WARNING: This chapter contains a small amount of descriptive violence. Near the end of the chapter there is a scene that may be too graphic for some readers. If you are such a reader please be wary of reading this chapter.
Hey, It's Mosspool. Finally, Chapter Five is complete. I was so frustrated with this chapter. I had writer's block but I knew what was supposed to happen; I just could not figure out how to write it. However, I stuck through it and finished the chapter, though to my chagrin it may not be my absolute best work. I apologize for any disappointment you may feel.
A sharp tang stung Brightkit's nose as she scented the air. A coursing feeling flew through her then and she shrunk away from it. She could tell the scent was coming off the two kits in the center, cowering under the frightful gazes of Brightkit's companions.
Spottedpaw growled, upper lip curled disdainfully. "It's pitiful." She snickered and she wrapped her tail over her paws and held her chin in the air.
Snow, Brightkit assumed to be the white she-kit who had spoken, tried her best to defiantly match the gazes of the cats before her; the slightest trembling of her shoulders gave away her fear. Swift, the ginger tom with the tiny frame, kept his eyes down and away, not making eye contact while his entire form shivered.
Flamesun scrutinized the kits with a heavy gaze. He betrayed no emotion and remained still, dark head pulled low. Rufflefur, his gaze had looked so warm before, now held a sourness to his blue eyes. Brightkit trembled at the coldness that radiated from both tom's bodies.
"Flamesun...?" Rabbitfur questioned, staring at her leader, her eyes pleading.
"Why have you brought them here?" Flamesun spoke finally, an emotionless tone to his voice.
"Please!" Snow spoke up then, cutting off Rabbitfur, who had opened her mouth to reply. "We're hungry and alone. Our parents are gone... or dead for all we know. We need shelter. Please-!" She choked on whatever words she was about to speak when Flamesun's striking gaze flashed to her. She shook violently; what little amount of courage dissipated quickly under that stone gaze.
"Words spoken out of turn will do you no well." He spoke harshly and the young kit shrank back. "Words are meaningless."
"Flamesun, they are only kits." Raintail reminded, voice soft but stern. Flamesun flicked his ears to acknowledge her but did not take back his statement nor soften his tone. "If they wish to survive then they must learn the brutal truth."
"Let them be someone else's responsibility." Skullhawk, the gray warrior's head drawn back and eyes dark, shifted to a reclining position as he focused his gaze on the kits. He looked at Flamesun without moving his head. "LionHerd has enough mouths to feed as it is, Leafbare's well on its way and besides," He flexed his claws and muscles, "they don't have warrior blood."
A murmur of agreement spread throughout the warriors and Snow and Swift huddled closer together. Yellowfang, casting them a pitying glance, stood up in their defense, "We can't just leave kits to die."
Mousetail snarled from her spot by the elder's den. "Would you sacrifice the lives of warrior-born kits to feed discarded scraps?"
"Mousetail!" Talonclaw hissed, glaring the elder's way.
"What? They were abandoned for a reason, weren't they?" Mousetail snarled, her eyes like daggers. Spottedpaw's voice spoke up from the silence that followed Mousetail's response, "They said it themselves; they have no family." Her words were cold. "Nobody would miss them."
"Spottedpaw!" Rabbitfur growled, fixing her daughter with a sharp gaze. "Why are you acting this way?" Her daughter said nothing and looked away and Rabbitfur, looking weary, turned to the other warriors, "How can you think of leaving them to suffer?"
"Maybe it'd be better to kill them then." Skullhawk hissed and Rabbitfur glared at the tom who merely shrugged. "You don't want them to suffer. This is one way."
"Y-you want to kill us!?" Swift piped up for the first time, tiny voice shaky with fear. Skullhawk fixed the young tom with an emotionless stare and Swift jumped away, cowering behind his sister, eyes wide and bottomless. The scent of fear rolled off the two of them even stronger than before.
"Loners are meant to be alone." Runningstream growled from his spot, lounging in the grass as if he hadn't a care in the world. "Why should we save them from the existence they were given?"
"Because it's cruel." Yellowfang retorted.
Dirtclaw, who was sitting quietly behind the lounging young warrior, shook his head and answered for him. "No. It's practical."
Brightkit felt the earth tremble when Flamesun turned towards his warriors, voice rising. "Enough!" He growled, fixing each cat who had spoken with a stony glare.
"You all went too far." His tone was serious and rebuking. The clearing was silent under Flamesun's cold glare. He turned back to the kits, who were silent with glazed eyes.
"I'm sorry. No one deserves to be treated like that." Flamesun's gaze had become more sympathetic. "I will think about this more in my den." Flamesun turned to Rufflefur who dipped his head to his leader automatically. "Please make sure no one else abuses these kits further... verbally or physically."
"You have my word, Flamesun." Rufflefur looked up and the flame colored tom smiled. "I know I can trust you." He whispered, touching his tail to his deputy's shoulder before heading towards his den. The tortoiseshell queen, Rabbitfur, kneaded the ground with her paws before looking up with a determined light to her eyes. Summarily, she followed Flamesun into his den.
Brightkit felt the tension raining around her as the cats stared at Snow and Swift. The two kits hung their heads, not even a shred of hope was left in their feeble bodies. It was a pitiful sight and for Brightkit, still so young herself, she felt almost a barrier between her and these loners. They were not the same, it was clear in their tattered forms and scrawny bodies. Their limbs were weak and even Brightkit, who had no warrior training, could tell easily how much stronger and healthier she was. It might have been the prejudice around her that made her stare at these two kits with an unwavering eye.
In Flamesun's den, Rabbitfur stared hard at her leader. Flamesun stared back, holding her defiant gaze. He knew there was a battle coming, he could feel it in the air and see it in the tension of Rabbitfur's shoulders.
"You wish to talk?" He whispered lowly, voice steady.
"I do." Rabbitfur nodded, sitting down and making herself comfortable before she studied her leader with a deep conviction in her eyes. "I want them to stay." She said bluntly and Flamesun was only caught off guard for a moment before he closed his eyes.
"I suspected." He replied and Rabbitfur went on, leaning forwards, "I'll take care of them if I have to." She fixed him with a steady gaze. "They are all alone out there. If we just leave them as they are, they will surely die."
Flamesun looked up at her, facing her with a blank, apathetic look. Rabbitfur gulped. She had seen this look cross him many times in the past few years, it mostly started after... well... the day the former LionHerd leader, Cloudsun, had died and Flamesun had ascended. These looks had become common and Rabbitfur would sometimes catch them when Flamesun thought he was alone. He never showed one in public. But she suspected he showed them to one cat. Only around Rufflefur, and she knew how close the deputy and his leader were. Old friends.
"What do you propose we do?" He asked in an emotionless tone. Rabbitfur squared her shoulders.
"Take them in. Train them as warriors. They could be beneficial to the Herd. Yes, it's more mouths to feed but I will take responsibility for them! On SunHerd's name, if we let them go and we find their broken, hungry bodies, I will never forgive myself for not trying harder." Rabbitfur almost choked on her own words and Flamesun regarded her with a soft gaze.
"You grieve for kits that are not your own." He stated a fact and Rabbitfur looked surprised as he tilted his head to study her more closely. His narrowed eyes and wise gaze made her shiver. "No. This is about something else." She flinched when he looked her over and her breath caught when he nodded, closing his eyes and then opening them again. "This is about Chillkit... isn't it?"
Her son. Her beautiful son, she could see his face, the pale gray and white of his fur and the icy blue of his eyes. He was so young, he had been so young when he had died. Her beautiful, beautiful baby boy. "No." She managed to say, blinking away the image of her lost boy. "This isn't about Chillkit."
"Then...?"
"This is about the two kits that are pleading for our help in the forefront of your camp." She swept away images from her memories and focused solely on Flamesun, who's expression was now clouded. "If we will not help them... who will?"
Flamesun sighed and looked away and this was when she realized how dreadfully weak he looked. His slumped shoulders revealed how tired he was and Rabbitfur felt waves of warmth in her belly as she realized that Flamesun... he wasn't purposefully terse towards the kits... he needed to be.
"This is a hard decision."
"I know."
He looked up, searching her gaze and Rabbitfur matched the will in his eyes with a passion of her own. She wanted these kits to survive, to live and grow up. She tried to convey that message through her gaze and hoped it touched Flamesun.
The flash of pain in his eyes startled her. He lowered his face and she felt tears drop from her own. Flamesun heard her quiet, strained breathing, and looked up before staring at her in surprise. "Why are you crying?" He asked awkwardly and she gulped, forcing the tears back from her voice.
"I understand now." She whispered. "I understand why you are so reluctant. I also understand why you want to help them."
"What do you understand?" Flamesun asked quietly. Rabbitfur smiled through the tears. He lost family too. His mate... his children... he was just like her. Her beloved son was no more but those two kits were like... a reminder. For both of them. She didn't answer him, only smiled and Flamesun sighed, figuring he would receive no response from the queen. Finally he looked away to contemplate a bit before returning to face Rabbitfur's gaze.
"I will let them stay." Flamesun decided and Rabbitfur felt her heart soar.
"Thank-"
"But." He narrowed his eyes and she grew quiet. "You have to take responsibility for them. But I cannot make you their mother."
"What?"
He pointed towards her belly. "You have no kits to wane now that Mosspaw and Spottedpaw are grown. I need a queen with milk to take care of them."
"Oh."
"But you will be their keeper." He narrowed his eyes again. "Do you agree?"
"Yes!" Rabbitfur smiled and Flamesun reluctantly returned it with one of his own.
When the two returned, Rabbitfur was glowing and Flamesun's expression was as unreadable as ever. Rufflefur approached his leader and dipped his head, standing at attention by his side as Flamesun opened his mouth to address his waiting warriors.
"I have decided to let them stay." He said, with utmost conviction. The look of relief on Snow and Swift's faces were matched with those of Raintail and Yellowfang. Spottedpaw snorted contemptuously but said nothing else, only turned away and other warriors too showed their discontent by glaring or simply turning their backs. Snow and Swift eagerly were ushered in front of Flamesun's crowning form like he was a god sent from above. Their expressions were purely gleeful and Brightkit smiled a little.
"So Flamesun," Dirtclaw asked from his spot where he had yet to move. His voice was a little bitter as he asked, "Will they have a naming ceremony?"
Hushed murmurs rose from the warriors again and Brightkit blinked in confusion. Naming ceremony? What was that? Flamesun regarded his warriors' annoyed looks with an emotionless one of his own before he shook his head, addressing Dirtclaw. "No." He said simply and looks of relief spread on some of the warrior's faces. Rabbitfur, from her seat beside her leader, looked unsatisfied but said nothing as Flamesun looked down at the two kits before him. "But I will give them new names." He regarded them quietly before he spoke. "Since they will be living in LionHerd from this moment forwards, we will call them Snowkit and Swiftkit."
"Who will mother them?" Yellowfang asked. "They are too young to be left without proper nourishment, surely."
"A queen is necessary, yes." Flamesun turned his gaze, searching the crowd until he locked eyes with Treepelt. Her eyes widened as Flamesun spoke, "Treepelt, you are the youngest queen, and you still have plenty of milk with only having to raise Brightkit on her own. You surely can spare some for these two kits."
"I-" She was at a loss for words, a mixture of emotions flashed across her face and Brightkit felt her own face heating with embarrassment. If her mother became Snowkit and Swiftkit's mother... would she have to share her mother's love? Treepelt reluctantly nodded, casting the two kits a strange, cross look. They stared at her with wide eyes, hope lighting their gazes. They wanted a mother and they wanted it through her. Brightkit felt jealousy well in her belly and she turned her head away. Treepelt was her mother... she didn't want to share.
"Good." Flamesun nodded and swept his tail. "I will be heading to my den then if anyone has any more complaints. Rufflefur." He inclined his head and Rufflefur nodded, about to join his leader, when rustling at the entrance gave them pause. At that moment, a dark figure pulled from the undergrowth. Behind that dark form was a smaller one, a ginger tabby with yellow eyes. Brightkit recognized Darkheart and Mosspaw, finally returning to camp.
Darkheart stopped, taking in the atmosphere around the camp with half-lidded eyes before his gaze rested on Flamesun, and then the kits huddled at his feet. Darkheart's ear twitched. "What is the meaning of this?" He asked and Flamesun regarded his senior warrior with a curious gaze. Darkheart tasted the air and looked bewildered, catching his leader's eye. "These are not Herd kits. Outsiders?"
"Outsiders no longer." Runningstream growled, tapping his long tail on the sand, swishing it back and forth. "Flamesun has allowed them to stay in camp, giving them new names."
"Yes. That was my decision." Flamesun said, giving Runningstream a quiet look. Darkheart's eyes narrowed but he faced his leader gracefully.
"Why was I not consulted?"
"You were not here to be consulted with." Flamesun answered simply and Darkheart's ear twitched irritably. Mosspaw, sitting beside her mentor, looked confused.
"What's so wrong with having them join?" She asked, rousing up some courage of her own to ask her mentor. Darkheart looked down at his young apprentice, a goading look in his eyes. "You have much to learn, kit." He growled and Mosspaw lowered her head.
"Fine." Darkheart raised his eyes to Flamesun's, barely giving the two kits another glance. "I will stand by your decision Flamesun, as I would any."
"Thank you, Darkheart. I am glad I have your faith." The flame colored tom dipped his head and some of the other warriors murmured things to themselves before giving the kits more pleasant looks. Brightkit was amazed. Had Darkheart's words simmered some of the tension the other cats had been holding in their hearts?
Flamesun and Rufflefur returned to the den and Rabbitfur approached the two kits. "Treepelt will be your foster mother, but I will be your guardian. If you have anything you wish please do not hesitate to approach me." She smiled genuinely and the kits clung to her gentleness for comfort.
The other cats began to disperse and go their separate ways. Brightkit approached her mother, feeling those tendrils of jealousy in her belly again. "Mother...?" She asked. But Treepelt didn't hear her, eyes dark and voice low, she grumbled to herself, "Why must I take in more kits that do not belong to me?"
"Have you fostered kits before?" Brightkit piped up, curiously. Had their been a time when Brightkit was too little to remember other siblings who vied for her mother's affection. Treepelt started with surprise at her daughter's sudden voice and looked down at Brightkit with serious eyes.
"It was around the time you were born. Another queen died giving birth to her kits. I took care of them for her."
"Are they grown now? Who were they?"
"You were too young to remember." Treepelt shook her head and said nothing more and Brightkit followed after her mother as she approached Swiftkit, Snowkit and Rabbitfur.
Brightkit awoke to a strange mewling sound. She blinked as she noticed an unfamiliar mop of white fur lying beside her. Who was this? Did Lightpelt give birth already? Then it dawned on her. It was Snowkit, the loner. Brightkit realized, blinking rapidly, that she had fallen asleep right up against Snowkit's fur. She scurried away quickly, hoping no one had noticed. Treepelt was also asleep, the rise and fall of her tabby pelt could just be distinguished through the pale lighting of dawn.
The mewling continued, and Brightkit narrowed her eyes against the bad lighting. Who was it that was crying? She noticed that Snowkit's brother, Swiftkit, was no where to be found. The ginger tom must have scurried off to a corner to sleep last night or something. Brightkit didn't really care. She wanted to investigate the sounds. She heard them coming from outside, so she crept towards the nursery walls and peered outside the den. She couldn't see that well, blinking rapidly to clear her foggy gaze, still not used to the sunlight, and looked around. A small indentation could be seen in the ground. She approached slowly, with trepidation, and looked down the hole, spotting the ginger head of a kit.
Swiftkit was lying in the hole, mewling pitifully for help that would not come. His fur was matted with dirt and eyes closed tightly shut as he cried. Brightkit found it rather pitiable. "Swiftkit!" She called and the ginger tom started, looking up with wide eyes at Brightkit's form above him.
"Oh! Oh! You! Please! I'm... stuck in here!"
"Ok." Brightkit answered, looking down at him curiously. What did he think she could do? Roaring laughter made Brightkit look up and two figures, chuckling and rolling around in the dust nearby, caught her attention. Spottedpaw and Owlpaw, both laughing hysterically, looked up at Brightkit with tears in their eyes.
"Looks like you found him!" Owlpaw chortled, still snorting while trying to repress his laughter. Spottedpaw found it easier to calm down, padding over to Brightkit's side so she could stare down at Swiftkit with a triumphant smile. Owlpaw joined her, grinning big and called down to Swiftkit, "Don't be upset, loner! You're not the first to be introduced to the Herd. Think of it as a welcoming present!"
Brightkit suddenly remembered when she had found herself the subject of Owlpaw's prank, shivering in a hole wondering how she got there and it was Spottedpaw who had saved her, strange as it sounded now seeing the tortoiseshell lending a paw in Owlpaw's sinister fun.
Spottedpaw flashed Swiftkit, who was shivering, a smug smile. "You'll have to stay down there until one of the queens find you. Don't worry, you won't freeze to death."
"Here, I'll give you a blanket." Owlpaw teased, turning his back and using his back paws to scrape up dirt, kicking it into the hole and over Swiftkit's head. The ginger tom cried out, coughing and beginning to mewl pitifully again. Owlpaw and Spottedpaw merely grinned and continued to laugh.
Brightkit just watched them, a little uneasy. She didn't want to participate but she didn't particularly want to do anything either. It wasn't like she knew Swiftkit. If it were Thunderkit or Scratchkit, of course she would help. And besides, Spottedpaw was her friend. She wouldn't want to hurt Spottedpaw's feelings.
Snowkit, drowsily appearing from the den, rubbed her eyes and approached the laughing couple. She blinked sleepily, giving them confused looks before turning towards Brightkit. "What's going on?"
Brightkit shuffled her paws nervously. "Um... nothing really." Snowkit gave her a curious glance and then noticed the hole, and consequently the cat crying in it. Her eyes widened immediately and she ran over so she could look down into the hole towards her brother, "Swiftkit! Oh!" She turned immediately to Spottedpaw and Owlpaw with furious eyes. "You!" She growled and her gaze was like daggers. Spottedpaw and Owlpaw exchanged glances, grinning to one another.
"Did we make the little loner kit mad?" Owlpaw taunted.
Snowkit's tiny body shivered with anger, she padded up so she was directly underneath Owlpaw's nose. She glared into his eyes, unflinching. Brightkit remembered her look of fear from earlier yesterday facing the other cats but now, she seemed so unafraid, Brightkit wondered if that fearful kit from before had all been an act. "Get him out of that hole, or I'll make sure you wake up with fleas in your bed. Then you'll see how a loner is used to living."
Owlpaw blinked a moment before his face contorted into a sneer and he growled lowly against Snowkit's ear, "And if you even try, I'll snap both your hind legs in two." For effect, he snapped his jaws with a loud snap! Snowkit and Brightkit flinched and Owlpaw drew back triumphantly. Spottedpaw nudged him with her muzzle, casting Snowkit a cold glance. "Owlpaw, we should hurry and get back." She flashed Brightkit a small smile, "Bye Brightkit." She turned her back on them and padded off towards the Apprentices den. Owlpaw hissed in both kits' direction before turning and following after Spottedpaw.
Brightkit turned to Snowkit. "Snow-" The tiny white she-cat rounded on her, hackles rising. "Don't talk to me!" She hissed. "You were in on this, weren't you!?"
"No!" Brightkit immediately shook her head, eyes wide and Snowkit bit her lip, turning her eyes away.
"I don't believe you." She muttered and went to look down at her brother, who was still weeping. Her eyes were soft but filled with worry. "It's alright Swiftkit. I won't let anyone hurt you again. I'll take care of you." She whispered and Brightkit, overhearing, turned her face away, ears drawn back in shame.
"Well if it isn't Shinekit!" Brightkit looked up at the sound of a cheerful voice and blinked as a familiar tortoiseshell tom padded over, muzzle tipped low and eyes bright.
"It's Brightkit." She corrected, but she smiled nonetheless. "Hi Thistlerain!" She purred and the big tom ruffled her fur sharply with his paw. She ducked away from the senior warrior with a playful growl. Thistlerain was such a bully sometimes, always calling her Shinekit and ruffling her head so badly it hurt sometimes but he was always fun to listen to. He always had the greatest stories to tell.
Thistlerain's attention was pulled to the sight of the hole and then his eyes drew back as he noticed Snowkit peering inside and Swiftkit crying from within. "You... the loner kits." Thistlerain padded over and looked inside the hole alongside Snowkit, who drew away from him as he approached, tiny teeth bared. He ignored her. "How'd you get in that hole, kid?"
Swiftkit shook his head, still crying and Snowkit answered with an angry snort, "Owlpaw and Spottedpaw stuffed him inside there."
"Ah, I see." Thistlerain nodded and he smiled sympathetically. "Well it's best to get you out of there. Hold still." He knelt down and gently grasped Swiftkit by the scruff of his neck, pulling him up and out of the hole. The dirt-covered tom kit, so small and shrill, shivered when Thistlerain put him softly down and Snowkit pressed her body firmly against his shivering form. Thistlerain studied them quietly with a wise gaze. "You'll face many more hardships then this." He murmured and Brightkit watched him curiously, having never really seen such a calm, serious expression on Thistlerain's face before. He was always so carefree. After a moment of silence where Snowkit and Swiftkit merely stared up at the tortoiseshell, Thistlerain's face broke into a gleeful smile, "Well! I'll be off then. Don't be falling into anymore holes, Dribble. And watch out for you brother, Trickle. See yah, Shinekit!" Thistlerain waved as he padded away. Snowkit and Swiftkit exchanged confused glances.
"Dribble?" Swiftkit muttered. "Trickle?" Snowkit gasped, her nose wrinkling in dismay. Brightkit sighed. "He likes nicknames." She murmured and rolled her eyes just as Treepelt appeared from the Nursery, tail tip twitching and eyes clouded and misty with sleep. She yawned and stretched and then looked down at the three waiting kits, blinking as if just noticing their existence for the first time. "Oh. Good morning." She murmured absently.
"Treepelt!" Snowkit cried. "Spottedpaw and Owlpaw stuffed Swiftkit into that hole!" She pointed with her tail furiously to the hole beside them and Treepelt looked at it with a tilt of her head and a glaze to her eyes.
"I see." She closed her eyes and sat down to groom a tuff of fur sticking up on her chest. Snowkit looked up at her in disbelief and Brightkit nervously shrugged her shoulders. Riverfoot, Thunderkit and Scratchkit appeared then. Scratchkit, brown fur matted down on one side of his face, where he had slept. Thunderkit, his eyes bright, looked much more energetic compared to his brother.
"Good morning kits." Riverfoot purred, grooming Scratchkit with a quick rasp of her tongue. The brown tom squirmed under her touch and Thunderkit, laughing, bounced over to Brightkit's side. "G'morning Brightkit!" He chirped. He turned his gaze to Snowkit, who tensed and Swiftkit who stood behind his sister, eyes wide. "Snowkit, Swiftkit! How'd you sleep? The Nursery is really warm, isn't it!?" He smiled big and faced them full on.
Snowkit narrowed her eyes. "...Why are you asking?" Thunderkit tipped his head in confusion. "Why? Should I not ask? It was only a question." He turned to Brightkit, just as eager, "So you wanna play a game?" He asked happily and Brightkit nodded. He turned again to Snowkit and Swiftkit. "What about you two? Do loners play games?"
Snowkit immediately bristled. "Why say 'loners'? Do you have something against us? We're not loners anymore, if you couldn't tell." Thunderkit beamed, seemingly unaware of Snowkit's irritation. "Great! Then let's play!" He looked up at Treepelt, who was watching them with a bored look. "Can we Treepelt?" The brown tabby shrugged and Thunderkit jumped for joy before nosing Brightkit in the shoulder and heading towards the center of camp. Brightkit followed him with Snowkit and Swiftkit coming more slowly after her.
Thunderkit produced a ball of moss hidden underneath his paw when they circled him. "Let's play catch the moss ball!" He purred and scooped it up with his claw. "Snowkit and Brightkit can be a team and Swiftkit and I will be the other."
Brightkit didn't know how much fun it would be, playing with loners, but she went along with Thunderkit. He motioned for the others to stand further back and they followed his advice, spreading out. Then Thunderkit tossed the moss ball with his paw. It headed immediately in the direction of Swiftkit who, stock-still with fear and confusion, merely stared at it as it flung towards him. Brightkit rolled her eyes and seized her chance, moved in front of him, grabbing the ball with her teeth and used her head to toss it towards Snowkit. "Catch!" Snowkit, also confused, hesitated before leaping for the moss ball, snagging her claws around it and catching it but not before it fell to the ground.
"Point!" Thunderkit immediately yelled, laughing in triumph. Brightkit, feelings of aggravation filling her belly, shot Snowkit an annoyed glance. Snowkit catching Brightkit's looked, whirled around to face Thunderkit, fur fluffing up in annoyance. "What do you mean? I caught it!"
Thunderkit shook his head with a grin, "You can't let it hit the ground, silly."
"Well it would have been nice to know that!"
Thunderkit tilted his head to the side again, looking from Snowkit to Swiftkit and back again. "What? Have you never played before?"
"Never..." Swiftkit mumbled, eyes intrigued.
"That explains why you let it fall." Brightkit heard herself mutter and could see Swiftkit and Snowkit stiffen out of the corner of her eye. Thunderkit shook his head in dismay and Snowkit, fur bristling still, growled, "So now you won't play with us, right?"
Thunderkit looked up, shocked. "No, of course not!" He purred. "We'll just have to teach you, right Brightkit?" He flashed Brightkit a smile and the pale golden kit hesitated. "Y-yeah. Sure." She murmured and Thunderkit picked the moss ball from off the ground.
"Let's go again. Same teams." He used his head to throw the moss ball again and it headed towards Swiftkit once more. The ginger tom hesitated again and Brightkit jumped to intercept the ball but Swiftkit, seeing her move, darted forwards and grabbed it with his teeth. Brightkit staggered to a stop, surprised at his sudden jolt of speed and watched him throw the moss ball back to Thunderkit, who's eyes were shining. "Nice catch Swiftkit!" He called as the moss ball headed his way. Swiftkit beamed.
"Get it Snowkit!" Brightkit commanded, sending the white she-cat a look. Snowkit leapt forwards and Thunderkit too went to grab for it. They moved at the same time and bumped into each other, sending Snowkit, the smaller cat, crashing to the ground and Thunderkit fell on his paws, a little unbalanced.
"Snowkit!" Swiftkit cried out, fearful. He went to move but Thunderkit got there first. "You okay?" He asked, eyes wide with worry. The white kit got to her paws with a wince, glaring at Thunderkit.
"You did that on purpose." She hissed.
"What? I don't understand. Why would I-"
Snowkit snapped. "You hate loners just as much as everyone else! You just asked us to play so you could humiliate us! There's no other reason why! No one cares about us!" She began to cry, hiccupping along as she growled and hissed her aggravation. "Why are we even here?"
Brightkit watched in silence. Seeing the tears streaming down Snowkit's cheeks, matting her snowy white fur and darkening it, Brightkit felt shame.
Swiftkit moved to approach his sister, to comfort her, but Thunderkit, looked down at her with a grin on his face. "That's stupid." He said bluntly and Snowkit looked up at him, shocked by his sudden exclamation. "You said earlier that you weren't loners anymore. So stop saying you are!" He rebuked, but with a smile. "You're going to be warriors of LionHerd! Bum Bum Bum Buummm!" He smirked and hopped from foot to foot before settling down beside Snowkit, who was trembling. "And protect your friends and family, that's what warriors do! I'm going to be a strong warrior. A warrior that can protect all my friends!" He smiled sweetly. "I'll protect you, Snowkit!"
Snowkit started, eyes wide and she growled, ears flattening against her head as she pushed him away sharply with her paw, causing him to topple over. "Y-you mousebrain!" She hissed, getting to her paws quickly and backing away from him, whiskers trembling. She was no longer crying but Brightkit found her perplexed, angry expression rather hilarious.
Brightkit began to laugh and Snowkit whirled on her with a snort. "Stop! It's not funny! It's dumb!" She whirled back to Thunderkit who was getting back to his paws. "And you! I can protect myself so...so... don't get near me!" She yelled and turned on her heel, stomping back towards the Nursery.
"Snowkit!" Swiftkit called, running after her. She passed by Scratchkit, who had finally finished getting groomed by Riverfoot. He moved immediately out of her way with wide eyes. Snowkit disappeared into the Nursery with Swiftkit on her heels. Riverfoot and Treepelt, sitting outside the Nursery conversing, watched them go with confusion.
Scratchkit padded over to Brightkit and Thunderkit's side. With a confused look he asked, "What's bothering her?"
"Mosspaw, it's time." Mosspaw yawned, rolling in her nest absently and opening her eyes. Shadows crisscrossed her vision as she blinked, adjusting to the poor lighting. She slowly rose to her paws, stretching the muscles of her shoulders and front paws by raking her nest with her claws. Her mentor, his amber eyes and large broad shoulders the only indication he was even there, blending in so spectacularly to the nighttime, snorted impatiently and she ducked her head sheepishly.
"Sorry."
"Just hurry up." He growled and ducked out of the den. Mosspaw yawned again, stretching her back limbs this time and eyes roving over her companions' sleeping forms. Buzzardpaw's black form was hard to make out in the farthest corner of the den but the slight muffled snoring alerted Mosspaw to his presence there. Owlpaw was sleeping more quietly nearby him, brown tabby pelt rising and falling with each quick breath. Spottedpaw, next to him, was rolled on her side facing him, usual green eyes closed and ears twitching in her sleep. Mosspaw moved quietly as not to wake them and exited the den, catching Darkheart's flashing amber gaze beside the camp entrance. She trotted over to his side, eyes sleepy.
"Where are we going today?" She opened her mouth to yawn but suppressed it as a mere cough instead. Darkheart harrumphed in response and began to lead the way out of the camp. Mosspaw followed at his side, used to his noncommittal answers.
This had been their third outing at night. Mosspaw wondered if the other apprentices trained at night too. She always woke up tired but by the time they were padding through the forest energy kicked her limbs into a faster pace and she eagerly found that her eyes widened more readily and she was more alert.
Darkheart led Mosspaw through the forest; shadows clung to the trees and shaped their branches, gnarling them into strange formations but Mosspaw was not frightened. Her mentor, his back large and strong, kept her fear abated and she followed after him proudly, glad he was so strong and grounded. They passed landmark after landmark until Mosspaw noticed Darkheart beginning to slow until they were standing in a clearing. A low breeze swept at the grass and if Mosspaw strained her ears she could hear the gurgling sound of the nearby river in the distance. A strong scent wafted their way and Mosspaw wrinkled her nose when it reached her. An enemy Herd's scent markers had been recently placed, it seemed, quite savagely in fact that the entire border was covered in the rank odor. Darkheart, cringing slightly at the stench, rolled his eyes and sat down, curling his tail over his paws and turned to Mosspaw. Mosspaw sat down in front of her mentor, trying her best to ignore the obvious display of dominance.
"I have a mission for you." Darkheart said immediately and Mosspaw felt her fur begin to prickle with the beginnings of excitement and adrenaline. She looked sideways at the border and faced her mentor again, knowing that her eyes must be wide with eagerness.
"Does it involve PantherHerd?"
Mosspaw couldn't see but she hoped it was a smile that graced Darkheart's face, "Yes. Smart girl." Mosspaw puffed out her chest proudly and listened to her mentor as he continued, "This is an important mission." He leaned closer and Mosspaw felt his breath fan across her face, warm and inviting. "It is paramount that you succeed, Mosspaw."
"Of course Darkheart. I won't fail!" She immediately straightened her posture. She wanted to look confident and trustworthy, reliable. Darkheart nodded once and pointed with his tail to the border. "The mission for you is to infiltrate the territory and search out a brown warrior. He is an older tom with green eyes."
Mosspaw stiffened, every nerve in her body skyrocketed with heat. "I have to enter PantherHerd territory...?" A shiver ran down her spine, one she did not like.
"Yes." Darkheart tilted his head and his eyes flashed in the darkness. "This is an important mission; there will be risks. As a warrior-in-training you must understand that these missions are necessary to become an asset to the Herd. Cowardice is only a burden. And LionHerd does not need burdens, do you understand?"
"O-of course Darkheart."
He nodded again. "Good. Now. You are to meet him, but once you see him, do not speak to him. Instead, you are to run, run back to the border. He will know to follow you. I will be waiting here for your return." He touched her shoulders and drew her towards him as he led the way into PantherHerd territory. Mosspaw's teeth clenched together as they passed over the stark scent of PantherHerd. The moment they step foot inside enemy territory Mosspaw felt the shivers roll up her spine again and again and she felt like itching her back but Darkheart did not stop to pause or let her get comfortable, instead he moved deeper into the trees towards a ravine a little ways inside, hidden behind trees. Mosspaw would never had noticed it there from LionHerd territory. It was a small ravine that, Mosspaw believed, led towards a gorge on the other side of LionHerd territory. This part of the ravine was narrow but deep. Darkheart planted himself down beside the ravine and eyed Mosspaw, who was standing opposite him, legs locked.
"Well?" She looked up and swallowed. She needed to be brave. Cowardice was a burden... She turned away from her wall of a mentor and headed deeper into PantherHerd territory. The sights and smells were strange to her eye and nose but not significantly different from LionHerd territory. There were unfamiliar trees here and there but generally the territory on the PantherHerd side mirrored that of LionHerd; Mosspaw drew comfort from this fact.
"Ah!" She yelped in surprise, tripping over a jutting outcrop. She collapsed on her side, scraping her cheek slightly against the rock and she gasped in pain, getting to her paws and touching her cheek with her tongue. She winced as her saliva mixed with the blood, stinging her face and she huffed in annoyance. Ignoring her new shiner, she padded further into the trees, keeping ears and eyes open for movement, and to make sure she didn't trip again. A low mumbling caught her ears and, startled, she drew immediately into the bushes, pressing her slim body against the mossy bark of a nearby tree and hiding her ears in the leaves of the bushes. She poked enough around the tree to spy a cat appearing. Her eyes widened when she caught the sight of his brown fur in the moonlight.
"Mouse-dunged LionHerd apprentices... trespassing in my territory? Didn't the scent markers scare them away? I'd better make them stronger. Rot their noses and make their eyes water by how strong it will be!" Mosspaw wrinkled her nose. She could smell the tom from here. He smelled like the scent markings, had he been the one to set them? The scent was so strong Mosspaw almost coughed in disgust. He smelled like he hadn't bathed himself or relieved himself in days. Mosspaw narrowed her eyes to get a closer look and noticed the disheveled look to his mane. His fur was ragged and smoothed down in some places but sticking out in others. His ears were torn, he almost didn't have ears they were so shredded to pieces. Mosspaw could catch the glassy look to his green eyes. They were pale and wild, flitting back and forth as he trailed his gaze across his territory, as if he expected a cat to jump out of nowhere to scare the jitters out of him. Mosspaw blinked, could that be what he was expecting? Was he waiting for her? Darkheart had said to lead him back to him... now would be a good time as any.
Seizing what little courage coiled from her belly, she stepped out from the bushes into full view. Immediately, the brown warrior turned his gaze sharply in her direction and a mangled toothy grin spread his jaws. "Ah." He hissed, his voice scratchy and almost painful sounding. The full brunt of his smell reached her and she recoiled immediately, but it only made him smile wider. "Little LionHerd apprentice, don't be afraid. Let us talk." He took a step towards her and Mosspaw remembered Darkheart's words. "Do not speak to him, run immediately back to me." Not wanting to disobey her mentor, and not wanting to stay anywhere near the tom any longer, Mosspaw turned on her heel and ran. A sudden exclamation from the tom and then the resounding sound of thudding paw steps behind her made Mosspaw aware of his presence, quickly catching up to her. Fear gripped her spine. Why she was afraid, she wasn't sure, but there it was, that cold icy grip on her heart.
"Don't run!" He croaked and Mosspaw felt his breath fanning her face and she involuntarily cried out as he tried to snap at her neck. She picked up speed, ducking away from him and willing her paws to fly. She couldn't remember where she needed to go but she dared only think of running and hoped she headed in the right direction. The constant thump thump of the tom's paws behind her made Mosspaw's heart beat faster and faster and she prayed to SunHerd that she would make it to Darkheart without losing a head.
Then she saw him. The black warrior was sitting patiently beside the border, ears turned towards her approaching figure. His eyes were wide and Mosspaw could barely make out what expression he wore before she barreled past him and staggered to a screeching halt behind him, eyes wild and chest heaving. The brown warrior burst from the trees and skidded to a halt when he caught sight of Darkheart. Heaving a bit, he eyed Darkheart with a dangerous glint in his green gaze.
"You... I know you." He whispered, narrowing his eyes.
"It's good to see you again." Darkheart dipped his head politely to the tom. "How have you been?"
The tom growled, baring his teeth, and looked over at Mosspaw, who shivered under his gaze. His teeth pulled back into a smile at her obvious look of fear. "That apprentice yours?"
Darkheart looked down at Mosspaw coolly. "She is."
"Gentle thing. It would be a shame to see her lose that."
"Well, gentleness isn't a quality a warrior needs."
"Hmmm..." The tom hummed and looked at Darkheart appraisingly. "I like you. You remind me of me."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"Oho! Cheek." He laughed and it was grating and harsh and he coughed; a throaty sound rumbled from his throat as he tried to clear it. Darkheart watched this display quietly and Mosspaw felt his tail move from around her shoulders and she balked. "Watch." He whispered to her, and padded a few paces forwards. Mosspaw's eyes widened as Darkheart approached the brown warrior and smiled ever so dearly, an expression Mosspaw had never seen him give before, not even to his mate Yellowfang.
"It's time for you to leave." Darkheart whispered but Mosspaw heard his words. The brown warrior looked up in confusion.
"Leave? Gah-!" He choked again but recovered more quickly this time. "This is my territory, scum. If anyone is leaving, it's you and that pretty apprentice of yours."
"That's not the kind of leaving I meant." Darkheart answered, monotone.
The moment happened very quickly, but she saw it all.
Mosspaw could still feel her ears ringing with the sound of the brown warrior's laughter.
A soft breeze ruffled Owlpaw's fur and he mumbled to himself, feeling the caressing wind against his chin and he sighed. It felt so compelling; he opened his eyes and saw a field before him, lush and green. Instead of staring around in awe, his eyes sought out the familiar landscape, one he had seen so many times in his dreams, and padded slowly through the grass. "Hello? Anybody here?" He hoped that a soft voice would answer his call, but like usual, no one did. He sighed and smirked a little. "Fine. I'll find you."
Owlpaw dashed through the grass now, feeling energy in his paws and a swiftness to his limbs that he only ever felt in his dreams. That was always how he knew this was a dream and not reality. He always felt happy here.
He was just running now but he was waiting to hear it. The soft sound of her voice. Then there it was. A low humming but he recognized it immediately and his heart sped up a mile a minute. A figure was moving through the flowers, her slim form dazzling in the sunlight. It streamed across her pelt and made her look like gold. Owlpaw felt his breath catch as she turned to him, as though anticipating his arrival, and he caught her blue eyes.
He raced towards her without thinking. Her bell of a laugh made him smile and he wrapped himself around her embrace, breathing in her scent. Her warmth made him feel so happy. He just wanted to stay here…
"Owlpaw! Wake up!" He startled awake to a loud voice in his ear and his eyes widened, meeting the green gaze of his den-mate, Spottedpaw. The tortoiseshell shook her tiny head and giggled. "What? Were you having a nice dream?"
"Yes. I was." He hissed, shaking his pelt and grooming the fur that was sticking up on his chest. The tortoiseshell followed the movement with her eyes and he glanced up at her with one eyebrow raised, "What?" She turned away suddenly without an answer and he frowned but continued to groom. Once he was done, Spottedpaw shifted on her feet, suddenly seeming more energetic.
"Skullhawk and Dirtclaw wanted to take us out on a training session today. Hurry up! I think it's battle training!" Her eyes were alight with joy and it finally dawned on Owlpaw that this would be her first battle training session. He smirked knowingly, tilting his head and butting shoulders with the younger she-cat. "Well, well, well, look's like little Spottedpaw is going to become a true apprentice now."
"Shut up." She growled, but it was playful for she proceeded to nip at his ear, yanking a bit, but not too hard, just enough that Owlpaw felt the pull and the pressure.
"Let go." He hissed, glaring at her as she giggled, pulling away and, in retaliation, Owlpaw quickly ducked down and, with his paw, swiped playfully at her soft belly fur, claws sheathed of course. This caused her to cry out in surprise and stumble back and Owlpaw continued to advance on her, eyes shining and grinning. "You didn't think I would forget how ticklish you are down there, did you?"
"S-stop it!" She huffed and went to evade him when a voice spoke up from the corner.
"Quit flirting, you two. I'm trying to sleep here." Buzzardpaw was like a black shadow in his nest, barely recognizable as a cat due to just the faint light of dawn trickling into the apprentice's den. Owlpaw suddenly felt heat creeping into his face and he felt his ears stinging with hotness and he growled low in Buzzardpaw's direction. "We're not flirting."
"Sure you weren't." Buzzardpaw rolled his eyes, grumpy from having been awakened, and he rolled on his side, back facing them. "Just keep it down or get out."
"SunHerd, he's a grumpy grump when he hasn't gotten any sleep." Spottedpaw joked, nuzzling Owlpaw's shoulder. "Come on, we need to go anyway."
"Right." Owlpaw shot his sleeping friend a look before following after the tortoiseshell. They exited the den and walked into the camp clearing. It was mostly deserted except for the form of Rufflefur moving around the outskirts of the camp, inspecting the camp wall. It seemed as though he was always on his feet, Owlpaw swore. The LionHerd deputy noticed them and padded over, his head tilted to the side curiously.
"Early morning training?" He asked and Owlpaw nodded, catching a glimpse of the black tom's eyes. They were slightly closed, his eyelids drooping ever so slightly. An aura of tiredness permeated from the warrior and Owlpaw tensed. He felt a feeling of worry fill him at the thought of Rufflefur collapsing from exhaustion.
"You should get some rest, Rufflefur." Owlpaw admonished, voice low to mask the growing worry in his tone. "We have good relations with LeopardHerd and TigerHerd hasn't been sighted recently. I don't think you need to overwork yourself." Spottedpaw glanced at Owlpaw curiously.
Rufflefur shook his head. "I'm fine." He paused for a moment, seemingly suppressing a yawn, before he smiled sleepily down at Owlpaw. "Thanks for the worry." He ruffled the brown apprentice's head with his paw and Owlpaw grew quiet under Rufflefur's gaze. The black warrior smiled at Spottedpaw before he turned and padded back to patrolling the camp. Owlpaw followed him with his eyes.
"You're pretty protective of Rufflefur." Spottedpaw observed, speaking her thoughts aloud. Owlpaw turned to the tortoiseshell, brow creasing and his voice coming out harsher than he had meant it to, "Why shouldn't I be?"
"Yeah, okay. Sorry." She murmured, not meeting his gaze and he sighed, bumping her shoulder lightly. "Hey, come on. Sorry I snapped."
"No big deal." She answered and flashed him a grin. "I wasn't offended." But by the strange haunt to her gaze, Owlpaw thought she was lying. He grew quiet as she laughed and bumped him back. "Come on. Skullhawk and Dirtclaw will be waiting. We should get going."
"Right." They headed out of the camp entrance where Owlpaw led the way, following their mentors' scent trails. It led them into LionHerd territory to a place not too far from the camp. A sandy circle met them with Skullhawk sitting, grumpily, in the center and Dirtclaw pacing above the small sandy ditch.
"Finally." Dirtclaw huffed upon catching sight of the apprentices.
"You're late." Skullhawk said, glaring at Owlpaw and the brown apprentice laughed shakily.
"Sorry." Skullhawk harrumphed in response. Owlpaw slid down into the ditch beside his mentor with Spottedpaw about to follow but the gray warrior lifted his tail to tell her to pause. She stopped and gave her own mentor a curious look, but Dirtclaw nodded his head to the center, indicating that she watch. Owlpaw stood opposite his mentor, tail tip twitching eagerly. He knew what was going to happen. Skullhawk wanted to show Spottedpaw actual combat.
Without a word, the senior warrior walked towards Owlpaw, then, his tail swept out of no where, hurtling towards Owlpaw. There was only a split second to dodge, and Owlpaw took it, ducking immediately, but the gray tom was at him again, jaws incoming. Owlpaw ducked again, barely missing the snapping teeth, and lanced forwards with his own paws, hoping to catch Skullhawk with a swipe that would make him dizzy. The hit connected but the gray warrior was much larger and buffer than Owlpaw so the blow merely dazed him a moment before he was swiping again for Owlpaw. This time the attack came from below, heading for his paws, hoping to knock him down. Owlpaw leapt away, making distance between himself and his mentor but Skullhawk was quick for a large cat, following Owlpaw like a juggernaut, overbearing and intimidating. Owlpaw could see Spottedpaw watching them, her eyes were wide with surprise and her body was trembling, Owlpaw didn't know with what for he was too busy dodging Skullhawk's blows. Looking over at her again, he lost his footing and scrambled in the sand, finding it hard to regain his balance in the slippery substance slipping between his toes. Skullhawk took this opportunity to knock Owlpaw over with a heavy grunt and a strong shoulder, colliding with the apprentice and sending him sprawling into the sand. Owlpaw fell heavily and coughed, getting sand in his mouth and Skullhawk came down heavy with his paws on Owlpaw's chest, crushing him with his weight. Owlpaw gasped, winded, the heavy attack was as though a boulder had crashed into him and was pinning him down. He heard Spottedpaw vaguely in the background cry out and his eyes refocused, remembering that she was watching him get beaten.
He didn't want to look like a loser.
Gathering up whatever strength was left, he pushed with all his might against Skullhawk's form, temporarily stunning the warrior with the force, and in Skullhawk's surprise, Owlpaw wrenched himself free when the warrior let up his attack ever so slightly. Almost like a snake, he slipped away from his mentor and used the opportunity to hook his paw around Skullhawk's legs, immobilizing the warrior. Skullhawk hissed in annoyance and tried to free himself by swiping at Owlpaw but the brown apprentice held n tight and ignored each attack. Finally, Skullhawk stopped and sighed through his nose.
"That's enough." He growled and Owlpaw let go. Immediately, Spottedpaw dashed down into the pit and approached Owlpaw gently nosing at his neck fur.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm good." Owlpaw coughed. He was covered in sand but his breath was even. He felt proud. Dirtclaw, slipping in after his apprentice, chuckled as he butt shoulders with Skullhawk who merely gave the younger tom a cold glance. "Fine. Spottedpaw it's your turn." The tortoiseshell stiffened slightly, eyes flashing suddenly with worry. Owlpaw noticed and nudged her shoulder with his nose.
"Hey." He made sure she was looking at him. "Dirtclaw will go easy on you for your first time. Trust me."
She gave a shaky sigh and shook her head in acceptance. "Okay." Owlpaw smiled and took a few steps back.. Skullhawk sat down beside him as they watched Spottedpaw and Dirtclaw in the center. Spottedpaw, nervous showed by the slight twitch of her tail, stood still, eyeing the brown warrior. Dirtclaw, in contrast, watched her coolly, tail wrapped around his paws, totally at ease. "When you're ready." He said and Spottedpaw's ear twitched. Owlpaw watched as she tentatively took a step forward, and then rushed forwards straight for Dirtclaw. He cringed visibly as Dirtclaw easily side-stepped her and knocked her violently into the sand with a swift back leg kick to her side. She went sprawling into the sand and lay there, winded and surprised.
"First rule, never run head-on at your opponent." Dirtclaw said, sitting down again. Spottedpaw got to her paws, trying to shake the sand out of her fur but gave up when she realized that she would probably just get dirty all over again over the course of her lesson. She stared at Dirtclaw again, less confident now, and, this time, circled her mentor until she was directly behind him. Then she leapt on her back paws, Owlpaw believed to get a grip on his back. Dirtclaw seemed to have anticipated the move, for he ducked and Spottedpaw landed awkwardly with half her body lying over Dirtclaw's head and her back paws trying to get a hold on his back. Dirtclaw jumped up, flinging the smaller cat off of his back and into the sand again. Spottedpaw landed heavily on her back and she gasped loudly and Owlpaw raked his claws into the dirt, feeling her pain. It was hard to just sit there and watch. He knew Spottedpaw needed to endure the harsh first lesson but watching it with his own eyes made him ache to help her. To protect her. He was momentarily stunned by that thought. Spottedpaw was always making fun of him and abusing him. Why did he suddenly want to protect her? Sure after they came to spend more time together, sharing the same den once more, they had moved away from their usual, rough games when they were kits and changed to light teasing and calling each other names.
He focused again on the training session and saw Spottedpaw struggling to get the upper hand on Dirtclaw. She had yet to land a blow on her mentor, Dirtclaw easily knocking her away or dodging her attacks. She was panting now, out of breath and covered in sand. The darker patches of her tortoiseshell pelt were dusted in fine golden sand. Owlpaw was stunned suddenly by how similar she looked to his dream cat. Awed by this change, he noticed that her eyes were still flaming with stubbornness. That same stubbornness that he had always found annoying. Now, his belly churned with sudden admiration and warmth looking at her.
"Okay." Dirtclaw sighed when Spottedpaw tried to get a hold on his shoulders but was knocked away for the thousandth time. His eyes were trained on the sky, the sun had climbed and was almost at its zenith now. "It's about time to eat. We should head back now."
"I can keep going." Spottedpaw huffed, her panting was so loud now that Owlpaw could hear it from his spot outside of the pit. Dirtclaw gave his apprentice an admiring look. "You may think so, Spottedpaw. But you can barely stand on your own paws. We can continue tomorrow." She opened her mouth to retort but Dirtclaw sent her a stern look and she closed her mouth, sitting down shakily on her paws. Skullhawk, without a word, turned and headed back towards the camp. Dirtclaw passed Owlpaw on his way after the senior warrior. Owlpaw waited for Spottedpaw to catch up.
"How did I do?" She asked, still panting. He felt an overwhelming urge to press his cheek against hers but restrained. Instead he gave her a warm smile.
"For your first time? Really good. You didn't complain at all."
She laughed and looked at him before trailing off. Owlpaw blinked. "What?"
"Your face..." Spottedpaw murmured before she blinked and turned away sharply, shoving Owlpaw off of her. He stumbled back, bewildered. "What, what did I do?"
"J-just shut up!" Spottedpaw growled and quickened her pace. Owlpaw, confused, tried to catch up to her but she wouldn't let him. Even when they entered camp, Spottedpaw headed straight towards her sister, who was just grabbing a mouse from the fresh kill pile. Owlpaw ambled over to join them, hoping to catch Spottedpaw's eye.
"Hey Owlpaw." Mosspaw murmured through her mouthful of mouse. Owlpaw nodded in her direction before lowering his head down to grab a shrew. Spottedpaw had her back turned to him and refused to meet his eye even when he tried to catch her glance. Mosspaw noticed and gave Owlpaw an annoyed look. "What did you do?"
"Frankly I have no idea." Owlpaw murmured, sitting down with the two sisters. Mosspaw sighed and began to eat her mouse. Spottedpaw kept her face away from Owlpaw and bit into her robin. Owlpaw meekly ate from his shrew. He looked up at Mosspaw.
"Hey. Where were you this morning? Did Darkheart take you out training?"
"Huh?" She looked up at his question, eyes widening before she broke her gaze from his. "Uh, yeah."
"Is that why you got that scratch on your cheek." Owlpaw pointed out. He had noticed the red mark along Mosspaw's ginger fur when she had spoken to him earlier. She blinked and coughed.
"Y-yeah, I just ran into a thorn bush on accident."
"That must have hurt." Spottedpaw spoke up, licking the cut on her sister's cheek. Mosspaw purred and shook her head. "Nah, not too bad anymore-ow! Ow! Your tongue is hot! Stop it! It stings!"
"Sorry." Spottedpaw chuckled and Owlpaw joined in to laugh but the moment he did Spottedpaw stopped and got to her paws. "Hey, I'm going to go find mother." Without another glance in their direction, Spottedpaw bustled away. Owlpaw followed her with his eyes and frowned. Mosspaw stared at Owlpaw.
"Seriously. What did you do?"
Owlpaw shook his head, he had no answer.
"Mosspaw, Owlpaw, Rufflefur wants you two on a border patrol."
The two apprentices turned their heads to Eaglehawk. The dark brown warrior was standing behind them, amber eyes narrowed very slightly. He inclined his head towards the camp entrance where Darkheart and Poppyfeather were sitting patiently, waiting. Owlpaw rose to his paws eagerly and Mosspaw winced but got up as well. They followed Eaglehawk over to the group of waiting cats.
"Are we ready?" Darkheart asked gruffly, eyes glancing down at the apprentices. His eyes lingered on Mosspaw a little bit longer and Owlpaw glanced at the ginger she-cat. She trembled slightly but nodded. Darkheart turned his head and started off, calling over his shoulder for them to "Hurry up." Eaglehawk sighed and shook his head, walking after the black tom. Owlpaw and Mosspaw followed after him with Poppyfeather quietly taking up the rear.
"What part of the border shall we mark today?" She asked from behind. Eaglehawk looked over his shoulder at the calico.
"Darkheart mentioned how PantherHerd's scent boundaries had been marked recently so Flamesun wants us to head over there as well." Owlpaw saw Mosspaw winced again out of the corner of his eye as Eaglehawk continued, "There also, supposedly, was a strong PantherHerd scent inside our border too so we should look out for any intruders as well."
The patrol carried on through the woods until they reached the PantherHerd border. The border was empty, as expected, and the strong, rank scent of PantherHerd was just as fresh as Darkheart had described. Owlpaw wrinkled his nose against the smell and noticed the others also shying away from the border.
"Well someone has to do it." Eaglehawk chuckled and looked around that the group. Obviously the apprentices were out and when Eaglehawk's eyes roamed over Darkheart and Poppyfeather, the black tom gave him a cold look and Poppyfeather opened her mouth to argue but Eaglehawk cut her off quickly. "Alright, alright. I'll do it." The dark brown warrior sighed loudly, on purpose, and headed towards the border. Poppyfeather approached Owlpaw and Mosspaw then, gently leading them away.
"Let's go check out a little farther ahead." They followed the calico into the trees, leaving behind Darkheart and Eaglehawk as they went, but suddenly Darkheart called them back.
"Mosspaw, stay here a second." Mosspaw started and looked towards her mentor. Owlpaw couldn't see her face only Darkheart's scowling expression and the ginger tabby padded back towards her mentor. Poppyfeather nodded towards Owlpaw. "Come on. She'll catch up." Owlpaw nodded and followed the queen through the woods again. Poppyfeather kept her nose against the forest floor, tail tip twitching and Owlpaw followed her example, scenting the earthy smell of the dried leaves and the cool minty smell of the crushed flowers beneath his paws.
When he looked up, Poppyfeather was standing a little ways away, eyes drawn to the top of a tree. Owlpaw joined her and looked up, noticing the flickering of a creature jumping from branch to branch. Squirrel, he observed. Poppyfeather gently bunched her muscles and leapt, landing squarely on the lowest branch and then proceeded to climb the tree at a slow pace. Owlpaw watched, with interest, as the young calico slivered from branch to branch before she was directly below the critter. With a swift swipe of her paw, the squirrel fell from the tree with a squeal, desperately trying to catch a hold on the branches as it fell through them and landed with a thump onto the forest floor, the impact crippling its little hind legs and immobilizing it. It twitched against the sand and Owlpaw leaned over it, eyeing it as it cried out in strangled gasps. He almost pitied, and swiftly ended its misery with a bite to its neck. Poppyfeather found her way down from the tree and landed beside Owlpaw, giving him an admiring look.
"Now we don't have to return home empty-pawed." She laughed a little and picked up the squirrel. "Go on ahead, I'll bury this so we can come back for it later."
"Alright." Owlpaw nodded and headed back towards where the rest of the patrol was. He was almost at the border when he heard a rustling sound. A flash of ginger caught his eye and he turned, with surprise, as he saw Mosspaw disappearing into the foliage a little farther ahead. Owlpaw's eyes widened suddenly with fear. She was traipsing through PantherHerd territory! He looked around for Poppyfeather but she wasn't there. Maybe he should go back to get Eaglehawk or Darkheart. Stupid furball, she deserved to get in trouble, especially if an enemy patrol caught her. But then what would happen? They could kill her! He thought of Spottedpaw and her anguish. How she would probably kill him for letting her sister get hurt, never speak to him again, never forgive him.
He wasn't aware that he had crossed border until it was done and by that point he figured it was too late to go back. He headed into the territory after the ginger tabby, hoping that she had a little enough sense not to go into the heart of PantherHerd territory, or worse, get lost.
The trees were strangely dark to Owlpaw, although the sun shone brightly over them. Maybe it was because he knew he didn't belong there that they seemed sinister and scary, the way they grew was like gnarled claws, striking from the earth, hoping to catch intruders and imprison them like cats in cells. Owlpaw stayed as far away from the trees as he could, sticking to leaping from bush to bush. He couldn't see Mosspaw, let alone smell her. The strange, musty smell of PantherHerd was everywhere. What, did they mark their entire territory with their scent or something? Disgusting.
He didn't know where he was, but then he heard a slight gurgling sound. He must be close to the river or something! That gave him hope that he knew where he could go to escape this strange place and headed towards the sound. However, he was wrong, and only came upon a small pond with water gurgling over rocks as it cascaded into the pool. Feeling slightly disappointed, he realized then that the small stream leading into the pond could lead back towards LionHerd territory, if he knew the border well enough, that one river that cut through both LionHerd and PantherHerd territory. He still needed to find Mosspaw but maybe she had returned on her own. Well he sure didn't want to be the one getting caught and consequently getting in trouble. He looked into the pool, looking for the source of the water, catching a glance at his reflection in the clear water. The brown face and amber eyes were familiar, but suddenly he saw something else too. A gray figure in the glasslike surface stared back at him, mirroring his amber gaze but they were furious with rage. Owlpaw only had time to yelp before he was being violently pushed into the stream.
Gasping for air, his face pressed underneath the small pond, he thrashed with all he had to free himself from this foreign grip. The gray tom kept a hold on his head, keeping it under the surface and Owlpaw felt bubbles whizzing past his whiskers as he tried to breathe. His claws connected with fur and the tom above him cried out and his grip slackened. Owlpaw reared up with all his might, toppling the tom over and his head broke free. He breathed in the sweet air and coughed, water spewing from his nose and mouth as he tried to regain his normal breathing. The tom bowled into him before he could regain his composure, trying to push him back into the stream but Owlpaw pushed against him and they fell away from the bank and into the bushes, claws scraping against skin and fur and panting and growling as they tried to attack one another. They finally pulled apart when the tom cat kicked Owlpaw in the stomach. They landed heavily on their sides before both toms scrambled to their paws, finally getting a good look at one another.
Owlpaw saw a dark gray cat, young, probably a bit younger than he himself was, with amber eyes. He had long fur, a long-haired cat, and he had cuts up and down his face, one that had cut across his nose which was bleeding quite badly, Owlpaw felt proud. He knew he must look beat up too, especially with his head, neck and shoulders dripping wet from the pond water. The two toms sized each other up. Owlpaw knew he must be older but the tom was much wider set than he was, with broader shoulders and bigger frame. Owlpaw knew he was slimmer in size but he also knew he had more experience, even if he was still an apprentice. He had seen battle.
"Trespasser!" The tom snarled, and he bared his teeth. Owlpaw growled himself, neck fur bristling. "LionHerd scum! Invasion!"
"No!" Owlpaw's eyes widened with horror. "Not an invasion. Just a misunderstanding."
"Misunderstanding?" The tom growled low, tail lashing back and forth with rage, "You call sneaking into our territory and trying to steal prey a misunderstanding?"
"You thought I was-?" Owlpaw choked. "I wasn't trying to steal prey!"
The tom scoffed, obviously reason wasn't going to work with him. "Yeah, and I'm actually a fluffy small-pet waiting to be picked up by its owner. I am not a fool."
You sure sound like one... Owlpaw squared his shoulders. "I was searching for my companion. She accidentally entered PantherHerd territory."
"Accidentally? Yeah, I believe that." He rolled his eyes and then they narrowed. "Wait. There are two of you? Now try and tell me that isn't an invasion!"
This tom was dumber than Owlpaw originally thought. "Are you serious? Two cats? That's not an invasion." The tom snarled low, baring his teeth and Owlpaw frantically looked for an escape. He didn't want to cause trouble for his Herd. The tom seemed to guess Owlpaw's intention, for he began to advance on Owlpaw, giving the apprentice a harder chance at escape. Owlpaw hissed with annoyance, bunching his muscles to force his way past, when a sudden cry, his named shouted out like a hiss, burst from the foliage, and Mosspaw leapt forwards, barreling into the PantherHerd apprentice. She pinned him down, one paw on his throat and eyes wild with an unknown emotion. Owlpaw leapt forwards immediately, pinning down the tom's haunches so he couldn't struggle. The tom thrashed back and forth for a moment before growling from the back of his throat and giving up with a resigned hiss.
"LionHerd scum." He snarled, baring his fangs. Owlpaw rolled his eyes.
"Alright, alright, we get it." The tom shot him an annoyed look before glaring up at Mosspaw who didn't remove her claws from around his throat. "What are your plans?" He asked with a narrowed gaze. "Scouting mission to learn our territory? Are you planning an attack on the camp?"
"Don't be ridiculous." Owlpaw scoffed. "I was just looking for my companion. And I found her, so we'll be going now."
"Turn your backs and I'll have your fur!" He growled and Mosspaw flinched slightly, trembling a bit. Owlpaw noticed and realized this would be Mosspaw's first real encounter with an enemy cat. He sent her a look, hoping she would get the message. Calm down. It's not a problem yet. If we can get back over to our territory we can pretend nothing happened. He hoped it showed in his eyes.
For a young cat, Mosspaw was pretty perceptive. She noticed his look and seemed to guess what he was trying to tell her before she took a deep breath, relaxing her muscles and took a step away from the tom. Owlpaw took the cue to tighten his hold on the PantherHerd apprentice, in case he decided to rear up and attack Mosspaw. He didn't try anything, just stared with narrowed eyes as the ginger tabby backed off.
"Owlpaw, let's go." Mosspaw said, having retreated a few paces back from the two toms. Owlpaw nodded and studied the long-haired gray tom closely. He glared back at him but didn't look like he would try anything. Just to be sure, Owlpaw walked backwards after releasing him, never taking his eyes off of him before both LionHerd apprentices were disappearing into the reeds. The moment they could no longer see him, they turned and bolted for the border. Owlpaw followed Mosspaw, surprised she seemed to know where she was going, and they made it to the other side just as Eaglehawk appeared, mouse in his jaws. He saw them and dropped the creature, eyes narrowing.
"What were you two doing over there?"
"Just marking the border!" Owlpaw said quickly, shooting Mosspaw a glance to shut her mouth and not say a word. Eaglehawk snorted and gave them a stern glare.
"Don't go too close to the border unless you are both with a warrior. I don't want any misunderstandings."
"Misunderstandings? Well, we wouldn't want that either." Owlpaw froze, fur immediately bristling and Eaglehawk's eyes widened as they turned to the border where a ginger tabby she-cat padded forwards. Her ginger fur was ratty and her eyes a striking blue. Her tail was white and twitched back and forth as she studied the three LionHerd cats with a cold gaze. Slipping through the reeds behind her was the dark-gray apprentice, a smirk on his face. Owlpaw's eyes narrowed to slits as he glared his way.
"What can I do for you, Tawnyfur?" Eaglehawk asked politely, addressing the ginger she-cat. He nodded respectfully towards the warrior but his slightly narrowed gaze and tight shoulders gave away the tension.
"Not much, I just thought I'd see what my friends in LionHerd were up to." She purred, a sinister smile gracing her muzzle. Eaglehawk looked confused for a moment and Owlpaw and Mosspaw quietly stood close together.
"Friends in LionHerd? I didn't realize you could be friends with LionHerd cats." Another voice broke out from the PantherHerd side of the border and a dark yellow colored tom appeared, green eyes like tiny slits as he laughed big, making sure the LionHerd cats could see his pointed teeth.
"Yarrowclaw, thanks for joining us. Where is my apprentice?"
"Volepaw will be joining us shortly. He went to get Ravenwind." Eaglehawk immediately stiffened and Owlpaw gawked. The PantherHerd deputy!? Why would they be-he choked; could being spotted in enemy territory really cause so much tension between them? Did they start another war!? Inwardly Owlpaw was a mess.
"If I may ask," Eaglehawk looked a bit panicked. "Is there a problem?"
"A problem?" Yarrowclaw immediately began to bristle, as if he had been bursting with rage. "Two LionHerd apprentices have been skulking around in PantherHerd territory. Attacking our apprentices. Is that not a problem!?"
Eaglehawk's eyes turned on Mosspaw, and Owlpaw, who looked at him sheepishly. His gaze was a mixture of anger and disappointment.
Tawnyfur nudged the dark-gray apprentice, "Tell him what happened Stormpaw."
The long-haired tom, Stormpaw, took a step forwards, chin raised and eyes triumphant. Owlpaw wanted to smack him so hard in that moment.
"I was minding my own business in my own territory when that brown tom attacked me from behind. Then the ginger one appeared. They knocked me into the water. I fended for myself but I was powerless against the both of them. They pinned me down and threatened to attack the camp!"
"He's lying!" Owlpaw couldn't hold it in anymore.
"Owlpaw!" Eaglehawk silenced him with a look and a growl and the tabby apprentice shrunk back in his spot. Eaglehawk turned back to the PantherHerd warriors, mouth tight. "I apologize for any negligence I caused by not watching my apprentices." He dipped his head low to the enemy warriors.
Tawnyfur sneered, face twisted into a smirk. "Look at that. A LionHerd warrior is bowing to us!" Yarrowclaw spit into the grass, flashing his teeth. "Pitiful." He scoffed. Eaglehawk winced slightly but kept his head down and face hard. Owlpaw wanted more than anything to do something but he couldn't say a thing. Eaglehawk would kill him. He had already ruined things enough as it was.
"Eaglehawk, what in SunHerd's name are you doing!?" Darkheart, his grandiose form appearing from the bushes, stalked into the clearing, amber eyes narrowed and shoulders shaking. Poppyfeather appeared right behind him, her own amber pair wide with surprise. "Raise your head." Eaglehawk, startled, flashed the black warrior a look and lifted his head. Darkheart pushed past him to stand nose to nose with Yarrowclaw, growling low from his throat. "What are you doing here?"
"It seems to have become a gathering of sorts, Darkheart." The voice came from PantherHerd's side of the border and a mottled brown tom appeared from the bushes. He was young with blue eyes but behind him came the source of the voice. Ravenwind, PantherHerd's newly named deputy since the death of his father, the black tom with the white streak across his chest, padded forwards, green eyes narrowed slightly. Owlpaw remembered from the big battle and he trembled slightly just at the memory.
"Ravenwind." Darkheart addressed the deputy of PantherHerd with a quiet nod. "Is there any reason why the esteemed PantherHerd deputy is gracing us with his presence?" The sarcasm was thick on his tongue and Yarrowclaw growled in his direction. Ravenwind chuckled, seemingly amused. "It seems a couple of apprentices were spotted on PantherHerd soil." Darkheart's ears flicked. "They attacked an apprentice of mine-"
"We didn't do anything!" Owlpaw shot up again. Eaglehawk shushed him again with a sharp hiss. Ravenwind glanced moderately in his direction before training his gaze back on Darkheart. "Well, what should we do about this then?"
"LionHerd warriors are always denying the truth." The brown apprentice spoke up suddenly. His voice was raspy and low as he sneered, "They can't accept their own failures, just like the battle." His eyes narrowed dangerously. "They can't accept it was they who killed Lonewhisker."
Owlpaw could sense the air thickening with tension as the LionHerd warriors stiffened at the name of the late deputy. It had been a few moons since his death but still the scars ran deep. It was still unknown what exactly had happened that fateful night, Owlpaw could only remember the scent of Raintail's fur as she guided him through his very first battle. He never saw Lonewhisker's face.
Tawnyfur turned to Yarrowclaw, her ears drawn back, "Where's Windsun? He should be here to hear this."
"Last I saw him was last night." The golden warrior took a long, deep breath when his ear twitched with surprise. "Well look at that. He's nearby."
Tawnyfur graced the LionHerd warriors with a feral grin, "How fortunate. Volepaw," She turned to the mottled tom sitting at her side, "go find your leader." Volepaw sneered at the LionHerd cats for good measure and headed into the bushes when he came to a surprised halt. He scented the air and then made his way towards the gorge, tail twitching back and forth. Tawnyfur followed the movement with a flash of annoyance.
"Where are you going, Volepaw?!"
"This is strange. I'm following Windsun's scent and it's-" The mottled tom stopped, perched at the edge of the gorge and sniffed the air dryly. He peered over the side and froze. Then his jaws opened into a choked pained cry.
Immediately Yarrowclaw and Tawnyfur were at his side, their forms still and bristling. Tawnyfur let out a high-pitched wail while Yarrowclaw heaved once, forcing his eyes away from whatever they had seen. Eaglehawk and the rest of the LionHerd patrol eased their way to where the PantherHerd cats were sitting. Owlpaw, standing beside Poppyfeather and Mosspaw, craned his neck so he could get a closer look.
Owlpaw felt the air rush out of his lungs in one, barely audible gasp. A shiver raced up his spine. The dark, crumbled figure of an old tom lay tangled in between two rocks. The cat's head had caught on the side of one of the outcroppings, pierced directly through the skull, while the rest of its body was twisted around the second rock. Its tail lay brushing in the torrent of the water, dragged perpetually by the ever-moving river. The sightless eyes stared up at them, as if reaping the onlookers in a cold-hearted glare, challenging them to look away from the gruesome scene of its death. However covered in blood and nearly unrecognizable, there was no doubt in anyone's mind who the poor departed soul was.
Ravenwind's eyes were disbelieving as he stared down at the crumbled body below them. "It cannot be..." He whispered.
Volepaw was shivering. Tawnyfur could barely look. Yarrowclaw was still heaving air out of his lungs, forcing himself to breathe more calmly as he huddled in the grass. Eaglehawk had a pained, pitiful look on his face. Darkheart remained stoic, as always, though he was frowning slightly. Poppyfeather had her eyes closed, shaking her head and letting out little sobs. Mosspaw, her entire body was shivering, her eyes were wild with fear and Owlpaw felt it radiating from her. She was terrified. Stormpaw, who had not yet taken his eyes off the body, remained perched on the outcropping, staring down. Finally, after a moment of silence, tension spread around them like a bowstring, and Stormpaw lifted his head, fixing his stare on Owlpaw and the rest of the LionHerd patrol. "You did this..." He accused, his voice breaking slightly. "You-you killed our leader."
"Never!" Eaglehawk stepped forward with a cry, his eyes were narrowed with pain. "We would never-"
"First Lonewhisker and now Windsun," Stormpaw continued, "It's not even honorable deaths anymore. It's just... murder."
Eaglehawk could say nothing to placate the young apprentice, as Stormpaw, his eyes filled with hatred, swept all of them in his amber gaze. Ravenwind, appearing at his side, pressed a tail against the young cat's shoulder,
"Peace, Stormpaw." He soothed in a low voice, "We must not fight. Not with our leader's body still warm with his tainted blood. It is the time for grieving." He steered the young tom towards Tawnyfur, who coaxed him over to Volepaw, who was still slightly shaken from this turn of events. Ravenwind turned his cool gaze on the LionHerd cats,
"Bring this news to your Herd if you will." He raised his chin. "And tell Flamesun that PantherHerd's new leader will get his answers."
"Ravenwind," Darkheart stepped forward to look the black tom in the eye, "When you are looking for the proof of your leader's demise, remember," he bared his fangs, "that the gorge will have washed away most of the traces of his attacker's scent, if their was an attacker at all, there is no definitive proof to finger an assassin."
Ravenwind smiled at the black LionHerd warrior, "Indeed, I will keep that in mind during my investigation. For now, my Herd and I must be off. I have a trip to the Moon Rock. Then, I will return to find my answers."
With that, in a grandiose sweep of his giant tail, the PantherHerd deputy seemed to be dismissing them from his presence and the rest of his patrol slunk away into the bushes after him, but not without Stormpaw pausing to send one last hatred-filled glare LionHerd's way.
Poppyfeather's voice was barely audible when she spoke, "This will spell trouble for all of us, won't it?"
"Yes," Darkheart said, turning his back on the PantherHerd border and beginning his trek back to the LionHerd camp, "but we will be ready when it comes."
Poppyfeather and Eaglehawk followed after the black warrior, Owlpaw, still sweating and feeling sick, began to follow after them, when he noticed Mosspaw lingering beside the edge of the gorge. Her fur was still bristling and Owlpaw could still smell her fear. He knew what she must be feeling. This was the first death she had ever witnessed. Owlpaw remembered his first, during the battle, and how frightened he had been. If not for Raintail's presence he was sure he might have ran away from it all right then. He went to approach her, resting his tail tip on her shoulder to lead her away. She turned to him, a wild look in her eyes and Owlpaw drew back in surprise as she, shivering and breathing lowly, drew back from Owlpaw.
He gave her a pitied look, "Mosspaw, it's alright. If you're worried about PantherHerd declaring war... don't worry, they have no proof. None of us killed Windsun. We couldn't have. The only explanation is that he fell into the rocks."
She closed her eyes for a moment, still shivering, before she hissed a warning lowly to Owlpaw, "Don't believe everything you see." Owlpaw startled with surprise but before he could ask her what she meant, she whipped around and raced after the rest of the patrol.