Snowpaw watched as the camp went about their daily business as the dawn patrol headed off, Brackenflame leading his newest apprentice, Gingerpaw, out on the patrol.
Snowpaw scoffed and headed back into apprentice den and curled up beside her sister. It had been a moon since Leafstar was made leader and soon she would have to step down to give birth to Sunstar's kits.
"Who knew?" Snowpaw murmured as paw-steps from outside stopped in front of the entrance. "Cinderpaw!" Redfeather hissed, before leaving the entrance. Snowpaw ran her tail over Greypaw's spine and cooed in her ear.
"Redfeather is outside Greypaw, Cinderpaw will take a few moments to get ready so now is your chance to talk to him" Snowpaw meowed as she started to groom her sister's fur.
"Alright, alright I'm up" Greypaw mewed sleepily, as she got to her paws and stumbled outside. Snowpaw purred with amusement as she heard her sister call Redfeather's name, their voices faded as they ventured to the fresh-kill pile.
Snowpaw watched as the apprentices began to rise, Nightpaw let out an exasperated sigh and stretched.
"Leafstar always has me wake up early. She never goes out in the afternoon anymore." Nightpaw complained.
Snowpaw flicked her tail in annoyance and let out a growl. "Has it ever occurred to you that not only is she expecting kits, but that she's leader and her main concern is the entire clan?" Snowpaw asked, shooting an accusing look to Nightpaw. "She's trying her hardest to train you to be the best warrior. You might be her last apprentice so appreciate it while it lasts" Snowpaw meowed flatly.
Nightpaw looked at her in surprise and dipped her head "I suppose you're right, I shouldn't complain because it's an honor to be the leader's apprentice" Nightpaw meowed evenly, flicking her tail in acceptance.
Snowpaw got to her paws and began to stretch, "Be lucky you aren't stuck with the same mentor twice" Snowpaw spat, watching as Flamepaw and Sunpaw stirred from their sleep.
Sunpaw was the first to speak as he glared over his sister at the older apprentices. "Can't any cat get some sleep around here?' he meowed playfully, shaking his sister awake.
"Get off me you big fur-ball" Flamepaw murmured sleepily. She heard Nightpaw and Cinderpaw chuckle at the siblings as they were the same way. "Well I'm gonna go meet up with Redfeather, he must be furious about how long I'm taking" Cinderpaw mewed sarcastically.
Snowpaw watched as the two sisters padded out of the apprentice den. She let out a sigh and layed her tail over her paws as Flamepaw and Sunpaw began a mock battle over who would get the first piece of prey for the day.
Snowpaw rolled her eyes and tried to remember the last time her and Greypaw played like that. She scrunched up her face as she plunged deeper into her memories and found it.
"C'mon Greykit stop staring at Redpaw and Brackenpaw! Their apprentice ceremony is already over!" Snowkit mewled as she tugged at her sister's ear.
"But aren't you a bit jealous? We're as big as they are!" Greypaw huffed crossly.
"Now, now, my little Greykit." Their mother cooed as she squeezed out of the nursery. "Your day will one day come and your father and I will call out your names proudly!" Ashflower meowed to them.
"Mama watch me!" Snowkit squealed as she stalked behind Greykit and jumped on her back. Greykit yowled in surprise and they began to roll around, battering each other with their soft paws. They rolled under the paws of a silver apprentice and continued their mock battle.
"Hey watch it!" the silver she-cat hissed, her fur rising on her back.
"Silverpaw you know better than to speak to my kits like that" a deep growl came from behind her. "S-Sorry Spottedpelt." Silverpaw mewed apologetically.
Spottedpelt sat down beside his apprentice and watched his kits fondly as they squealed in delight. It seemed the entire clan was watching the two sisters play.
Suddenly Snowkit sat up and stared at the elders and waggled her rear playfully. "It seems we have ShadowClan intruders Greykit" Snowkit mewed, trotting over towards the elders.
"Oh yes! They've been filthy prey-stealers for moons!" Greykit joined in as she followed Snowkit. Snowkit cried out and launched herself at the elders as the pretended to be ShadowClan warriors.
"We'll always steal the prey of the might and noble ThunderClan!" a mottled brown tabby tom growled.
"Owlfeather you stupid fur-ball we're the enemies. We're supposed to be insulting ThunderClan not complimenting them" the eldest she-cat huffed in amusement.
"Oh hush Streampelt!" the tom murmured crossly as he swatted his paw at the two kits. Snowkit jumped onto Streampelt's back and began to batter the old she-cat's back.
"Oh great StarClan! We beg for mercy from these might warriors!" Owlfeather pleaded as he let Greykit pin him down. Streampelt rolled over, knocking Snowkit off as she rolled onto her back, flailing her paw in the air.
"Oh woe is me! I've been defeated by ThunderClan" Streampelt chucked. Suddenly she sat straight up and sniffed the air.
"What is it Streampelt?" Owlfeather asked, all they playfulness drained from his voice as he gently pushed Greykit off him.
"I smell… I smell blood!" the elderly she-cat cried out. Owlfeather looked to the kits and shooed them out of the elders den.
"Go back to your mother; she's probably worried about you." Owlfeather rasped as he began to comfort the elderly queen. Greykit shot Snowkit a look of suspicion and Snowkit shrugged it off and trotted towards the nursery.
"Let's go tell Mama that we beat ShadowClan warriors!" Snowkit squealed as she dashed off towards the nursery.
Ashflower stood at the entrance, frantically looking around and spotted her kits. "Oh thank goodness you're alright, hurry get in the nursery" Ashflower meowed nervously as Snowkit picked up a fishy scent.
"Mama what's the stench?" Greykit complained before Snowkit could even speak. Before Ashflower could answer a warrior crashed through the brambles, "RiverClan has invaded and heading towards the camp!" the warrior cried out.
Snowkit turned quickly and saw his fur was matted with blood as she recognized Kinkclaw. "Mama what's wrong with Kinkclaw?" Snowkit wailed as the warrior limped off towards the medicine cat den.
"He's been injured dear; now please hurry up inside the nursery. I don't want you two getting hurt." Ashflower mewed softly.
Snowkit didn't listen to her as more warriors with the awful stench flooded through the brambles, all crying out with a war cry.
Snowkit squealed with terror as a warrior from the different clan stood over her, baring his fangs. As he lunged at her Ashflower appeared in front of her, swatting the tom away in one powerful swipe.
"Don't you dare touch my kit!" the queen spat furiously. The tom stood up quickly and pounced on her mother, quickly pinning her down.
"Those kits deserve to die after what StarClan has told us" the tom growled.
"And I suppose StarClan told you to kill them?" her mother challenged as the tom bared his fangs again.
"You challenge your opponent who is about to kill the mother of those… those monsters!" the tom hissed at her.
"Warriors don't kill to win their battles" Ashflower meowed desperately as the tom's paw dug into her throat.
"This warrior does" he snarled, his claws ripping into her throat and tearing it open. Snowkit let out a petrified wail.
"Mama! NO!" She cried out as her mother bled out in front of her.
"S-Snowkit take care of your sister" Ashflower gurgled out. She felt Greykit press against her, her body shaking violently.
"She... She's gone Greykit. Mama is gone" Snowkit cried. Greykit let out a wail of despair. Spottedpelt bounded out of the mass of fighting cats and stood over his kits as he stared at Ashflower, horrified.
"How dare you Gorsetail! Why did you kill her?" Spottedpelt choked out. Gorsetail licked his claws clean of their mother's blood.
"Because she chose you over me! That's why" he hissed at Spottedpelt.
"So this battle is because of a stupid love affair?" Spottedpelt spat at him. Gorsetail began to chuckle and he stalked up to Spottedpelt.
"Of course not. StarClan has told us of two kits that would destroy RiverClan! We're here to put a stop to it" the golden tom explained.
Spottedpelt leaped at Gorsetail and they began to fight savagely.
"Snowkit what's wrong with Papa?" Greykit squeaked out in fear. "He's fighting for Mama. Her strength is within him!" Snowkit mewed, not sure where her words came from.
The two kits watched as the golden tom pinned down their father, biting deeply into his throat.
"It's too bad I've always been stronger than you" Gorsetail meowed darkly as he stepped off Spottedpelt.
As RiverClan began to flee Snowkit and Greykit stiffly padded to their parents who lay side by side. Snowkit noticed that the clan gathered around them and Sunstar looked to his brother.
"Just as they had always been, side by side" Snowkit and Greykit began to sob loudly as the clan paid their respects to their deceased parents.
Snowpaw came back to reality and realized she was crying. The memory clung fresh to her fur now and she began to weep. She noticed a body lay beside her and noticed Brackenflame looking at her sadly.
"I remember that day clearly" he meowed comfortingly, as if reading her mind. Snowpaw sniffled and rested her head on his shoulder.
"That was the last day me and Greypaw had our innocence. After all that blood we seek revenge. We still do" Snowpaw mewed softly.
Brackenflame licked between her ears "I'll help you anyway I can" he promised her. Snowpaw looked to Brackenflame and stared into his eyes.
"Even if it goes against the warrior code?" Snowpaw questioned. Brackenflame hesitated and looked to his paws. His ears flicked nervously and he looked back up to her.
"I promise that I'll help you any way I can. Even if it means going against the warrior code" Brackenflame promised, pressing closer to Snowpaw.
I love this chapter :3 We finally get a view into Snowpaw's and Greypaw's past and I loved it! Though it's a bit sad I still loved it. Hope you enjoyed it :D