Everything went downhill from there. The more Firepaw was kept in the medicine den, the more agitated he became. And the less he could tolerate everyone else around him. It got to the point where cats were starting to get worried about him. But finally, the day came when he was declared OK to use his paw again. And because of this, everyone thought he'd be his normal self again... and he was... just in a different way.
Firepaw walked out into the clearing, letting his ginger pelt gleam in the sunlight. He stretched, it felt so good to be out and walking again. Yawning, he sat down to watch everyone go about their daily duties. His mother, Goldenflower, was sitting beside Tigerclaw who was talking in a low hiss to Darkstripe. They kept stealing glances at him, but Firepaw was in no mood to talk to his father about anything. He turned his head.
He was watching Bluestar talk to Redtail beneath highrock when a voice beside him had him turn his head.
"Hey Firepaw!"
He didn't flinch, didn't jump, didn't do anything he normally would have except to look at the pale ginger she-cat, "Sandpaw."
The she-cat was standing to the side of him, "I heard you were going to the training hollow to train today with us!" She was obviously excited.
He shrugged, "I guess so."
She frowned, Somthing's wrong with him... "Firepaw? Are you okay?"
He nodded, "Fine. Why?"
"I don't know... you don't seem like yourself today..." she mewed slowly.
He looked at her with such a blank expression that she frowned deeper, "I'm fine, Sandpaw."
Darkstripe was walking over.
"Is Graypaw, Dustpaw, and the Kittypets up yet?" He looked at where the mentors were gathering beneath the highrock with Bluestar and Redtail, "Looks like we're about to get going. The mentors won't like them sleeping in."
Sandpaw looked to the apprentices den, "I think Dustpaw and Graypaw are. I'm not to sure about Airpaw and Windpaw."
"Oh. Too bad." In fact, Firepaw didn't care at all about them.
And Sandpaw could read it on his face. She sighed inwardly, Firepaw... why can't you accept them?
"Excuse me, Sandpaw. I need to speak with my apprentice."
Sandpaw dipped her head to Darkstripe and mewed to Firepaw, "See you a minute!" She crossed the clearing to wake up her clanmates.
"Firepaw?" Darkstripe sat down beside his apprentice.
"Darkstripe."
Darkstripe took a deep breath to calm himself down, "We all know how you haven't taken to the Kittypets all that well." he started off. Only the turned ear in his direction allowed Darkstripe the evidence that Firepaw was indeed listening to him, "You need to make an effort to accept them. or ignore them. But just don't be mean to them. They're your clanmates now and you guys have to be able to trust each other with your lives."
Firepaw scoffed, "Since when did you become Bluestar, Darkstripe. That was a real touching speech. No, honestly, it was. She'd be proud." Firepaw paused and looked at his mentor out of the corner if his eye, "But I'm not going to pretend like I actually like them. That would be a lie. And I don't lie. That would also be fake," He added as his attention went forward and watched as his friends emerged from the apprentices den just as the mentors made it over there. Unfortunately, the Kittypets came out too, Too bad... "And I'm not fake. I'm not going to let them think that I'd have their backs when I probably won't. So, sorry Darkstripe, but they get what they get. But I suppose I can be nice... as long as they're nice back. I won't ignore them for you."
Darkstripe gave up. Firepaw was every bit as stubborn as his dad and twice as hard-headed. At least Tigerclaw, on occasion, listened to reason, "Whatever." He stood up and started toward the group, "Come on, Slowpoke. And get a move on."
They walked over to the group.
2 WEEKS LATER...
"Keep your back legs in when you pounce, Airpaw! That way your full weight is on your enemy when you attack!" Mousefur snapped as she watched her apprentice do it wrong. "No! Not that way!"
Airpaw huffed in anger. He couldn't do it because everytime he went in to do it, he panicked and swung his tail which - obviously - made his legs spread out for balance. He heard Firepaw snicker and whirled to face him. "You think you can do it better?"
Firepaw walked to the front of the group. Everybody else had sat back watching his moves and learning how to do it correctly, while Firepaw had been laughing silently. How dare Firepaw think he could do it better than him when he'd been practicing for ever... him and everybody else. But not Firepaw! He thought angrily, Firepaw had been sitting on his hind quarters nursing his foot! let him try and make a fool of himself!
"Oh... I know, I could do it better." He was smirking at Airpaw and making him feet like a kit. He didn't like that feeling so he glared and stepped aside.
"Then go on, three legs. Show me." He taunted and drew pleasure when Firepaw took offense to the insult.
"Suit yourself. Don't get mad when the handicapped kitty shows you up." And then Firepaw climbed the tree in record time and stood looking down at the ground.
Airpaw backed up to stand with Graypaw and his sister on one side and Sandpaw and Dustpaw on the other. The mentors were behind them and looking up. Darkstripe stepped forward, took a stick from near by, placed it under the tree branch, and called up, "Okay, Firepaw! I want you to imagine this is your enemy. Pounce on it, keep your legs in, and keep your back arched for more power. Got it?"
Firepaw nodded and wiggled his haunches Now that he was up here, he couldn't back down. He had to go through with it. This was his pride. He also couldn't miss. So, imagining that the stick was Airpaw's smug little body about to be broken in half, he launched himself down. It was nice and smooth. legs tucked in, back arched, and claws out, open, and ready to destroy the black and white Kittypet tom's pelt off. He landed directly on target, cracked the stick in half, and turned to the others, proud of himself.
"Well done, Firepaw. That was perfect." Darkstripe mewed with approval. Mousefur, Redtail, Whitestorm, and Lionheart said the same in kind. Proud of him. Only Longtail remained mute as he glared at the ginger apprentice before walking off a few foxlengths to talk to the other mentors.
"Wow!" Sandpaw bounced up and down in amazement, "That was awesome!"
"And it was only your first time!" Graypaw's eyes were glowing.
"Good job," Dustpaw acknowledged, "But I could probably do better."
"Of course," Firepaw teased.
Airpaw crouched down, "Beginer's luck, Three Legs."
Firepaw rolled his eyes, "More like, wild cat's talent, Kittypet."
"What talent?" Airpaw hissed, "The ability to fall into water and nearly drown? Some talent."
"Don't be jealous because you didn't think about it first, mouse bile."
Airpaw's claws slide out, "Do you wanna go, Rat face?"
Firepaw scoffed and turned away, "I promised I wouldn't lower my self to fight kittens, Owl Scum. Go on and run home to your mommy, Kittypet."
That did it for Airpaw. He didn't like this cat and he never would. He lunged for the newly healed wild cat. Only one thing ran through his mind. He'd been training, and the ginger tom hadn't. He could win, if he kept his wits. He was about the same size as Firepaw but he was broader in the shoulders and more muscled then the easily handsome, lean, and semi-tall orange apprentice. But he'd misjudged him. Beneath Firepaw's fur, there were thick muscles and strengths and the determination to not be shown up by Kittypet ever again.
So Firepaw jumped up into the air and, despite the desperate pleas from his friends to not engage, he beat the Kittypet senseless. He landed square on his shoulders, driving him into the ground. Then ran his claws through the tom's fur a couple of times. When Airpaw turned his head to bite him, he jumped off and spun on his heel kicking the black and white tom on the cheek and tearing through the flesh there. Then spun around tackled him to the ground. They rolled around in a tangled up ball - scratching, biting, nipping, and tearing at each other. Suddenly, Longtail and Mousefur were pushing each apprentice apart. Splitting them up. Firepaw had a bloody flank and a few scratches on his face but Airpaw was a hot mess! His nose was bloody, one eye was swollen, his face was scratched... he looked like he got into a fight with a small dog. Firepaw raised his head, sat down, and looked away in disgust. He could have atleast put up a better fight than that... he thought sourly. Airpaw, panting, shook his head out and felt air rush through an ear. One of his ears was chipped!
"Stop it you two!" Mousefur snapped, "You're clanmates! Clanmates don't fight!"
"He started it..." Firepaw muttered, lowering his ears.
"I don't care who started it..." Mousefur rumbled on, "We're ending it." She walked over to her apprentice and checked his wounds with his sister.
The other apprentices crowded Firepaw, "Firepaw..." Graypaw whined, "You don't go fighting cats you don't like..."
Firepaw looked at his long furred friend in disbelief, "I didn't start it! He attacked me. Not the other way around. You saw it."
Sandpaw nodded in agreement, "Yeah! Everything should be blamed on him. It's not Firepaw's fault that he won the fight!"
Dustpaw spoke slowly, "No... it's not... but he should have had enough control to not continue on his own..."
Firepaw growled at Dustpaw, "Shut up. Now you're starting to sound just like my father."
Dustpaw practically glowed, Tigerclaw was his hero, "Why thank you."
Firepaw shook his head, but before he speak Redtail strode in front of everyone, "We're heading back."
And everyone turned around to go back to the Thunderclan camp. Firepaw felt two pairs eyes of trained on his back as he walked with his clanmates back to the hollow. Stupid, flea-bitten mange pelted Kittypets! he snarled inwardly while, outwardly, he just hissed. Like every other time he felt someone watching him. He could just hear the sharp intake from the she-cat and the low growl of her brother. Good. Feel my wrath, Airpaw. This means war.
CHETAHLUV: WOO HOO! This is the most i've written yet! 1,969 Words! YaY!
SANDPAW: Firepaw, you're startin a war?
FIRPAW: I suppose so! This is gonna b fun! But... 1 question... Y was i soo beat up, Chetahluv? he shuldnt hv been able 2 fite me tht good...
AIRPAW: Hey!
FIREPAW: Shut up.
RAVENPAW: Lol
DUSTPAW: Smhwlol... Firepaw... u still won
FIRPAW: i guess i did, didnt i? On tht note, Never mind Chetaluv! :D
WINDPAW: ...?
LONGTAIL: Chetahluv owns nothin but the plot... SORTA;P - Firepaw... U r n soooo much trouble!
FIREPAW: Wht 4? With who?
LONGTAIL: MWAHAHAHA! Guess U'll just hv 2 find out in the next chapter!
SPOTTEDLEAF: Hope U Njoyed! Stay tuned, Review, and Follow PLEASE! *GIGGLE*