A/N
Nothing really to say... Except, A BIG SHOUTOUT TO AVOLOWOLF11CC FOR BEING THE FIRST REVIEWER! HERE'S A TUB OF ICE CREAM! XD
EDIT: Some of the first few chapters were bothering with my old writing technique so I updated them. Nothing much changed, don't worry.
Hawkkit snapped her eyes open, the flame of battle still burning in her chest and the blood roaring in her ears. She took a deep breath, easing her quickened heartbeat. It had seemed so...real. Hawkkit's mind swirled with questions, making her dizzy and dots invading her vision. That dream had become a second world to her, plaguing her since as long as she could remember.
Hawkkit rubbed the sleep from her eyes, blinking as she noticed her littermates were already up. Their nests were cold. She stretched her limbs, squinting as she stepped out of the nursery and into the bright, sunny clearing. Hawkkit curled her tail over her small paws as she sat down, cleaning stray moss that had clung to her fluffy white chest. I want to help those kits! It's too weird to only dream one dream. Maybe it's sent from StarClan!... no, that's silly. i can't even do anything. I'm just a weak kit. Then something hit her. Literally.
Hawkkit jumped to her paws, puffing up her black fur, but calmed down once she saw it was just her brother, Rainkit. "What was that for?!' Hawkkit huffed, rubbing her cheek where he had swatted her.
"Didn't you hear me? Great StarClan, you're always zoning out," Rainkit rolled his eyes. "It's our apprentice ceremony today, and you look like you just trudged through a tunnel of brambles!"
"I'm sorry, Rainkit," she mewed in annoyance as her other brother, Pinekit, and her only sister, Cardinalkit padded up to their other siblings. Hawkkit instantly began working on her ruffled pelt. She always slept so deeply that she practically collected all the moss from her bedding to her coat. Rainkit turned his head to Pinekit and Cardinalkit.
"Whatcha doing?" He asked curiously, peering at them intently with his light green eyes.
"Hey, we were just getting to know the warriors. We-" Pinekit was cut off by Cardinalkit shoving him aside. He puffed out his cheeks, furrowing his eyebrow as he was pushed to the ground.
"Yep! We are talking to everyone so we aren't assigned to anyone we don't know!" She boasted, and Hawkkit suddenly thought that wasn't such a bad idea.
Maybe I should talk with someone. Snowwing seems like a nice- Hawkkit stopped, staring in dread as her father, Smokestar- a dusky brown tom- let out a yowl to call the clan to the Tallrock. Ugh, too late now.
Gingerroot, their mother, frantically raced from the nursery, grooming Cardinalkit quickly, then moving to the toms. Rainkit groaned at the ginger she cat's treatment, but Pinekit toughed it out with a stern expression. Smokestar had begun the ceremony, and soon enough, all four of them were standing at the base of the Tallrock.
Gingerroot never went to groom Hawkkit, but it didn't surprise her. Gingerroot didn't even bother to name Hawkkit when she was born, nor did Smokestar care.
Hawkkit sighed, beginning to groom her own black pelt, and attempting to smooth her fluffy white chest. Hawkkit looked at the leader, otherwise known as her father and forced a smile, trying to look pleasing to him. He didn't look at her and, instead of smiling back, he grinned at Cardinalkit, calling her up, making her Cardinalpaw and assigning her to Snowwing.
Hawkpaw felt her heart sink as her sister was given the warrior she wanted. Hawkpaw furiously spat out a clump of dry moss from her pelt.
Then Rainkit to Rainpaw, given to Mouseclaw, next was Pinekit, now Pinepaw and his mentor was Squirrelnose.
"Hawkkit," began her father, his voice droning monotony. Hawkkit stepped forward and vowed to remember this when she was as old as an elder, even if her mother and father didn't care. It was a huge moment that no one should forget.
"You've grown to the age of six moons and until you gain your warrior name, you'll be known as Hawkpaw. Your mentor will be Thornsnag." Hawkkit felt her blood run cold as ice.
Thornsnag was a young, bossy, and rude warrior, who'd only become a warrior just eight moons ago, a little before she was born, but he acted like a fresh apprentice. Rumor was Smokestar never made him a mentor because of his former mentor that died during an accident and Thornsnag was grieving like a mate would grieve a dead lover. She groaned softly as he strutted over, a shy smirk on his muzzle. She leaned forward gingerly, and as they were about to touch noses, he darted forward, crashing hard into his new apprentice.
She yelped, and felt her nose starting to gush blood. Hawkpaw pressed a paw to her aching nose in an attempt to stop the blood. It didn't work, and flowed threw the gaps in her paw. Thornsnag meekly apologized, looking flustered and worried. His littermate, Mintpaw, and her mentor, Redbreeze, ran out of the medicine den and Mintpaw began scolding her brother. Thornsnag flattened his ears, trying to protest, but his sister continued to growl at him. Redbreeze escorted Hawkpaw to her den, applying cobweb to stop the bleeding.
"Can I finish up?" Came the mew of Mintpaw, who'd finished hissing at Thornsnag.
"Sure," Redbreeze said, stepping back and Mintpaw patted Hawkpaw's nose.
"Can't I go? I'm still an apprentice, right?" Hawkpaw asked uncertainly.
Mintpaw's eyes became thoughtful, then she nodded. "He may've made you bleed, but the ceremony was finished, Hawkpaw. You may go, just don't go smacking your nose any where."
She giggled then began talking to Redbreeze as Hawkpaw trotted out. She saw her littermates chatting with a cream she cat with grey paws, and a long-haired white tom with a short furred black chest and jay-blue eyes made his way over to her.
"Hawkpaw, Hawkpaw!" He cheered, although the ceremony was over.
"What?" She asked, but the tom only laughed.
"Well, since Thornsnag made you bleed, nobody could cheer your new name. So I am," he meowed, giving her shoulder a friendly nudge. He was called Jaypaw, he visited her in the nursery often, whenever he could, and he was the only cat, other than her siblings, that'd taken a liking to her.
"Hey, you and Jaypaw looked like opposites," giggled Cardinalpaw.
Hawkpaw pridefully puffed her chest out, while Jaypaw flattened his ears low in bashfulness at her comment.
"Whatever," Jaypaw snorted timidly, "come meet the other apprentices."
"That's Lightpaw," Jaypaw smiled at the cream she cat from earlier. "There's Flamepaw, but he's busy with the elders. Then me, who you already know." He gave a little laugh.
"Oh, um, cool," Hawkpaw laughed nervously. Lightpaw didn't even glance up at Hawkpaw. "Well, I should probably go meet Thornsnag. He's supposed to show me the territory." Jaypaw's face went wide in horror. He shook his head frantically.
"Oh? Then what do you think I should do?" Hawkpool teased, but she was still in a fuss from her incident with Thornsnag.
"How about, a little after dawn, you and I take a walk around the territory tomorrow? It'll help ya know it, and we can spend time to together," Jaypaw suggested, and Hawkpaw's spirit lifted, after Thornsnag hurt her, she'd been in a mood.
"Yes!" Hawkpaw exclaimed. Jaypaw smiled widely.
"Well then, let's eat." He mewed, padding out of the den and raced to the fresh-kill pile. A fat thrush and a small mouse lie in the pile. He picked up the thrush and padded back to Hawkpaw. "Sorry, there was only a skinny mouse and this." He apologized.
"No, no, it's alright, I don't mind sharing, I remember the Leaf-bare, back when we were both kits. Terrible, my littermates and I hardly ate, and after our mother's milk ran out, we had to be weaned early, it was just scary." Hawkpaw assured him, explaining the Leaf-bare, then shut her mouth. It seemed once she started talking, that her mouth got a mind of its own.
Jaypaw pushed the thrush over to Hawkpaw. "Here, have a bite." He offered, as she took a small bite, chewing slowly. "Eat fast," he mumbled through his mouthful. "No, if you eat slower, it'll give more energy." She said. As they finished, Jaypaw began rasping his tongue over Hawkpaw's ears. His tongue swept over gently and rhythmically, causing Hawkpaw to become drowsy. She closed her eyes, saying a quick 'good night' to Jaypaw.
She wrapped her tail around her three little kits, as a tom burst in the nursery, big, with a dusky brown pelt. "No!" She cried, trying to alert her mate. "Not my kits!"
...
"Stay safe my daughter. You were always the weakest, and your brothers will protect you."
...
A paw was poking Hawkpaw hard in her ribs. She hissed sleepily, only to see the face of Jaypaw, ears flat, eyes misty, and head hung low. He was always such a bashful and sensitive cat.
"Oh!" She mewed. "Sorry, I didn't know it was you." She apologized, giving his ears a quick lick.
He looked up into her eyes. "I just, I mean, you were screeching, like you were sad or angry or in pain, so I thought I should wake you," he muttered his voice getting quieter with every word.
"No, it's alright. Let's go see the territory." She meowed, making her way out of the den, and towards the camp entrance, or exit. Jaypaw quickly caught up, his pelt brushing against her pelt.
"Where are you two going?" asked a snarky voice. The two apprentices spun around to face Thornsnag. His blue-green eyes looked intimidating, but his pupils weren't narrowed. Hawkpaw thought the color was beautiful, but she was still enraged.
"Jaypaw is taking me to see the territory, unlike you, who's completely ignored me and made my nose bleed. Mouse-brain!" She spat, flexing her claws into the dewy grass beneath her paws.
Thornsnag snorted indignantly, lashing his tail as he spun around quickly and stalked off, his muscles rippling under his thick, chocolate fur. Something about him intrigued Hawkpaw suddenly. She found herself standing there, still staring at him. He sure was slim, and his shoulders sure were broad. Thornsnag's eyes drifted to her, their eyes locking.
They stared at each other with round, stunned eyes for what seemed like eternity, until Jaypaw stepped between their eye contact. "Hey, you okay?" He asked, his bright blue eyes shining. Their sky blue color suddenly didn't seem as pleasing as Thornsnag's blue-green. Hawkpaw shook her head, clearing her thoughts. You've gone crazy! Thornsnag must've hit you harder than you thought!
"Uh, yeah, fine," Hawkpaw squeaked. "Let's go." She managed a quick glance at the curious shade of blue-green of Thornsnag's eyes before she headed out of the camp with Jaypaw leading her.
The scents of mouse, pine, and mint were the main smells that bathed Hawkpaw's senses.
As they neared the RiverClan border, "we're close to RiverClan now. Take a whiff." Jaypaw said to Hawkpaw, who'd parted her jaws to scent.
Her round eyes widened. "Oh my StarClan," she breathed, inhaling the various scents that were so much more appealing than the ones of her home. "It's amazing! The smell of running water, the misty breeze, the sweet fish," she stopped and looked at Jaypaw, who was gaping at her in questioning. Hawkpaw suddenly felt her face heat up with embarrassment. Another clan's territory shouldn't be so alluring, should it?
She gave a sheepish laugh. "Let's move on," she padded ahead, but Jaypaw began leading.
They followed the river to the WindClan border, but they couldn't go and further since WindClan didn't border ThunderClan. Suddenly, something caught Hawkpaw's keen vision. "Jaypaw, there are splashes coming from the river!" Hawkpaw's stomach knotted in worry.
Jaypaw stared at the bubbling, flying droplets of water coming from the river. "Uh, that's probably just the fish. Let's leave those for the RiverClan fish-faces."
Hawkpaw kept her eyes glued to the river, gasping in terror when she saw a cream colored paw pierce through the top of the water. "No, I just saw a paw! There's a cat drowning!"
"No, wait, Hawkpaw!" Jaypaw pulled on her scruff. "ThunderClan cats can't swim! You'll drown too!"
"I won't," Hawkpaw snapped sternly, sprinting forward and leaping into the water with confidence, though she didn't know why.
Hawkpaw dove deeper in the river, pinpointing the cat she had spotted. The cat couldn't have been much older than herself.
She paddled harder, kicking her back paws. Wait, she thought, I'm swimming?! She pushed the thought away, too focused on the poor cat.
She got hold of the she cat's scruff and began thrashing her paws upwards. She bobbed her head up, gasping between the mouthful of scruff. She dragged the she cat to the WindClan side. She was still as stone. Her throat suddenly convulsed, she leaned forward coughing water up. She tilted her head up slightly to look at Hawkpaw. "You're ThunderClan!" She gasped, scrambling away. Her sides heaved, catching her her breath.
"Yep," Hawpaw mewed pridefully, knowing that ThunderClan had helped WindClan many times in the past. The she cat was a pretty silver with cream colored paws and amber eyes "I'm Hawkpaw." She puffed her chest out, and tried to smooth her messy white chest, but it just fluffed up again.
The she cat giggled, then saw Hawkpaw's eyes, gave a small gasp of surprise, tried to keep her gaze with Hawpaw, but looked her paws.
"I'm Frostpaw, the medicine apprentice," and without another word she bounded off, towards the endless moors.
Hawkpaw sighed. Why do my eyes effect everything I do? She wondered sadly. She shook her pelt and looked around for Jaypaw. He was sitting beside a tall oak, gaping at Hawkpaw, again. "You-you-you," he stuttered, "you can swim?!" He screeched. Hawkpaw gasped, surprised herself. Since when did a ThunderClan cat swim?
Hawkpaw shook out her drenched fur and stared sadly at her reflection in the water. But I'm not any ordinary ThunderClan cat... Hawkpaw frowned her the color of her eyes. A sharp, heather red color. But all everyone saw, was the color of fresh blood.
A/N
Oh no, just who is Hawkpaw? And what's up with Thornsnag? If you ask me, he's too protective of his new apprentice.
Edit: I think I fixed this a lot! It's soo much better than the original!