Warriors (c) Erin Hunter
Cats/Clans (C) Me
April
"Hah! You have to try harder than that to defeat me, Pricklepaw!" Barkpaw sneered.
Cracklepaw growled and bit back a retort. On the other side of the training clearing, his older and much more handsome brother glared arrogantly and smugly. Their mentors were observing them from the tree-line. They said nothing, but only accessed their apprentices' techniques. Their assessment was only a moon away, and each sunrise the apprentices were commanded to hone their skills. Then I'll become a warrior, Cracklepaw eagerly thought to himself. Then no cat will dare to mock me.
"Well, are you going try again to defeat me?" Barkpaw questioned. "Or have you finally learned helplessness?"
No! Cracklepaw roared in his mind. I'll never give up. One of these days I will defeat you, Barkpaw. Despite all of his training with Whisperwind and Sparrowheart, Cracklepaw's brother would still defeat him in battle. He always had to be better than Cracklepaw in everything. Cracklepaw narrowed his amber eyes, fluffed up his ragged pelt, and dug his sharp claws into the new-leaf ground, but he didn't reply to his brother's taunts.
"Fine," Barkpaw huffed in desperation. "I guess I'll attack first." With a mighty screech, Barkpaw leapt at his brother with claws unsheathed. Before his brother's bramble-sharp claws could dig into his pelt, Cracklepaw promptly rolled to his left, leaving his brother lying in the dust. The ragged dark brown tabby tom took this chance to leap onto his littermate. Cracklepaw dug his teeth into Barkpaw's scruff and back claws into his brother's soft underbelly. Barkpaw wriggled around, trying to get free of his brother's grasp. He managed to free a paw and quickly lashed out at Cracklepaw. Still, Cracklepaw refused to release his grip on his brother's neck and didn't flinch when he tasted blood. Barkpaw's slashes were becoming more frantic by the moment. Finally, a strong enough blow was enough to send Cracklepaw flying off. Before Cracklepaw could get to his paws, Barkpaw pinned his brother down. His firmly planted claws dug into Cracklepaw's soft chest fur.
"What in the name of StarClan were you two doing?" Molepad harshly snapped. He and Whisperwind came bounding across the clearing to their apprentices. Both mentors looked less than pleased. "Your claws were supposed to be sheathed, minnow-brains!"
"He deserved it," Barkpaw coldly muttered. He did not remove his cruel and unpassionate amber gaze from his brother's. Cracklepaw did not flinch when some of his brother's blood dripped onto his muzzle. He returned the same unemotional gaze as well.
"Barkpaw, get off your brother," Molepad established with a growl. Stubbornly, Barkpaw removed himself off his brother's body.
"Let's get back to camp so Lakesplash and Skippool can take a look at those wounds," Whisperwind sternly growled. With a flick of his tail, the two mentors took the lead back to the camp with the grumbling apprentices behind them.
"It's a shame that Molepad and Whisperwind broke up the fight too soon," Barkpaw confided under his breath. "It would've been nice to finally see you bleed all over the ground."
Cracklepaw froze in his paw steps as Barkpaw continued.
"I would've left your corpse to rot like the carcass of a dead fish," Barkpaw went on, "with your guts spewed like a squished beetle and your mouth open like prey gasping for air before the sweet, sweet release of death. Then, the world will finally be rid of you. We don't want that dreadful prophecy coming true, don't we? Hmm?"
Cracklepaw glanced ahead and saw that their mentors were already several fox-lengths ahead of them.
Finish him.
He didn't linger long for Sparrowheart's order. With a mighty and powerful roar, Cracklepaw reared up on his brother and did not hesitate to rake his claws against his brother's stupid smirk. Oh, how much he longed to do that! The rest of the fight was a blur: claw stroke after claw stroke, Cracklepaw lashed out at his brother. He saw blood gush from already open wounds and amber eyes stare wide in horror. Finally, he felt that same sensation he had against that RowanClan apprentice: power! It was power and the wonderful ecstatic that came with overpowering enemies. He wanted to feel in control, that he could take down any enemy and his commands would not be questioned. He wanted domination, no…he craved sovereignty.
And that was his last thought of consciousness.
"Well done, Cracklepaw!" Sparrowheart praised with a slight purr. He eagerly weaved around his apprentice as if he were piece of juicy prey. "You've finally successfully stood up to your brother. A Dark Forest mentor couldn't have been any prouder."
"What happened?" Cracklepaw woozily mumbled. His entire body ached and his mentor's circling didn't help with his throbbing head. "I don't remember anything after that…"
"Whisperwind had to knock you out with a swift blow to the head," Sparrowheart reported nonchalantly. "Hmm…we'll have to work on that another time."
"Where am I now?" Cracklepaw questioned.
"You're in Lakesplash's den recovering," Sparrowheart replied. He finally stopped pacing around his apprentice and gave his paw a few swift licks. The white ghostly tom didn't seem to care all that much about Cracklepaw's condition. "But what's important is your technique. Next time when you try the leap-and-hold, don't let go. No matter what. Clench your jaws firmly until you hear a loud crack. That's when you let go. We'll have to work on that during our next session." His ears pricked and he glanced upward. He let out a grunt of disproval. "I was hoping to discuss more with you, but it appears that you are waking up. We'll talk more tonight. Oh…and Cracklepaw?" Cracklepaw focused his attention at his mentor. Sparrowheart narrowed his eyes and drew his lips into a snarl. "Focus more on the neck next time."
"You had to disobey your mentors, didn't you?" Stoatshade's harsh words sent shivers down Cracklepaw's spine. He wanted nothing more than to shrink down into his pelt and slither away. However, Stoatshade insisted on giving both his sons a harsh lecture and a piece of his mind. Cracklepaw hated getting lectured to, but he was surprised that his father seemed to care about him instead of just Barkpaw. Perhaps he only put on the show because Turtlestar and Oddscar were sitting right next to the pacing tom. "You were supposed to be training, not trying to rip each other's throats out. Barkpaw, I expected more of a fight from you. You are covered in scratches! Did you even try to defend yourself? You look like you lost a fight with a hoard of porcupines instead of your runt of a brother."
Barkpaw merely studied his paws. Cracklepaw did have to say that his handiwork was impressive. Barkpaw had emerged from the scuffle a loser with multiple claw wounds and an even more wound ego. Cracklepaw also managed to ruin his once pretty ears, which were now marked nicely ripped.
And Cracklepaw didn't even feel the slightest bit of guilt.
"And Cracklepaw," Stoatshade continued to ramble. Cracklepaw was just surprised that his father even said his name. "You can't prove that you are the greatest warrior by almost killing your own Clanmates. You stated that you wanted the respect of your Clanmates. Well you can't earn that by frightening them."
Yes you can. Fear is the only way I can get them to respect me. I can even sense it in your voice. You're afraid of my power. Fortunately, Cracklepaw had enough common sense to keep his jaws shut.
"That's enough, Stoatshade," Turtlestar lightly chastised. The dark ginger tom ceased his pacing as Turtlestar went on, "what you two did today was unacceptable of warrior behavior. You're both expected to become warriors in the next moon. Warriors are to trust each other, not kill each other. As your punishment, you two will take care of elders and the queen by yourselves until the next moon." The old tortoiseshell and white she-cat let out a heavy sigh. "II will not delay your warrior ceremonies. WaterfallClan needs more warriors, since we've lost so many in the harsh leaf-bare. I cannot deny that you both have tremendous skills, but I only wish that you would use them more wisely." The WaterfallClan leader flicked her tail for her deputy to follow her and the two warriors left via the ferns. Stoatshade glared at his sons for a few more heartbeats before disappearing after Turtlestar and Oddscar.
"…where did you learn that move?" Barkpaw's question broke the silence.
Cracklepaw physically flinched as if his brother struck him. "What?"
"That one move with the dodge and the front paw slash," Barkpaw uneasily mumbled. He avoided eye contact with his brother and studied the ferns of the apprentices' den.
Was his brother actually taking Cracklepaw seriously? Was this Barkpaw's weird way of praise? "Um…I guess I'd just made it up." He didn't want to reveal his secret to Barkpaw or to any cat for that matter. Barkpaw didn't deserve Sparrowheart's wisdom. There could only be one powerful cat in WaterfallClan.
Luckily, Barkpaw seemed to be content with that answer. He shrugged and finally left the den. For some strange reason, Barkpaw seemed more…mellower than before. Cracklepaw wasn't sure if it was because of Barkpaw's wounds or because Cracklepaw finally made himself a force to be reckoned with.
"Let all cats old enough to swim, join here beneath Stonecleft for a Clan meeting!" Turtlestar yowled. Cracklepaw quickly exited the den and was surprised to see Treepaw excitedly bound up to him.
"We passed!" she exclaimed in pure joy and happily weaved around her denmate. "Hawkpaw and I passed our assessments!"
Cracklepaw wasn't in the mood for anything gleeful at the moment, but he forced a small smile. "Congrats," he roughly replied.
"Thanks," Treepaw happily thanked. She suddenly ceased her bounding and then realized the multiple cobwebs laced on Cracklepaw's body. "Great StarClan, what happened to you? Was there a border skirmish or something?"
Cracklepaw didn't have the heart to tell her the truth. "No…just some mishaps during training. That's all." When Treepaw gave him an incredulous look, Cracklepaw decided to change the subject, "so…you're about to become a warrior! That's great! I'll miss sharing a den with you."
Before Treepaw could respond, her mentor, Perchfall, called her over so the ceremony could start. Treepaw flashed Cracklepaw a sympathetic look before dashing to join her sister in front of Turtlestar. Oddscar and Sedgeflight gave their daughters a few swift licks before stepping back and letting Turtlestar begin.
"Cats of WaterfallClan," Turtlestar yowled, her voice echoing off the trees surrounding the camp. "We gather here today to welcome our two apprentices as full members of WaterfallClan. Vixenspeck and Perchfall, have your apprentices learned the ways of the warrior code and have proven their loyalty to WaterfallClan?"
"Hawkpaw has, Turtlestar," Vixenspeck meowed. "Though at times a bit stubborn, her heart will forever remain loyal to WaterfallClan."
"Treepaw has also proven her place here," Perchfall reported. "She trained diligently and always puts the needs of her Clanmates first."
"Very well," Turtlestar replied. Cracklepaw noted that both Treepaw and Hawkpaw ducked their heads sleepily when their mentors spoke their words of praise. "I, Turtlestar, leader of WaterfallClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these apprentices. They have served hard to follow your noble code, and I ask you to make them warriors in return.
"Treepaw and Hawkpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend your Clan, even with the cost of your life?" Turtlestar questioned, her stern, clear, and amber gaze fixate at the two apprentices.
"I do," Treepaw replied solemnly.
"I do," Hawkpaw replied firmly.
"Then by the powers invested through me by StarClan, I name you warriors." Turtlestar rested her muzzle on Treepaw's nose. "Treepaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Treebranch! WaterfallClan honors your thoughtfulness and intelligence, and we welcome you as a full warrior of WaterfallClan." After Treebranch gave the old tortoiseshell and white she-cat's shoulder a respectful lick, Turtlestar moved on to Hawkpaw. "Hawkpaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Hawkglare! WaterfallClan honors your keen sight and determination, and we welcome you as a full warrior of WaterfallClan."
"Treebranch! Hawkglare! Treebranch! Hawkglare!" the cats of WaterfallClan chanted to the slowly appearing stars. The two newly made warriors held their heads up in praise. Cracklepaw couldn't help but let his gaze linger on how the starlight glimmered on Treebranch's shoulder fur.
"I heard what you did today, Cracklepaw," a voice suddenly whispered in Cracklepaw's ear. He startled and whirled around to see the old and crazy medicine cat staring into his eyes.
"What do you want, Lakesplash?" Cracklepaw couldn't help but growl. Time hasn't been nice to the ancient medicine cat. The tom's unkempt mottled ginger and brown fur seemed to gray more by each passing moon. His breath smelled foul and Cracklepaw swore a few of his teeth were rotten. When was this crazy old loon going to retire to the elders' den so Skippool could take over?
"Whisperwind told me how you almost killed Barkpaw today," Lakesplash ominously meowed as if stating a fact.
"Your point?"
"I've seen you with him."
"With Sparrowheart?"
"You're only following the path of your destiny by letting that tom's malevolent teachings into your mind," Lakesplash warned. "Remember what I told you when you were a kit? 'Destruction will come upon the Clans in the moons to come if you are to stay in here. Secrets will be generated, lies will be constructed, with death to sweep us all away as our homes are destroyed. Warriors will be slaughtered, kits will be swept away from their mother's flank, and leaders will fall in a fire of StarClan's wrath.'" Lakesplash recited.
"I'm doing nothing wrong," Cracklepaw gritted his teeth and whispered. He didn't want to make a scene so he kept his voice down. "I'm just trying to prove to everyone that I can be the most powerful warrior in all of WaterfallClan. What's wrong with a little and harmless dream?"
Lakesplash shook his head. "You know all too well that it's more than a dream. Your 'dream' will become a nightmare for all the Clans."
Cracklepaw scoffed. Since when did the medicine cat sound so sane? "So why are you telling me this?"
"To remind you of what's down the path few have travelled," the medicine cat replied. "I only hope that StarClan will prepare us for your wrath."
"Let StarClan tremble," Cracklepaw jokingly sneered. "They can't do anything when I become a force to be reckoned with. I'll make sure my kin will become more powerful than the stars themselves!"
As Cracklepaw walked away, Lakesplash sighed and glanced somberly at the stars. "I fear he may be right."
You should have enough information to decipher the warning that Lakesplash repeated. ;)