Chapter Seventeen
DISCLAIMER
If I owned warriors, Feathertail would've survived the fall, the three would belong to Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw, and Spottedleaf and Firestar would never have loved each other
It was sunhigh. Lighteningclaw was pacing restlessly outside the medicine cat den. It had been a moon since Clearmist's accident.
"Hey, Lighteningclaw." A soft voice sounded behind him. It was Blossomfall.
"Hi Blossomfall."
"Don't worry about Clearmist. She's always been mouse-brained. Remember when you were kits? She fell off that edge as well. She was fine." Lighteningclaw chortled at the memory. "Come on, let's go hunting. Take your mind off of it." Blossomfall purred gently. Lighteningclaw smiled.
"Ok." The pair raced out of camp. Soon they had a good haul of prey, and it was only just past sunhigh. Lighteningclaw raced toward the ShadowClan border, remembering that Longtail had been craving for a squirrel. There was a very nice squirrel route near that border. Spotting one, he flicked his tail excitedly to Blossomfall, telling her to be quiet. Stealthily, he sneaked up on it and pounced. The squirrel ran.
"Lighteningclaw! Get back!" Blossomfall yowled as he chased after it.
"Mouse-dung! Now I lost it."
"You crossed the border." Indeed he had. The markings were faint.
"Let's go," he mewed but before they could move, a questioning yowl came from behind them.
"You're on ShadowClan territory!" Russetfur, the ShadowClan deputy yowled impatiently. Turning around slowly, he faced her.
"It was an accident," he mewed sensibly, trying to reason with the aggressive ShadowClan warriors, "and I did not even catch any prey. Our markers are faint."
"Fox-dung! We we're just coming to remark them!" Oakfur said angrily.
"Both sides are faint!" Lighteningclaw repeated, silently urging them to let the pair go.
"ThunderClan doesn't even respect boundaries. Half of you are kittypet's! You're part kittypet yourself!" They spat at Lighteningclaw, who instinctively flexed his claws into the soft ground. The ShadowClan warriors clearly took this as a sign of aggression, for they bared their teeth and snarled. With a sudden yowl of outrage, they launched themselves at Lighteningclaw and Blossomfall. They were not badly outnumbered, for it was just Russetfur, Oakfur and an apprentice he did not recognise. The apprentice was clearly just out of the nursery, her fur still kit-soft, and her muscles were small and not yet developed.
"Go back to the nursery," Lighteningclaw growled in her face, giving her a fierce nip around her scruff. He was careful as to not draw blood – this apprentice was pretty much innocent. She ran, tail between her legs, back toward her territory's centre. Then, he felt a strong claw slash his flank, giving him a long gash along his side. Angrily, he leaped at Oakfur and the two rolled in a circle. Lighteningclaw searched his battle-ready mind for a combat attack, but could only think of those that Tigerstar and Hawkfrost had taught him. Yowling, he lunged at the warrior, and before Oakfur could retaliate, he slithered out from under him and jumped on his back. He gave him a sharp nip on the scruff that sent the ShadowClan warrior running. Lighteningclaw saw Blossomfall lying on the floor, and Russetfur standing over her, her paws matted and bloody.
"No!" He screeched, leaping at the deputy. As he got closer he saw that, although her body was laced with scratches, none were deep, and she seemed to be winded. Past Russetfur's claws, he saw he stagger slightly to her feet. The deputy was doing little more then flailing helplessly. He wondered why she was not defending herself – the warrior was a skilled fighter. Then he realised that she was waiting for the apprentice or Oakfur to bring back a ShadowClan patrol.
"Blossomfall! We've got to get back before more warriors come!" Giving Russetfur one last scratch, he raced away, panting. They soon slowed down. Lighteningclaw was relieved that the scratch on his flank had stopped bleeding. He gave it a few tired laps then turned to help Blossomfall. She had a nasty wound near the base of her tail. He lapped it clean, and then the two slowly made their way back to the hollow. As soon as they entered the camp, Amberkit raced up to them curiously, with Flamekit and Rustlekit following behind her.
"What happened?" Flamekit asked curiously.
"Two ShadowClan warriors attacked us." Lighteningclaw replied bluntly. The three kits were six moons old – he would soon have an apprentice. Deciding he should get to know them for he might be a mentor, he added, "But we fought them and came back here. Now we have to report to Firestar."
"Oh, ok." Flamekit said.
"We're gonna be apprentices today!" Rustlekit gave a little bounce.
"That's great," Blossomfall said warmly.
"I want to be your apprentice!" Flamekit mewed to Lighteningclaw.
"I want to be your mentor," He replied. Then he turned to Firestar's den, Blossomfall close behind him.
"Firestar?"
"Come in," he answered. Lighteningclaw entered, and they rapidly told him what happened.
"You should go to Jayfeather for something about those scratches." Firestar mewed.
"Lighteningclaw was so brave, Firestar. He saw Oakfur and an apprentice off. Of course, he didn't hurt the apprentice – she was just out of the nursery. Then, he saved me from Russetfur!" Firestar looked impressed.
"You shouldn't have crossed the border," he scolded. "But it's time for an apprentice ceremony. I think you are ready for an apprentice, Lighteningclaw. Blossomfall, could you get your brother?" Blossomfall raced off. "We're holding the ceremony at sunhigh; you will be Flamekit's mentor."
"Th-thankyou, Firestar!" He purred his thanks, and backed out of the den. When he reached the medicine den, he heard a groan that sounded like his sister.
"Lighteningclaw! Is that you? No, it can't be, he never comes to visit his poor sister, Clearmist! Who, by the way, has been bored forever and just waiting for that stupid brother to come so that she can just see her brother and be glad that he hasn't torn a leg muscle!" There was bitter sarcasm in his sister's normally absent-minded voice.
"H-hey, Clearmist… Yeah, it's been a wh-ahh!" As he entered, something smelly soaked in moss was launched at his chest, and he toppled backward into something that was bristling angrily.
"Lighteningclaw!" The red warrior flinched. Jayfeather was known not just for his healing skills, but for his sharp tongue and attitude.
"Hi, Jayfeather. Can I get something for this scratch on my side?" He mewed, changing the subject quickly.
"Yeah, but you know, mouse-bile is not going to work!" He reprimanded, his blind eyes staring at him. "I'll be right back."
"Ok," Lighteningclaw replied, turning around to face his sister. "Mouse-bile? Really? I'm not going to be able to wash myself for ages!"
"I was aiming for your face, "she muttered mutinously. Then she added a little bit more clearly, "The bile didn't make a difference!"
"I wash myself," he replied indignantly.
"I'm sure you do, but," Clearmist screwed up her nose, "Lighteningclaw, the smell isn't any different."
"Hey!" He growled good-naturedly. He padded over to the little pool of water, and dabbed a bit of moss in it to wash himself.
"Ok, Lighteningclaw, I've got the poultice." Jayfeather came back with some strong-smelling herbs.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the high ledge for a clan meeting!"
"We're going to be apprentices!" Flamekit gave a little bounce. His flame-coloured fur was spiked in excitement not unlike Firestar's and Lighteningclaw's fur. Squirrelflight looked proud to see her grand-kits made apprentices at last.
"I wonder who my mentor will be." Rustlekit was clearly trying to be more dignified then his brother, his brown tabby fur laying flat along his back. Only the twitch of his tail betrayed his excitement. Finally, Amberkit padded up, her little tail sticking high up in the air. Her amber eyes were sparkling, her gray and white tabby fur sticking out all over the place.
"I hope Jayfeather is my mentor!" She purred. Hazeltail stalked up to her kits before Lighteningclaw could reply, her ears flicking irritably.
"You're fur is everywhere!" She mewed. Her scent still smelled like milk, though it was a long time since her kits drank it. Her rapid licks filled Lighteningclaw's ears and he remembered fondly when he were about to be an apprentice.
"Rustlekit!" Firestar called loudly once everybody had settled down. "From this moment forward, you shall be known as Rustlepaw." The newly named apprentice was fizzing with pride. "Brightheart shall be your mentor." The one-eyed she-cat looked twice as proud as her apprentice, finally becoming a mentor. The pair touched noses and retreated back into the cheering crowd.
"Flamekit!" As Firestar called Flamekit's name, Lighteningclaw felt a rush of excitement. He was about to be a mentor! "Lighteningclaw, you have proven yourself a great warrior before, and even though you are young, you have a great deal to pass onto Flamepaw." Bursting with pride, Lighteningclaw padded over and touched noses with his new apprentice.
"What will we do next? Are we gonna fight ShadowClan?"
"No," Lighteningclaw purred, stifling an amused twitch of his whiskers. "Tomorrow we'll go hunting. You can get used to your new den now, and then clean out the elder's bedding." The orange warrior half expected Flamepaw to wrinkle his nose in distaste, but his eyes gleamed.
"Hunting!" He exclaimed.
"Shh," Lighteningclaw hushed him.
"… Amberpaw's mentor will be Jayfeather."
"Amberpaw! Flamepaw! Rustlepaw!" The clans' cheers died away slowly.
"Come on, Flamepaw," Lighteningclaw mewed, "I'll show you the best place for moss."
"Ok," Flamepaw mewed, but he seemed slightly downcast.
"We can hunt on the way." Lighteningclaw promised, and his apprentice brightened.
"I hope I catch something!" He mewed happily.
"I bet you will," Lighteningclaw purred, and with that, apprentice and mentor set off out of the stony hollow.
Hoped you liked it! This chapter took forever to write!
Ok, maybe you guys need some help reviewing. Here's a little poem, y'know, for inspiration.
Flamepaw is red,
Bluestar is blue,
Firestar says "Read,"
"And then you must Review!"
~CoolAwesomeRandomGirl123