." He explained. Thornpaw nodded.
"I am ready whenever you are." She meowed. Whitepaw nodded, taking a moment to go to the leader's den to tell Rabbitwhisker where he was going, before joining her as the two left the clan. Thornpaw followed behind him, keeping an eye on the sky as they padded through shrubs and bushes.
"Do you think you will become a full medicine cat soon?" Thornpaw finally asked. Whitepaw looked behind at her for a moment before turning his gaze ahead of him again.
"Being a Medicine Cat Apprentice is very different from a Warrior Apprentice y'know." He meowed. Thornpaw flicked an ear.
"I know that, I was just curious." She replied. Whitepaw nodded but didn't look back at her.
"Rabbitwhisker said I've learned pretty much everything I needed to at this point, and that we will be going to Moonpool soon." He said. Thornpaw flattened her ears, but quickly put them back up.
"You'll be a warrior soon."
"I know, I just can't help my envy sometimes. You've been an apprentice for almost my entire life, Nettlewhisker and I are littermates-"
"Nettlewhisker wasn't ready to become a warrior, Maplepool just pressured her to become a warrior early." Whitepaw meowed. Thornpaw stopped in her tracks, watching Whitepaw pad away before he realized she wasn't following and turned back to rejoin her.
"... What?" She all but whispered. Whitepaw looked at her, his blue eyes more mysterious than she had ever seen them before.
"... I overheard Rabbitwhisker and Whitestar talking one night while Maplepool was out. Whitestar had admitted to Rabbitwhisker that he wished he hadn't listened to Maplepool over Nettlewhisker's mentor and made her a full warrior yet. I'm not sure why he allowed her to become a mentor so soon either, but Rabbitwhisker said it was Maplepool's doing again. Probably to help Nettlewhisker get more of the training she desperately needed?" Whitepaw mused. He shook his head.
"We need to get that Catmint and cobwebs though. This way, please." He meowed. Thornpaw followed him silently, lost in thought and focusing on not hyperventilating. As soon as she got back to camp she dropped off the catmint in the medicine cat's den and padded over to Maplepool, waiting as she gave orders to the next patrol. Her mentor turned to look at her as the group left, curious.
"I need to talk to you. Usual place." Thornpaw said, not waiting for a response as she bounded up the rocks of the camp to her usual peak. Maplepool joined her, easily making the jumps and sitting before Thornpaw with a tilted head.
"Is there something wro-"
"Why did you tell Whitestar to make Nettlewhisker a warrior, but keep me an apprentice for so long?" Thornpaw asked. Maplepool narrowed her eyes, but otherwise didn't seem to surprised by what Thornpaw said.
"I do not understand what you mean. Who told you this?" Maplepool meowed, concern in her tone. For a moment, Thornpaw second guessed Whitepaw's words.
"Rabbitwhisker told me about it, after Snowclaw had her kits and I brought them mice." She lied. It was believable since Snowclaw would have been in no condition to remember such a conversation, Needlefur hadn't yet gone to the nursery, and Thistletail had left the den to give Snowclaw some privacy with her new kits. Maplepool flicked her ears, taking a moment to think. Thornpaw let her.
"Rabbitwhisker misunderstood what he overheard. I was trying to tell Whitestar to not make Nettlewhisker a mentor yet." She meowed. Thornpaw felt conflicted between wanting to believe Whitepaw and wanting to believe Maplepool.
"And what of Nettlewhisker getting an apprentice?"
"Again, I was trying to tell Whitestar not to, but he is our clan leader. I understand Thornpaw, I really do." Maplepool mewed, slowly walking around Thornpaw until the older she-cat was curled around Thornpaw. Thornpaw felt herself warm up, but shook her head.
"About what?"
"You are hurt from not becoming a warrior, so much so that you are willing to believe a misunderstanding. I promise you, I swear to Star Clan itself, that Rabbitwhisker just misunderstoood what was said. I know, with what I said at yesterday's meeting that it must look awful, that it must look like I'm conspiring against you or the clan, but I swear to you on my name and on Star Clan itself that I am working towards the god of Hill Clan" Maplepool pleaded with Thornpaw, pulling away to look directly at her apprentice.
"I swear to you, Thornpaw, I am doing everything I can to help Hill Clan, to help you!" Maplepool meowed. Thornpaw paused, flattening her ears.
"It has been hard... I just want to be an actual warrior so badly..." Thornpaw slowly admitted, curling her tail around her.
"Reedwing became an apprentice the same time as me and Nettlewhisker, but Nettlewhisker is already a warrior with an apprentice she barely knows how to train and Reedwing just became a warrior. I've been working so hard, yet it feels like I've just been overlooked." Thornpaw meowed softly. Maplepool pressed her forehead against Thornpaw's, purring.
"I know, Thornpaw. You'll be a warrior soon, I swear it." She meowed softly. Thornpaw closed her eyes, letting the tightness in her chest loosen as Maplepool purred reassurances. The two settled down on that perch, watching the clan and the territory in relative comfortable silence.
"Do you still want me on the evening patrol?" Thornpaw asked, her tail entwined with Maplepool's. Maplepool shook her head.
"Would you mind going on the night patrol? Foxtail begged me for the evening patrol and he finally got the clear from Whitepaw so long as he doesn't hunt or get into a fight." The deputy meowed. Thornpaw nodded.
"Yeah, that's fine. Whitepaw said he would get his medicine cat name soon." She meowed. Maplepool looked at her in surprise.
"Finally? I was almost convinced that Rabbitwhisker was going to keep him an apprentice forever!" She admitted. Thornpaw felt herself purr in amusement.
"Well, I guess it takes longer to become a full medicine cat. Whitepaw didn't say when it would occur, just that Rabbitwhisker would take him to Moonpool soon."
"More than likely in a few days when they go for the Medicine Cat meeting then." Maplepool mused. Thornpaw nodded and looked to her clanmates. Emberpaw and Flamepaw were talking to their mentors, their tails high in the air.
Outside of everything else, she prayed to Star Clan this was a good sign for the future.
xxxxx
Back to Hill Clan, and this time Whitestar finally makes an appearance.
Reviews are highly appreciated.