Chapter 2: Something called outrage?
The clan grew silent, faint murmuring faded so you could hear a single raindrop, Bramblestar stared at Lionblaze calmly. Lionblaze's fur was on it's end, standing up over his back, he stood over his daughter as if he felt a need to protect her. Swiftpaw looked up at her father, he was normally a gentle, caring cat. She had never seen him angry. Now she understood why her father was one of the best warriors around the lake. Because he was feared. His amber eyes glinted dangerously and his pupils were tiny slivers. Swiftpaw ducked her head low, to avoid her father's fury.
Swiftpaw wasn't scared of many things, spiders..no, foxes...nope...Lionblaze...defiantly. Her father was something she was scared of. Lionblaze was a great cat of course! But when you have to face his anger, its not the best place to be.
"You have a problem with my decision Lionblaze?" Bramblestar asked clearly.
"Yes, Bramblestar I do." He twisted his head sharply to glare at Squirrelflight. "How could you choose her!? The cat who lied to me and my siblings! And now you want to entrust the safety of my precious daughter to her?!" Lionblaze whirled back to Bramblestar.
Bramblestar's wide amber eyes returned to normal. "Lionblaze, I know things have been hard for you... and Cinderheart... ever since the deaths of Flowerkit, Sootkit and Hollykit." Bramblestar gently mewed.
"Don't..." Lionblaze whispered.
"Because of those horrible events, your kits are even more precious to you, I understand. But possibly its time to move on?"
Lionblaze glared at him. "No! I can't forget my kits!"
Bramblestar shook his head. "I mean all this hate, directed at Squirrelflight and Leafpool."
Swiftpaw had heard the tale of Lionblaze's heritage, that he was part windclan and the son of a medicine cat. Squirrelflight had lied to Bramblestar saying the kits were his and hers, the whole clan believed it, until it was revealed by Squirrelflight that they were actually Leafpool's and Crowfeather's kits. The reality had torn their world apart.
Swiftpaw could understand why he was angry, but she couldn't help but feel suspicious, she had never heard of Hollykit, Sootkit and flowerkit and she was curious to find out who they were, there was something her parents were not telling her.
"Bramblestar isn't there anyone else?" Lionblaze growled.
Swiftpaw couldn't help but take a glance at an outraged Squirrelflight, who also looked quite awkward. Her ears pinned back and tail flicking, paws shuffling awkwardly.
"Lionblaze I chose Squirrelflight your daughter is exactly like her when she was an apprentice."
Swiftpaw tilted her head. "Really?"
Bramblestar nodded. "She too was troublesome and frankly annoying."
Swiftpaw raised one eyebrow. "Are you calling me annoying?"
Brambleclaw chuckled. "No, you both have the same fiery spirit, I couldn't think of a better cat that could use that spirit to make her a fine warrior of thunderclan."
Lionblaze still looked unsure, his eyes still narrowed.
Swiftpaw stepped forward. "I would like Squirrelflight to be my mentor, Bramblestar's right, also it could mend this...family...problem.." Swiftpaw mewed shyly looking at her father.
Lionblaze stared at Swiftpaw then padded back into the warriors den. Leaving the clan in a stunned silence.
"Squirrelflight you have courage and belief to stand up for what is right, I am sure you will pass these qualities on to Swiftpaw."
Squirrelflight walked up to Swiftpaw, and touched her nose to Swiftpaw's. "I like your courage young one. It will be my honour to be your mentor."
Swiftpaw nodded. Then sat next to Wolfpaw, who was still grinning. She gave him a playful punch in the ribs. "Ouch!" he squeaked.
"Well then, wipe that smug look off your face!" Swiftpaw joked.
"Swiftpaw! Wolfpaw! Swiftpaw! Wolfpaw!" yowled the clan. But it was a bitter sweet celebration, most of the clan was joining in with the chanting of their new names, but Swiftpaw could see some of her clanmates casting surprised and cautious looks at the warriors den.
She felt slightly angry at her farther, he had sort of ruined her apprentice ceremony, at least it wasn't her warrior one! Then he would face having some clawed ears.
"Okay everyone, go back to your duties." Bramblestar called. He then leapt off the highledge and padded over to Swiftpaw and Wolfpaw with Squirrelflight.
"What are we going to do!?" Wolfpaw asked, he was jumping around, failing at keeping a calm composure.
"We are going to go on a border patrol with the senior apprentices, then possibly teach you some hunting" Squirrelflight purred.
"Cool! I can't wait!" Swiftpaw purred.
"Firstly though, I think you have some friends who want to see you" Bramblestar flicked his tail to his left. Sitting in a large group was Ivypool, Cinderheart, Dovewing and Foxkit, Blackkit, Ravenkit, Songkit and Stormkit.
Swiftpaw sprinted over to Ravenkit and touched her nose to her friend's. "jealous?" She teased.
"Defiantly! It's no fair! You get Bramblestar and Squirrelflight!" Ravenkit purred. She then cast a teasing glance at Wolfpaw. "But I could get Lionblaze.."
"if you do I'll..." Wolfpaw growled.
"Speaking of Lionblaze I need to talk to him." Growled a angry Cinderheart. Swiftpaw looked up at her mother, she wanted at least one of her parents to be happy for her.
"Swiftpaw you were brilliant, Squirrelflight will be a good mentor." Cinderheart flicked Swiftpaw on the ears with her tail lovingly. "Now have fun, where are you off to?"
"We're going on a border patrol then going to do some hunting!" purred Wolfpaw.
"Cool! I wish I could go with you." Sighed Stormpaw.
"You never know, we might have our warrior ceremony together!" Wolfpaw encouraged his best friend.
The reddish tabby grinned. "Well I will have to catch up then!" he purred.
"You won't Mousebrain. Me and Foxkit will but you? Give me a break you couldn't catch a mouse even by sitting on it!" Blackkit teased.
Swiftpaw felt a rush of anger at the arrogant black kit. "What do you know Blackkit? I am talking to the kit who got has to clean the elder's den for a moon?"
Blackkit hissed at her, then grumpily stomped off with his shadow, Foxkit by his side, gossiping angrily. "Who does she think she is?" She heard Foxkit mew.
"probably clan leader, good luck with that! She's the daughter of a ghost of a she cat!"
Swiftpaw filled with fiery fury when she heard Blackkit's insult. She had heard the tale that her mother Cinderheart was the reincarnation of Thunderclan's past medicine cat, Cinderpelt. She unsheathed her claws, with a desire to rip the arrogant tom's ears apart.
"Ignore him, he's just angry that he got caught trying to trip Jayfeather over, and now has to look after the elders." Ravenkit mewed, trying to calm her friend down. Swiftpaw still felt angry though, she hated Blackkit and Foxkit. She couldn't believe that Ravenkit, who was extremely caring and loyal was related to such a piece of fox dung.
"Swiftpaw! Wolfpaw! Come on!"Swiftpaw heard Squirrelflight calling them.
"got to go." Swiftpaw mewed to Ravenkit. Ravenkit's face looked disappointed. "Don't worry, I will bring the best piece of prey later!" She called to her friend while running with Wolfpaw to their mentors.
Squirrelflight's ginger fur was on end, she was clearly as excited as Swiftpaw. Swiftpaw saw that there were the older apprentices coming with them. Snowpaw was with Birchfall, Dewpaw was with Spiderleg and Amberpaw was with Whitewing.
Bramblestar looked around at the group. "Well then, let's go".
The group of mentors and apprentices padded out of the bramble entrance. Swiftpaw was astonished. The forest was so big!
The trees towered high above her head, casting green coloured light as the sun tried to penetrate the thick canopy of green leaves, the brambles and ivy rustled in the faint breeze, flowers were small buds, reaching up out of the ground and into the sun, competing for the live giving warmth. Swiftpaw heard Squirrelflight whisper in her ear. "Close your eyes."
Swiftpaw did as she was told and closed her bright green eyes. She heard the birds tweeting high above her, prey rustling in the undergrowth, the wind gently tugging on the leaves, the taste of plants and prey and the odd scent of cats. She could hear the faint lap of the lake against the shore, the feel of the wind clawing at her fur, whispering to her, beckoning her to follow it to where ever it wanted to take her. It was wonderful.
She opened her eyes to see Squirrelflight staring down at her. "Beautiful isn't it?"
"yes...it really is." Swiftpaw breathed.
Bramblestar looked around then smiled at the excited apprentices. "It's time for you to meet our neighbours."
Wolfpaw and Swiftpaw trotted through the forest, along the twisting routes that thunderclan had been taking for moons now, the leaves brushed her pelt, the dry earth tingled her paws, it was brilliant, she felt free like she could run forever and find no wall or boundary to stop her. She breathed in a huge take of air, the warm current filled her lungs, empowering her. The wind tickled her face, she giggled when a stray leaf hit Wolfpaw in the face. Another scent hit her nose, it smelt of pines, and grass and thunderclan trees at the same time. "What's that smell?" Swiftpaw asked Squirrelflight.
"That is the scent of Darkclan. It's not the worst smell, because it smells partly of our forest." Squirrelflight told her. "they are a new clan, created by outcasts from all four clans, they took hostages from shadowclan and thunderclan, your father Lionblaze was tortured so Bramblestar would have to give Breezestar, the leader territory. Mouseheart. Grudgingly it was a good tactic, and thunderclan lost quite a bit of territory."
"That's horrible!" gasped Wolfpaw.
"I know, luckily they haven't caused any trouble since." Said Snowpaw.
"They will though.." growled Dewpaw.
Bramblestar visibly shuddered. "We're at the border. Snowpaw, Birchfall renew the scent markers." The two cats nodded and padded away.
"Hey! Isn't that Minnowtail?" Spiderleg exclaimed.
Squirrelflight narrowed her eyes. "Yeah, it is."
Wolfpaw and Swiftpaw exchanged a look of do you know who that is?
Bramblestar looked at them. "Minnowtail was cast out of Riverclan for training in the dark forest, but she didn't want to fight like Darkclan does so she became their "healer" as they say. A medicine cat without talking to Starclan. But apparently she sneaks off to the medicine cat meetings."
Swiftpaw looked at the healer with interest. She was a rebel, refusing to take on Darkclan's bond with the dark forest and staying true to Starclan. Quite a noble act, she reflected.
"Hey Minnowtail!" Whitewing mewed to the healer.
Minnowtail looked up, and dropped her herbs in surprise. She then padded cautiously to the thunderclan cats. She looked around as if she felt there was a Darkclan cat nearby. "hi." She mewed shyly.
"Is everything all right?" Squirrelflight asked suspicious.
Minnowtail offered a fake smile, but Swiftpaw knew it was fake. "Why wouldn't it be?" she looked around again.
"It doesn't look it." Swiftpaw growled.
Minnowtail's eyes widened, and she again looked around. "Everything is fine." She mewed sharply.
"I have to go " she said. The dappled she cat quickly retreated back to the bushes.
"That was odd." Mewed Squirrelflight.
"Odd indeed" Bramblestar growled. His eyes narrowed, suspiciously glaring at the bushes that Minnowtail had disappeared through.
Oooohhhh whats going on in Darkclan?
And why is Blackkit and Foxkit acting so mean?
Find out next time?
Please review and fav!
Best wishes!
Neon xxx
