Greywillow of RainClan was just about to give up. Her parents practically ignored her, her siblings bullied her, and the Clan seemed to hate her for no real reason. But then, then came her chance... her chance to prove that she was someone who deserved respect. Wouldn't you take that chance?
Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Warriors. However, I do own most of the characters used in this story.
One more thing, this story was written for a challenge on Pebblewish's SnowClan forum (a really good one by the way). It wasn't planned, but I hope you enjoy it anyway.
"Congratulations Dustcloud. You have two toms and three she-kits." Firestorm meowed. He looked at each kit he had just helped to bring into the world. One of the toms was a blue-gray little bundle while the other was a smoky grey with white streaks. Beside them a bright ginger she-kit and a dusky brown she-kit suckled eagerly. The smallest one though, a tiny grey she-kit, could barely suckle without falling over from her puny size or one of her larger littermate's squirming.
The kit's father, Cinderclaw, gazed at the four healthy kits with adoration in his eyes. "What should we name them?" he asked his mate.
Watching silently, Firestorm saw the kits become Riverkit, Smokekit, Gingerkit, and Brindlekit. The Medicine Cat frowned though when Dustcloud fell asleep and Cinderclaw began to leave without naming the runt.
"Hey!" Firestorm snapped at Cinderclaw. "Forgetting someone?"
The deputy turned and looked confused until he glimpsed the tiny grey she-kit. "Oh. We decided to disown her. After all, no one can find out me and Dustcloud are producing runts. But you can call her Smallkit if that's what you want."
Glaring at the dark grey tom, Firestorm picked up poor Smallkit and carried her over to Frostshine. "Can you nurse her?" he asked the white queen.
Frostshine glanced up at him in surprise, "Why? She's not my kit." At her belly Treekit, Cavekit, and Quailkit were fast asleep.
"Please. Her parents just disowned her and we can't just let her die. Remember the warrior code," Firestorm hissed quietly to his sister.
"Fine." Frostshine rolled her eyes and made room for the tiny kit.
Thanking her, the ginger Medicine Cat was about to leave when Frostshine asked, "What's her name?"
"Er-" Firestorm thought it over. Smallkit wouldn't be a proper name for her. "Greykit. Her name is Greykit..."
~~Two Moons Later~~
"Hey guys. Wait up!" Greykit yowled, bounding as fast as she could after the other kits. They had been talking about playing 'Warrior' again and she wanted to play too. I may be small, but I can be just as strong as them.
Smokekit groaned, "Go away Greykit! You're always in the way."
Brindlekit nodded in agreement and pushed her away.
"I'm just as good as you! You think you're so tough 'cause I'm just the runt. But, guess what! When we're warriors I'm going to show you how good I-" Greykit broke off in a wail as a rough cuff from a large dark grey paw sent her off her paws. The young kit climbed to her paws and looked up at her father, now Cinderstar, and mother, Dustcloud.
"Were you just gloating to your siblings? How dare you!" Dustcloud spat, Cinderstar backing her up with a snarl. Word had eventually leaked out that Greykit was really of Dustcloud's and Cinderstar's litter, but the two made up for it by mistreating her.
Gingerkit smiled and went along with the lie, "She was saying that she is so much better. And, that, that when she's a warrior she's going to hurt us!"
Greykit hung her head, knowing better than to argue with them. That would just get her another hit. The worse part though was the gathering crowd of cats, primarily other kits and apprentices.
"You can go take care of the elder's ticks." Cinderstar growled. "And think about what you did."
Only Firestorm, the Medicine Cat, looked at least a little sorry for her. But there was nothing her could do for her. The small grey she-kit walked off to get some mouse-bile. Why did I have to be the runt?
~~Apprentice Ceremony~~
"Let all cats old enough to caught fish in streams gather beneath the Highbranch for a Clan meeting!" Cinderstar yowled atop the Water Oak branch.
Bounding over with Riverkit, Smokekit, Gingerkit, and Brindlekit, Greykit couldn't wait to be an apprentice. She may be the runt, but that didn't mean she couldn't be an apprentice... right? The five settled below the Water Oak, starring up at their father in excitement.
Once everyone was gathered, Cinderstar began: "I couldn't be prouder today to name my kits as apprentices. Riverkit, Smokekit, Gingerkit, and Brindlekit... and Greykit... have reached the age of 6 moons, and it is time for you to be apprentices. From this day on, until you receive your warrior names, you will be known as Riverpaw, Smokepaw, Gingerpaw, Brindlepaw, and... er, Greypaw."
Greypaw was too excited to notice his constant pause before he said her name. This was too great a day to worry about that!
"Riverpaw, I shall mentor you. I, myself, was mentored by Waspwing, an excellent mentor, who trained me to become the leader I am today. It will be a joy to pass on my knowledge to you." Cinderstar announced, leaping down to touch noises with Riverpaw. "Smokepaw, your mentor will be Jayflight. Jayflight was mentored by Waspwing as well and is a brave and intelligent. I hope he mentors you well. Gingerpaw, your mentor will be Lilybreeze. Her mentor was Thrushstar and I know she is one of the most clever and skillful warriors. I expect her to pass on the same qualities. Finally, Brambleflower will mentor Brindlepaw. Pass on the knowledge you received from Grasswind."
What? Greypaw realized now her father had forgotten all about her mentor. Will I have a mentor at all? What if he's going to throw me out?
Luckily Firestorm shouldered his way to the front. "Cinderstar, I'm afraid you forgot one of the apprentices."
The dark grey tom looked confused until he glanced at Greypaw. Finally! Greypaw thought. "Oh, right. Uh, Greypaw's mentor will be Tigerstrike. Make sure you pass down your knowledge to her."
"Tigerstrike!" Greypaw whispered quietly. She turned to face the tabby tom, shaking. He was the worst mentor in the whole Clan! A blind and deaf elder would be a better one than him. Not only was he rude, but he was also a murderer and no one liked him. The only reason he was still part of RainClan is because he was Cinderstar's uncle and wouldn't leave for all the prey in the forest. StarClan help her if he was really to be her mentor...
~~A Week Later~~
"No, no, no! You need to dodge and then strike. Stop daydreaming and move." Tigerstrike growled.
Smokepaw attacked again, but Greypaw gave up and let him knock her to the ground. "Ha, too easy." Her smoky grey brother sneered.
Climbing to her paws, Greypaw winced when her mentor roughly cuffed her. They had been battle training all day, and she was exhausted. But Tigerstrike insisted that she continued until he said so.
"Maybe we should take a break." Jayflight meowed. "Let the apprentices get a drink."
While the blue-grey tom's words were comforting, it was obvious he was just getting tired of listening to Tigerstrike's repremands.
"Fine, but you two better hurry up." The brown and gray tabby snapped.
The two walked down a slope to one of the many streams in RainClan's marshy forest land. It was the swiftest of all the streams, but the cool water felt good on Greykit's throat. I never thought I would dislike training this much.
Finishing earlier than her, Smokepaw shoved Greypaw into the shallow part of the stream. "Hey!" Greypaw shivered now from her soaked pelt. The water was freezing.
"Oh, what happened to you being the great and powerful Greypaw?" he sneered, splashing at her.
Greypaw yelped as water got into her eyes and stumbled backward. Suddenly the river bottom disappeared under her and she plunged into a hole in the stream bed. She opened her mouth to yowl, only for it to flood with water. The current sent her down the stream, flipping and crashing.
Lungs burning, the water broke away from her face long enough for her to take a breath. But then it plunged her into its depths. Greypaw tried to paddle her legs, but the current was too swift and her legs too short. This must be the end, Greypaw thought.
That, though, was when a set of jaws clamped down on her scruff. Jayflight had come to rescue her! She gasped for air as he set her on the shore.
"Come on." A voice growled above her, Tigerstrike. "'Weakpaw' over here is about to get a cold."
~~Two Moons~~
Firestorm watched as Greypaw climbed out of the Medicine Den for the first time in a moon and a half. The cold had given way to whitecough from the cool weather. Luckily no one else caught the sickness. Now she was well again, though, and back to her apprentice training.
"You can go check on the elders." Tigerstrike strode up. "Then we'll go hunting."
"Y-yes Tigerstrike." Greypaw nodded to her mentor and walked off to the elder's den. Firestorm felt sorry for her, but there was nothing he could do.
The Medicine Cat turned away to sort herbs. Greypaw would need to face her cursed life in this Clan by herself. I'm too busy to watch after one of our stupid leader's kits.
~~Ceremony~~
"From now on you will be known as Riverpelt, Smokestrike, Gingerroot, and Brindletail!" Cedarstar yowled. No, it wasn't their ceremony... it was passed their ceremony.
Greypaw's siblings had moved on to be warriors without her, Cedarstar forgetting about poor Greypaw again. She was now the age of a new warrior, but still her ceremony never came. Tigerstrike seemed to be glad to use the extra time to torture and bully her more.
That was until, finally, Cedarstar called the Clan together. Greypaw gloomily thought it was Rainpaw's, Darkpaw's, Goosepaw's, and Vinepaw's ceremony, a group of apprentices two moons younger than her.
"Now Greypaw has had to wait longer than her siblings because of her lack of skills." Cedarstar rumbled. Greypaw sat up at the sound of her name. Could it be? "But Tigerstrike has told me it is about time for her to be made a warrior. So..." Cedarstar sighed. "Greypaw, do you promise to protect and defend your Clan and to follow the warrior code? Even at the cost of your life?"
"Yes! I do!" Greypaw meowed, eyes beaming.
Cedarstar sighed again, "Then from now on you will be known as Greywillow. StarClan honors your thoughtfulness and kindness and welcomes you to RainClan as a warrior." The leader didn't rest his head on hers, but gave Greywillow just enough time to lick his shoulder before stalking off.
The Clan didn't cheer either and just dragged themselves away, but Greywillow didn't care. I'm a warrior! Greywillow! Greywillow! Greywillow! she thought. It was a beautiful name in her eyes.
~~A year~~
Greywillow watched from the edge of the clearing as the Clan busily brushed by without giving her even a sideways glance. Ever since her ceremony, she had been all but kicked out of the Clan.
Patrols left and came back without her except for the rare time she would be picked because she was the only available warrior. She hadn't ever been to a gathering either, and stories from them immediately stopped when she was spotted. The queens kept her away from their kits and apprentices always watched her as they spoke in nearly silent whispers. But Greywillow never complained, even when she was forced to go to her nest without any fresh-kill.
Truth be it, Greywillow was hatching a plan to save RainClan. A huge fox had been terrorizing the Clan lately. It had taken ten cat's lives: including Gingerroot's, Riverpelt's, and Cedarstar's. The current leader, Smokestar, yes, Greywillow's sibling, had ordered a shortage of patrols. Still, every moon at least two cats were lost.
Unknown to the others and able to hide easily, Greywillow had found how to beat the fox. A long time before, some cat had blinded it on the left side. So normally it kept its right side facing toward its enemies. Coupled with huge fangs the fox was viscious. But... next time it took a strike... Greywillow would be ready.
~~That night~~
Yowls woke the warriors of RainClan and they rushed into the camp. The fox had attacked the camp this time, trying to break into the nursery. Greywillow immediately dove out of sight.
It was only a few moments before the fox turned on Smokestar and took the leader into its jaws. No! Greywillow couldn't help but feel some loyalty to her rude brother. He was already on his last life...
A single screech broke the battle and Greywillow leapt on the distracted fox. It let go off Smokestar and he dropped to the ground by Brindletail. The fox reared up on its hind legs, sending the small grey warrior flying up in the air.
"This is for my stinking family!" Greywillow whispered as she landed on the fox's shoulders. She dug in and sunk her teeth into the fox's neck.
The fox roared and flipped over on its back, crushing Greywillow under it. But the determined she-cat didn't let go. Soon the scrabbling fox stopped twitching and lay still.
Greywillow stood by its body, her light grey muzzle covered in its blood. She yowled victory, the other RainClan cats starring at her in shock.
"Give thanks to Greywillow! The forgotten sister who saved my life!" Smokestar yowled, coming up to stand beside her. "We all owe her an apology."
The Clan began cheering and yowls filled the forest as Greywillow felt her life change almost too quickly. This is how thing's were supposed to be, a voice whispered in her ear.
Okay. Finally done. Sorry for the cheesy ending. I wanted to finally finish. Bye!