I padded into Thunderclan's camp with a squirrel in my jaws. Runningwind and Cloudpaw were beside me. "This is great! Fireheart is going to freak at all the prey I caught!" Cloudpaw exclaimed around his mouthful of prey. I purred and we deposited our prey on the pile.
"Well go and show him. He's right over there." I mewed. Cloudpaw didn't need to be told twice as he was already scampering off to the Thunderclan deputy. I rolled my eyes and looked for Tawnypelt. She was dragging out a bundle of moss from the nursery. I padded over to help her. "Hey." Tawnypelt jumped but then relaxed as she realized it was me.
"Oh hey, Leopardstorm." she mumbled. Then she huffed as she continued dragging out the moss and I tilted my head.
"Need some help?" I asked. Tawnypelt leaned away from me as if trying to hide something as she shook her head.
"I got it." she snapped. I narrowed my eyes and helped her anyway. Tawnypelt hissed and glared at me. "I don't need any help!" I was taken aback by her outburst but I wasn't going to give up that easily.
"Who said I was helping you? Maybe I actually wanted to clean bedding." I retorted. Tawnypelt scoffed and flicked her ear in annoyance.
"You are the worst liar in all the clans. Ever since you were a kit!" she snapped. I flattened my ears in anger.
"Well I was also the cat who made all the fun around here since I was a kit." I spat.
"Ha! No! You were the kit who would always get us in trouble! Maybe that's why Bluestar's putting me on apprentice duty. Did you get me in trouble again?" Tawnypelt retorted. I growled and let go of the moss bundle. The bundle flipped over onto Tawnypelt's head, causing her to stumble over and land snout first on the ground. As she fell, I saw a flash of flesh through her fur on her shoulder. I gasped and ran over to her.
"What happened to your shoulder?" I asked. Tawnypelt shoved me away and bared her fangs.
"It's none of your business!" she spat. Then she took the bundle of moss and ran out the camp. I growled and ran after her. As I burst out the entrance, she was gone. I huffed in annoyance and sniffed the air. Then I heard sneers coming from the bushes. I padded over and peered through the leaves. Tawnypelt was surrounded by the apprentices with the bundle of moss beside her.
"Aw, look at the great and mighty warrior! She's carrying bundles of moss while the loyal cats are out hunting and fighting for their clan!" Swiftpaw snickered. Thornpaw had flattened ears as if he was unsure but he piped in too.
"Thunderclan doesn't need cats like her." his voice squeaked. Fernpaw and Brightpaw didn't say anything and tried to step in but were too scared. Ashpaw was a little braver.
"Guys, leave her alone. She's just doing a chore like the rest of us." he snapped. Swiftpaw scoffed and looked at him.
"Are you sticking up for a murderer's daughter?" he asked. I growled and stepped out of the bushes.
"What is going on here?" I asked. The apprentices jumped and looked at me. Fernpaw and Brightpaw shrunk under my scorching gaze as I looked over them. "You all should know better than to pick on a cat like that! Especially if they're your own clanmate!" I snapped. I snapped my gaze to Thornpaw. "I expected more from you, Thornpaw. What would Mousefur say about this kind of behavior?" I scolded. Thornpaw lowered his head and flattened his ears. "Now get back to camp and don't let me catch you doing this ever again. Do I make myself clear?" They all nodded and walked back to camp. Swiftpaw scoffed and flicked his tail.
"The clan's full of traitors." he muttered. Then he scampered off before I could say anything. I growled and turned to Tawnypelt. A fresh new scar was on her other shoulder and she stared at the ground in anger and shame.
"Are you alright?" I asked. Tawnypelt jerked her head up and opened her mouth to say a stinging retort but she just sighed and slumped down onto her haunches.
"They hate us. They all do." she muttered. I sat beside her and nuzzled her cheek.
"Tigerclaw has left a scar on all of our hearts. The clan is just shaken up and confused. Right now we just need to take care of them. We can't prove that we're disloyal." I murmured. Tawnypelt sighed and nodded. I helped her bury the old moss then collected new one. Then we padded back to camp with our heads held high.
I walked to the forest and over to Sunning Rocks. I wonder what Fuzz is up to today. I jumped onto the rock and licked my paw. Then rustling sounded from the bushes. I pricked my ears and looked around. "Fuzz?" I called. Then a cat padded out from the bushes on Riverclan's side of the border. It was Riverfang. He looked at me friendly and waved. I flicked my ear in greeting and turned back to licking my paw.
"What are you doing?" Riverfang asked. I padded over to the water's edge and sat down.
"Just waiting for someone." I mewed. Riverfang raised an eyebrow.
"A friend?" he asked. I opened my mouth but couldn't think of an answer. Me and Fuzz just met… are we friends or just friendly acquaintances? I turned back to Riverfang and shrugged.
"I guess you can say that." I sniffed. Riverfang chuckled and sat down.
"Did you two plan to meet here?" he asked. I shook my head.
"I met him here yesterday and I just wanted to see him again." I mewed. Riverfang smiled.
"Sounds like Leopardstorm has her eyes on someone." he smirked. I blushed and gaped at him.
"What? No!" I blurted out. I blushed harder as Riverfang laughed.
"I was just teasing you, Leopardstorm." he chuckled. I rolled my eyes and tried to cool off. Then Riverfang got up. "Well I have to go, Leopardstorm. Duty call." he mewed. I waved him goodbye as he walked away. I looked at the bushes Fuzz pointed to where his home was. I narrowed my eyes in thought. Should I just go and see him there? I don't want to seem like a stalker… maybe I should just go and see him tomorrow. No because I want to talk to him now! I shook my thoughts away and growled. Why am I acting like this over a tom I hardly even know? I scoffed and forced my unsure paws over to the bushes. I peeked through and saw a path leading down the bank. I followed the path and looked around. Then I scented Fuzz and I looked over to see a hidden tunnel. I padded through and looked around. Fuzz was sitting deep within the tunnel. Light poured from a hole in the roof with Fuzz bathing in it. A pile of prey was a couple of fox lengths away.
"Hey Fuzz." I mewed. Fuzz jumped to his paws in alarm and looked at me. He sighed as he recognized me.
"Isn't it rude to walk in uninvited, clan cat?" he chuckled. I rolled my eyes and padded over to him. Fuzz licked my ear in greeting and settled back down in his spot. I laid beside him and welcomed the sun as it soaked my fur. "So what's going on? Did you want to talk to me or just walk in on me?" Fuzz asked. I rolled my eyes and scoffed.
"I wanted to talk to you." I said. Fuzz raised an eyebrow.
"About…?" he began. I opened my mouth but nothing came out. Why did I want to talk to him? Great Starclan, Leopardstorm! What has gotten into me lately? I smiled nervously.
"I actually don't know." I chuckled. Fuzz laughed and leaned into me. I flinched then relaxed.
"So what's it like in a clan?" he asked. I sighed and tried to think of where to start.
"Well we're kinda like you. Except we have to follow the warrior code." I mewed. Fuzz tilted his head.
"The warrior code?" he asked. I nodded.
"The warrior code was passed down by our ancient ancestors in Starclan. Starclan are the stars you see at night. Each one of those stars are our clanmates." I explained. Fuzz nodded as if registering what I said into his mind.
"So Starclan is made up by all the clans that are alive right now?" he asked. I nodded. "What about rogues and kittypets?" he asked with interest sparking his gaze. I tilted my head in thought.
"I don't know. But if a rogue or kittypet joins a clan and shows their loyalty through all of their life, then maybe Starclan will accept them." I mewed. Fuzz nodded and looked at the hole in the roof.
"You cats are mysterious." he murmured. I rolled my eyes and Fuzz looked at me with a smile. "I like it." I blushed as he looked into my eyes and I flattened my ears. We stayed like that in silence for a moment until I shook my head and cleared my throat.
"So, uh… what about you? Where did you come from?" I asked. Fuzz smiled and turned back to the hole in the roof.
"I was born with my house folk along with my brother and sister." he began. "One day I was looking out of the garden and saw the forest. I found it very fascinating and I wanted to go explore. So when me and my littermates got older, we went out of our garden and into the forest. My mother and father came along just to keep us in check. We spent a couple of days in the wild and we all grew to like it."
"And then?" I urged. Fuzz chuckled and continued.
"And then, a storm happened. My parents and sister went back to our garden when the storm stopped. Me and my brother stayed. And then a badger stumbled upon our camp. My brother fought bravely but the badger was too strong. So I had to flee and find a new camp. I brought my brother as far as the river… but he didn't make it." Fuzz said, his voice wavering. I leaned into his shoulder comfortingly. Fuzz gave a sad side smile. "Then I found this tunnel. It isn't the exact place I would like to live in but it's sheltered and spacious. Plus it keeps out bigger intruders." then he chuckled. "Well not nosey cat intruders, that is." he smirked, looking at me. I shoved him with a laugh.
"I'm not nosey! I was just… curious." I muttered. Fuzz scoffed and flicked my ear. Then he beckoned to a squirrel.
"You wanna share?" he asked.
"I can't eat your food." I murmured. Fuzz nudged me and dragged the squirrel over.
"It's not my food." he mewed. Then he rested the squirrel in between us and leaned into me. "It's our food." I smiled and blushed.
"Alright, if you insist." I murmured. I bent lower to take a bite and looked up at Fuzz as he watched me. I swallowed my mouthful and tilted my head. "Aren't you gonna take a bite?" I asked. Fuzz smiled and bent lower.
"She-cats first." he mewed. I blushed harder as I watched him eat part of the squirrel. Then I bent lower to join him. Why is this cat making me feel like this? I looked up to see the sun slowly going down.
"It's getting late." I murmured. Fuzz looked up in disappointment. I felt the same way as I got up.
"Wait." Fuzz meowed. I looked at him. "You wanna sleep here for tonight? It gets kinda dangerous at night. Plus it's really hide to see." he mewed. I looked at him uncertainly.
"I have to get back to my clan…" I murmured. Fuzz stood up beside me and looked into my eyes. I couldn't help but shrink again.
"Please? It does get kinda lonely here." he mewed. I sighed and nodded. Fuzz smiled and settled back down in his spot. I laid beside him and settled my head on my paws. Fuzz licked my fur as if soothing me to sleep. I let out a soft purr and leaned into him as he wrapped his tail around me. "Good night, Leopardstorm." Fuzz mewed. I looked at him and smiled.
"Good night, Fuzz." I murmured. Then I closed my eyes and drifted into sleep.