Whoa! This Chapter is about twice as long as all my others! Sorry! I didn't notice that when I was writing it! -laughs nervously- I thank everyone for the reviews! I really do! -gives cookies- But if you have any CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM then I'd love to hear it! I want to make this story as good as I can get, so if you have any suggestions feel free to tell me! And if you like how I'm doing something, please tell me that too, so I can put in more of that sort of thing! Thanks for listening to me blabber! Here 'ya go!
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Blackshadow had his head bent down, and he sniffed. "Coltsfoot?" he murmured to himself. He opened his mouth in order to smell better, but a deep voice interrupted him.
"Howdy, Blackshadow!" Blackshadow suddenly got a good whiff of Thorntail, who was most likely the owner of the voice. Blackshadow looked up at the gray warrior blankly, and then went back to sniffing the earth. "I promised Rosepaw I'd find Coltsfoot." He explained.
"Huh." Thorntail watched his friend do just that for a moment as if spellbound, before speaking again: "So where is Rosepaw anyways?" he made a great show of looking around, his blue eyes flashing about not like he was looking for a Clanmate, but like a kit looking for its mother.
"Why?" Blackshadow mumbled. "You hurt?"
"No." Thorntail purred, flicking his tail with glee. "Swiftfoot finally got it into Streamstar's head that I should get an apprentice, and the ceremony's today." He shuffled his paws in embarrassment. "I wanted Rosepaw there. Where is she?"
Blackshadow shrugged his shoulders, trying to hide his resentment – he was older then Thorntail, but nobody was handing him an apprentice. He continued sniffing the ground and suddenly his eyes widened. "Coltsfoot!" he grabbed a mouthful, and spat it out to answer Thorntail's question. Keeping his voice as steady as possible he mewed, "Dawnshimmer called her away. Apparently there's an injured cat somewhere. Rosepaw's helping out."
"Dawnshimmer?" there was no denying the surprise in Thorntail's voice.
"Yup."
Thorntail stared blankly at Blackshadow, registering the news. Dawnshimmer was one of Applefur's closest friends. And Applefur had been the one who ambushed Rosepaw – she couldn't have done that alone…put two and two together, Thorntail, and you get… "Did you tell Streamstar?" Thorntail asked curiously, his voice rising anxiously.
Blackshadow looked at him quizzically for a moment, but then shook his h ead no. "Uh-uh," the black tom mewed. "Dawnshimmer told me it wasn't serious enough for that."
"But it was serious enough for Dawnshimmer to come and get Rosepaw?" Thorntail snarled. Blackshadow's words confirmed it. There was something afoot.
"Yeah…great StarClan!" Blackshadow gasped suddenly realizing how odd that was. "Dawnshimmer must've made a mistake. I better go tell Streamstar about the injured cat…"
Thorntail rolled his eyes at his friend. He was tempted to call Blackshadow a mouse-brain, but Blackshadow wasn't dumb. Just oblivious. Oblivious beyond belief.
"No." Thorntail growled. "We need to follow them. Which way did they go?"
Blackshadow looked quizzically at him for a moment, and Thorntail was tempted to slash him across the face and force him to give the information. "To the West," Blackshadow mewed, still as confused as if Streamstar had named a RiverClan warrior as deputy for ThunderClan.
"We go west then. Maybe we pick up a scent trail." Thorntail closed his eyes for a moment, as if trying to figure out which direction west was. Finally he seemed to realize, and sped off into the distance, acutely aware of Blackshadow pounding against his heels. "I'm going to be late for the apprentice ceremony!" Thorntail spat at Blackshadow. "Why'd you let Rosepaw go?"
"An injured cat? Why wouldn't I let her go heal it?"
Thorntail sighed heavily. No use explaining it now. Blackshadow continued: "And why do you care so much about an apprentice ceremony anyways?" Thorntail's blue eyes burned into Blackshadow's amber. "You don't seem like the type who would want an apprentice." Blackshadow went on. Suddenly it seemed to click in his mind. "Going for deputyship, eh?"
Thorntail nodded. Though this was an emergency, if he talked with Blackshadow it would distract him from his blind rage. "You know Scornkit?"
"Scarface's son." Blackshadow answered. "Cruel name."
"My new apprentice." Thorntail purred, "He looks better then his mother. He must take after his father."
"Its not you, is it?" Blackshadow growled, curling his upper lip in distaste. Scarface wasn't exactly the prettiest cat in the Clan.
"StarClan, no." Thorntail muttered. Blackshadow started to mutter a 'congratulations' about the apprentice, but was only able to get out a 'Congrad' because at that instant, Thorntail, focused on Blackshadow, ran straight into a spotted she-cat - who he successfully knocked over.
"Oh gee, sorry!" Thorntail growled backing up. The cat lay sprawled out on the earth for a moment. She raised her emerald eyes, and Thorntail instantly recognized her as Spottedlight.
"Hello, Spottedlight." Thorntail mewed as friendly as he could muster. He kneaded the ground with his paws – he just needed to make sure she was alright. "Are you okay? I didn't hurt you, did I?"
Spottedlight shook her head. "N-no, I'm fine. You scared a mouse I was hunting away, pounding through the forest like that…"
Blackshadow narrowed his eyes, and Thorntail let out a faint hiss, warning the other tom to keep any rude remarks to himself. "Uh…Spottedlight, you didn't happen to see Rosepaw and Dawnshimmer pass by here did 'ya? Or maybe Applefur?"
Blackshadow jerked his head towards Thorntail, clearly wondering what Applefur had to do with anything, but he didn't speak as Spottedlight answered:
"Yeah, I saw Dawnshimmer and Rosepaw pad this direction. They were heading for Sunningrocks, I think."
"Thanks Spottedlight," Thorntail purred. "You always were a nice cat." He didn't give Blackshadow time to comment on her past treachery, and started off on his mission once more, picking up speed.
He had to find them.
"Spottedlight's nice, AND traitorous." Blackshadow growled. "Why are you always so polite? Hopefully, if we treat her how she deserves, she'll eventually leave on her own."
"Because one day I'll run out of she-cats," Thorntail growled. "I'll have been with them all, and I'll have to repeat. Better keep them all on good terms for that day, huh?"
"You're a beast." Blackshadow sighed.
Thorntail shrugged his shoulders. "Hurry up, Blackhadow." He growled as he started to pass the other ThunderClan warrior.
…
"Promise me, Rosepaw." Applefur snarled. Applefur's voice was ringing in Rosepaw's ear, possibly because Applefur's muzzle was hardly even an ant's-length from it. Rosepaw shivered, as she felt Applefur's long tail wrap around Rosepaw's paws. "Promise me that you won't get any closer to Thorntail, and I won't push you in." Applefur sighed heavily. "It would be terrible to tell Streamstar, that you, ever heroic came to help me out here, and then slipped into the river. ThunderClan's only medicine cat. I can't imagine their reactions. Think of the Clan, Rosepaw." Applefur snarled, tightening her tail on Rosepaw's paws. "Promise me. Don't you care about ThunderClan? Not being able to heal us?"
Rosepaw was silent for a moment, picturing herself being flung against the rocks in the river. She could just imagine Streamstar's face, filled with shock, when Applefur would give her the news.
"If I can't help ThunderClan while in ThunderClan," Rosepaw murmured remembering what Thorntail told her about being scared. "I'll help them in StarClan. I'll train a new medicine cat from StarClan. It's been done before. I've heard it has…" Rosepaw's voice stopped shaking, and went on smoothly as she continued. "I'll still be with everyone in ThunderClan, in StarClan. I'll still be with Thorntail! I'll be closer to him then ever! I'll be free from the constraints of the Warrior Code!" Rosepaw started to shake, and Rosepaw felt Applefur mimic that movement. "Or…or do you know of a way that a cat doesn't go to StarClan? You know," Rosepaw's voice got cold. "Besides if they commit a murder." Rosepaw wanted to wail out all of her sorrow, her fear that was welling up inside her. But she couldn't. Not under Applefur's icy gaze.
Applefur hissed, placed her head on Rosepaw's back, to push her off easier.
"I'm coming, Thorntail…" Rosepaw murmured softly.
…
Thorntail laid his paws on the heated earth in Sunningrocks. He scanned the area quickly, and realized sorrowfully that there was no one there.
"Rosepaw?" he asked curiously.
"Thorntail…"
The voice was faint, and Thorntail padded towards it, Blackshadow right beside him.
By the river – just in RiverClan territory, Rosepaw was lying, her legs sprawled out around her. Her cheek was bleeding, but other then that, she looked fine.
"Rosepaw!" Thorntail gasped rushing towards her, and lowering himself to sit by her.
"What happened?" Blackshadow asked, still clueless.
"Are you okay?" Thorntail asked, covering the medicine cat with licks. "Rosepaw?"
"I'm fine. They just threatened me. They…they…they just threatened me." …
"Well, that settles it." Blackshadow sighed, dragging his tail in the dust as he and Thorntail re-entered the camp, and as Rosepaw rushed into her den to heal her own cheek. Somehow. "I'm a mouse-brain. And oblivious mouse-brain." Blackshadow sighed heavily, and settled himself down a few tail-lengths away from the HighRock. Thorntail wondered why he chose to sit there, when his eyes strayed to the nursery, where he noticed Scarface giving her kitten a thorough licking. Streamstar would call a meeting soon. Blackshadow was claiming his place. "I didn't know they were so bloodthirsty."
Thorntail sighed heavily, and flashed a glance over to the Warrior's den. He noticed Applefur lounging just outside of it, chewing on a thrush, and Dawnshimmer and Featherfrost laughed about some joke.
"I would've never have let them take Rosepaw, if I had known what they were planning! I wouldn't!" Blackshadow sighed heavily, his eyes darkening. Thorntail gingerly touched Blackshadow's shoulder with his tale-tip. "It's not your fault," he growled.
"If something happened it would've been! I was right there!" Blackshadow lowered his gaze to the ground. "If Rosepaw knew, why didn't she speak up? Why didn't she tell me?"
Thorntail couldn't meet his friend's gaze, but he felt Blackshadow's amber one burning into him. "Rosepaw can't say anything. Even if you protected her, they'd just get her some other time. Worse." Thorntail shrugged his shoulders. "It's sad when a cat's worst enemies are in their Clan."
"So…" Blackshadow's voice started to shake, and Thorntail felt him get to his paws. "We're just going to shut up, and let this happen? We should tell Streamstar…or Robinwing…or just tell Applefur to cut it out!"
"That'll have the opposite effect." Thorntail pointed out. "What could Streamstar do?"
"If things got bad," Blackshadow explained. "She could exile Applefur! I mean, Rosepaw has a right not to be…attacked every time to leaves camp alone, right?"
"How would exiling Applefur stop that from happening?" Thorntail asked his friend, finally meeting Blackshadow's piercing gaze. "Then Applefur would have more freedom. And if she's confined to the camp, as an opposite-effect-exile, she'd still be able to get out."
Blackshadow didn't have a retort to that, but he curled his lip in rage, and bared his teeth. Thorntail almost cringed. He'd never seen Blackshadow so furious. "So what are we supposed to do? Sit back and watch as our medicine cat is tormented?"
"We wait, until they get over it. Yes." Thorntail murmured, shifting uncomfortably.
"So you're going to sit there calmly?" Blackshadow rose to his full height, and lashed his tail. Thorntail looked down for a moment, and noticed that his friend was digging his claws into the earth. "It's your fault you know."
"I know." Thorntail mewed simply, meeting Blackshadow's gaze unblinking.
"If anything, anything at all, happens to the ThunderClan medicine cat," Blackshadow continued, jerking his head towards Rosepaw's den, where Thorntail could just make out the figure of the pretty she-cat. "I'll never forgive you."
Thorntail opened his mouth to answer Blackshadow, but he didn't get to. Because at that moment, Streamstar bounded from her den, and leaped onto HighRock.
"May all cats old enough to catch their own prey, join here beneath the HighRock for a Clan meeting."
Thorntail and Blackshadow didn't move from their positions, and just raised their eyes to stare at the silver she-cat that was their leader, as the warriors of ThunderClan surrounded them.
"Remember what I told you," Swiftfoot hissed, settling himself down beside Thorntail. "Train Scornkit well."
"Still say it's a cruel name," Blackshadow mumbled.
…
Rosepaw padded from her den, as her mother called the Clan. She didn't really want to leave the safety of her den, but she knew Thorntail was getting his first apprentice. Most likely to distract him from her. Either way, Thorntail would want her to be with him.
Rosepaw kept replaying her words in her mind again and again. What she had said to Applefur. Rosepaw had said that as long as she had Thorntail, she wouldn't mind never seeing again. 'I was so scared I didn't know what to do…' Rosepaw thought sadly. 'But…I think this might be more then a crush…I think I might be IN love with him…I'm a medicine cat…I can't…' Maybe if she avoided Thorntail it would be easier. Applefur would leave her alone, Streamstar would be happy, and Blackshadow could easily be her friend. But she longed for Thorntail. And knowing where he was – Right There – it was…hard.
"Oh, StarClan." She mumbled.
Streamstar already performed the 'dosie-dos' of calling a meeting, she clearly had already given the reason for it – to give Scornkit a mentor, because Streamstar had already begun the ceremony.
"Scornkit," Streamstar purred her voice strong and smooth, "from this moment on, you will be known as Scornpaw."
The pale brown tabby, Scornpaw squeaked with joy, but a glare from the deputy, Robinwing, quickly silenced the kit. Rosepaw had to sustain a purr of amusement.
"Thorntail, you are without an apprentice." Streamstar continued. "You will be Scornpaw's mentor.
Rosepaw flashed a glance to Thorntail. His eyes were glowing as he watched Scornpaw bound towards him, and Rosepaw could've sworn she saw him lick his lips, before touching noses with his new apprentice.
"Thorntail," Streamstar went on. "You know the pain of loss, and guilt, and have rose from the ashes of that," she nodded at Scornpaw. "I know you will pass on everything you learned from that, to Scornpaw."
Rosepaw blinked. What kind of loss and guilt did Thorntail carry? She flashed a glance over to him, almost as if she expected him to explain it. The whole Clan started to mumble to itself – they were clearly wondering just what Rosepaw had. No one had even called Scornpaw by his new name yet.
Rosepaw would be the first, she decided.
"Scornpaw!" she purred bounding towards him, emphasizing his new surname. "How are you Scornpaw? Great feeling isn't it, Scornpaw?" she continued using Scornpaw's name even when it didn't need to be used, until the rest of the Clan joined in.
"Scornpaw!" Robinwing purred, giving the new apprentice an affectionate lick. Rosepaw wondered why Robinwing was acting like that, but then remembered that Scornpaw was Robinwing's Grandson.
As the Clan surrounded Scornpaw, Rosepaw turned to Thorntail. "Congratulations, Thorntail." She purred, flicking her tail with delight. "How does it feel to be a mentor?"
"Great." Thorntail mewed cheerfully. It was an awfully simply answer, but it clearly defined Thorntail's feeling well. His eyes shown brighter then Rosepaw had ever seen them…
Rosepaw lowered her gaze. Thorntail had Scornpaw to pay attention to now. He wouldn't need her. She stared enviously at Scornpaw. That tom would have all of Thorntail's attention… Rosepaw suddenly knew how Applefur felt.
"Well, I'm going to take Scornpaw out for training," Thorntail purred, flashing a joyous glance at the pale tabby. Rosepaw nodded at him- that made sense. "One day, I want to be a deputy." He murmured to himself. "And hopefully, if I'm lucky, leader afterwards." He tapped Rosepaw's chest gingerly with his tail. "And I'd love to have you as my medicine cat." Rosepaw blinked in surprise. Such comforting words! Had her jealousy been that obvious? "But before I do train Scornpaw…" Thorntail murmured, getting to his paws and padding away from Rosepaw.
…
"I'm not apologizing, Thorntail." Applefur snarled, digging her claws into the earth. "Don't expect me to."
Thorntail stared blankly at the ginger she-cat. "Who said I was trying to get you to apologize?" he yowled. Several cats who were still huddling around Scornpaw, now turned their attention to the two warriors. Thorntail shook his head, and flicked his tail to the Warrior's den, where they could talk in private.
"As I was saying," Thorntail growled, licking one of his paws. "Rosepaw isn't my mate."
Applefur scoffed, and narrowed her sapphire eyes coldly. "Then why do you care what I do to her?"
"Why do YOU care about her?" Thorntail countered, meeting Applefur's furious gaze unblinking. "What did Rosepaw ever do to you? You know, besides heal your wounds when you were injured, and all that."
"She did nothing," Applefur sighed, lowering her gaze in shame. "But whenever I see her, I get annoyed."
Thorntail wanted to claw her ears off just then, but quickly decided against it. Like that would do much good. "She's not as mouse-brained as you think," Thorntail growled. "Of all cats, I'd know." Thorntail thought for a moment, and suddenly thought of something that would really make Applefur screech with rage. "She must be really strong," he purred. "If you couldn't lay your claws on her." Thorntail wished he could keep Applefur's expression in his mind forever. It was priceless. "I'm impressed." Thorntail finished.
"That was just a warning," Applefur defended herself. "You don't know what I'll do next time."
"Whatever you feel like," Thorntail growled, looking at Applefur like she was a ShadowClan warrior who had charged into camp. "If Rosepaw dies, I'll avenge it." Thorntail lowered his voice. "By killing you."
Applefur chuckled, and flicked Thorntail's cheek playfully with his tail. "That's funny, Thorntail." She chuckled, licking his ear – to Thorntail's disdain. "Very funny. You couldn't do that Thorntail."
Thorntail spoke again, his voice icily calm: "Why couldn't I?"
Applefur's voice started to shake as she realized: Thorntail was serious. Dead serious. "Because that would make you a traitor." She chuckled. "A murderer."
Thorntail shrugged his shoulders. "So?"
A shiver went down Applefur's spine. Thorntail was acting funny. "I c-can't believe that you'd say such a thing!" she snarled, her voice shaking like a naked cat in the snowiest leaf-bare. "How could you, Thorntail?"
The gray tom shrugged his broad shoulders, his eyes dark as he went on. "Would it…be that surprising? I mean, in every battle or war there's always at least one death. What's the difference between killing a WindClan cat, and killing you?" he curled his upper lip, and wrapped his tail around Applefur's neck. "I never thought I'd find myself in this particular situation. I guess we'll wait to see…how it happens. For now," he breathed. "Let's see how far we can take this." Thorntail started out of the den. "I hope I can go through with it," he purred. "I've never killed anyone before. But there's a first time for everything right? Well, anyways…" he stopped for a moment. "I need to go train Scornpaw. See you around, Applefur."
…
"Well, there you have it, Applefur." Blackshadow growled once the two cats were out of camp. For some reason, Robinwing had found it imperative that Blackshadow and Applefur go hunt. Apparently, they were short of fresh kill today. This was most likely because three warriors, Applefur, Dawnshimmer, and Featherfrost were too busy planning the death of the medicine cat to hunt, Thorntail's patrol hadn't caught anything, because either Shrewtail or Thorntail (it was debatable) ruined it, Blackshadow had simply helped Rosepaw out – no hunting even bothered, and Furrytail was so busy training her apprentice some fighting moves, to become a warrior soon, so neither Furrytail or her apprentice had bothered.. So, lots of cats hadn't hunted their fair share today. And lots of cats had broken the Warrior Code too. Blackshadow hadn't noticed any cat dying from hunger.
"You can't beat Thorntail in a war like this," Blackshadow sighed. "Don't bother. And don't be so shocked that Thorntail's angry," Applefur hadn't spoken since Thorntail took her aside. "Why would you do that?" Blackshadow asked, in a failed attempt to keep his voice low.
"Rosepaw was in the way!" Applefur snapped. "It's not fair!"
"What's not fair? That you're being punished for attempting to murder a medicine cat?"
Applefur flashed the black tom a cold glare that almost made Blackshadow want to call Clan-life quits and become a kittypet. Almost.
"I waited for him so long to looks at me!" Applefur snarled. "But ever since he joined, he was always into…older she-cats! And I didn't want to tell him how I felt…because I thought he'd say I was too young for him." Blackshadow nodded. That was true. Thorntail came to the Clan, and instantly pounced on all the senior warriors. Blackshadow couldn't hide his jealousy here. Here Blackshadow was pure-blooded loyal ThunderClan warrior. No mate. But ONE good looking tom from…what seems like no where, comes into the Clan, and as soon as he becomes a warrior (at least that's when he stopped being secretive!) he gets she-cats clawing each other's eyes out to be with him!
Literally!
Applefur continued. "And then Rosepaw comes out of nowhere! I didn't see her coming – she's a medicine cat! I thought she'd be loyal to the Warrior Code like a good cat!"
"And you've been following it?" Blackshadow asked curiously. Applefur ignored his comment with a flick of her tail and went on. "And then Rosepaw starts padding after him!"
"Thorntail started padding after Rosepaw, not the other way around." Blackshadow pointed out sharply. Maybe that would make Applefur realize that Rosepaw was more or less almost an innocent bystander in all of this! "And besides," Blackshadow continued, his voice monotone: "It is just a game to Thorntail." Applefur's eyes burned into his. "Thorntail doesn't mean anything by it. Once realizes that Rosepaw won't give him what he wants – because she is a medicine cat, and a good one at that – he'll move onto another cat Understand?"
"This is different…" Applefur murmured softly. Blackshadow didn't know what was different, but he let her continue. "I've never…as long as I've known him, seen him like this. When he looks at Rosepaw, he has the softest look in his eyes." Applefur thought for a moment. "Sometimes, he seems sad when he looks at her. It's only a fleeting moment, but it's enough to make my…" Applefur gulped. "Heart ache."
Blackshadow sighed. He knew where Applefur was coming from. He was jealous too. And angry. By the way Rosepaw looked at Thorntail. But he hadn't noticed how Thorntail looked at Rosepaw.
"You're kidding, right?" Blackshadow asked. "He hasn't….really said anything about him and Rosepaw…"
"That Rosepaw infuriates me!" Applefur snarled. Blackshadow was about to compliment her on using 'infuriates' instead of 'angers' and making her sentence more interesting, but realized if he said that Applefur would probably claw his ears off. "Even when I was about to push her into the river," Applefur continued. "She was thinking of Thorntail! Never of herself! Always Thorntail! She was about to die, and all she could think about was Thorntail!" Applefur's tail drooped to the ground, and Blackshadow closed his eyes, trying to imagine the surprise Applefur felt.
"Those two are attracted to each other," Blackshadow sighed. "And they don't even realize it!"
"This doesn't happen all the time," Applefur murmured, wrapping her tail around her paws. Applefur's sapphire eyes leveled with Blackshadow's amber, and Blackshadow realized for the first time how much Applefur looked like Rosepaw. Not that that was a big surprise or anything – they were both pure-blooded ThunderClan cats. This meant they were related…but Blackshadow wanted to go fight a furious ShadowClan patrol alone now, to punish himself for not noticing how similar the two she-cats looked. "It's so obvious." Applefur growled continuing. "You know," she murmured. "Soon I won't be the only one after Rosepaw." Blackshadow looked at her in surprise, but Applefur went on: "Rosepaw's a medicine cat. And anyone with two eyes can tell that she has feelings for Thornntail. There's going to be trouble…whether it is from me, or our Clan. Either way, Rosepaw doesn't get out of this unscathed." Blackshadow nodded. That was true. But Thorntail and Rosepaw had both declared that they were only friends! Nothing more.
Applefur interrupted Blackshadow's thoughts. "Blackshadow," she murmured. "Have you ever been…afraid of Thorntail?"
Blackshadow was quiet for a moment. He remembered whenever he saw Thorntail fighting, yowling for other cat's blood. HE remembered when Thorntail first came to the Clan. Such a clear-as-day bloodthirsty cat, with no kin in the Clan, and no history to speak of. Blackshadow also remembered how Thorntail and Blackshadow always used to but heads before they became friends, and how Thorntail's fierce sapphire gaze used to send shivers down his spine. And it still did.
"Yup." Blackshadow mewed simply, in answer to Applefur's question.
"How can you stay…such a good friend to him?" Applefur asked, her pool-blue eyes glowing with wonder.
"He's a good cat. And he's loyal, and strong. As long as he's not your enemy…" Blackshadow trailed off and thought for a moment. "You should really let it go, Applefur." Her surprised gaze forced him to go on. "You can't compete with him. In fact," he chuckled. "I don't think there's a she-cat in the forest that could. Thorntail always will have them all wrapped around his paw," he chuckled to himself. "Every single one."