(Sorry for this chapter to be so short, I slightly ran out of ideas. Anyway, I will need a medicine cat oc (as a kit) for the new medicine cat. I know it's wrong to mess with the story, but in a StarClan point of view, Jaypaw's destiny changed right when he accepted Tigerstar and Hawkfrost's offer. Thus making a new destiny/path for another kit. So put your cat idea in a review and the one I most like will be the new medicine cat apprentice!)
Chapter 4: The Dog Attack
Jaypaw stretched his muscles out, padding out of the apprentices den into the slightly chilly morning air, crystal colored eyes unseeing. Dawn patrol was preparing to go out as Graystripe, his brand new mentor sat nearby. "You seem to have slept like a rock," he purred, tossing his furry head back. "A rock doesn't have a sense of humor," the apprentice grumbled, as if attempting to crack a cantankerous joke. "Well, I hope you are excited for your apprentices ceremony." "What?" "Firestar said you were to have one this morning."
Jaypaw's fur stood in end, his tail and whiskers quivering. I forgot. He had been so disbelieving about how Firestar didn't understand him that the thought completely left his mind. Straightening up, he busily groomed his tangled and unkempt pelt, causing Graystripe to chuckle. "Don't you have anything better to do besides just looking at me?" the apprentice snapped lightly as he continued with his fussing. "Nope, not really," the mentor mused, shaking his own pre-groomed pelt. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting!" the ginger leader's voice bellowed.
Jaypaw glanced up, his back bristling with anticipation and a tinge of nervousness. Usually he would resent cleaning his coat before a ceremony, but this seemed event seemed special. As if it was some kind of sign to show he wasn't just a helpless kit anymore. He wouldn't have to go around with cats shouting, "Jaypaw, watch out!" or "Let me help you, Jaypaw!" "Jaypaw, step up," Firestar boomed, staring at him through emerald ovals. The slate apprentice padded forward up to Highrock as he watched his siblings gather around in curiosity. They really had no idea what is going on. "I, Firestar, call upon our warrior ancestors to give this apprentice a new mentor. Brightheart has been a brilliant mentor to Jaypaw and I respect her decision in changing. Jaypaw, your new mentor shall be Graystr-"
"Dog attack! Dog attack!" Whitewing yowled in panic as she came sprinting into camp. Jaypaw gave a gasp of surprise and a bit of happiness. This is the chance I can prove myself! "Can you see them?" Hollypaw distressed mew asked. "Are they near the nursery?" Hazelpaw queried in a terrified alert. A steady drizzle began to rain upon the camp followed with the sounds of distant barking. The felines in the camp unsheathed their claws, ready for blood to be spilt. "Everyone, listen up!" Firestar ordered to the shivering grimalkins below. "Queens, kits, and elders, get into the nursery! Warriors and apprentices, line up and get ready!" Cloudtail and Thornclaw bared their ivories and stepped up, their nails digging in the mud. The rain came down harder.
A shaggy sable and ivory colored dog with droopy ears pounded into camp trailed with a golden long furred one and a curly haired black one. A third of the clan threw themselves on top of the white and inky one while the others took care of the curly one. The flaxen haired canine glared at Jaypaw in excitement as it bounded toward him. Sliding into a flawless battle stance, he waited.
Suddenly, Jaypaw was flung aside by a cat. Lionpaw and Hollypaw stared at it, claws unsheathed and fur bristling. "We got this," the golden apprentice purred as he attacked the dog on the nose. "Hey! I was going to fight it!" the slate tom hissed between clenched jaws. "I can't let you get killed!" Hollypaw mewed between throwing blows. "I can fight just as well as you can!" her brother replied with an offensive glare. "Jaypaw, look… I mean you see… I mean, understand that… you're blind and taking a dog is too risky," Lionpaw explained dodging a giant paw.
Tigerstar's voice seemed to whisper in Jaypaw's ears to strike instead of making him seem weak. "Don't make you siblings prevent you from being great," the tabby murmured, words drifting away. Nodding, the slate colored apprentice launched himself on top of the dog, biting and ripping at its throat. His vision seemed to be blocked by the crimson fluid as he slashed in rage and anger. Clinging to its back, he continued to tear apart its throat. Soon, the canine beneath him whimpered, sanguine ichor dripping along its fur. It struggled against the apprentice's grip, but it was as if Jaypaw couldn't hear anything anymore. With just a few more blows, it would be dead. "Jaypaw!" Hollypaw yowled, yanking her brother from the hound's back. Shrieking, all the dogs fled the scene, heading back to their twoleg.
"Why did you yank me off?!" Jaypaw hollered at Hollypaw, his back bristling. "Because you were going to kill it!" "Why shouldn't I? It's as dangerous as a freezing temperature in Leafbare!" "StarClan claims to not kill enemies, just make them flee!" "StarClan, ShmarClman!" Hollypaw seemed to gasp a bit before hissing," How could you say that?!" The slate colored tom snorted before gyrating around murmuring," Because StarClan isn't the one that helped me." His paws left footprints in the mud as water dripped from both of the cat's whiskers.
The rain has cleared, leaving a bright new day after the massacre that had taken placed. Luckily, the storm had brushed away any of the lingering scents of death and blood. Leafpool quickly rushed out of the medicine den to tower above Jaypaw and inspect him. "Look at you! I told you not to fight, but of course, you had to recklessly endanger yourself!" she scolded, raising his ichor stained paw. As she quickly lapped at the iron ladened liquid, she found that he hadn't received any new wounds. "Jaypaw, you fought dog right?" the medicine cat slowly began. "Yes, what do you think I did?!" the apprentice snapped back. "Impressive, you didn't get hurt…"
Jaypaw couldn't understand why Leafpool seemed to care so much about his wellbeing. Irritation fluffed up his fur as he sensed disbelief and a hint of relief from the she-cat above him. There were a sound of pawpads, Firestar. "Jaypaw," the ginger feline stated. "I apologize for not heeding your call earlier, StarClan didn't say that the dogs will come to camp. You have shown amazing strength in battle and I will like to thank you for that." The leader dipped his furry head to the apprentice in acknowledgement. The slate gray figure grinned, happily proving that he was finally right while giving a smug glance to Hollypaw who glared back.
Firestar nodded, his body held high," Now, I believe there is a ceremony we have to continue." After the ritual for a new mentor, Jaypaw padded toward Graystripe with a high strung grin cracked along his face. "I'm sure you will want to get to sleep after that excitement," the cobalt warrior purred, his thick fur rumbling. Jaypaw cringed at the thought of facing stinging sludge again as he stammered," N-N-No thank you! I want to learn new things!" The former deputy chuckled, turning around and heading out of camp," Very determined, I like it."