Chapter 9
The three kits stood huddled together on the Highledge, each one groomed down to the last stray strand of fur and with eyes little balls of brightness in the fading light.
"May all cats able to catch their own prey gather at Highledge for a Clan meeting!"
The biggest of the three, a cream-colored tom with dark blue-green eyes, stepped forward, his tail twitching with excitement. Not to be outdone, his brother stepped up beside him. Only the third kit, their sister, hung back, glancing at each of them and then directing her sharp gaze to the cats filing into the clearing.
"What's wrong, Hazelkit? You nervous?" the large kit's voice was a playful taunt.
"Don't tease Hazelkit!" the smaller tom protested, stepping back and wrapping his tail protectively around his sister.
She shook him off lightly. "I'm okay, Mousekit. I'll be fine." She gave her brothers a weak grin, but nervousness radiated from her bright hazel eyes.
"What's wrong?" Mousekit inquired.
"Don't worry, the Clan has accepted us," the biggest kit mewed confidently. "Just 'cause our mom was a loner doesn't mean we are. We're warriors through and through!"
"No, Berrykit. It's not that." She looked away. "Haven't - haven't either of you two thought of who your mentors will be?"
"No, but -" Mousekit's response was cut off by Firestar.
"Cats of ThunderClan, we are gathered here tonight to accept three kits into apprenticeship. Berrykit, please come forward." Berrykit was always the natural first choice, Mousekit mused silently. He was the biggest of the three, the strongest of the three, and absolutely the most confident. He had a sort of arrogance to his steps that was blunted by his attempts at humbleness; nonetheless, he was the kit Firestar called forward first.
"From this moment, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice shall be known as Berrypaw. Berrypaw, your mentor will be Rainwhisker. Rainwhisker will pass to you the skills he learned in his apprenticeship and as a brave warrior of ThunderClan." Rainwhisker started with surprise - he hadn't been expecting the honor. He stumbled forward to meet Berrypaw, who leapt off the ledge, and the two touched noses briefly before sitting quietly side by side.
"Mousekit, please come forward." Pleased that he was not last, the gray and white kit bounded forward excitedly. "From this moment forward, until he has received his warrior name, this apprentice shall be known as Mousepaw. Mousepaw, your mentor will be Thornclaw, a courageous warrior of ThunderClan." Thornclaw, in contrast to Rainwhisker, strode forward with an air of calm confidence, and touched noses with Mousepaw. The new apprentice decided immediately that he liked his mentor, and nuzzled him fondly before sitting down.
"Hazelkit, please come forward." Hazelkit's pelt was a dazzling blend of brown, gray and streaks of white in the dying sunlight, but the most striking characteristic of the small kit were her eyes. The bright hazel orbs were brighter and more brilliant than the sunset, but were filled with nervousness, and her shaking paws betrayed her anxiety.
"What's wrong with her?" Berrypaw whispered to Mousepaw. Mousepaw chose not to reply, instead inching closer to Thornclaw.
"From this moment, until she has earned her warrior name, this apprentice shall be known as Hazelpaw. Hazelpaw, your mentor will be Brambleclaw." At the mention of her new mentor's name, the tension seemed to fly from her body, the shaking paws stilled, and she straightened with a sudden new energy. "Brambleclaw will teach you all he knows about fighting and hunting, and train you to be a brave warrior." But Hazelpaw didn't even listen to Firestar praising her new mentor. She tumbled down the rock to meet him, and they touched noses warmly.
The Clan was chanting their new names, but Hazelpaw heard nothing. When she was with Brambleclaw, sitting proudly by his side, it was as if the rest of the world didn't exist. The rest of the Clan blurred together into a simple backdrop behind Brambleclaw, her best friend and new mentor, the cat she admired more than anything. She could tell just by looking at him and studying his bright amber eyes that he was experiencing the same feeling as her, that the rest of the Clan was nonexistent, and the two of them sat there together in their own little world.
But what Hazelpaw didn't know was that Brambleclaw's attention wasn't focused on her, as hers was so fixed on him. He was in his own little world, true, but his world was in an entirely different dimension than Hazelpaw's.
Again Hazelpaw mistook the triumphant gleam in his eyes for joy. He smirked, at no one or thing in particular, but Hazelpaw took it for a grin meant for her, and grinned back.
They were both happy.
x
The next morning found Dustpelt was leaning languidly against the wall of the nursery, chewing absently on a piece of grass as Ashfur padded up to him.
"Where's Brambleclaw?" the dusty-furred warrior asked gruffly.
"I thought I saw him leave camp," Sandstorm mewed, coming up behind Ashfur. "Why, did you ask for him on the patrol?"
"Yeah." Dustpelt frowned and spat out his distorted blade of grass. "If he had wanted to train his new apprentice alone, he could have at least let me know -"
"Hazelpaw wasn't with him," Sandstorm meowed. "He left camp alone."
Ashfur's ears perked thoughtfully. "Why would he go off alone like that?"
"I don't know, maybe he wanted some time to himself?" Sandstorm shrugged. "We can still run the patrol, though. Let's get going."
"Actually, do you two think you can handle it alone?" Dustpelt and Sandstorm regarded Ashfur
with confusion. "It's just - I - have something I forgot to do."
Dustpelt eyed the younger warrior warily, but decided against further interrogation. "Find
Thornclaw and Mousepaw, then," he ordered. "And be quick about it."
The gray-furred warrior nodded affirmative, and darted away before Sandstorm could question
him. Thornclaw and Mousepaw were together, sharing prey by the fresh-kill pile, and informing them of Dustpelt's request was a quick and simple matter.
When he was sure the sunhigh patrol was far enough from camp that they wouldn't notice him
leaving, Ashfur dashed out in the opposite direction.
He picked up Brambleclaw's scent immediately.
x
As he corded his legs to spring onto the crossing log to the Gathering island, Brambleclaw suddenly froze. A shiver ran up his spine, and the hair stood up straight on his neck.
He was being watched.
He lowered himself into a fighter's crouch and glanced around - left, right, up, down. The flitting shadows and chirping insects of the forest mocked him. Taunted him. But there was no cat there.
You're too paranoid, he told himself, as he shook loose his tensed muscles. Nonetheless, he risked another nervous glance over his shoulder before leaping onto the log.
Hawkfrost was already there, seated comfortably atop the leaders' branch as always. His tail hung down, swaying contentedly as it drifted through the transparent patches of sunlight. He gazed down at his approaching brother, his ice-coated eyes hidden in the tree's shadow.
He raised his ears in greeting, but wasted no words on the formality. "How'd it go?" he demanded.
The elder brother looked up at the younger with a demonic glow in his wild amber eyes. "Hazelpaw became my apprentice."
A vicious grin spread across Hawkfrost's features, and he laughed darkly. "This is excellent news, brother! Come on, come up and sit with me!" He shifted over to make extra room for Brambleclaw beside him.
The maniacal look in Brambleclaw's eyes hadn't disappeared, but the sane piece of his mind protested, and he hesitated.
"Why so unwilling, my brother?" Hawkfrost gazed down at him icily. "If you are going to be leader some day, you must be able to sit confidently atop this branch."
"L - leader?"
"Yes, of course!" Hawkfrost leapt down and landed behind him, and proceeded to prod him towards the tree. "If you are going to be deputy, then some day you'll be leader. Hopefully sooner than later, if Father has anything to do with it."
"Leader," Brambleclaw whispered.
He pictured himself as leader of ThunderClan, standing gallantly in a ray of sunlight, a slight breeze swaying his bright tabby fur, basking in cheers and praises of his Clan. No one would ever again disrespect him, no one would ever again disregard him, and best of all, he'd have Squirrelflight standing proudly at his side.
He didn't think of Firestar.
He leapt up onto the branch. Hawkfrost allowed himself a smirk before jumping up after him.
"You're on the right track now, Brambleclaw," the RiverClan warrior praised. "Now that you have an apprentice, you can become deputy. All you have to do is convince your Clan."
Brambleclaw's eyes flashed. "And how do I do that?" he mused. "Firestar still thinks Graystripe is magically coming back, even if he weren't so mousebrained, there are a pawful of cats whom he'd consider for deputy before me."
Hawkfrost tilted his head to the side. "Like who?"
"Sandstorm'd probably be his first choice. Or Dustpelt. Or Brackenfur. Or Thornclaw -"
Hawkfrost cut him off. "Too many to kill." He shook his head. "There has to be another way. We must consult Father tonight."
They sat together for awhile in companionable silence, and then Hawkfrost jumped down from the branch, effectively ending the meeting. His older brother jumped after him.
They walked together to the log. But as Brambleclaw was about to jump up, Hawkfrost's yowl froze him.
"What is it?" Brambleclaw hissed, trying to hide his panic. Had someone followed them? Had he been correct in his paranoia?
"No." The icy-eyed warrior glared at the ground and uttered one word. "Pawprints."
"We've been followed!" Brambleclaw's fearful amber eyes darted to and fro in terror.
"No. You were careless. You didn't cover your prints." Hawkfrost fixed him with a burning glare.
"What! I always cover my tracks!" Brambleclaw protested, his fear suddenly forgotten. "How do you know you didn't mess up?"
"Because they smell of ThunderClan," Hawkfrost snapped. He brushed away the paw prints with his tail, his glare never leaving Brambleclaw. "Be more careful next time. We can't afford to be discovered."
With that, the RiverClan deputy stepped up onto the crossing log and stalked across. With a loud, discontented huff, Brambleclaw followed suit.
x
Hiding in the leafy branches of a tall sycamore on the Gathering island, Ashfur swayed and shook, and fastened his claws to a branch to keep himself from falling out of the tree.
x
"Whitepaw?"
The snowy white apprentice looked up from her meal, a scrawny sparrow. "Yeah, Hazelpaw?"
The newest apprentice sat down beside her. The two female apprentices had quickly formed a bond, one that might be called friendship with unspoken respect and seniority to Whitepaw.
"Can... can I ask you something?"
"Sure," she mewed. "Any time."
Hazelpaw hesitated. "Have you ever... have you ever been in love?"
Whitepaw, startled by the question, took a moment to respond. "...Define love."
Hazelpaw sighed in frustration. "I don't know how, that's why I'm asking you."
Whitepaw's soft green eyes rested on the younger apprentice. "Well... I think love is when you feel something special for someone. Like when there's a tom who can always make you smile, who always makes you feel warm inside, and whenever he's around you feel like he's the only one around. And the best feeling in the world is when you know he likes you back."
"How do you know?" Hazelpaw whispered, her eyes wide in awe.
Whitepaw's entire face lit up like the dawn sun. "A tom told me."
"Who?"
"Birchpaw." She grinned, and sighed delightedly. "I think I love him, Hazelpaw. Or I at least like him. Brackenfur told me to be careful if I'm not sure, but... who's he to talk, falling head over heals in love for a she-cat he'd barely ever spoken to and then fathering her kits?" Hazelpaw absently wondered why Whitepaw would tease her mentor like that, and reflected that she never would. "But anyways, Birchpaw. He likes me too; he said so..." she trailed off, gazing into the sky.
Hazelpaw stood up. "Thanks, Whitepaw."
"Any time."
Curious green eyes followed the new apprentice away into the apprentice den, but never being one to ambitiously explore her trivial curiosities, Whitepaw returned to her sparrow.
----
A/N: I don't know why, but I feel like giving other ThunderClan warriors minor roles. That's where Dustpelt, Rainwhisker, Thornclaw, and Brackenfur come in. I don't know why, but I love them. Especially love the Dustpelt chewing on his piece of grass. Not important to the plot at all, but for some reason, I like it.
Anyways. I won't be updating for the next month, because I'm doing NaNoWriMo. For those of you who don't know, NaNo is a 1 month writing challenge to write a 50,000 word (175 page) novel in 30 days. It starts November 1st. It's not too late to sign up! You should all definitely go to nanowrimo dot org and and consider participating. It's going to be a ton of fun. If you do go sign up, come find me! My screen name is indigolight. I encourage you to at least check it out. If not, see you all in a month. :)