Chapter Fourteen
~Fight-of-the-Fierce~
"Why is it so dirty?" Goldenpaw wailed, shaking her paws so the dirty scraps of moss would stop clinging to her paws. Fiercepaw purred sympathetically, wincing at her friend. The elder's den is a bit messy since Fiercepaw hasn't been as diligent about keeping it clean. She hasn't had much time with the past few sunrises since she had been spending most of her time in the medicine cat den with Blueflame.
Keeping on her path, Fiercepaw skidded to a stop in front of Talonstrike.
He turned and walked out of camp with her and Smolderpaw silently following right behind him. Their punishment is herb gathering but they can't do that until Honeypaw finishes cleaning out all of the old herbs.
Today, they are just going to be going into the training clearing battle training.
Talonstrike goes down the tunnel first and then Smolderpaw, leaving Fiercepaw to go down last. She hangs back, a little fearful of going into the dark tunnel without Blueflame's tail to grip between her teeth.
"Come on!" Talonstrike called and she jumped, gritting her teeth at her cowardice. Taking a deep breath, Fiercepaw plunged through the tunnel, scrambling through as fast as she could and tumbling into Smolderpaw.
"Watch it!" He snapped and she jerked away, her pelt heating up.
"Please, like I would stay by you any longer than I had to!" Fiercepaw snapped, tossing her head haughtily and daintily trotting over to the center of the training clearing, standing in front of Talonstrike. She was a little startled that she hadn't tripped or fallen in that moment but brushed it off as a fluke. Her paws are still too big for her body so it is doubtful she will be growing any more graceful any time soon.
"Today, we will be practicing our hunting crouches." Talonstrike announces and Fiercepaw rolls her eyes. "I won't tolerate that in this clearing." Talonstrike warned. "Do it again and you will be running laps around here until you drop, understood?" Talonstrike meowed. In this moment, he isn't her father; he is her mentor.
"Understood, Talonstrike." Fiercepaw meowed apologetically. Not even Blueflame would have tolerated her rolling her eyes but he would have batted her head in reprimand. Fiercepaw felt a brief moment of longing for her mentor, wistfully thinking of the actual hunting she could be doing right now…
"Hunting mice." Talonstrike called out and Fiercepaw dropped into her crouch, making sure to keep her paws light, even if they were a bit lopsided. "Lower your tail, Fiercepaw." Talonstrike called out and Fiercepaw obeyed, gritting her teeth at the smug look on Smolderpaw's face when Talonstrike didn't correct him. "Hunting bird." Talonstrike called out and Fiercepaw stretched up, swiping at the air with her paws, snapping her jaws.
"What are you doing?" Smolderpaw meowed and Fiercepaw dropped down, staring crossly at the bossy tom.
"Pretending I am hunting a bird." She snapped and he snorted.
"No wonder you don't catch very much prey." He muttered and Fiercepaw narrowed her silver eyes, opening her mouth to say something.
"Don't." Talonstrike warned and Fiercepaw snapped her jaw shut, stubbornly resuming her bird hunting pose. "Next, now move on to rabbit hunting." Talonstrike called out.
As the sun slowly rose higher in the sky, Fiercepaw's temper began to rise higher. No matter which crouch Talonstrike called out, he always seemed to find something wrong with her crouch. With Smolderpaw, he never saw anything wrong.
It was just "Fiercepaw this" and "Fiercepaw that."
Fiercepaw was about ready to claw her father's ears off.
"Talonstrike!" Fiercepaw turned when she heard Foxclaw's voice. The pregnant dark ginger she-cat's dark blue eyes were curious as she peered at the three of them.
"I'm surprised she managed to fit through the tunnel." Fiercepaw muttered, forgetting for a moment that Goldenpaw wasn't there to protest while snickering and Lightningpaw wasn't going to sit there with his eyes gleaming in amusement while going off on a tangent about respect for the warriors.
"She just barely can." Smolderpaw muttered back. The two of them were attempting to balance on only two paws; one back paw and the opposite front paw. Talonstrike claimed it was to help with their balance but Fiercepaw had the strong suspicion it was an unofficial punishment.
Talonstrike trotted over to Foxclaw, listening intently to the ginger queen, nodding his head several times.
"Now's our chance." Smolderpaw meowed, dropping onto all four paws. Fiercepaw shot him a confused look, the tip of her pink tongue held tightly between her teeth. "Let's go." Smolderpaw urged. "We can go hunt in the forest." He explained and Fiercepaw shook her head, wobbling on one paw and just barely managing to catch herself while Smolderpaw moved over to the edge of the clearing, preparing to leap out of the clearing.
"We can't!" Fiercepaw protested and Smolderpaw rolled his eyes.
"That's right. I forgot what a good little kit you are." He sneered lowly before leaping clear over the bushes surrounding the clearing, disappearing from view. Anger lit up Fiercepaw's blood and she glanced over at her father.
"Chuff it!" She snapped under her breath and took a running start, soaring over the bushes and landing clumsily.
"I knew you would come." Smolderpaw taunted, staring down at her. Fiercepaw scrambled to her paws and shook herself off, giving her chest a few quick licks to hide her embarrassment.
"Are we going to go or not?" She snapped crossly, shoving past him and trotting further into the forest. Smolderpaw snorted, shaking his head and following after her. "We are going to get into so much trouble for this." Fiercepaw fretted, her movements slowing now that the situation is catching up to her.
"Who cares?" Smolderpaw meowed brightly, barreling past her. Fiercepaw stared after him for a second before lunging after him, the challenge in his smoldering eyes igniting in her blood. Plunging into the woods after him, Fiercepaw quickly caught up before stumbling over a branch and catching her balance. "I notice that you can be clumsy a lot." Smolderpaw meowed and Fiercepaw rolled her eyes.
"Oh really? I hadn't noticed!" She meowed sarcastically and he grinned toothily.
"You only trip when you are thinking too much." Smolderpaw pointed out and Fiercepaw paused, staring at him.
"What do you mean?" She meowed reluctantly and he glanced over at her.
"When are thinking too much about what you are doing, you start tripping and being clumsy. It seems to me that you work best off of your instinct; when you don't think things through." Smolderpaw shrugged, trotting ahead as if it is no big deal. "Let's see who can catch a rabbit first!" He challenged her and they were off, loping through the trees, racing each other and shoving in a display of friendly competitiveness.
To her surprise, Fiercepaw didn't dislike Smolderpaw quite so much when they were breaking the rules. It must be because that is when she felt like he was being the most him. Like he wasn't faking so much when he was causing trouble.
It took longer than Fiercepaw expected for them to be caught by Talonstrike but when they were, she followed meekly behind her angry father. They went back to camp and the two of them were subjected to more scoldings from Lionstar and Blueflame, the latter blaming it mostly on Smolderpaw.
Fiercepaw felt guilty afterwards but when they were walking away and Smolderpaw whispered, "Next time we go out, I bet I can catch a snake." Fiercepaw shot him a competitive look, back to being slightly frosty.
"Not if I do first." She challenged and then they went their separate ways, not quite friends but not quite enemies anymore either.
~Fight-of-the-Fierce~
The rest of the moon drew to a close and Goldenpaw noticed Fiercepaw was getting into more trouble for breaking the rules. It was because of Smolderpaw, she was certain. After all, before he had come to their camp, Fiercepaw had never gotten into trouble for using a hunting patrol as 'target practice' by hitting them with small prickle balls or took off in the middle of training sessions with Talonstrike to go hunting or purposefully picking the wrong kind of herbs to bring to Mintleaf.
Smolderpaw was egging Fiercepaw on but at the same time, Fiercepaw wasn't completely innocent.
She gave as good as she got and boy, some of the things Smolderpaw got in trouble for doing were shocking (spreading lavender on the elders pelts instead of mouse bile, eating a rotten piece of carrion food that was in a throw away pile, purposefully baiting Boulderpaw so that the tom would lose his temper and always around Nightstream so she was forced to punish her apprentice, or even the time when Smolderpaw had dragged an unconscious skunk into camp. It had caused a camp wide panic in the effort to get it out before it woke up and Lightningpaw had spotted Fiercepaw laughing from her hiding spot behind the apprentice den, shaking her head playfully at Smolderpaw.).
It surprised Goldenpaw.
She knew that despite the things they dared each other to do, Fiercepaw and Smolderpaw still weren't friends. They still sniped at each other but at the same time, it was almost like an irresistible urge for them to egg each other on.
It confused Goldenpaw.
"Whatcha' thinking about?" Fiercepaw meowed, flopping down beside her black-pawed, golden friend. She nodded cheerfully at Lightningpaw and Aspenkit, heaving a dramatic sigh and looking quizzically Goldenpaw.
"I was just wondering who is going to the Gathering meeting tonight and the Gathering Tournament tomorrow." Goldenpaw meows, shrugging her gold shoulders and taking a bite of shrew so Fiercepaw wouldn't expect her to say more.
"I hope I get to go." Fiercepaw meowed, looking a little anxious. Fiercepaw and Smolderpaw are the only two apprentices that haven't ever been to a Gathering Tournament yet.
"Well, Honeypaw and Lightningpaw went last time so I think this time you, Smolderpaw, Boulderpaw and I might be going." Goldenpaw offered.
"That makes sense." Fiercepaw nodded thoughtfully. "What is it like?" Fiercepaw meowed curiously.
"Well, it can be a bit scary at first." Lightningpaw answered, stretching out on his belly.
"Yeah, but after a few minutes in, it isn't so bad. It is a good way to make friends with cats in the other Clans." Goldenpaw meowed.
"I thought we weren't supposed to do that though?" Fiercepaw asked, sounding distressed.
"We can but we have to keep it at a distance, not like how the four of us are." Goldenpaw explained and Fiercepaw relaxed a little, looking relieved.
"So what do we do tonight?"
"It is usually an exchanging of information. Before the actual Gathering begins, the cats can talk to each other. Apprentices usually meet and greet, the warriors tell battle and hunting stories, the elders complain together and the medicine cats talk about herbs. Once all the four Clans are there, the leaders take turns giving updates on their Clans. Nothing that makes us weak though, only the need to know things." Lightningpaw meowed confidently.
Aspenkit listened with wide eyes, wistfully raking her paws over the ground.
"I wish I could go." She mewed mournfully and Fiercepaw ducked her head down, nuzzling the kit's ear.
"You will some moon but on the bright side, Foxclaw will be having her kits any moment now." Fiercepaw meowed brightly and Aspenkit perked up.
"I know and Mintleaf told me if it was an easy birth, I could help hand her the herbs she will need for it!" Aspenkit mewed excitedly, bouncing excitedly on her paws.
"That's awesome!" Fiercepaw exclaimed, a warm glow in her heart. Then she caught sight of Blueflame padding over, his shoulder wound mostly healed; but only enough that he could walk around. He still couldn't do much hunting and he wasn't allowed to do any battle training or border patrols yet.
"Fiercepaw! Good news, you are going to the Gathering tonight." Blueflame meowed and Fiercepaw squealed, hopping up onto her back paws and flailing as she tipped over, mrowing happily.
"What about us?" Goldenpaw meowed, tilting her head to the side so that her golden fringe trimmed in black fell in front of one of her green eyes.
"You will also be going but Lightningpaw has to hang back this time." Blueflame meowed. "Sorry Lightningpaw but since Smolderpaw, Goldenpaw and Boulderpaw are going, we are already taking a lot of cats. The only way you might get to go is if Boulderpaw gets in trouble at the last minute." Blueflame meowed, glancing distractedly over his shoulder when he saw Swanfang walk past, meowing with Sootfire. The handsome dark grey tom was looking a little smitten with the beautiful white she-cat and Blueflame bristled. "I have to go." He meowed and trotted over to them, interrupting their conversation, making Sootfire bristle.
"What are you going to do?" Goldenpaw meowed warily, seeing a scheming look in Fiercepaw's eyes.
"Nothing! I don't care if Blueflame talks with Swanfang anymore." She meowed partially truthfully. At the moment, she doesn't care who her mentor is talking to. Right now she has a plot in mind. Scanning the clearing, Fiercepaw searched for Smolderpaw, finding him eating a shrew with Talonstrike, Nightstream and Boulderpaw. "Smolderpaw!" Fiercepaw meowed, trotting over to him, ignoring how Goldenpaw and Lightningpaw are hissing after her, guessing what she may be trying to do.
Aspenkit just snickered behind her fluffy little paws, finding Fiercepaw's determination, loyalty and cunning to be a wonderful combination for creating funny situations.
"What am I doing for you this time?" Smolderpaw meowed, a gleam in his smoldering eyes. Fiercepaw shrugged innocently, a smirk pulling on her mouth.
"Maybe…" She cocked her spiky head to the side, a too-innocent look on her face. "-you could get someone-" She cast a sly look towards Boulderpaw before looking back at Smolderpaw. "-banned from a certain event that takes place tonight and tomorrow?" Fiercepaw tilted her head to the side, her black silver-trimmed fringe covering her left eye. There was a sly smile on her mouth and Smolderpaw felt a flash of approval.
Fiercepaw was a quick learner.
If she ever found out he was teaching her how be the perfect rouge, she would claw his eyes out. Too bad she won't ever know.
"And how would I do that?" Smolderpaw meowed teasingly, cocking his head to the side. Fiercepaw huffed, blowing her fringe into the air and moving closer to him.
"Why should I have to do all the work? I gave you the target, now get to work." Fiercepaw meowed insistently, hopping to her paws and whipping around, trotting back over to her friends, a jaunty skip to her steps.
"You shouldn't do this." Lightningpaw meowed, but made no move to get up and do anything to interfere.
"I want you there for my first Gathering." Fiercepaw meowed simply, settling in to discreetly watch as Smolderpaw carefully began to bait Boulderpaw with seemingly innocent remarks.
"Still." Lightningpaw meowed. As they watched, Boulderpaw began to bristle, drawing attention from his mentor. Smolderpaw was meowing, a curious look on his face. Boulderpaw sprung to his paws, meowing heatedly, lashing his tail indignantly behind him. Nightstream surged to her paws, cuffing the top over the head and shaking her head. She hesitated but meowed sternly and Boulderpaw jerked back with shock before whirling around and storming off.
Smolderpaw backed off and sauntered past them, pausing only to nod secretively at Fiercepaw and then moving on.
"I bet we'll have fun tonight at the Gathering, all three of us." Fiercepaw meowed, rolling over and closing her eyes. Lightningpaw stared at her, a scolding and slightly pleased look in his eyes.
"Undoubtedly." He agreed and Goldenpaw snorted, finding it funny how Fiercepaw realigned his moral compass the slightest bit with every sunrise. Then again, she knew the same thing was happening to her too and the funny thing about Fiercepaw, is she does it in such a way that they both know it is happening…and neither of them really care.
It didn't take long for Longclaw to hurry over, an excited gleam in his eyes.
"Get ready Lightningpaw, we are going to the gathering tonight." Longclaw meowed, looking a little curious when the large apprentice only nodded, not questioning why. Fiercepaw smiled to herself, pushing to her paws and trotting over to the elders den.
She spent the rest of the day in there, listening to stories and purposefully helping Goldenpaw whenever she could. Swanfang narrowed her eyes at that but didn't comment on it, accepting the black and silver apprentice was going to help her friend clean the elders den out.
Filled to the brim with Gathering stories, Fiercepaw was almost bouncing around with excitement by the time the sun slowly disappeared and darkness fell.
"Are we all ready to go?" Lionstar meowed, sweeping his proud green gaze over the gathered cats. Fiercepaw's silver eyes glowed and she bounced on her paws happily, pent up energy thrumming through her. Blueflame laughed a little, stroking his tail soothingly down her side.
"Breathe, Fiercepaw." He meowed and she felt her pelt heat up and ducked her head down. The relaxed state didn't last long and when Goldenpaw and Lightningpaw joined them, Fiercepaw began bouncing on her paws again.
"Oh, I'm so excited!" She squealed and Goldenpaw rolled her eyes playfully.
"Really? I never would have guessed." She teased and Fiercepaw swiped playfully at her ear. Goldenpaw ducked but before they could continue their play fight, Lionstar surged through the tunnel, leading the charge through the forest.
Fiercepaw lunged forward, following right after Blueflame with Lightningpaw flanking her left and Goldenpaw flanking her right side. The run through the forest at night was amazing, the silver-white moonlight giving the trees a glow and casting eerie shadows.
The surge of her Clan all around her filled Fiercepaw with strength and adrenaline, making her feel as though her paws were barely skimming the ground. They ran as one, paws in perfect sync. Following the flow of the cats, Fiercepaw curved around, recognizing they were running along the border of BreezeClan and continuing on in the direction of MoonClan.
They raced past the ravine and turned, running along the narrow border between MoonClan and NightClan. Fiercepaw bristled a little when she spotted MoonClan cats racing alongside them on the other side of the border.
It wasn't long until NightClan cats were racing with them on their other side. Then a ripple ran through her Clan and Fiercepaw twitched an ear, her tail streaming behind her as she tucked her paws against her chest, soaring easily over the large fallen tree, landing lightly and digging her back paws into the dirt, using the force to propel herself faster.
Her laughter bubbled up and spilled out, lost in the beautiful run she is doing with her Clan.
When they started to slow down, Fiercepaw felt fierce disappointment but that was quickly drowned out by curiosity. Flicking Goldenpaw's shoulder, Fiercepaw wiggled through the warriors until she was standing just behind Lionstar.
Peering around her leader, Fiercepaw's eyes widened when she saw the clearing below. There was a ring of six tall, thick trees, spaced out so they seemed to be cradling the clearing and wrapping it in safety. In the center of the clearing was a sparkling pond, surrounded by round, flat rocks and in between each rock were beautiful blooming flowers that glowed under the moonlight. There was one large boulder in the center of the pond and it was large and flat enough that it was the perfect size for all of the Clan leaders to rest comfortably on it.
There weren't any cats down there yet.
Lionstar glanced to either side of himself, giving a subtle nod to Winterstar and then to Thornstar, the large orange tom with golden stripes and piercing golden eyes, the white patch on his chest glowing in the moonlight. The leader of NightClan nodded back and then there was a pause before all three leaders signaled their Clans…and they plunged down the ravine and into the clearing below.
Fiercepaw's heart was pounding in her chest and she half expected Blueflame was able to hear it but the tom's orange eyes were gleaming with anticipation. His blue pelt was turned to silver by the moon and he almost seemed like a different tom, unsettling Fiercepaw for the briefest of moments until his comforting scent wound around her.
Fiercepaw pressed into Blueflame's side, her silver eyes wide and her pelt bristling. She wasn't used to being surrounded by so many different Clan scents and it was driving her instincts haywire. She wasn't sure what to do at this point.
"Relax, Fiercepaw." Blueflame meowed, reaching down and gently nuzzling her head. "Go and meet some apprentices with Goldenpaw and Lightningpaw." He meowed lowly, leaving her with one last comforting lick and a lost look on her face.
"Are you okay, Fiercepaw?" Goldenpaw meowed worriedly, seeing her normally spunky friend with her fur plastered to her body and looking like a scared little kit. Before Fiercepaw could say anything though, she was bowled over by a different Clan cat.
Yowling with shock, Fiercepaw hissed and spat, springing to her paws, bristling with her ears pinned down and her tail lashing behind her. Channeling her fear into anger, Fiercepaw glared angrily at the tom.
"Watch it!" She spat out.
"Whoa!" A tom jerked back. He was slightly bigger than her and she guessed he was still an apprentice- a BrookClan apprentice she figured by the slightly fishy smell. This tom was a dark red tabby with bright silver streaks and clear blue eyes that reminded her of a bubbling stream on a sunny day. "No need to be so fierce, I was only trying to go see a friend of mine." He meowed, his voice light and teasing.
"Well maybe you shouldn't shove on your way!" Fiercepaw hissed. Goldenpaw marched forward with Lightningpaw, her tail lashing behind her.
"I agree, that was rude!" She said hotly.
"Yeah, you should watch where you are going next time." Lightningpaw meowed, his voice suddenly deep and threatening.
"Okay, okay!" The tom huffed, sounding exasperated. "Can you believe these bossy little StormClan cats, Lilypaw?" He meowed to a smaller black, white and brown calico that also scented like BrookClan.
"They get ruder every year!" The she-cat sighed, shooting them a mocking look. Fiercepaw began to bristle again, puffing her pelt out to make herself seem larger.
"Well, considering how rude the two of you are being, I would say you would know!" Fiercepaw shot at them before whirling around and coming nose-to-nose with Sparrowpaw. The silver tom blinked at her, his royal blue eyes startled.
"Fiercepaw?" He meowed, confused at the angry look on her face.
"Sparrowpaw! There you are!" The red silver-streaked tabby tom moved past her, friendly shoving Sparrowpaw with his shoulder.
"Reedpaw! It's good to see you again." Sparrowpaw purred and Fiercepaw narrowed her silver eyes.
"You know this rude tom?" Fiercepaw meowed to Sparrowpaw, shooting Reedpaw a deadly look. The infuriating tom just blinked cheerfully back at her, his blue eyes sparkling under the moon light.
"Yeah, I met him at the last Gathering I came to." Sparrowpaw shrugged. "Why, what happened?" He asked and Lightningpaw scoffed.
"He shoved Fiercepaw and knocked her over." The large white and silver apprentice meowed, bristling angrily.
"I didn't mean to! Ask Lilypaw!" Reedpaw protested, bristling and a hint of anger appearing in his clear blue eyes.
"It doesn't matter because the fact is you did!" Fiercepaw hissed angrily, unsheathing her claws. Following her example, Goldenpaw and Lightningpaw did the same, hostility radiating out from them.
"Back off!" Lilypaw hissed, baring her gleaming fangs threateningly.
"Oh, for StarClan's sake! Fiercepaw!" Blueflame called, exasperation echoing in his voice. "What did you do this time?" He meowed, shoving between the apprentices with all the arrogance of a warrior. Reedpaw, Lilypaw and Sparrowpaw stepped back respectfully, watching with interest as Fiercepaw's pelt smoothed out and her jaw dropped.
"It wasn't me this time, I swear on StarClan!" She cried and he scoffed.
"That's what you said when you were pelting our hunting patrol with squirrel dung a few sunrises ago!" He meowed and she ducked her head down, her silver eyes glinting mischeviously.
"That was you?" Smolderpaw materialized, shooting her a playfully scandalized look. Fiercepaw shot him a conspiratorial look, remembering when he dared her to do that task. She had dithered and hesitated so long that he ended up throwing the first piece of dung.
"You know very well it was me." Fiercepaw teased and Smolderpaw snickered, ignoring the hostile look Blueflame is shooting him.
"Alright you, I am bringing you with me for now." Blueflame meowed, nudging a protesting Fiercepaw away from the charged situation. Blueflame ignored her protests, leading her over to a small group of warriors that she didn't recognize and sitting down.
"Who's the 'paw, Blueflame?" A slate grey and brown dappled tom with green eyes meowed curiously. He smelled like BrookClan and Fiercepaw bristled automatically, the incident still fresh in her brain.
"None of your business-oomph!" Fiercepaw found her mouth full of Blueflame's tail and huffed, sitting down and shaking her head.
"This is Fiercepaw-"
"I'll say!" A reddish she-cat with amber eyes said, amusement in her voice. She smelled like BreezeClan.
"-and she is my apprentice, Timbermoss." Blueflame meowed to the tom proudly, puffing his chest out.
"Arrogant tom." Fiercepaw muttered and Blueflame shot her an exasperated look, cuffing her gently on the head.
"Hush." He admonished and she snickered, ducking down low and swiping playfully at his ear. Blueflame mrowed, ducking back and bounced forward, snapping his teeth playfully. Fiercepaw threw her paws up, falling backwards and pretending to be dead. "Fiercepaw? What are you doing?" Blueflame meowed, confused. She lifted her head, blinking solemnly at him.
"Can't you tell? Your ugly face killed me!" She meowed brightly and a dappled black and white tom with green eyes snorted.
"I can only imagine how long your days must seem." He muttered and Blueflame laughed out loud, shaking his head.
"You have no idea, Blackclaw!" Blueflame teased and Fiercepaw surged up, lunging forward and toppling him, scrambling over his body proudly.
"I win!" She called and then leapt off of him, scrambling away and laughing happily while he chased her around. Fiercepaw dodged startled cats, laughing happily until she spotted Lightningpaw and barreled into him, knocking him over.
"Hey!" He protested until he saw who it was. "What are you doing, Fiercepaw?" He mewed but she ignored him, scrambling off of him and peering around a confused Goldenpaw.
"Have either of you seen Blueflame-"
"Got you!" Blueflame reared up and she back peddled, falling over and yelping when he smushed her down.
"Blueflame!" Fiercepaw protested, scrabbling at his belly and laughing. The elegant lithe blue tom looked like he was enjoying himself; his orange eyes gleaming happily.
"Blueflame!" Her call was mirrored by the reddish she-cat with amber eyes from BreezeClan.
"Coming, Cherrynose!" Blueflame called and hopped up, circling Fiercepaw and nudging her with his nose. She twisted onto her back, exposing her fluffy silver chest and batting playfully at his nose until he pulled it out of reach. "Be good." He paused. "Actually, it's not fair of me to ask you for the impossible so I'm going to go with: try not to start a Clan war, okay?" He meowed teasingly.
"No promises!" Fiercepaw meowed teasingly, hopping to her paws and shaking herself off, twining around Blueflame and purring. He purred back, nuzzling her head before bouncing off with his group of friends.
"Did you two really have to do that?" Goldenpaw meowed teasingly and Fiercepaw whipped around, lifting her nose loftily in the air.
"Don't be jealous, Goldenpaw!" Fiercepaw teased, nudging her friend playfully in the shoulder.
"You do realize you bumped into Reedpaw when Blueflame tackled you?" Goldenpaw meowed, nodding her head at the dark red silver-streaked tom. He smirked, rising to his paws.
"I guess we are even?" He meowed, reaching his nose out and waiting for her to tap it politely. Fiercepaw narrowed her eyes, sitting down between her two friends and wrapping her tail around her paws, tilting her head to the side and eyeing him coolly.
"That depends. Are you going to apologize?" She meowed and he pulled back the slightest bit, shooting a startled look at Lilypaw, who just shrugged.
"Why should I?" He meowed and Fiercepaw bristled, shooting him a sharp look.
"Fine, don't then!" She snapped angrily.
"I won't then!" Reedpaw snapped back and Fiercepaw tossed her head, looking away from him and spotting Smolderpaw.
"Was that your mate?" Lilypaw meowed, breaking into the heated glare. Fiercepaw drew back with surprise.
"Of course not! That was Blueflame, my mentor. I'm only 7 moons old; I'm not old enough for a mate!" Fiercepaw exclaimed, shocked the she-cat would even think that. Lilypaw shrugged and turned away.
"Hey, Fiercepaw." Smolderpaw meowed. Lightningpaw bristled a little but Goldenpaw nodded at the tom. He still wasn't very popular in the apprentice den because he still didn't like to groom and because he can be rude to them sometimes. He doesn't seem to care if they like him or not- with the one exception of Fiercepaw. He seems to go out of his way to- not be friends but to be on speaking terms.
"Wait! I know you from when I was a rouge!" Lilypaw meowed, rising to her paws. Smolderpaw looked over at her, his eyes widening.
"Slinky?" He meowed, shocked. Fiercepaw narrowed her eyes. That wasn't a Clan name.
"Actually, it's Lilypaw now! I was accepted into BrookClan." She meowed and Smolderpaw nodded. "What about you, A-"
"It's Smolderpaw." He meowed sharply, cutting her off. Lilypaw backed off, nodding respectfully. Fiercepaw, Goldenpaw and Lightningpaw exchanged a look. This is suspicious. Since when does BrookClan take in rouges? Then again, the same could be said of StormClan.
"Look, all of the leaders are getting ready to speak!" Sparrowpaw meowed, the darker silver feathery streaks on his pelt glowing under the moonlight. They all fell silent and turned to face where the leaders were climbing onto a large boulder in the center of the pond. The top of the boulder was flat and large enough that the five Clan leaders sat comfortably.
Fiercepaw puffed up with pride to see Lionstar standing up there, looking strong and sleek; the perfect representation of StormClan.
"Welcome, cats of all Clans!" Winterstar began. Fiercepaw narrowed her eyes, a darker urge stirring in her. For a brief moment, she pictured leaping up, unsheathing her claws and burying them in the Clan leader's throat….Fiercepaw jerked back, startled and horrified at herself.
How could she have thought that?
"-and have one new apprentice. Snakepaw was previously a loner but requested to join our Clan when we caught her hunting within our borders. After deliberation we accepted her in. All is well in my Clan." Winterstar meowed and Fiercepaw shot a startled look at Goldenpaw and Lightningpaw. Another rouge joining a Clan?
Thornstar stood up next.
"My Clan is well. We discovered a badger on our territory and chased it off towards the Upwalkers. We have two new apprentices: Cricketpaw and Marshpaw. One of our elders passed away and was welcomed into StarClan. Prey runs freely on our territory." Thornstar meowed before sitting down.
"I don't recognize the name Marshpaw." Lightningpaw meowed lowly. "Do you think it might be a rouge like Smolderpaw, Lilypaw and Snakepaw?" Lightningpaw meowed.
"I don't know." Fiercepaw whispered back as Falconstar(the BrookClan leader- a dappled gold and soft brown she-cat with amber eyes) stood up.
"BrookClan also has a new apprentice, Lilypaw. We have new kits from Butterflytail. Smallkit, Strongkit and Rabbitkit." Falconstar sat back down with cheers from her Clan.
Then it was Runningstar's turn.
"We have recently run off a pack of dogs and found twoleg kit's wandering on the moors. They have not found our camp so we are still safe. We have two new apprentices: Sparrowpaw and Strongpaw." Runningstar sat down.
"Sparrowpaw is definitely a Clan cat so I bet it is Strongpaw that was the rouge before." Goldenpaw meowed lowly, leaning in.
"What does it mean that there is a rouge in each Clan now though?" Fiercepaw whispered and Goldenpaw shrugged, turning away as Lionstar stood up.
"My Clan is thriving in this season. We have two new apprentices, Smolderpaw and Fiercepaw!" He paused so StormClan could chant their names. Fiercepaw raised her head proudly, her pelt flushing with heat. "We will be having three litters of kits soon and prey is running freely in our territory." Lionstar meowed proudly.
StormClan began cheering and Fiercepaw was quick to add her voice, pride shining in her eyes.
"That is all." Lionstar meowed and there was a pause while the five leaders spoke to each other before they all leapt down.
"Is that it?" Fiercepaw meowed and Goldenpaw nodded.
"Until tomorrow anyway." She meowed, turning back to the group. "See you guys at the Gathering Tournament tomorrow?" She meowed brightly.
"I'll be there for sure!" Sparrowpaw meowed eagerly and Fiercepaw nodded.
"Me too, hopefully Blueflame and your mentors won't keep us behind for our punishments." Fiercepaw exchanged a long-suffering look with her two friends before they laughed. "Bye!" Fiercepaw meowed brightly, ignoring Reedpaw all together. The tom looked amused and made it a point to meow a farewell to her.
"See you tomorrow!" He mewed cheerfully and Fiercepaw flicked her tail, turning her back to him.
"Don't worry about him." Sparrowpaw meowed, gently pressing the tip of his nose to her cheek. "He means well. See you tomorrow?" Sparrowpaw meowed and Fiercepaw nodded, her pelt heating up at being so close to a tom from another Clan.
"Bye, Sparrowpaw." Fiercepaw meowed, just as Smolderpaw turned away from Lilypaw.
"Yeah, bye, Sparrowpaw." The dark grey, orange and red tom meowed mockingly, brushing past the BreezeClan tom.
"What's his problem?" Sparrowpaw meowed, bristling a little.
"He's like that with everyone." Fiercepaw meowed, glancing away to see Blueflame waiting for her.
"He's not like that with you." Sparrowpaw meowed, looking intently at her. Fiercepaw ducked her head down and shrugged, glancing to the side again.
"I have to go." She meowed and quickly trotted away, weaving through the cats until she reached Blueflame's side.
"Let's go home." He meowed, running his tail down her flank. Fiercepaw leaned into Blueflame, a sudden yawn catching her by surprise.
"Sounds good to me!" She mewed sleepily as they began moving.
Her first Gathering had been way more exciting than she thought it would be but there was still something lurking in the back of her mind.
…was there something suspicious about the fact there is now a rouge in each Clan?
….or is it just pure coincidence?
One way or another (after she had some sleep), Fiercepaw planned on figuring it out.