Hi everyone! So, did you like the first chapter? Okay, if you did, here's another. I must warn you that this story is like, T for a reason you know? For gore and violence. And there's going to be this cat...and he's a deranged psychopath. So be warned. Also some thematic romance, but no sex or anything bad. Oh and it's dark. The story just has a dark tone. And cats die. Bad stuff happens. And did I mention swearing? Yeah, there's going to be some dirty language. Anyway, read on about the life of a bunch of apprentices left alone in the world!
-Pan
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Empty
For the rest of the day, nothing happened. Nobody else disappeared. The ThunderClan apprentices stayed grouped nervously together. Hawkpaw was nervously bouncing his tail up and down and pacing. Silverpaw was glancing back and forth around the camp. Lilypaw was nervously chewing the inside of her mouth. Occasionally her lips would move, forming silent words. Stainpaw and Flamepaw just huddled together, occasionally crying, comforting each other. Greypaw and Blackpaw had left camp.
Smokepaw, however, stayed at the edge of the throng, thinking things over. There had to be an explanation for what had happened. All the warriors and older cats didn't just disappear in the blink of an eye. It wasn't possible. Was StarClan behind it? Did they somehow want to punish the apprentices? What had they done wrong?
He also wondered if there were cats left in the other Clans. He had to go see.
"I'm scared," Stainpaw wailed suddenly, nuzzling up against Flamepaw. The two were best friends. Always had been.
"We all are, okay?" Hawkpaw snorted.
Smokepaw sensed a fight starting up and sighed. He stepped up and said, "Hey, do you think the other Clans know what's going on?"
Lilypaw answered him. His heart fluttered when her big blue eyes met his green ones. "I don't know," she said, as Flamepaw started yelling at Hawkpaw. "We should go see."
"I'll go," Smokepaw said. He wanted to ask Lilypaw if she wanted to come but felt like it would as if they were friends. They hardly ever talked. So instead he said, "Hawkpaw?"
Hawkpaw looked up at him. "I don't know, I don't know..."
"I'll go," Lilypaw offered, and Smokepaw felt his heart give a nervous, excited pound which he chose to ignore.
"Me too then," Hawkpaw said as Stainpaw gave him an awful look. He gave Flamepaw a last, nasty glare and then padded over to Smokepaw and Lilypaw.
They padded from camp. The forest was much to quiet. Smokepaw listened for the call of a hunting patrol but there was none. It made him feel nervous and scared.
"Hey," Lilypaw said, "There aren't any birds chirping."
"Why do you think?" Smokepaw asked. He felt afriad to meet her eyes and instead looked up at the trees. Evening light filtered through, creating bright patches on the ground.
"I'm not sure," Lilypaw said. She stared considering, looking intelligent and pretty. Like always. Smokepaw looked away from her.
"The prey can't have disappeared too," Hawkpaw whimpered, "No way, no way."
"What Clan should we go to first?" Smokepaw asked.
"ShadowClan," Lilypaw responded, a bit too fast. When Smokepaw looked at her she added, "Closest."
So they padded in the direction of the ShadowClan border. Nobody said anything. Smokepaw stayed calm. Things were so weird he had decided to just, not freak out. And then when the older cats came back everything would be fine. He hoped they would soon.
All of a sudden, they saw movement in the trees, and heard shouting. Smokepaw's heart pounded. A warrior? Streamstar? Who could it be.
No. It was Greypaw and Blackpaw. Blackpaw was a huge, brawny tom, with little eyes that started sluggishly from tiny sockets. Greypaw was tiny and scrawny, but he was with Blackpaw so nobody messed with him. You went after Greypaw, you got whacked by Blackpaw.
"Stop, stop," Greypaw yelled at the three approaching cats. They immediately halted.
"What is it, Greypaw?" Smokepaw asked with a personal sigh. He didn't want any trouble.
"Where you going?" Greypaw demanded. He and Blackpaw moved, blocking the way foreward.
"We want to see if there's anybody in ShadowClan," Lilypaw said.
"Yeah well you gotta get permission," Blackpaw slurred, not quiet looking at them.
"From who?" Hawkpaw snarled. He was incredibly testy.
"From us, dumbass," Blackpaw spit. Saliva went all over.
"You're not in charge," Hawkpaw snapped.
"Yeah well you see anyone else who is?" Greypaw hissed, sticking his face all close to Hawkpaw's.
"Stop!" Smokepaw shouted. "Look. We just want to go check out ShadowClan. So can we pass or not."
"We're in charge now," Blackpaw crowed, not getting it.
"Nobody elected you," Hawkpaw muttered, but not directly at either of them, although Greypaw sent him a scalding look.
"Can we pass or no?" Lilypaw asked simply.
Blackpaw looked into her charming blue eyes. There was a long moment where he just stared. And stared. Then he said, "Yeah."
"But-" Greypaw started but Blackpaw ignored him so he stopped mid-sentance.
"So long, morons," Hawkpaw trilled as he passed by.
Greypaw jumped and attacked Hawkpaw, bowling him over.
"Stop!" Smokepaw shouted. This was going to far. For a magical moment he met Lilypaw's troubled eyes, the he looked down at the tussel. Greypaw was a tiny little worm, and Hawkpaw had already flipped over and had him down now. But if the fight got serious Blackpaw would join in, and then everything would be chaos.
Greypaw slithered out from undernieth Hawkpaw. He spit on his paws. "Get a move on," he spat.
"Yeah, what do you think we wanted to do, sit here and listen to you?" Hawkpaw sneered.
"Come on, let's go," Smokepaw hissed, tugging at Hawkpaw. They padded away fast.
"That was so messed up," Hawkpaw hissed as they walked on, "Those losers aren't in charge. Nobody made them leader. Or deputy. Or whatever. They're just not in charge."
"Yeah, nobody wants them to be bossing us around," Smokepaw told him, "But there's nothing we can do about it so let's just go."
Lilypaw had said almost nothing the whole time, and when Smokepaw glanced at her her mind seemed to be on other things. He decided to leave her be.
The ShadowClan border markers were stale, like they hadn't been refreshed since this morning. Smokepaw, Lilypaw and Hawkpaw stepped over cautiously, and moved on through the misty, dark, pine forest.
"This feels wrong," Lilypaw muttered, "Tresspassing, I mean."
"I don't see any patrols," Hawkpaw mumbled.
"I know, but its not normal," Lilypaw sighed.
"Nothing's normal," Hawkpaw said, mostly to himself.
Suddenly a twig cracked. Smokepaw's head snapped up. He was suddenly alert. He looked around for whoever was there, and saw a dark shape flit closer.
"Who's there?" He called out loudly, at the same time a strong, commanding voice yelled, "Stop!"
Lilypaw, Smokepaw and Hawkpaw stopped moving, but automatically went into defensive stance.
A pale brown she-cat stepped into view, followed by a silver she-cat with bright blue eyes.
"What's up, Larkpaw?" Smokepaw said to the first cat. He dimly remembered her from some Gathering or something. The other's name was Ivypaw...or Icypaw or something.
"There's no warriors here," Ivypaw said bluntly.
"Shut up," Larkpaw snapped to her companion.
"It's the same for us," Lilypaw said calmly, "We came wondering if anybody was there. In ShadowClan."
"Nobody here but us apprentices," Ivypaw slurred, and then laughed while Larkpaw gave her a mutinous look.
"You have to leave," Larkpaw snarled, "It's ShadowClan territory. And you're from ThunderClan."
"Who said the borders mattered anymore?" Hawkpaw snapped. Smokepaw sighed. Looing for a fight again, as usual.
"Of course they matter," Larkpaw spat, "Just because all the older cats are gone doesn't mean ThunderClan and ShadowClan are suddenly friends."
"We're on patrol duty," Ivypaw added, "We got sent out."
"Who sent you out?" Smokepaw asked her.
Ivypaw grinned and laughed. "The cats in charge. Don't you guys have cats in charge?"
Blackpaw and Greypaw don't really count as cats in charge, Smokepaw thought but didn't say anything.
"Okay. Cool. Whatever," he sighed eventually. "We'll go. If you need anything just ask okay?"
"Like that's going to happen," Larkpaw snorted as she turned around. "Keep out," she added, "Next time I see you I rip your lungs out through your mouth."
"Okay then," Smokepaw muttered under his breath and Lilypaw looked breifly up at him.
"Let's just go back to camp," Hawkpaw said.
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Sucky ending, but I didn't know what else to do. Anyway, how did you like? Who's in charge in ShadowClan? Hehe...we will find out soon. PLEASE review, they make me feel happy...hehe...-evil grin- whatever. Review.
-Pan
