Hi, my lovelies! I got some news for you! If you read not read my profile, then you should all know that there will be a Trapped in Ice sequel. I know, I know I've only made it about three-fourths of the way through PART ONE, but, I had this one idea for the end that I couldn't just have be without a sequel. Read my profile and it'll give you a little more info on that.
I don't want to rush through this story thing I have an idea for. I needed to put something before it. I have no clue for Frozenpaw right now, so you're getting a filler chapter from Lionpaw's point of view. I don't really like the idea of it, especially since the rest of this is going to be strictly from Frozenpaw's POV, it seems out of place, so forgive me if this sucks.
Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors.
Chapter 17
"Lionpaw, wake up!"
He rolled over onto his side, groaning with exhaustion.
"Wake up!"
Lionpaw opened his eyes. Since Stoneclaw and Smallfeather became warriors, he had the entire den to himself. He thought that it would be relaxing with the silence, but lately, he had been waking up everyday before the sun came up; before the first birdsong sounded from the trees over head; before the dawn patrol went out, and it was awful.
He stumbled out of the apprentice den, barely able to keep his eyes open, and that said, he could barely see what was about. Suddenly, a paw whacked him on the back of his head, lights exploded in front of his vision, and he could see clearly through the dark.
"I said wake up," Oakshade snarled.
Lionpaw stood, blinking and looked at his father. The tabby, had his teeth showing, and was sitting in what Lionpaw thought of as his Classic Impatient Position, sitting with all paws placed closely together, and his tail tightly wrapped around his foreleg ankles. Lionpaw copied the pose and smiled painfully. "I'm up." The statement came out with a crack in his voice, and he cleared his throat.
"Yes, finally," Oakshade growled. "This happens everyday, Lionpaw. You know very well that I wake you to go train, so why is it that each time you can't stay awake?"
"I don't know," hissed Lionpaw. "Maybe it's because it's still dark out. Morning hasn't exactly come yet."
The dark brown tabby sighed. "Lionpaw, don't you want to be a good warrior?"
The words hurt. Lionpaw was doing well. He didn't need extra training. "Of course. And Mousewhsiper is doing just fine training me. You were made Smallfeather's apprentice, not mine. I was a great warrior from the begging."
"And who got you there?" Oakshade asked, a knowingly look on his face. "Who was the cat that started your training early to make you an exceptional fighter as an apprentice?"
"You did," he muttered.
"That's right," laughed Oakshade. "You should learn to appreciate me more. I know what I'm doing. I was the one that gave you the dream of being Clan leader. I know, everyone has it, but at least you actually have a chance."
He started heading for the bramble tunnel leading to the ravine. Lionpaw followed behind him. In silence, they padded through the forest, not even daring to look at each other. Lionpaw held back a growl and thought, He's right. I should be grateful that I have him. He's a wonderful warrior, who is teaching me well. One day I will as good as he is, teaching my son to be the best warrior ever, just like me.
"Father," he began. He tried not to flinch as Oakshade's intense green eyes. "Uh...don't you want to be Clan leader?"
He didn't respond for a moment. "I can't see myself leading a Clan. Cats would expect me to lead like Flickerstar. I am nothing like him. Tell me, how would you lead the Clan?"
Lionpaw brightened. He had always wanted to be asked that question, and now Oakshade was. "Well, I'd start by making Stoneclaw my deputy. He's a great fighter and is really motivated. Those are good qualities, right?"
Oakshade nodded. "But how would you lead?"
"What exactly do you mean by that?"
"I mean exactly what I ask. How will you lead the Clan?"
"Nobly?" Lionpaw asked. When Oakshade just stared. He went on. "Well, uh, once Stoneclaw is my deputy, I guess I'd just...lead the...I don't know how to explain it." Lionpaw started feeling bummed. He had been excited to answer that question, but never thought about what to say.
"Let's start with kits," Oakshade said, "and work our way up from there. What would you change about that?"
"Change?" Lionpaw asked. He frowned. What would he need to change about the Clan?
"Yes. Is there anything that you'd like to change about the nursery, the kits, anything?"
Lionpaw thought for a moment. "Well, I know I didn't like having to wait six moons to become an apprentice. Even with you training me. So I guess I'd reduce the number of moons required before kits can be apprenticed...And we'd still need warriors, especially in leafbare. So...queens would continue on with their duties while raising their kits."
"Good," Oakshade rumbled, delight edging his voice. "Shall we move up a notch, to the apprentices?"
Lionpaw shrugged. He felt weird about changing Clan ways but at least he understood what his father was trying to ask him. "Okay, well, the leader would always have one, to keep up their skill of mentoring. But to find out which one is the strongest, the kits becoming apprentices will battle each other, and the victor is the cat I will mentor."
Oakshade nodded. "Testing their skills early on. That's a great idea to see if they're meant for Clanlife. How about later on towards the end of their training?"
"Well their skills won't be determined by an assessment. They hunt and battle each day right? But I don't know what I would put in place of it."
"I have a suggestion," purred Oakshade, squinting his eyes. "Why not we put them in a real battle, against another Clan? That way it'd put them in a life or death situation, where only the strong make it out alive."
Lionpaw widened his eyes. "Are battles really like that?" he asked.
Oakshade hesitated. "Yes," he said. "In fact, why don't we test that idea? You have proven your skills well enough to be a warrior. Will you stand two more moons of this unneeded training?"
Lionpaw thought for a moment. It was a while yet before his final assessment, and he was often conplimented by the Clan, praised for his amazing work. And he himself felt ready. With a determined expressions, firmly he nodded at his father.
The tabby grinned. "Well, one day you might find yourself in a skirmish with ShadowClan...or any Clan really. In fact, really soon. You never know."
He dipped his head, looking around. "Wait a minute. This isn't the way to the sandy hollow," he noticed. "Father, where are we going?"
"We're trying something new today," he replied almost immediately, like he was expecting Lionpaw to ask. "Did Mousewhsiper ever teach you to fight from tree branches?"
"No...I didn't think we would need to learn something like that," Lionpaw murmured. "Isn't that dangerous? What if I fall?"
That's when Oakshade stopped. As quick as lightning, he turned towards Lionpaw and snapped at the air an inch from his nose. "What did I tell you?" he snarled, "about getting hurt?"
Lionpaw stumbled back. "If I get hurt I am weak, and the weak-"
"Go to the medicine cats!" yowled Oakshade, cutting him off. "The medicine cats are cowards, too afraid to accept the way of a warrior. I want you to stay away from those cats. They are useless."
"Frozenpaw-"
"Isn't worth your time," he snarled. "Remember what I told you when you were kit. That that mouse-brain is better off with a hungry fox or badger than becoming a warrior."
"Well she's a medicine cat," muttered Lionpaw.
"Good for her then. She finally found the one place a weak cat like her actually belongs," Oakshade growled. "You do agree with me." It wasn't a question.
"Yes, well...yes, I do."
He smiled slightly and continued walking. "Good. Now that we've cleared up her for the millionth time, back to the tree-fighting. This will also help you become a warrior faster. Once the Clan sees how well you learn things and all of the tactics you know, they cannot refuse to make you a warrior."
"Why are doing this for me, father?" Lionpaw asked.
The dark brown tabby halted his walking again, looking off into the distance. "Oh, my son. I knew from the moment I saw you that you were going to be the cat to make me proud. You will accomplish great things, and you already have now. Do you know how great it feels to have a son so magnificent? You just want to do all for them." He sighed and resumed his walk once again.
Lionpaw didn't say anything the rest of the way. Once they got to this one place in the territory, with trees baring low branches and thick truncks, Oakshade stopped. "This is where we will begin. I want to warn you, tree-fighting will tire you out, so be aware of fatigue when Mousewhisper takes you out today." He didn't wait for Lionpaw to reply. "Okay, so I know Mousewhisper has taught you to climb trees back towards the beginning of your training. The first thing I want you to do, is get to the first branch."
Lionpaw obeyed, grasping firmly onto the bark of a large tree and pushed himself up to the first limb. Oakshade ran, leapt, and gripped the same branch before hauling himself up.
"We'll start low," he meowed. "Now, it's clear you don't have much space to move around, so what will be your first attack?"
Lionpaw thought for a moment. That's when Oakshade's paw, lashed out and caught him over the scruff.
"You won't have this much time to think during battle. Quick, move!"
Lionpaw didn't know what exactly the right maneuver would be, so we just copied his father's move and clawed him over the scruff. But unlike Oakshade, Lionpaw couldn't dig his paw deep enough into the fur, because Oakshade reared up, and twisted towards the trunk, where he again, leapt to another branch.
"You're going to have to do better than that," he snarled. "Don't just stand there, attack me!"
As he bunched his muscles to leap another branch, Lionpaw scrambled to get a hold on the trunk. Oakshade went higher and higher, tree branch to tree branch, while Lionpaw only managed to move up about a mouse length. He was trying to move to quickly, and couldn't manage to get a good grip on the bark.
"This won't win you a battle against ShadowClan!" yowled Oakshade from high up.
"Neither will running," hissed Lionpaw. "Come down here and fight me, then maybe you'll accomplish something!"
After many heartbeats of quiet, leaves shook on their trees as his father came down. His green eyes were clear through the night-shadows. They blazed with wrath. "What did you say to me?" came the menacing growl.
"Come an get me."
Oakshade shot out of the shadows, claws sinking into Lionpaw's fur. He grunted in agony as he tried to stay in balance. As his father leapt away on the other end of the tree branch, Lionpaw unsheathed his claws, ready for a fight. When he turned, he saw that Oakshade was running for him, teeth bared. Lionpaw had no where to go, so he rushed forward the same.
As the two cats collided, Lionpaw felt stabbing pain in his side. Bending so Oakshade lost his grip, he lunged, pushing his paws deep into the flank of his father. Now that the tabby was pinned, he could really give him some wounds.
"If you're hurt, you are weak and the weak..."
"Go to the medicine cats," Oakshade finished. "Well not me." He launched himself up, throwing off Lionpaw and getting the upper hand. Lionpaw staggered half way off the limb of the tree, but before he could regain his footing. Oakshade lunged, and his claws went deep into Lionpaw's neck as he was shoved away.
With a deep thud, he hit the ground, and dull, yet spreading pain coursed across his entire body. His wounds throbbed, and his head ached. The branch was low, but it took all Lionpaw's remaining energy to keep his eyes open. As lights dotted his view, he watched as Oakshade atop the branch settled into his Classic Impatient Position.
"Are you hurt?" he asked, showing no sign of emotion. "Or are you a warrior?"
"I...I am a warrior," Lionpaw whispered before he drifted off into blackness.
I hate Lionpaw as much as you do, but Oakshade is one ruthless fox-heart. I don't pity Lionpaw though, he still is agreeing with his father that Frozenpaw is useless. NO ONE MESSES WITH MY FROZENPAW! *explodes*
*Ahem* anyway, Lionpaw isn't completely guilty when you look at it. He's just being pulled onto the dark side. What did you think of this chapter? Review, please!
~Destiny