Author Note: Please feel free to leave a review on how you feel this series is going as well as directions I could take this. Do you feel I write Darkstripe too out of character and how do you feel about his personality going forward? I've been writing this story for fun and felt there was never enough personality to Darkstripe besides being Tigerclaw's henchcat.
Chapter 6: Darkstripe's Brilliant Plan
When Darkstripe awoke, he stared at the irritating ginger cat for a few heartbeats. He pondered how he'd fix such a screw up of a clanmate. As much as Darkstripe would hate to admit it, Fireheart is too important to the clan to banish. Yet the fiery tom did not trust his clan. He divided it into his faction and other. He then saw Brackenkit tunble out of the nursery and devised a brilliant idea. He quickly made his way to Bluestar's den, not caring that he woke her up.
"What do you need Darkstripe?" Grumbled Bluestar with bleary eyes.
"I think I've found a solution!" Darkstripe said with utter conviction.
"Fireheart doesn't trust the clan with his problems. The best way to make some cat give trust is to receive a little trust. You'd say Brackenkit and Cinderkit are about apprentice age correct?"
Bluestar blankly stared before it came to her in complete clarity. Darkstripe wanted Fireheart to mentor an apprentice.
"What makes you think that's a good idea? Isn't he a little young?"
"Ah. That's where the brilliance lies. With an apprentice at so soon a warrior, he'll have to ask, no beg for advice from our senior warriors. He'll start seeing us as more than fellow clanmates when he needs us to tame an unruly apprentice. I'd suggest Cinderkit. She's smart but a nightmare to wrangle."
Darkstripe was almost prancing at what he felt was a truly brilliant idea. Bluestar pondered the decision for a minute, not wanting to give the tom the satisfaction of giving a leader decision, before she conceded that this was probably the best way to make Fireheart open up to the clan. Bluestar stood up and shook her weariness out before trudging her way out to make an announcement and ceremony. Darkstripe was already waiting below staring expectantly. His tail swished with excitement. His council had never mattered much to Bluestar before.
When the meeting was held, Darkstripe quickly confessed his plan to Longtail. Longtail looked unimpressed. He knew Bluestar was likely looking for a reason to give Fireheart an apprentice since he was named a warrior. Any cat with two eyes could see Bluestar was grooming Fireheart to be a leader. Longtail didn't say anything to allow his friend and mentor have this small victory.
Fireheart and Graystripe were just as shocked as the rest of the clan when they received their apprentices. Fireheart expected to receive insults from Longtail and Darkstripe for this, but instead puzzlingly saw a smug look on Darkstripe's face. Dearkstripe made his way over to "congratulate" the new mentor.
"Have fun teaching her! She can be quite the paw full. I mean, when I secretly taught her a swear, she wouldn't stop swearing for a moon."
Frostfur, having heard Darkstripe's comment, bristled immediately.
"It was you!"
Darkstripe's ears flattened as he looked at the now angry queen.
"Meet me at the Owl Tree after you're done with your apprentice, so I con continue your training. I'd love to stay and chat, but I have a badger after me now!"
"Darkstripe!" Screeched Frostfur.
Darkstripe sprinted into the forest with an angry queen on his tail. Fireheart stared at his new apprentice who decided to take this opportunity to show off the language Darkstripe taught her.
"Mousedung!"
Fireheart hung his head realizing how difficult this mentoring was really going to be. Fireheart went with the tradition to tour the territory with Graystripe, which Cinderpaw almost wandered off. He just could not seem to get this cat to focus. She'd get distracted easily. She was also devilishly smart which made her lack of focus even more annoying. She was a prodigy with the attention span of a kit.
When Fireheart finally made his way back to camp with his apprentice, he was thoroughly exhausted. Just then something occurred to Fireheart. Why did Darkstripe go out of his way to taunt Fireheart this morning and look so smug when the apprentices were appointed. It clicked. Darkstripe set him up, but why? The exasperation on his face must have been plain to see because Whitestorm made his way over to him.
"That apprentice giving you trouble?"
"Yes." Fireheart hissed quietly. "She's not dumb, but I can't seem to get her to focus. She doesn't respect me."
Whitestorm huffed. "An apprentice like that needs a reason to respect you."
"Isn't being a warrior enough?"
"No. You are one of the youngest warriors with the least amount of experience training a young cat. You need to prove yourself to her. Take her on a patrol. Pick a fight. Or make her fight you. She needs to know you are her superior. Don't be gentle with your commands. She doesn't need another mother. She needs a master. You can give her more freedoms later."
Fireheart took Whitestorm's advice to heart and nodded to himself.
"Ok. I'll do it."
Whitestorm stood with a light purr.
"I'll leave you to it. Just don't be afraid to ask for advice in the future. You young cats tend to pretend you can shoulder the whole forest's problems, but you forget that there are m any cats who have done more and seen more than you. Let us know your problems, because we've likely been in the same place before."
It hit Fireheart like a lightning strike. This is what Darkstripe wanted. Darkstripe might be an unbearable cat to be around, but he has good intentions. Fireheart began to make his way to the Owl Tree to meet Darkstripe.
"It took you quite a while to get out here little Firepaw. I almost thought you forgot. I saw you getting buddy buddy with Whitestorm. Good. You aren't just a soft mouth to feed. Instead of a question today, I'm going to ask you to learn about your clanmates. Here's three questions I expect you to be able to answer by sundown tomorrow. If you fail, I'll tell Bluestar you are unworthy of learning my partner fighting techniques. Question 1: What is Tigerclaw's favorite piece of fresh kill? Question 2: Who is Brindleface's direct family? Question 3: Given Whitestorm is the child of Bluestar's rival, why does she trust him over anyone else? Do not fail me. I just as much expect you to do something great one day as I expect you to die with accomplishing nothing lasting."
Darkstripe was always a puzzle to hear. Did he truly just admit Fireheart had potential or was it just another insult worded strangely? He was an enigma.