Apologies for any mistakes. I reread everything, but I couldn't find any errors, but that doesn't mean there aren't.
And I'm in love with the name Lowell - it means "young wolf". I LOVE the name, it's just...familiar for some reason.
Disclaimer: The Erin Hunters have prevailed in winning the ownership of Warriors...but I, the great Astral Fire-Bird, will succeed in winning next time!
Next time! Next time! Next time!
"Ow, ow, ow! That hurt!"
I glared down at my brother. "You mouse-brain, of course bashing your head on a tree would hurt. What, did you expect a nice, warm tickle?"
Nightpaw grunted and rubbed his head with his paw. "I wasn't trying to hit my head...I wanted to do what Mistpaw did."
"Mistpaw is an older apprentice, and she has more experience than you." I made a mental note to tell the she-cat to stop setting a bad example for the young tom.
"But, but!" Nightpaw stood up suddenly, his eyes shining. "To become a leader, you have to be able to do everything!"
I sighed and cuffed him on the head gently. "Leaders don't have to be able to do everything. Do you see Shardstar running up trees all the time? I've even heard that he can't climb trees."
Nightpaw simply shrugged and was about to say something else, but was interrupted by his mentor.
"Nightpaw, it's your turn! You against Sedgepaw! Claws sheathed, please!" Emberflame called over to us. Nightpaw nodded and bounded toward Sedgepaw.
I watched Nightpaw overpower my best friend after a violent struggle. Sedgepaw was never very good at fighting, but she was definitely better than I was.
"Good, good! Next, Ripplepaw and Thornpaw!" I gulped. Thornpaw was a good fighter for his size.
I padded over slowly and faced Thornpaw. He wore his usual sneering face that I've grown to hate. He was an arrogant, annoying furball, and seemed to always be on bad terms with me for some reason.
He lunged, paws outstretched, but I scrambled to the side. He landed with a whump on the ground, barely missing me.
Thornpaw growled with frustration and leapt at me again. I met him head on, and we tumbled to the ground, rolling over and over. I was mainly on the defensive side, trying to shove him off of me. Thornpaw, on the other paw, was doing his best to pin me down while I struggled underneath him. After a while, I found my legs pinned down and Thornpaw's triumphant face shoved up in mine. I cringed and looked away.
"Good job, both of you. Thornpaw, you need to work on your agility a little, so you don't go tunneling into the dirt every time you jump. Ripplepaw, you've gotten better, but need to work on your strength more."
My mentor, Heathervine, stood up, flicking her tail. "I think that's enough for today. Let's all go back."
Everyone got up and began heading back to the camp. I got up, brushing dirt off of myself. Sedgepaw waited for me patiently. I smiled a little, glad to have such a great friend.
There was something strange at the camp. Cats were whispering nervously to each other and glancing over at the leader's den. I cocked my head to the side curiously. "What's going on?"
Heathervine turned to look at me. "They're saying that an outsider came randomly into the camp and wanted to see Shardstar. I don't know what he wants, but we shouldn't trust him. Knowing Shardstar, he'll let him stay in the camp if he wanted to." The golden brown she-cat snorted, flicking her ears. "Why don't you two go get something to eat? I'm going to go see what's going on."
"Okay." I meowed, as Heathervine bounded off to the leader's den. She happened to be the deputy of BirchClan and a close friend of Shardstar. Sedgepaw and I headed to the fresh-kill pile and chose our meal. As I tugged the feathers off of a still-warm sparrow, I caught the sight of my father.
He was looking as tired and as worn as he usually was. He sat by the warriors' den, curled up.
"He used to be really loudmouthed and a little arrogant," Snowsplash, one of the warriors had told me. "But he was a good cat...ever since your mother passed away, he'd never been the same."
If my mother had never died, I wondered. Would I still have caring, loving parents? Ones that cheered me on during training and loved me? I've seen Sedgepaw constantly get groomed by her mother and father. She'd complained that it was annoying, but I'd like the feeling of a warm tongue on my fur, gently cleaning me - I wanted to feel loved, even if it was just for the briefest moment.
Finishing my meal, I swiped my tongue around my jaws and got up. As if on cue, Heathervine - who was looking thoroughly annoyed and displeased - and Shardstar padded out of the leader's den, accompanied by a tom.
His fur was sleek and groomed, unlike most of the loners and rogues that I'd encountered near the Twoleg dens. He wasn't bulky and muscular, nor runty and slim, but almost perfectly in between. His tail, long and sleek, was tipped with bright white fur that stood out in contrast to his dark tabby coat.
It was strange, but something about him made my heart flutter nervously.
With a graceful leap, Shardstar jumped on top of his den and let out a loud yowl, signaling a clan meeting. I stretched before heading to gather with the rest of the clan at the base of the den.
"As most of you know, a cat by the name of Lowell has come to the camp. He has discussed his reasons with me." Shardstar glanced over at the cat named Lowell, and he nodded. Shardstar turned to face the clan again and continued.
"Lowell is here to exterminate a threat in the clan. He claims to be able to seek out a cat that will destroy all of the clans."
Yowls of shock and disbelief ripped through the crowd, and the clan burst into conversation.
"...trust an outsider?"
"...threat!"
"...don't believe a word that cat says."
"...throw him out! He's lying!"
Shardstar raised his tail for silence, but it was not until much later when cats settled down to listen to the leader.
"I have decided that Lowell will stay in the empty den in between the warrior and apprentice dens. We'll see if he does detect the threat. In the meantime, please welcome him.
Clan dismissed."
As soon as Shardstar hopped off of the leader's den, cats dispersed and broke out in low chatter.
"...won't be sleeping tonight."
"...what's he thinking?"
"You know, Ripplepaw, this reminds me of that old nursery tale the elders sometimes told us," Sedgepaw meowed as we headed to the apprentices' den. "Remember? A strange cat comes to the clan, and he ends up as a murderer. The clan was destroyed. They stopped that story, I think it was inappropriate for the kits..."
"Let's hope that it's not going to happen with Lowell." I stretched my jaws in a wide yawn, and curled up on my nest. "'Night, Sedgepaw."
"'Night, Ripplepaw."
I drifted into an uneasy sleep.
I shivered. Why was it so cold? And wet?
I tried to open my eyes, but my eyelids seemed stuck together. I could hear quiet, whispering meows.
Why couldn't I move and open my eyes?
That was when I felt the horrible pain in my leg and back. I felt it - claws and fangs of cats, fire and stones from earth.
I wanted to scream. It hurt, it hurt! But something trapped me - I couldn't move, stuck in a corner of my own mind.
Why was it like this? What's going on?
"She'll have a scar..."
What? Who? Wake up! What's going on?
A wave of exhaustion and nausea swept over me. No - I need to get up - don't-!
I let out a tiny sigh as I drifted into darkness.