Oh, in the last chapter, I said that the Clans' in this story lived in the old forest? Well, these are the territories. CrystalClan has ShadowClan camp, EveningClan(Won't appear much) has WindClan camp, and GoldenskyClan has ThunderClam camp.
--
"Scarpaw! You mouse-brain!" Tigernose shouted as Scarpaw missed a squirrel. "What were you thinking?" He hissed. Scarpaw crouched. "I-I'm sorry, Tigernose! I missed it on accident!" She mewed with shaking in her voice. Tigernose growled, then finally spoke. "Fine. Now come on- we're going back to camp." He hissed. So he and Scarpaw headed back to CrystalClan camp.
Later that night, Kestrelpaw had awoken the other apprentices. Scarpaw yawned. "What is it, Kestrelpaw?" She asked sleepily. "Yeah, what?" Larchpaw agreed. "Let's sneak out of camp!" Kestrelpaw mewed to them. "But won't we get in trouble?" Mosspaw pointed out. Larchpaw and Scarpaw nodded in agreement. Kestrelpaw sighed. "It's the middle of the night. We won't get caught, I promise. Even if we do, I'll take the blame. Deal?"
The others glanced at each other, then turned back. "Deal." Larchpaw mewed. So they headed out the entrance. The ran across the Thunderpath and kept running until they reached the border between CrystalClan and GoldenskyClan. "Hey, Scarpaw. I dare you to cross the border!" Kestrelpaw dared. "Well..." Scarpaw began. Larchpaw and Mosspaw were shaking their heads. "....I'll do it, but YOU take the blame, remember?" Scarpaw finally declared. "I promise." Kestrelpaw promised. So Scarpaw looked back at Larchpaw and Mosspaw, then crossed the border.
GoldenskyClan territory was beautiful- every turn there were trees as big as any cat. There were beautiful rocks. "Wow..." Scarpaw exclaimed in awe. Suddenly, she was interuppted when she bumped into something- or someone. She looked up to see a hazel-colored cat standing above Scarpaw. "What are you doing here?" The cat demanded. "Don't you know this is GoldenskyClan territory?"
Scarpaw lowered her ears. "I'm sorry, sir. My friend dared me too...and I didn't want them to think I wasn't brave!" She explained. The cat looked around, then back at Scarpaw. "You look strangly familiar." He mewed. "Who is your mother?" He asked. "S-Sandypelt, sir." She told him. "Then you are part GoldenskyClan. Are you Mosskit? Or Sweetkit? Sandypelt was my mate." He told Scarpaw.
Scarpaw stared in shock. "I am Sweetkit...but Spotstar changed my name to Scarkit...but now I am Scarpaw. I hate my name, I really do." She confessed. The cat stared for a moment, then spoke. "I believe you. I am Brackenpath, deputy of GoldenskyClan. Let me take you to Shadowstar. Don't worry- you're not in any trouble." Brackenpath mewed. Then Scarpaw followed him to GoldenskyClan camp.
It was nearly dawn when they got there. The warriors were just waking up. A black she-cat padded out of the leaders den. "That's our leader, Shadowstar. She's very kind." Brackenpath told Scarpaw. Brackenpath signalled Shadowstar to come. So she padded over to Brackenpath and Scarpaw. "Hello, Brackenpath. Who is this? She has CrystalClan scent!" Shadowstar exclaimed. "This is Sandypelt's daughter, Sweetp- er...Scarpaw. They changed her name. I found her in our territory this morning." He explained. "She doesn't seem to like her life in CrystalClan." He added.
Shadowstar stood for a minute, then sighed. "Very well. Scarpaw, do you wish to join GoldenskyClan and leave your mother, brother, and friends behind?" She asked. Scarpaw gasped. "Oh yes! Most certaintly! Thank you!" She was crying with happiness now. Shadowstar couldn't help but feeling happy. "Very well." She mewed. Then she hopped onto Highrock. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather under here for a Clan meeting." Shadowstar called.
Scarpaw didn't recognize any cats except for Emberpelt, whom she saw with Leafpelt- 'Leafpelt...' Scarpaw thought. What would Leafpelt think when she found out Scarpaw was gone? "Cats of GoldenskyClan, Brackenpath found Scarpaw, formerly Sweetkit, on our territory. She was born here, by her mother Sandypelt, but was taken to CrystalClan. She hated her life there, so now she is an apprentice of our Clan. Also, Scarpaw, by the name of StarClan, I now change your name to Sweetpaw, to honor your sweetness to the Clan. Your mentor here will be Dapplepelt."
Meows of approval rose from the crowd. Sweetpaw...she couldn't stop getting her old/new name out of her head! Suddenly, three cats ran up to her, looking about Sweetpaw's age. "Hi Sweetpaw!" One of them greeted. "My name is Starpaw! These are my siblings, Tigerpaw and Yellowpaw!" Starpaw introduced. "You'll love it here!" Yellowpaw added. "Yeah! It's so cool here!" Tigerpaw added.
Sweetpaw giggled. She liked it here already. Suddenly, she remembered Mosspaw, Larchpaw, and Kestrelpaw. Were they still there? "Brackenpath!" She called. Brackenpath ran over to Sweetpaw. "What is it?" He asked. "Can I see my friends? They dared me to come in the territory, and they're probably still there." She asked, hoping she could. Brackenpath hesitated, but nodded.
Sweetpaw ran out of the camp. She ran as fast as she could to the border. When she got there, they were not there. Sweetpaw drooped her ears. They left! "Maybe a patrol found them..." She thought out loud. She looked back one more time, then slowly walked away.
* * *
A week had passed and it was time for the gathering. Brackenpath hopped onto Highstone. "Shadowstar will be taking Firecloud, Starpaw, Sweetpaw, Dapplepelt, and Tigerpaw to the gathering." He announced. Meows of approval rose. "My first gathering!" Sweetpaw exclaimed. Starpaw walked up. "Me too! Yellowpaw can't come, because she's the medicine cat apprentice." Starpaw explained. "And Tigerpaw." She added. Sweetpaw froze. "Wait, if Yellowpaw is the Medicine Cat apprentice, how come I didn't see her when I went to Moonstone at the half-moon with Leafpelt? My mentor was sick, so I went with her." She asked.
Tigerpaw's ears drooped. "Our apprenticship was delayed a moon..." He mewed sadly. "We're the same age as you, we just got made apprentices recently." He added. Sweetpaw nodded. "I left my brother, mother, and friends from CrystalClan. Mosspaw was my brother. He was funny, and very caring for me. My mother, Sandypelt. She loved me very much. I wonder how she felt when Mosspaw told her I never came back...And Leafpelt, the medicine cat. She was nicer than any cat I've ever met..." She drifted off.
Starpaw took a step forward. "Why did you leave all that behind?" She asked wonderingly. Sweetpaw shook her head. "I...I don't know. Some part of me wishes I hadn't..." She admitted. At that moment, Shadowstar signaled that it was time to go. So, Starpaw, Tigerpaw and Sweetpaw walked together to the gathering.
At the gathering, GoldenskyClan were not the first ones. EveningClan was already there. Razorstar, their leader, was waiting patiently for the others. "Greetings, Shadowstar." Razorstar welcomed. "Hello, Razorstar." Shadowstar replied. Starpaw leaned over to say something to Sweetpaw. "Wildstar was their old leader," Starpaw whispered. "..But Diamondeyes, their old deputy, pushed him out of a tree so she could be leader. She was bloodthirsty, but everyone else in EveningClan was against her, so they killed her." She mewed softly. "My mother told me that."
Sweetpaw was waiting for CrystalClan to arrive to see if her mother and brother were coming. When she saw Spotstar making his way through, sure enough, Sandypelt was there. After all, she was the deputy. She tried to crouch down, to make sure her mother didn't see her, but she did. Sandypelt padded up to her slowly. "Why?" She asked. "Why did you join them?" She repeated. Sweetpaw hesitated, then started. "Because nothing in my life was ever going right in CrystalClan!" She hissed. "I'm better off DEAD there!"
Sandypelt froze in horror. Then growled. "If that's the way you feel, fine. We don't need you, anyway! Your brother is a warrior already because of his hard work!" She spat. Sweetpaw was shocked. "But it's way to early! There's no way he could be a warrior!" She growled. "Mosspaw!" She cried. Mosspaw made his way. "I'm MossWING now!" he protested.
Sweetpaw growled. "I hate you! Just go away! I never want to see you again!" She hissed, and without saying another word, Sandypelt and Mosswing walked away. Starpaw walked up to Sweetpaw. "Oh Sweetpaw...I'm so sorry." She mewed. "Don't be," Sweetpaw began. "At least YOU did nothing wrong..."
Shadowstar called for the gathering to begin. "We have 4 new apprentices! Starpaw, Tigerpaw, Yellowpaw, and Sweetpaw!" She announced proudly. "Also, since the recent death of my son, Brightfur, also the deputy, I am proud to announce that Brackenpath is our new deputy!" Meows of congratulation rose from the cats.
Spotstar stepped forward. "All is good in CrystalClan. We have 1 new Warrior, Mosswing! And Sweetpaw would have been a Warrior if she hadn't gone to no-good GoldenskyClan!" He hissed. Sweetpaw jumped up. "Is that a challenge, Spotstar?" She asked. Spotstar growled. "Why yes, I suppose it is!" He protested. Shadowstar stepped forward. "Now, now. There will be no fighting!" She tried to stop them, taking a pace forward. Spotstar turned to Shadowstar. "Shut up, black cat!" He yelled. Hisses and growls filled the Fourtrees.
"Fine! If it's a battle you want," Shadowstar began. "Then it's a battle you'll get! We meet at dawn, Spotstar!" She declared. Yowls of approval rose from the crowd. Even EveningClan cats were approving.
'This is my chance,' Sweetpaw thought. 'To show CrystalClan how I'm not useless!"
--
End of chapter 4