This is actually the most fun I've had writing any story for a long time since The Blood That Spilled Tonight, Song of the Shadows, and maybe Hymn of the River. My Name is Mary Sue is good too, I guess.
It's just fun. I don't have to force myself to update, unlike some others, where I update for the readers.
Chapter 2
"Let all cats old enough to fight their own enemies gather beneath the Meeting Ledge!"
I stood, the sun glinting off of my brown fur, feeling confident with Sunkit beside me and my parents close behind. It had been decided that since we were the only two kits at this time and no other queens were expecting, we would be made apprentices a few sunrises earlier.
It was late afternoon, the day after the Gathering night. Most hunting patrols that were sent out had been warned to stay far away from the border with DuskClan, and so far, the only border patrol had consisted of Palefeather, Stormblaze, and Owlstreak- all three were at the troublesome Gathering.
Mousestar continued with the usual words of the apprentice ceremony- and a little something else. "It has come to our attention that since the clan needs more strong, capable warriors, these two kits will be made apprentices ahead of time. Sunkit, Reedkit, come forward."
Sunkit padded onward in excitement, while I followed close behind, more composed than my nearly bouncing sister. "Sunkit, Reedkit," Mousestar began, "are you ready to become apprentices?"
"We are!" we chorused together, with me sounding slightly embarrassed at the fact that we had said something out loud together.
"Then until you are made warriors, you will be known as Sunpaw and Reedpaw. Sunpaw, your mentor will be Rainspark. Cindercreek has taught you well in your early apprenticeship. Reedpaw, your mentor will be Pebbleskip. Briartooth has passed on his courage and skill onto you, and I hope you will do the same."
Mousestar flicked her tail, and the entire clan burst into cheering- "Sunpaw! Reedpaw! Sunpaw! Reedpaw!" Only some looked hesitant. Streamfang was cheering, too, but Robingaze looked skeptical. "Both mentors are the warriors who went to the Gathering last night," he muttered. "Playing favorites?"
"Since Pebbleskip and I are close sisters," Rainspark began, "we will be training together for today. Tensions with DuskClan have risen, and because new apprentices are supposed to take a first tour of the DawnClan territory, we will be going to the shared border to learn about our enemies."
"In case it eventually comes to a battle or even a long-lasting war," Pebbleskip added. She looked excited about it for some reason.
Sunpaw nodded. "Let's go, then!" She stood up without even brushing off the dust on her ginger fur and turned around, facing the expanse of moor that spread before us.
The next few hours were excruciatingly hot. The late afternoon sun was beating down on our heads and shoulders and making my fur feel as if it was on fire- it must have been worse for Sunpaw, who had a lighter pelt color than me. "We're almost there," Pebbleskip reminded us.
Finally, when I almost couldn't take it anymore, a small copse of spruce trees appeared before us and we ducked under the overlapping branches and leaves gratefully, glad for the shade. "DuskClan lives in the pine forest," Rainspark informed.
I just nodded and kept going.
When the trees began getting thicker and I could no longer feel the hot glare of the afternoon sun, Pebbleskip stepped in front of us and sniffed the ground for a few moments before turning back to face us. "The border is right here. Be careful, I scent a patrol coming."
What? DuskClan patrol? Was she serious? I sniffed the air after her, but I couldn't make out anything except the thick tang of tree sap. Maybe-
Bushes and ferns parted in the clearing ahead of us, and I could only watch, frozen stiff with terror, as a small group of cats- a party of only three, by the looks of it- appeared before us and stopped, rigid, just like me. I waited for them to attack, but as it turned out, I didn't have to.
"Drive them off, attack!" Rainspark screeched.
Sunpaw was blocking my view, so I couldn't see much, but there was a flash of silver, a whirl of writhing bodies, and soon, one DuskClan warrior was off running away for his life with the other one down on the ground, pinned by Rainspark's long claws.
The last member of the group, a small apprentice-sized tom, was standing by the sidelines, seemingly frightened to the point of no return. His eyes were large and staring, not pulling his gaze away from where his clanmate was being pinned down. "Stay away next time," Rainspark growled to the fallen warrior.
He tried to struggle under Rainspark's solid weight, but the more he squirmed, the more her claws sank into his already-bleeding shoulders. "Let- me- go!" he gasped. "We haven't crossed- the border. But Birchpaw-"
Rainspark took no notice of the last comment and instead snarled lower, stepping on his hind legs so that he was completely trapped. I waited, stunned, for her to deal the killing blow, but just before she could take action, my mentor stepped forward, growling, "Let him run back crying to his mother."
Sunpaw's mentor hesitated for a moment, but slowly released her grip on the DuskClan tom, watching as he struggled to his paws and began half-limping, half-running back into the forest.
When all traces of him were but gone, Sunpaw exclaimed, "That was exciting! I want to be just like you one day!"
Rainspark purred, stepping forward to nuzzle her apprentice on the cheeks. "Thank you. That'll teach them a lesson about going near our territory next time." She glanced over to where I was still staring at the place where the enemy patrol had disappeared, paws frozen to the ground. "Reedpaw, too."
"It's getting a bit late," Pebbleskip interrupted, gesturing with her tail at the descending darkness. "We best go back to the clan now. Get some sleep."
Sunpaw nodded, a smile on her face, and without another word, she began following close behind her mentor like a lost puppy and together, the three of them started the trek back to the camp, all chatting excitedly about the 'battle.' But I couldn't go with them yet. Because there was one thing that I had to do.
Being careful to stay quiet, I peeked past the thick undergrowth, searching for a smoky-white face among the lush green; at first, I thought that he had ran off while the others were distracted, but if I looked closer, I could see the outline of a trembling form against the bush.
"Birchpaw?" I asked, remembering the name that the tom had croaked out.
Slowly, after what seemed like an eternity, the small copper-colored eyes stared back out at me. "P- please don't hurt me," he whispered, shrinking back against the trunk of a nearby pine tree. "Please. I- I'll stay away from the border next time, if only you would perhaps-"
"I won't," I replied, thinking fast about the hostile DuskClan cats that I had been told about. "Go back to your camp."
Birchpaw peeked out from the holly bush. "Really?" he asked, almost shaking with fear. When I just shrugged in response, he quickly untangled himself from the leaves and branches and thorns and looked up into my eyes. I found it uncomfortable, but I let it go. "I thought all DawnClan cats were evil."
Propaganda, I decided. "We've been rivals for a long time," I finally decided on.
"But now it's gone too far," he hissed, starting to sound upset. "DawnClan stole all our prey, and now they're asking for a half of every piece we catch." He sniffed. "I wish I'll never see you ever again. Bye." With that, he turned around and hobbled into the darkening forest.
Just before his tail disappeared completely, I called out, "Was your mentor... one that went to the Gathering last night?"
Birchpaw paused. "Nothing of your concern to worry about," he muttered, and before I could say any more than that, he flicked his tail and I could not find his white pelt again. There was a rustle in the leaves, and then nothing.
Half of every piece of prey they caught? I was deep in thought as I struggled to keep up with Sunpaw and our mentors ahead. Birchpaw could have been lying... but then again, he seemed truly upset. Maybe DuskClan cats took acting lessons or something.
I heard commotion as soon as we entered the camp. Mousestar was poised up on the Meeting Ledge, tail high, head held above the rest of the cats who gathered in murmuring groups below. Blizzardmoon was right by her side, and together, they hardly noticed us as we slipped quietly into the crowd.
"Patrols have been attacked by the ambitious DuskClan!" Mousestar declared, hissing out each word, flicking her tail towards a battered-looking group of cats- well, most of them. The only ones that had scratches were the ones who had went to the Gathering. "Is there no end?"
Stormblaze stepped forward, his shaggy gray head bowed low. "We split up to find some prey, but... our group encountered some devious DuskClan cats." There were small wounds and bite marks on his pelt, although I noticed that none of them looked deep. "We were attacked ferociously."
Blizzardmoon nodded his head in agreement. "I have feared that it may come to this, but we must prepare for war. It could come at any time."
"Sunpaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Sunsting. The Clan of the Skies respect your bravery and courage, and we welcome you as a full member of DawnClan."
"Reedpaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Reedheart. The Clan of the Skies respect your patience and skill, and we welcome you as a full member of DawnClan."
Loud cheers erupted from the waiting crowd- those from Robingaze and Streamfang were the loudest, I noticed. Sunsting looked like her pride was causing her to burst, and as for me- I felt like this was what I had been waiting for all my life.
In the past six moons that we were apprentices, tensions had seemed to die down between DawnClan and DuskClan. Mousestar was still peculiarly playing favorites with the warriors, but no one objected. I had only been picked to a Gathering once, but that one was over almost as soon as it had started. However, one thing that I had noticed was that no matter who else went, those same five warriors were always picked.
Sometimes, patrols still came back empty-pawed and with a few scratches here and there, but now, in the full bloom of greenleaf, no one had to worry about prey anymore. Still, everyone was all on alert in case anything, anything happened at all.
"However," Mousestar continued once the cries had died down, "we have something graver, perhaps, to discuss with the clan."
Suspicion and questions and hints! I should re-pick this story's genre to mystery or something. Review what you think all those... suspicions mean: Stormblaze's wounds weren't deep. Birchpaw revealed some information about DuskClan that might be true; and there's still all those questions from the last chapter...